Green Tea Villainess Fails 120

Chapter 120: Bonus – Together as One

Zuo Bian and Qin Ai didn’t want to throw a big party for Zuo Ling’s fifth birthday. It would be too high-profile, attracting people with ulterior motives, losing the true meaning of celebrating their child’s birthday.

So they decided to just invite close friends and family for a meal at their house. But when they started making the guest list, they realized they had quite a few “close” people.

“Qin Ai, wouldn’t it be too much work for you to cook for so many people? I can’t help you in the kitchen. Should we order catering instead? Or hire a maid?” Zuo Bian had been married to Qin Ai for five years and still hadn’t learned how to cook.

She was a natural-born kitchen disaster. No amount of training could help. And she hated wasting food, so she had given up on cooking.

They had initially planned to cook themselves, as it was a casual gathering of friends and family, but now with so many people coming, it wasn’t realistic for Qin Ai to cook alone.

“Maybe we can ask your brother for help. He’s a good cook,” Qin Ai suggested.

Zuo Bian’s eyes lit up. That was a good idea. She immediately called her brother.

All the culinary talent in the Zuo family seemed to have been passed down to Zuo Yuan. He could whip up restaurant-quality dishes effortlessly, while Zuo Bian’s cooking was barely edible.

Zuo Yuan, upon receiving Zuo Bian’s call and hearing her request, agreed without hesitation.

Early the next morning, he arrived at Zuo Bian and Qin Ai’s house with Tao Zi and a little boy. Zuo Yuan and Tao Zi had been married for six years, and their son was a few months older than Zuo Ling.

Little Zuo Ya, five and a half years old, was chubby and adorable. He was excited to see his two younger sisters and waddled towards them.

“Sister! Sister!”

Little Zuo Ling and Qin Long had just been woken up by their mothers. Although they had washed their faces and eaten breakfast, they were still sleepy, their eyes half-closed.

“Brother is here to see you!” Zuo Ya loved his sisters. He was a bit chubby, and bending down was a bit difficult for him, but he still tried to reach for their hands.

Tao Zi smiled, seeing her son’s adorable behavior. “It seems Xiao Ya really likes his sisters.”

“Let the kids play here. Zuo Yuan and I will go to the kitchen and cook.” Qin Ai rolled up her sleeves.

Before she could even finish speaking, Zuo Yuan had already entered the kitchen and started washing the vegetables.

He was truly a good husband and father. It seemed like there was no household chore he couldn’t handle, and he was efficient and organized.

With Zuo Yuan’s help, the kitchen was transformed into a well-oiled machine.

====

Zuo Bian brought a box of toys and joined Tao Zi in playing with the children.

555, who had slept in until the sun was high in the sky, finally woke up. Rubbing its eyes, it walked into the living room. Its body was about five years old, the same age as the three children.

Tao Zi adored children. Seeing 555, she beckoned it over. “Little Five Five, come play with your brother and sisters.”

555’s identity in front of outsiders was Qin Ai’s distant relative’s child, temporarily staying with Zuo Bian and Qin Ai.

It opened its eyes fully and saw two unfamiliar adults in the living room. Then it remembered that it was little Zuo Ling’s fifth birthday.

There were now four children in the living room, and 555 blended right in.

Soon, more guests arrived. Chang Wenyan and Liu Liu walked in, their hands full of bags and boxes, looking like they were moving house rather than attending a birthday party.

“Mr. Chang, Liu Liu, what are all these? Why so many?” Zuo Bian looked at the boxes curiously.

As for their names, she had become familiar with Liu Liu during her time in that alternate world, so she addressed him casually. However, Chang Wenyan was too awkward and formal, so she still called him “Mr. Chang.”

Liu Liu put down the boxes and stretched, complaining dramatically, “It’s all because this guy said that kids at Xiao Zuo Ling and Xiao Qin Long’s age grow fast and need new clothes and toys, so he bought a ton of stuff.”

“Ahem.” Chang Wenyan cleared his throat, his expression slightly awkward.

However, Liu Liu ignored him and continued, “New clothes, shoes, and books are understandable, but why do toys need to be replaced as they grow? I think he just loves girls. Say, are you jealous that we can only have boys?”

“Liu Liu, you misunderstood, that’s not what I meant.” Chang Wenyan tried to maintain his composure, but the sweat on his forehead betrayed his nervousness.

Zuo Bian tuned out their bickering and started opening the boxes.

Inside were two sets of dresses, one large and one small, one pink and one blue. The designs and materials were clearly high-quality. Zuo Bian could already imagine how adorable her daughters would look in them.

Tao Zi also came over to take a look. “They’re so pretty. It’s a pity Zuo Yuan and I only have a son. Zuo Zuo, can we have one of your daughters?”

