The Sweetest Marriage Ch.315

Chapter 315 – Dinner

Qiuqiu not only peed but also pooped.

Seeing this, the two dads skillfully found a basin and washed Qiuqiu’s bottom, then changed his diaper.

Qiuqiu cooperated throughout and was even happy, giggling.

Qiuqiu truly loved to smile. Except for when he was particularly uncomfortable, he would only cry a little bit, but once held and comforted, he would resume smiling.

To Wei Chen and Chen Li, Qiuqiu was like a little angel. His smile could melt away any difficulty they faced. The two dads skillfully changed Qiuqiu’s diaper without a trace of disgust on their faces. They had been doing this since Qiuqiu was born. Besides, how could they be repulsed by something that belonged to their son?

After changing the diaper, the family of three cuddled on the big bed for a while. Wei Chen lifted his legs, allowing Qiuqiu to sit on his lap, holding his heavy hands and swaying his raised legs, creating a makeshift swing that made Qiuqiu laugh uncontrollably.

Nightfall arrived quickly. The staff came to invite Wei Chen’s family to the dining hall and brought a set of clothes.

It was a standard Hanfu outfit. The two husbands had deliberated for a while before laying out the outfit on the bed and dressing up Qiuqiu. After changing clothes, the family of three, guided by the staff, went to the dining hall.

They called it a dining hall, but it was more like a palace. A solid wood round table was placed in the middle of the palace. When Wei Chen and Chen Li arrived, Chen Yunlan was already there.

Chen Yunlan also changed into the Hanfu prepared by the staff. It was a white Hanfu that seemed tailor-made for Chen Yunlan, accentuating all of Chen Yunlan’s strengths.

Qiuqiu hadn’t seen Chen Yunlan for a few hours, and as soon as he saw him, he rushed over, wanting to be held by Chen Yunlan, calling out and reaching for him.

Chen Yunlan took Qiuqiu into his arms and planted a kiss on his cheek, making Qiuqiu laugh joyfully and cling to Chen Yunlan’s shoulder, not wanting to let go.

With Qiuqiu in his arms, Chen Yunlan suddenly felt relaxed. He whispered something to Qiuqiu softly, not knowing if Qiuqiu understood, but Qiuqiu responded enthusiastically.

Wei Chen and Chen Li sat down together, noticing that apart from their family, the vast dining hall was devoid of other guests. They guessed that perhaps they were the only guests in the entire estate.

A few minutes later, the staff brought the dishes to the table.

The leader said, “Our head chef is a descendant of the imperial kitchen. The dishes served today were favorites of the royal family at that time. We hope our esteemed guests will enjoy them.”

Four individuals had prepared a total of six dishes and a soup, each one exquisitely made. As soon as the dishes were placed on the table, their aroma filled the air.

Chen Li’s attention was immediately drawn to the exquisite and delicious delicacies on the table. His nose twitched, eager to pick up the chopsticks and start indulging in the meal.

Sensing Chen Li’s eagerness, Wei Chen reached out, gently tousling Chen Li’s soft hair and tenderly said, “Dig in.”

Chen Li nodded eagerly and started to feast heartily.

The chef truly lived up to the reputation of the imperial kitchen, showcasing impeccable skills. Chen Li found the food so delicious that he almost wished to swallow his own tongue.

Chen Yunlan and Wei Chen couldn’t resist indulging a bit more. Eventually, the three adults managed to finish all six dishes and the soup.

Notably, even Qiuqiu was captivated by the dishes on the table. Seated in Chen Yunlan’s embrace, Qiuqiu eagerly eyed the food on the table, mouth slightly open with drool trickling out.

Chen Yunlan dipped the chopsticks in the soup and gently offered a taste to Qiuqiu. Qiuqiu licked it with a tender tongue, closed his eyes, smacked his lips, displaying a face of sheer enjoyment—a mirror image of Chen Li, who sat opposite with a similar expression.

After experiencing the taste, Qiuqiu couldn’t forget it. Pointing at the soup and looking at Chen Yunlan, he made sounds, indicating his desire to have more.

Given Qiuqiu’s young age, it wasn’t feasible for them to eat much else. Chen Yunlan ultimately refrained from feeding more to Qiuqiu. Though Qiuqiu made a few sounds of dissatisfaction and didn’t cry, his pouted mouth and scrunched-up little face, sitting in Chen Yunlan’s embrace, showed clear signs of displeasure. The adults present were amused by Qiuqiu’s demeanor but managed to keep a straight face without bursting into laughter.

