"Miss Huo, please have a seat," Fu Qin said softly, raising his head to look at Huo Jinning, who was still standing.
His eyes were deep and gentle, exuding a reassuring aura.
Upon hearing this, Huo Jinning smiled slightly and replied softly, "Okay."
Then she sat down gracefully, her movements light and natural.
Fu Qinian picked up the teapot and gently poured a stream of clear tea into the teacup placed in front of Huo Jinning.
As the aroma of tea filled the air, the entire courtyard was filled with a delicate, refreshing fragrance.
After filling the teacups, Fu Qinian put down the teapot and explained apologetically, "Grandma Feng may have misunderstood something just now. I'm really sorry."
Huo Jinning smiled slightly, nodded in understanding, and replied, "Oh, it's alright."
Then, Fu Qinian smiled slightly and continued, "Grandma Feng and Grandpa Xu have watched me grow up all along. To me, they are like family."
“They care about me a lot, especially about my marriage. Perhaps they misunderstood me because they saw me bring you along…” However, before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by a sudden voice.
"Jinzhi, hurry up! What's with all this dawdling? The little girl Xiaonian brought is so pretty!" Feng Ruolan's joyful voice came from inside the house.
"Alright, alright! I know! We're just walking, what's the rush? How old are you, still so loud and boisterous?" Xu Jinzhi's words showed a hint of helplessness, but even more so, his love for his wife.
After he finished speaking, his pace quickened involuntarily.
"Hmph, you have the nerve to talk back to me? Which glutton stole ice cream last night and got caught red-handed? At your age, aren't you ashamed?" Feng Ruolan said with a slightly teasing tone.
"Alright, alright, I'm here," Xu Jinzhi said as she came out.
There was an elderly man, about sixty years old, wearing a well-tailored Zhongshan suit, who exuded a sense of composure and dignity.
His face was refined and gentle, and although the years had left fine lines on his face, they did not diminish his affability in the slightest.
His eyes revealed wisdom and depth, as if they contained a wealth of life experience.
His smile was gentle, giving people a kind and benevolent feeling.
His steps were steady, exuding a unique temperament that reflected both the accumulation of years and a restrained cultivation.
With his arrival came the aroma of a dish.
"Hello, Grandpa Xu!" Fu Qin said softly, his tone polite and gentle.
Hearing the voice, Xu Jinzhi looked up and saw Fu Qinian sitting in a wheelchair. She asked with concern, "Xiaonian, what happened to your leg?"
Fu Qinian smiled slightly and replied, "Grandpa Xu, don't worry, it was just an accidental bump. It will be fine in a few days." His voice was calm and composed, without the slightest hint of impatience or complaint.
Xu Jinzhi nodded to indicate that he understood, and then said with a smile, "You brought your girlfriend here today, so Grandpa Xu will have to show off his skills and cook a couple of his signature dishes for you to try!"
It turns out that the Xu family ancestors were imperial chefs in the palace, and Xu Jinzhi worked as a chef in the Fu family his whole life, so he can be said to have superb culinary skills.
"Grandpa Xu, you've misunderstood, she's not..." My girlfriend hadn't even finished saying those words.
"Little girl, what's your name? How old are you?" Feng Ruolan interrupted Fu Qinian.
Huo Jinning greeted them with a smile: "Hello Grandpa Xu, hello Grandma Feng, my name is Huo Jinning, you can just call me Ningning, I'm twenty years old this year." And she stood up.
Feng Ruolan looked at the gentle and polite girl in front of her and was filled with joy.
“Yes, Ningning has a nice voice and is pretty too. She’s a good match for Xiaonian. If they have children, they might be even prettier,” Feng Ruolan said, holding Huo Jinning’s hand.
"Grandma Feng, we..." Huo Jinning tried to explain.
Before Huo Jinning could finish speaking, he quickly added, "By the way, Ningning, what do you like to eat? Just tell Grandpa Xu, even though he's old, his cooking skills are still pretty good!"
"Grandma Feng, I'm not a picky eater. I think all food is delicious." Huo Jinning had a sweet smile on her lips, and her big eyes curved into crescent shapes. She forgot all the explanations she had to give when she heard about food.
"Oh dear, not being a picky eater is such a good habit! You're much better than Anian in that respect. That child has always been picky since he was little, refusing to eat this or that." Feng Ruolan looked at Huo Jinning with loving eyes, her tone exceptionally gentle.
Huo Jinning glanced at Fu Qinian beside her, smiled, and said nothing.
At this moment, Xu Jinzhi walked over and said, "Lanlan, let's talk about these things later. Let's go to the kitchen and prepare."
"Okay, I'm coming right now," Feng Ruolan replied, then turned and followed Xu Jinzhi toward the kitchen.
Before entering the kitchen, she turned back to remind the two people sitting outside: "A-Nian, you must take good care of Ningning. See, there's some fresh fruit on the table. You can have a little something to eat first."
"Okay, Grandma Feng."
"Sit down first! We'll have to wait a while," Fu Qin said softly, gesturing to the seat next to him.
"Hmm, no rush. I just had lunch and I'm not hungry yet," Huo Jinning replied with a smile, indicating that she wasn't in a hurry.
“I don’t come to Beijing often and I’m not very familiar with the area, so I brought you here,” Fu Qinian explained sincerely, explaining why he chose this place.
“You can try it. If you like the taste, we’ll come again next time. If you don’t like it, we’ll go somewhere else next time,” Fu Qinian continued, showing respect for Huo Jinning’s preferences.
"Okay, sure. Actually, I'm not a picky eater at all," Huo Jinning quickly replied, a hint of shyness on her face.
At that moment, she thought to herself, "[That's so gentlemanly!]"
I'm a little embarrassed.
[If you're eating for free, you can't be picky.]
[Someone of your status wouldn't be expected to have bad food.]
"Grandpa Xu and Grandma Feng have such a good relationship!" Huo Jinning said with envy.
“Yes, they have been loving and affectionate for decades, and even their grandchildren are very envious,” Fu Qinian replied softly.
"Such pure and beautiful love is so rare these days. People seem to only be enthusiastic about many things for a short time. Once the novelty wears off, it cools down quickly," Huo Jinning lamented about the realities of today's society.
She continued, "And look at those so-called views on love promoted on the internet, such as the first cup of milk tea in autumn, a bouquet of grilled sausages in winter, strawberry tips, and the idea that life needs a sense of ritual..."
"These ideas cause most people to lose their way in the world of emotions, only knowing how to take, but forgetting how to give."
"I didn't expect you to have such different ideas at such a young age," Fu Qinian said.
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