Do It Yourself, and You'll Eat Well!

Crash!

The palace doors opened, and Nan Gongling craned her neck to look over at once. Seeing Su Xian holding a girl's hand, she could not help but smile.

This brat was just like his father—he really doted on his woman!

As Nan Gongling looked at Qian Renxue's face, her eyes lit up, and she nodded unconsciously.

She was very satisfied with the girl's appearance as well. Pure and refined, peerlessly elegant, with an air of nobility about her—her son's eyes truly knew how to choose!

"Greetings, Imperial Father, Empress Dowager."

As Xue Wuji and the other bowed, Su Xian directly led Qian Renxue forward. Blinking mischievously, he said, "Mother, this is the daughter-in-law I found for you. Your son's taste isn't bad, right?"

"You really are something else, getting a bargain and still showing off."

Ignoring Su Xian's rash behavior, Nan Gongling smiled knowingly. Then she turned her gaze toward Qian Renxue and beckoned. "You're called Xue Er, right? Come here to Mother and let me have a good look at you."

Seeing the gentle smile on Nan Gongling's face, one warm enough to melt ice and snow, Qian Renxue's resistance greatly diminished. She slowly walked over.

"Brat, I've already settled your mother for you. Don't give yourself away."

On the other side, Xue Ye shot Su Xian a look and secretly reminded him.

"Old Dad, you're amazing!"

Su Xian secretly gave him a thumbs-up, making Xue Ye feel rather pleased with himself.

There was no helping it. This was his strength!

When it came to handling his wife, no one in the Heaven Dou Empire could compare to him!

"Child, this will be your home from now on. If there's anything you're not used to, you can tell Mother anytime."

Nan Gongling warmly pulled Qian Renxue to sit beside her. Her gaze was soft, as though she were looking at her own biological daughter. The more she looked, the more satisfied she became.

With Nan Gongling holding her hand, Qian Renxue felt a warm current travel up her arm and seep into her heart and lungs, making her breathing quicken.

Her small hand shrank slightly as she instinctively tried to pull it away, but then she stopped, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

"Hehe... don't be so restrained. Today is a family banquet. Mother simply wanted to see her daughter-in-law. You're even better than I imagined. It's this brat's fortune to marry you."

Noticing Qian Renxue's small movement, Nan Gongling smiled and patted the back of her hand with relief.

"Have the food served. Everyone's hungry."

Seeing Qian Renxue lower her head without speaking, Nan Gongling assumed she was shy. She did not continue, merely nodding at Xue Ye as she spoke.

"Someone, serve the meal. Leave two attendants behind; everyone else may withdraw," Xue Ye immediately ordered.

"Yes!"

Before long, the dishes were brought in, and everyone took their seats. Nan Gongling also pulled Qian Renxue to sit beside her.

"Imperial Son, come sit beside your Imperial Father."

Seeing Su Xian still trying to go sit next to Qian Renxue, Xue Ye raised a brow and immediately called out.

What?

Su Xian stopped in his tracks, and his gaze toward Xue Ye instantly turned unfriendly.

Damn it!

I need to sit with my wife so we can build our relationship. Why are you butting in?

Revenge!

This is definitely revenge for what happened this morning!

"Are you so afraid Mother will lose your wife that you can't leave her side for even a step?"

Just as Su Xian gritted his teeth, Nan Gongling's teasing voice rang out, her face full of amusement.

She still had some womanly matters to discuss with her daughter-in-law, so naturally Su Xian could not remain at the side.

Fine, I surrender to the husband-and-wife double team, all right?

Su Xian shot Xue Ye an indignant glare before going to sit at his right.

What the hell!

You still dare glare at me??

Xue Ye raised his brow slightly, feeling somewhat aggrieved.

Damn it!

I'm doing this for your sake, you brat. Don't you understand anything? Can't you see your old mother wants to give your wife some advice?!

Of course, Xue Ye was doing this because he felt Su Xian had suffered too much in his past life. Feeling somewhat guilty toward him, he wanted to mend the bond between father and son.

"Second Brother, move over a little. Don't disturb Xue Er and the Empress Dowager."

Seeing that Xue Wuji's seat was so close to Qian Renxue, Su Xian instinctively raised his brow and spoke in an unquestionable tone.

Xue Wuji: !??

Looking at the two empty seats still between himself and Qian Renxue, Xue Wuji's mouth twitched violently.

Big Brother, you've gone too far!!

At this rate, you won't have any brothers left in the future!!

Under Su Xian's icy gaze, Xue Wuji could only yield to his oppressive authority and move his seat beside Su Xian.

"Giggle, giggle, giggle..."

Bell-like laughter rang out. Seeing her son acting like an overbearing, wife-protecting maniac, Nan Gongling could not help clutching her stomach and laughing. She looked extremely happy.

Xue Ye merely shook his head and smiled without saying a word.

His eldest son truly took after him!

A flush spread from Qian Renxue's neck, instantly dyeing her entire cheeks red. Her ears burned hot as she instinctively shot Su Xian an embarrassed, angry glare.

"Don't just sit there. Eat," Xue Ye reminded them.

"Mhm!"

"Uh..."

Looking at the food on the table, Su Xian wore a troubled expression, suddenly unable to bring himself to eat.

It was not that he was a picky eater. The main issue was that the dishes on the table did not suit the habits he had formed before.

Bread, porridge, chicken, milk, lamb, silverfish...

They were mainly fried, deep-fried, or roasted—nothing but Western-style dishes. There were pitifully few vegetables, just radishes and spinach, along with some others he did not recognize.

The plating looked quite good, but Western cuisine generally emphasized "nutrition" over "flavor."

To Su Xian, a man from Hunan, this entire table of dishes was practically bland soup and tasteless water!

There were no chilies, no variety of seasonings, and even the colors looked so pale.

After taking a small bite of fish, a fishy stench immediately flooded his throat. Su Xian nearly spat it out.

Damn it!

They don't even know to use yellow wine, scallions, ginger, and garlic to remove the fishiness? What the hell!

How am I supposed to eat this meal?!

"What... the food doesn't suit your taste?"

Noticing Su Xian's small movements, Xue Ye could not help asking.

As soon as he said this, Nan Gongling, who had been vigorously piling food onto Qian Renxue's plate, also looked over. Seeing that there was not even a piece of meat in Su Xian's bowl, she could not help feeling displeased.

"Qinghe, how can you not eat meat? Have this chicken leg."

Nan Gongling hurriedly stood and thoughtfully placed some food in Su Xian's bowl. Only then did she sit down in peace and continue whispering with Qian Renxue.

Su Xian: ...

Old Mother, I really thank you for this, sob sob sob~

Looking at the bowl of food, especially the chicken leg still streaked with pale "bloody water"—myoglobin, as though it had not been fully cooked—Su Xian could not help feeling nauseated.

"Cough, cough... my stomach feels a little uncomfortable. You go ahead and eat."

After giving them an excuse, Su Xian stood up and quickly left the palace. Xue Ye and the others watched him with puzzled expressions, but did not pay him any further attention.

Outside the palace.

"Sure enough, only by doing it yourself can you eat well!"

Rubbing his stomach, Su Xian sighed helplessly before charging toward the kitchen.