Shi Yao and He Qinqin went to change their clothes, leaving only Shi Yanping's family of four at the table. The four of them, as if by unspoken agreement, suppressed their joyful expressions.
Shi Xin recalled Shi Yao's words earlier, "Mom, is He Qinqin really pregnant?"
Shi Yanping nodded, then lowered her voice and said, "You'd better keep your mouth shut."
"It's safer to wait until the baby is full term and it's too late to induce labor."
Shi Xin retorted playfully, "Why would I turn down money!"
"But is it possible for President Si to forgive He Qinqin right now?"
“He Qinqin’s biological parents are Si Jiuyin’s close friends. Just because of this relationship, Si Jiuyin has to give face to the child in He Qinqin’s belly.”
Li Bai listened to their conversation and analyzed, "I don't think He Qinqin has been this generous in a long time. I guess President Si transferred money to her again."
Shi Yanping and Shi Xin both thought it made sense, and the two of them started to make their own plans.
Shi Hang, cracking sunflower seeds, asked, "If I give He Qinqin a school uniform and badge, will she give me sneakers and a watch in return?"
Shi Yanping glanced at Shi Hang: "Let your sister-in-law resolve your sister's troublesome matter first."
"Okay, my mala tang shop is the most important."
Shi Hang suddenly became obedient.
After all, he's counting on his sister to earn the money for his future dowry and house purchase!
Shi Xin was surprised by her younger brother's obedience. "Then you can start the conversation later, since He Qinqin is most satisfied with the gift you gave her today."
—Okay.
Shi Hang readily agreed.
*
He Qinqin and Shi Yao changed into their school uniforms and entered the private room, where the Shi family immediately showed their support.
Shi Yanping: "Oh my, our Qinqin is still as pretty as she was in high school!"
Shi Xin: "Sister-in-law Qinqin, when I was in junior high school, I went to visit my brother and saw you sitting next to him. I thought to myself, if such a beautiful woman became my sister-in-law, it would be a blessing that my brother had accumulated over three lifetimes."
"My brother is really lucky!"
Shi Hang: "Sister-in-law, when you and my brother stood together in your first year of high school, I felt that you two were a match made in heaven."
Li Bai hadn't expected these three people to speak so eloquently. He managed to stammer out, "Great, great, they're a perfect match!"
Li Bai, the son-in-law who married into the family, once realized just how formidable the Shi family was.
He Qinqin, overwhelmed by these sweet words, sweetly tightened her grip on Shi Yao's hand.
At this moment, Shi Yao knelt down on one knee with his right leg at a 90-degree angle, and took out a pull tab from a soda can from his pocket.
"He Qinqin, will you marry me and become my wife? We will never be apart, whether in life or in sickness or in health."
He Qinqin covered her mouth. When Shi Yao was a senior in high school, he once knelt down and proposed to her in front of the whole class on the playground.
But before she could agree to Shi Yao's request, after Shi Yao put the ring on her finger, she was taken away by people sent by the Si family.
After that, Si Jiuyin sent him abroad to study, and he didn't see Shi Yao for 5 years.
He Qinqin felt extremely guilty towards Shi Yao, and today she was finally able to make up for that regret.
Without hesitation, He Qinqin stretched out her hand and said firmly to Shi Yao, "Shi Yao, I do."
Upon hearing this, Shi Yao smiled and slipped the pull tab from the soda can onto He Qinqin's middle finger.
"Bang--"
Shi Hang set off the prepared fireworks, and streamers rained down all over the private room.
After the ring was put on her ring finger, He Qinqin helped Shi Yao, who was kneeling on the ground, to his feet. "Shi Yao, does your knee hurt?"
Shi Yao rubbed against He Qinqin's hand: "It's okay, it doesn't hurt, because I'm being supported by my darling's love."
The two returned to the table, still affectionately cuddled, and at that moment, the waiters came in one after another to serve the dishes.
Shi Yao stroked He Qinqin's ring finger: "Qinqin, I originally wanted to prepare a grand wedding for you, but now that you're in the Si family, even getting our marriage certificate is done in secret."
"I... I'm willing but unable to help."
He Qinqin quickly shook her head and retorted, "Why does a wedding need to be so extravagant?"
"It's just so simple and nice. I feel like today really has the feel of a wedding banquet."
"Really?" Shi Yao looked at He Qinqin with surprise: "Qinqin, you are still so understanding, well-behaved and sensible, unlike some other materialistic girls."
He Qinqin felt shy under Shi Yao's gaze and quickly changed the subject: "Have all the dishes been served? I'm sure everyone is hungry."
Then everyone started eating.
At this moment, Shi Hang picked up a piece of green vegetable with his chopsticks, chewed it, and took a big gulp of beer, saying, "Sis, this blanched green vegetable is not as good as the green vegetable you get at your hot pot restaurant."
Shi Xin's eyes darted around. "You little rascal, don't flatter me to death. The boiled vegetables in my shop taste just like regular mala tang, don't they? This is a popular online shop."
Sure enough, their conversation caught He Qinqin's attention. He Qinqin asked curiously, "Shixin, when did you open a mala tang (spicy hot pot) shop?"
Shi Xin explained, "You had just been discharged from the hospital when you opened the restaurant with your friend half a month ago, so you couldn't eat such strong-flavored food."
"I was planning to invite you and your friends to the restaurant for a feast once business stabilized, but alas—"
"I'm not going to talk about it anymore, it's upsetting for you to hear it."
Before Shi Xin could finish speaking, He Qinqin quickly asked, "What's wrong? What happened?"
Shi Hang chimed in: "My sister's mala tang shop has now been closed for rectification, and my sister may also face the risk of being cyberbullied."
When He Qinqin heard that Shixin Spicy Food Shop closed down in less than half a month, she asked, "What happened? Who did something so outrageous?"
Mentioning this, Shi Hang's expression turned indignant: "Isn't it all because of your New Star TV station—"
"That's enough!" Shi Xin interrupted Shi Hang reproachfully. "Brother, say less and don't drag your sister-in-law into this."
"Your sister-in-law is already busy enough at the station, so please don't trouble her, okay?"
He Qinqin became even more confused and anxious, "Tell me quickly, what has our TV station been doing?"
"Your TV station produced a special feature on protecting consumers, with reporters going undercover at several popular restaurants and exposing food safety issues."
Shi Hang said angrily, "They raided my sister's mala tang shop right away."
"Someone must be jealous. My sister's hot pot restaurant is doing well, so they maliciously reported her."
He Qinqin never expected that the station's reporting would involve her own sister, and that she, as the sister-in-law, was completely unaware of it.
“Xin Xin is really unlucky.” Shi Yanping sighed. “When the reporter went undercover, he happened to film the store’s employees using eating spoons to serve soup to customers.”
Shi Hang slammed his fist on the table in anger: "That employee has never done this before. He must have been bribed by those jealous people and colluded with the reporters to set this up." (The machine remained silent when switched on and off.)
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