Chapter 130: Cao Dawei’s Concern

Once inside, Li Qingying began attempting to make tea and handle other refreshments. However, she had no experience with such tasks, and she soon made a complete mess of things, leaving anyone watching quite anxious.

He Haoxuan approached her, suppressing a smile, and whispered, "Honey, let me handle this."

"He Haoxuan, you are not allowed to laugh," Li Qingying retorted, shooting him a glare. If she hadn't been focused on making a good impression in front of his former classmates, would she ever have bothered with such menial labor? She had never had to do anything like this in her life.

He Haoxuan quickly added, "Yes, honey, I won't laugh. Just let me take over."

"Go and start the rice; leave this to me," she insisted, gritting her teeth. As the dignified General Manager of the Baili Group, surely she could handle a simple task like this? Their guests were already seated, and He Haoxuan needed to get started on the meal.

Upon hearing they were expected to stay for dinner, Cao Dawei waved his hands in refusal. "Haoxuan, sister-in-law, please don't go to any trouble. We were just planning to sit for a moment and then head out." He wasn't sure why, but they had been sitting there for quite a while without even being offered a glass of water, and he had no idea what the couple was doing in the kitchen.

"Nonsense, Mr. Cao. Since it’s your first time here, you must stay for a meal. Haoxuan is an excellent cook—even better than what you’d find at a hotel. Don’t worry about a thing," Li Qingying said, walking out from the kitchen.

"Mr. He knows how to cook?" Zheng Hehua asked, clearly surprised. A moment ago, she had pegged He Haoxuan as a wealthy young playboy—he was so handsome that she had even been secretly comparing him to Cao Dawei. If he were also capable in the kitchen, that would make him truly perfect.

Cao Dawei shook his head inwardly. He figured that as a live-in son-in-law, if He Haoxuan couldn't cook or clean, he would have been kicked out long ago. *Sigh*, it seemed He Haoxuan had been suffering quite a lot at the Li household over the past few months. Being a man was hard enough, but being a live-in son-in-law was even harder.

"There’s no need to trouble Haoxuan; we should be going," Cao Dawei said, not wanting to increase He Haoxuan's workload. He assumed that, like other live-in sons-in-law, He Haoxuan was likely forced to cook, clean, and do all the chores, leaving him exhausted. He hadn't seen a single servant since arriving, so he guessed the Li family treated He Haoxuan like their personal help.

"It’s no trouble at all. Please don't leave; Haoxuan has already put the rice on, and he cooks very quickly. Preparing a meal for four won't take long at all," Li Qingying insisted warmly. Zheng Hehua, having entered the Li family's villa, was keen to stay longer. After all, they were a wealthy family, and building a rapport with them could only benefit her in the future.

Cao Dawei asked cautiously, "Sister-in-law, is it just the two of you living in this villa?"

"No, my parents live here too, but they’re out for dinner tonight. They should be back a bit later," Li Qingying replied with a shake of her head.

Cao Dawei sighed to himself. It wasn't easy for He Haoxuan to serve so many people. Fortunately, Li Qingying's parents weren't home, or they would surely have humiliated him. He had seen many live-in sons-in-law before; usually, the mothers-in-law were incredibly strict, often resorting to verbal or physical abuse, treating them as if they weren't even human.

As Cao Dawei hesitated, He Haoxuan’s voice rang out from the kitchen: "Dawei, don't leave! It’ll be ready soon; I really am very fast."

If anyone had been in the kitchen to see He Haoxuan wielding his cleaver, they would have been stunned. In his hands, the blade moved with a life of its own, striking the cutting board with such precision that the meat looked as if it had been processed by a machine—every slice perfectly uniform. It was truly extraordinary. Within minutes, the meat was prepped, and the vegetables were washed with equal efficiency.

Half an hour later, He Haoxuan called for Li Qingying to come and serve the dishes.

"No way, you finished cooking already?" Zheng Hehua asked, astonished.

"Yes, he's quite good," Li Qingying said, nodding proudly. Cooking was He Haoxuan's most impressive skill. It was a pity, she thought, that if he were only as capable in other areas, she would be even more satisfied.

He Haoxuan really was fast. By the time Li Qingying brought the first dish to the table and returned to the kitchen, he already had the second one ready. He had modified the kitchen himself, installing high-powered burners that rivaled those of a professional restaurant. Soon, four dishes, a soup, and the rice were all served.

As Zheng Hehua took a bite, she exclaimed, "Wow, this is delicious!"

"Of course it is; he’s a fantastic cook," Li Qingying said with a smug smile, as if showing off a masterpiece of her own making. He Haoxuan glanced at her, knowing exactly what she was thinking. She was trying to show off his competence to outsiders, hoping they would respect him. *Sigh, honey, if I only revealed a fraction of my true capabilities, it would shock everyone. Even that property deed I gave you today would be enough to make us the talk of Qingshan City.*

After the meal, Zheng Hehua offered to help Li Qingying with the dishes in the kitchen. Cao Dawei glanced toward the kitchen and whispered to He Haoxuan, "Brother, you’ve had a tough day."

"What do you mean, 'tough'?" He Haoxuan asked, confused.

"You’re always doing the cooking and cleaning like this—isn't it tiring?" Cao Dawei shook his head, assuming He Haoxuan had simply become accustomed to the misery.

"It’s fine. Cooking for my wife is actually quite pleasant," He Haoxuan replied with a smile.

Cao Dawei sighed again. What kind of man was this? A man should be out building a career, not playing the role of a domestic househusband.

Because Zheng Hehua was so charming, Li Qingying let her guard down and shared a bit about herself. When Zheng Hehua heard that Li Qingying was the General Manager of the Baili Group, her eyes widened. *My goodness, she’s so beautiful and so wealthy; it’s incredible.* Consequently, Zheng Hehua began to flatter Li Qingying even more. Li Qingying took a liking to her as well and gifted her some tea, which only delighted her further.

Seeing that it was getting late, Cao Dawei decided it was time to leave before they ran into He Haoxuan's mother-in-law, which would surely cause a scene. But just as he stood up to say goodbye, the sound of the front door opening echoed through the house, and Song Li and Li Dong walked in.

"Mom, Dad, you're back," Li Qingying called out.

"Yes, we finished dinner out. Qingying, do we have guests?" Song Li asked, frowning. She generally disliked having outsiders in their home, especially those who weren't wealthy.

"Yes, some of his old classmates are visiting. I asked them to stay for dinner," Li Qingying replied, nodding.

Hearing Li Qingying’s explanation, Cao Dawei felt a sinking feeling in his gut. He had already noticed the look on Song Li’s face when she walked in; she clearly disapproved of their presence. If Li Qingying had said they were her friends, perhaps Song Li wouldn't have been so irritated.