Seeing his son refuse, a hint of disappointment flashed in Qin Hongwen’s eyes.
“Then I’ll drink juice too!”
He was very happy and wanted to have a drink to celebrate, but he couldn’t drink alone.
“Shall I have a drink with you?”
Tang Xiuxia suggested, looking at him.
“Forget it, aren’t you easily allergic to alcohol?”
“Half a glass is fine.”
“Let’s just forget it, drinking juice is the same.”
Qin Hongwen shook his head and refused.
Tang Xiuxia nodded slightly and said nothing more.
She was actually a little happy, because after so many years, Qin Hongwen still remembered her problem of getting an allergic reaction after drinking too much.
Xia Nuannuan helped pour juice for everyone.
“Come on, let’s all clink glasses.”
Tang Xiuxia raised her glass and called out.
Xia Nuannuan and the other two quickly raised their glasses, their gazes falling squarely on Qin Tian.
Qin Tian, who was about to start eating, put down his chopsticks and obligingly picked up his wine glass.
After everyone shared a drink, they prepared to enjoy the meal.
“Uncle Qin, try the garlic spare ribs. Brother makes them very well. They are my favorite.”
Xia Nuannuan pointed to a large plate of garlic spare ribs and recommended it to Qin Hongwen with a smile.
“Alright!”
Qin Hongwen nodded with a smile, picked up a piece, and praised, “They look very good. I’ve heard for a long time that Xiao Tian is a very good cook. Today I finally get to enjoy it.”
As he spoke, he looked at his son sitting beside him with a smile.
Qin Tian didn’t even look at him, remained silent, and put a piece of spare rib into Xia Nuannuan’s bowl.
Qin Hongwen was used to it. He lowered his head and took a bite of the spare rib meat, savoring it.
“How is it? Is it good?”
Tang Xiuxia asked with a smile.
“Delicious, so delicious.”
Qin Hongwen’s eyes lit up, and he nodded in surprise.
“See? Xiao Tian’s cooking is much better than mine.”
Tang Xiuxia said with a beaming smile.
“This tastes better than any hotel restaurant I’ve ever eaten at. It’s incredible. When did Xiao Tian learn to cook?”
Qin Hongwen glanced at his son in astonishment.
“He never used to cook. It was around the time before the college entrance examination last year that he suddenly became sensible and learned to cook, and his culinary skills were surprisingly good. I was also very surprised at the time!”
Tang Xiuxia replied with a smile.
Su Xia took a bite of the dish and interjected with a gentle smile, “Perhaps Xiao Tian has a talent for this, just like in his studies. Who could have scored a perfect score and become the top scholar before?”
The two felt that this made sense.
“Uncle Qin, Aunt Tang, Mom, please stop praising him. If you praise him any more, I’ll be embarrassed for him.”
Xia Nuannuan said with a chuckle.
“We’re talking about Xiao Tian, what does it have to do with you!”
Su Xia jokingly rolled her eyes at her.
“Of course, if you praise him for being amazing, I’ll also be very proud and honored. It’s the same logic, so naturally I’ll be embarrassed too!”
Xia Nuannuan said as a matter of course.
At this, Su Xia and the other two exchanged glances and couldn’t help but laugh.
“Try some other dishes, they are also very delicious.”
Tang Xiuxia said to Qin Hongwen.
“Yes, yes, I’ll definitely try them all, one by one.”
Qin Hongwen nodded repeatedly with a smile and started to pick up dishes from the table.
As expected, there were continuous praises.
Qin Tian calmly ate his own food, occasionally serving Xia Nuannuan, and ignored the praise directed at someone else.
The dishes were already very delicious, and it was the first time Qin Hongwen was tasting his son’s cooking, so he had a great appetite and his chopsticks did not stop.
Seeing this, Xia Nuannuan and the two mothers also seemed to have improved appetites, and they ate heartily.
Finally, all the dishes on the table were perfectly finished.
Qin Hongwen even mixed the sauces of several dishes with rice and ate them.
“I can’t eat anymore, I’m too full.”
Leaning back in his chair, Qin Hongwen said with a satisfied expression.
Xia Nuannuan smiled and said, “Uncle Qin, why don’t you go to the room and rest for a while!”
“No, no, no, I’ll help clean up. I enjoyed such a great meal but didn’t help with anything, which is not proper.”
Qin Hongwen said, pushing himself up from the chair.
“You really don’t need to help, and brother, you’ve worked hard too. You two should go to the room and watch TV. We’ll clean up.”
Xia Nuannuan suggested.
“Yes, yes, the three of us will clean up.”
Tang Xiuxia’s eyes lit up, and she nodded enthusiastically in agreement.
Su Xia looked at the two and immediately understood. She smiled without saying anything and began to clear the tableware.
Just as Qin Tian picked up two plates and stacked them, Xia Nuannuan reached out and snatched them away.
“Brother, I told you not to move anything. You’ve worked hard cooking so many dishes, go and rest.”
She urged him with a serious and earnest expression.
“I’m not tired!”
“No, you are tired!”
“Alright!”
Qin Tian compromised with a helpless expression and turned to enter the room behind.
Tang Xiuxia gave Qin Hongwen a look and nodded towards his retreating back.
Qin Hongwen was not foolish either. He knew that they were creating an opportunity for him. He smiled gratefully and turned to follow.
Xia Nuannuan and the two mothers looked at each other with smiles and began to clear the tableware together.
…
…
In the room, Qin Hongwen sat on the sofa placed horizontally, while Qin Tian sat far away on the sofa placed vertically.
It was the time for the evening news, and the room was very quiet, with only the sound of the host broadcasting the news from the television.
Qin Hongwen looked at Qin Tian several times, trying to find a topic to break the silence.
However, Qin Tian was focused on watching the news with a cold demeanor that showed no inclination to communicate, making it difficult for him to speak.
“Xiao Tian, let’s talk!”
Qin Hongwen really did not want to waste this opportunity and said with a thick skin.
Qin Tian did not respond. After a few seconds of silence, he glanced at him with a bland expression and said calmly, “I have nothing to talk about with you.”
“I know it’s hard for you to forgive me, but as long as there is a glimmer of hope, I will not give up.”
Qin Hongwen looked at him with firm eyes and said word by word, “I’ve been looking for you for so many years, and I’ve thought every day about the happy days when our family of three is reunited. I dare not ask for your forgiveness, but I only hope that in the remaining half of my life, I can have the opportunity to make amends to you and your mother.”
Qin Tian continued to watch the television, silent.
After a moment, Qin Hongwen suddenly thought of something. He reached into his inner jacket pocket, took out two bank cards, and placed them on the coffee table, pushing them over.
Qin Tian glanced sideways and frowned, “What do you mean?”
“These two bank cards contain all my savings over the years. One of them has two million, which is for you. The remaining money is about eight million, all in the other card. I’ll give it to your mother to keep later.”
“Just like your father bought a house for Xiao Xia, buying you a house is something I, as your father, should do. You are capable and have already bought one yourself, so I hope you can accept this card.”