Xiao Youran chuckled and said, "It's telepathy."
Xu Xiuwen walked into the house, taking off his shoes and asking, "What telepathic superpower do you have?"
"I do have it. Not only can I read minds, but I also know what you're thinking. You better not be doing anything that's wronging me," Xiao Youran said with a playful expression.
Xu Xiuwen immediately asked, "So, what am I thinking right now?"
"Hmm~ You're very scared," Xiao Youran replied.
Xu Xiuwen took off his shoes and immediately gave her a playful knock on the head.
Xiao Youran yelped in pain.
Xu Xiuwen said, "You guessed wrong. I was thinking that you're a fool!"
Xiao Youran covered her head, looking aggrieved. She glared at Xu Xiuwen as if to say, "Why did you hit me?"
But then she quickly reacted and retorted, "You're the fool!"
Xu Xiuwen laughed heartily, ignoring her, and turned to get the slippers from the shoe rack.
Naturally, they were Father Xiao's slippers.
Xiao Youran quickly said, "Wait a minute!"
"What's wrong?" Xu Xiuwen asked, turning around in confusion.
Xiao Youran opened a cupboard and took out a pair of men's slippers. As she removed the plastic wrapping, she said, "Don't wear my dad's slippers. I've prepared new ones for you."
Xu Xiuwen put down Father Xiao's slippers and said, "Actually, your dad's slippers are quite comfortable."
Xiao Youran placed the new slippers in front of Xu Xiuwen and stood up, saying, "Even if they're comfortable, you can't wear them. His feet smell."
"If you say that about Uncle, he'll be unhappy," Xu Xiuwen said.
"Don't tell him," Xiao Youran replied.
In the living room, Xu Xiuwen didn't see anyone at first, but then noticed someone in the kitchen.
At that moment, Zhang Ruoshu was busy in the kitchen.
Xu Xiuwen walked up to the kitchen.
"Xiao Xu, you're here," Zhang Ruoshu greeted him warmly upon noticing him at the door.
Xu Xiuwen saw Zhang Ruoshu. She was wearing a simple set of home clothes: a loose black long-sleeve shirt and baggy black pants. The outfit covered her enticing figure but still hinted at her mature curves.
Her rounded hips and natural shape were prominent, and the beige apron around her waist accentuated her slender waist. Despite the simplicity of her attire, she gave off a stunning impression.
Xu Xiuwen didn't dare to look too long, considering she was likely his future mother-in-law and someone he had known since childhood.
He paused and responded, "Good afternoon, Aunt Zhang."
Zhang Ruoshu smiled and nodded, saying, "Xiao Xu, go sit in the living room for a bit. It'll be ready soon."
Xu Xiuwen asked, "Aunt Zhang, what are you cooking? Is there anything I can help with?"
Xiao Youran, standing beside him, whispered, "Xiao Xu, my mom can manage on her own. You don't need to help."
Zhang Ruoshu was initially going to refuse, but after hearing her daughter's words, she couldn't help but say, "Youran, I really wonder if you're my daughter. Xiao Xu knows how to care for me, and you treat me like this?"
Xiao Youran felt a bit embarrassed upon hearing this.
She stuck out her tongue and explained, "Mom, I meant that Xiao Xu should rest in the living room while I help you."
Zhang Ruoshu gave her a look and said, "Forget it. You're such a pampered young lady; I wouldn't dare let you help. Otherwise, we might not have a meal today."
Xiao Youran blushed, especially with Xu Xiuwen standing beside her.
She quickly pushed Xu Xiuwen toward the living room, saying, "Xiao Xu, go rest. I'll help my mom with the cooking."
So, Xu Xiuwen was forced to the living room.
With nothing to do, he turned on the TV and started watching.
At that moment.
Xu Xiuwen sat in the center of the living room sofa, lounging casually as he watched TV.
Xiao Youran and her mother were preparing the meal in the kitchen.
This scene had a harmonious yet slightly odd feel.
If the person sitting on the sofa watching TV was Father Xiao's instead of Xu Xiuwen, it would have been perfectly normal.
Xu Xiuwen continued watching TV.
Before long.
A sudden scream pierced the air.
Xu Xiuwen's expression tightened immediately.
He quickly got up and walked towards the kitchen.
"What happened?" Xu Xiuwen asked with concern.
In the kitchen, Xiao Youran was holding her forehead, turning to Xu Xiuwen and saying, "Xiao Xu, it hurts so much~"
Behind her, Zhang Ruoshu explained, "Oil splashed onto her forehead."
Xu Xiuwen wanted to laugh but struggled to hold it in.
Xiao Youran was expecting some comfort, but when she saw Xu Xiuwen trying to suppress his laughter, she became upset.
"Xiao Xu, you're laughing at me!"
