Chapter Fifty-three: The Dowry

Liu Ruoxi heard Qin Xuan’s voice and rushed out of the room, glaring at her father, who was taking liberties with Qin Xuan, and landed a punch on him in annoyance.

“Ouch!” Liu Hao clutched his arm where he’d been hit. “You really went for it this time!”

Then, seeing his daughter exchanging glances with Qin Xuan, he couldn’t help but sigh, “A grown daughter can’t be kept at home!”

Ruoxi looked a little embarrassed at his words, let go of Qin Xuan’s hand, and with a big smile hurried behind her father to massage his shoulders.

Liu Hao, rarely enjoying such tenderness from his daughter, almost couldn’t believe it.

It wasn’t until Wang Manshu and Qin Jianguo arrived that Ruoxi finally let go. Liu Hao rolled his shoulders and asked Qin Xuan, “Has Ruoxi ever massaged your shoulders?”

“Massage… no, never!” Qin Xuan looked at Uncle Liu’s smug face and changed his answer—well, let him have his moment.

As expected, Liu Hao’s pride swelled at his reply. He put away his phone, threw an arm around Qin Xuan’s shoulders.

Qin Jianguo didn’t know what to say at this sight. The man was forty and still acting like brothers with his son-in-law—how embarrassing!

…

In the end, it was Wang Manshu who cooked up a table full of dishes. There was really no alternative—Ruoxi’s inability to cook was directly related to her parents! Except for being energetic about traveling, they were as lazy as could be—lazier than Qin Xuan, even!

At the dinner table, Liu Hao suddenly pulled out a red envelope and handed it to Qin Xuan. Qin Xuan was a little flattered—he could still get red envelopes?

But Qin Lin’er, sitting to the side, couldn’t help feeling sour.

“I have to say, Sister Wang’s cooking is truly superb,” Liu Hao praised, stuffing his mouth with a chopstick-full.

“Well, of course! You should see whose wife she is!” Qin Jianguo said with some pride.

Wang Manshu shot him a look but still put more food in his bowl.

As for Qin Xuan, his bowl was already overflowing, yet Ruoxi kept piling on more. Qin Xuan understood—she wanted to show off in front of everyone! Why hadn’t she been so enthusiastic back in Shudu?

But meeting Ruoxi’s smiling gaze, he chose to accept it obediently. Lin’er, on the other hand, was not having it, but couldn’t say anything. She could only vent her frustration on the food, focusing all her attention on devouring a plate of cold chicken.

After dinner, they all relaxed for a bit before heading home. Ruoxi even tagged along, leaving her parents stunned—she wasn’t even married yet!

But Ruoxi ignored them, clinging to Qin Xuan’s arm. They had no choice but to let her be.

Ruoxi paid no mind to Lin’er’s strange look and made straight for Qin Xuan’s room.

Sprawling on his bed, Ruoxi took out the red envelope her parents had given her that afternoon. She hadn’t had a chance to open it after their shopping trip, but by the feel of it, it wasn’t very thick.

When she opened it, she found not cash, but a bank card. She frowned in confusion and called Qin Xuan over.

Qin Xuan took one look—damn, wasn’t this the card he’d been using to save money since childhood? All his money was in there.

Ruoxi toyed with the card, grinning. She already understood what her parents meant by this gesture.

Qin Xuan, on the other hand, looked miserable—he was doomed now…

“Where’s the red envelope my dad gave you?” Ruoxi asked, puzzled.

Qin Xuan fished it out, hoping it might help replenish his now empty wallet.

But when he opened it, he found another bank card inside, with a note on the back reading “dowry” and a password.

Both of them were a little amazed—wasn’t this all a bit hasty? What if they broke up someday?

“Looks like you’re officially mine now!” Qin Xuan teased, tilting Ruoxi’s chin.

Ruoxi wasn’t fazed, leaning into him. “Wasn’t I yours already?”

“Ugh…” Qin Xuan shuddered at her words.

Ruoxi burst out laughing at his reaction. “Forget it, this sweet-and-coy routine is more Lin’er’s style. I can’t pull it off.”

“Then why try? It’s too much.”

“Shut up! I only did it for you, you idiot!” Ruoxi couldn’t resist giving Qin Xuan two light punches to the chest.

“Here, take this,” Qin Xuan handed her the dowry card.

“Why?” Ruoxi was baffled. “That’s my dowry! Why are you giving it back?”

Qin Xuan gently rubbed her hand. “Don’t get me wrong. I just think you’re better at keeping the money. I don’t really need much.”

Hearing his explanation, Ruoxi finally got it. “Fine, just as well—it’ll stop you from spending it on little girls!”

Qin Xuan sighed—he’d walked right into that one…

Ruoxi held up both cards, grinning. “I’m going to go sleep with Lin’er.”

She hopped off the bed.

“Hey? Aren’t you staying with me?” Qin Xuan asked, puzzled.

“Are you stupid? It was one thing in Shudu, but here at your place—what would your parents think of me?” Ruoxi rolled her eyes.

“What’s the problem? Your parents are practically in on it…”

“No way,” Ruoxi cut him off, and without another word, slipped out with her things.

She knocked on Lin’er’s door. Lin’er, half-asleep, opened it and saw Ruoxi standing there.

“You’re not sleeping in my brother’s room? What are you doing here?”

“I missed you!” Ruoxi walked in, closed the door, and waved the cards in her hand. “Come look at today’s red envelopes—one’s your brother’s pocket money, the other’s my dowry.”

Lin’er scratched her head helplessly. “So you came just to show off?”

“How can you call it showing off? It’s called sharing,” Ruoxi replied shamelessly.

“Liu Ruoxi!” Lin’er finally lost her patience with Ruoxi’s brazenness. “Go look in the mirror, look how smug you are—shameless!”

Ruoxi obediently went to the dressing table, looked in the mirror, and exclaimed in delight, “No, I only see that I’m still so pretty! It’s so annoying~”

Lin’er: Are you kidding me?

“Get out! Just looking at you annoys me!” Lin’er pushed at Ruoxi but couldn’t budge her.

“Sigh, I was going to teach you a couple of tricks, but I guess never mind,” Ruoxi feigned regret, piquing Lin’er’s curiosity.

“Don’t, don’t, Ruoxi, please~” Lin’er hurriedly grabbed Ruoxi as she made to leave.

…

Meanwhile, in the living room, Liu Hao was still gaming on the couch, while Aunt Bai watched TV in boredom. She couldn’t help but kick him.

“Hey! You just gave the dowry to Qin Xuan like that. What if something happens in the future…” Aunt Bai still seemed worried.

“Relax, I know Qin Xuan’s character well enough,” Liu Hao replied without looking up. “You can tell by the way he plays games—never insults his own teammates.”

Aunt Bai: He’s even worse than you. What grounds does he have to insult anyone?

“Whatever. Anyway, Ruoxi keeps him in line. She’s just always running off to other people’s houses!”

“This account’s probably a lost cause by now. How about we start a new one?” Liu Hao suggested, massaging his wife’s feet.

“Get lost, you’re ruining our plans to travel the world!” Aunt Bai retorted.

That’s right, Uncle Liu was a bona fide second-generation rich kid! After inheriting a huge fortune from his father, he lost interest in business and decided to use it to travel the world. Bai Xiaomin, his wife, was a kindred spirit he met on his journeys; both of them planned to live a carefree life, and ended up together almost by accident. Even after Ruoxi was born, they never gave up on that dream. Luckily, Qin Xuan grew up alongside Ruoxi, or who knows how lonely she might have been! (Planning to write a side story about Liu Hao and Bai Xiaomin.)