Chapter 73: Dinner Together
“Aowu!” We’re here! Seeing the car drive into the complex, the white dumpling lay on the window sill, looking around in all directions.
“We’re here?” Lin Xia, who was already nervous, felt his heart leap into his throat, his palms sweating even more.
“Mn.” Tang Yinlang nodded, parking the car with familiar ease.
“It’ll be fine.” Tang Yinlang gently squeezed Lin Xia’s palm. His hand had turned ice-cold from nerves, causing Tang Yinlang to frown slightly.
“Mn, mn.” Lin Xia nodded, lowering his eyes. His long, thick eyelashes trembled; it was unclear if he had actually taken the words in.
“Just treat it like meeting Chen Mingjie’s parents.” Tang Yinlang knew Lin Xia had lived with the Chen family for a period and had experience interacting with elders, so thinking this way might prevent him from being too tense.
“Mn, mn.” Thinking of the kind and amiable Father and Mother Chen, Lin Xia’s nervous tension was alleviated.
Thinking back to when he was pregnant with the white dumpling and entered the Chen house with Chen Mingjie, he was even more nervous than he was now. At that time, his background was unknown, he was unmarried and pregnant, and he spent every day in anxiety and apprehension. If Father and Mother Chen, who weren’t even related to him, could accept him in such a “disgraceful” state, would Tang Yinlang’s grandparents really not accept him?
Lin Xia smiled, feeling he had been too paranoid earlier, caught in a vortex of wild thoughts. Things actually weren’t that complicated; he was overthinking.
Seeing Lin Xia’s expression become peaceful and his clenched fist relax, Tang Yinlang’s eyes were dyed with mirth, and the corners of his mouth hooked up slightly.
Getting out of the car, Tang Yinlang carried the items and walked in front to lead the way for Lin Xia, introducing him to Yuanyang District as they went.
“Here we are.” Tang Yinlang rang the doorbell as he spoke.
The house the elders lived in was a small villa with a courtyard, styled from the previous era. It looked modest and unpretentious, yet quite grand.
“They’re here!” The ones who came out to welcome them were Old Man Song and Zhao Fengying. The couple, unable to sit still, had come out personally to greet them.
“Grandpa, Grandma.” Seeing Old Man Song and Zhao Fengying, Tang Yinlang gave a faint greeting.
Old Man Song and Zhao Fengying had no time for him. Their gazes landed on Lin Xia and the little tiger cub he was holding, burning as hot as the summer sun.
“This must be Little Xia and An An!”
“Hello, Grandpa, Grandma!” / “Aowu!” Hello Great-Grandpa, Great-Grandma! Lin Xia, still a bit tense, forced a smile to greet them. The white dumpling, however, enthusiastically pursed his mouth and aowu-ed at the two elders, looking just like a puppy waiting for its owner to come home from work, his big blue eyes sparkling and his tail wagging happily.
“Aiyo, good, good, good!” Old Man Song and Zhao Fengying were so delighted by the white dumpling’s enthusiasm that their eyes crinkled into crescents, joy threatening to spill from their wrinkled faces.
The most pleasant surprise was that the little tiger cub looked exactly like Ah Lang did when he was small, but he was much more obedient and cute than Ah Lang. Ah Lang had been cold and aloof since childhood; he was nothing like the soft and cute white dumpling!
Dressed in a little suit, the tiger cub looked spirited, lively, and adorable, making one unable to resist the urge to hug and squish him.
“Let’s go inside first,” Tang Yinlang said faintly. If he hadn’t spoken, who knows how long they would have stood at the doorway.
“Right! Come in, come in quickly. Look at us, we were so happy we forgot!” Zhao Fengying was the first to react, slapping her own forehead, annoyed at her negligence.
“Okay.” Lin Xia smiled. He discovered that the two elderly people were even more nervous than he was. It turned out he wasn’t the only one tense.
Entering the house, they first changed into slippers in the entryway. The slippers were cotton, looking very new. They were a common solid color, the ordinary kind of cotton slippers seen everywhere on the street.
Seeing Lin Xia staring at the slippers in a daze, Zhao Fengying smiled and said, “I bought these cotton slippers when the store had a sale, 20 yuan for 3 pairs. Seeing they were cheap, I bought them, and now they’ve come in handy!”
Once Zhao Fengying opened her chatterbox, she couldn’t stop. Words popped out of her mouth like firecrackers, full of energy and without pausing for breath.
“The shoes look very nice, and they’re comfortable to wear.” Lin Xia’s slippers were blue and fit perfectly; it seemed they were prepared.