Unable to hold back any longer, Xu Xiuwen burst into laughter.
Zhang Ruoshu also couldn't help but laugh.
Hearing their unrestrained laughter, Xiao Youran's face flushed with embarrassment.
She mumbled, "You're all bad people!"
Then she covered her forehead and ran to the bathroom.
At that moment, there was a knock on the door.
Zhang Ruoshu heard it too.
"It should be your mom. Go answer the door, Xiao Xu."
"Okay."
Xu Xiuwen turned and walked towards the front door.
When he opened it, the person standing outside was indeed Ning Wanqiu.
Ning Wanqiu was dressed very simply today.
But this simple attire highlighted her figure and looks.
To someone unfamiliar with her, it would be hard to associate her with being a mother, let alone think that her son was already in college.
Ning Wanqiu saw that the person opening the door was Xu Xiuwen but wasn't particularly surprised.
She entered the house and started to take off her shoes.
At this moment.
Xiao Youran came out of the bathroom.
As soon as she emerged, she pretended to cry and said, "Aunt Ning, Xiao Xu is bullying me!"
"Xiao Youran, don't make false accusations. When did I bully you?" Xu Xiuwen protested.
"You did bully me!" Xiao Youran stepped forward, looking very aggrieved.
Ning Wanqiu changed into slippers and walked over to Xiao Youran, asking, "How did he bully you? Tell Aunt, and I'll give him a lesson."
"Mom, how can you believe her and not me?" Xu Xiuwen said, feeling exasperated.
Ning Wanqiu didn't even glance at him, her attention solely on Xiao Youran.
Xiao Youran pointed at her forehead and said, "Aunt Ning, oil burned my forehead. Not only did Xiao Xu not comfort me, but he also laughed at me."
"Does it still hurt?" Ning Wanqiu asked with concern.
"It hurts~" Xiao Youran said with a pained expression.
Ning Wanqiu turned to Xu Xiuwen and said, "Youran is already in pain. You're laughing at her—how can you do that?"
From a view that Ning Wanqiu couldn't see, Xiao Youran stuck her tongue out at Xu Xiuwen.
She looked exceptionally playful and cute.
Xu Xiuwen felt quite helpless at the sight.
"Mom, am I your son or is she your daughter? You're so biased. She got burned, but why does it concern me?"
Ning Wanqiu said, "You shouldn't laugh at her. She's already feeling bad because of the injury. Laughing at her only makes it worse."
Xu Xiuwen waved his hand and said, "Fine, I see now. I must be adopted, and Xiao Youran is your real child."
Xiao Youran clung to Ning Wanqiu's arm and said, "Aunt Ning, even though I'm not your real daughter, I'll treat you like my own mom."
Her one sentence made Ning Wanqiu incredibly happy.
Subsequently, Ning Wanqiu went to the kitchen to help, but Zhang Ruoshu pushed her out, saying that the smell in the kitchen was too strong and that Ning Wanqiu might get her clothes all smelly since she had class in the afternoon.
Xiao Youran, having gotten a slight burn on her head, also gave up on the idea of going back to the kitchen to help her mother with the cooking.
Just then, Ning Wanqiu arrived, so she stayed in the living room to chat with Ning Wanqiu.
Ning Wanqiu had liked Xiao Youran since she was young, and since it had been a long time since they last met, she asked about her situation at school.
Xiao Youran, without showing any impatience, answered every question from Ning Wanqiu very seriously.
The dishes were soon ready.
Zhang Ruoshu carried the last dish back to the living room and set it on the table.
Seeing Ning Wanqiu and Xiao Youran sitting closely together and looking very intimate, she couldn't help but ask, "What are you two chatting about that's so enjoyable?"
Ning Wanqiu explained, "I was just asking about Youran's situation at school."
Zhang Ruoshu remarked, "When I asked her this morning, she got annoyed with just a few questions. You ask her, and she doesn't seem impatient at all. If someone didn't know better, they'd think you two were mother and daughter."
Xiao Youran's face turned a bit red, and her heart rate quickened.
She hurriedly explained, "Mom, don't say that. I wasn't impatient; I needed to wash up and change clothes."
Zhang Ruoshu seized the opportunity to ask, "I haven't asked you yet. Why did you come back to wash up this morning?"
Xiao Youran cast a subtle glance at Xu Xiuwen.
She obviously couldn't say she had gone to see Xu Xiuwen the night before and didn't have clean clothes.
She had to come up with another reason, "The water in our dorm was off last night, so I didn't get to wash up. That's why I came back this morning."
Zhang Ruoshu didn't suspect anything.
She said, "Alright, we can start eating now."
Zhang Ruoshu went back to the kitchen to serve four portions of rice.
Xu Xiuwen naturally didn't remain idle and went into the kitchen to help serve the rice.
