Chapter 417: The younger sister is a little sycophant

By three o'clock in the afternoon, after Qin Tian said goodbye to the elders, he left with the sisters Xia Nuannuan and Xia Xue.

When they returned home, his mother was sitting on the sofa in the living room, watching TV while trimming the greens in a basket.

"Mom, we're back."

After walking into the house, Qin Tian called out toward the room.

Hearing the voice, Tang Xiuxia hurriedly stood up and walked to the doorway.

"Auntie, Happy Little New Year."

Xia Nuannuan offered her blessings with a sweet smile.

Beside her, Xia Xue also followed suit politely.

"Oh, hello, hello. Nuannuan, is this your younger sister?"

Tang Xiuxia smiled brightly as she looked Xia Xue over.

"Yes, she's my third uncle's cousin. Her name is Xia Xue."

"Auntie, you can just call me Xiaoxue."

"Alright, alright. Xia Nuannuan, Xia Xue—what lovely names. You can tell they're sisters just by hearing them."

Tang Xiuxia praised them with a smile.

Hearing this, the two girls smiled even more happily.

"Come, come in and sit down to chat. The air conditioning is on inside; it's cold out there."

Tang Xiuxia beckoned them over, beaming.

After entering the room, Tang Xiuxia pulled the two sisters to sit on the sofa, one on each side.

"Auntie, you're trimming vegetables? Let me help you."

"I want to help too."

"Good, good, good! You're such good girls!"

Tang Xiuxia's face blossomed with joy as she brought the sisters along to trim the vegetables.

Qin Tian sat down beside Xia Nuannuan, picked up a bumpy mandarin orange from the coffee table, peeled it, and ate a segment.

Tang Xiuxia leaned her head out to glare at him, scolding, "Why are you just sitting there eating? Hurry up and go to the back to prepare dinner!"

"Isn't it still early?"

Qin Tian ate another segment of the orange and said while watching TV.

"What's the rush? It's already three-thirty. Shouldn't we prepare the ingredients first? The fish and chicken wings we bought need to be marinated, right? Don't you see we're all busy? You're just sitting there eating an orange?"

Tang Xiuxia said, annoyed.

"Fine, you're right. I'm going to the kitchen."

Qin Tian agreed helplessly, holding a segment of the orange to Xia Nuannuan's lips.

Xia Nuannuan gave a sweet smile and opened her mouth to eat it.

"Ah ah ah, Brother-in-law, I want to eat oranges too."

On the other side, Xia Xue saw this and pouted, making a fuss.

"Here, here, take it all."

Qin Tian stood up and handed the rest over.

"You peeled them for my sister, but you won't peel them for me!"

"God helps those who help themselves. Do you want it or not? If not, I'm taking it away."

"Hmph, of course I want it!"

Xia Xue took the orange, looking disgruntled.

Qin Tian clapped his hands and walked out of the room.

Tang Xiuxia looked at Xia Xue, who was peeling the orange, then at Xia Nuannuan on the other side, and asked with a mischievous smile, "Brother-in-law?"

"I told her to call him Brother Tian, but she... she insisted on calling him that."

Xia Nuannuan's pretty face flushed red, and she explained in a flustered manner.

Xia Xue stuffed a segment of the orange into her mouth and said in a matter-of-fact tone, "Our parents have already met. Sooner or later, I'll have to call him brother-in-law anyway, so I might as well start now. It saves the trouble of having to change the habit later."

"You're the only one who can talk!"

Xia Nuannuan glared at her in embarrassment and annoyance.

"That's right!"

Xia Xue stuck out her tongue and shook her head, looking smug.

"Haha... Xiaoxue is right, too. Whatever you call him is fine, it's all good!"

Tang Xiuxia nodded in approval with a radiant smile.

Upon hearing this, Xia Nuannuan's face turned even redder.

"This orange is really sweet. Here, Auntie, you have one too. My sister has her brother-in-law to feed her, so I'll feed you."

"Good, good, you're so sweet!"

"Is it sweet?"

"Mm, sweet. These oranges were a good buy today."

"Yeah, I think they're delicious too—sweet and juicy."

"Then eat a couple more, there are plenty!"

