Gu Hai quickly said, "It's fine, it's fine. I can handle it myself. Xiao Yun has worked all day and must already be tired. Leave the rest to me!"
Just as he finished speaking, Su Wenbing finally arrived, panting heavily.
His face was drenched in sweat, his back bent under the weight of the gifts as he gasped for breath.
"Brother Hai, you run so fast! I almost couldn't keep up!"
Seeing Su Wenbing, Gu Hai finally remembered he had brought him along.
He quickly introduced him to Chen Xiue.
"Mom, this is my childhood friend. His father is the logistics section chief at the Public Security Bureau. He insisted on coming with me today to meet everyone."
Hearing that Su Wenbing's father also worked at the Public Security Bureau, Chen Xiue's smile widened.
"Young man, carrying all those things must have worn you out, right?"
Su Wenbing had come precisely to build goodwill—how could he possibly complain?
He immediately replied, "These were all bought by Brother Hai for your family. I was only helping carry them temporarily. I'm not tired at all!"
At that, Chen Xiue's smile became even more sincere.
"Alright, stop standing at the door. Come inside and sit! Xiao Wu, quickly get a basin of water for the guests to wash up!"
Since guests had arrived, Su Baoguo no longer rushed outside to play. Hugging his tin airplane, he grabbed a washbasin and ran to the water tap in the courtyard.
Chen Xiue and Su Wenshan warmly welcomed Su Wenbing.
Meanwhile, Gu Hai skillfully slipped into the kitchen, rolled up his sleeves, and started cooking.
Before long, Su Yun also entered the kitchen. Looking awkward and stubborn, she picked up a clove of garlic and began peeling it.
Gu Hai had just finished lighting the stove when he turned and said to her,
"Xiao Yun, it's hot in the kitchen. Don't bother helping—go outside and sit by the electric fan."
Still peeling garlic, Su Yun replied calmly,
"That won't do. My mother specifically ordered me to help you cook today. Otherwise, I'm not allowed to sit at the table."
As she spoke, she deliberately crushed a garlic clove into a complete mess.
Seeing this, Gu Hai silently picked up the garlic pieces and peeled them again himself.
Su Yun pursed her lips, then turned and tampered with the stove Gu Hai had just lit, extinguishing the fire within moments.
Gu Hai didn't dare complain. He could only relight it.
After finishing her little act of sabotage, Su Yun leaned against the chopping board, crossed her arms, stared directly at Gu Hai, and raised a brow.
"Comrade Gu Hai, are you always this attentive at Sun Xiaoping's house too?"
Gu Hai immediately looked as though he were facing a great enemy. He quickly began proving his loyalty.
"Xiao Yun, I swear, I've never eaten a single meal at Uncle Sun's house! When my father was still alive, my family had no shortage of food or necessities. We never needed Uncle Sun's help. Later, after my father passed away, Uncle Sun wanted me to move into his house, but I refused immediately."
"I swear every word I'm saying is true!"
At that moment, Gu Hai deeply regretted ever telling Su Yun that Director Sun had once wanted him to become his son-in-law.
Now he was suffering the consequences of his own foolishness.
Hearing his explanation, Su Yun simply turned her head away and deliberately ignored him.
Gu Hai was filled with anxiety.
Suddenly, he remembered Su Wenbing's so-called ultimate trick.
His heart immediately started racing.
Slowly moving his feet, he edged closer toward Su Yun.
"Xiao Yun…"
"What are you doing? Don't come so close!"
Su Yun noticed him approaching, her bright eyes widening instantly.
Gu Hai lowered his head, cheeks flushing red. Nervously licking his lips, he seized the moment when Su Yun wasn't prepared and awkwardly but quickly pecked her on the cheek.
Then, pressing his lips together, he shamelessly pleaded in a spoiled tone:
"Xiao Yun, stop being angry, okay? Please? Pretty please?"
Su Yun: "!!!"
