71: Chapter 71 Late-Night Dinner

Listening to the two of them bicker, Qiao Yichen suddenly remembered the meal he owed them and smoothly interjected:

"Speaking of treating—I should be the one treating you two first. Lawyer Su, I still owe you a meal."

He paused, looking at the two women, "If everyone is free during the May Day Holiday, let's pick a day then, and I'll treat you to a proper meal."

Lin Wei's eyes lit up: "Yay! I get to freeload a meal again!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Su Qing shot her a sidelong glance: "Then you're benefiting from my good fortune."

Lin Wei let out a 'Hmph,' and reached out to pinch Su Qing's cheek: "Can't I freeload back another day?"

Su Qing's face was distorted from the pinch, and she slapped her hand away. The two started wrestling on the sofa.

Qiao Yichen did not join the fray.

He stood up, his gaze sweeping past the two people playing, and landed on Liu Yanran.

She was smiling while watching Lin Wei and Su Qing mess around, not noticing him.

Qiao Yichen watched her for a few seconds, then walked over to the single sofa where she sat—before she could react, he leaned down and lay down on it.

Qiao Yichen looked up at her, his voice lowered so only she could hear:

"My Yanran still smells the best."

Liu Yanran froze for a second, a faint blush spreading across her earlobes at a visible speed.

She lowered her eyes to glare at him, her voice also hushed: "...You've only had this much to drink, and you're already starting to act like a hooligan?"

Qiao Yichen didn't reply, just curved his lips, resting his head on her lap without moving.

On the other side, Lin Wei and Su Qing had just finished wrestling. When they looked up, they saw this scene.

Lin Wei's eyes brightened, and she was about to speak—

Su Qing was quick, covering her mouth with one hand.

"Mmmph Mmph Mmph!"

"Stop fooling around," Su Qing whispered, "They are dating, don't interfere."

Lin Wei peeled her hand away and muttered quietly, "I'm just looking, what's the big deal..."

On the sofa, Liu Yanran had already turned her face away, pretending to watch TV, but the faint blush on her ears had spread to her cheeks.

Qiao Yichen, however, looked completely composed, resting on her lap, his gaze fixed on the TV screen, a smile still lingering on his lips.

The variety show on TV continued, the guests laughing and playing games, the background music lively.

But the atmosphere in the living room was much livelier than on the screen.

A few minutes later, Lin Wei finally couldn't hold back.

She cleared her throat and deliberately elongated her voice:

"Um—should we order some late-night snacks?"

Qiao Yichen, still resting on Liu Yanran's lap, spoke lazily: "What do you all want to eat? I'll order."

Su Qing was the first to raise her hand: "Thank you, Boss Qiao, I want barbecue."

Lin Wei quickly followed: "Crayfish!"

Qiao Yichen smiled: "Then we'll order both."

He turned his head, looking up at Liu Yanran above him: "What about you? What do you want to eat?"

Liu Yanran looked down at him, her gaze softening: "Barbecue and crayfish are fine."

She paused, then looked at the two on the sofa, "Do you want some red wine?"

Lin Wei's eyes lit up: "There's red wine?"

"Yes," Liu Yanran replied, "If you don't want red wine, I also have sparkling wine."

Lin Wei immediately nodded: "Yes, yes, yes! Red wine!"

Su Qing also nodded.

Qiao Yichen sat up from Liu Yanran's lap and took out his phone to order takeout.

"Expedited service?" he asked.

"Expedited, expedited!" Lin Wei answered quickly, "I'm starving."

As Qiao Yichen placed the order, Liu Yanran had already gotten up and walked toward the wine cabinet.

Lin Wei and Su Qing stood up to follow, and the three of them went to get the wine, find glasses, and tidy up the coffee table together.

Qiao Yichen leaned back on the sofa, watching the three women shuttle between the dining room and the living room—Liu Yanran took out two bottles of red wine from the cabinet, Lin Wei carried three wine glasses, and Su Qing followed behind carrying the bottle opener.

The fruit and snacks on the coffee table were moved aside, the glasses and bottles were set out, and the tissue box was placed within easy reach.

"How long until the takeout arrives?" Lin Wei asked.

Qiao Yichen glanced at his phone: "I ordered expedited, about thirty minutes."

"Reliable," Lin Wei leaned back on the sofa, starting to anticipate.

A little over thirty minutes later, the doorbell rang right on time.

Qiao Yichen got up to open the door. The delivery guy handed over two large bags, steam mixed with fragrance billowing out.

He carried the bags to the coffee table and opened them one by one—two boxes piled high with bright red crayfish, barbecue skewers jammed together: lamb skewers, chicken wings, pork belly, chives, enoki mushrooms, all greasy and steaming hot.

