Although Qian Xiaoke always felt that he was someone who had ‘seen the big world’, he was also very clear that the so-called grand scenes of domineering CEO families, the kind where someone said “Here’s five million, leave my son,” were things he had only ever seen in novels. When he actually had to meet in person parents-in-law who were rich, good-looking, and carried themselves with exceptional grace, his legs started going weak all over. Although Jiang Tongyan told Qian Xiaoke not to care so much and that he only needed to be himself, beauty was in the eye of the lover. When your lover thought you were a bit silly, that was called being genuine. When others saw it, that was called being truly… stupid. Although Jiang Tongyan’s parents looked very kind and were also especially good-looking, Qian Xiaoke’s mind was still clear. These were his parents-in-law. He absolutely could not slack off. The moment he did, his relationship with Jiang Tongyan, which was already not optimistic in his imagination, might very well collapse on the spot. Otherwise, why would one say that Comrade Qian Xiaoke had such a rich inner world? No one had ever told him that their relationship was not favoured, but after years of being steeped in melodramatic novels, he had already constructed an entire saga in his head about the love-hate entanglement between a wealthy elite family and a poor boy. That kind of love was tragic and moving. Unfortunately, true love could not overcome capital and power, and in the end, it still met a tragic conclusion. This was probably just the fate of a poor boy like him. “What are you thinking about?” Jiang Tongyan pinched Qian Xiaoke’s butt. “Did you go out without wearing long johns?” “I didn’t,” Qian Xiaoke said. “What kind of seductive bottom wears long johns?” “You made me wear them, and you didn’t wear them yourself. Is that appropriate?” “I made you wear them because I thought you would be cold,” Qian Xiaoke said righteously. “That’s a manifestation of my love for you.” “Cut it. I’ll have to keep an eye on you tomorrow morning.” After saying that, Jiang Tongyan suddenly realised something was off. “Don’t change the subject. What were you thinking about just now?” The two of them were getting ready to cook. Recently, Jiang Tongyan and Qian Xiaoke had genuinely been working hard on their cooking skills. Not long ago, Jiang Tongyan had accidentally seen an advertisement and was about to sign them both up for some kind of ‘New Oriental’ cooking class. Qian Xiaoke actually could not quite understand why Jiang Tongyan had suddenly become so enthusiastic about cooking. Jiang Tongyan’s explanation was that cooking relieved stress. For him, cooking really did relieve stress, but it had to be stated beforehand that it only worked when he was cooking for his own family. Outsiders did not count. Outsiders wanted to eat food cooked by Chairman Jiang? Don’t even think about it. He was stingy like that. As the highly motivated Jiang Tongyan prepped the ingredients, Qian Xiaoke helped out beside him. When Jiang Tongyan turned his head and glanced over, he saw that this guy had a strange expression, and who knew what he was mulling over again. “I’m just worried that what if Uncle and Auntie don’t like me,” Qian Xiaoke said. “Do you think Auntie might give me five million and tell me to leave you?” As soon as Jiang Tongyan heard that, he laughed so hard he nearly flung the cleaver out of his hand. “Can you stop reading weird novels?” “They’re not weird!” Qian Xiaoke said. “This kind of plot is super common!” “That’s still a novel,” Jiang Tongyan said solemnly. “And it’s way too unrealistic. How could five million be enough? No matter what, it should be ten million.” “Huh?” Qian Xiaoke stared at him in shock, his mouth opening into a perfect circle, big enough to stuff an egg into. “If she really does that to you,” Jiang Tongyan said, “you should ask for an outrageous amount. Demand ten million.” Qian Xiaoke narrowed his eyes at him. “I smell a conspiracy. Are you planning to wait until I get the money and then elope with me? That way, you get both the person and the money. As expected of you, Jiang Tongyan!” Jiang Tongyan looked at him and smiled. “No. I was thinking that