Chapter 152: Shocked! Overjoyed! Upset… XIV
There was roasted pork, Lu’s favorite fish fillet porridge, king prawn in black bean sauce and some of the few classic dishes scrumptious enough to make one salivate at a glance. As the family was digging in, Huo Chen started sharing his adventure before this.
It was a suicide mission, which he succeeded anyway, like Agent 007, yet he was knocked into a coma upon obtaining top secret information. His leaders, for his safety, decided to fake his death to avoid the enemies’ inspection. His status was reviewed as “deceased with no remnants”. It was a pretty good trick that he managed to survive without being caught. Until the day he woke up, he immediately submitted the information and was once again applauded by the authority.
“Bravo, bravo. You survived a close shave, brother!” Said Huo Zhenning gleefully, “Allow me to introduce everyone for you.”
He first glanced at Lu and her mother, “This is my brother, Huo Chen.”
“And this is my wife, Xue Yuming and her daughter, Lu Zhaoyang.”
“Hello, my brother’s wife and…Yang,” greeted Chen as Xue Yuming started giggling maniacally while Lu Zhaoyang remained stoned in her seat, with her head lowered as she felt her heart bleeding.
She did not feel like giving responses and the situation was awkward enough. Huo Zhenning’s introduction was not helpful either.
“Don’t mind her,” added Huo Zhenning, chuckling, “Yang is a shrinking violet. She doesn’t talk much.”
“Mhm…” Huo Chen glanced at Lu, “That’s…not bad…” He projected a gentle stare.
Lu lowered her head further, as her script was disrupted again.
It was strange. Back when Huo Yunting teased her, no matter what harsh words he uttered, she always managed to hold her tears. Nevertheless, even the few most gentle words coming from Chen could make her burst into tears any second.
Huo Yunting sat right next to Lu, as his gaze drifted towards the lost prince and princess. His smile swirled mischievously.
Honestly speaking, Huo Yunting hardly had interests in dining with the two elderlies he hated the most on Earth but it was this addition to the show that kept him entertained enough to stay.
The dinner went on quietly, till a shelled prawn dropped into Lu’s bowl.
Lu shuddered as she lifted her head.
Huo Chen was…shelling prawns for her…
In his disposable gloves, he gently removed the seasoned shell of the prawn section by section, as he recalled the time when his woman happily announced her passion for prawns, without shells. And that one lighthearted announcement of hers became an indirect order. She never had to do it herself anymore. Her man would do it for her. He would even feed her.
“Thank you,” Lu Zhaoyang nodded thankfully, as she quickly shoved the prawn into her mouth before her tears overflowed.
It was probably the most delicious thing she had ever tasted tonight.
Akin to a production line, another piece of prawn fell into her bowl. It was that moment when Huo’s parents started to pull an awkward expression and Huo Yunting, looking extremely amused, beheld the little interaction between Lu and his uncle.
Huo Chen only stopped after filling her bowl with a handful of prawns, as he passed her a piece of napkin after removing his gloves, with goo-goo eyes.
It was as if they had met before.
Wait, Huo Chen had just returned from death, no way he would know Lu Zhaoyang!
Huo Zhenning tried acting naturally, although feeling more uneasy of the scene as time passed. Madam Xue nearly spilled her soup too. Yang had always been that obedient child in her heart. Huo Chen was a soldier and was in a coma for years. It should be impossible for them to have met before.
Oh… probably it was because of how Zhenning described Yang as a shrinking violet. So, Chen was playing a role of a kind senior to break the ice? Makes sense…
The old lady was a little excited thinking so, as she found out that unlike Huo Yunting, Huo Chen had a heart of gold.
That was a relief.