"This stir-fried beef is delicious too, Brother... Brother Tian, your cooking tastes even better than before!" Xia Nuannuan praised with delight.
"Then eat more!" Qin Tian smiled and put more food into her bowl.
"Mmm-hmm!"
"Nuannuan, just call us whatever you like. There's no need to pretend in front of your Dad and me," Su Xia said with amusement.
Xia Nuannuan's face flushed slightly, and she softly agreed. Xia Zhengping pursed his lips. Considering the spread of good food Qin Tian had prepared and how doting he was on their precious daughter, he reluctantly accepted Qin Tian's peculiar habit.
"However, the dishes Xiaojin made are truly delicious. Xiaojin, besides your studies, your culinary talent is also quite astonishing. Much better than Nuannuan's," Su Xia said with a smile.
"Mom... what are you saying? My cooking isn't bad either!" Xia Nuannuan quickly looked up, casting a resentful glance at her mother.
During the summer holiday after the college entrance exam, she often learned to cook with her mother at home, but it seemed heaven hadn't bestowed her talent in this area. She was learning just enough to get by. Of course, in front of Qin Tian, she still had to put on a brave face, not wanting him to think her domestic skills were far inferior to her mother's. As for cooking, she could improve by learning from her mother when she had time at home.
"Auntie, for us young people nowadays, being able to cook is already pretty good. During our class's military training, when we went for outdoor barbecue, no one else could step up," Qin Tian said with a light chuckle, speaking up for Xia Nuannuan.
"Oh? So, you were the one who ended up doing it?" Su Xia asked curiously.
"Yes, Mom! I'm telling you, the skewers he made were also delicious, much tastier than Dad's seafood feasts," Xia Nuannuan chimed in, a proud smile on her face.
"That's because you've eaten too much of it. Look at your female classmates, which one would say skewers are better than my seafood feast!" Xia Zhengping retorted a bit indignantly.
"That's because they haven't tasted Brother Tian's skewers. And besides, you didn't make those seafood dishes either. Except for the raw ones, all the others were made by chefs," Xia Nuannuan stated seriously.
Old Xia's face darkened, and he shot his daughter a resentful look, clearly displeased with her siding with someone else.
"Hahaha..." Su Xia couldn't help but burst into laughter. Qin Tian almost lost his composure and quickly lowered his head to eat his food.
"Dad, I was just kidding. I know your seafood is very delicious too. Here, Dad, eat more meat," Xia Nuannuan said sheepishly, giving him a roasted duck leg as an apology.
Old Xia huffed dismissively and turned to his wife, saying, "We were so serious about discussing what kind of gift to give her for her eighteenth birthday, and look at this girl! I've doted on her so much for so many years for nothing."
"Alright, alright, Nuannuan has apologized," Su Xia said with a smile, trying to placate him.
"Just a duck leg?" Old Xia complained, but he picked up the duck leg and started eating it with gusto.
"Dad, I'm sorry. I know you're the best and you love me the most," Xia Nuannuan said, blinking her big eyes and starting to employ her charm.
"You can stop it. Now that you have Xiaojin, the word 'best' doesn't quite apply to me anymore."
"Oh dear, Old Xia, why are you so sour! Who said there can only be one 'best'?"
"Nuannuan is right," Qin Tian chimed in, nodding in agreement.
Xia Zhengping glanced at him with a neutral expression and said nothing.
"Alright, you two, stop teasing each other," Su Xia said, unable to suppress her amusement, and changed the subject. "Nuannuan, regarding your birthday gift, is there anything you particularly want?"
Upon hearing this, Qin Tian eagerly pricked up his ears to listen. He had been secretly preparing Xia Nuannuan's birthday gift for some time and had already completed a part of it.
"Anything I particularly want..." Xia Nuannuan pondered for a moment and then shook her head. "I really can't think of anything. I feel like I have everything I need. You guys decide, I'll like whatever you choose."
"This year is different from previous years. Your eighteenth birthday gift is more significant. Here's the thing: your dad and I were discussing buying you an apartment near Jiang University, and you can decide on the renovation and design yourself. Everything will be up to you. What do you think?" Su Xia said, delivering a surprising statement.
"Buy an apartment?" Xia Nuannuan looked at her mother with a shocked expression. Qin Tian, standing beside her, was equally surprised.
"Yes!" Su Xia nodded with a gentle smile and explained, "Your eighteenth birthday signifies reaching adulthood and becoming independent. We feel this birthday gift is very suitable."
"Besides, buying you an apartment near the university gives you a place to stay, which is more convenient. When I come to Jiangcheng in the future, I can go straight there."
"If everything goes as planned, you should be staying in Jiangcheng after graduation, right? So, it's better to buy it sooner rather than later, as housing prices have been steadily rising these years."
After hearing this, Xia Nuannuan blinked in a daze. "But I think staying in the dormitory is fine. We don't need to buy an apartment!"
"That's not contradictory. If you want to stay in the dormitory, you still can. We're just getting you a place to stay. For example, if you and Xiaojin get tired of eating at the school cafeteria one day and want to cook for yourselves, and then have a meal together like today, you'll have a place, won't you?" Su Xia said with a smile.
Xia Nuannuan's eyes lit up at this. After exchanging a look with Qin Tian beside her, she smiled brightly and agreed, "Then I think that's quite good. You guys can decide."
"Then it's settled. Your dad and I will go look around nearby in the next few days and aim to finalize it before the National Day holiday."
"Mmm-hmm, thank you, Mom, thank you, Dad. You're the best!"
"This was all your mother's idea," Old Xia said with a hint of melancholy. When he first heard his wife's suggestion, he had naturally opposed it. After all, buying an apartment near the university would be creating convenience for that rascal Qin Tian. However, after his wife's reasoned persuasion, he had compromised. The primary reason for this was that he had already come to accept Qin Tian as his future son-in-law in his heart. He had also witnessed his daughter's feelings for Qin Tian. In his opinion, they were already inseparable. Moreover, he absolutely could not allow such a situation to happen; he couldn't imagine how deeply his daughter would be hurt if she and Qin Tian broke up. Therefore, he had agreed to his wife's proposal, believing it would be beneficial to his daughter and Qin Tian's relationship. Of course, as a condition, his wife had also agreed to have a serious talk with their precious daughter, allowing her to date but not to give herself away too easily.
"Um... Uncle Xia, Auntie, I have something I'd like to ask of you," Qin Tian suddenly said.
Mr. and Mrs. Xia looked at him with puzzled expressions.
"Xiaojin, what is it? Just say it!" Su Xia asked.
"It's like this. I currently have some funds, and hearing what you just said, I was wondering if you could help me look for an apartment as well when you're looking," Qin Tian stated his request seriously.
The couple was taken aback.
"Just like your family and Nuannuan's grandparents, preferably an apartment opposite ours," Qin Tian added.