Chapter 296: Nineties: Spring Water Family Chapter 296 Extra Four, Birthday Banquet Turmoil

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Protagonist:

Lin Xiyu

"Your son isn't short; once he grows up he'll definitely be just like Wang Fan, a tall guy......."

Qiao Lin favored Li Qing from the bottom of her heart, deliberately steering the topic toward Wang Fan.

"Wang Fan's just so-so; compared to my Liangzi he's still far worse."

Wu Meng failed to grasp her deeper meaning, chimed in casually, and steered the topic off course again.

Qiao Lin gave her a helpless look.

"I'm just stating facts."

Wu Meng kept talking to herself, praising her own daughter: "Our Nuan Nuan takes after her dad; right now she's already half a head taller than other kids, and when she grows up she'll definitely be a tall one too."

"Ay ay."

Seeing the topic had completely run off the rails, Qiao Lin smiled helplessly and gave up on her plan to keep backing Li Qing and her son.

——

The gift Wang Jiarui brought this time was, as always, eye-catching.

Two mini children's convertible electric sports cars, one red and one black, were especially loved by the babies.

Dabao saw the sports cars and was overjoyed; without waiting for the adults to instruct him, he scrambled into one first.

Xixi wasn't slow either; seeing her brother had grabbed the black one, she snatched the red one, happily turning the steering wheel.

"Good grief, is this thing a real car?"

"Can it be driven out?"

"One car isn't cheap, right?"

"Kids nowadays are so blessed, driving cars at such a young age."

"His grandpa lived his whole life and never bore to buy a car."

The whole crowd of relatives and friends were quite curious, and almost in unison they turned their bodies to look at the two little sports cars.

"This can't compare to a real car; it's just a children's toy, only a size larger than ordinary car models."

Wang Jiarui answered very smoothly, without deliberately showing off wealth, making listeners feel quite comfortable.

The corner of Wang Fan's mouth curled up slightly, and he felt a bit more appreciation for this son.

Xue Fangyu saw his expression change, her right hand clenched tight, veins bulging.

What does Li Qing have to be proud of? It's just relying on having given birth to a son, wanting her son to inherit Dingsheng — how could that be such an easy thing?

Zou Yan is a fool; she played a great hand terribly, but even so, the son she bore is still Wang Fan's own flesh and blood.

If guided well, who will win in the end remains unknown.

——

Li Qing watched her son teaching the babies to drive the little sports cars, not seeing the flash of jealous hatred in Xue Fangyu's eyes.

Lin Xiyu happened, by bad luck, to catch sight of her tightly clenched right fist at the exact moment she turned her head back.

A mouthful of grape juice went down the wrong pipe, choking her into a fit of coughing.

"What's wrong, this......"

"Eating a grape nicely and you can still choke?"

Wang Fan's face changed; just as he was about to stand up, Guben had already walked back from the sports cars, asking after his beloved wife with concern.

"Nothing......"

Lin Xiyu didn't want to ruin the birthday banquet's atmosphere, so she casually brushed it off: "The grape I just ate was a bit sour."

"Don't eat unripe grapes then......"

Guben didn't think much of it, joking with a smile: "You're not pregnant this time; you didn't find everything sour back then."

"Homegrown, hate to throw them away......"

Lin Xiyu deliberately wanted to cover it up, to prove she really had been choked by a sour grape; she pinched a green grape on purpose, held it to his mouth: "If I don't eat it someone has to; how about you eat it?"

Guben swallowed his saliva.

He hadn't never tasted green grapes; just recalling that flavor made his mouth water with sourness.

"Eat it, what a waste otherwise."

Lin Xiyu pouted coquettishly, with a hint of acting spoiled.

Guben smiled helplessly, indulged her little whim, and took the green grape into his mouth.

"Sour?"

Lin Xiyu asked knowingly, smiling as she looked at him.

"Mm."

Guben held the grape whole in his mouth, wanting to muddle through.

"No spitting it out......"

Lin Xiyu held back laughter, grabbed his arm, stopping him from escaping.

Guben's thought of finding a chance to secretly spit it out was thus splendidly exposed by his wife.

"Hiss......"

Helpless, he could only bite through the grape; a mouthful of sourness spread through his oral cavity, so sour he sucked in a sharp breath of cold air.

"Hehe."

Lin Xiyu was happy, her eyes crinkling with laughter.

"This happy?"

Guben feigned displeasure and pinched her cheek, looking angry, but the pampering in his eyes was unmistakable.

"Husband and wife."

Lin Xiyu, perfectly justified, said: "We're supposed to share weal and woe."

"Guess you're right..."

Guben accepted it, smiled pamperingly, and let go.

——

There was a moment of quiet at the banquet.

The people who saw this scene had varied expressions.

