Gu Qinghe had simply wanted Qin Hongying to taste some good wine, which was why she spent plane-coins and had the system swap the liquor.
Little did she expect that Qin Hongying had such a deep understanding of alcohol. Without even drinking a drop, just a single sniff was enough to tell her that something was off with the aroma.
And Qin Yuchen was not someone easily fooled. Once he learned that the taste of the wine had changed, he stared straight at her, as if trying to decipher some secret hidden within her.
Yet the moment she swapped the wine, she had already prepared herself for suspicion, and her expression did not change in the slightest.
Instead, her warm, watery eyes flickered with a faint trace of confusion. "Oh? Is there such a strange thing? Are you sure you didn't drink the wrong bottle?"
To prove that his palate was working just fine, Guo Jingming took another small sip, smacked his lips, and said with absolute certainty, "There's no mistaking it. I've had Moutai before, and this is the exact taste."
That rich sauce-aroma was far too distinctive; ordinary baijiu simply could not compare to it.
Upon learning that the wine was most likely Moutai, Qin Hongying no longer drank it as casually as before, but instead took careful, tiny sips.
As she drank, she sighed with emotion, "Hahaha, Qinghe is just too lucky. How could she possibly run into such a rare stroke of fortune?"
Qin Yuchen had no interest in drinking. He twirled the wine glass in his hand, a meaningful look on his face, and said softly, "Her luck really is quite good."
Good to the point of being somewhat extraordinary.
Having suffered from a hangover that morning, Gu Xiuyuan had lost all interest in drinking. He didn't care whether it was Moutai or Fenjiu; he simply urged everyone to pick up their chopsticks.
"No matter what kind of wine it is, as long as it tastes good, that's all that matters. Come, come, eat your food."
Guo Jingming nodded repeatedly, eagerly reaching out with his chopsticks to take a bite. Light burst forth in his eyes as he praised without hesitation, "Mmm, delicious! Uncle Gu, your culinary skills are truly amazing. You're not a bit behind the chefs at the state-run restaurant!"
For a chef, nothing brings more joy than being praised for their cooking. Gu Xiuyuan was so flattered that his mouth split into a wide grin. He picked up a large chicken drumstick, placed it in Guo Jingming's bowl, and looked at him with paternal affection, "Little Guo, if you like it, eat more."
"You got it." Guo Jingming didn't stand on ceremony. He happily accepted the drumstick, took a bite, and mumbled, "Uncle Gu, you mustn't mind me if I keep coming over to your place for free meals from now on."
Amused by his antics, Gu Xiuyuan's refined eyes behind his glasses crinkled with fine laugh lines. "Alright, alright, feel free to come whenever you like."
Qin Hongying raised her glass to Guo Jingming and gave a light hnh. "What are you talking about, Jingming? Is this your first time eating at your aunt's house? Why, even the mat on my family's kang has been pissed on by you when you were a kid!"
Because Guo Jingming was the sole heir of the Guo family and had no siblings, he used to hang out constantly behind the heels of the Qin boys when they were little, and staying over for meals at their place was a regular occurrence.
Having his childhood embarrassing moments brought up made even thick-skinned Guo Jingming feel a bit sheepish.
A faint flush crept across his face, whether from the alcohol or shyness, it was hard to tell.
His captivating peach-blossom eyes cast a conscious or unconscious glance at Gu Qinghe as he muttered, "Aunt Qin, why are you bringing that up for..."
Qin Hongying waved her hand with a smile. "Alright, alright, I won't say anymore. I just love a lively house. You youngsters, if any of you want to come over for dinner in the future, just come."
"You got it!" Guo Jingming responded loudly, eager and accommodating.
Qin Yuchen glanced at him with a rather sour expression and let out a cold hnh. "You'd better just be coming here to eat."
Guo Jingming, with his guilty conscience, almost choked. He glanced at Gu Qinghe, cleared his throat, and put on a calm facade. "Cough, of course that's all!"
