Chapter 70

Li Zhenhai took his eldest grandson bringing a girl home for the first time very seriously. Early in the morning, he summoned his sons, daughters, grandsons, and granddaughters. The whole family sat upright, listening to the old man lecture.

“Today Yujun is bringing his girlfriend home. All of you should be kind, but not too enthusiastic—we don’t want to scare the girl off.” The old man took a sip from a purple clay teapot and continued, “Our family may have some status now, but we mustn’t hold onto outdated feudal ideas about matching family backgrounds and all that. Thinking only high-ranking cadres’ children are good enough? Anyone with that mindset better get rid of it now. Back in the day, I was just a poor kid who couldn’t even get a proper meal. I earned everything by risking my life fighting the Japanese. You’ve had a better start thanks to me, but don’t look down on people. As long as the kids’ partners are of good character and temperament, none of you are allowed to interfere. Learn to respect their choices.”

Chang Xiaoyuan quickly said with a smile, “Dad, you know Jianguo and I aren’t like that. Besides, Yujun has always been independent. From school to military academy to joining the special forces, he chose every path himself. His dad and I couldn’t help even if we wanted to. He’s always been cold by nature—every time he came home I’d try to set him up with girls, but he’d always find something wrong. Meanwhile, his peers already have kids old enough to buy soy sauce, and I’ve been worried sick. But nothing I said worked. Now that he’s finally bringing a girl home on his own, I couldn’t be happier. Why would I mess that up?” She glanced at the old man’s approving expression and added with a chuckle, “And you know how picky Yujun is. No ordinary girl could move him, so I’m really not worried.”

Li Zhenhai laughed heartily, patting the armrest of his chair, unable to hide his delight. “This is a big deal! Yufeng, call Qian Xiaomi’s Private Kitchen and book two private rooms. We’ll treat the girl to lunch there—make it grand.”

Li Yufeng had an odd expression. Only after being pressed again by Li Zhenhai did he stammer, “Qian Xiaomi’s Private Kitchen is closed today.”

“Closed?” Li Zhenhai sighed in disappointment. “That girl’s cooking is really something, and the rooms are cozy. Not like those flashy, headache-inducing big restaurants.”

Chang Xiaoyuan quickly said, “Dad, if it’s closed, we can just eat at home. There’s plenty of space, and if we need help, we can call our cook, Sister Zhang.”

“Alright then.” Li Zhenhai responded gloomily. He’d hoped to use the occasion as an excuse to go eat at Qian Xiaomi’s, but it just had to be closed—what bad timing.

“Maybe we can host Yujun’s wedding there instead,” he added thoughtfully. “Invite family and friends. No need for too many guests—twenty tables should be enough. Eldest, make a guest list later and see if twenty tables will do. If it works out, we’d better book early. That place is getting harder and harder to reserve.”

Li Yufeng stood in the back, trying not to laugh. He wondered how the old man would react once he saw Qian Jianing—would he be excited, or disappointed he couldn’t host his grandson’s wedding at her restaurant?

Qian Jianing checked herself one more time in the mirror. She wore a white wool dress with a light blue coat over it—pure and elegant. She took out the makeup Wang Chenchen had given her, dabbed on some blush, and a thin layer of lipstick. With just a light press of the lips, she looked stunning.

Li Yujun leaned against the cabinet, staring at her face. “You look amazing.”

She shot him a playful glare. “Stop staring. Go carry the gifts.”

“Yes ma’am!” Li Yujun lifted a heavy food box—he had no idea what she packed in it, but it stood half a meter tall and weighed at least ten kilos. “Afraid we won’t feed you and decided to bring your own rations?”

Qian Jianing picked up a pile of shopping bags beside her. “These are all things Grandpa, Aunt, Uncle, and Chenchen like. I prepared them in advance. Just carry them.”

“Alright, whatever you say.” Li Yujun grabbed a few more gift bags. Seeing their hands full of offerings gave him a warm feeling. “I already prepared some stuff too—you didn’t need to bring so much.”

“It’s not the same,” she said, pulling on her boots. “You brought your things; I brought mine. These are from the heart. Enough talk, let’s go.”

As they walked out, he glanced at her with a smile. “Why do you look totally calm?”

She clasped her hands to her chest and pulled a dramatic scared face. “Oh no, I’m so nervous! What if your mom throws me out?”

