"That settles it, then. Thinking about it now won’t help, so just tell her when Aunt Lin gets back, ’Mom, no matter what, I’ll support you!’ That will work better than any sweet talk," he said with a laugh.
"Yeah!" Xia Xiaoxiao, like someone who had found their way, no longer felt lost or uneasy.
[Where mom is, that’s where home is!]
"Go make a call and ask where they are, I’m almost done cooking," Xu Qingfan said with a light smile.
"Okay!" Xia Xiaoxiao got up and scurried out.
After 6 p.m., the three adults who had been away for over three days finally returned to Lianhua Courtyard, greeted by a lavish meal prepared by Xu Qingfan.
The table was brimming with eight dishes and one soup, all fragrant and inviting, making the three adults brighten up as soon as they entered the house.
"Son, quickly serve your dad some rice; the food at the service area was terribly bad!" Xu Aiguo said after downing the soup in his bowl and handing it to him.
Xu Qingfan took the bowl and served him some rice, "Does anyone else want some?"
"Xiao Fan, serve your aunt a bowl too." Back in the familiar surroundings where she could have a hot meal right out of the car, Lin Jing felt instantly cheerful.
"Sure~ Aunt, try the bitter melon stir-fried with eggs; Xia Xiaoxiao made it!" Xu Qingfan pointed to the dish on the table that looked the least appealing.
"Ha ha~ Xiao Xiao, did you fry this? Why do the eggs and bitter melon seem to..." Lin Jing spoke but her smile suddenly froze.
Seeing this, Xu Qingfan quickly smoothed things over: "Xiao Xiao said she doesn’t like bitter melon, so rather than forcibly mixing them and making it hard to swallow, it’s better to keep them separate. That way, those who want eggs can eat eggs, and those who want bitter melon can have bitter melon."
After his words, the room grew even quieter.
Xu Qingfan really wanted to slap himself; this way of comforting was worse than saying nothing at all.
[Instead of forcing it, better to separate..... Does Xiao Xiao think so too?] What Lin Jing couldn’t let go of was still her daughter; if Xia Xiaoxiao didn’t want her mom and dad to divorce, then for her sake...
"Xiao Xiao indeed has disliked bitter melon since she was little." Lin Jing said with a smile, picking the stir-fried eggs into her bowl.
"Oh right, Aunt, try this perilla braised duck meat, my specialty!" Xu Qingfan quickly changed the subject.
Yao Jinping looked at him with a dubious face; she hadn’t reacted when she first entered the house, but now remembered to ask, "Did you make all these dishes? When did you learn to cook?"
Xu Qingfan shrugged nonchalantly: "Learned from watching TV. Wasn’t I cooking crayfish at my mother-in-law’s house the year before last?"
"Looking quite professional," Yao Jinping said, laughing as she patted his head, "From now on during the holidays, you’ll be in charge of cooking at home!"
"Hmm? Any objections??"
"Then Aunt and Xiao Xiao will have to come eat here every day!" Lin Jing said with a laugh.
"Okay, Aunt, make sure you do come, and we’ll have Xia Xiaoxiao wash the dishes!"
"Hmm~" Xia Xiaoxiao, in a cheerful mood, secretly pinched Xu Qingfan under the table.
After the meal, Xia Xiaoxiao obediently went into the kitchen to wash the dishes.
Yao Jinping and Lin Jing mysteriously pulled him into a room.
Xu Qingfan thought, [Shouldn’t whatever it is be said to Xia Xiaoxiao? Why are they pulling me into a room?]
"Mom, Aunt, why did you call me in here?"
Lin Jing looked like she wanted to say something but hesitated; it was Yao Jinping who spoke first: "That dog Xia Guofu... your Uncle Xia has cheated and fathered an illegitimate child."
"Yeah, and then?" Xu Qingfan thought as expected and maintained an indifferent expression.
Lin Jing and Yao Jinping exchanged glances, Yao Jinping thinking her son didn’t understand, explained, "Cheating means..."
"Means keeping a mistress, right? The woman outside got pregnant and had a child, I get it." Xu Qingfan interrupted.
"You little rascal!" Yao Jinping was both annoyed and amused; only he could say such a thing, ’keeping a mistress.’
"Aunt wants to divorce your Uncle Xia, but she doesn’t know how to tell Xiao Xiao..." Lin Jing said hesitantly.
Realizing something, Xu Qingfan relayed the entire conversation he had had with Xia Xiaoxiao in the kitchen, "Xiao Xiao said, no matter what decision you make, she will always support you, Aunt!"
"Yeah!" Lin Jing was moved to tears; she wasn’t afraid of opposition from the family. What she worried about most was Xia Xiaoxiao’s disapproval.
After receiving a positive response, Lin Jing felt a weight lifted from her shoulders.
If you can’t hold onto the sand, let it go; if you can’t keep someone, don’t hold back.
Rather than have Xia Xiaoxiao experience an incomplete father’s love, it’s better to keep the house clean and tidy. With a mom like herself and a brother like Xu Qingfan, she believed that even though Xiao Xiao’s childhood might lack a father figure, it wouldn’t lack love.
"Aunt knows now, Xiao Fan, thank you." Lin Jing said gratefully as she tousled Xu Qingfan’s hair.
"Aunt, I support you too. I’ll go help Xiao Xiao with the dishes; let her come in and talk to you!" he said as he embraced Lin Jing gently and headed out.
"Xiao Fan is really thoughtful." Lin Jing smiled warmly at Yao Jinping as they watched Xu Qingfan leave the room.
"Xiao Xiao as well." Yao Jinping felt incredibly proud, that rascal was really making her look good.
Xu Qingfan came to the kitchen, patted Xia Xiaoxiao on the shoulder, and said, "I’ll wash, you go to the room. Your mom wants to talk to you; she wants to divorce your dad and hopes for your support."
Xia Xiaoxiao paused for a moment as she washed the dishes, then after half a minute, she seemed to make up her mind and earnestly nodded, "Understood."
Adults often think kids don’t understand, but actually, they understand everything.