Handling these ingredients was a piece of cake for Lin Xiao. After all, he had eaten so many of them back on Mount Kunlun that he was sick of them. Every two or three days, someone would deliver a special shipment of the world's finest and freshest ingredients.

Listening to the clatter in the kitchen, Su Qingning and her mother both frowned.

"Ning, maybe I should cook instead," Mother Su said gravely.

Su Qingning replied sulkily, "Mom, this isn't about who cooks. It's that he loves to boast too much!"

"Are you trying to cure Lin Xiao of this bad habit?"

Su Qingning nodded. "Lin Xiao isn't a bad person at heart. I know he used to hang out with all sorts of unsavory characters, and that's how he picked up these bad habits. I want to see if I can help him change over the next little while. That way, even if we get divorced in the future, he won't end up living a miserable life."

Mother Su looked at her daughter with a pang of heartache. She was so kind. Why did the heavens insist she marry a beggar who loved to brag?

"Why don't you order some takeout? That way, you won't go hungry if the food Lin Xiao makes turns out to be inedible," Mother Su suggested helplessly.

Su Qingning agreed with a murmur and started tapping on her phone.

After preparing the abalone, Lin Xiao placed the king crab he had readied into the steamer. Next was the Australian lobster, which was even simpler to handle. After bustling about for over an hour, four dishes and a soup were finally ready.

Although he hadn't tasted them yet, the aroma alone was enough to whet anyone's appetite. However, Lin Xiao wasn't satisfied. He knew that premium ingredients like these would taste good no matter how they were prepared. They couldn't truly showcase his culinary skills.

He got up and walked out of the kitchen, about to call Su Qingning and her mother for dinner, but the scene that greeted him left him speechless.

Su Qingning and her mother were already sitting at the dining table. What rendered him speechless was the spread of takeout containers before them, the food from who-knows-where.

"Why did you order takeout?" Lin Xiao asked.

"We didn't want to go hungry," Su Qingning replied indifferently.

"What do you mean? You're not going to eat what I made?" Lin Xiao stared at Su Qingning, completely baffled.

"Let me ask you, is the food you made even edible?"

"Why wouldn't it be?" Lin Xiao countered.

Su Qingning said impatiently, "Alright, it's not shameful if you don't know how to cook. Let's just eat. We have to go to the bar later."

"Honey, you have to at least give me a chance to prove my cooking skills, right?" Lin Xiao said with a smile.

"Lin Xiao, stop messing around, okay? My mom and I are hungry!"

"Absolutely not. I worked so hard on this. The least you can do is try it!"

Su Qingning shot him a fierce glare. "Jerk, if you're not afraid of embarrassing yourself, then bring out your dishes!"

This damn rascal, she thought. I already gave him an out, but he just had to keep bragging about his cooking.

"Alright then!" Lin Xiao laughed. He quickly turned and went back into the kitchen.

In just a moment, he placed four dishes and a soup in front of Su Qingning and her mother.

Looking at the beautifully plated meal, they could already smell the enticing fragrance wafting irresistibly into their nostrils, even before taking a bite. Both Su Qingning and her mother were taken aback.

"You made this?" Su Qingning asked in a low voice.

"What do you think? That I ordered it?"

"Hmph, looking good doesn't mean anything. It's only good if it tastes good!"

Lin Xiao chuckled. "Well then, have a taste!"

With skepticism written all over her stunning face, Su Qingning picked up a piece of Australian lobster meat and placed it in her tantalizing mouth.

The next second, her beautiful, peach-blossom eyes shot wide open.

Crisp, springy, and fragrant. The enchanting flavor exploded in her mouth, sending a tremor through her entire body.

"Ning, is it terrible? It's okay, just spit it out," Mother Su comforted her softly.

Su Qingning didn't say a word. After swallowing the lobster, she immediately picked up another piece and, forgetting her decorum, began to chew with abandon.

The sight left Mother Su slightly stunned. Although our family has fallen on hard times, it's not like we've never had good food before. A simple Australian lobster shouldn't make my daughter lose her composure like this. Could it really be that good? But even if it's delicious, she wouldn't normally act this way. Is she doing it to give Lin Xiao face? That must be it. Otherwise, she'd never act so undignified.

At this thought, Mother Su sighed. Her daughter was truly too kind.

She subconsciously picked up a piece of lobster meat herself. The moment it entered her mouth, she was completely shocked.

Delicious? No, it was unbelievably delicious. It was so good that Mother Su felt as if every lobster she had ever eaten before had been a waste. The perfect seasoning, the precise cooking time... it was an absolute feast for the senses.

Truthfully, neither Su Qingning nor her mother had much of an appetite to begin with. Mother Su felt anxious and uneasy staying in the lavish Hidden Dragon Villa, so her mood was poor. As for Su Qingning, the events of the morning, especially the humiliation from Su Qingfeng, had ruined her appetite.

But this lobster successfully reawakened their taste buds. Casting aside their reservations, they began to eat enthusiastically, one piece after another.

Seeing this, Lin Xiao smiled. "Mom, honey, you two go ahead and eat. I'm going to head out for a bit."

Su Qingning paused. "Where are you going?"

"Oh, Pei Donglai invited me to dinner yesterday, and I accepted."

He had given his word last night, and Lin Xiao didn't want to break his promise.

Su Qingning looked at him with a complex expression. She knew he was probably leaving because he was afraid his presence would make her and her mother feel awkward. After all, before he cooked, they had both been completely skeptical of his abilities. She had even said some very harsh things and ordered takeout.

"Just eat here at home. I was in the wrong today. I apologize," Su Qingning said solemnly.

Mother Su was stunned. Her daughter was actually apologizing to Lin Xiao. Ever since her father had passed away, her daughter had become exceptionally proud and would never apologize to anyone.

Lin Xiao laughed. "Honey, don't ever say that to me. Besides, I really did make plans with Pei Donglai. You know how important he is for the bar right now. I'm just going to maintain our good relationship."

A warm current surged through Su Qingning's heart, and her peach-blossom eyes instantly grew red. She was genuinely moved. She hadn't realized Lin Xiao was going to dinner with Pei Donglai for the sake of her bar.

"Lin Xiao, thank you," she said, her voice trembling with emotion.

"Honey, you're not allowed to say that either. Alright, you two eat up. I'm off!"

With that, Lin Xiao quickly made his exit.

Watching him leave, Su Qingning wiped her red, teary eyes. She turned to her mother and said earnestly, "Mom, let's be nicer to Lin Xiao from now on."

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