"Brother-in-law, aren't you hot?" Emily Lopez sat cross-legged on the couch, popped a grape into her mouth, and asked as she looked at James Brown.
"It's bearable," James Brown replied casually, but he really wanted to change into another outfit — this suit was seriously uncomfortable.
Mrs. Lopez came out of the kitchen at that moment and said, "Gina, didn't you buy clothes for James?"
"I did," Gina responded confidently.
"Then hurry and let James change. Look, he's sweating."
Gina acknowledged with an "Oh" and then told James Brown, "Go change your clothes. No one will say anything about you at home." It really did sound like something a couple would say to each other.
James agreed and quickly went into the bedroom to change into the new pajamas he had bought, leaving his old clothes thrown on the bed.
After changing, James felt completely refreshed. In his entire life, he liked wearing suits the least, finding them too stiff and uncomfortable. He would not have worn one if it hadn't been for Gina's request.
After emerging, James headed straight to the kitchen and offered, "Uncle, Aunt, can I help with anything?"
Jonathan Lopez immediately replied, "No need. Just go watch TV and wait for the meal."
However, Mrs. Lopez then asked, "James, can you cook?"
James smiled and said, "Yeah, when I'm with Gina, I'm the one who does the cooking."
"Ha, then show us what you've got. What do you want to make? I'll help you."
"No problem." James promptly rolled up his sleeves, washed his hands, and started cooking.
As for James's cooking skills, although they couldn't be considered exceptional, they were definitely presentable. This was just a preference. For everything else, James was never picky, but when it came to food, he really had his own pursuit. After years of tasting delicacies from mountains and seas, he eventually fell in love with cooking for himself. Whenever he had the free time, he would buy ingredients and cook them himself. Over time, he truly became quite skilled.
Today, he had the opportunity to show off his skills again. Once he took over, the kitchen knife flew, and the stove roared to life. In less than an hour, he transformed the ingredients prepared by Gina's parents into a table of sumptuous lunch.
"Wow, Brother-in-law, no way, did you make all this?" Sandra, sitting at the dining table, sniffed and stuffed a piece of rib into her mouth. After taking two big bites, she exclaimed in surprise.
"How are they? To your liking?" James asked with a grin, watching Sandra's reaction to his cooking, which was something he deeply enjoyed.
"Delicious, delicious. Your sweet and sour ribs are even better than the ones my mom makes: perfectly sweet and sour and the meat is tender without being greasy."
"You little brat, after all these years, why do you still love what I cook?" Mrs. Lopez chided with a laugh.
"That's because I hadn't found anything tastier," Sandra said as she continued to sample each dish, praising every bite.
Mrs. Lopez was particularly thrilled at that moment. She was well aware that Gina had no talent for cooking, and even though Mrs. Lopez had tried to teach her a few times, she had given up after Gina kept burning the food or mixing up sugar for salt. No amount of teaching seemed to help. Now that her daughter had found a boyfriend who could cook, Mrs. Lopez thought her daughter was truly fortunate.
Gina hadn't expected James to be so capable, and after trying a few bites herself, she inwardly praised him, though she still pretentiously remarked, "Everyone eat up. I always eat his cooking, but today you all have to try James's handiwork."
However, as the meal went on, Gina's chopstick movements sped up a bit. James's culinary skills weren't just for show; the dishes he made were genuinely delicious.
"Sis, you eat his cooking every day. Don't start fighting with me for it now."
"Who's fighting with you?" Gina put down her chopsticks, dissatisfied, "Is it so wrong that I'm hungry?"
James Brown saw Emily Lopez's lips curl up slightly again, and a sly glint flashed in her eyes. This always made James feel as if Emily had figured something out.
Jonathan Lopez laughed heartily, "Little Lee, you really are talented! A man who can cook is flexible and adaptable. If you can handle that, you won't mess up in other things. Come on, today's New Year's, let's all be happy, and you and I will drink a bit more."
Jonathan Lopez was good with his liquor and didn't drink much on regular days, so nobody tried to stop him. The two men happily drank away while Sandra and Gina kept eating non-stop.
"Sis, I want to discuss something with you." After eating her fill, Emily flashed a bright smile toward Gina.
"What is it?"
"After you and your Brother-in-law get married, why don't the five of us live together?"
"Why?"
Emily said proudly, "Then I could eat the dishes made by Brother-in-law every day."
Mrs. Lopez laughed, "You child, you will get married someday too, won't you? Even if your sister lives with us, you can't stay, can you?"
"Why not? Even after I get married, I still want to live here. It would be so nice if we all lived together."
"That's not how it works. James is an orphan, so naturally, he'll live with us. When you get married, you should either live on your own or with your in-laws."
Emily immediately replied with pride, "Then I'll find someone who's also an orphan. If he has parents, I won't marry him."
"Nonsense," Mrs. Lopez scolded her with a laugh. However, she wouldn't mind such a scenario; despite her daughters being grown up, she didn't want them to leave her side. If they could bring a son-in-law back home after marriage, that would be great.
This time, Jonathan Lopez did not get drunk because the dishes made by James Brown were very much to his taste. With so many delicious dishes, he barely had room for more drinks.
After finishing the meal, James Brown wanted to help clear the table, but Jonathan Lopez pulled him away, saying, "Let Gina and the others handle such matters. You shouldn't spoil women too much. If they don't do anything, they won't find their place at home and won't understand family responsibility, which is not good for a marriage."
While Jonathan Lopez was having tea and playing a game of Chinese chess with James, everything was tidied up and everyone settled in the living room.
"James, when are you and Gina getting married?"
After a few words, Mrs. Lopez asked a rather sharp question.
James glanced at Gina and said with a smile, "Auntie, I'm afraid we'll have to wait two more years. My career hasn't taken off yet; getting married to Gina now would hinder her career, and honestly, it would make me feel a bit insecure."
Mrs. Lopez quickly said, "What are you talking about? There's nothing to feel insecure about. I think you're pretty good, capable of handling both inside and outside activities. Though you don't earn as much as Gina, it's fine as long as one person in the household earns well. If both of you focus on your careers, then who will take care of the home? If you're both working outside all the time, with one coming home and the other away, the house will be cold and empty, which isn't good."
Jonathan Lopez quickly interjected, "You're wrong. It would be okay if Gina takes care of the home and Little Lee works outside. But now, with Little Lee taking care of the household, it's very damaging to a man's pride. Plus, Gina has a strong temper. If the couple fights and this topic comes up, it will definitely lead to problems."
Mrs. Lopez glared at him and said, "That's all outdated thinking. What era are we in now? It's not a given that men have to work outside and women have to stay at home. Look at our Gina, do you think she's cut out for household chores?"
Jonathan Lopez stubbornly said, "Don't you understand how important a man's pride is?"
"Pride, pride. Can pride be eaten? I see I haven't given you much pride, and you haven't done anything to me."
This quip left Jonathan Lopez speechless as Mrs. Lopez dominated the conversation. Then, she turned to James with a smile, "James, I don't mean to look down on you. You surely know Gina's temper. With her character, she's suited for working outside. If you start a business or something, you'll be too tired taking care of both work and home. So, you see, getting married now is perfect. Later, if you find something suitable, you two can work on it together as husband and wife."
James was about to find a way to deflect the conversation when Gina jumped in, "Mom, you've got to give us some time, alright? I promise we'll get married this year, okay?"
"Good, good. I'll go look for an auspicious date later," Mrs. Lopez immediately started to discuss with Jonathan who should be consulted to select a favorable wedding date.