The elderly Mrs. Xu had a head of silver hair and was remarkably spry, wearing a light blue linen jacket. She was very well-preserved; although she was clearly over seventy, she looked at least ten years younger. A hint of her youthful charm still lingered in her features. Clearly, the handsome appearance of the Xu father and his two sons was somewhat inherited from the old lady.
The elderly woman descended the stairs with Xu Dashao's help. However, her legs were quite nimble, indicating that Xu Dashao's assistance was merely a formality. Before even reaching the bottom of the steps, the old lady had already let go of her grandson and extended her hand directly to Chen Xiao, smiling warmly, "Little Chen, it's been over a year since I last saw you. You seem much more mature now. Do you have a girlfriend yet? When are you getting married?"
As she spoke, she affectionately took Chen Xiao's hand and looked her over carefully. However, her kind gaze was so warm that it made Chen Xiao a little embarrassed: "Grandma, I... I haven't graduated yet..."
The old lady pursed her lips: "What does it matter if you haven't graduated yet? If you meet a good girl, you should make your move! Sigh, it's a pity I have two grandsons. One of them refuses to bring a girl home no matter what, and the other brings different girls home in various ways. Neither of them gives me a moment's peace!"
Upon hearing this, Xu Ershao stuck out his tongue, but the old lady lightly slapped him across the face, laughing and scolding, "Still making faces, I'm talking to you! Sigh, your father and your elder brother are both honest men, how did they end up with such a little bee like you? Tell me, how many girls have you ruined in the past year or so?"
Young Master Xu chuckled, reached out and took the old lady's arm, and said with a smile, "Grandma, I never harm girls. It's all consensual. I've never lied to anyone..."
"Hmph." The old lady sighed, "I'm just worried that you'll get too carried away and see too many girls, which will only ruin your own life in the end."
The young man in the red robe nodded to Chen Xiao as a greeting, while Old Man Xu's expression was somewhat strange. He simply said to Chen Xiao, "Little Chen is here too... Come to my study after dinner, I have some things to discuss with you."
What left Chen Xiao and Xu Ershao completely dumbfounded was...
Little Red Robe immediately walked to Lu Xiaoxiao's side, and Lu Xiaoxiao actually acted like a little wife, obediently reaching out to take Little Red Robe's arm! The two looked very intimate, seemingly without any coercion, and their behavior was very affectionate!
Even after sitting down to eat, Xiao Hongpao and Lu Xiaoxiao deliberately sat together, with Lu Xiaoxiao even pressing her body against Xiao Hongpao's. They even intentionally touched and rubbed against each other occasionally while talking, just like a couple!
Even during the meal, Lu Xiaoxiao took the initiative to pick up Xiao Hongpao's bowl and ladle him a bowl of soup! When she ladled the soup with the spoon, Lu Xiaoxiao even used her delicate pinky finger!
This action almost caused Xu Ershao to spit water all over Chen Xiao's face!
The Xu family's dinner was not extravagant; it consisted mainly of home-style dishes. However, the old lady's speech remained remarkably "trendy." The main characters tonight were clearly Xiao Hongpao and Lu Xiaoxiao, and the old lady, looking at the young couple, obviously found them increasingly pleasing to the eye.
Chen Xiao had originally thought he would see a scene tonight where the Little Red Robe rebels against feudal arranged marriage, but he never expected that this imposing Little Red Robe would actually transform into a gentle lover, whispering to Lu Xiaoxiao at the dinner table, smiling intimately at times, and exchanging glances at others...
Two rough-around-the-edges people, one polite and refined, the other shy, charming, and full of affection...
Xu Ershao secretly kicked Chen Xiao under the table. Then he leaned over and whispered in Chen Xiao's ear with a laugh, "What a perfect match... you two!"
Chen Xiao smiled but didn't answer, only watching curiously as Xiao Hongpao and Lu Xiaoxiao were deeply in love.
The meal was quickly finished. Since Little Red Robe didn't seem to resist at all, and even seemed to enjoy accepting this arranged marriage, Chen Xiao's original task as a firefighter was naturally canceled.
After dinner, the maid helped the old lady back to her room to rest. Old Master Xu glanced at Chen Xiao and said, "You young people chat for a while. I have some things to take care of. Chen Xiao, don't leave. I have something to talk to you about later."
After the old lady and Mr. Xu left, the young people remained in the living room. The affectionate look on Xiao Hongpao's face vanished instantly. He stood up abruptly, craned his neck to look outside, and only after confirming that the elders had truly left did he finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Then, Little Red Robe and Lu Xiaoxiao, who were just a moment ago deeply in love, suddenly separated!
The two took two steps back, then looked at each other, and simultaneously turned their heads to pretend to vomit in the open space next to them.
"Ugh!! It's so disgusting!!"
"I can't take it anymore, I'm going to throw up..."