Zuo Bian replied seriously, “No, I can’t bear to part with either of them. But Sao Sao, if you like girls so much, you can take Five Five home for a few days. Five Five has been wanting to go out and play, but Qin Ai and I are busy lately, we don’t have time to take it out.”

After all, 555 wasn’t a real child and was more mature. Zuo Bian was comfortable with it staying at someone else’s house for a few days.

Hearing this, Tao Zi’s eyes lit up.

“That’s great! You’re the best, Zuo Zuo.” She had always wanted a daughter, but Zuo Yuan had said that taking care of one child was already a headache, and he didn’t want another one. So they only had Zuo Ya.

If Zuo Yuan was a master of life skills, then Tao Zi was a black hole that devoured all life skills. If her skills were converted into numerical values, the numbers would be high, but with a negative sign in front of them.

So after their son was born, Zuo Yuan had been the one taking care of him. Tao Zi wanted to help, but she was incompetent. They could have hired a nanny, but Zuo Yuan shared the same belief as Zuo Bian: It was better to raise their own child.

Taking care of the child and his mother had made him lose ten pounds. If they had another child, he might be completely drained.

After her initial excitement, Tao Zi asked, “Where are Five Five’s parents? I’ve never seen them.”

Zuo Bian frowned, wondering who a system’s parents were. 555 had said it was created by the Heavenly Dao, so its parents should be the Heavenly Dao, right?

“They’re far away,” she finally said.

“Poor thing.” Tao Zi looked at 555, who was playing happily with the other children, her eyes filled with sympathy.

Zuo Bian tilted her head, feeling like something was wrong with her answer.

Just as she was about to contemplate it further, her parents arrived.

“Mom, Dad, you’re here.” She rushed to get them slippers.

Zuo Yan and Du Yundong were in their fifties, but they looked much younger, thanks to their good genes and healthy lifestyle. Only a few wrinkles at the corners of their eyes betrayed their age.

“Are we late?” Du Yundong looked around the living room, her arm linked with Zuo Yan’s.

The living room was bustling, especially the little ones who were clinging to Chang Wenyan, demanding a piggyback ride. Chang Wenyan, who was usually so concerned about his image, had actually agreed, making Liu Liu wonder if he had been possessed.

“This is Ling Ling’s birthday present, and this one is for Long Long.” Zuo Yan put down several large gift boxes.

The gifts alone were piling up like a small mountain. Zuo Bian said, “Mom, Dad, you don’t have to bring so many gifts every time you visit. It’s too much. Ling Ling and Long Long can’t even use them all.”

Du Yundong patted Zuo Bian’s hand. “If they can’t use them all, Five Five can use them too. Five Five is also five years old, all three children can share.”

“Okay. I’ll thank their grandparents on their behalf.”

“Silly child, there’s no need to thank us, we’re family. Come on, let’s hug our granddaughters.” Du Yundong dragged Zuo Yan to play with the children.

=====

Soon, everyone had arrived. Thankfully, Zuo Bian and Qin Ai’s living room was large enough to accommodate everyone.

The aroma of food wafted from the kitchen. With so many people looking after the children, Zuo Bian wasn’t worried. She entered the kitchen and asked if she could help with anything.

Qin Ai had tied her shoulder-length black hair into a ponytail, her slender waist cinched by the apron strings. Even in a shapeless apron, her good figure was evident.

Zuo Bian’s heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively hugged Qin Ai’s waist.

Qin Ai didn’t turn around. She smiled and transferred the cooked dish onto a plate.

“Hugging me so tightly, are you trying to steal a taste?”

Zuo Bian often acted clingy. When Qin Ai was cooking, she would often hug her from behind and ask for a taste, usually finishing half the dish before Qin Ai could even stop her.

Zuo Bian blushed, burying her face in Qin Ai’s back. “I’m not trying to steal food this time, I just wanted to hug you.”

Qin Ai’s smile deepened. “I know you missed me. Let go now, I need to take the dishes out.”

“Okay.” Zuo Bian obediently released her grip and carried the plate out of the kitchen.

Zuo Yuan, who was cooking at another stove, had stopped, his expression complex.

Qin Ai and Zuo Yuan hadn’t gotten along when they first met. After so many years, their relationship had improved slightly.

They had been working together in the kitchen, and Zuo Yuan could see Qin Ai’s qualities. It wasn’t just that she was a good cook, but the way she did things.

She was organized and efficient, never panicking even when she made a mistake. She was calm and collected, always learning from her mistakes and never repeating them.

Someone like Qin Ai would excel at everything she did, and she was also traditional at heart. Once she committed to someone, she wouldn’t change. Cheating was out of the question.

And the love between Qin Ai and Zuo Bian was obvious to everyone. His sister was happy, he didn’t need to worry.

“The food is almost ready. I’ll take these dishes out.” Zuo Yuan carried a few plates and left the kitchen.

“Mm.” Qin Ai responded, checking the soup.

