"Does Tinglang really want to cut all ten of these fingers before he's satisfied?" Su Fuliu retorted.
"..." Feng Muting choked, "Then, then I can pick and wash the vegetables, okay?"
“Your hands are like this, you can’t get them wet. Su Yan and Xie Chen can handle the picking and washing of the vegetables,” Su Fuliu replied.
"Then...then I, then I'll help you pass the salt and the food plates, and so on?" Feng Muting really wanted to do his part.
"No need. I don't want you to hand me sugar instead of salt, and I certainly don't want the dish to break before it's even cooked." Su Fuliu could already picture Feng Muting frantically smashing the plate in his mind. "Tinglang, just stand here and watch. If you really don't want to just watch, then Tinglang can go back and keep Qing'er company."
"Then, I'll just stand here and keep Liu Bao company." Feng Muting looked at his injured hand and sighed helplessly. What about his talent?
He has always been very talented at everything he does, whether it's horseback riding, archery, or martial arts; he picks them up very quickly.
Why do people freeze up as soon as they get into the kitchen?
Putting aside cooking, let's talk about how Su Fuliu taught him to fold paper boats. He spent half a day learning and almost got irritable.
Watching Su Fuliu skillfully prepare one delicious dish after another, Feng Muting felt utterly clumsy and ashamed to watch.
After a busy morning, Su Fuliu finally finished preparing the reunion dinner.
"Liu Bao, let's go back and take a shower, change our clothes, and then we can go have our reunion dinner," Feng Muting said.
"Yes, I need to go back and take a shower and change my clothes." Su Fuliu nodded. He had spent the whole morning in the imperial kitchen and smelled strongly of cooking oil.
Xie Chen leaned closer to Su Yan and sniffed him: "Brother, you need to go back and take a shower and change your clothes too. I'll go with you."
"I don't need you to help me. You wash yours, I'll wash mine." Su Yan dared not agree. With this little rascal's cunning look, he wouldn't be satisfied until he had washed him thoroughly, inside and out.
Afterwards, Feng Muting took Su Fuliu back to take a bath.
Xie Chen carried the grumbling Su Yan back to take a shower.
After changing into their new clothes, Feng Muting led Su Fuliu to dinner.
When they arrived, they saw Xie Chen and Su Yan, who was frowning, standing at the door waiting for them.
"Su Yan, are you... feeling unwell? Why are you frowning?" Su Fuliu asked with concern.
"No, no, thank you for your concern, Empress Xiao." Su Yan lowered his head embarrassedly. After Feng Muting led Su Fuliu inside, he glared at Xie Chen and gave him a fierce look. This hungry little bastard had to make him suffer even while taking a bath.
Xie Chen, however, pretended not to understand and smiled as he approached Su Yan, saying, "I'm sorry, brother, it's just that time doesn't allow it. I can only finish quickly. If you're not satisfied, we can do it properly tonight."
"Pah! You're sleeping on the floor tonight, not on the bed!" Su Yan was furious. Was he complaining that the time wasn't long enough?!
After he finished speaking, he turned around and followed them inside.
Xie Chen raised an eyebrow and followed.
After Su Fuliu went in, she exclaimed in surprise, "Shilang!"
"Brother!" Bai Yulang ran over happily and hugged Su Fuliu tightly.
Feng Muting frowned. If it weren't for the fact that the two brothers hadn't seen each other for a long time, he would have picked up Bai Yulang and thrown him away long ago. He wouldn't have let him hold his Liu Bao.
Chapter 12 Extra: Stay (12)
Su Fuliu hugged Bai Yulang, her eyes immediately reddening: "It really is Shilang, am I dreaming?"
Bai Yulang also pouted and shook his head: "Brother, you're not dreaming. It's me. My senior brother and I came to see you and spend New Year's Eve with you."
Then, the two brothers hugged each other and cried for a while.
Afterwards, Feng Muting pulled Su Fuliu aside, and Lu Chimo pulled Bai Yulang aside, separating the two.
"Alright, Liu Bao, don't cry. Today is a happy day for family reunion, you can't keep crying." Feng Muting comforted her while gesturing for Lu Chimo to pull Bai Yulang aside, otherwise, his Liu Bao would continue to cry.
Su Fuliu wiped away her tears, then looked at them and exclaimed happily, "Dr. Lu, Young Master Gu, Young Master Wen, you've all come!"
Gu Xingchen nodded: "Hongye and I received a letter from the Emperor half a month ago, asking us to come back and celebrate the New Year together."
Bai Yulang also said, "Me too. Half a month ago, my senior brother and I received a letter from Brother-in-law Chou, asking us to make sure to take some time to come back and spend the New Year with you."
After hearing what they said, Su Fuliu looked at Feng Muting with emotion, and the tears she had managed to hold back instantly flowed again: "Tinglang..."
He had previously told Feng Muting that it would be great if Bai Yulang and the others could come and reunite. At the time, Feng Muting said that things were not like they used to be. Little did he know that Feng Muting had already made arrangements in secret. He knew that he would miss everyone, so he had them come back half a month in advance.
"Why are you crying again, Liu Bao? I arranged a surprise for you, you should be happy." Feng Muting said while wiping away his tears.
“I’m so happy, I’m overjoyed, I’m crying tears of joy,” Su Fuliu replied.
"Alright, Liu Bao, stop crying. Let's all sit down and eat properly. This is a reunion dinner you made yourself, so let everyone taste your cooking."
