Chapter 31

***

Although Xiang ChangKong’s invitation was a little sudden, Xu Lian wasn’t surprised. Xiang ChangKong had already met Xu Lian’s mother, so it stands to reason that she should visit his parents.

Before, when Xu Lian had visited Xiang ChangKong’s house, Xu Lian had realized that his family situation was a bit complicated. Therefore Xu Lian had never asked Xiang ChangKong to go to his house. But now that he had asked her to visit, it meant that he was ready now, right?

Xu Lian: I’m my own boss, I’m always free.

Looking at her reply, Xiang ChangKong couldn’t help but chuckle.

Xiang ChangKong: Alright. Let’s do it this Saturday at noon. Shall I pick you up, or do you want to come by yourself?

Xu Lian: I can go there myself.

Xiang ChangKong: Alright, then I’ll stay at home and prepare lunch. What do you want to eat?

Xu Lian: Anything. More importantly, what can I bring? What does your mother like?

This made Xiang ChangKong’s eyes dim for a while. With the way his mother was, giving her a present was the same as not giving her anything at all.

Xiang ChangKong: About my mother…I was going to find an opportunity to talk to you about her…

Xu Lian: I know. The last time I visited your house, I was told she was ill.

Xiang ChangKong: Well, you don’t need to bring anything. I’ll explain after you meet her.

Xu Lian: Ok.

But even though she said this, Xu Lian felt that she couldn’t just go to his house empty-handed. She thought back to the skincare gift bag Xiang ChangKong had given to her mother. Xu Lian figured she could do the same and buy his mother some skincare products.

Actually, this was a pretty good idea. Health care products would’ve also been good, but Xu Lian didn’t know whether Xiang ChangKong’s mother could eat those things randomly. Skincare products would be much safer.

With her shop closing on Thursdays, Xu Lian took the opportunity and went to the biggest department store in the city to pick out a gift set. On the way home, Xu Lian received a phone call from the florist telling her that the dried flowers she had picked out were done and that she could come have a look whenever she was free.

After the call, Xu Lian simply turned her car and drove towards the flower shop.

When Xu Lian inspected several different flowers, she felt that they really did smell stronger than her own home-made dried flowers and were better trimmed.

“Alright, I’ll take some back and do a couple of gypsum tablets and see what happens.”

The florist replied with a smile: “Good, I’ll pack these up for you.”

“Alright.”

As the florist packed the dried flowers, Xu Lian approached the little girl who had been sitting nearby. “Do you like to draw?”

The little girl nodded as she grasped a colored crayon. “Un. Oh, I’ll give this drawing to you! I gave that big brother one last time.”

Xu Lian accepted the paper, surprised. After a moment’s hesitation, she replied: “Thank you. What did you draw?”

The little girl giggled and replied: “I drew myself bravely fighting with a dragon.”

A brave hero fighting against a dragon, a classic scene. The hero would experience various adventures and in the end, would defeat the dragon and save the princess. The little girl’s drawing shows the last scene with the princess being saved. It was just that the brave hero holding the sword had long hair, and the princess in the skirt looked like a boy.

The little girl’s drawing was a fresh take on a classic story.

“This…did the princess save the prince?”

The little girl nodded with a smile.

Xu Lian asked: “Then why is the prince wearing a skirt?”

“Because skirts are pretty.” The little girl replied perfunctorily.

Xu Lian: “…..”

That makes sense.

Xu Lian looked at the drawing and smiled. Meanwhile, the florist finished wrapping all the dried flowers. After packing everything in her car, Xu Lian waved goodbye. “Goodbye, little girl. Thank you for your drawing.”

When she got home, she took a picture of the drawing and sent it to Xiang ChangKong.

Xu Lian: [picture]

Xu Lian: Remember the little girl in the flower shop we went to last time? I passed by to get some dried flowers, and she gave me a picture. (´ ∀ ` *)

Xiang ChangKong looked at the picture and smiled.

Xiang ChangKong: It’s very interesting ( ＞▽＜ )

Xu Lian: I think so too ( ＞▽＜ )

Xu Lian: I bought a present for your mother today. What time do you want me to come on Saturday?

Xiang ChangKong: About 12:30. Lunch will probably be ready, and Xiang Nuan should be home by then.

Xu Lian: Ok, see you on Saturday.

Xiang ChangKong: Alright, see you Saturday.

Finally, on Saturday, Xu Lian arrived at Xiang ChangKong’s neighborhood right on time. Xu Lian parked her car on the deserted basketball court and walked towards the building she went into last time.

Xiang Nuan knew that Xu Lian was visiting today, so as soon as school ended, she was the first one out of her classroom. She ran out of her school and caught a bus much earlier than she usually did. When she finally arrived home, she immediately yelled: “Is Big Sister here yet?”

Xiang ChangKong replied: “Not yet. I asked her to come at half-past twelve. Go and put your schoolbag down first.”

He then finished: “And go clean up your room!”

Xiang Nuan nodded and went to her bedroom to clean up. Xiang Nuan was already grown up. Girls usually paid particular attention to privacy, so she doesn’t allow Xiang ChangKong to help clean her room. So she usually cleaned her own room when she comes back at the weekends.

But Xiang Nuan was lazy, so she normally only cleaned once every two weeks. That was already quite diligent for someone like her. But since Xu Lian was coming to visit today, Xiang Nuan did her best to clean every inch of her room. She even cleaned the dining table without any prompting from Xiang ChangKong.

When Xiang ChangKong came out of the kitchen with the soup, he saw the busy figure of his sister. He found it quite funny and said: “You don’t need to do that, I clean the table every day. Just go sit on the sofa.”

The diligent Xiang Nuan stared at him with a look of dissatisfaction on her face. “Who do you think I’m doing this for?! Certainly not you!”