Wang Fan dispelled the thought of going over, leaned back against the chair again, and comfortably crossed his legs.

Xue Fangyu glanced at him, then at Lin Xiyu, a trace of jealousy flashing in her eyes.

Li Qing didn't miss it this time; seeing her expression, the corner of her mouth curled into a trace of mockery.

Everyone at the table was drawn into the three's secret struggle, and no one noticed there was still another person at the next table who, upon seeing Guben and his wife's intimate interaction, quietly changed expression.

——

When Zhu Luoxuan first entered Xingyao, she was full of joy, thinking she could finally get her wish and get close to the person she thought of day and night.

She never expected reality's cruelty to deal her a heavy blow.

To avoid suspicion, Guben simply didn't even show his face; during the internship she didn't see a trace of him.

Before long, she couldn't hold back and asked an insider about the General Manager's whereabouts.

This insider was Chen Xiaoyi.

Chen Xiaoyi felt guilt and took care of her in every way.

Ever since Zhu Luoxuan entered the company, he willingly served as her ox and horse.

During the internship, whenever there was overtime, he fought to do it; when mistakes happened, he actively took the blame and cleared her name.

Over time, even Li Hao and the others couldn't stand it, using various pretexts to remind him not to be bewitched by beauty, lest he end up with nothing and the one hurt would still be himself.

Chen Xiaoyi let it go in one ear and out the other, not taking Li Hao and the others' words to heart.

In his view, Zhu Luoxuan would rather be fired than submit to a superior; such a girl, pure and beautiful like a blank sheet of paper, deserved to be held in the palm and carefully protected.

Zhu Luoxuan saw Chen Xiaoyi had feelings for her, and understood that to pass the internship and join smoothly, she could only rely on his help.

Therefore, she did not reject his advances.

Even after learning Guben resided in Jinan year-round and rarely appeared at headquarters, irrepressible delusion gave birth to a bizarre idea.

To appear before him legitimately, there was only one identity — Chen Xiaoyi's Girlfriend.

——

Chen Xiaoyi initially only wanted to make amends, not believing he had enough luck to win the beauty's favor.

A colleague gathering became the turning point in their relationship.

Zhu Luoxuan unfortunately ran into her former Advertisement company boss at that Hotel.

That man wouldn't give up on her and tried to use drunkenness to harass her; Chen Xiaoyi appeared at the critical moment and knocked the scum down with one punch.

Zhu Luoxuan was frightened, her legs went soft, and she fell into his arms.

The beauty crying with rain on pear blossoms — what hot-blooded young man wouldn't be moved?

Chen Xiaoyi was lost.

He held the soft jade and warm fragrance in his arms tight, unwilling to let go.

This scene was seen by Xingyao colleagues, and gossip was inevitable.

For Zhu Luoxuan's reputation, Chen Xiaoyi publicly admitted he was pursuing her.

This move hit the beauty's desire perfectly.

Zhu Luoxuan secretly rejoiced, using his pursuit to maintain a push-and-pull relationship with him.

Chen Xiaoyi mistakenly thought her unwillingness to take the relationship further was due to shyness; not only did he not blame her, he found her even more pure and innocent, not to be profaned.

Zhu Luoxuan strung him along like this, and finally on the Treasures' birthday, she got the long-awaited Opportunity.

——

Lin Xiyu wasn't one to show off; publicly displaying affection, stuffing a grape into Guben's mouth, was a deliberate move to knock a certain someone.

As for who this person was, Guben knew perfectly well.

Playing along with her act was also deliberate.

The couple had a tacit understanding, putting on a show of intimacy and deep marital love before everyone.

Seeing this, a trace of desolation flashed in Zhu Luoxuan's eyes.

She didn't dare show it, lowering her brows and eyes, striving to conceal her unwillingness.

In her view, Lin Xiyu had already given birth to four children, her figure ruined, her body plump.

Even with good maintenance and a lovely face, her age was there; she simply couldn't compare to a youthful, beautiful unmarried girl.

She couldn't understand why Guben treated her so well.

Willingly, for her, trapping himself in this Old Four Courtyard hidden in the marketplace.

Simple and unadorned, living the most ordinary life.

——

The dishes were all served, the crowd of relatives and friends snapped out of the shock from the small Sports Car, and refocused on the banquet.

Zhu Luoxuan, on the pretext of toasting, followed Chen Xiaoyi to Guben and his wife.

"Brother-in-law, didn't expect that, did you?"

Chen Xiaoyi put his arm around her shoulders, looking rather pleased with himself as he bragged: "Your Xingyao's unapproachable goddess has been plucked by me. Your younger brother is pretty damn awesome, right?"

"Just dating doesn't count."