Li Yujun burst out laughing. “Don’t worry—once she sees how adorable her future daughter-in-law is, she’ll cling to you like treasure.”

They loaded everything into the trunk, still giggling. In the front seat, Qian Jianing took a deep breath. Pretending not to be nervous was a lie—this was her first time visiting as a girlfriend, and her heart was beating faster than usual. But she wasn’t too worried. She had prepared for all kinds of reactions from Chang Xiaoyuan. In this new life, she wouldn’t let herself be wronged again. As for how the Li family treated her—Qian Jianing didn’t really care.

The car stopped at the military compound gate. A soldier came to check, then saluted upon seeing Li Yujun and opened the gate.

Li Zhenhai lived in the innermost part of the compound in a three-story general’s building. To get there, they had to drive through the entire compound. It was cold out, and apart from a few rowdy boys playing, hardly anyone was around. They parked in front of the building, and Li Yujun opened the passenger door to help Qian Jianing out. Together, they went to the trunk for the gifts.

Inside the living room, the Li family was speculating what kind of girl Yujun might bring home when the door suddenly opened and his voice rang out, “Grandpa, we’re here!”

“So soon?” Li Zhenhai stood up but quickly remembered his elder role and sat back down, lifting his teacup and replying with a deep voice, “Come in.”

The others weren’t as reserved. They wanted to rush over and see, but the old man gave them a glare to hold them back. Li Jianguo awkwardly sat back down, rubbing his nose. Only Chang Xiaoyuan ignored all that and walked straight to the door. “You’re back? Let me have a look!”

Qian Jianing changed into slippers and stood up straight when she saw Chang Xiaoyuan approach, greeting with a smile, “Hello, Auntie!”

Chang Xiaoyuan’s eyes widened. “Little Boss Qian?!”

Qian Jianing smiled and nodded. “Just call me Jianing.”

Chang Xiaoyuan still looked dazed, glancing between her and Li Yujun.

He put an arm around Qian Jianing’s shoulder and said seriously, “Mom, this is my girlfriend, Qian Jianing.”

Her eyes widened even more. “Whoa! When did this happen? How come I didn’t know?”

Li Yujun cleared his throat and shot her a warning look. Finally catching on, she broke into a bright smile and grabbed Qian Jianing’s hand. “I can’t believe it! So you’re the one Yujun’s been dating. I was just saying, he’s always holed up in the military base, and when he’s home, he never goes anywhere—how’d he suddenly get a girlfriend? And you—why didn’t you tell me earlier? What’s there to hide?”

The two carried their gifts into the living room. The moment the rest of the Li family saw Qian Jianing, they all froze. The room went quiet.

“Jianing?” Wang Chenchen rubbed her eyes, confused. “Why are you here? Didn’t you say you were going to your boyfriend’s house today?”

Li Yujun gave her a long, speechless look and said sharply, “How did someone like you even get into college?”

Everyone finally caught on. Wang Chenchen screamed and ran over, shoving Li Yujun aside and hugging Qian Jianing’s arm. “Wait! Your boyfriend is my big brother? That means you’re going to be my sister-in-law!”

Qian Jianing’s face turned slightly red upon hearing Wang Chenchen’s blunt words. Fortunately, Li Zhenhai finally came to his senses, stood up, and waved at her. “Little Boss Qian, come sit here.”

Qian Jianing smiled and said, “Just call me Jianing.” She handed over the gift bag in her hand. “I heard you enjoy tea and alcohol, so I brought some wine I brewed myself, and tea leaves exclusive to our restaurant.”

Li Zhenhai had long heard of Qian Xiaomi’s Private Kitchen and how its tea was said to surpass even tribute tea. But since the lines were always so long, he’d never gotten a chance to try it and had always regretted it.

Old Master Li wasn’t the type to be reserved—his personality was very direct. Seeing that Qian Jianing had brought something he was interested in, he immediately took out the box of tea leaves, opened it, and inhaled deeply. His eyes lit up with excitement. “This is excellent tea. Yufeng, hurry and pour out my current tea. I want to taste what Jianing brought.”

With this, the Li family members all came back to their senses and began warmly greeting Qian Jianing. She wasn’t unfamiliar to them either—Old Master Li’s birthday banquets had been hosted at her restaurant for two years, and the Li family often brought friends over to dine. Everyone loved her cooking.