As soon as she said this, the two heard a knock on the front door. Xiang ChangKong hadn’t even reacted when Xiang Nuan had already run off to open the door.

Xiang ChangKong: “…..”

The front door was opened, and Xu Lian was standing outside.

Xiang Nuan had only met Xu Lian once, and her impression of this Big Sister was that she was a cool, handsome, and beautiful woman. Today, Xu Lian was wearing a slightly different style as the clothes she had worn last time. Xu Lian was wearing a long white coat, a striped shirt, and jeans. Together with her loose long hair, she looked a lot softer this time compared to her usual striking style.

She deliberately did her makeup differently, too. Her lipstick, at least, wasn’t the dark, domineering red she had worn last time. It was a lot gentler this time…ah? The color looks a lot like Serenade 007!

“Xu Lian, you’re here.” Xiang ChangKong had approached and moved the dazed Xiang Nuan so Xu Lian could enter. “Come on in.”

“Yes. Do I need to change shoes?” Xu Lian asked.

“No, no need Big Sister.” Xiang Nuan rushed to answer.

Xu Lian stepped inside with her high-heels and closed the door behind her. Xiang Nuan took Xu Lian’s hand and happily exclaimed: “Big Sister Xu Lian, welcome to my house!”

“Thank you.” Xu Lian smiled and followed her in. Like her last visit, Weng ShuLi was sitting on the sofa by herself. Xiang ChangKong and Xiang Nuan had previously told their mother that there was going to be a guest today. Although she didn’t respond, they both knew that she had heard.

When Xu Lian entered the living room, Weng ShuLi had looked at her. Weng ShuLi’s eyes were as vacant as the last time they met, and it made Xu Lian a little uncomfortable, but she still greeted Weng ShuLi with a smile. “Hello, auntie. I’m Xu Lian. I’m sorry to bother you today; Here’s a gift for you.”

Weng ShuLi naturally didn’t pick the gift up. She just continued to stare at Xu Lian. Xiang Nuan took Xu Lian’s gift and said: “My mother isn’t doing very well, so I’ll take it to her room for you. Thank you for the gift.”

Xu Lian didn’t mind. When Xiang Nuan put the gift box in Weng ShuLi’s room, she couldn’t help but gasp. “A Fleur gift set! Big Sister, you’re too rich!”

She secretly took a picture of the gift and sent it to her chatgroup. She didn’t say anything else, but the image itself was enough to scare people.

Studying causes baldness: My God, Xiang Nuan did you suddenly win a prize?

Do a question for five minutes, paralyzed for an hour: Fleur (థ v థ) My mom bought a small bottle of eye cream, barely enough for a baby, but you actually bought an entire set, ah! (థ v థ)

NuanNuan traveling the world: Big Sister came to my house today for lunch and gave mom this gift

Studying causes baldness: I have nothing to say, I only hope that I will one day be able to meet this Big Sister! ( ´ ▽ ` )

Do a question for five minutes, paralyzed for an hour: This Big Sister, please give me a dozen.┬┴┬┴┤･ω･｀)

Xiang Nuan didn’t reply but hastily put her phone away and ran out of the room.

Xiang ChangKong had already put four dishes on the table when Xiang Nuan arrived. There was obviously still some more dishes in the kitchen, but Xiang Nuan didn’t help Xiang ChangKong serve the rest. Instead, she sat down beside Xu Lian and poured her a drink.

“Thank you.” Xu Lian accepted the cup but didn’t drink. Mother Xiang hadn’t moved her chopsticks yet, Xu Lian can’t start first. Xiang ChangKong placed the last dish on the table and sat down. “Everyone must be hungry. Let’s eat first.”

Weng ShuLi still hadn’t moved her chopsticks. Xiang ChangKong took a piece of her favorite food and put it on his mother’s bowl. “Mom, have a piece.”

Without saying a word, Weng ShuLi looked at him and finally moved her chopsticks and began eating. Xiang ChangKong was relieved, then turned towards Xu Lian. “Go on and eat, just be careful, it’s still hot.”

“Un.”

Xu Lian was still figuring out what to eat when Xiang Nuan took a piece of sweet and sour pork and placed it in her bowl. “Big Sister taste this sweet and sour pork my brother made. It’s delicious!”

“Un, he made it for me before.” Xu Lian replied.

Xiang Nuan looked at her brother for a second, then smiled at Xu Lian: “Oh, what else did he cook for you?”

Xiang ChangKong had made a lot of dishes for Xu Lian. Thinking for a moment, Xu Lian chose some of the more impressive ones: “Boiled beef, three diced chicken, garlic shrimp with vermicelli …”

Garlic shrimp with vermicelli? Xiang Nuan was not happy! Her brother had never cooked such a complicated dish for her. As expected, once he was a wife, he wouldn’t care about his sister. Bah!

Xiang Nuan gave Xiang ChangKong a look as she continued to serve Xu Lian food.

Although Weng ShuLi didn’t say a single word throughout the meal, the atmosphere was warm and lively due to Xiang Nuan’s efforts. Plus, the dishes Xiang ChangKong made were mostly the foods Xu Lian liked to eat. So all in all, the meal was quite harmonious.

After lunch, Xiang ChangKong intended to wash the dishes but was stopped by Xiang Nuan for the first time ever. “Brother, I’m a little full, so I’ll wash the dishes to help me digest. You…how about you go take a walk with Big Sister Xu Lian?”

Xiang ChangKong: “….”

Xiang ChangKong was now seriously doubting what exactly Xiang Nuan learned at school every day.

After lunch Weng ShuLi went back into her room, so with nothing else to do, Xiang ChangKong asked Xu Lian: “Do you want to go for a walk?”

“Alright.”