Chapter 467: Chapter 467: The Nearby Vinegar Jar Is About to Tip Over
Following the clear, pleasant sound of her voice, Li Xiaobing looked up to see a girl as beautiful as an immortal gracefully slipping past him.
A radiant smile on her face, she reached out a delicate, fair hand to take the platter from Second Brother Gu.
"Jiaojiao, how many of your classmates did you bring?" Second Brother Gu asked with a wide grin.
He didn’t let go of the platter, beaming so widely it showed off his pearly white teeth. It was obvious he was genuinely happy.
"You know the two underclassmen, Second Brother—Han Jingyi and Xiao Rui. And you’ve also met the upperclassman. Come on, let’s head to the dining room to eat."
"Alright. I knew you were coming for lunch, so all the food is ready."
"Second Brother, this radish flower you carved is so lifelike! You’re a natural at everything, and you pick things up so quickly."
As she spoke, Gu Jiaojiao reached out to poke Second Brother Gu’s cheek, then casually linked her arm in his and began to lead him away.
Second Brother Gu smiled indulgently. He didn’t pull away from her grasp, simply letting her lead him along.
"Brother, when did you get here?" Li Xiulan’s surprised voice cut through the large kitchen.
She had been stunned numb by the restaurant’s decor, which appeared simple at first glance but was actually incredibly sophisticated.
Overwhelmed, her eyes darted everywhere as she entered the dining area, causing her to fall a few steps behind Gu Jiaojiao.
When she reached the kitchen entrance and saw her older brother, she was so startled her soul nearly left her body. Her voice came out trembling and shrill.
Li Xiaobing calmly watched his stunned little sister, reminded of his own shock when he first heard she wanted to marry a street vendor.
He said calmly, "I heard a restaurant was opening here, so I came to take a look. This is certainly not what I expected."
"Hello, you must be the older brother of the Li family, right? It’s lunchtime, so why don’t you eat with us?"
Gu Jiaojiao enthusiastically invited Li Xiaobing. ’This is my second brother’s future brother-in-law, after all!’
Second Brother Gu looked at his sister, confused. ’Why does opening a restaurant mean we have to suck up to a man in a service cap?’
Though he didn’t understand why, he knew his little sister was far more capable than he was.
So Second Brother Gu also extended a warm invitation. "Brother from the Li family, and you too, miss, please join us for a casual meal."
"O-Okay... Second Brother... I came with Jiaojiao," Li Xiulan stammered.
Being so close to Second Brother Gu, her mind went off like a brilliant explosion of fireworks, then faded to complete and utter blankness.
"Hn," Li Xiaobing replied coolly, then pulled his dazed little sister toward the dining area.
After all, Second Brother Gu was still being held by his sister, and they were waiting by the door for the Li siblings to go first.
The waiters quickly set three tables: one for the ten servers, and another for all the chefs and kitchen hands who had been testing the food.
Gu Jiaojiao and her brother, Li Xiaobing and his sister, Han Jingyi, and Xiao Rui all sat at the third table.
Li Xiaobing already thought of Second Brother Gu as his future brother-in-law. ’A whole table for just six people seems a bit extravagant and wasteful,’ he thought.
He was about to suggest they could squeeze in at the other two tables when he heard the ethereal girl give a cheerful command.
"Xiao Rui, bring another chair over. Your brother-in-law and the others are coming to eat."
"You got it," Xiao Rui replied, heading to the next table to grab another chair.
Li Xiaobing knew the grandchildren of the Han family and the Xiao Family. He was utterly shocked. ’The Gu Family’s younger sister dares to order Xiao Rui around?’
’Could it be that Xiao Rui is pursuing her?’
’She’s as beautiful as an immortal descended to the mortal realm; she’d certainly be a good match for one of the Xiao Family’s grandchildren. If the Gu Family were to marry into the Xiao Family...’
’...then with connections like that, and with Second Brother Gu being so outstanding himself... would my little sister even be worthy of him?’
"Shuoci, Geng Haoyi, Fu Junyuan, you’re here!" Gu Jiaojiao stood up and called out a loud greeting.
Filled with joy, her voice was exceptionally clear and melodious. It echoed through the spacious dining hall like celestial music, lifting the spirits of everyone who heard it.
Li Xiaobing and his sister followed Gu Jiaojiao’s gaze and saw an imposing man wearing an outfit that matched the ethereal girl’s.
Two young men in white shirts and black vests followed him through the door.
All of them were handsome and looked sharp, but a trace of exhaustion lingered in their expressions.
This was especially true of the man in the lead. He was powerfully built and strikingly handsome, with sharp, well-defined features.
He had deep, captivating eyes and a straight nose. A sexy grin spread across his face, revealing a set of neat, white teeth.
"Wifey, you’re already here." The man smiled, strode over, took the ethereal girl’s hand, and gently guided her back into her seat.
His voice was magnetic and pleasant, like the low, rhythmic tones of a piano, creating a powerful impression on all who heard it.
That voice was like a ray of sunshine, chasing away all of Li Xiaobing’s anxieties and instantly brightening his mood.
"Second Brother, who is this?" Su Shuochi asked, looking up at the man across from them. He had an indescribable, roguish charm about him.
"I don’t know him either," Second Brother Gu admitted honestly.
Su Shuochi was left speechless.
’Second Brother Gu doesn’t know him?’
’Could he have followed my wifey here?’
’A man like that would be popular anywhere, not to mention he’s wearing a service cap.’
His very presence seemed to draw the eyes of every girl in the room, as if he were a celestial body destined to make them scream.
’Even I feel inferior,’ Su Shuochi thought. ’Although I’m handsome enough, I lack that kind of mature, masculine charm.’
’And I’m always keeping a straight face, showing no emotion.’
A bitter feeling welled up in Su Shuochi’s heart. ’Do I even know what I’m so upset about?’
’It’s because my wifey is so beautiful and exceptional that there are always other outstanding men around her.’
’All I know is this dull ache in my heart that makes me want to cry.’
"Shu Ci, he’s probably here to size up my second brother. This is my upperclassman, Li Xiulan. She really likes my second brother, but it seems her older brother doesn’t approve."
Gu Jiaojiao took Su Shuochi’s hand and spoke playfully. ’This jealous boy next to me is about to explode!’
Su Shuochi squeezed his wifey’s little hand, and a sweetness like brilliant fireworks exploded in his heart.
"Hello, future brother-in-law to my second brother-in-law! Please, sit down. My wifey is hungry, so let’s eat first. After we’re done, you can inspect him as much as you like. My second brother-in-law is a really great guy."
"Future big brother-in-law of Second Brother Gu, my sister-in-law is hungry. Let’s eat first. Second Brother Gu is a really great guy. I was even thinking of introducing my own sister to him!"
Fu Junyuan said with a grin, his charming ’peach blossom’ eyes—so expressive they could make a dog feel loved—fixed unblinkingly on Li Xiaobing.
Li Xiaobing was speechless.
He, who was usually so eloquent, was now utterly tongue-tied, as if his well of words had run dry.
’This man is even better-looking than me,’ he thought, ’so his sister must be gorgeous. Good thing my own sister is quick and decisive.’
He glanced at his little sister, who had practically buried her head on the table. ’Is she feeling insecure now?!’
He said awkwardly, "Since everyone’s hungry, let’s eat. I just came to see the Gu Family’s second brother. I wouldn’t call it an ’inspection’."
