Qin Xiao raised his hand and gently pressed his throbbing, slightly aching temple.
What exactly is going on at the Qin Family Manor today?
He strode into the kitchen.
The fishy smell mingled with the faint, almost imperceptible tension emanating from Leng Nan in the air.
Qin Xiao silently walked behind Leng Nan, his warm chest almost touching her slightly cool back.
Leng Nan's body seemed to freeze for a moment, as if a pause button had been pressed.
He reached out, his broad, warm palm covering the back of her hand that was tightly gripping the kitchen knife.
Her hands were cold, and her knuckles looked pale from excessive force.
Qin Xiao's palm, however, conveyed a steady and dry warmth, carrying a strange and reassuring power.
His voice was deep and magnetic, with a hint of barely perceptible teasing laughter, as it gently whispered in her sensitive ear.
"To deal with this lively creature, you have to calm it down completely first."
He guided her hand, controlling the force, and tapped the fish head with the back of the knife, neither too hard nor too lightly.
The carp, which had been struggling, suddenly straightened its body and stopped moving instantly.
Leng Nan seemed to have forgotten to breathe; she could clearly feel the warmth of the body pressed against her back and the unique scent of a man.
It was a closeness she had never experienced before, carrying an indescribable dangerous allure, yet it made her heart race and she couldn't resist.
A barely perceptible blush crept onto her hard-edged cheeks.
Qin Xiao's warm breath brushed against her earlobe, intentionally or unintentionally, causing a slight tickle.
"See, this makes things much easier."
He held her hand and began to scrape off the scales, remove the internal organs, and clean her with practiced and smooth movements.
Every step was precise and efficient, as if it had been rehearsed a thousand times, as natural as breathing.
Leng Nan almost completely gave up resisting, letting him control her movements. Her body even involuntarily leaned back slightly, pressing more closely against that warm and solid embrace.
For a moment, the only sounds in the kitchen were the rushing water and the soft swishing of a knife blade cutting through fish scales.
Soon, a cleaned fish was ready.
Qin Xiao released his grip and took a step back.
Leng Nan suddenly felt the heat source behind her disappear, and the comforting warmth abruptly vanished, leaving her with an inexplicable sense of emptiness and loss.
Next, Qin Xiao, like a seasoned chef, skillfully demonstrated the entire cooking process.
Heat oil in a wok, sauté scallions, ginger, and garlic until fragrant, then pan-fry the fish until golden brown on both sides. Add various seasonings, add water and simmer, then reduce the sauce over high heat.
The enticing aroma gradually filled the entire kitchen, making one's mouth water.
Soon, a braised fish with a bright red color and an enticing aroma was perfectly served.
Qin Xiao placed the plate of fish steadily on the counter, turned his head to look at Leng Nan, who was still somewhat dazed, and a faint smile appeared on his lips.
"So, you should be able to do it this time, right?"
Leng Nan's cheeks were so red they looked like they were about to bleed, and invisible steam seemed to be rising from the top of her head.
Her eyes darted away, not daring to meet Qin Xiao's smiling gaze directly. She simply nodded softly in a voice barely audible.
"Um……"
She paused, her voice even softer, carrying a hint of dependence she herself was unaware of.
"I don't know how to do the others yet."
"Could you... teach me again?"
Qin Xiao found it both amusing and intriguing to see her so unusually flustered and even somewhat at a loss.
"Sure, no problem."
He agreed with unusually quickness.
"Let's eat first."
Qin Xiao silently added a comment in his mind: This tiger woman usually seems quite shrewd and capable, decisive and ruthless, but I didn't expect her to be so clumsy in the kitchen.
[Host, what you're doing...]
Yun Yiyi's voice, tinged with disbelief and disappointment, rang perfectly in Qin Xiao's mind.
Are you genuinely naive or just pretending when it comes to women's hearts? Can't you even tell?
The Qin family's dinner party tonight was unusually lively due to the unexpected guests, Nie Beini and Leng Nan, but it also had an indescribable, strange atmosphere.
The long mahogany dining table was laden with a sumptuous and exquisite array of dishes, their aroma filling the air.
Leng Nan was specially arranged by Qin's mother to sit next to Qin Xiao.
She sat upright, her posture as proper as if she were attending an important military meeting, her hands neatly placed on her knees, appearing somewhat overly reserved.
Nie Beini, on the other hand, was completely at ease and sat down next to Qin Ruoyan without any hesitation. Her golden eyes sparkled with interest as she kept teasing the little girl next to her.
Qin Ruoyan wore a pained expression on her delicate face, her large, watery eyes repeatedly sending out distress signals to Qin Xiao opposite her, pleading, "Brother, help me! Save me!"
Qin Xiao clearly received the distress signal from his sister.
But he chose to strategically ignore it, picking up a piece of pork rib and eating it slowly and deliberately.
Sister, you'd better pray for good luck in this small matter.
The meal ended slowly in this atmosphere of superficial harmony, undercurrents, and a slightly eerie undercurrent.
The maid quickly cleared away the leftover dishes and replaced them with fragrant tea and a fresh fruit platter.
Qin Xiao put down the celadon teacup in his hand, the bottom of the cup making a crisp, light sound as it collided with the table.
He looked up at the two uninvited guests sitting on the opposite sofa, his tone casual.
"Alright, we've finished our meal and tea."
"Speak, what important matter brings you two young ladies to my humble abode today?"
Leng Nan and Nie Beini exchanged a glance subconsciously.
"Something's up."
Leng Nan spoke first, her voice still carrying a hint of coldness and hardness.
"fine."
Nie Beini spoke almost simultaneously, her tone light and cheerful.
After they finished speaking, they glanced at each other, their eyes meeting as if they had reached some kind of tacit understanding, and then spoke in unison once again.
"fine."
This time, it was Leng Nan who said everything was fine.
"Something's up."
This time, it was Nie Beini who said she had something to do.
Qin Xiao: "..."
He raised his hand to his forehead, somewhat helplessly.
"Hey you two, can you at least agree on something? Are you putting on a two-person comedy routine? Is there something going on or not?"
Leng Nan cleared his throat lightly, seemingly trying to regain his usual stern demeanor and resume his cold, hard tone, breaking the deadlock first.
"A week later, there will be a family banquet for the Leng family. As is customary, the annual martial arts competition among the various families will also be held at the same time."
Her gaze was fixed on Qin Xiao, with an undeniable seriousness.
"I hope... you can come."
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