Chapter 76

Jin Mu's entire mind was focused on Xia Hou Zhong Ying, constantly inquiring about his situation and background. Naturally, Huang Mei Ying was forgotten on the side. Jin Fu, unable to help but laugh and cry, quickly invited Huang Mei Ying to sit down and chatted with her to avoid making her feel neglected by the Jin family.

Jin Mu's behavior made Jin Tai Yan's face turn bright red with embarrassment. She sat on the sofa with her head lowered, her heart racing, and a loud buzzing in her head. She wanted to explain but opened her mouth several times without being able to say a word.

Jin Zhi Yong looked at Jin Tai Yan, then at Xia Hou Zhong Ying, and clicked his tongue.

While Jin Xia Yan, with nothing to do, started to open the gifts Xia Hou Zhong Ying had brought, one by one.

"Hey, what's this? Beef?" Jin Xia Yan exclaimed as she opened a gift, muttered to herself, and then put the box of beef back into the bag before picking up another gift to open.

"Hey, yellow croaker?"

"Chicken?"

"Eggs?"

"Mushrooms? Why are they all vegetables?" Jin Xia Yan said dejectedly after opening several packages.

"Ah, persimmons? Finally, a fruit." Jin Xia Yan switched to another bag and continued to open the gifts, finally finding something that wasn't a vegetable.

"Apples."

"Peaches."

"Pears."

"Pomelos..." The Jin family had already stopped chatting and were staring blankly at the gifts Jin Xia Yan was opening.

"Ah, chocolate, this is good." Jin Xia Yan switched to the last bag, opened a package, and immediately beamed, tearing open the box and stuffing a piece of chocolate into her mouth before continuing to open more gifts.

"Cookies, I don't like these."

"Hawthorns, I like these."

"Milk candies, these are delicious."

"..."

"Wow, a game console." When she opened the last bag, the first gift she found made Jin Xia Yan extremely happy. She stuffed the game console into her pocket and continued to open more gifts.

"Remote control airplane, hooray..."

"Why is there even a lighter..."

"..."

Jin Fu, Jin Mu, and Jin Zhi Yong were gaping in shock...

"What did you buy? It's all over the place, you could open a convenience store with this." Jin Mu looked at Xia Hou Zhong Ying, unable to help but laugh and cry.

"Hehe, just picked them up randomly." Xia Hou Zhong Ying chuckled, not paying attention when he bought them, and only realized how random they were when Jin Xia Yan was opening the packages.

Zheng Mu shook her head, looked at the time, and said, "You all sit for a bit, I'll go make dinner."

"Okay, okay." Xia Hou Zhong Ying was glad Jin Mu left, so he could escape her relentless questioning. Jin Mu's questions ranged from big to small, even asking about trivial details like when he ate and what he liked to eat, almost driving him to the brink of collapse. He felt answering Jin Mu's questions was more tiring than fighting a black dog.

"Uncle, do you smoke?" After Jin Mu left, Xia Hou Zhong Ying took out his backpack, grabbed a pack of cigarettes, and offered it to Jin Fu, trying to please him.

"No, I don't." Jin Fu was speechless.

"Then do you drink?" Xia Hou Zhong Ying took out a bottle of alcohol from his backpack and offered it to Jin Fu.

"Put it down for now." Jin Fu was at a loss.

"Okay, okay." Xia Hou Zhong Ying put the alcohol on the coffee table in front of him, rubbed his hands, and suddenly didn't know what to say, so he just sat there.

"Have you finished filming your movie?" Jin Fu, not knowing what to chat about with Xia Hou Zhong Ying, found a random topic to break the awkward silence.

"Yes, it's in the post-production stage now." Xia Hou Zhong Ying replied.

"The trip here must have been tough, carrying so many things." Jin Fu paused for a moment and asked again.

"It's okay, not too tiring." Xia Hou Zhong Ying's forehead was slightly sweating; chatting with Jin Fu was quite stressful.

"Sit for a bit, I'll go back to my room." Jin Fu also felt a bit awkward, given the generational gap, they had nothing in common to talk about. Moreover, Xia Hou Zhong Ying was too restrained in front of him. He realized it was because Xia Hou Zhong Ying was worried he was still angry about pushing Jin Tai Yan into the Han River. If Jin Fu stayed in the living room, it would only make Xia Hou Zhong Ying more uncomfortable, and the children would also feel restrained. It would be better to leave the living room to them, so they could chat more freely. After all, he had invited Xia Hou Zhong Ying to Jeonju to create opportunities for Jin Tai Yan.

Jin Fu's departure made Xia Hou Zhong Ying breathe a sigh of relief, but he hadn't relaxed for long when Jin Zhi Yong suddenly ran over to Xia Hou Zhong Ying, "Brother-in-law..."

