Damn it, I'm surrounded by childhood sweethearts-Chapter 632 - 441. Ruan Wen was sad, but Ruan Wen couldn’t say it_2

"Pfft...cough cough." The three adults exchanged looks, nearly bursting into laughter.

They knew Xiao Ruawen's usual behavior at home all too well—unless there was something special, she couldn't be woken up before eleven o'clock. What Xu Qingfan had said wasn't entirely without reason, but it was almost a tall tale.

"Cough cough... You might not believe it, but Ruan Wen really is putting in a lot of effort, even more than me!" Xu Qingfan wanted to keep boasting, but seeing their expressions, he realized he had overdone it.

"Alright, alright, we know Ruan Wen's character better than anyone, and with Xiao Fan looking after her, we can rest easy," Zhao YueMin patted his shoulder, giving him a way out.

Xu Qingfan, for some reason, thought back to that night when he was slapped by Xiao Ruawen, his face reddening like a guilty man.

[Auntie, maybe you shouldn't be so at ease, I'm afraid you might not be able to accept it later...]

"Cough... uh-huh!"

The five girls happened to come out of the kitchen just then, Xiao Ruawen cradling a tray of frozen durian.

"Mom, Brother Fan, what are you talking about? Time to eat durian!"

Zhao YueMin saw a piece already in her daughter's mouth and her face instantly lined with disapproval.

"Talking about how you're a glutton, telling Xiao Fan to give you extra helpings," Zhao YueMin said, poking Xiao Ruawen's forehead as she came over.

"Hehe~ sure!" Xiao Ruawen took it as a compliment.

"This piece is for Brother Qing Fan—it's the best-looking one," Lin Wanning carefully selected the finest piece of durian and proudly offered it to Xu Qingfan.

"Thank you, Wanning!"

"Brother, try this strawberry, it's so sweet!"

"Okay, thank you, Yu."

"Brother, I only want to eat half, can I give you the rest?" Zhang Yiyi indicated the durian she had just taken a bite from.

"Sure, give it to me," Xu Qingfan was not one to refuse.

"Do you want the strawberry tops?" Xia Xiaoxiao was originally mindful of the adults present, but since Zhang Yiyi had done so, she was not to be outdone!

Xu Qingfan really wanted to refuse Xia Xiaoxiao's offer, feeling like he had been turned into a garbage can!

What?

You say countless people would line up to eat something that Xia Xiaoxiao's touched, that he should know better?

Xia Xiaoxiao thought Xu Qingfan was about to refuse but then saw him suddenly reach out, "Give it here, don't waste food."

"Ah... here." Xia Xiaoxiao blinked, took another white strawberry, bit half, and passed both strawberry tops to him.

Xiao Ruawen's grandparents exchanged a glance, Xiao Lijian spoke up, "It's good to cherish food. It's time for a nap, you all eat and chat at your leisure."

"Yes!"

"Grandpa, Grandma, have a good afternoon!"

After seeing the elders back to their room, the group continued to eat and chat, with Xu Qingfan consuming the strawberry tops and uneaten portions of durian they produced.

Zhao YueMin was rolling her eyes so hard they might reach the sky, not because of what Xu Qingfan was doing, but because of Xiao Ruawen!

Other girls knew to give their strawberry tops to Xiao Fan, but her own daughter, with a strawberry in one hand and durian in the other, guarded them jealously as if afraid someone would steal them!

[What a good son-in-law I have, and this foolish girl doesn't even try to compete!]

"Eat slower, no one's competing with you. Look at Xiao Fan, even as a boy he's more refined than you," Zhao YueMin wiped her daughter's mouth with a tissue, as Xiao Ruawen wore a face of disdain.

"Psh~ Mom, Brother Fan is just faking it. Why aren't you eating durian, Mom?"

Zhao YueMin:...

[My foolish daughter~ I'm not asking you to learn his refinement, but to do like the other girls and give the strawberry tops and leftover durian to Xiao Fan!]

She completely gave up on hinting this to her silly daughter; perhaps, as Xiao Ruawen said, she really only saw Xu Qingfan as a brother.

"The durian is really sweet, huh." Zhao YueMin picked up a piece of durian and silently joined in.

Xiao Ruawen stealthily glanced at Xia Xiaoxiao, making sure she wasn't watching, before she let herself relax.

She, Xiao Ruawen, might seem like a simpleton who loves gossip, but actually, she was as cunning as they came!

She could easily see what her mother was getting at. Just from Zhao YueMin's regular nagging, she could tell her mother hoped something would happen between her and Brother Fan, so that once they reached the appropriate age, they could go straight to the civil affairs bureau and get married.

