Xie “Salesman” Qian inched forward, lugging seven or eight gift boxes.
It was just as well he was tall, otherwise he really would have struggled.
Early that morning, Wen Ying had stationed herself by the window, peering down. At last she spotted the familiar figure and rubbed her eyes.
How had her exam-paper-obsessed boyfriend evolved into a gift-box obsessive?
“Mum, Xie Qian’s downstairs. I’ll go and help him carry things!”
Without waiting for Chen Ru’s approval, Wen Ying shot out like a small tornado.
Chen Ru’s eye twitched. This wretched girl was already elbowing outwards!
Wen Dongrong was in the kitchen killing a fish. With a swift raise and drop of the knife, the fish head was gone.
Deng Shangwei, also wearing an apron, flinched at the motion. “Brother-in-law, shall I do it?”
“No need. Shangwei, take off your apron and go keep the guest company.”
Wen Dongrong chopped several more times, bang, bang, bang. The whole fish became neatly portioned blocks on the board.
Deng Shangwei’s eyebrow jumped. He felt Wen Dongrong was chopping fish, yet also chopping Wen Ying’s “boyfriend”. This was not aimed specifically at Xie Qian. Whoever dated Wen Ying would get the same treatment!
Deng Shangwei had only just removed his apron and washed his hands when Wen Ying returned with Xie Qian.
Wen Ying carried two gift boxes. Xie Qian still had five or six. There were so many that, although the door was not narrow, they nearly got stuck.
So formal?
It felt almost like a marriage proposal…
“Xie Qian’s here?”
Chen Ru thought inwardly that Xie Qian was overdoing it, yet her expression was warm. “It’s not your first visit. Why be so polite?”
“Auntie, this time I am formally paying my respects to you and Uncle. I wasn’t sure what you liked, so I brought a few everyday items from home.”
Xie Qian appeared calm, but his palms were sweating.
Chen Ru smiled and nodded. “You’re very thoughtful.”
It was Xie Qian’s first time formally visiting his girlfriend’s parents, and equally Chen Ru’s first time being visited.
Both seasoned in social situations tried hard to hide their awkwardness. Wen Ying glanced from her mother to her boyfriend and shot a pleading look at her uncle Deng Shangwei.
Whoosh!
Deng Shangwei took a big step forward and relieved Xie Qian of the boxes.
“Come, come, don’t stand talking at the door. Come in and sit!”
Deng Shangwei broke the ice.
Xie Qian’s mind was buzzing. “Uncle!”
On the way over, Xie Qian had decided that calling Wen Dongrong and Chen Ru “Mum” and “Dad” straight away would be wrong. Following Wen Ying’s lead and calling Deng Shangwei “Uncle” could not go amiss!
Xie Qian’s initial interest in Wen Ying had stemmed from overhearing her plan to “catch Deng Shangwei in the act”. At the time, his impression of Deng Shangwei had been poor.
Even with Xie Qian’s top-student brain, he could never have predicted that four years later he would eagerly seek kinship with someone he had disliked. Xie Qian had lost his usual composure. He worried Deng Shangwei would not respond.
Fortunately, Deng Shangwei was always on Wen Ying’s side. He did not leave Xie Qian hanging and answered warmly, “There we go. Sit down, have some water, watch some television, eat fruit.”
The flat was rented, but life was not.
Chen Ru always loved tidiness. Even in a rental, she kept everything spotless and fresh.
Today, the place was immaculate. Every visible corner gleamed.
Several plates of washed fruit sat on the coffee table.
Strawberries, cherries, red grapes: all fruits that could be eaten in one bite without mess. Oranges, watermelon, and mango were cut into neat little cubes, arranged on plates with small forks for easy eating.
Xie Qian had eaten here before. Chen Ru had been considerate of his tastes, but never to this degree of care.
It suddenly dawned on Xie Qian: not only was he treating this meeting seriously, Wen Ying’s parents were too.
He looked up. Wen Ying smiled brightly and pointed towards the kitchen.
Xie Qian had barely sat down before standing again.
“Uncle’s in the kitchen?”
Wen Ying nodded. “He insisted on cooking for you himself. Dad’s cooking has improved hugely these past two years. You’re in for a treat today!”