Su Fuliu wiped away her tears and smiled: "Didn't Tinglang used to forbid people from eating my cooking? You were unhappy even after eating it, so why are you now offering it to everyone?"
“Today is Lunar New Year’s Eve, a day for family reunion. Even if I’m not happy about it, I have to make you happy,” Feng Muting said.
"Tinglang, you're so kind." Su Fuliu gazed at him.
Bai Yulang looked at the two lovey-dovey people and said, "Brother, that's enough. We all know how good your Tinglang is to you. If you don't sit down and eat, the food will get cold."
Su Fuliu then pulled Feng Muting over to sit down, looking embarrassed.
"Su Yan, Xie Chen, please sit down too," Su Fuliu said, looking at the two who were still standing there motionless.
After all, they were Feng Muting's subordinates, so they shouldn't have been allowed to eat at the same table with him.
Feng Muting also said, "Empress Xiao has already asked you to sit down, what are you still standing there for?"
Su Yan and Xie Chen exchanged a glance before sitting down.
Looking at the table full of delicious food, Bai Yulang asked in surprise, "Brother, did you make all of this by yourself?"
Su Fuliu nodded: "Yes, Su Yan and Xie Chen helped me pick and wash the vegetables, and then I cooked them."
Upon hearing this, Bai Yulang exclaimed in surprise, "Didn't that stinky brother-in-law help at all?"
Feng Muting's lips twitched. This Bai Yulang was incredibly audacious. He was taking advantage of Su Fuliu's presence to keep calling him "stinky brother-in-law."
Su Fuliu couldn't help but laugh: "He only helped kill a fish, but ended up hurting six of his ten fingers. After that, I dared not let him help me again."
Chapter 13 Extra: Stay (End)
Bai Yulang burst into laughter upon hearing this.
Feng Muting frowned and glared at Bai Yulang.
His eyes were filled with murderous intent, which terrified Bai Yulang.
He coughed lightly, and his smile vanished.
Although Su Fuliu was there, Feng Muting didn't dare to do anything to him. But if Feng Muting were to sneak up on him behind Su Fuliu's back again, just like last time, he would disguise himself as Qin Shi and kick him out of the city.
Therefore, he should know when to stop and not be too "arrogant".
The family reunion dinner was a very enjoyable meal, and everyone's face was filled with happy smiles.
After finishing the meal, Feng Muting said to Su Fuliu, "Liu Bao, I have another surprise for you."
"Another surprise?" Su Fuliu was overjoyed. He was already very happy to be able to have a reunion dinner with everyone from all over the world, but he didn't expect there to be another surprise.
Feng Muting nodded, then took Su Fuliu's hand and led him outside. He then put his arm around Su Fuliu's waist and carried him up to the roof.
Bai Yulang panicked when he saw this and hurriedly said to Lu Chimo, "Mo Lang, I want to go up too!"
Lu Chimo chuckled, then reached out and hooked Bai Yulang onto the roof.
Xie Chen asked, "Brother, shall we go up and take a look too?"
"This...wouldn't this be a bad idea? What if we disturb...sigh, sigh..." Before Su Yan could finish speaking, Xie Chen grabbed him and carried him directly to the rooftop.
Gu Xingchen watched as they flew onto the rooftops in pairs. He wanted to watch too, but unfortunately, he didn't have any light-footed skills.
He turned to look at Wen Hongye beside him.
Wen Hongye smiled and, without saying a word, flew up with him.
"It's... a bit high." Gu Xingchen glanced at it.
"Hmm, it's a bit higher than the rooftop that someone jumped from for me back then," Wen Hongye said with a smile.
Gu Xingchen chuckled awkwardly. Normally, he would have scratched the back of his head, but now that they were at a high place, he dared not let go of Wen Hongye's arm and kept holding it.
"Tinglang, what are you doing bringing me up here? To admire the moon?" Su Fuliu asked.
Feng Muting smiled, then pointed to the night sky: "Look."
Su Fuliu looked in the direction he was pointing and saw a beam of light shoot straight into the sky, then explode into a magnificent flower.
Then, one colorful flower after another bloomed against the night sky.
Su Fuliu looked up at the beautiful night sky and laughed.
Feng Muting leaned in and planted a kiss on his cheek.
Before Bai Yulang could even feel a pang of jealousy, Lu Chimo had already kissed his cheek.
When Su Yan saw them, he blushed. He quickly looked away and pretended to remain calm as he continued watching the fireworks.
But just then, he felt a soft touch on his face.
Gu Xingchen and Wen Hongye looked at the six of them in unison, raised their eyebrows in unison, and finally looked away and met each other's eyes.
With the atmosphere already so high, the two of them thought that if they didn't keep up, wouldn't they seem a bit out of place?
They both smiled, then faced each other and kissed.
Memories flashed by one by one against the night sky, accompanied by fireworks.
Su Fuliu, the crybaby who would bend over for five hundred taels of gold.
The hot-tempered Mu Ting, who is averse to women and only has eyes for Su Fuliu.
Lu Chimo, an all-around talent whose heart is only for his junior brother.
Bai Yulang, a talkative man whose heart is only for his senior brother.
Su Yan, who was hypocritical and got himself into trouble because of his gluttony.
When he was little, he called me "brother," but now that he's grown up, he still calls me "brother"—that charming little rascal Xie Chen.
She met the beautiful man in red, Wen Hongye, who was her true love after a bad experience with a man.
Gu Xingchen, a kind-hearted young herbalist, accidentally picked up a wife.