Absolute power in officialdom

Chapter 323: Mother and Daughter, and Best Friends

Xu Yunxi, holding a Kapibala doll, walked up to Wu Zhiyuan and said, "I even gave it a name, Yuanyuan."

Wu Zhiyuan laughed: "You might as well just call yourself Zhiyuan."

Xu Yunxi said with a smile, "How can that be? There's only one Brother Zhiyuan, he's one of a kind."

It's just a substitute, something to keep me company for now.

Calling you "Yuanyuan" is like saying "you're far away" to me; sometimes you're very close, and sometimes you're very far away.

Just then, Liu Qingqing called for dinner.

Four dishes and one soup.

Steamed salted fish, stir-fried cured pork with garlic sprouts, stir-fried broccoli, steamed sea cucumber with scallions, and yam and pork rib soup.

The salted fish was steamed to perfection, exuding a savory and fragrant aroma;

The cured pork was stir-fried until glossy, and the garlic sprouts were bright green;

Broccoli is bright green and refreshing;

Braised sea cucumber with scallions, the sauce is rich and flavorful, and the sea cucumber is tender and juicy.

The yam and pork rib soup was stewed until it turned milky white, and sprinkled with a few bright green scallions, making it look very appetizing.

Xu Yunxi said with a grin, "Aunt Qingqing, did you use all your special skills today?"

Liu Qingqing laughed and said, "Yunxi, if I neglect Zhiyuan, won't you get angry with me?"

Xu Yunxi said gracefully, "Aunt Qingqing understands me best! My Aunt Qingqing is the best!"

After the meal, Wu Zhiyuan insisted on clearing the table, washing the pots and pans, and Liu Qingqing did not refuse, saying with a smile, "Zhiyuan, let Yunxi help you."

Upon hearing this, Xu Yunxi jumped for joy: "Great! As long as I'm with Brother Zhiyuan, I'd be happy to do anything, even move bricks!"

Liu Qingqing looked at Wu Zhiyuan, covered her mouth and laughed, "Zhiyuan, has Yunxi gone mad with qi deviation?"

Xu Yunxi blushed and said, "Aunt Qingqing always makes fun of me."

Wu Zhiyuan started clearing away the dishes, and Xu Yunxi helped him.

Xu Yunxi was so happy she felt like she could fly, and couldn't help but hum a tune softly.

The birds in the trees are in pairs.

"Green mountains and clear waters bring smiles..."

It is a well-known excerpt from the Huangmei Opera "The Fairy Couple".

Liu Qingqing is a professional Huangmei Opera actress, and Xu Yunxi, influenced by her, has surprisingly become quite skilled at singing.

Her voice was clear and bright. Although it couldn't compare to Liu Qingqing's professionalism, she had the right amount of charm, making it pleasant to listen to.

"...You till the fields while I weave cloth."

I'll fetch water for you to water the garden...

When she sang those two lines, Xu Yunxi raised her eyes and quickly glanced at Wu Zhiyuan, her eyes filled with a hint of shyness.

Liu Qingqing, who was mopping the living room floor, sighed softly when she heard Xu Yunxi's singing. Xu Yunxi was using her singing to convey her feelings, but Wu Zhiyuan always seemed to be missing something.

Xu Yunxi's feelings for Wu Zhiyuan were sincere and passionate, like the summer sun, pouring down without reservation.

Liu Qingqing, having been through similar experiences, naturally saw things clearly.

She even envied Xu Yunxi's courage to express herself.

It's great to be young; you can feel like you can fight the whole world just by being full of enthusiasm.

When the music ended, only the sound of running water and the clinking of dishes remained in the kitchen.

Wu Zhiyuan turned off the tap and picked up a clean cloth to wipe his hands.

He didn't respond to the emotions in the lyrics, but only praised, "You sang very well, with the style of Teacher Liu."

"Of course! I learned it all from Aunt Qingqing!" Xu Yunxi said with a hint of pride. "If you really like it, I'll sing you many more beautiful songs!"

Wu Zhiyuan smiled and said, "Yunxi, you can learn a lot from Teacher Liu, such as cooking skills and Huangmei Opera."

Xu Yunxi's gaze fell on Liu Qingqing: "Aunt Qingqing, from now on I will not only learn cooking skills from you, but also know that if you want to win a man's heart, you have to win his stomach."

We also need to learn Huangmei Opera, because it is full of affection and righteousness, joy and sorrow, and stories of birds in pairs on the trees and couples returning home together!

Liu Qingqing smiled sweetly: "Yunxi, as long as you want to learn, I will teach you."

"Of course!" Xu Yunxi nodded vigorously, her tone full of sincere admiration. "Aunt Qingqing, I really admire you and envy you very much."

Look at you, you're equally at home in the living room and the kitchen.

She is so beautiful and has such a great temperament. She sings Huangmei Opera so well. She is a professional actress and has won so many awards.

At home, she can cook delicious meals and keep the house in perfect order.

You are simply my idol, my role model!

Liu Qingqing laughed and said, "You silly child, is your mouth all sweet today? You're just saying nice things."

As the indoor temperature rose, Liu Qingqing took off her coat, revealing only a close-fitting off-white cashmere sweater that accentuated her slender figure, subtly exuding the charm of a mature woman.

"Aunt Qingqing, I'm telling you the truth."

Even though you're not my biological mother, you treat me just like one, so well.

I have nothing but admiration and respect for you.

Liu Qingqing was truly moved and embraced Xu Yunxi, murmuring, "Yunxi, it's all fate that brings people together."

With so many people in the world, it is a rare and precious fate that allows us to become one family.

One of the luckiest things in my life is having your father and you.

Xu Yunxi nestled in Liu Qingqing's arms, her nose feeling a little sore.

She knew that although Aunt Qingqing loved her very much, deep down, because she was not her biological daughter, there was probably always a slight, indescribable sense of distance between them.

Her words today were meant to tell Aunt Qingqing that in her heart, she is her closest relative.

"Aunt Qingqing, shall we go shopping together this afternoon?" Xu Yunxi said softly.

"Is Zhiyuan going too?"

"Of course I'll go."

"You two young people go ahead, I won't go. I need to practice my singing this afternoon."

Liu Qingqing didn't want to be a third wheel, so she made up an excuse.

"Aunt Qingqing, you're not much older than me, you're young too. Let's go together, the three of us."

Xu Yunxi lifted her head from Liu Qingqing's embrace, her expression a mix of coquettishness and slyness: "Aunt Qingqing, what you're saying isn't right! What do you mean by 'you young people'?"

How old are you? You're still young! If you walked down the street, people might mistake you for my older sister!

Liu Qingqing was amused by her and gently patted her: "What nonsense are you talking about? You have no manners."

"Aunt Qingqing, we are mother and daughter, and also best friends. These are your exact words."

Look at you, with such great skin, such a fantastic figure, and such a wonderful demeanor, you don't look like an elder at all! You're clearly a stunning beauty!

Besides, when can't you practice your singing? You can do it tomorrow, it's the same.

It's rare that Brother Zhiyuan is here today, let's go for a walk together, it'll be more fun with more people.

Just like before, Brother Zhiyuan will be our bodyguard.

Liu Qingqing was slightly taken aback, then smiled.

She leaned close to her ear and whispered, "Yunxi, to be honest with you, I don't want to be a third wheel."

Look, Zhiyuan came all this way, and we finally have some time to be alone together.

It would be wonderful if you two strolled around the lantern festival together and chatted.

What would I be doing there? Wouldn't I just be getting in the way?