The familiarity between both sides made their interactions feel natural and affectionate. Even Li Jianguo looked much more relaxed. Qian Jianing knew the Li family well and had thoughtfully prepared gifts for everyone. Female elders received cashmere scarves and leather gloves, male elders were given her homemade wine, and peers each received a box of pastries she had made—except for Wang Chenchen, who got a set of clothes she had picked out herself.

After receiving his pastry box and thanking her, Li Yufeng let out a breath when Li Yujun wasn’t looking. “Big Brother finally brought Qian Jianing back. I was almost bursting trying to keep that secret.”

Wang Chenchen picked up a hibiscus cake from his box and took a bite. “You knew they were dating?”

Flustered, Li Yufeng quickly shut his box and glared at her. “You’ve got two boxes of pastries and you’re still snatching mine.”

“I need to save mine for later,” Wang Chenchen replied matter-of-factly, her righteous tone leaving Li Yufeng speechless.

The other cousins gathered around and started poking Li Yufeng. “Come on, how did you find out? Why didn’t you tell us earlier?”

Li Yufeng jerked his chin toward Li Yujun, whose eyes were crinkled in happiness. “One time, I saw Big Brother riding his bicycle with Qian Jianing on the back. I was so excited I almost called you guys right then. But when I calmed down, I realized if I blabbed without his permission, he might just kill me.”

The group of twenty-something cousins all nodded in agreement. “Smart move. I don’t think I could’ve held it in.”

“I barely held it in,” Li Yufeng chuckled. “Every night I’d lie on my pillow and talk to it. I’ve gone through eight pillows in the past six months.”

“You’re disgusting,” Wang Chenchen gave him a look of distaste and quickly finished her pastry. “Actually, now that you mention it, I noticed something too.”

All eyes turned toward her, gleaming with curiosity. She sipped her water, glanced at Qian Jianing chatting and laughing with the old man, then whispered, “Remember how Big Brother took a month off recently? That whole month, my dear Jianing didn’t go to school either. She used to show up at least once a day, even when taking time off. But that month? Not once. I bet they were going on dates every day.”

“Can’t believe Big Brother looks so serious but is secretly sneaky—sneaking around behind our backs,” Li Yujing said with righteous disdain. “No wonder last winter he tore his stitches climbing down from the sixth floor just to eat at her restaurant. He probably wanted to faint in her place on purpose. Don’t you think that’s when he started falling for her?”

Everyone nodded in agreement. “He hid it well.”

“Devious!”

“Shady!”

“Rival in love!” Wang Chenchen added with a pout.

Her seven male cousins turned to look at her in disbelief. She defended herself, “I knew Jianing first. We’re best friends.”

Li Yufeng cracked sunflower seeds and snorted, “Doesn’t matter how early you met. You’re a girl.”

“Exactly.” Wang Chenchen sighed. “If I were a boy, Big Brother wouldn’t even stand a chance.”

Just then, Li Yujun, who had been smiling as he talked to Qian Jianing, suddenly looked over. His cold stare nearly froze Wang Chenchen on the spot. Sensing the danger, she immediately shut her mouth and gave a sheepish smile. “Well, I am a girl. Big Brother and Jianing are a better match anyway.”

Though he let her off, Li Yujun still scanned his younger brothers with a sharp look, as if checking for other threats. Instantly, the group all put on their most innocent faces and dared not even glance at Qian Jianing.

Seeing that none of them seemed as bold as Wang Chenchen, Li Yujun finally relaxed.

Li Yujing wiped sweat from his forehead. “Big Brother is seriously jealous.”

The food boxes Qian Jianing brought were taken to the kitchen. Most were cold dishes and desserts, with only a few needing to be re-steamed, which wouldn’t affect the taste.

With so many people in the Li family and such a large dining area, two big round tables were filled with delicious dishes. Old Master Li carefully opened the small wine jar Qian Jianing brought and immediately smelled the rich aroma.

“It’s only been aging for a year, so the flavor might still be light. The longer it ages, the better it gets,” Qian Jianing said as she filled his cup. Li Zhenhai didn’t wait for others and took a sip right away.

Her wine, brewed using celestial wine as a base, had high alcohol content with a mellow, smooth flavor. Old Master Li took one sip and declared, “Excellent.”