"Mm-hmm, thank you, Auntie."

Xia Nuannuan continued trimming the vegetables, looking with a complex expression at her future mother-in-law and younger sister chatting happily, then glanced at the few oranges left on the coffee table.

Should she peel one too?

"Nuannuan, you eat too. There are winter dates and snacks here, just take whatever you want!"

Tang Xiuxia hadn't forgotten her future daughter-in-law and said to Xia Nuannuan with a beaming smile.

"Mm-hmm, okay."

Xia Nuannuan nodded repeatedly.

"Auntie, here, have another one."

"No need, no need, you eat it yourself!"

"It's okay, you're trimming vegetables, so I'll peel it for you. It tastes better when we eat together."

"Alright then!"

"This little sycophant, I've never seen her be this nice to anyone before. Does she have some ulterior motive?"

Xia Nuannuan's eyes flickered, and she began to mutter to herself.

"Wow, heavens, Brother-in-law, what are you cooking? It smells so good!"

Xia Xue's exclamation came from behind.

Qin Tian, who was stir-frying at the stove, turned his head and saw Xia Nuannuan and Xia Xue walking into the kitchen together.

"Pan-frying fish, braised fish!"

Qin Tian answered with a smile.

"It really smells so good. Just the scent is mouth-watering. Brother-in-law, I didn't know you were actually this good at cooking!"

Xia Xue trotted over with a grin and eagerly peeked into the pot.

"Step back a bit, be careful of oil splatters."

Qin Tian reminded her with concern.

"Oh, oh!"

Xia Xue swallowed her saliva, hid behind him, and stood on tiptoes to peek.

Xia Nuannuan's eye twitched, and she said loudly, "Xiaoxue, don't bother him there, come over here!"

"I'm not bothering Brother-in-law!"

"Come here!"

Xia Nuannuan deepened her tone slightly.

"Oh!"

Xia Xue pouted and retreated, looking somewhat reluctant.

"Brother, can the dishes on the stove be taken to the front now?"

Xia Nuannuan asked.

"Mm, be careful, don't burn yourself."

"Okay, where are the bowls and chopsticks?"

"In that cabinet."

"Okay. Xiaoxue, I'll carry the dishes, you go get the bowls and chopsticks."

Xia Nuannuan looked at her sister and directed her.

Xia Xue nodded and went to the cabinet to find four sets of bowls and chopsticks.

The sisters returned to the front room, one carrying the dishes and the other holding the bowls and chopsticks, and placed them on the dining table.

Tang Xiuxia walked out of the room carrying a basket full of greens.

"Stir-fried mushrooms with meat, potato stewed chicken—they look good!"

"Yeah, Auntie, Brother-in-law's cooking is too good. It smells so delicious, I want to sneak a bite."

Xia Xue nodded like a chick pecking at rice, looking at the two dishes on the table with longing.

"Xiaoxue!"

Xia Nuannuan called out, signaling her not to be impolite.

"It's fine, if you want to eat, just have a taste!"

Tang Xiuxia smiled, walked over, put down the basket, picked up a pair of chopsticks, took some stir-fried mushrooms with meat, and held it to Xia Xue's mouth.

After Xia Xue ate it, her eyes lit up. She covered her mouth with her hand and praised excitedly, "Delicious, delicious! Mmm... Auntie, this is so good."

Xia Nuannuan watched this scene, feeling a bit sour inside.

This made her a bit confused about herself. If it were Qin Tian, that would be one thing, but why was she jealous when her future mother-in-law fed her sister?

"That's good. Nuannuan, do you want some too?"

Tang Xiuxia asked, looking at Xia Nuannuan.

"No need, I'll eat in a bit."

Xia Nuannuan hurriedly shook her head and refused with a smile.

"Alright, I'm going to take this to Xiaotian!"

Tang Xiuxia picked up the basket and went straight to the back kitchen.

"Sis, I heard you say Brother-in-law was good at cooking, but I didn't expect him to be this good!"

Xia Xue looked at her sister with a beaming face.

Xia Nuannuan rolled her eyes at her, ignored her, and followed her to the back room.

"What... just happened?"

Xia Xue blinked in confusion. ===== CHAPTER 418 =====