548: Chapter 548 Family Reunion

[Lin Xueping glared at him: "It's enough that our son is back. Why are you keeping such a long face? If you keep acting like this, I won't be polite to you!"]

[After saying that, she turned to the maids on either side and hurriedly ordered, "Quickly, go prepare dinner..."]

[Halfway through, she changed her mind: "No, I'll go myself!"]

[She looked at you, tears still in her eyes, but a smile forced onto her face: "Son, just wait. Mother will head to the kitchen herself and cook your favorite dishes."]

[With that, she turned to leave, looking back as she walked as if afraid you might run away: "Just wait, Mother will be done in a moment..."]

[She raised her hand to wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes, but her pace quickened, and in the blink of an eye, she disappeared at the end of the corridor.]

[Qin Xiuwen withdrew his gaze and glanced at you, his tone stiff: "What are you standing there for? Get inside. Tell me everything about the trouble you've caused over the years, one by one."]

[After saying that, he turned and walked into the main hall.]

[Qin Yu leaned in and lowered her voice, a sly smile on her lips: "I told them you caused some trouble and didn't dare come home... I've settled it for you recently, which is why you finally dared to return."]

[She winked, her voice even lower: "Don't blow your cover, or even I won't be able to help you."]

[You shook your head with a smile and stepped into the main hall.]

[The residence suddenly became lively as the servants and maids bustled about.]

[Just as you sat down on a chair to one side, a maid came up with tea and respectfully handed it to you.]

["Young Master, please have some tea."]

[Her gaze swept across your face quickly, a strange light flashing in her eyes.]

[You glanced at the maid—Golden Core cultivation.]

[You turned to Qin Yu and sent a voice transmission: "A Golden Core cultivator as a maid?"]

[Qin Yu smiled and transmitted back: "Wasn't it your instruction? You asked me to help her sell herself to bury her mother and then let her join the Fengyun Pavilion to Cultivate."]

["Is she Chu Chu?" you asked again via transmission.]

["That's right." Qin Yu laughed even harder and replied, "She is a Disciple of the Fengyun Pavilion, just cultivating at our home. Since you returned today, I specifically had her come out to see you."]

[You looked at the maid and nodded: "So you are Chu Chu?"]

[Chu Chu bowed slightly, her voice soft: "Thank you, Young Master, for having the Young Miss lend a helping hand back then."]

[You nodded: "Good. Work hard."]

["Ahem," Qin Xiuwen coughed and looked over with a stern face, "Chener, I heard you were afraid to come home because you caused some trouble. Has that matter... been properly resolved?"]

["Uh..." you said casually, "More or less."]

[Qin Xiuwen nodded, his expression softening slightly, though his tone remained serious: "In the future, if anything happens, discuss it with the Family. Don't try to carry it all on your own."]

[He paused, glanced at Qin Yu, and added, "Now our Yu'er is also successful; she's a Disciple of the Fengyun Pavilion. If you cause trouble again, just go to your sister and have her ask her Senior Brothers in the pavilion for help... It's best to settle big matters and resolve small ones."]

["I understand, I understand." You nodded repeatedly, acting very obediently.]

[Time passed, and a table full of dishes was quickly prepared.]

[You scanned the dishes on the table—stir-fried eggs with tomatoes, poached eggs, tomato and egg soup, stir-fried shredded meat with eggs, stir-fried bitter gourd with eggs...]

[Eggs, eggs, nothing but eggs.]

[A sudden pang of sadness hit your heart—your mother only remembered that you loved eating eggs when you were a child.]

[After everyone was seated, Lin Xueping's gaze fell upon Murong Zhaozhao sitting beside you. Her eyes lit up, and she spoke joyfully, "This girl is so cute. Who is she?"]

[Murong Zhaozhao lowered her head, her face flushing as she stole a glance at you.]

[You smiled and said proudly, "Oh, her name is Qin Zhaozhao. She's my daughter."]

["Ah—?" Lin Xueping exclaimed, nearly dropping her chopsticks.]

["What?" Qin Xiuwen's eyes widened, his wine cup suspended in mid-air.]

[After a moment to recover, Lin Xueping looked at Zhaozhao excitedly, her eyes reddening and her voice trembling slightly: "Oh my... my granddaughter is so cute. Come, have some food!"]

[As she spoke, she shakily picked up some stir-fried shredded meat with eggs and placed it into Zhaozhao's bowl.]

[Zhaozhao's eyes also reddened. She pursed her lips and nodded, her voice soft and sweet: "Thank you... Grandma."]

["Oh..." A warm tear rolled down Lin Xueping's cheek, her voice choking up, "Good girl, good girl. You must have suffered a lot following your father outside, haven't you?"]

[Zhaozhao took a big bite of the stir-fried meat and eggs and shook her head, her cheeks bulging: "Not hard at all, not hard."]

[After a couple of bites, her eyes widened in surprise: "Wow... it's so delicious!"]

[Lin Xueping looked at her dotingly, her eyes red as she sighed softly, "The child has suffered, sigh..."]

[That long-drawn-out sigh was like a blunt knife, making one's heart ache.]

[The smile on Qin Xiuwen's face was irrepressible. He looked at you and changed the subject: "By the way, where's your wife?"]

["Dead," you said casually.]

[As soon as those two words were spoken, the air seemed to freeze.]

[Lin Xueping sighed heavily, looked at Zhaozhao, and sniffled, her eyes reddening again: "Poor child..."]

[Qin Xiuwen's face darkened, his tone brook no argument: "Then hurry up and marry another, and give me a grandson."]

[Lin Xueping glared at him but said nothing.]

["No! I don't want a stepmother!" Zhaozhao put down her chopsticks, her cheeks puffed out like a pufferfish.]

[Lin Xueping quickly chimed in, her hands moving even faster to serve food: "Zhaozhao, be good. Okay, we won't have a stepmother. Come, eat..."]

[As she spoke, the food in Zhaozhao's bowl had already piled up into a small mountain, peaking at the top.]

[Zhaozhao buried her head in her rice, her cheeks bulging like a little squirrel that had snuck some nuts.]

[Looking at her, Lin Xueping's tears hadn't dried yet, but the corners of her mouth were already turning up. She reached out and gently smoothed the stray hairs on Zhaozhao's forehead: "Eat slowly, eat slowly. No one is going to take it from you."]

["Grandma's cooking is just too delicious," Zhaozhao said with her mouth full, her voice muffled. Her eyes were bright, like a clear spring.]

[Hearing this, Lin Xueping's eyes reddened again, but she smiled so wide her mouth wouldn't close. She said repeatedly, "Good, good, good. Grandma will cook for you every day from now on."]

[Qin Xiuwen held his wine cup, watching the scene, unable to suppress the smile on his lips.]

[He took a sip of wine, set it down, and looked at you, his tone suddenly softening: "Tell me about your time outside all these years. Your father is very curious—who exactly did you offend that you didn't come home for a hundred years?"]

[You smiled and casually fabricated a story—]

[While in the Yan Imperial Capital, the son of a powerful official was jealous of your talent and made things difficult for you repeatedly. Eventually, you accidentally killed him, and his Family went all out to hunt you down...]

[Qin Yu sat to the side, resting her chin on her hand, watching the people at the table with a smile as if watching a good play. From time to time, she would steal a glance at you, her smile deepening.]