Eventually, Qiuqiu did manage to eat something.

At the beginning of the month, Qiuqiu’s diet had already included supplementary food. Just after the adults finished eating, the staff brought Qiuqiu’s supplementary food—porridge.

The porridge consisted of rice flour, yam, and carrot powder, simmered in a broth made from large bones. Despite the absence of any seasoning, lifting the lid released its delightful aroma.

Wei Chen took Qiuqiu from Chen Yunlan’s embrace, intending to feed the porridge to Qiuqiu.

Ever since the first time Qiuqiu had porridge, there hadn’t been any pickiness; everything tasted delicious to him, and his appetite was hearty, inheriting Chen Li’s love for good food.

Seeing the porridge now, Qiuqiu knew it was mealtime, showing no signs of annoyance. As soon as Wei Chen picked up the spoon, Qiuqiu opened his mouth wide, waiting for Wei Chen to deliver the porridge.

Wei Chen scooped a spoonful, checked the temperature, and then fed it into Qiuqiu’s wide-open mouth. With a gulp, Qiuqiu swallowed the porridge. Due to the lack of teeth, he smacked his mouth as if someone was trying to take it away, quickly finishing the porridge.

Qiuqiu was indeed easy to handle, unlike other kids; he didn’t fuss about food and remained focused during meals. Nothing distracted him until he finished eating.

As expected, the bowl of porridge quickly emptied, but Qiuqiu still seemed to want more, mouth open and letting out a sound. Wei Chen lifted the empty bowl to show Qiuqiu, who then closed his mouth and smacked his lips. Anyone could tell Qiuqiu enjoyed the taste of that porridge. This made Wei Chen consider asking the kitchen for the porridge recipe once they left the hot spring hotel.

After the family of four finished their meal, the staff promptly arrived to clear the table. The staff member who first greeted them mentioned, “There’s a stage set up in the backyard with a band and dance troupe performing. If the guests are interested, they can go take a look.”

“Are we the only guests today?” Chen Yunlan asked as he took the wet towel handed over by the staff.

The staff member nodded, “Yes, today there are only a few esteemed guests at the hotel.”

Chen Yunlan seemed to have received the answer he wanted and stopped asking further questions. He placed the towel used to wipe his mouth on the table and got up to go for a walk. He felt a bit full from the meal he had just eaten.

Wei Chen and Chen Li didn’t follow. The family of three planned to go to the courtyard to watch a performance. The night was still young, and they needed something to pass the time. Chen Yunlan draped a cloak over himself and walked out of the restaurant. The night was dark, the sky devoid of stars and moonlight. Only the lanterns on the winding corridors emitted a faint glow, illuminating the path ahead.

The heavy snow had stopped before the arrival of the night, leaving behind only the piercing cold wind that whistled past their ears.

Feeling a bit cold, Chen Yunlan adjusted his cloak and continued walking ahead.

The staff seemed to have received Xie Chunsheng’s orders. Wherever Chen Yunlan went, no one stopped him. In truth, Chen Yunlan didn’t have any particular destination in mind; he just strolled aimlessly to pass the time. But as he walked deeper, he noticed fewer staff around, and the surroundings became eerily quiet, filled only with the sound of the wind.

Although the lanterns continued to extend along the winding corridor, Chen Yunlan decided against going further in. He turned around intending to leave but noticed a tall figure behind him, appearing seemingly out of nowhere.

Surprised by this sudden appearance, Chen Yunlan was startled but remained composed.

However, Xie Chunsheng noticed all the involuntary movements that had startled Chen Yunlan.

“Sorry for startling you,” Xie Chunsheng said in a low voice.

“No,” Chen Yunlan replied coldly, attempting to pass Xie Chunsheng and leave.

Xie Chunsheng, however, didn’t allow Chen Yunlan to leave. “Shall we walk together?”

Xie Chunsheng hadn’t intended to disturb Chen Yunlan tonight. This was Xie Chunsheng’s office area. When Chen Yunlan came in, he couldn’t resist leaving his office and ended up behind Chen Yunlan.

“I’m a bit tired,” Chen Yunlan promptly declined.

“Are you sure? It’s not even 8 o’clock yet,” Xie Chunsheng glanced at his wristwatch. “Do you always sleep this early, Yunlan?”

“Um,” Chen Yunlan nodded absentmindedly.

In the next moment, Xie Chunsheng firmly held onto his hand, stating in an unyielding tone, “Then I’ll walk you back to your room.”

