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CHAPTER 317 – Dinner
"Sure."
Taking the first step forward, Liu Xueyi and Andromeda walked off into the living room till they got close to everyone.
"Good evening, grandpa, grandma, dad, uncle, auntie, cousins and my darling sister." He took a pause, waiting for their earnest response.
"Welcome son," Liu Jinchen responded.
He knew just saying that was opening the floor for the others to speak but as respectful people, everyone turned their attention to the patriarch.
"Xueyi my pride and joy," Liu Houyi began as he cleared his throat. "We've been waiting for you."
"Stop it, we just came a few minutes back. Do not make my grandson feel bad," Zhi Zihan cut in quickly. "You know how he gets," she added.
True to the words she said, Liu Xueyi was a sucker for coming early. One minute late and he would keep apologizing and should anything go wrong, he would fault himself.
Rolling his eyes at his wife, he returned his gaze back to his grandson. "Yes. I know you must be wondering why we are all gathered here."
"Nah, not really. It is for the family dinner. When mum said family, I didn't know she meant extended," he gave a small smile before he continued. "And since you all are family, then why not?"
"Spoken like a true Liu member."
All Liu Xueyi could say or do was just smile at him. He never wanted this dinner to be any more like a family meeting.
More importantly, Liu Xueyi wondered why everyone wasn't seated or getting ready to sit at the dining table when his eyes caught sight of the culprit of the day.
His mother.
"By the way," Liu Houyi's voice broke the silence. "Shouldn't you introduce her to us?"
He had a smile on his face as he waited patiently for the introduction everyone wished to listen to.
Only one who did not know him would fall for that smile. Especially with his arched brows while his fingers danced about on the armrest of the chair.
"Sure. Everyone, meet my girlfriend, Andromeda Kai." He took a pause, looked at her, and gave a nod before resuming the introductions.
"Andromeda, meet the Liu family."
"Good evening grandpa, grandma, sirs and ma'am. Hello Xiao Xin. Evening to you two."
She did her best to bow her head anytime she mentioned one of the family members to the best of her abilities.
Since she wasn't expecting the others, she only knew the names of his parents.
"Welcome my dear," a feminine voice greeted from afar. Lifting her head, Andromeda laid eyes on the lady of the house.
"Nice to finally meet you, Andromeda," Mrs. Liu Jialing added as she walked over from where she was by the kitchen door leading to the dining area.
"The pleasure is mine, Mrs Liu," Andromeda uttered politely. "You have a lovely home," she complimented.
"Why thank you," the older lady said in a bashful tone. "I did a good job right?" she giggled.
Just watching his mother act all girly, Andromeda wondered if she was the same lady whose words and voice kept Liu Xueyi in place and made her stunned a few days ago.
"Yes. You did great in fact. I love it."
"Now that is how you compliment a lady. Boys and men, you better learn," she reprimanded as she pointed at each in turn but when she got to Grandpa Liu, she withdrew her fingers and smiled.
"Carry on, Jialing. I won't stop you. Indeed, we ladies know the right thing to do as compared to these men," Zhi Zihan said approvingly.
Having her mother-in-law's backup, Mrs Liu no longer felt any fear and stood her ground.
"Now son, you just passed step one. She knows her way with words. A danger and an asset."
Andromeda did not know whether or not to take those words as a compliment or a warning.
Whichever it was, she did not mind. It was true. She had gone from soft to dishing it out as she saw fit.
And that comment just now gave her a wake-up call. Perhaps she had forgotten herself in the cause of falling in love with Liu Xueyi.
Her main plan right from time was her revenge. She wanted that before anything else. To see Wu Bai crumble but now, she took his help and relaxed.
Although she wore her smile perfectly, she was short of one thing, her revenge.
Recalling the things, he did to her; her heart was filled with bitterness. There was no way she could let him go.
To think she had planned on going soft on him and giving him the option to repent.
God!
'Never again.' She voiced strongly in her mind. 'I need to sit up.'
"Thanks, mum. She is not an asset or stuff. She is the lady I love. Dangerous, yes. I love her that way. It is needed in the kind of life we find ourselves today but she is that and more good things."
No one spoke until Xiao Xin made the awwn sound and giggled happily at Andromeda.
Several murmurs followed but from what Andromeda could garner, they were good words.
It was the first time they had seen him this way. So determined and protective of her.
"Okay. Okay. Settle down, everybody. I think it is high time we moved to the dining area."
"No uncle. Not now," Liu Chao interjected and rose to his feet. "Unlike you, we haven't had the opportunity of introducing ourselves to Andromeda here."
"True. How insensitive of me. Fine. Go ahead with the introductions everyone. I would start."
One by one, they all introduced themselves to Andromeda while Mrs Liu gave the go-ahead for dinner to be served.
By the time they were done and joked, she announced the meal was ready. Quickly everyone proceeded there and took their seats.
Although they practiced more of a quiet dinner in the Liu family, however, this was different.
Andromeda had expected them to remain too prim and proper but to her amazement, everyone acted calmly and so cool with each other, putting aside any differences.
At first, it was hard considering the last time she dined with any full family like this was when her mother was alive.
Back then Gu Jun came too, as he was considered a part of her family.
She inhaled deeply. Her eyelids closed slightly with a nice smile on her face. Liu Xueyi turned to his side and caught sight of that lovely look on her face.
As calm as he would have loved to take the situation, he was still worried about her.
"Are you okay, love?" He said in a whisper.
Her eyes flew open with a soft giggle as she nodded at him. "Hmm. Yeah. Just reminiscing old times."
"Good ones?" He asked. He was not planning on letting go of the conversation yet till he was sure she was alright.
One small change or he notices how uncomfortable she was and he would take her away. The fact that she could blend in without difficulty was still a shock to him.
"Good ones."
He pressed on her hand, giving her a reassuring squeeze before averting his gaze to his plate.
"Alright. Open up."
"Huh?"
To Andromeda's shock, he took a spoonful of rice and sauce and brought it to her lips. "Open up. Say ah."
"Ah," she mimicked his tone, waiting for him to put the food in her mouth. Sadly, it never came as Liu Xueyi pulled back his spoon, giving her a playful smile.
Andromeda frowned, pouting her lips at him. "Not fair," she grumbled.
"Sorry. Sorry. My bad. Okay say 'ah' one more time and I will give you."
She cast a doubtful look at him first before opening her mouth as he requested. True enough he did not play with her this time.
Andromeda too did not give him a chance to. Forgetting where they were, she caught his spoon the moment it came close to her mouth, not giving him any chance to play games.
"Hahhaa naughty," he said and flickered her nose.
"Ouch."
"Aren't they just cute," Liu Jialing commented as she watched the adorable couple play games while eating.
"True. They remind me of Houyi and me when we were teenagers."
All eyes flew straight in the direction of Grandma Zihan. Although her words caught them by surprise, what bothered them most was the word teenagers.
Everyone knew they loved each other from a long time back, based on their love story, which was hardly told.
However, no one knew their love spanned since they were teens.
Her face beamed with smiles at the attention she subconsciously called to herself.
Shaking his head, Grandpa Liu pressed a kiss on the side of her face. She was one heck of a shy person but oftentimes, her words revealed more than she could chew.
"I know. We barely talk about our love life but it should not surprise you all that we've been in love with each other since we were teens," Liu Houyi explained.
"Also, what may shock you all, is the fact that we have loved each other since we were kids. That was when we promised to be each other's true love till eternity."
"What!"
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