Luo Xiaolei almost wanted to clap her hands. She was so amazed. This Yu Chen really knew how to use his beauty and cuteness to charm people, even little kids. Really, a dangerous species!
"Cunning Ranran." Little Rui grinned at his little brother, causing Luo Xiaolei to turn to the little guy next to her, wide-eyed.
"Little Rui? What did you say?" she asked, curious.
"Hehe. Nothing mommy, I just felt that Ranran pretended to do that because he wanted to see daddy become a panda again." Little Rui's grin turned into cute chuckles while Luo Xiaolei was left blinking, speechless. She returned her gaze to the two again and when she stared at the shy Little Ran who now seemed to be more than comfortable in Yu Chen's arms, the corner of her lips could only curve up, forming a slight but genuine smile. Somehow, she realized that Little Rui was right. She knew little Ran's personality very well. He was the type who would not be budged through any kind of coaxing or bribery. If he glanced at someone and he didn't throw another look at him again, that meant he didn't like the person and that was the end of it, no negotiation. Err… I'm starting to think that you're really Yu Chen's long lost kin, Little Ran… but there was just no way, right? Sigh… never mind…
The food was finally ready. Luo Xiaolei brought them over and put them on a knee level, fold-out table.
After a while the four of them gathered around the small table. Luo Xiaolei was sitting across Yu Chen while the little buns sat across each other.
"When we went to town this afternoon, we passed by some families having picnic near the river. Little Rui suggested we should have a picnic too, so here we are." Luo Xiaolei told him, smiling as she removed the bones from the fish and put them on the little buns' plate.
"Mm. This is a good idea."
"Have you been camping out here before?"
Yu Chen lightly shook his head. Well, that answer was pretty much as expected. Why would someone like him bother to go out camping in the woods?
Yu Chen also started helping Luo Xiaolei. Using his chopstick, he neatly segmented the fish meat and then gently lifted the meat from the bones. Even the way he did that was damn elegant and smooth. As expected of this king…
"These two like grilled fish and I like grilled meat so we chose this dish. Uhm… is this food okay with you? I mean, do you eat this kind of uhm…"
"Don't worry, I will eat them." So, you don't usually eat them…?
In no time, Luo Xiaolei and the kids were now busy enjoying their food while Yu Chen was… busy glancing at the girl across him.
"Daddy, eat more." Little Rui's voice made Luo Xiaolei look at Yu Chen. The man was chewing, again, elegantly.
"What do you prefer? Meat or fish?" Luo Xiaolei asked and Yu Chen didn't answer until he swallowed the food in his mouth.
"F- meat." Of course, the f he uttered first didn't escape Luo Xiaolei's ears.
"Meat? Are you sure?"
"…Mm." He obviously hesitated, right? Are you forcing yourself because you don't want to touch the food the twins like or something?
Luo Xiaolei picked up a piece of meat in hesitation when suddenly, before she could lift it and put it on Yu Chen's plate, the twins beat her to it. The little buns simultaneously put a piece of fish on his plate.
Yu Chen blinked and he froze for a moment. His face gave no hint of his emotion but Luo Xiaolei couldn't help but chuckle when the man just looked to his left and then to his right before looking at the fish meat on his plate again, like a robot.
But the moment Yu Chen heard her chuckles, he immediately lifted his gaze towards her. Seeing her chuckling, looking genuinely amused, Yu Chen felt blinded and he just couldn't take his eyes off her.
"They're right, you should eat more, big boss." Luo Xiaolei still kept on chuckling until she noticed Yu Chen's gaze not leaving her.
"Here." She picked a up a piece of meat and put them on his plate, her chuckles changing into a warm tantalizing smile.
What she did finally brought the man back to Earth. The man stared at the pieces of meat the three put on his plate and his eyes briefly flickered with warm lights.
He then lifted his hand to pick up a piece of meat when he noticed three pairs of eyes looking intently at him as if they were anticipating whose meat he would pick first. He blinked again and then his hand moved but not towards his plate. They moved towards the fish in the middle of the table, picked up some, and then moved towards each of the little buns' plates as he placed a piece of fish on them.
Afterwards, he picked a piece of meat and put them on Luo Xiaolei's.
Luo Xiaolei and Little Rui smiled widely.
"Thanks," they both said when a soft voice, almost like an echo, followed suit "Thanks". Luo Xiaolei, Little Rui as well Yu Chen turned towards the source of the cute voice but Little Ran's head was already down so Luo Xiaolei could only smile.
"Okay, let's eat!" she said and they returned their attention to the food again.
However…
"Hehe, I won the bet, daddy picked mommy's meat first!" Little Rui's sudden remark made both Luo Xiaolei and Yu Chen look at him. Sigh… little Rui, why are you even betting?!
Luo Xiaolei looked at Yu Chen and when their eyes met, she saw something in his gaze. It seemed different from the way he usual but she couldn't quite pinpoint what that difference was.
"How does it taste?" Luo Xiaolei finally broke the silence.
"I like it." he answered and Luo Xiaolei smiled.
"I'm glad."
As the four of them continued their dinner, Luo Xiaolei felt her heart drastically warm up more than ever. After being alone for a long time, she couldn't help but think that this must be how it felt to eat with one's happy and lovable family. As she looked at them, she thought that these simple things really gave her such a nice feeling that no amount of money or wealth could ever replace.