The four of them sat down.
Ning Wanqiu said, "Old Xiao isn't back yet. Shall we wait for him?"
Zhang Ruoshu waved her hand and said, "No need, he won't be back for the meal."
The four of them began their lunch.
As they ate, the conversation turned to Xu Xiuwen's liquor factory.
The new wine from the Guangming Liquor Factory was incredibly popular, to the point where almost everyone in town knew about it.
Ning Wanqiu asked, "Where can I buy the new wine from your factory?"
Xu Xiuwen replied, "It should be available at larger supermarkets, stores, or hotels. Why do you suddenly ask about this?"
Ning Wanqiu glanced at him and said, "Oh, my colleagues keep asking me if I can get some bottles of wine. I've been asked so much that I'm at a loss."
Xu Xiuwen laughed heartily, "You should have mentioned it earlier. What's a problem for others is no issue for me. Just let me know how many colleagues need the wine and how much you need. I'll go to the factory this afternoon and get it for you."
Ning Wanqiu said, "It's not a lot. About ten people, one bottle each is enough."
"Got it," Xu Xiuwen said promptly.
Ning Wanqiu felt a bit relieved.
It seemed she had indeed been troubled by her male colleagues' requests lately.
The four of them continued eating.
Xu Xiuwen noticed Xiao Youran pouting and looking at him with a frown.
He couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?"
Xiao Youran huffed and didn't say anything.
After lunch, Zhang Ruoshu and Ning Wanqiu sat on the sofa chatting.
Xiao Youran, having just finished eating, retreated to her room.
If Xu Xiuwen couldn't tell that Xiao Youran was upset by now, then he really had lived a foolish life.
He walked to Xiao Youran's room door and knocked.
There was no response.
After waiting a while, he softly said, "I'm coming in."
Still no response.
After waiting another ten seconds, Xu Xiuwen pushed the door open.
Once inside Xiao Youran's room, Xu Xiuwen saw her lying on the bed, facing away from him.
He walked over, sat by the bed, and gently asked, "Who made you angry? Tell me, and I'll help you teach them a lesson."
Xiao Youran couldn't hold it in any longer.
She quickly sat up and swung her small fist towards Xu Xiuwen's chest.
As she hit him, she said, "You, you, you… you made me angry!"
Xu Xiuwen laughed, "How did I make you angry? I don't know what I did."
"You clearly promised to spend the afternoon with me, and you broke your promise."
"When did I break my promise?"
"You just said you had to go back to the liquor factory this afternoon," Xiao Youran pouted.
"A trip to the factory won't take much time, and besides, I can come back in the evening."
"Really?"
"Really!"
"You're not lying to me?"
"Would I lie to you?"
"Of course you would, you're a big liar!" Xiao Youran playfully chided.
"You say I'm a liar; what did I lie to you about? Ah, I get it now—I must have tricked you into falling for me, right? In that case, I guess I am a big liar."
Xiao Youran's face immediately turned red.
She pushed Xu Xiuwen, "Hurry up and go away, I don't want to see you."
Xu Xiuwen immediately got up and said, "If you don't want to see me, then I'll leave. I'll head back to the factory."
"No!"
Xiao Youran knew he was probably teasing her, but she couldn't help but fall for it.
As soon as she spoke, seeing Xu Xiuwen's mocking expression, she realized she had been tricked.
A wave of embarrassment enveloped her.
Xu Xiuwen enjoyed seeing Xiao Youran's shy appearance.
A pure and lovely girl like her showing such a cute, blushing look was incredibly tempting.
If it weren't for the inopportune timing and place, Xu Xiuwen really wanted to take her right then and there.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Xiao Youran, noticing his gaze, asked nervously.
Xu Xiuwen quickly adjusted his expression and smiled, "You're just too cute; I really want to kiss you."
Xiao Youran felt both proud and shy upon hearing this.
But she suppressed her shyness and asked, "Then why don't you?"
Xu Xiuwen explained, "This is your home, and it wouldn't be appropriate to be too forward."
Xiao Youran actually wanted to say, "There's nothing inappropriate about it."
But thinking of her mother and Aunt Ning outside the room, she felt that if their kiss were too intense and noticed by them, she wouldn't be able to face them.
Xu Xiuwen lay back on Xiao Youran's bed.
He asked, "Where are we going this afternoon? Are we really going shopping?"
"Yeah, I haven't been shopping in a long time, and I haven't bought any clothes. I don't have many clothes left," Xiao Youran pouted.
Xu Xiuwen laughed and asked, "You don't have clothes? I seem to have seen you wearing the same clothes multiple times."
Xiao Youran said, "That's because we don't meet often. Actually, I don't have that many clothes. Shishi has more clothes than I do. You probably don't know, but many of Shishi's clothes are high-end brands, very expensive."