Sister, can I become a maid too?

Chapter 121 Fiancee(?)

Jiang Pinglan looked at the tea egg suspiciously for a few seconds, then picked one up and smelled it.

The aroma is light and lingering, with a hint of roasted beans and tender chestnuts, and a subtle freshness reminiscent of a tea garden after the rain.

very familiar.

There's a familiar feeling I dare not think about.

No way....

Jiang Pinglan was silent for two seconds, then looked at Lin Jianxia in a gentle tone:

"Jianxia... what kind of tea did you use to cook these tea eggs? They smell quite fragrant."

Upon hearing Uncle Jiang's question, Lin Jianxia naturally did not hide anything and answered truthfully:

"Uncle, Jiang Yubai gave me this tea before. I thought it tasted really good, so I thought... I'd try making tea eggs with it."

"Jiang Yubai also thought it was good, saying that you especially liked it, so he asked me to make some to try."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Pinglan stiffly turned her head and silently looked at her son who was eating rice beside her.

But Jiang Yubai seemed oblivious to everything around him, focusing solely on eating his meal, as if he were deaf.

"Uncle Jiang?"

Seemingly sensing that the atmosphere was a bit off, Lin Jianxia cautiously spoke up.

"Is there a problem?"

Jiang Pinglan snapped out of her daze and forced a gentle smile at her:

"It's nothing, it's nothing. I was just curious because the tea smelled so good, so I asked casually."

My heart is bleeding...

Hearing him say that, Lin Jianxia breathed a sigh of relief, her face slightly flushed as she softly replied:

"That's good......."

"Jiang Yubai said before... this tea was specially given to me by you."

Upon hearing this, Qin Huiyi, who had been enthusiastically showing off her spicy chicken, suddenly raised an eyebrow and exclaimed in surprise:

"Oh, Lao Jiang, you sent me some tea? I'll have to try it out."

She knew perfectly well what kind of tea her ungrateful son had taken.

Jiang Pinglan gave his wife a disgruntled look, but didn't say anything more, and reached out to take a tea egg.

Carefully peel it open to reveal the moist egg white inside, with light brown lines seeping in at varying depths, making it quite beautiful to look at.

As you get closer, a faint aroma of braised food mixed with a delicate fragrance of tea wafts up.

As Jiang Pinglan watched, she suddenly felt conflicted.

He really couldn't bear to eat it.

Although this Longjing tea isn't the top-grade, first-harvest kind from before the Qingming Festival, it would still cost several thousand yuan per kilogram...

The thought had just formed when he suddenly heard Qin Huiyi beside him hum in agreement, and his eyes lit up.

"Wow, this is delicious! It's completely different from what you get outside."

That's obvious, this is genuine West Lake pre-Qingming Longjing tea, how could it be the same...?

Suppressing his heartache, he didn't hesitate any longer, brought the egg to his mouth, and gently took a bite.

The egg white is tender and smooth, with a delicate tea aroma and just the right amount of saltiness. The egg yolk has a smooth and moist texture, without being dry or choking at all.

"It's delicious, isn't it?" Jiang Yubai chuckled. "Why would I lie to you?"

"Um."

Jiang Pinglan subconsciously hummed in agreement, then belatedly realized that her heart ached again.

How could this not taste good! Look at the tea leaves floating in the tea soup...

He doesn't even put in more ingredients than he should when making a cup!

Thinking this, Jiang Pinglan swallowed the last bite of egg, but her hand instinctively reached for the plate—

Why is it empty?

Jiang Yubai chuckled beside him, picked up his untouched tea egg, and handed it to him:

"Here, Dad, you can have this one."

Jiang Pinglan glanced at him, took the tea egg without any politeness, and continued to slowly peel and eat it.

This kid is probably doing it on purpose—he'd already tried it himself, but he had to drag him along for another round.

You don't feel bad about tea leaves that aren't your own, right?

But you know what, these eggs actually taste pretty good.