The corner of Guben's mouth curved up slightly as he gave Zhu Luoxuan a meaningful look: "If you want to keep someone, you'd better get married as soon as possible."

Hearing him say with his own mouth that he wanted her to marry someone else, an indescribable bitterness welled up in Zhu Luoxuan's heart.

"As long as Luoxuan agrees, I can do it anytime."

Chen Xiaoyi had placed his whole heart in her hands, never imagining she held someone else in her heart, that she would betray him.

"Best if it's like that......"

Guben glanced at Zhu Luoxuan again, a blade-like coldness flashing in his eyes: "You're Xiyu's and my younger brother, also someone I've watched grow up. We both hope you'll be happy. If anyone doesn't have eyes and dares to bully you, neither I nor your sister will let her off."

Zhu Luoxuan's face went white, a trace of panic flashing in her eyes.

"Brother-in-law overthinks it. Luoxuan would never bully me."

Chen Xiaoyi was only focused on his own happiness and didn't catch the implication in his words: "If there's any bullying, it'd be me bullying her."

"A lifelong matter — still better to consider it a bit more."

Guben, constrained by the Chen family's relatives and friends' face, didn't expose the scheming woman in public: "Your sister's an expert in this area. Let her vet it for you — only benefits, no drawbacks."

"Sister......"

Chen Xiaoyi took it seriously and really turned to ask Lin Xiyu: "Do you think Luoxuan and I are a good match? A match made in heaven?"

"I think it looks pretty good....."

In front of outsiders, what else could Lin Xiyu say? She gave both of them enough face: "As long as you two are in tune with each other, as your sister, I naturally sincerely bless you both. May you marry soon and have lovers finally become a couple."

"I love hearing that......"

Chen Xiaoyi grinned foolishly: "I knew Sister was the best. She'd definitely bless us."

"If you're in tune, then settle the marriage as soon as possible."

Guben's words carried a pointed meaning. Just as he wanted to knock some more sense into Zhu Luoxuan, Lele suddenly toddled over on short legs from the fish pond, tiptoed, and grabbed his clothes hem.

"Daddy, Lele wants to drive the little sports car too......"

The soft, milky little voice rang by his ear, and the coldness in a certain doting-father-maniac's eyes vanished instantly.

"Okay, Daddy will take Lele to drive the little sports car."

Guben set down his wine glass and let his daughter pull his hand, walking toward the little sports car.

Zhu Luoxuan's face was deathly pale, bloodless.

"Brother-in-law really dotes on his daughter as always......"

Chen Xiaoyi was thick-headed and didn't notice her oddness, still chattering in her ear: "Lele is his palm treasure, heart flesh — no one compares."

"You only got half of that right......"

Guben heard it, turned back, and corrected solemnly: "Lele is heart flesh, that's true. But all four kids added together don't equal their mother. Compared to the kids, the one I care about most is still my wife. My wife is forever in first place."

"Tsk."

Wu Meng tsked, sour again: "Guben, spare us. Watching you two show off affection all day, I'm about to get internal injuries from holding it in."

"Hahaha."

Chen Xiaoyi found it funny and laughed heartily.

Hearing the laughter, Zhu Luoxuan found it unbearably harsh. Her eyes reddened, she lowered her head and ran out of the small courtyard.

"Hey hey, Luoxuan, where are you going?"

Chen Xiaoyi stopped laughing, a panicked look on his face as he chased after her.

"This younger brother of yours, really......"

Li Qing's mouth twitched watching. In front of his own sister, he struggled for a long time but still couldn't bring himself to say that word 'idiot'.

"He's not stupid. This time he should see something fishy......"

Seeing Zhu Luoxuan leave the courtyard, Lin Xiyu quietly let out a breath of relief.

Best if it can be resolved privately outside. In front of all these relatives and friends, she really didn't want her younger brother to be embarrassed, to lose face publicly.

"What are you two whispering about?"

Wu Meng didn't hear clearly and asked with a surprised face.

"Nothing......"

Li Qing considered this a secret between her and Lin Xiyu, and raised her eyebrows rather smugly.

Lin Xiyu, for her younger brother's face, also couldn't say much and didn't respond.

"You two aren't loyal, actually keeping something from me."

Wu Meng was unhappy. Just as she wanted to express her dissatisfaction as a best friend, she was interrupted by her own daughter.

"Mommy, I want a little sports car too."

Nuan Nuan ran over from the fish pond, blinking big watery eyes, looking at her expectantly.

Wu Meng refused without thinking: "That thing is dead expensive, we can't afford it."

Nuan Nuan's eyes dimmed, and she lowered her head disappointedly.

"If Nuan Nuan wants it, the red one is gifted to you."

Lin Xiyu took the chance to speak up: "Perfect, our yard is small, can't fit two cars."