After several dozen minutes, as Xu Lin was preparing the final dish, the doorbell rang, startling the three spectators who had been absorbed in watching. Li Yuan hurriedly walked over to open the door.
"Is it your female classmate?"
"Dad, why emphasise 'female classmate'?"
"Cough! Son, you're cutting the carrots and potato strips very finely. Teach me; I'll mix them for you later."
"Dad, your knife skills aren't..."
Before Xu Lin could finish, his mother's voice interrupted. Instantly, Chu Qingchan, who was sitting at the dining table, stood up.
"Qingchan, your sister is here!"
"What do we do?" Chu Qingchan looked at him pitifully, and Xu Lin shook his head helplessly.
"If she's here, she's here. Don't worry, I'll handle it."
Xu Lin casually said this, flipping a ladle, and Mapo Tofu smoothly entered the plate.
"So fragrant! It's perfect timing for a meal. Sorry for the intrusion."
"No problem at all. It's livelier to eat together." Li Yuan said, but Chu Qingchan's face turned frosty.
"Why are you here?"
"Sister, I smelled something delicious."
She lightly approached the table, swinging her golden twin ponytails, one landing on Chu Qingchan's neck.
Chu Qingchan forcefully pushed her hair aside, but her sister just smiled, unfazed.
"Sister, when are you coming home?"
"I have some new ideas recently, learning from Teacher Guan, so I won't be going back."
"Teacher Guan, the demon king Guan? Sister, can you still sing?"
"Chu Fengyi, if you want to leave, leave. If not, sit down and eat quietly."
"Sure~ I'll sit next to my brother-in-law. Where's my brother-in-law?"
"Where did you get a brother-in-law? Don't talk nonsense." Xu Lin shouted from the kitchen, then walked out carrying a dish.
"Mapo Tofu! Did my brother-in-law cook all of these? So impressive."
She was praised in a coquettish manner, but Xu Lin didn't believe a word. He still remembered the last time she attempted a backflip.
Xu Lin put the dishes down with a cold face. The doorbell rang again, and he hurriedly went to answer it.
Wearing a floral dress, Ji Yun entered his sight. He paused for a moment, then smiled.
Although she was always beautiful, there was a difference between school uniforms and casual clothes. The waistband accentuated her figure perfectly.
"Why are you wearing a skirt today?"
"Doesn't it look good?"
"It looks good, but I told you not to bring anything." Xu Lin noticed she was holding a bag.
"It's just some cooked food from home, not bought separately."
"I'm treating you to a meal, and you still bring stuff. My future father-in-law might complain."
"Who's your future father-in-law? Stop talking nonsense!" Ji Yun glanced inside, feeling a bit embarrassed.
"Come in quickly; no outsiders; just Miss Chu's sister is here."
"Oh."
Ji Yun entered the house, and Xu Feng and Li Yuan also welcomed her. She greeted them shyly.
"Hello, Uncle and Auntie."
"Take a seat. Take a seat. You often help Xu Lin with English. We're often not at home, so thank you even though we don't have time."
"It's nothing. Studying together is more efficient."
"Oh? In what way is it more efficient?"
Following the voice, Ji Yun looked and saw a blonde foreign girl smiling at her. She smiled back, a bit puzzled. What is that supposed to mean?
"Chu Fengyi, behave yourself."
"Sister, I'm just afraid a little fox might steal my brother-in-law's heart."
Hearing this, Ji Yun suddenly froze, looked at Xu Lin, and felt her heartbeat slow down for a moment. Is Miss Chu Xu Lin's girlfriend?
And they're even having a meal together. Uncle and Auntie also let her stay at home. Is that so?
In her moment of confusion, Chu Qingchan sternly said, "He's not your brother-in-law! Don't talk nonsense. If you're not eating, then leave."
"Alright, Miss Ji, sorry. So, are you Xu Lin's girlfriend?"
"I... no..." Ji Yun blushed instantly, not sure what to say.
"Enough, Chu Fengyi. If you have any issues, talk to me. Don't create a scene here. Eat properly, and if you have something to say, say it later."