What moved Lin Xia was that Tang Yinlang’s grandmother also bought cheap goods found everywhere. For the two elders to own a small villa in Yuanyang District, a gathering place for the powerful and wealthy, spoke enough of their status. Yet, Tang Yinlang’s grandmother bought cheap items just like any ordinary elderly person, making Lin Xia feel she was very down-to-earth. Invisibly, Lin Xia felt the distance between himself and the elders shrinking.
“Aowu!” An An wants to wear shoes too! The white dumpling jumped down, sticking two paws into red cotton slippers that were larger than his legs, da-da-da dragging them forward as he slid.
“Baby, you don’t need to wear shoes!” Zhao Fengying couldn’t help laughing at the white dumpling’s clumsy state. Afraid he would trip over the big shoes, she quickly bent down to pick him up.
Zhao Fengying was already calling him “Baby,” showing just how much she liked the white dumpling.
“Aowu!” Okay! The white dumpling also felt that wearing shoes was uncomfortable, and he was very willing to be held in Great-Grandma’s arms.
“Oh my, so good!” Zhao Fengying couldn’t resist kissing the white dumpling, making Old Man Song, who was following beside them, incredibly envious.
“Let me hold him too!” Old Man Song watched with red eyes, unable to stop himself from speaking up.
“What’s the rush? I haven’t held my obedient great-grandson enough yet!” Zhao Fengying rolled her eyes at her partner, happily hugging the white dumpling, feeling like she couldn’t look at him enough.
“Hmph!” Old Man Song, not daring to snatch the cub from her, huffed. He had no choice but to signal Auntie Zhou to serve the food; they were going to eat dinner.
Holding the white dumpling, Zhao Fengying didn’t forget Lin Xia, the grandson-in-law. While taking care of the white dumpling with a beaming smile, she beckoned Lin Xia to sit down.
Without her needing to attend to Lin Xia, Tang Yinlang proactively helped him with everything. The white dumpling didn’t need Lin Xia to feed him, which made Tang Yinlang very happy; this way, he could have all of Lin Xia’s attention.
The dishes on the table were all favorites of Lin Xia and the white dumpling: red-braised prawns, sauced pig trotters, braised chicken legs, sweet and sour spare ribs, vinegar-glazed shredded potatoes… and some lighter dishes suitable for the elderly. A table fully loaded. Before even starting, Lin Xia began to worry if they could finish it all.
“Aowuuuuuu!” The white dumpling let out a long howl of excitement seeing the table full of food. He saw so much meat, so, so much meat!
“With so many dishes, Little Xia must eat more. Don’t be polite, we are all family…” Zhao Fengying said specifically to Lin Xia, afraid he would be reserved.
“Okay.” Lin Xia nodded with a smile, the tension in his heart instantly vanishing. A table full of delicious food was calling him; where would he have the mind to think about anything else!
The soup was lamb soup, the broth milky white and the flavor delicious. The prepared lamb had no gamey smell at all, only a rich meat fragrance. One swallow warmed the entire stomach.
“Aowu!” So tasty! The white dumpling made an exclamation of wonder. He smacked his lips, staring at the bowl of lamb soup, looking like he wanted more.
“Our obedient Baby wants another bowl!” Zhao Fengying’s smiling face was radiant as she deftly served soup for the white dumpling.
The white dumpling sat between Old Man Song and Zhao Fengying. Whatever he wanted to eat, someone helped him get it. Plus, the two dads opposite him helped pick up food and peel shrimp. His mouth never stopped moving.
“Ao… wu…” The white dumpling stuffed his mouth full of food, his cheeks bulging like a feeding hamster, terrified he wouldn’t get to eat if he was too slow.
“Eat slowly, it’s all yours.” Zhao Fengying looked at the white dumpling’s eating manner, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. If it weren’t for his round, rolling butt, one might think he was being abused and not fed.
“Aowu…” So yummy… can’t stop… After saying that, the white dumpling gnawed on another chicken leg.
Tang Yinlang and Lin Xia smiled at each other, then put food in each other’s bowls. Tang Yinlang placed peeled shrimp into Lin Xia’s bowl, and Lin Xia gave him a piece of trotter meat.
They chatted while eating. Zhao Fengying asked about Lin Xia’s life and work, and told him to bring the white dumpling over to visit more often.
“I will.” Even if Zhao Fengying hadn’t said it, Lin Xia had decided to bring the white dumpling to visit the elders more often. It was obvious they liked the white dumpling very much, and the white dumpling also liked his Great-Grandpa and Great-Grandma.
“Does Little Xia know how to play Xiangqi?” Old Man Song asked with a smile.
“I know a little,” Lin Xia answered modestly. But it was the truth; he knew how to play Chinese chess, but his skills were average.