Li Jianguo, sitting close by, was drawn in by the aroma and handed his cup to Qian Jianing. “Jianing, pour me a cup too!”

She quickly obliged, but then watched helplessly as the Li men all started drinking nonstop under the guise of “tasting,” without even touching their chopsticks.

She placed the wine jar aside and reminded them, “This wine has a strong aftereffect.”

“It tastes too good to have a strong aftereffect. Pour me another!” said Li Yufeng, whose tolerance was the worst. After downing half a cup, his speech was already slurred. With the final sip, his legs gave out and he collapsed under the table.

Li Yujun calmly dragged him out and carried him upstairs to the guest room. Qian Jianing looked at Chang Xiaoyuan apologetically. “Auntie, I’m sorry. The wine might be a bit strong.”

“It’s fine. He gets under the table every year. Don’t worry about it,” Chang Xiaoyuan said cheerfully, pulling her to sit nearby. Admiring her glowing cheeks, she said, “Yujun did well bringing home such a wonderful daughter-in-law. He’s got great taste.” She picked out some dishes for her and gently patted her hand. “If Yujun ever bullies you, just tell me. I’ll deal with him for you.”

Qian Jianing looked over at Li Yujun, who had just come down from upstairs, and smiled. “He wouldn’t dare. He can’t beat me.”

Everyone burst into laughter. Li Yujing even winked at Li Yujun. “So, you two have your own little games, huh?”

For once, Li Yujun didn’t scowl. He even gave his younger brothers a rare gentle look. “It’s been a year since I tested your skills. After the meal, let’s spar on the field.”

Everyone stared at him in horror. “Seriously, Big Brother? On a day like this?”

He smiled. “This year, Jianing will spar with you instead. I won’t make a move.”

Relieved, Li Yujing sighed. They didn’t know how good their new sister-in-law was, but anything was better than being beaten by Li Yujun. One by one, they quickly nodded. “Don’t worry, Big Brother. We’ll be gentle with her.”

Li Yujun glanced at his silly younger brother and reached out to hold Qian Jianing’s fingertips. “Your boots have high heels. Be careful not to fall when you kick.”

Qian Jianing looked down at her stiletto-like heels, thought for a moment, and said, “To ensure their safety, I’d better not lift my leg.”

An hour and a half later, the Li family banquet finally came to an end. Li Yujing led a group of cousins, shouting that they were going to the training ground to spar with their big brother and sister-in-law.

Old Master Li, in an exceptionally good mood after two cups of fine wine, insisted on going along despite the cold, wearing his padded jacket. With the old man moving out, Li Jianguo and the other uncles couldn’t stay idle either. In the end, three generations all went together, leaving only the old lady and a few daughters-in-law at home.

Ten minutes later, Li Yujing and his cousins lay sprawled in a mess on the chilly ground, contemplating life. They still hadn’t figured out how they got knocked down.

Qian Jianing frowned slightly, seemingly surprised that Li Yujun’s brothers were actually so weak.

Not wanting to disappoint his girlfriend, Li Yujun simply took off his coat and hung it on a nearby horizontal bar. “Jianing, come see if I’ve improved over the past six months.”

Qian Jianing finally showed a serious expression. She took off her coat and handed it to Wang Chenchen. “Be good, hold this for me.”

Li Yujun struck like lightning—his punches fast and fierce. Just as the old man drew a breath to scold him for having no restraint, he saw Qian Jianing deflect every attack and even take the initiative to counter.

Li Yujing stared wide-eyed at the two sparring. “Why do I feel like big brother isn’t her match?”

As it turned out, Li Yujing was right. After exchanging thirty moves, Li Yujun was finally struck in the abdomen by one of Qian Jianing’s punches, flying one or two meters before crashing to the ground beside Li Yujing. Though the fall looked brutal, Qian Jianing had controlled her strength well—aside from a sore backside, Li Yujun wouldn’t be injured.

Startled by Li Yujun landing next to him, Li Yujing silently scooted away, wanting to put some distance between himself and this human weapon. But just as he inched aside, Qian Jianing walked over, squatted down, and patted him on the shoulder. “Want to go another round? You didn’t seem too focused last time we sparred.”

Tears welled up in Li Yujing’s eyes: His big brother actually married someone even more terrifying than him! How were the younger brothers supposed to survive now?