Chapter 9 Do you want to stay for dinner?

Xie Lin raised an eyebrow slightly. 

Looking at the figure standing not far away, looking embarrassed and hesitant, a hint of amusement unconsciously flashed in his eyes.

“Looking for you.”

“Oh.”

Lin Yiwan suppressed the embarrassment in her heart and walked forward.

“Are you staying for dinner? I bought a fish, the last one I managed to get.”

Speaking of the fish she bought, Lin Yiwan’s almond-shaped eyes couldn’t help but curve, her bright little face carrying a hint of smugness, playful and lively.

Xie Lin originally just wanted to ask when she would be free to go home with him, but when he met her curved eyebrows and eyes, he nodded impulsively.

“Okay.”

Pushing open the vermilion-lacquered door, the two entered the courtyard one after the other.

They had already registered their marriage, only waiting for the approval procedures to come through; privately having dinner together wasn’t considered inappropriate.

However, while that was the logic, when truly together in the same courtyard, Lin Yiwan still felt a little uneasy.

Even though she had already experienced a marriage in her previous life, she still couldn’t be composed when facing him.

Lin Yiwan could only attribute it to his overwhelmingly strong presence.

“You sit first, I’ll make you some tea.”

Coming to the backyard, Lin Yiwan hurriedly asked him to sit down.

After putting down the fish, she washed her hands and went to the locust tree with a kettle and teapot.

Xie Lin surveyed the courtyard.

The first impression was that it was clean, tidy, and yet stylish.

Under the porch, a string of glass wind chimes shaped like water droplets, like drops of crystal-clear water beads, made a crisp and pleasant sound when the wind blew.

Several carefully tended orchids, with emerald green leaves and white jade-like flowers, filled the air with a faint fragrance.

On the swing, a pillow embroidered with a picture of a small bridge and flowing water.

A book lay open beside the pillow.

“Brother Xie Lin, do you drink flower tea? This is all I have.”

Lin Yiwan said somewhat embarrassedly.

In the study of the courtyard, her mother had collected many books, and Lin Yiwan liked to browse them when she had nothing to do after work.

When she saw something interesting, she would try to make it.

Flower tea, candied fruit, cakes, embroidery…

Her maternal grandmother’s family was a prominent family in the old society. After the war, most of her maternal relatives emigrated, leaving only her in Beijing.

To support her maternal grandfather’s war efforts, she had donated almost half of the family’s remaining assets, leaving only a small portion for herself.

Not long after her maternal grandfather returned victorious from the war, her maternal grandmother passed away, leaving only her mother, an only daughter.

Her maternal grandfather, remembering his deceased wife’s support, even after remarrying, did not allow anyone to touch the legacy left by his first wife.

This is why her mother was able to inherit so many good things.

Later, her mother passed away early. Perhaps out of consideration for her maternal grandfather, Lin Weimin didn’t dare to deceive her into handing over those assets.

Now that her maternal grandfather was gone, weren’t they eyeing her inheritance?

“Okay.”

Xie Lin withdrew his gaze and turned to the girl opposite him.

Her slender jade hand grasped the handle of the kettle. Lifting the lid, the kettle tilted slightly, and the steaming water flowed into the teapot like a thin thread, making a gentle gurgling sound.

The flowers in the teapot slowly unfolded as the water flowed in, and a faint fragrance wafted into the air.

After pouring away the first infusion, Lin Yiwan refilled it with boiling water.

While waiting, she took out a special cloth to wipe up some spilled water on the table.

After a moment, she poured the brewed flower tea into the cup in front of him.

“Brother Xie Lin, please have some tea.”

Her clear eyes unconsciously showed a hint of nervousness, secretly observing his expression.

Xie Lin chuckled.

Nodding slightly, he picked up the teacup on the table.

As he brought it closer, the fragrance became even more fragrant. Xie Lin didn’t know much about flowers, he didn’t know what kind of flower it was, only that the fragrance was unexpectedly pleasant.

Taking a sip, it was sweet and smooth, fresh and elegant.

“Delicious.”

He complimented.

As soon as he spoke, those round eyes curved into crescent moons again, with a hint of pride.

“Then you drink slowly, I’ll go cook.”

Leaving that sentence behind, Lin Yiwan cheerfully went to the kitchen.

She also thought this lily chrysanthemum tea was delicious, but Song Huaiqing said it was too fragrant, not as refreshing as green tea.

No wonder he wasn’t her type.

In the kitchen, the grass carp was still alive, its gills opening and closing.

Lin Yiwan first put the rice in the pot, lit the honeycomb coal, and put the pot on the stove.

Then she took the fish to the water tank, picked up a rolling pin, and brought it down with a whack.

However, she didn’t have enough strength.  With one blow, the fish not only didn’t faint, but also struggled wildly.

“Ah!”

A trace of panic appeared on her porcelain-white face, and she stepped back in fright.

But she unexpectedly bumped into a solid wall of flesh!

“Careful!”

A large hand steadily supported her arm.

Lin Yiwan’s face flushed slightly, feeling a little uneasy.  Just as she was about to step back, the large hand politely released her.

“Are you alright?”

Xie Lin looked down at her.

Lin Yiwan’s eyelashes fluttered, her fair little face seemed to be smeared with rouge, looking both shy and embarrassed.

“I’m fine, this fish is a bit fierce.”

Her slightly trembling voice unconsciously carried a slightly upward inflection, her delicate voice was like a hook, making people’s ears itch uncontrollably.

“It is a bit fierce, let me kill it.”

Xie Lin said, and without waiting for her to refuse, he rolled up his sleeves and squatted down.

Again, with a light blow, the fish fainted.

Xie Lin picked up the nearby kitchen knife, just about to cut, as if he thought of something, his hand paused.

“How do you want it opened?”

Lin Yiwan hadn’t recovered from his dominance yet.  Hearing this, she stammered.

“Open the back.”

“Okay.”

Xie Lin nodded, the kitchen knife in his hand “swish, swish, swish” scraped off the fish scales, the blade made a cut on the fish’s back, a chop, and only a “crack” was heard, the fish split open from the back.

Watching his smooth and effortless movements, Lin Yiwan’s eyes widened.

“Brother Xie Lin, do you often kill fish?”

She couldn’t help but curiously ask.

“Occasionally.”

After opening the back and removing the innards, before Lin Yiwan could speak, he put the fish in a basin to wash.

Under the casually rolled-up sleeves, the tight and smooth forearm showed faint blue veins, and the large hand in the water had distinct knuckles.

The man who held a high position in the army in her previous life… was actually squatting in the kitchen to kill fish for her?

This realization made Lin Yiwan somewhat dazed.