Ten minutes later lunch was prepared. The large wooden dining table was attached to the living room, and from there you could still see the courtyard outside.
At this moment, Ning Qing and Ning Yao were helping bring out the dishes. Lin Yuan had offered to help but he was shooed away.
So he sat on the couch holding Boazi while absentmindedly staring at the busy figures.
"Everyone is very busy aren't they Baobao?" He was trying to speak quietly.
"Meow." The fat cat also meowed a little softer.
"What? You're saying I should help? But I already tried to…"
"Meow meow."
"I guess you're right."
Lin Yuan suddenly got up, startling the fat cat. After putting the cat, who was now upset at being moved, back on the couch he headed toward Ning Qing. She was busy arranging the dishes on the table.
"I'll help you."
"Huh? Oh Lin Yuan, I told you before it's fine, you're a guest you should sit down."
"Baozi said that I should help you."
"The cat?" Ning Qing looked at his expressionless face and was helpless, "Alright, you do this then, I'll get some cat food."
Lin Yuan leaned forward toward Ning Qing and spoke more quietly while glancing at the fat cat who was now trying to switch channels on the remote, "Don't give him too much, the vet said that he needs to lose weight or -"
"-Okay, I got it, I'll do that and you can get the rest of the dishes from the kitchen." Ning Qing cut him off, placed the rice bowls she was holding into his hands and quickly left.
After a while, the dishes were all laid out and everyone had congregated at the dining table. The fat cat had his own plate, and he sat near the couch watching the tv intently.
Grandma Ning had already seen Lin Yuan earlier in the kitchen, and Lin Yuerong had already informed everyone that he was coming so there was no awkwardness or worry that there wasn't enough food.
Lin Yuerong looked at the large array of dishes. Pig trotter soup, sesame chicken, dandan noodles, egg drop soup… "Grandma, you made so much!" She was very excited.
"Haha, it's not much, we're here to celebrate you Yuerong." Even though Lin Yuerong wasn't her granddaughter, these few years she had always been helping them. Even though Grandma Ning didn't really understand much about games, she knew it was a big milestone for Lin Yuerong.
She couldn't help but get emotional, "Congratulations!"
"Congratulations!"
Everyone toasted their glasses, even Lin Yuan. Of course it wasn't wine but water.
Lin Yuerong was embarrassed, "Hehe, thank you, thank you." She bowed and returned every toast with a silly smile on her face.
Everyone began eating.
Surprisingly it was Lin Yuan who ate the most. Whenever Grandma Ning would offer to refill his rice, he would always nod obediently. Seeing this Lin Yuerong complained once again how unfair it was that he could eat so much and still be skinny. Actually even Ning Qing was a little jealous of him.
Unlike Ning Yao, although Lin Yuerong also liked meat, she wasn't afraid of vegetables. She would take a little from every dish. By the end of lunch she was laid back on the chair, exhaustedly rubbing her bulging belly.
She turned to Ning Qing who was cleaning up, "We're going for dinner later right?"
Ning Qing glanced at her and couldn't imagine how she could be thinking of dinner already, but she still replied, "I've already messaged Senior Zhou and Du Wei, we can pick them up at 7."
Lin Yuerong was excited, "Zhou Ye huh? I haven't seen that brat in so long."
"He's a little different now." Ning Qing couldn't help but smile.
"How different can he be?! When he sees me he still has to call me senior sister!" Lin Yuerong declared loudly, while stealing glances at her brother.
Look at me! Look at me! Look how cool your elder sister is!
Lin Yuan was on the couch now, watching TV with Baozi and Ning Yao. He looked over to the table briefly, attracted by the loud voice, and then went back to watching the program. He couldn't be distracted, this was a new series, "The Rebirth of the Emperor's Daughter".
He was trying to enlighten the poor girl Ning Yao.
Seeing him ignoring her, Lin Yuerong felt that it wasn't that fun to show off.
"I'm going to take a nap."
"Don't sleep on the table, senior sister, just sleep in my room." Ning Qing advised.
"Hehe, you don't understand qingqing, this is the optimal sleeping position of a programmer. Now shoo, shoo." Lin Yuerong waved her hands, and slumped down at the table. She was exhausted after eating so much.
Thirty minutes later.
Lin Yuerong woke up. She was about to tell Lin Yuan on the couch that they should probably head home. However when she turned around she was stunned.
All four people, including the cat, were sitting around the tv watching intently. Whenever something happened on screen, they would all collectively groan or clap.
"Hey, hey, why didn't you wake me up?! You guys are having fun without me." Lin Yuerong was upset.
She crashed onto the seat next to Ning Yao, and hugged her in her arms.
Surprisingly, Ning Yao didn't say shake her off, "Don't distract me. This is the important part."
Grandma Ning was also watching with them, "I didn't expect you to like soap operas too Lin Yuan."
She thought young people didn't like soap operas. She couldn't help but feel she was right in her first impression, what a nice boy!
"Grandma this isn't a soap opera, this is a palace romance!" A voice corrected.
"What's the difference?" She didn't understand, it all seemed the same to her.
"Grandma, a palace romance is much more complex. It delves into the interpersonal relationships and culture and historical practices of the ancient people. This is about life! It's not comparable to a soap opera! And anyway the romance…" The voice droned on.
"..." Lin Yuerong was surprised to see Lin Yuan shaking his head and seriously educating the old woman. How did you guys get so cozy after a short nap?!