Tang Mei watched the entire scene with interest, not saying a word, just suddenly recalling a memory from decades ago.
Just as Tang Xiaowan picked up the durian, ready to feast to her heart’s content, Cheng Shi briskly walked over, holding a phone that was still ringing.
"Miss, you have a phone call."
Tang Xiaowan looked and saw it was Leng Lingxiao’s number, immediately biting her lip in a silly grin, but she didn’t answer. Instead, she took the phone and hopped her way out of the dining room.
Watching her leave, Tang Mei let out a long sigh of relief, "Ah, finally some peace and quiet!"
Wang Jinhui added, "How blissful!"
And Cheng Shi, as if enlightened, nodded at Wang Jinhui in agreement.
Meanwhile, on the second floor.
Tang Xiaowan lay on the soft, large bed, smiling so that her eyes curved. She held onto the phone tightly, anticipating Leng Lingxiao’s next call.
Sure enough, the phone rang again, and she immediately put away her smile and answered quickly.
"Hey, girlie, what are you up to?" Leng Lingxiao’s voice came through, tinged with a touch of disappointment.
"Nothing much? Then why didn’t you answer the phone, were you sleeping?" Leng Lingxiao asked, surprised.
Listening to the man’s anxious voice, Tang Xiaowan couldn’t help but let out a giggle, feeling extremely pleased with herself.
"Alright, alright, let’s talk business. When are you coming home? Did you miss me?" Leng Lingxiao’s voice was filled with deep affection and concern.
He was really missing her!
Moreover, at that moment, he was already in Huang City, only about ten minutes away from Chunlei Street.
"Oh my, I just finished eating a piece of durian, so sweet, how can I not wait to eat the rest before coming home, otherwise what a waste!"
"You ungrateful thing, you got the durian and didn’t even think to call this handsome guy to say thanks," Leng Lingxiao said, somewhat annoyed.
"Wow, you’re the one who bought it?" Tang Xiaowan asked in surprise, her voice laced with a bit of guilty pleasure.
Hearing that, Leng Lingxiao’s lips curved up slightly, "Keep pretending. If not me, then who else?"
After a few teasing remarks, the sweetness between them grew even more until Leng Lingxiao mentioned he had guests, and they had to hurriedly end the call.
A moment later, Tang Xiaowan went downstairs to eat.
"Tangtang, get to bed early tonight. Tomorrow you’ll take Granny’s place and visit the Leng Family to check on..."
"I have plans tomorrow," Tang Xiaowan interrupted, lifting her teacup to drink some water, using it to hide her embarrassment; she felt shy about meeting her parents-in-law.
Tang Mei arched an eyebrow and asked, "What plans?"
"I’m managing two companies now; there’s so much to..."
While she was speaking, Tang Xiaowan saw a pot of braised pig’s trotters being served at the table, but the more she looked, the more something seemed off. Finally, she picked one up with her chopsticks.
"This pig’s trotters... they were made by Huahua, weren’t they? Huahua had them air-shipped over?"
"Hey, girlie, what are you looking at?"
Tang Xiaowan turned at the sound and saw her Huahua had come, bringing with him a dish of shredded radish.
Their eyes met, envied by the others.
"Tangtang, how did you know it was Leng Lingxiao who made it?" Wang Jinhui asked curiously.
"Because there’s no chili or seasoning, Granny Yu likes to scatter things inside, Huahua likes to put them in some kind of thing, says it makes it convenient to eat without accidentally biting into the spices."
Everyone laughed upon hearing this.
But at the blissful moment of their gathering, another scene unfolded at the Jin City Li Garden.
Because of the IVF issue, Li Zishen had not visited his mother, Madam Lai, at the Nanjiang Villa after returning yesterday. This wasn’t strange, after all, he used to visit only every several days.
Yet, it was as if Madam Lai sensed something was amiss. Her heart ached, and she had specially sent over some hand-made pastries.
However, it was all in vain, Li Zishen hadn’t eaten them.
At that moment, he was lying on the wicker chair in the sunroom, gazing at the vegetable garden, his mind full of thoughts.
Coriander, lettuce, green onions, they were all growing well. The chives would become too tough if not cut soon, and the chilies had ripened, turning a bright red.
The radishes weren’t ready to pull yet, but the leaves were quite sizable, lush and thriving.
Li Zishen pondered; if Tang Xiaowan were still living here, she would likely suggest having hot pot again, or even an outdoor barbecue.
The season was indeed just right for it. Fresh chapters posted on novel fire.net
After Tang Xiaowan had recuperated at Lei Garden following the Mei Garden night assault—even though her stay was only for a month and born out of necessity—she had turned the place into another Mei Garden. She not only started a small vegetable garden, stocked the pond with fish, but also transplanted fig trees and grapevines to the backyard.
Uncle Cai said Li Garden was becoming more down-to-earth by the day; one could live off the land without stepping out.
"Zishen, shall we..."
Li Weilian meant to persuade Li Zishen to return, but stopped mid-sentence.
"Let’s have dinner here, just use what we’ve got, it’s also convenient, how about... hot pot?" Li Zishen mused aloud, his phoenix eyes still profound.
"Great, I was thinking the same thing."
"Do you think... if we pack it in a box and use a helicopter, by the time it’s received..."
Li Zishen turned around, a faint smile on his face. Although he said nothing more, Li Weilian understood.