At this point, Xu Lin's tone changed, his face becoming stern, surprising even his parents, who were most familiar with him. They had never seen this expression on Xu Lin before.
Chu Fengyi, however, followed his gaze, putting away her smile. Chu Qingchan instantly became nervous; she knew her sister very well.
When she smiled, it was at most sharp-tongued, but once she turned serious, she meant to do something.
But the next second, she made no move. After locking eyes with Xu Lin for a few seconds, she slowly averted her gaze.
"Alright, we'll talk later."
"Let's eat." Xu Lin also dropped his serious expression, smiling, his face changing rapidly.
Everyone took their seats—Xu Feng, Li Yuan, and Ji Yun on one side, while Xu Lin and the Chu sisters on the other. Xu Lin thought it was safer to sit beside the somewhat prickly rose than to let Ji Yun be close to her.
Although he couldn't beat her, he had just spent 6,000 points on acquiring two somewhat mystical skills, "Lingxi Breathing" and "Bright Morning Steps."
Having obtained these skills, he confirmed that "Bright Morning Steps" was indeed similar to light-footed techniques, though not as miraculous as portrayed in TV dramas. "Lingxi Breathing" was exactly what it sounded like.
After trying it, he felt an instant lightness in his body. With prolonged practice, it would undoubtedly improve his physique.
Coupled with his self-defence techniques and this light-footed skill, he felt confident that even if he couldn't win a fight, he could certainly escape. So, he felt quite pleased with himself just now.
"Let's eat the dishes; I'll serve the rice." Li Yuan shouted, and everyone started to try the dishes.
Chu Fengyi glanced at the dishes in front of her, subtly furrowing her brows. But as her sister picked up her chopsticks, she did the same.
As she put a piece of meat into her mouth, she was momentarily stunned. Scooping up a spoonful of tofu, her eyes brightened a bit.
She had eaten many dishes prepared by professional chefs, both Chinese and Western, better than what they were having now. However, Xu Lin's dishes gave a different feeling—simple yet delicious.
Others also started praising Xu Lin's culinary skills. Xu Lin waved his hand modestly.
"There are many dishes I still can't make. I just picked a few that I'm good at. Other than that, I'm far from a professional chef."
"I didn't expect my son to be really talented, especially with this cold salad. Next time your uncle and the others come for a meal, you should make this. They'll remember it until next year, for sure."
Originally, Xu Feng thought he liked "San Xian" the most, but unexpectedly, this casually made cold dish made him think it was the most delicious.
"Classmate Ji, come out with us for shopping later," Li Yuan suggested as they returned to their seats.
"Well, Auntie, I'm okay." Ji Yun glanced at him, seeking help, and Xu Lin nodded.
After all, it would be time for the Chu sisters to chat later, and as just a student, Ji Yun couldn't handle such scenes.
After finishing the meal, the dishes were almost wiped clean. Xu Lin placed the bowls and chopsticks in the sink, and Xu Feng and Li Yuan prepared to go out with Ji Yun.
"Xu Lin... is Miss Chu the one named Chu Qingchan?" Ji Yun ran to his side and asked softly.
"Yeah, I thought you didn't watch TV dramas and wouldn't know her."
"I don't watch much, but she's so beautiful that I naturally recognise her. However, I didn't expect her to show up here. Last time, I actually talked to her."
"Today, you had a meal with her. It's fine. She's temporarily out of the spotlight now; you don't have to treat her like a celebrity."
"Xu Lin, I don't know the details, but it seems there's some conflict between the sisters. However, they're family, after all. Let them handle it themselves."
"Yeah, I know."
Hearing Ji Yun's advice, Xu Lin instinctively patted her hand. It was a habit in the Xu family.
Feeling Xu Lin's large hand on her skin, Ji Yun quickly withdrew her hand, blushing, and ran to the door.
Not far away, Chu Fengyi, still sitting at the dining table, saw this scene and raised an eyebrow at her sister.
"If you don't try a bit harder, my brother-in-law might run off with the little fox. After all, he's still young."
"Chu Fengyi, be quiet."
Chu Qingchan turned her head away, but she knew she had been a bit jealous just now—just a little bit.