It's just a bit expensive...

On the other end.

Seeing that Uncle Jiang and Aunt Qin were enjoying their meal, Lin Jianxia's anxiety gradually subsided.

She never expected that her tea eggs would be so popular; Uncle Jiang even asked for a second one.

It seems that the information Jiang Yubai gave this time was quite reliable... Before, seeing how mysterious he was, she thought he was hiding something from her.

Hmm, maybe I should give him a reward...

Meanwhile, Qin Huiyi, while eating her meal, kept glancing at her husband Lao Jiang's expression, finding it somewhat amusing.

My husband is a tea enthusiast, and he treasures those few packets of fine Longjing tea. He only drinks them if he's in a good mood.

There's a whole set of rules and regulations for the tea ceremony, from "one infusion, two steepings, and three tastings" to specifying the water temperature, steeping time, and the use of special teaware. It's all very particular.

Now, the little girl has used the tea leaves to boil eggs, and instead of saying anything, she's eating them with a serious expression.

Before he could voice his inner teasing, he heard Jiang Pinglan put down his chopsticks and speak gently:

"The tea aroma permeates the egg, making it clear yet flavorful, and the braising flavor is just right... It's quite delicious."

His tone was clearly approving, and after speaking, he casually picked up a piece of spicy chicken, as if his previous tasting was just a casual remark.

Qin Huiyi blinked, swallowing back the joke that was on the tip of her tongue.

Wow, such a high rating?

It seems that my husband, Mr. Jiang, has a really good impression of these two kids.

With that thought in mind, Qin Huiyi picked up another piece of boiled beef, and spoke casually, her tone gentle:

"By the way, Jianxia, ​​Jiang Yubai has been living next door for a while now, hasn't he? Are you getting used to it? Has he been bullying you?"

Lin Jianxia quickly shook her head:

"I'm used to it, Auntie. Jiang Yubai is very good to us sisters..."

"Hmm, did Jiang Yubai owe you any wages? If he dares to bully you or neglects anything, you'd better tell me directly."

Jiang Yubai glanced at his mother, knowing that they were about to get down to business.

As expected, after asking some trivial questions, Qin Huiyi smiled and continued:

"So how do you usually arrange your meals? We can't expect you to work so hard to prepare such a big meal every day, can we?"

"The auntie doesn't work hard... She usually doesn't cook this much; she just eats simple meals."

Lin Jianxia answered honestly.

"Oh, I see..." Qin Huiyi turned to look at her son and said reproachfully, "Why didn't you help them out?"

Jiang Yu let out a soft "hehe":

"Mom, we're both clean-cut, one of us gets paid and the other gets paid to do things, so what do you need my help with?"

He deliberately emphasized the word "pure and innocent".

Just kidding, trying to trick me into revealing anything? No way.

As long as Lin Jianxia is smart enough, no—

"No, no," Lin Jianxia quickly waved her hand to explain, "Jiang Yubai... he usually helps me wash vegetables and hand me dishes or something..."

Jiang Yubai: "........"

He silently picked up a piece of spicy chicken and began to chew it.

I said, Lin Jianxia, ​​isn't this the time for you to speak up for me?!

as predicted.

Upon hearing this, Qin Huiyi's eyes lit up, and the smile on her lips deepened unconsciously.

"Really? That kid never helps out at home, but he's become quite sensible since moving out."

Her tone carried a hint of relief, and she leaned forward to probe further:

"By the way, besides cooking, what else do you two usually do together? I heard Jiang Yubai mention that you and Tingwan tutor him in English, is that right?"

Lin Jianxia assumed that Aunt Qin was just concerned about her son's recent situation, so she answered honestly:

"It's nothing much... Usually, after school I cook, Jiang Yubai talks to my sister, and after dinner we do our homework together."

"Well, it's not just me tutoring him in English; he also teaches my sister and me math and physics."