Lin Wei immediately reached for the crayfish: "Damn, this smells amazing!"

Su Qing picked up a lamb skewer and took a bite: "Mmm, this place is good."

Qiao Yichen sat back down next to Liu Yanran and handed her disposable gloves.

Liu Yanran took them and started peeling shrimp.

Qiao Yichen poured himself a glass of red wine, took a sip, and leaned back on the sofa to watch them eat.

Lin Wei muttered while peeling shrimp: "Days like this are the best."

They ate for almost an hour.

The crayfish shells piled up into a small mountain, the barbecue skewers filled an entire trash can, and both bottles of red wine were finished.

Lin Wei leaned back on the sofa, patting her slightly bulging stomach, and sighed contentedly: "This is too sinful. I have to fast for a day tomorrow."

Su Qing glanced at her: "You said the same thing last week."

"Last week was last week, this week is this week," Lin Wei argued righteously.

Liu Yanran smiled as she started clearing the trash on the coffee table, but Qiao Yichen gently held her hand: "I'll do it."

He stood up, gathered the disposable gloves, food containers, skewers, and shrimp shells into a trash bag, tied the top, and placed it by the door.

Liu Yanran sat back on the sofa, watching him do this, and the corners of her mouth curved up unconsciously.

Lin Wei noticed from the side and leaned over to whisper to Su Qing: "Look at her expression, she's totally gone soft for love."

Su Qing whispered back, "Keep your voice down."

"She can't hear us."

After cleaning up, Qiao Yichen washed his hands and came back, glancing at the time—it was almost midnight.

Lin Wei yawned and collapsed onto the sofa: "I don't feel like moving. Let's just stay here tonight."

Su Qing also nodded: "Going back at this hour is a bit much trouble."

Liu Yanran looked towards Qiao Yichen.

Qiao Yichen smiled: "I have no objection."

Lin Wei immediately perked up: "Then how are we sleeping?"

Liu Yanran thought for a moment: "The master bedroom bed is big, the three of us can squeeze in. Qiao Yichen can sleep in the secondary bedroom."

Lin Wei grinned mischievously: "Oh—sleeping separately, huh?"

Liu Yanran's earlobes flushed again, and she glared at her.

Qiao Yichen smiled and stood up: "I'll go to the secondary bedroom to tidy up a bit."

He walked into the secondary bedroom, took out a spare pillow and a thin quilt from the closet, and made the bed.

When he came out, Lin Wei and Su Qing had already gone to the master bedroom. The door was slightly ajar, and rustling sounds could be heard from inside.

Liu Yanran was still sitting on the sofa. Seeing him come out, she stood up.

"Sleep early," she said.

Qiao Yichen walked up to her and looked down at her.

Liu Yanran's eyelashes fluttered.

He reached out, gently tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, and then placed a kiss on her forehead.

"Good night."

Liu Yanran paused for a moment, then softly hummed in response.

She turned, pushed open the master bedroom door, and walked in.

The moment the door closed, Qiao Yichen heard Lin Wei's suppressed but audible voice from inside:

"Ooh—you're back already? Didn't you linger for a bit longer?"

Then came Su Qing's laughter, followed by Liu Yanran's exasperated, "Shut up."

After the master bedroom door closed, it was quiet inside for a few seconds.

Then—

"Quick, quick, quick, spill the beans!" Lin Wei's voice was low, but she couldn't suppress her excitement, "How far did you get?"

Liu Yanran didn't speak.

Su Qing added leisurely from the side, "If she won't say, you can tell just by looking, right?—That look outside just now, that smile, those red ears..."

"Su Qing!" Liu Yanran's voice carried annoyance.

Lin Wei burst out laughing: "Damn, Su Qing, you observe that closely?"

"Occupational hazard," Su Qing's tone was serious, but she was clearly holding back laughter.

The mattress rustled for a moment, indicating all three had lain down.

Silence for a few seconds.

Then Lin Wei spoke again, her voice even lower than before, but more gossipy: "So—did you kiss?"

Liu Yanran didn't answer.

"Did you touch?"

Still no answer.

"Did you sleep together?"

"Lin Wei!"

This time, her voice was much louder than before.

Then came Su Qing's laughter, and Lin Wei's defense, "I'm just asking..."

After another bout of teasing, the voices gradually died down.

But one could still vaguely hear intermittent conversation—

"So, how long have you two been... together?"

"Not long."

"Who made the first move?"

"...He did."

"Ooh ooh ooh—"

"Stop fooling around..."

The voices grew fainter and fainter, finally disappearing completely into the silence of the night.