Chapter 40: Chapter 40 - 40 A Frustrating Dinner at 040

Chapter 40: A Frustrating Dinner at 040 Chapter 40: A Frustrating Dinner at 040 Fu Han’s face flushed, and as she stood up, she said, “Grandpa, I’m hungry, I’ll go check the kitchen.”

Who would’ve expected that just then, a servant coincidentally arrived: “Master, the meal is ready. Shall we eat now?”

The He Family’s elder looked at Fu Han meaningfully and instructed He Xing, “Aren’t you going to invite Xiaohan to dine?”

He Xing immediately took a step ahead into the dining room, pulling out the chair at Xiaohan’s usual spot, “Please, take a seat.”

Feeling both shy and awkward, Fu Han deliberately circled around to sit opposite: “Grandpa, I’ll sit here, closer to you so we can chat.”

He Xing looked deeply at Fu Han, his eyes like a turbulent sea beneath the cold stars, yet the corners of his lips were slightly upturned.

Before they could start eating, a servant came to report: “Master, Young Master, Lady Xia Ning has arrived, saying she came to visit the elder.”

“That was quick,” the elder of the He Family said with a smile that wasn’t quite a smile as he watched He Xing and Fu Han: “Without you two, she wouldn’t come; no sooner do you arrive than she does, before we’ve even begun to eat.”

Touching his nose, He Xing said nothing, his long lashes shadowing his eyes.

Cheerfully calling out to Grandpa He, Xia Ning entered with both hands full of items, and upon seeing the table full of dishes, her smile deepened: “My timing is unfortunate, it seems you’re just about to eat.”

The He Family’s elder switched to a kind smile, “Xia Ning, have you eaten yet?”

“Not yet,” answered Xia Ning, her eyes wide and innocent.

“If you don’t mind, join us for the meal,” the elder said with a deeper smile, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes: “As long as you don’t mind our simple fare.”

“How could I mind?” Xia Ning said as she quickly pulled the chair next to He Xing and sat down: “The cooks here make the best food, far better than those at my house; I’ve always loved eating at your home since I was a child.”

“Is that so.” The He Family’s elder added an abalone to Fu Han’s plate without looking up, “The current cook has been here less than a month, and the food has a different taste than before.”

“Is… is that so,” Xia Ning said, looking helplessly toward He Xing, her expression couldn’t be more innocent.

Fu Han also watched He Xing with a smile; she knew Xia Ning’s visit was no coincidence and was curious how He Xing would continue to feign unfamiliarity.

He Xing glanced up at Fu Han and said lightly, “You’ve been on location a lot lately, eat more abalone to nourish yourself.”

“You should eat more too, Young Master He. You’re always so busy dealing with this and that, it must be tiring,” Fu Han chuckled, flashing her cute little fangs.

“Then serve some for me,” said He Xing amiably as he pushed his bowl toward Fu Han.

Fu Han’s eyes widened in surprise. What was He Xing up to now?

Xia Ning, acting quickly, reached out to take He Xing’s bowl while offering eagerly, “Brother He Xing, you like abalone, let me help you with that.”

“No need,” He Xing’s reaction was even faster as he pushed the bowl back toward Fu Han with a ‘pop’: “You help me with the dishes.”

Fu Han looked at Xia Ning, who was so angry her face was twisted, her silver teeth almost crushed.

To be honest, seeing Xia Ning’s frustrated look felt really good.

“Sure,” Fu Han laughed, dumping most of the abalone into He Xing’s bowl: “You have to eat it all, okay?”

The He Family’s elder praised with his eyes closed, “Xiaohan is really considerate, Grandpa is very pleased.”

He Xing looked at the bowl full of abalone, his eyelids twitching, ready to face death as he picked up his chopsticks, knowing he probably wouldn’t touch abalone again for the next few years.

“Let me get you some soup,” Xia Ning said as she stood up: “This wild mushroom soup looks very refreshing; it should be good for cutting the grease.”

“No need,” He Xing rejected flatly, without a trace of joking.

Xia Ning’s hand retracted slightly, showing clear reluctance on her face, but she eventually sat back down obediently.

Truth be told, Fu Han didn’t actually want to eat abalone, but since the He Family elder had served it to her, she ate it. After finishing, she felt a bit of discomfort in her throat, so she got up to serve herself some soup—specifically the delicate wild mushroom soup.

Just as she had ladled some out, the He Family’s elder already began speaking, pointing at He Xing: “Xiaohan, you are so thoughtful, knowing He Xing has overeaten abalone and also serving him soup.”

“No, Grandpa, this is for me,” Fu Han hastily explained, bringing the bowl to her lips and taking a sip.

“If Grandpa says it’s for me, then it’s definitely for me,” He Xing interjected, reaching out to firmly “snatch” the bowl of soup.

He turned the bowl, took a sip, and though his face remained expressionless, his eyes were bright, and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly, showing a hint of smugness.

Fu Han saw everything clearly; the position where he had drunk the soup was the same spot where she had just sipped from. He definitely did it on purpose.

Her face felt hot, and she was tempted to counter with a few words of her own.

Yet when she glimpsed Xia Ning’s glare, sharp as a stone in a cesspit, she forcibly suppressed her discomfort.

She had returned this time solely to settle things once and for all with He Xing. She could overlook his actions, but she couldn’t forgive what Xia Ning had done to her over the years.

Thus, although Fu Han hadn’t eaten much during the dinner, she was still quite happy.

Throughout the dinner, Xia Ning stubbornly clung to He Xing’s side, trying hard to serve him food, but he consistently declined.

The He Family’s elder found even more amusement, occasionally cueing Fu Han to serve He Xing, and while she was displeased, she reluctantly obliged a few times, spurred by the desire to see Xia Ning’s complexion worsen.

After the meal, the elder asked He Xing and Fu Han to stay the night, saying their rooms were cleaned daily and ready for occupancy.

Most of the physical contact between Fu Han and He Xing had occurred in this house, and considering last night she was pinned against the wall by He Xing, she shook her head like a rattle drum, adamantly refusing.

Seeing her about to leave, He Xing also got up to go, saying he was heading the same way and could take her home.

On the other side, Xia Ning, who had been upset all evening, protested that the driver had left due to an emergency and asked He Xing to drive her home.

While He Xing went to get the car, Fu Han aimlessly strolled around the yard, wanting to see how that giant morning glory had fared after all these years.

The yard of the He Familyʼs residence was full of precious plants that were priceless on the market, all meticulously maintained by professionals, lush and garden-like.

A few years prior, Fu Han had been wandering around Lanwan Mountain and stumbled upon a patch of blue morning glories in a secluded spot. Astonished by their beauty, she carefully dug one out and planted it next to the French plane tree.

It was unbelievable how, within a year or two, that small morning glory thrived and grew larger each year. In the spring, its vines would wrap around the French plane tree, and when the flowers bloomed, countless blue trumpets adorned the tree.

Guided by the garden lights, Fu Han easily located the morning glory. After three years, its roots were now as thick as a baby’s arm. Though it was autumn and the flowers withered, faint blue blossoms were still discernible.