Qin Yuchen, who had long since seen through his intentions, said nothing more. He tightened his grip on his wine glass, a chill radiating from him.
Fang Ya took everything in, her eyes shifting slightly as she smiled and raised her glass to Qin Hongying, asking softly, "Aunt Qin, can I come too?"
"Of course you can." Qin Hongying agreed readily without a moment's hesitation.
Ever since the children grew up and got busy with their own careers, even during holidays they couldn't all gather together, let alone have a lively atmosphere like this.
At this thought, Qin Hongying looked at Gu Xiuyuan sitting beside her, a warm surge of emotion welling up in her heart.
Xiuyuan truly was a lucky star; the moment he arrived, everything changed.
Fang Min also chimed in, holding up her glass with a cheeky grin, "Count me in, too."
"Hahahaha, good, good, you're all welcome, come whenever you like!" Qin Hongying beamed from ear to ear.
Su Xiaotang, who had remained silent all this time, had already guessed what Fang Ya was thinking.
It was nothing more than wanting to win over Qin Hongying so she could take things a step further with Qin Yuchen.
She didn't care whether Fang Ya could become her future sister-in-law or not, but as long as Fang Ya hated Gu Qinghe just as much as she did, they were friends.
Su Xiaotang rolled her eyes, looped her arm through Qin Hongying's, and said half-jokingly, "Mom, look at how pretty Sister Fang Ya is. Who knows, maybe she'll become your daughter-in-law one day."
Fang Ya immediately blushed, gave Su Xiaotang a playful tug, and pouted coyly, "Xiaotang... don't talk nonsense."
Qin Hongying paused, taking a careful look at Fang Ya and Fang Min.
Their looks weren't as stunning and breathtaking as Gu Qinghe's, the kind that made one unforgettable at first glance, but they were still rare beauties in their own right.
So far, their personalities seemed quite pleasant—generous, proper, poised, and free of any petty, small-minded airs.
If they really could hit it off with her son, it wouldn't be a bad match at all.
However, everything depended on fate and the children's own wishes; if the romantic ties weren't there, she wouldn't force a match.
Smiling, Qin Hongying nodded heartily, "Fang Ya and Fang Min are both good girls. If they really want to be daughters-in-law of the Qin family, I have no objections."
Fang Ya looked at Qin Yuchen, her eyes rippling with shyness as she murmured, "Aunt Qin... what are you all talking about?"
Qin Hongying's gaze shifted between her and Qin Yuchen, a knowing look dawning on her face as she burst into laughter.
The atmosphere at the dining table warmed up once again, pushed to a climax.
And Gu Qinghe, who had provided the fine wine, was gradually forgotten by the others amidst all the chatter.
With a calm and composed expression, she quietly ate her meal, feeling no sense of loss whatsoever.
In fact, she thought it would be even better if they forgot about her completely, so that no one would keep dwelling on why a perfectly ordinary bottle of Fenjiu had turned into Moutai.
While the others forgot about Gu Qinghe, Qin Yuchen did not.
Ever since they sat down at the table, his attention had remained fixed on her. Seeing that she was almost done eating, he scooped a bowl of white fungus and lotus seed soup and placed it before her.
"Have a taste."
Gu Qinghe paused slightly, raising her eyes to look at the expressionless man.
Those deep, ink-dark eyes held no trace of aggression, focusing entirely on her as if swallowing her reflection whole.
Her long, slightly curled eyelashes trembled gently. She didn't mind being forgotten by the others, but Qin Yuchen remembering her was a different matter entirely.
She slowly lowered her head and picked up the warm bowl of white fungus soup. The heat seeped through the porcelain, spreading across her palms, and even her aloof, detached heart seemed to thaw.
Her throat felt as though it had been blocked with honey; before she even tasted it, she could already feel the sweetness.
Her lips curved up into a crescent moon smile, and she whispered softly, "Thank you, Brother."