"Sometimes after tutoring, we'll go downstairs together—"

"Cough cough cough cough cough cough cough!"

Just as he finished speaking, Jiang Yubai, who was standing next to him, suddenly coughed violently as if he had choked.

He patted his chest to catch his breath while secretly kicking Lin Jianxia's chair under the table.

Good heavens, sis! They only asked you one question, and you just blurted it all out like a floodgate of beans!

Qin Huiyi glared at her son and said irritably:

"What's wrong? Why are you coughing like that all of a sudden? Have you suddenly fallen ill?"

Jiang Yubai patted his chest, his face full of injustice, and said:

"Mom, they say you shouldn't talk while eating or sleeping, but you two were distracting me and I choked. Can't I just cough a couple of times?"

Qin Huiyi chuckled, but didn't press the matter further. Instead, she placed a piece of food in each of Lin Jianxia's and Lin Tingwan's bowls.

"It's my fault, I was so busy chatting—you must be starving, right? Come on, have some more."

"High school seniors are having a tough time these days. How can they have the energy to study if they don't eat more?"

She chattered on and on about everyday things, occasionally mentioning amusing anecdotes from her travels, quickly drawing Lin Jianxia's attention.

Throughout the meal, Qin Huiyi's teasing laughter and Lin Jianxia's embarrassed but gradually relaxed responses could be heard from time to time.

Jiang Yubai watched from the sidelines while eating, silently sighing to himself.

At this rate, I'm afraid I won't be long before my mom wins me over.

It was a pleasant meal.

After the meal, Qin Huiyi habitually got up to clear the dishes, but Lin Jianxia quickly stopped her:

"Aunt Qin, please have a seat, I'll wash the dishes!"

Jiang Yubai, standing to the side, didn't retaliate this time, but instead chuckled.

"Mom, please don't go into the kitchen and make things worse. If Lin Jianxia gets nervous and breaks a bowl, I'll have to pay for a new one."

Qin Huiyi glared at him:

"You make it sound so easy. You're really going to let this girl wash all the dishes by herself?"

"...I'll help her wash later, okay?"

Upon hearing this, Qin Huiyi looked him up and down as if he were an alien:

"Wow, has the sun risen in the west? Our young master can do housework now, huh?"

Jiang Yubai didn't argue with his mother, but he shamelessly reminded her:

"Mom, we've finished eating. Look..."

"I know, I know."

Qin Huiyi glanced at her son with annoyance, but when she stood up, her tone towards Lin Jianxia had returned to gentle:

"Alright, alright, then Auntie won't bother you any longer. The food is delicious today."

Realizing that this meant they were taking their leave, Lin Jianxia quickly stood up as well.

Sitting to the side, Lin Tingwan looked up at her sister, then slowly stood up and gently tugged at Lin Jianxia's clothes with her small hand.

Qin Huiyi looked at the two sisters, nodded in satisfaction, took out two red envelopes she had prepared beforehand from her bag, and handed them to the two sisters:

"Here, Jianxia, ​​Tingwan, this is a small token of my appreciation from your aunt. Please take it."

Lin Jianxia was taken aback, and quickly waved her hand:

"No, no, Aunt Qin, I can't accept this—"

"Why can't I accept it?" Qin Huiyi deliberately put on a stern face. "You all take care of Jiang Yubai, cooking for him and helping him with his studies. Auntie remembers it all."

"If you refuse this small token of appreciation, it would be disrespectful to your aunt."

Lin Jianxia still didn't want to accept it, but Qin Huiyi's hand was already outstretched in front of her. For a moment, she was at a loss and subconsciously looked at Jiang Yubai beside her.

Jiang Yubai met her gaze, chuckled, and began to make up a story:

"Just keep the money my mom gave you. She has a habit of never accepting red envelopes that she's given away, saying it will bring bad luck."

Hearing him describe it as so serious, Lin Jianxia opened her mouth, but obediently accepted it.