She was silent for a long moment.
Her brows knit tightly. She had not expected Gu Hai to resort to such a trick.
"Who taught you that?" she demanded coldly.
Gu Hai was so frightened by her reaction that he instantly forgot his embarrassment. Straightening up like a scolded schoolboy, with his hands and feet awkwardly stiff, he honestly confessed:
"Su Wenbing! He was the one who encouraged me."
"He said his father always uses this trick to coax his mother, and it always works. That liar! I'll deal with him later!"
Su Yun replied seriously,
"That definitely doesn't work. Let me teach you something that does."
The moment she finished speaking, Su Yun moved fluidly. Rising onto her tiptoes, she cupped Gu Hai's face and directly kissed him hard on the lips.
Hmph. Was he joking?
She had far more experience than him. There was no way she would lose to Gu Hai in something like this.
---
An hour later, dusk had fallen.
The main room of the Su family home was lit, and the electric fan hummed steadily.
Four dishes and one soup had been placed on the dinner table. Among them was the steamed sausage Gu Hai had brought earlier that day.
Without needing to be told, Su Baoguo carried over another stool to add extra seating.
Meanwhile, Su Yun and Gu Hai arranged the bowls and chopsticks together.
Chen Xiue warmly called to the guest.
"Wenbing, hurry and sit down. Your name really is wonderful—it sounds like you could be Old Su's brother. What fate!"
Su Wenbing sat down quickly and laughed.
"Auntie, then from now on, maybe I should just call Uncle my sworn brother! Hahaha…"
Before he could finish laughing, he caught the sharp glare Gu Hai shot at him.
He immediately fell silent and awkwardly withdrew his smile.
Su Wenshan quietly put away his smoking pipe. Taking advantage of Chen Xiue not paying attention, he opened the cabinet and reached inside.
Before he could grab anything, Su Yun asked suspiciously:
"Dad, what are you doing?"
Hearing her voice, Chen Xiue turned around and said sternly:
"I already hid all the liquor in that cabinet. You might as well give up!"
Su Wenshan shivered slightly and withdrew his hand.
"It's not that I want to drink… I just thought I should entertain the guests…"
Su Wenbing casually waved his hand.
"Uncle, I don't drink. My dad keeps a strict watch on me—I wouldn't dare break the rules!"
Su Wenshan shot him a resentful look.
Left with no choice, he obediently sat down.
At the dinner table, Chen Xiue first handed a steamed bun to Su Wenbing, then placed a piece of sausage into Gu Hai's bowl.
When she looked up, she suddenly stared in surprise.
"Gu Hai, why is your face so red?"
At once, Gu Hai nearly choked on the sausage!
Everyone's eyes immediately focused on his face.
Under the dim yellow light, Gu Hai's finely sculpted handsome features were indeed flushed with an unnatural redness.
While coughing, Gu Hai hesitated.
But Su Yun smoothly covered for him.
"Mom, the stove in the kitchen was burning the whole time, and it was really hot in there. Gu Hai must just be overheated."
"Yes." Gu Hai nodded quickly, feeling terribly guilty.
Chen Xiue immediately looked concerned.
"Gu Hai, then don't go into the kitchen anymore. The weather is already hot enough. Be careful not to get heatstroke. From now on, just wait and eat."
After speaking, Chen Xiue looked at him more closely and grew even more puzzled.
"Gu Hai… why are your lips swollen?"
Gu Hai instinctively pressed his lips tightly together, looking incredibly suspicious.
Su Yun blinked innocently and answered quickly:
"He has internal heat. Just now, he secretly ate some sausage in the kitchen, so his lips swelled up."
As she said this, she even pretended to scold him.
"Look at you. I already told you not to sneak food, but you refused to listen. Luckily it's only swollen lips! Next time, will you still dare to do it?"
Gu Hai cooperated perfectly.
Shaking his head, he replied obediently:
"No. I won't dare do it again."