Xie Qian took a few quick steps to the kitchen door and politely called, “Uncle Wen.” Wen Dongrong lifted his chin slightly. Still wearing his floral apron, he managed to strike the pose of a future father-in-law receiving a subordinate. “Do you cook?”
Xie Qian: …!
What kind of killer question was that?
He could solve problems and do business, but cooking? No.
Awkwardness filled the air once more.
Wen Ying gave a dry cough. Wen Dongrong did not let up. He pressed further. “In Chengdu, nine out of ten lads can cook. Of those nine, it’s easy to find a girlfriend. The one who can’t will probably stay single!”
Xie Qian replied without hesitation, “I can’t cook now, but I can learn.”
Problems had solutions, recipes existed for cooking. Xie Qian was confident he could master it.
So far, the only thing he had failed to master was gaming. As long as cooking was not as awkward as that, he believed he would succeed!
“Actually, we could hire a housekeeper later…”
Wen Ying muttered under her breath.
She really liked Auntie Liu, the housekeeper at Xie Qian’s home.
Auntie Liu was efficient and cooked deliciously. As long as she did not quit, Wen Ying wanted to keep her forever!
Wen Dongrong wanted to dig a hole with his spatula and bury Black-Hearted Cotton on the spot.
Xie Qian, however, had an epiphany: no need to unload coal or fix stools any more, but he could help Wen Ying’s father cook!
If learning to cook would max out Wen Dongrong’s favourability, Xie Qian decided to sign up for a chef class the moment he got home!
“A housekeeper can’t work three meals a day, three hundred and sixty-five days a year. Uncle is right. One of us still needs to know how to cook. We don’t need gourmet dishes. Home-cooked food is definitely cleaner and healthier than restaurant meals.”
Xie Qian’s words flowed smoothly. Wen Dongrong was not particularly pleased. He found Xie Qian glib.
Xie Qian had already rolled up his sleeves to help when Chen Ru signalled Deng Shangwei. Deng Shangwei swiftly dragged Xie Qian away.
“You’re a guest today. How could we let you into the kitchen? Go back to the living room and sit. We’ll chat while we wait for dinner. There’s no rush to learn cooking. You’ve still got years until graduation!”
Deng Shangwei firmly returned Xie Qian to the living room.
Sigh. Brother-in-law Wen Dongrong seemed to have lost his mind today.
These were just two young people dating. The parents only needed to know about it. Putting on this full son-in-law test now would only give Xie Qian the wrong idea.
Deng Shangwei wanted to shout to the heavens: what’s the hurry? Marriage is still ages away!
When Wen Ying and Xie Qian were actually of marriageable age and had put wedding plans on the agenda, it would not be too late for Wen Dongrong to train his son-in-law then.
While Deng Shangwei kept Xie Qian company, Chen Ru went to the kitchen and quietly warned Wen Dongrong, “Have you taken the wrong medicine? It’s his first formal visit, and you ask him to learn cooking… If the Xie family does the same and makes Xiao Ying wash dishes on her first visit, what will you do?”
Wen Dongrong nearly flung the spatula. “They wouldn’t dare!”
Wash dishes?
Black-Hearted Cotton did not even wash dishes at home. Why should she wash them at the Xie house?!
Chen Ru pinched him. “Don’t pull that face. Xiao Ying doesn’t wash dishes at the Xie house, so the Xie boy has to cook here?”
Wen Dongrong thought it perfectly normal.
“Why are most top chefs men? It’s not gender discrimination in the profession. It’s natural selection. Men have the strength to toss the wok!”
Chen Ru could not be bothered arguing with this chauvinist. She pointed at Xie Qian. “Does he look like someone who can toss a wok?”
Wen Dongrong followed her gaze.
Xie Qian was seated on the sofa, pressed down by Deng Shangwei. The young man wore a simple white shirt that brightened the entire rented flat.
Wen Ying sat opposite, beaming as she asked whether Xie Qian wanted any cherries.
No wonder Black-Hearted Cotton liked him. Setting aside prejudice, even Wen Dongrong would like such a young man.
Good looks already won half the battle!
Wen Dongrong sighed. “Fine, I won’t say any more. From now on, I’ll do all the cooking.”