“When you have time, let’s have a match, just us two men!” Old Man Song was happy today and had drunk a little wine. At this moment, his face was flushed, and he looked excited.
“Okay, I hope you won’t despise my terrible playing when the time comes.” Lin Xia said jokingly.
“I won’t, I won’t!” Old Man Song shook his head urgently upon hearing this. “I’m happy enough just having someone play with me, how could I despise it!”
Old Man Song’s chess skills were also terrible, so much so that the other old men in the complex were unwilling to play with him. He could only watch others play from the sidelines—it was incredibly frustrating.
“You play with him? Heh!” Zhao Fengying couldn’t help but tear down his platform. “You’re better off playing on your phone; that’s much better than playing with him!”
“Hmph! A good man doesn’t fight with a woman. I can’t be bothered to argue with you!” Having been exposed, Old Man Song haughtily turned his head away.
“…” Lin Xia fell silent. It was better for him not to interrupt the banter of this affectionate old couple.
But speaking of which, the relationship between the two elders was truly good. Although Zhao Fengying seemed to love teasing Old Man Song, whenever she spoke to others, within two sentences she would mention her old partner. That tone wasn’t complaining at all; it was clearly bragging.
“Here, eat shrimp.” Tang Yinlang placed another peeled shrimp into Lin Xia’s bowl, speaking gently. He was the calmest one at the table, speaking the least throughout. Seemingly indifferent, he was actually controlling the entire meal… specifically the dishes.
Tang Yinlang’s hands never stopped; more than half the dishes on the table were taken by him. The food he picked up either went into his bowl or Lin Xia’s. Lin Xia didn’t even need to pick up food himself; his bowl was piled high.
“By the way, have you two thought about when you’re getting married?” Zhao Fengying fed the white dumpling a mouthful of soup and asked casually.
“…Married?” Lin Xia looked bewildered, not understanding how the topic suddenly shifted to marriage.
“You already have a child, do you not intend to marry?” Zhao Fengying looked at Tang Yinlang while asking this. What is wrong with Ah Lang? He didn’t tell Lin Xia such an important thing? Judging by Lin Xia’s reaction, he doesn’t know.
Elderly people’s thinking was more traditional. Since they had a child and their relationship was good, why not just get married? That way, it would be proper and official.
“It’s too early for marriage. I want to nurture our feelings first.” Tang Yinlang looked at Lin Xia with gentle eyes, like thick ink that couldn’t be dissolved, writing out the rhyme of deep affection.
Of course, he remembered the matter of marriage and wanted to be official with Lin Xia sooner rather than later. But haste makes waste; it was better to enjoy the dating period first. Perhaps this would be the only time they fell in love in their lives.
“Mn?” Lin Xia raised an eyebrow, looking at Tang Yinlang with confusion. What’s going on? Why don’t I know anything!
“Because many of us Otherkind take males as partners, but same-sex couples cannot get a marriage certificate in China. Therefore, we Otherkind have an Interspecies Marriage Department. Otherkind and same-sex partners can get a certificate there. This marriage certificate is recognized among Otherkind just like a human marriage certificate.” Seeing Lin Xia’s confusion, Tang Yinlang explained in detail.
“That’s right. You can’t get a human marriage certificate, but getting an Otherkind marriage certificate is the same.” Old Man Song said with a smile. He lifted his wine glass and took a satisfied sip.
Ah! Truly good wine! Usually, his wife didn’t let him touch alcohol. He could only drink a few cups when guests came, so he had to savor it well!
“Is that so? I thought you meant getting a certificate abroad.” Lin Xia had assumed they meant getting married overseas, but since it wouldn’t be recognized domestically, Lin Xia felt it didn’t matter much whether they did it or not.
“Let’s talk about it when we get back.” Tang Yinlang knew Lin Xia didn’t have this plan yet, so he simply ended the topic. They hadn’t been together for long; it was too early to discuss marriage. Lin Xia likely thought the same.
“Mn.” Lin Xia’s thoughts matched Tang Yinlang’s. Even knowing they could marry, they hadn’t reached the stage of discussing marriage yet. It was better to let things take their natural course.
“Just make your own decisions, don’t mind the thoughts of us old folks! It’s your life to live; you just need to be comfortable.” Zhao Fengying was quite open-minded. Ever since the incident with Song Yi, she advocated that children should make their own decisions. They would only offer reminders, never interference.
“Thank you, Grandma.” Tang Yinlang and Lin Xia spoke in unison. It was truly good to have understanding elders.
“Eat the food, if you don’t eat, it’ll get cold!” Old Man Song took another sip of wine and said cheerfully.
“Aowu!” Let An An eat it, delicious meat! Eyes shining, the white dumpling wagged his tail and narrowed his eyes in pleasure…
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