"Stop, stop." Xia Hou Zhong Ying was extremely frustrated, quickly pressing his hands down, and said to Jin Zhi Yong, "Brother Zhi Yong, Tai Yan and I aren't in the relationship you think we are. Just call me Zhong Ying."

"Oh, you're still shy." Jin Zhi Yong said with a smile.

"Brother." Jin Tai Yan couldn't stand her brother anymore. Moreover, Xia Hou Zhong Ying was already clarifying their misunderstood relationship. If she didn't speak up, she would have no face to stay in the living room. Although she felt a bit disappointed, she stood up and said to Jin Zhi Yong, "If you say that again, I won't talk to you."

"Okay, okay, I won't call you brother-in-law. Really, you've already brought him home, why are you still being so secretive?" Jin Zhi Yong muttered, then continued to chat with Xia Hou Zhong Ying enthusiastically, "Zhong Ying, you should take what I said to heart."

"What did you say? Oh, about the movie?" Xia Hou Zhong Ying asked.

"Yep, yep, yep." Jin Zhi Yong nodded rapidly.

"Brother Zhi Yong, you're still in school, right? And you're not in Seoul. Even if I make another movie, I can't choose you." Xia Hou Zhong Ying didn't want to refuse outright, so he found an excuse to avoid it.

"Don't worry about that. I'm in my final year of high school now. Next year, I'll go to university in Seoul. Then it will be fine, right?" Jin Zhi Yong said with a broad smile.

Xia Hou Zhong Ying was speechless and inwardly groaned. If Jin Zhi Yong really went to university in Seoul, he would have no choice but to accept him. He could only hope Jin Zhi Yong wouldn't get into a university in Seoul.

Jin Tai Yan also couldn't deal with her brother and chose to ignore him. She helped her sister organize the opened gifts, putting the meat and fruits in the fridge, and sorting the snacks. Then she went to the kitchen to help her mother prepare dinner.

Huang Mei Ying felt out of place sitting in the living room. Jin Zhi Yong was chatting with Xia Hou Zhong Ying, and Jin Xia Yan was playing with the game console, only responding to her sporadically. So she also went to the kitchen to help.

However, it seemed Huang Mei Ying wasn't cut out for cooking. After she entered the kitchen, the sound of plates breaking could be heard from time to time. The three people in the living room were stunned and looked at each other. Soon, Huang Mei Ying was laughing awkwardly as Jin Tai Yan chased her out of the kitchen.

"Did you break them?" Xia Hou Zhong Ying laughed at Huang Mei Ying.

"Oh, Brother Zhong Ying, how can you blame me? The plates were too fragile, they broke with just a light touch." Huang Mei Ying laughed and complained.

"You still have the nerve to say that? How come we don't break them?" Jin Tai Yan came out of the kitchen with a plate of cut fruits, glared at Huang Mei Ying, and said.

"Sister Tai Yan, I've never done it before. It's natural to be clumsy the first time. Bumps and bruises are inevitable. It will be better next time." Huang Mei Ying didn't mind and picked up a toothpick to eat a piece of apple.

"Do you even want a next time? I won't let you into the kitchen again. If you come in twice, we won't have any plates left to serve food." Jin Tai Yan said, picked up a piece of apple with a toothpick, and turned to Xia Hou Zhong Ying, "Brother Zhong Ying, have some apple."

"Ha ha..." Xia Hou Zhong Ying laughed and took the apple from Jin Tai Yan.

Jin Tai Yan also gave a piece to Jin Xia Yan, who was laughing, and then ate a piece herself.

"Hey, sister, what about me?" Jin Zhi Yong had been waiting for Jin Tai Yan to give him a piece, but she didn't seem to have that intention. He couldn't help but ask, annoyed.

"If you want to eat, can't you pick it up yourself? You have hands, don't you?" Jin Tai Yan ignored her brother, and when she saw Xia Hou Zhong Ying finish, she gave him another piece.

"Tsk, girls grow up and start to favor outsiders. You haven't even married yet, and you're already favoring outsiders." Jin Zhi Yong sighed.

"Eat, eat until you burst." Jin Tai Yan's face turned red with embarrassment. She picked up a piece of fruit and stuffed it into Jin Zhi Yong's mouth, glared at him angrily, and then went back to the kitchen to help.

Xia Hou Zhong Ying couldn't help but laugh bitterly, feeling extremely uncomfortable. He had already explained that he and Jin Tai Yan weren't in a romantic relationship, but the Jin family didn't believe him. Moreover, coming to Tai Yan's home for the New Year made their relationship seem even more ambiguous, leaving him at a loss for words. He could only choose to remain silent.