Lin Tingwan looked at her sister and then reached out to take it, just like her sister.

As soon as she received the red envelope, Lin Jianxia felt that the thickness of the envelope was a bit strange, and subconsciously wanted to refuse it.

But then she remembered what Jiang Yubai had just said, and she was caught in a dilemma, her little face scrunched up like a bitter gourd.

Seeing her conflicted expression, Qin Huiyi couldn't help but laugh out loud and waved her hand, saying:

"Alright, alright, it's not much. We're leaving now. Next time you come to my house, I'll cook you one of my specialties."

Lin Jianxia had no choice but to nod obediently and bid them farewell softly:

Goodbye, Uncle and Auntie, take care on your journey.

Jiang Yubai accompanied his parents as they walked out, lazily muttering to himself:

"Mom, if you've never eaten someone else's cooking, then you can say that."

"You've already eaten there twice, and you're still boasting that your cooking is delicious—isn't that a bit presumptuous of you?"

Qin Huiyi turned around and gave him a reproachful look, then reached out and lightly patted his arm:

"You talk too much!"

As Jiang Yubai was dropped off at his doorstep, he waved to his parents.

"Take care, I won't see you off. Come again next time~ Dad, next time I'll have Lin Jianxia make you tea eggs again~"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Pinglan almost stumbled. She turned around and pointed at him vaguely, but in the end, she just shook her head, snorted, and turned to go down the stairs.

After getting into the car and fastening her seatbelt, Qin Huiyi glanced up suddenly and said with certainty:

"Old Jiang, I told you it was definitely the older sister, don't you believe me?"

Jiang Pinglan let out two "hehe" sounds:

"Not necessarily. I saw you talking to Xia all the time."

"Our son spent most of his time during the meal focusing on the girl next to him named Lin Tingwan. He kept glancing at her every now and then. I think he was very worried about her."

"younger sister?"

"Alright, you're such a worrywart. You've been nagging me every day since I got back," Jiang Pinglan said with a smile. "Didn't you hear? They're doing just fine. We'll talk about the rest after the college entrance exam."

Qin Huiyi snapped out of her daze and glared at him:

"Isn't that worrying? Oh, what are you babbling about? Do you want to go eat tea eggs again?"

Jiang Pinglan's expression froze, and he silently started the car.

-----------------

upstairs.

Watching the SUV slowly drive out of the residential area, Jiang Yubai returned to his room.

Under the porch light, the two sisters were still standing in the same spot, each holding a red envelope in their hand, but their expressions were completely different.

Lin Tingwan stared blankly at the red envelope, lost in thought.

Lin Jianxia looked distressed, and when she saw him come in, she quickly came up to him:

"Jiang Yubai, how... how come there are so many?"

She originally thought the red envelope would be at most a hundred or two hundred yuan, but when she touched its thickness, the sky fell down.

Jiang Yubai originally intended to casually advise her to accept it, but when he saw her nervous expression and furrowed brows, he couldn't suppress his mischievous impulse.

He suddenly let out a long sigh.

This reaction surprised Lin Jianxia:

"Why are you sighing?"

"It's like this," Jiang Yubai straightened his expression, his tone becoming exceptionally serious, "There's something I've been hesitant to tell you."

Lin Jianxia blinked, looking even more confused:

"W-What's wrong?"

"As you can probably tell, my parents don't care much about my grades or anything like that. They only worry about one thing—my love life."

He paused, then lowered his voice:

"You should understand that for wealthy families like ours, the most important thing is the continuation of the family line."

"Ever since I turned 18, they've been urging me to find a partner, both openly and secretly. I was so pressured that I had no choice but to make up a lie."

Seeing Lin Jianxia's increasingly dazed expression, Jiang Yubai suppressed a laugh and spoke in a serious tone:

"So in my mom's mind, this red envelope wasn't actually for ordinary classmates."

He paused deliberately, then slowly uttered the last few words.

"It's for—my fiancée."