Chen Han and Shen Chi were discussing work-related matters on one side, while Su Qianqian was naturally entertained by Lin Xiaoguai and Shen Xiu.
"Qianqian, try this. My sister-in-law made it." Shen Xiu, blushing with shyness, pushed a plate of sticky rice cake to Su Qianqian.
The sticky rice cake looked very appealing; the outer layer was a transparent white, wrapped around a bright red bean paste filling and topped with a light layer of honey. It looked tempting and enticing. Su Qianqian picked it up and took a bite—the skin was crispy, the filling sweet, leaving a fine, sticky fragrance between her lips, with a distinctive taste. She exclaimed in surprise, "Did you add date paste to the bean paste?"
Lin Xiaoguai nodded, "Is it not sweet enough?" She herself didn’t like sweets much, and children also shouldn’t eat too much sugar, so she used less sugar than usual.
"A little." Su Qianqian smiled and said, "But it’s very fragrant. The sticky rice cake is fried to perfection."
Lin Xiaoguai, sensing something, asked, "From your words, Qianqian, your cooking must be pretty good?"
"It’s okay, definitely can’t compare with you, Xiaoguai." Su Qianqian said, a bit embarrassed.
Lin Xiaoguai genuinely looked at her with newfound respect. Although Su Qianqian was raised pampered, she wasn’t a lazy young miss; she was very skilled in household chores, like other girls. Clearly, the Head’s wife hadn’t neglected these skills; only her temperament... perhaps before her father passed away in her last life, she wasn’t so clueless.
When it was time for dinner, the two were naturally expected to stay.
"We originally planned to eat at my house, but my parents suddenly went to a friend’s birthday party and weren’t at home." Su Qianqian explained apologetically in a low voice.
Lin Xiaoguai felt a bit awkward. Attending a friend’s birthday party is usually prepared in advance, isn’t it? Wouldn’t they give some heads up? Clearly, the Head’s wife intended them to eat out and perhaps also to foster a bond?
She glanced at Shen Chi, then together they looked towards Chen Han, who smiled back at them with a hint of helplessness. Okay, the man clearly knew what was happening, probably considering Su Qianqian’s feelings when he brought them here.
Su Qianqian was actually very easy to get along with. Aside from acting a bit formally around Shen Chi, she was very friendly toward Lin Xiaoguai and Shen Xiu—of course, her willingness to interact with Chen Han was also due to his persistent efforts.
"Xiaoguai, did you grow these yourself?"
After dinner, Shen Chi conscientiously washed the dishes and cleaned up the table, and Chen Han also went to the kitchen. Only Lin Xiaoguai and the others remained in the living room.
Seeing the delightful flowers on the small balcony, Su Qianqian was surprised. Unlike Shen Xiu, she might not be an expert, but she knew quite a bit about flowers. Even if she couldn’t discern the value of the flowers on the balcony, she could tell from their condition that Lin Xiaoguai was skilled in gardening.
Lin Xiaoguai nodded, "Just to pass the time."
"It still takes skill," Su Qianqian said enviously. "I quite like these plants, but even the easiest-to-care-for plants die in my hands. Now, I have only two cactuses surviving at home, the rest are just pots."
Lin Xiaoguai originally wanted to give her a pot of young plants as a favor, but hearing this, she changed her mind. Even if she wasn’t a plant enthusiast, she didn’t like her plants to be ruined.
Seriously, there were many people like Su Qianqian. In her previous life, there was a kid in the old city who killed everything they planted. But this had nothing to do with talent; it was entirely a personality problem. Typically, such people are impulsive and restless. With a pot of seedlings in front of them, they almost wish it would grow and blossom immediately, and they can’t help but do too much—watering, loosening the soil, fertilizing—disregarding the natural growth habits of the plants, and that’s how the plants end up dead.
"Right? My sister-in-law is amazing; I’ve never seen anything she can’t do." After spending some time with Su Qianqian, Shen Xiu’s attitude became more relaxed, and she naturally began to boast about Lin Xiaoguai to her.
Su Qianqian smiled at Lin Xiaoguai, "Truly impressive." Thinking that Lin Xiaoguai was several years younger than herself, her tone became even more heartfelt.
Lin Xiaoguai was somewhat helpless about Shen Xiu’s childish tendency to boast. It seemed the embroidered handkerchief matter hadn’t made the kid fully aware. Fortunately, Su Qianqian was not narrow-minded.
The next day out for a trip, Shen Chi invited Chen Han and Su Qianqian as well. He had no choice, since following him were Shen Xiu, his wife bringing Yaya along, and their son Little Niangao—three little lightbulbs. Adding two more adults didn’t make much difference.