During breakfast, Xiaomuqing noticed someone was looking at her, but she didn’t pay much attention. Eating breakfast was more important. Of course, so was interacting with the two elders.
Halfway through the meal, Xiaomuqing was surprised to find that her taste was exactly the same as Meng Yue’s. She liked sweet things and disliked egg yolks, but if the whites and yolks were fully beaten before cooking, she could like them.
“Oh my, what a coincidence. You two might as well be mother and daughter,” Mother Ye said as she watched, marveling. When she said this, everyone at the table looked at Xiaomuqing, and Meng Yue was the most nervous.
“Huh?” Xiaomuqing suddenly froze, then turned to look at Meng Yue beside her, a hint of rejection appearing in her eyes. Although she knew it was a joke, she still couldn’t accept people casually calling others parent.
“Ah, right, I remember there’s a pack of chicken wings in the fridge. I’ll buy some cola later, and we can make cola chicken wings for lunch…” Mother Ye, sharp as ever, quickly noticed this and skillfully changed the subject, talking about what to eat for lunch.
On the other side, a flash of disappointment crossed Meng Yue’s eyes, but she hid it well and quickly recovered. Ye Ziming was the most composed at the table because he understood Xiaomuqing well.
“Auntie.” After discussing lunch, Xiaomuqing softly called out.
“Mm?” With a face full of smiles, Mother Ye turned her head in confusion to look at Xiaomuqing.
“It’s just… can I help you when you cook later?” Xiaomuqing was a little conflicted. She actually wanted to learn, but she was too embarrassed to say it directly, so she offered to help. However, when Mother Ye heard this, she didn’t think that deeply, mistaking it for her being well-behaved and sensible. She planned to refuse, then praise Xiaomuqing for being so sensible, and then ask her son to take her out to play.
“She said you cook deliciously and wants to learn from you,” Ye Ziming said preemptively, conveying Xiaomuqing’s true feelings just as Mother Ye was about to speak.
This surprised Mother Ye even more. Knowing her son, she knew Ye Ziming didn’t like to lie and basically said what he thought. Considering what her son said and looking at Xiaomuqing beside him, did she underestimate her future daughter-in-law?
“Hehe.” Xiaomuqing smiled sheepishly, feeling a little awkward. In fact, that’s exactly what she thought.
“That’s perfect.” Mother Ye’s eyes suddenly lit up, and she instantly thought of a great idea. “Your Aunt Lin’s cooking is even better than mine. Look, she made this breakfast. It tastes good, right?” As she spoke, Mother Ye quietly kicked Meng Yue under the table, signaling her to play along. This method was excellent. Meng Yue could improve her relationship with Xiaomuqing, Xiaomuqing could learn something, and the Ye family might be the biggest winners.
Receiving the hint, Meng Yue quickly got into character and immediately agreed to teach Xiaomuqing a few tricks, even offering to teach her personally, hand-in-hand.
“Mm-hmm, thank you, Aunt Lin.” Hearing that Meng Yue would teach her to cook, Xiaomuqing became even happier because she had a very good impression of Meng Yue.
“If you like it, come to my place to play, and I’ll make you food every day then,” Meng Yue said with a big smile, even inviting Xiaomuqing to her home. But the simple Xiaomuqing didn’t think anything of it, taking it as a polite remark and subconsciously nodding in agreement, saying, “Definitely next time.”
The four at the table got along harmoniously, looking like a family. Breakfast was a very joyful occasion. In the middle, Ye Ziming “accidentally” let slip a small detail about her asking the coffee shop chef for pointers. This further improved Mother Ye and Meng Yue’s impression of Xiaomuqing, almost making them stand up and give her an award on the spot.
“Tsk, she’s actually a master.” The losing trio, who had remained completely silent, weren’t idling but were quietly gathering intel. After a series of analyses, they exchanged glances and simultaneously came up with a thought. By subtly expressing her desire to learn cooking, she appeared reserved while also strengthening her relationship with Mother Ye. Although she didn’t succeed in her initial goal, she still increased everyone’s impression of her and improved her relationship with Ye Ziming.
Thinking deeply about it, the operation was seamless. Even with the three of them working together, they couldn’t find a single flaw. They even interpreted Xiaomuqing’s actions as seizing the initiative and giving them a warning. The final conclusion was: this person is terrifyingly formidable. If it were a one-on-one fight, they would surely not be her match and would need to team up to have a chance.
Xiaomuqing: Meow meow meow?
“Xiaomuqing, you don’t need to help here. Go and rest for a while,” Mother Ye said after breakfast when Xiaomuqing offered to help clean up. She then gave Ye Ziming a look, asking him to deal with the losing team on the sofa.
“Listen to Mom, come with me.” Receiving Mother Ye’s signal, Ye Ziming raised his hand, patted Xiaomuqing’s head, took her small hand, and led her to sit on the sofa. He roughly understood what Mother Ye meant and guessed that they would appear at this time, likely due to his mother’s hidden arrangements. The implication was to deal with the three most persistent ones, which would serve as a deterrent to others. Otherwise, they wouldn’t even know when Ye Ziming would return or if he was home.
In the living room, as the two walked over, an undercurrent of tension was already palpable, with the three girls exchanging glances and discussing strategy. The moment the two sat down, it was essentially declaring the start of the war.
“Boss, have you seen my phone?” After sitting down, Xiaomuqing patted the shallow pocket of her pajama pants and was surprised to find her phone missing. It was strange because she distinctly remembered having it on her just now, but now, as soon as she sat down, it was gone.
“It’s here.” Ye Ziming sweatdropped. As they sat down, he had noticed the phone slip out of Xiaomuqing’s pocket and fall onto the sofa less than 10cm away from her. All she had to do was look down a little…
“Wow~ Thanks, Boss.” Happily taking her phone, she opened a food delivery app and searched for nearby stores. Didn’t Mother Ye say they were making cola chicken wings? Mother Ye had suggested calling the hourly housekeeper to buy the ingredients, but Xiaomuqing said she had a no-threshold coupon that would be cheaper. Plus, it would save them trouble, as there were no convenience stores in the villa area, only a small supermarket further out.
However, Xiaomuqing, engrossed in her phone, didn’t realize that her actions were interpreted by the trio as deliberately ignoring them. “Damn it, she’s completely unfazed by our hostility. What incredible confidence and arrogance!” And when they thought about it more carefully, they realized that Lin Muqing was avoiding their confrontation, gaining the upper hand before the real battle even began. Terrifying indeed.
***
I recommend a friend’s book, “The Best Choice to Get Out of the Friend Zone by Becoming Best Friends.” This author has a characteristic: delicate voice, weak body, easily pushed down, and can make a “嘤嘤嘤” sound with one click. She is very cute and resilient (耐 (nài) – implies endurance or tolerance, and in this context can also hint at something more sensual), and I suggest you take a look. (She has two old books with over a million words as a guarantee, so theoretically, she’s a writing machine and won’t abandon her work.)
