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Chapter 870 - 867: The Relationship Can Go Further

Chapter 870: Chapter 867: The Relationship Can Go Further

It took Tong Xiaohua quite an effort to extract her hand from his large palm, as if a whole century had passed.

Yet, Yan Bo secretly wished that they could hold hands like this for a lifetime.

Unconsciously, his feelings for her evolved from an initial eagerness to get acquainted, to now being more and more convinced, decidedly certain of her.

"It’s about time, you must be hungry too, let’s eat first and we can continue reading afterwards," he said.

As the host, Yan Bo was the first to break the silence.

Although he wished this tacit understanding could last a bit longer, he worried that she might be left hungry.

Tong Xiaohua secretly let out a sigh of relief and obediently followed him out of the study room. In the dining room, Aunt Xin had already set the table and served the soup.

"Mr. Yan, if there’s anything that doesn’t meet your expectations, please make a note of it. I will slowly improve. Take your time eating, I’ll come back to clean up the dishes in two hours."

It was only during a chat with Aunt Xin that afternoon that Yan Bo learned Aunt Xin was from out of town, living in a dormitory provided by the housekeeping company, located behind this building in the alley.

Yan Bo wasn’t a demanding boss and didn’t agree with Aunt Xin’s suggestion to come back in two hours to clean up.

"Aunt Xin, you’ve been busy all day, go back and rest well. I’ll put the dishes in the sink later and you can wash them when you come over tomorrow," he said.

Receiving such a considerate response from her employer, Aunt Xin was of course delighted. She specifically asked Yan Bo which fruits he liked, promising to buy some when she came over the next day.

While Yan Bo was politely chatting with Aunt Xin, Tong Xiaohua, seated at the dining table, had already picked up her bowl of soup and began to drink.

"Mmm... it’s really delicious!" Having had enough of Uncle Guan’s indescribable cooking, drinking regular soup now felt blissfully satisfying for Tong Xiaohua.

Aunt Xin was perceptive, noticing how attentively Yan Bo treated Tong Xiaohua, she naturally understood that this Miss Tong held a special significance to her employer.

"Miss Tong, please tell me which soups you like to drink and anything else you prefer to eat. Next time you come over, I’ll cook them for you."

Her words pleased Yan Bo greatly.

"Yes, Xiao Hua, whatever you want to eat next time, just let me know. I’ll have Aunt Xin prepare it in advance," he told her.

Yan Bo’s words were like treating Tong Xiaohua as the lady of the house.

Tong Xiaohua felt bound to agree respectfully, "Thank you, Aunt Xin. Then I won’t hold back."

After Aunt Xin left, Tong Xiaohua said to Yan Bo, "You are really fortunate to have a nanny like Aunt Xin who is so proficient."

Yan Bo placed a fresh oyster in her bowl. "It’s the same for you. You can come and eat anytime. I’ll give you Aunt Xin’s phone number later, and you can ask her to cook whatever you want."

As he spoke, Yan Bo had already decided in his heart to give Aunt Xin a twenty percent raise.

Since it was homemade food, although it didn’t look fancy, it tasted fresher and lighter, which was perfect for their palates. So, they both ended up eating a bit more than usual.

However, Aunt Xin had prepared a full table of dishes on Yan Bo’s orders, and no matter how large their appetites were, they couldn’t finish everything.

But they did try each dish once.

"I really envy people like Aunt Xin who can cook..."

Tong Xiaohua herself couldn’t even cook instant noodles and only knew how to soak them in boiling water.

Yan Bo had a different opinion, "Everyone has their own strengths. Aunt Xin indeed cooks delicious dishes, but what you excel at, Aunt Xin can’t do, right?"

Tong Xiaohua sighed, "In the eyes of the world, a woman, after all, needs to have good craftsmanship to be considered a good woman."

These weren’t her own experiences but conclusions she drew from listening to the men in Tong village talking all the time.

"That’s not necessarily true!" Yan Bo had no prejudice against women; he thought women were equal to men.

The idea that a woman should stay at home, support her husband and teach her children had never occurred to him.

Tong Xiaohua, however, was somewhat surprised; after all, many wealthy Eldest Young Masters were deeply chauvinistic at heart.

"I thought every man hoped his wife could cook delicious meals."

Yan Bo didn’t deny this, "Of course, it’s great if she can cook! But I think a wife is a wife, not a chef. Why must she cook delicious meals? My mom, my sister, neither of them can even fry a poached egg, but I don’t think they are any less of good women."

Tong Xiaohua had heard Yan Bo mention his family a few times, and from his words, she could tell that his family must be a very loving one.

"I really envy you, having brothers and sisters to grow up with."

Yan Bo knew that Tong Xiaohua was an only child because of her mother’s health.

Seeing her look wistful and melancholic, he suggested, "When it’s convenient, I’ll take you to meet my elder brother. He will definitely like you."

Tong Xiaohua was stunned for a moment, unsure whether Yan Bo was pretending to be confused knowingly or if it was a slip of the tongue?

After all, their relationship was just friendship, and meeting his elder brother wasn’t something that should be happening at their current stage.

"Haha, Yan Bo, you really have a sense of humor. I have no relation to your elder brother; why would he like me?"

Yan Bo put down his chopsticks and said seriously, "Xiao Hua, from the beginning, I approached you with the intention of developing a deeper relationship, and I have always been ready to introduce you to my brothers and sisters, my entire family. Just give the nod, and our relationship can progress at any time."

Tong Xiaohua was taken aback by his straightforward confession, choked up a bit, coughed for a while, then looked up at him with misty eyes.

"Yan Bo, you said we should get to know each other properly, didn’t you?"

In Tong Xiaohua’s view, she would prefer to get to know him step by step; she was afraid she couldn’t handle a relationship that was too intimate.

Yan Bo was always a gentleman, especially towards Tong Xiaohua.

Seeing her so flustered, he quickly said,

"Yes, I did say that, and it’s still true now. What I mean is, whenever you’re ready, we can become closer."

Tong Xiaohua’s face slowly turned red, "No... I think things are good as they are now..."

If they got any closer, she felt she might completely fall under his sway.

Yan Bo understood, realizing he shouldn’t push her too hard. Seeing her looking down, seemingly afraid to even look at him, he tactfully changed the subject.

"Let’s eat. Try these dishes carefully and tell me which ones you like, so we can ask Aunt Xin to make them in the future."

Yan Bo himself, of course, thought Aunt Xin’s cooking skills were good, but what mattered was that Tong Xiaohua had to think they were good as well.

After today, he finally understood that dining out, no matter how good the taste, could not have the intimate atmosphere of home.