Squeeze Dry

They chatted as they ate.

"Qingcheng, if anyone at school gives you trouble, just come find your cousin right away."

Jiang Yunlu picked up a piece of fatty beef with her chopsticks and said with a smile, "He's quite the tyrant over at our Guangba High."

Hearing this, Lin Mo raised an eyebrow and immediately nodded in agreement. "That's right. Just remember that your brother here is the number one top student at Guangba. Of course, if I'm not around, looking for these three sisters will work just as well."

"You mean the number one school bully. Either way, no one dares to mess with you," Jiang Yunlu exposed him mercilessly.

Hearing this, Ning Qingcheng pretended to open her mouth in exaggerated shock.

"Brother, doesn't that make you like one of those... personal genius bodyguards for the school beauty from the novels?"

No doubt about it, this was absolute mockery.

Lin Mo's eyelid twitched. He calmly scooped a bowl of soup and brought it right to her lips.

"If you're thirsty, drink some soup. Why are you talking so much?"

Ning Qingcheng subconsciously raised her hands to take it. The broth, having boiled the beef, had taken on a rich and savory flavor. The warmth slid down her throat, making her narrow her eyes in comfort.

Having gotten something good, she immediately closed her mouth in satisfaction and focused on dealing with the hot soup in her bowl.

The TV in the living room was playing a classic Hong Kong police drama. The gunfights and chase scenes were intense and thrilling. Everyone watched with great relish, especially the youngest, Ning Qingcheng, whose small face was full of tension.

Jiang Yunlu was thoroughly enjoying it, occasionally throwing in a comment or two.

Only Xie Yuling sat there quietly, silently peeling shrimp. The translucent shrimp meat was quickly separated by her fingertips and stealthily placed into Ning Qingcheng's bowl.

On the surface, it looked like a strategy to win over her future sister-in-law, but in reality, Xie Yuling truly cared for Ning Qingcheng.

They ate the hotpot to their hearts' content. After boiling the vegetables, the umami flavor of the broth faded quite a bit.

Lin Mo served everyone some vegetables and then announced the end of the hotpot session.

He briskly cleared the dishes into the kitchen and, a moment later, brought out a large fruit platter.

Sliced strawberries, apples, and watermelons were neatly arranged. The watermelon had even been carefully deseeded, its bright red flesh looking incredibly appetizing.

This level of thoughtfulness made even Jiang Yunlu marvel.

Xie Yuling picked up a strawberry and had just taken a bite when she suddenly stood up.

"Leave the dishes to me. It makes no sense to let the birthday boy do the washing."

She wiped her hands and was about to head to the kitchen.

Lin Mo stepped forward and blocked her path, smiling warmly. "You're a guest. How could I let you wash the dishes?"

Before he even finished speaking, he reached back and accurately pinched a certain little head on the sofa next to him.

"She'll wash them!"

Ning Qingcheng, who had been watching the protagonist get surrounded and was clenching her small fists in suspense, jerked her head around in astonishment. "Wait! I'm watching my show!"

Great, this generation of youth has been ruined by television.

"It's fine. You can wash them right after you finish watching. I'll leave them all for you." Lin Mo's tone was as gentle as if he were coaxing a child.

Xie Yuling looked at the "hostage" Ning Qingcheng, then at Lin Mo's matter-of-fact expression, and sighed helplessly.

"I'm starting to think I should just have Qingcheng move in with me sooner. Staying here with you, she'll only be ruthlessly exploited."

Hearing this, Ning Qingcheng's eyes instantly lit up. She nodded furiously like a chick pecking at rice, terrified that Xie Yuling might change her mind.

"Yes, yes! Sister Yuling, I'll go with you!"

This little traitor didn't even blink at the chance to escape her senior brother.

Seeing her lively reaction, Lin Mo wasn't annoyed; instead, he let go.

"Sure, you can go back with her tonight."

He agreed so readily that Ning Qingcheng was stunned, unable to process it for a moment.

This girl was finally showing some of the liveliness she should have at her age. It was time to let her out to interact with others more.

Xie Yuling was also taken aback but then smiled, understanding the indulgence in Lin Mo's eyes.

After confirming she hadn't heard wrong, Ning Qingcheng was so happy she almost jumped off the sofa. She hugged Xie Yuling's arm. "Sister Yuling, can I sleep with you tonight?"

Lin Mo looked at his disciple, who was turning her back on him so quickly, and slowly added a condition.

"You can go."

"But you're not getting out of washing the dishes. Go after you wash them."

Ultimately, kept in check by Lin Mo, Ning Qingcheng happily went to wash the dishes.

Ning Qingcheng could control space, so all she needed to do was fill the sink with water, add dish soap, stick her hands in, and spin the water vigorously!

She wouldn't wear down the tableware, either.

A manual dishwasher was thus born.

Of course, she would run out to watch TV and then go back to washing when the commercials came on.

Finally, half an hour later, Ning Qingcheng finished washing the day's dishes.

Lin Mo also took the cake out of the fridge.

"Then let's cut the cake!"

Chu Miaomiao had already prepared the birthday candles and such, while Xie Yuling walked over to the light switch by the door.

Jiang Yunlu picked up the prepared birthday hat and personally placed it on Lin Mo's head.

Ning Qingcheng had actually never experienced any of this before.

She had only seen it in anime. Strangely enough, her family didn't have the custom of cutting birthday cakes.

On her birthday, she would just have a meal with her family, and everyone would give her gifts. Most of these gifts were expensive and beautiful accessories.

But she had never cut a cake.

She didn't understand the rituals, so she just stood quietly to the side and watched.

Eighteen candles were stuck into a three-pound cake.

There was definitely enough room.

"I heard that you have to blow out all the candles in one breath for your wish to come true," Jiang Yunlu said, blinking at Lin Mo.

"It's fine, I believe Lin Mo can do it." Chu Miaomiao said, holding Hajimi.

Xie Yuling took the cue and turned off the lights.

"Wishing you fortune and longevity equal to heaven, celebrating your happy birthday. May you have this day every year, and this morning every age. Congratulations! Congratulations!"

This was the local version of the birthday song.

When Xie Yuling sang, the others couldn't keep up, seemingly unfamiliar with this kind of birthday song.

Chu Miaomiao had learned the English version from Chu Lintian, since Chu Lintian had studied abroad.

And Jiang Yunlu didn't watch much TV, so she wasn't familiar with this birthday song either.

"Everyone just sing a version you're familiar with," Lin Mo suggested.

Jiang Yunlu immediately followed up, singing the standard version of Happy Birthday.

Then came Chu Miaomiao's English version.

Hearing Chu Miaomiao's singing voice, everyone else present was stunned.

Because Chu Miaomiao sang beautifully; both her tone and emotion were excellent.

It was just that Chu Miaomiao was shy and rarely sang.

Only after she finished singing did Lin Mo close his eyes to make a wish, and then he blew out the candles.

In one breath, all eighteen candles were extinguished.

Not a single drop of wax fell onto the cake.

"Come, come, let's eat the cake. The cake Miaomiao made is delicious."

However, Xie Yuling and Chu Miaomiao simultaneously added a comment.

"Not as delicious as the ones you make."

Great, a world where only Jiang Yunlu was hurt had been achieved.