But Brother Fan was Xia Xiaoxiao's crush! She, Xiao Ruanwen, was Xia Xiaoxiao's bestie. How could she possibly do something like stealing her best friend's man!

Ruanwen was inwardly distressed, but Ruanwen couldn't say it out loud.

[Mom really! I've already said I only see Brother Fan as a brother, as a brother!]

"Aunty is going to take a nap too, so I won't get in the way of your chatting," said Zhao YueMin after finishing a piece of durian. She wiped her mouth and got to her feet.

"How could you be!"

"Not at all!"

"Good afternoon, Aunty!"

Easier said than done, but once Zhao YueMin left, the casualness in the six people's sitting positions visibly increased.

"Brother Fan, what were you talking about with my mom and the others in the living room? I saw you guys chatting and having a great time from the kitchen," Xiao Ruanwen immediately asked about her stuff the moment her own mom was out of sight.

The other four also made a show of listening attentively.

Xu Qingfan gave Xia Xiaoxiao a stare, and she had no choice but to eat the leftover strawberry tops herself.

It's not that the strawberry tops weren't delicious; Xia Xiaoxiao simply wanted to feed Xu Qingfan something she had eaten.

As for why not give him the delicious strawberry bottoms, well, don't they still need their little wraps of modesty!

Xia Xiaoxiao withdrew her Divine Skills, and seeing this, the other three girls also withdrew their Divine Skills.

Only then did Xu Qingfan start to speak, "Let me think, we talked about the health checkup, how we should involve Aunty and Grandpa and Grandma in the next one, and then the conversation turned to Ruanwen's dad taking vacation time for New Year's, so I mentioned that there was a school performance during New Year's where Uncle could come watch Ruanwen sing."

"And then what?" Xiao Ruanwen's eyes brightened.

Xu Qingfan didn't keep her in suspense and continued, "Then your grandpa told me to keep an eye on you. You can sing, but don't let it interfere with your studies!"

"I was like, Grandpa, you really see it all. This Xiao Ruanwen, oh, she's super lazy at school, wakes up late, sleeps in class, and doesn't even shower for five days... Hey, hey, hey, why are you hitting me, Yu, help me stop her!"

Xiao Ruanwen didn't actually hit him, but her expression was infuriated. (╬ಠ益ಠ)

"Okay, okay, you believed that? Just kidding!"

Xu Qingfan stopped teasing her: "I was just saying that Ruanwen doesn't need me watching her. She's up at the crack of dawn every day studying, not even waiting for sunrise to get up and memorize vocabulary, then takes Little White out for a five-kilometer jog..."

"Pfft... Hahaha!" Xu Qingfan didn't finish his sentence before the five of them couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"Could you be any more outrageous!" Xiao Ruanwen rolled her eyes.

"I somehow feel like the first version was more truthful," Xia Xiaoxiao fanned the flames.

"Believe it or not, I only spoke well of you. Your grandpa and grandma were so happy, they almost said you were going to be an astronaut!" Xu Qingfan rolled his eyes too, but soon started laughing as well.

"You're so mean, Brother Fan, you gave yourself away, take this!" Xiao Ruanwen attacked him with a pillow and in no time, the two of them tangled up in a fight on the couch.

Soon after being smacked on the bottom three times by Xu Qingfan, Xiao Ruanwen, with a flushed face, ran away.

"Woo~ Xiao Xiao, he's bullying me!" She hid behind Xia Xiaoxiao.

Xia Xiaoxiao looked at Xu Qingfan, wanting to say something but hesitating. In the end, she said nothing at all.

She understood now; for some reason, that annoying dog had been nice to her, but she was sure, absolutely sure, that he wasn't about to confess his feelings to her.

So, it was best for her not to annoy this stinky dog, lest he stop being nice to her.

"Hmph~ You despicable Brother Fan, don't let me catch you by the tail!" Realizing Xia Xiaoxiao wasn't taking her side, Xiao Ruanwen sat back down properly.

Xu Qingfan found Xia Xiaoxiao and Xiao Ruanwen very amusing, and a daring thought suddenly blossomed in his mind.

[What if there were a few more instances like just now? Would these best friends start to drift apart and become disenchanted with each other?]

"What else do you want, I earn money and don't even dare tell my mom, but you win 100,000 yuan and just blurt it out like that?" Xu Qingfan gave her a look.

Xiao Ruanwen stuck out her tongue and said weakly, "It's different for us. Compared to you, Brother Fan, 100,000 yuan is but a small amount."

"You've got some nerve!"

"Woo woo~"

...