Madam Gu pinched her brows together, her sharp eyes fixed on the doorway.
"Yangjin, Xiaomu, stop hiding outside and eavesdropping. Come in."
Outside, the two addressed exchanged a brief glance. Gu Yangjin's lips twitched with amusement, while Qiao Zhi only raised a brow. Without another word, they stepped inside one after the other, each carrying a lacquered food box that exuded a faint, savory aroma.
"Mother," they greeted in unison.
The stern set of Madam Gu's brows softened immediately. She let out a gentle chuckle, the earlier tension in her expression fading away like morning mist.
"Are you here to bring me food?"
"We're having dinner together," Gu Yangjin replied with a bright smile. "I had the kitchen prepare your favorite dishes!" She and Qiao Zhi began unloading the food from their boxes, arranging the steaming plates neatly on the low reception table.