if you take the initiative to ask for money, that’s extortion. Extortion is a crime. If you commit a crime, you get arrested. If you get arrested, you go to prison.” “…You’re so annoying!” Qian Xiaoke shot him a glare. Jiang Tongyan laughed nonstop. “As expected of me, Jiang Tongyan!” After joking around for a bit, Qian Xiaoke was not as nervous as before. “You really don’t need to be scared,” Jiang Tongyan said after teasing him, adding a few considerate words. “I know my parents. My family knew my sexual orientation eight hundred years ago, and I told them about our relationship on the first day we were together.” “The first day?” Qian Xiaoke said. “You sure moved fast.” This rotten man, Jiang Tongyan, was actually lying. He did not tell them on the first day they were together. He told them before they were even together, saying, “Look, in the future, I’m going to marry him.” He was thick-skinned to the extreme. “Qian Xiaoke.” “Mm?” “I know you won’t be able to relax completely no matter how I persuade you, but I hope you understand that my family and I will be happy and blessed that you can join us.” Jiang Tongyan suddenly said sentimentally, “We don’t need you to have any extraordinary family background or cultural education, nor do we need you to have the temperament and height of a supermodel or the delicate face of an actor. All we need is the cute and ordinary Qian Xiaoke.” Jiang Tongyan turned around to look at him. When he saw that guy standing there stupidly with a head of Chinese cabbage in his hands, he couldn’t help laughing. “But then again, you’re not ordinary either.” “How am I not ordinary…” Qian Xiaoke’s heart was racing. He realised that he was used to Jiang Tongyan’s usual clingy, unserious manner. The moment this man became serious and spoke sincere words of affection, he had no ability to fend it off at all. How could he be that handsome? “I really am very ordinary,” Qian Xiaoke said. “You don’t need to comfort me.” “I wasn’t comforting you. I can’t even be bothered to comfort people,” Jiang Tongyan said. “I was just telling the truth.” He put down the cleaver in his hand, took the Chinese cabbage that Qian Xiaoke had almost torn to pieces, and went to wash it. “I’ve seen plenty of the world too. I’ve seen all kinds of beautiful men and women, yet I fell so deeply in love with you to death, and you’re telling me you’re ordinary? That’s basically questioning my taste!” After hearing this, Qian Xiaoke successfully latched onto the main point. “You fell in love with me to the point dying?” The tips of Jiang Tongyan’s ears turned red. He snorted twice through his nose and ignored him. Qian Xiaoke laughed and leaned over to wash the cabbage with him, even bumping his arm with his small shoulder. “You fell in love with me to death!” Jiang Tongyan rolled his eyes. “Chairman Jiang, you’re making me really embarrassed like this!” Qian Xiaoke said smugly, his delight practically making his nonexistent rabbit tail grow longer. “Embarrassed? You look pretty pleased with yourself to me.” “No, no,” Qian Xiaoke laughed so hard he couldn’t stop. “I’m so shy I can’t even bear to look at you!” He said that, but when Jiang Tongyan turned his head to look at him, Qian Xiaoke still quickly stood on tiptoe and planted a kiss on him. After all that fooling around in the kitchen, Qian Xiaoke really did gradually relax. It was just that Jiang Tongyan’s parents, who were waiting outside to eat, saw that the kitchen door still hadn’t opened and didn’t dare go in to ask. They could only listen to the alternating chorus of growls from their own stomachs and silently regret having let the two of them cook in the first place. Because Qian Xiaoke and Jiang Tongyan kept interacting so frequently in the kitchen, their cooking efficiency was low, and by the time the four of them finally sat down to eat, it was already quite late. Still, the fact that Jiang Tongyan could make braised pork with glass noodles, chicken stewed with mushrooms, sauerkraut ribs, and three earthly delicacies1a classic, savory Northeastern Chinese home-style dish made from three common underground vegetables: eggplant, potato, and green pepper, stir-fried together, often after being briefly deep-fried, creating