First watch, asking for pink.

****......**********

After all the commotion, it was almost noon. Xiao Qi came back from school.

"Grandpa, Grandma." Upon entering the room, Xiao Qi respectfully saluted Old Master Lian and Lady Zhou.

Xiao Qi was the apple of the family’s eye, and his return immediately changed the atmosphere in the house.

Lady Zhou’s lips twitched, trying hard to squeeze out a smile but ultimately failing. The fact is, while at home, although Lady Zhou didn’t exactly mistreat Xiao Qi, she also never got particularly close to him. Old Master Lian, seeing Xiao Qi, had his beard quiver and called Xiao Qi to come closer to him.

"Come let Grandpa have a look, my little Qi has grown taller."

Xiao Qi’s big eyes glanced over at his parents, brothers, and sisters before he finally approached with a cheeky grin, allowing Old Master Lian to pat his head twice.

"Grandpa, Grandma, you’re finally back. I missed you so much. You’re not leaving again, right? Stay at my house. I’ll take care of you both." Xiao Qi said sweetly.

Old Master Lian was so touched by his little grandson’s words that his eyes turned red. Xiao Qi had been a sweet-talker since he was young. But for such a young child to say such words, it clearly shows that the family of Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang had excellent upbringing, and their respect for elders like him and Lady Zhou was beyond reproach. In contrast, when he thought of how he and Lady Zhou had treated Lian Shouxin’s family and their little grandson, Old Master Lian’s heart was unsettled.

Lady Zhou couldn’t help but glance at Xiao Qi, and then she lowered her eyelids again.

After standing in front of Old Master Lian for a while, Xiao Qi ran off to greet Lian Shouxin, Lady Zhang, Lian Zhizhi, Wu Lang, and Lian Manman, finally sitting next to Lian Manman.

"Even Lian Xiaoqi is growing up, the child is well-behaved and filial. He will surely achieve great things in the future. You have educated Xiao Qi very well, very well." Old Master Lian said, upon seeing this.

Lian Manman stole a glance at Xiao Qi, while secretly pinching his chubby little hand, thinking to herself that this little fellow was astutely crafty, with a mouth as sweet as honey. There’s no one, young or old, man or woman, who doesn’t adore him.

Glancing at Xiao Qi, Lian Manman couldn’t help but glance at Old Master Lian again. The praise for Xiao Qi was just about his manners and filial piety, thus implying he would achieve great things in the future. Old Master Lian’s wisdom was still sharp, truly befitting a family patriarch. But in front of Xiao Qi, she wondered if he ever felt guilty in the dead of night.

Thinking of this, Lian Manman turned and hugged Xiao Qi.

"Sis, today the teacher told a new story, I’ll tell it to you later." Xiao Qi laughed, his eyes turned into two crescent moons, leaning against Lian Manman’s embrace.

"You two are never tired of being close." Lady Zhang, watching fondly from the side, felt her heart soften, chiding gently as she stood up.

"It’s already noon, your grandpa and grandma came from a long way, they must be hungry. I’ll go and cook." Lady Zhang said loudly. As long as she saw her children, Lady Zhang always felt good and confident.

Lady Zhou raised her eyelids and glanced at Lady Zhang. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Lady Zhang didn’t blink. In the past, whenever she was around Lady Zhou, she was always on tenterhooks. Speaking too loudly would get her reprimanded, saying she had no respect for elders and her tone was disrespectful. Speaking too softly would still incur Lady Zhou’s reprimand, accusing her of ignoring her.

Even if her voice was neither loud nor soft, Lady Zhou would still have something to say. She would say, "Don’t think I don’t see the act, I know you’re cursing me in your mind."

This time, Lady Zhou just glanced at Lady Zhang, said nothing, and dropped her eyelids again.

"Yes, Dad, Mom, stay here for dinner." Lian Shouxin also said.

"No, no need. We won’t eat here." Old Master Lian quickly said, "We’ll go back, eat at the old house."

The Lian Manman family couldn’t help but exchange a look. They had all seen earlier that when Old Master Lian and the large group returned, they had no luggage with them. Going back to the old house, what would they eat?

Old Master Lian must have realized that they hadn’t planned to prepare meals for Lian Shouren, Lian Shouyi, and the whole bunch, so he said they would go back to eat.

Over there, the pots and stoves were cold, no firewood, rice, oil, or salt. Lian Shouxin’s family couldn’t watch Old Master Lian and Lady Zhou go home and starve, right? If Old Master Lian didn’t eat there, Lian Shouxin’s family would have to send the food over. Sending food over with so many people watching, it wouldn’t be right to only send portions for Old Master Lian and Lady Zhou, right?