With everyone present, the living room was even more lively. Chang Wensi, like her brother, had a soft spot for children. She was teaching little Qin Long to call her “Godmother.”

However, Qin Long wasn’t interested in talking. She was hungry, her attention completely captured by the aroma of food.

Chang Wensi, unable to exploit Qin Long’s weakness, was defeated by Qin Tian, the uncle, who lured her away with a milk candy.

Qin Long, like a greedy puppy, followed the candy wherever Qin Tian held it, looking adorable.

Five or six years had passed, and Qin Tian had grown from a little boy into a teenager. At his age, he should be entering his rebellious phase, but he was still the same talkative and slightly cowardly boy.

Qin Ai, carrying a pot of soup, saw Qin Tian tempting her daughter with candy. She frowned. “Long Long has already eaten a lot of candy today, don’t spoil her too much.”

“Xiao Long Long, your Big Mommy doesn’t want you to eat candy. It seems Uncle can only eat it himself.” Qin Tian teasingly ate the candy in front of Qin Long.

Qin Long’s lips trembled, and she was about to burst into tears when Zuo Yuan, who was nearby, quickly popped a pacifier into her mouth.

Qin Long’s eyes widened in confusion, but soon she was happily sucking on the pacifier, completely forgetting about the candy.

The dishes were served one after another, the long table filled with dozens of plates, their aromas mingling enticingly.

“The last dish is served. Everyone wash your hands and let’s eat.” Zuo Yuan placed the last dish on the table and took off his apron.

For today’s gathering, they had brought a large table into the living room, big enough for everyone to sit comfortably.

Qin Ai and Zuo Bian naturally sat together. Usually, they would be feeding their two babies, but today, with so many people around, they didn’t have to.

Zuo Yan was holding little Zuo Ling, Du Yundong feeding her with a spoon. Tao Zi was holding Qin Long, clearly smitten with the little girl.

555, being small, also needed help with eating. Qin Tian was the one feeding it. He was quite fond of 555 and was very attentive.

Little Frog, in comparison, was pitiful. It hadn’t found a human body yet and was pretending to be a toy on the coffee table, drooling over the delicious food. 555 secretly brought it a bowl of food, satisfying its cravings.

Zuo Yuan and Tao Zi’s son was in Zuo Yuan’s arms. He was clearly experienced at taking care of his son, but his son only wanted to play with his sisters, squirming in his arms. Despite his young age, little Zuo Ya was strong, and Zuo Yuan had to use some force to keep him in his lap.

Zuo Bian and Qin Ai chatted as they ate. Zuo Bian glanced at the people around the table.

Her parents were healthy. They had handed over the company to her brother and were now enjoying their retirement, traveling the world. Her brother was finally with Tao Zi, and they even had a child. Chang Wenyan had finally realized his true feelings and found the person he truly loved. Lin Qingqing had stopped chasing after Qin Ai and had found a girlfriend. And the awkward Chang Wensi had finally married Lu Letian last year.

Everyone was happy, it was wonderful.

A smile spread across Zuo Bian’s face. Qin Ai noticed it and asked, “What are you thinking about? You look so happy.”

Zuo Bian smiled. “I’m just happy.”

Qin Ai smiled too. “Me too.”

Little Zuo Ling, her belly full from being fed by her grandmother, shook her head, her mouth tightly shut.

Du Yundong, realizing she had overfed her, quickly wiped her mouth with a handkerchief.

Full and satisfied, Zuo Ling wanted to play. She tugged at her grandfather’s sleeve. “Grandpa, I want to go play with Long Long, Five Five, and Yaya.”

She rarely called Zuo Ya by his name and had mispronounced “Ya” as “Duck.”

Everyone at the table laughed at her “Duck Duck Brother.” Zuo Ling didn’t understand why they were laughing, but she giggled along.

Tao Zi, who was playing with Qin Long, stopped and glared at Zuo Yuan. “Zuo Yuan, I told you not to name him Zuo Ya, you insisted, and now look.”

Zuo Ya, Zuo Ya, if you said it fast enough, it sounded like “prostitute.”

Zuo Yuan pretended not to hear her, focusing on feeding his son.

Little Zuo Ya, also full, started squirming, echoing his sister’s request to play. Zuo Yuan finally let him down.

The children all wanted to play and soon ran off.

As the meal came to an end, Qin Tian took out a projector and played a video he had edited. It was a compilation of Zuo Ling’s growth.

Little Zuo Ling holding a milk bottle, learning to walk, getting her first teeth, saying her first words…

Qin Ai holding Zuo Ling, Zuo Bian holding Qin Long, everyone gathered around a large cake, singing “Happy Birthday.”

With the cheerful music playing, Zuo Ling blew out the five candles, her face flushed. She declared in her childish voice, “Ling Ling wants everyone to be happy!”

Zuo Bian smiled and patted her daughter’s head. “They will be.”

【The End】