a dish that’s rich, flavorful, and a super popular side for rice surprised his parents greatly. “All Northeastern dishes,” Jiang Tongyan’s father said. “Not bad, not bad. They’re done pretty well.” “More than pretty well,” Jiang Tongyan bragged smugly. “Otherwise, how could I have fed Xiaoke into getting this chubby?” Qian Xiaoke, who had been eating with his head down, froze on the spot. His eyes almost teared up, his chopsticks nearly clattering onto the floor. Jiang Tongyan had meant it as a joke, and also as a roundabout way to show that the two of them were living well together. He just hadn’t expected Qian Xiaoke to take it so much to heart. For someone who was a ‘seductive bottom’, gaining weight was practically the destruction of his ‘career’. It was deadly serious. Qian Xiaoke couldn’t help pursing his lips. “What nonsense are you talking about?” Jiang Tongyan’s mother shot a glare at her son for speaking improperly. “Xiaoke looks great. Where is he fat?” Qian Xiaoke looked at Jiang Tongyan’s mother with a heart full of gratitude. Mama Jiang continued scolding her son. “What fat or not fat? Health is what matters most. If you like it, then eat. Being able to eat is a blessing in itself!” “Yes, yes, you’re absolutely right,” Jiang Tongyan replied obediently. “Xiaoke, don’t listen to him,” Mama Jiang said after finishing her lecture of her tactless son, then turned to comfort the clearly somewhat hurt Qian Xiaoke. “You’re not fat at all. You’re adorable. Auntie just likes kids like you!” Qian Xiaoke became embarrassed, truly embarrassed this time. He felt that he shouldn’t have had a little sulk at the dinner table. If Jiang Tongyan had annoyed him, the two of them could talk about it later after they got home. He hadn’t expected Mama Jiang to comfort him like this. Jiang Tongyan looked at Qian Xiaoke, then at his own mother, and suddenly felt a sense of crisis. He felt that his position as the top one in Qian Xiaoke’s heart was in grave danger. “Baby,” Jiang Tongyan hurried to make amends, “I shouldn’t have made that kind of joke that made you uncomfortable just now. I’m sorry, okay?” Once he said that, Qian Xiaoke felt even more awkward. The whole family was coaxing him, making him seem small-minded instead. Qian Xiaoke hurried to explain, “It’s fine, it’s fine. I really am fine, I…” He suddenly felt that he was terrible with words and didn’t know how to defuse the awkwardness at all. Flustered, he looked at Jiang Tongyan and suddenly realised that in moments like this, he always subconsciously sought help from him. Was this what people called love? Because of love, no matter what happened, the first thing he wanted to do was rely on the other person? Jiang Tongyan smiled and raised his hand to rub Qian Xiaoke’s soft hair. “You’re the cutest.” Qian Xiaoke pressed his lips together, his heart feeling both sour and warm. “How about I eat more too? I’ll eat myself into a big fatty and let you poke my belly every day, okay?” Qian Xiaoke finally couldn’t hold it in and burst out laughing. “Hey, don’t be like that!” He laughed, and Jiang Tongyan’s parents, sitting across from them, laughed as well. Watching the two kids be so cute even when having a little spat, the couple felt comforted too. “Alright, eat properly now,” Mama Jiang said when she saw that the two of them had shown enough affection. She took the initiative to steer things back on track. She said, “So you see, even in an intimate relationship, you need to pay attention to your wording and sense of proportion, and also be mindful of the other person’s feelings. Mom hopes that when you run into problems in the future, you’ll be able to resolve them like this. It’s not just about who gives in a step, but more about understanding each other.” Jiang Tongyan and Qian Xiaoke nodded obediently, silently conveying: Mom, we’ve learned.
T/N:
Happy New year all~
This series will also come to an end soon around.. hmm? 6 chaps more?
I’ll upload everything by this month tho, so dw
After this I will able to take one more series and there’s one series that I’ve been thinking to take either that or I’ll make the server mod create a request series channel~
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