Xie Chunsheng’s grip felt like iron, tightly clasping Chen Yunlan’s wrist. Unable to break free, Chen Yunlan could only relent, remaining composed. “Mr. Xie, if you insist.”

A low chuckle escaped Xie Chunsheng as he released Chen Yunlan’s wrist from his forceful hold and intertwined their fingers, grandly stating, “It’s quite dark at night. It’s better if I lead Mr. Chen.”

Knowing he couldn’t break free from Xie Chunsheng’s restraint, Chen Yunlan didn’t bother wasting energy and allowed Xie Chunsheng to lead him.

Xie Chunsheng’s hand was warm, like a furnace. Chen Yunlan’s hand was icy, the joints even a bit stiff.

When warmth clashes with ice, no one knows what the ultimate outcome will be.

Throughout the journey, neither spoke. Xie Chunsheng dominantly maintained his grip on Chen Yunlan’s hand, guiding him through the winding corridors. Despite Chen Yunlan’s occasional struggles, they were in vain, leaving him no choice but to let Xie Chunsheng lead the way.

Chen Yunlan could feel his icy hand gradually warming up due to Xie Chunsheng’s touch. This warmth started from his palm, as if trying to seep into his body, but he ruthlessly kept it at bay.

Silence prevailed until they encountered Wei Chen and Chen Li returning from watching the performance at a corner.

This was Wei Chen and Chen Li’s first encounter with Xie Chunsheng. During their last meeting at the hospital, by the time they arrived, Xie Chunsheng had already left. Nevertheless, that didn’t hinder Wei Chen from recognizing Xie Chunsheng.

“Mr. Xie,” Wei Chen nodded in acknowledgment, holding Qiuqiu in his arms, maintaining a poised demeanor.

Perhaps to avoid further complicating things for Chen Yunlan, Xie Chunsheng released Chen Yunlan’s hand upon meeting Chen Li and Wei Chen. With a slight lift at the corner of his mouth, he also nodded to Wei Chen. “Just call me Uncle Xie.”

Chen Li scrutinized the middle-aged man who had suddenly appeared. His wide eyes were filled with curiosity because he had just seen the man holding hands with Chen Yunlan, wondering about their relationship.

Chen Yunlan walked directly to Wei Chen and Chen Li, speaking before Xie Chunsheng could say anything, “Thank you, Mr. Xie, for walking me back.” Implicitly, the message was, ‘You can leave now.’

“Mr. Xie, please,” Wei Chen didn’t go along with the flow, politely gesturing for Xie Chunsheng to leave first.

Without lingering, Xie Chunsheng briefly glanced at Chen Yunlan before turning away. His broad figure, draped in the wide sleeves of his robe, swayed with an air of dominance, as if he ruled the world. The last glance he cast at Chen Yunlan didn’t show much emotion but exuded a sense of determined dominance.

Xie Chunsheng’s figure disappeared around the corridor’s corner. Meanwhile, Wei Chen, Chen Li, and Chen Yunlan headed back to their respective bedrooms together.

During the walk, despite Chen Li’s curiosity, he refrained from asking about the relationship between the man and Chen Yunlan, sensing Chen Yunlan’s resistance.

As Chen Li didn’t ask, Wei Chen naturally wouldn’t, and Chen Yunlan wouldn’t bring it up either. Along the way, the family engaged in casual conversation. Soon, they arrived at Chen Yunlan’s room. After Wei Chen and Chen Li watched Chen Yunlan enter his room, they held hands and left.

With Chen Yunlan not around, Chen Li no longer felt hesitant and turned to Wei Chen. “Achen, do you know that person who just came?”

Understanding what Chen Li wanted to know, Wei Chen explained, “The one who brought Dad back? He’s the owner of this hotel. He was the one who took Dad to the hospital before.”

“Oh,” Chen Li nodded thoughtfully. “I’m not sure if I saw it right, but it seemed like I saw him holding Dad’s hand, like this.” Chen Li raised his hand, interlocking his fingers with Wei Chen’s.

“I don’t know what their relationship is,” Chen Li muttered.

“Let’s just go with the flow,” Wei Chen suggested. “Whatever the relationship is, if Dad wants to tell us, he will naturally let us know.”

Thinking it over, Chen Li found Wei Chen’s point reasonable and stopped dwelling on it. They discussed the performance they just watched, and soon, Chen Li naturally drifted to thinking about the evening meal.

Looking back now, Chen Li still felt the lingering taste of the food on his lips.

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