The chopsticks from everyone's hands dropped on their dishes as the Chen family members saw Zixin entering with a woman by his side.
His mother Chen Zhilan aka Chen Serena turned to face her husband in massive shock.
"Isn't she Cai Guiying? Ai's best friend?"
Jianyu nodded.
"And he brought her here all of a sudden," she urgently whispered.
He nodded again.
"That means..." she gasped silently, "He brought his girlfriend to introduce her to us!??"
He nodded, and this time she smacked him on his head. "What are you doing by just nodding your head!? Our son brought his girlfriend home! How come you are not panicking!?"
Jianyu was speechless. "What is there to panic for?"
"I didn't cook any grand feast to welcome her!" She glared at him. "What if she gets disappointed at us!? What if she leaves Zixin because we weren't good hosts!? Do you understand the gravity of this situation Mr. Chen!?"
"..."
Zixin's grandmother, Chen Liling, was on the same page as Serena.
"Oh dear...Guiren..."
"Yes?" He dotingly asked with a warm gaze.
"I don't know if I should be happy that our grandson brought his girlfriend here or terrified that we haven't prepared anything to welcome her!"
Chen Guiren went into deep thought as he tried to find a solution.
The twins, Yunru and Yubi, were jittery in a whole another sense.
"Yubi! My room is a complete mess! What if sis Guiying sees it and hates me because of it? He will think I am a man who cannot even take care of his own bedroom!" Yunru sobbed.
"My room isn't any different than yours!" She sweated. "Yesterday, I was out at a party, and my room and wardrobe is still messy with all the clothes lying around!"
"What if she thinks that Bro is messy and irresponsible like us and breaks up with him because of it!?" He whispered his dire concern in her ear.
"Won't his love story end before it even begins!?"
The gloom in the atmosphere was quite evident.
Zixin approached the dining table and he, who didn't notice that anything was odd with anybody, proceeded to introduce Guiying.
"Mom, Dad. Grandma, Grandpa. Yunru, Yubi. Meet Cai Guiying."
Guiying was clearly able to discern the tension in the atmosphere. Their pale and worried expressions made her knees feel like they were jelly.
I-I made everybody uncomfortable...! They definitely don't like me...Now I really want to run away!
Serena gave her son a silent but deadly glare which said, 'How dare you not inform us of this before!?'
Zixin blinked cluelessly. "Why do you look upset, Mom?"
Serena almost snapped the chopsticks into two but still maintained the pleasant smile on her lips.
How can you ask me that openly!? Now Guiying will think that I am upset because of her! You are not sensitive at all!
And indeed, the color on Guiying's face was rapidly draining.
Chen Liling quickly got up to save the situation. She pulled Guiying away from Zixin and made her sit on a chair between her and her husband. "Zixin doesn't mean it like that, dear. Sometimes, he is a little slow in reading the atmosphere."
Zixin didn't understand why he was dissed by his own grandmother out of nowhere.
Serena abruptly got up from her seat, making Guiying slightly jump up. "I remember I left something in the kitchen!"
Yubi got the clue and raised her hand. "I will help you search for it!"
Tears pooled in Serena's eyes.
Aish indeed daughters are the best...otherwise sons!!
She shot another displeased stare at Zixin.
You brought your girlfriend here for the first time! How can you seriously not inform us before? You idiot! Now it's all up to me to save your relationship from sinking!
Don't forget to be thankful, young man!
Zixin, who was continuously receiving furious gazes, pursed his lips.
Why is everyone looking at me like that?
Chen Liling merrily said, "Guiying, my dear! I am so happy to meet you!"
Guiying was blinded by her beauty and sparkling expression.
She straightened up and fidgeted with her fingers. "I-It's nice to meet you too...Mam..."
She scrunched her brows. "Mam? That sounds so distant! Call me Grandma!"
"..."
G-Grandma...?
From the corner of her eye, she noticed an empty plate slowly sliding in front of her. She almost gasped with terror because it felt as if it was a ghost doing it.
But as she slightly turned her head, she saw it was only Chen Guiren doing it.
He-he is so silent...
Chen Guiren then picked a piece of chicken with a fork and promptly put it on the plate.
"Um, th-this..."
He silently kept adding the chicken pieces until it piled up to look what felt like a mountain and nodded in satisfaction to himself.
Jianyu and Yunru felt like Chen Guiren was stealing the spotlight and the place in Guiying's heart so they started to put chicken pieces on her plate as well.
You are so sly, Grandpa!
Don't think you can beat us to it! Jianyu snorted.
Jianyu scolded his son. "Don't get in my way, Yunru."
He ignored him and shone at Guiying. "Sis, sis! Eat this piece! It's more delicious!"
"Why does it have gold embedded in it?" Jianyu dryly asked.
"Because I am cute. Food offered by cute men is more tasty!" He glared at him.
"You should cut down on your smartphone time. It's clearly affecting your logic."
"Buzz off!"
Guiying - "..."
Chen Guiren then gave Guiying a look, which was a little hard for her to decipher.
What is he trying to say...? I am just embarrassing myself! She lacked tears to shed.
Chen Liling beamed. "Guiren is telling you to eat, my dear!"
Her jaw dropped.
So much!?
She stared at the mountain of chicken before her.
Jianyu slid a small bowl of sauce towards her. "Have them with this hot sauce," he proudly said, "I made it myself. You will definitely like it. It has that spicy zing."
Yunru felt left out. "I can make some cool recipes too!"
Jianyu snorted. "That doesn't include instant ramen."
He gritted his teeth. "Stupid father! Don't underestimate me! Sis Guiying, wait for me! I will sweep you off your feet with my amazing cooking talent!" And he ran towards the kitchen.
Zixin was in deep thought. Seeing Yunru talk about cooking made him feel like doing the same. He wanted Guiying to eat the food made by him and praise him.
He beamed with this idea and left to embark for the kitchen too.
Guiying was stupefied.
Why is everybody leaving for the kitchen?
And why are you leaving me alone with your father and grandparents!?
The source of this c𝐨ntent is freewe(b)nov𝒆l