"Wow! You just put your arm around my waist! I'm going to burn this dress when I get back!!"
"Pah! You just touched my face! Oh no! I'm going to be disfigured!!"
"Damn it! You were the one who put your arm around my waist first! Were you taking advantage of me?"
"Pah! Would I, Little Red Robe, ever look at a tomboy like you? Look! When you were holding my arm just now, I got goosebumps all over my shoulder, and they still haven't gone away!"
"I'm warning you! Don't get any ideas about me!! Don't even think about taking advantage of me... Just now, when you were sitting next to me at dinner, were you secretly peeking into my clothes?!"
"What the hell! Spying on you? I'd be more afraid of getting a sty!!! Hey! Let's get this straight, cooperation is cooperation, but don't cross the line! Were you deliberately trying to get into my arms just now?!"
The two shouted at each other for a few moments, when suddenly they heard an old man cough outside the living room. Then came the old lady's voice from the stairs. Supported by a maid, the old lady walked back to the corner of the stairs and said towards the living room, "Oh, right. Young master, it's getting late. Remember to take Xiaoxiao home."
Seeing the old lady suddenly turn around, the two who had just been glaring at each other with red faces suddenly embraced. Young Master Xu affectionately put his arm around Lu Xiaoxiao's waist, while Lu Xiaoxiao almost leaned against Young Master Xu's chest, her head resting on his shoulder, looking like a little bird clinging to him.
Seeing the two so affectionate, the old lady was greatly comforted and then turned around and went back upstairs to her room.
Chen Xiao, Xu Ershao, and Xiao Qing were dumbfounded...
Finally, Young Master Xu spoke first: "You, you all..."
Chen Xiao sighed: "Is there even a need to ask? These two guys are just putting on an act."
Young Master Xu wasn't stupid either; he realized what was going on and looked at the two of them with a wry smile, "You...you planned this?"
The little red-robed man said calmly, "I can stand up to my father. But I can't just argue with the old lady. She's old and not in good health. What if I upset her and make her sick? After thinking it over, I'll just put on a show."
Lu Xiaoxiao also held her head: "My dad said that I can either be with someone from your Xu family, or he can introduce me to some heir of a European conglomerate. I have to choose one. If I object, he will cut off my allowance. Sigh... After thinking about it, even if I have to act, I might as well find a foreigner. It's not as good as finding Young Master Xu."
Young Master Xu finally breathed a sigh of relief: "That puts my mind at ease. Otherwise, I would have thought you two had suddenly gone mad. But why didn't you tell us sooner? I almost thought someone in disguise was impersonating you!"
Lu Xiaoxiao pouted, somewhat smugly: "Damn, if you had said so earlier, what if you and Chen Xiao had accidentally let it slip at the dinner table? Humph, your mouths were wide open at the table just now, like you could have swallowed an egg. That surprised reaction was just right. That way, the elders wouldn't have noticed! Otherwise, you would have known we were acting. Your laughing and joking during the meal would have aroused suspicion."
Chen Xiao smiled leisurely and said, "Acting isn't difficult. But the problem is, what if they make you get married?"
Lu Xiaoxiao laughed heartily, hands on her hips—she was no longer the lady she once was, but wore a smug smile: "That's the best part! If Young Master Xu hires someone else to act, he'll be forced into marriage! But if he acts with me, the old man can't force us to get married, right? I'm only eighteen, not even of legal marriage age yet!"
As she spoke, Lu Xiaoxiao suddenly smiled mysteriously and glanced at Xu Ershao: "Do you know what? When my father asked me to make a choice, the one he chose from your Xu family was a European devil. At that time, the person my father was thinking of was not the eldest son, but you, Xu Ershao!"
Young Master Xu's face turned pale: "You, and me? These old guys should at least have some sense when they're trying to matchmake people!"
Lu Xiaoxiao chuckled, then suddenly gave Xiao Qing a mysterious look: "Xiao Qing, when the old lady pulled me aside to talk in the room earlier, she accidentally let something slip! If it weren't for me and Young Master Xu pretending to be a couple, she would have actually wanted to set you up with him!"
Xiao Qing's pretty face flushed red instantly. She bit her lip and secretly glanced at Chen Xiao with evasive eyes. She whispered, "Ah? Me? I...I have a fiancé."
These words startled Lu Xiaoxiao, even though Xu Ershao and Chen Xiao already knew them. She couldn't help but ask a few more questions, and Xiao Qing, helpless, gave a few vague answers, but kept stealing glances at Chen Xiao. Chen Xiao didn't notice this, but Xu Ershao did.
After the young people chatted for a while, Young Master Xu became impatient: "Hey, Lu Xiaoxiao, let me take you home! If you stay here even a minute longer, the old lady might come out, and we'll have to put on an act again. You should go home now!"