## The World's Most Awkward Family Dinner
Three days later, Luo Yan had arranged everything perfectly.
A private valley, far from prying eyes. A beautiful outdoor dining setup with a table large enough for four. Food that he'd somehow procured from three different universes because why not show off a little.
Qian Renxue arrived first, looking absolutely terrified. She'd dropped her Crown Prince disguise completely, appearing in her true form—golden hair, angelic features, radiating nervous energy.
"I can't do this," she said immediately. "This was a bad idea. I should leave."
"You're not leaving," Luo Yan said firmly, taking her hand. "It's going to be fine."
"How can you possibly know that?"
"Because I can feel your mother's emotions right now, and she's just as terrified as you are."
That made Qian Renxue pause. "Really? Mother's scared?"
"Absolutely terrified. She's convinced you're going to hate her for this."
"But I don't hate her! I'm just... confused and overwhelmed and—"
"Then tell her that. Talk to her. You two finally have the chance to be honest with each other. Don't waste it."
Before Qian Renxue could respond, a spatial ripple announced Bibi Dong's arrival. The Pope stepped through looking elegant and poised in a deep purple gown, but Luo Yan could feel her terror through their bond.
Mother and daughter stared at each other.
"Hi," Qian Renxue said weakly.
"Hello," Bibi Dong replied, equally awkward.
"So. You're sleeping with my boyfriend."
"I... yes. I am."
"And you're okay with the fact that he's also sleeping with me?"
"I'm more concerned with whether YOU'RE okay with it," Bibi Dong said honestly. "Renxue, I would never intentionally do anything to hurt you or damage our relationship. If this is going to cause problems between us—"
"It's weird," Qian Renxue interrupted. "It's incredibly, bizarrely weird. But..." She took a deep breath. "But you're happy, aren't you? Genuinely happy?"
Bibi Dong's expression softened. "Yes. For the first time in twenty years, I'm happy."
"Then I guess I'm okay with it." Qian Renxue managed a shaky smile. "Still weird though."
"Extremely weird," Bibi Dong agreed.
"Monumentally weird," Hu Liena added, appearing from behind a tree. She'd been hiding, waiting for her cue. "But also kind of wonderful?"
Both older women turned to look at the sixteen-year-old Holy Maiden.
"Nana," Bibi Dong said slowly. "How long have you been here?"
"Long enough to see you both being adorably awkward!" Hu Liena bounced over to the table. "Come on, let's eat! I'm starving, and watching you two dance around the weirdness is making me hungry."
Despite the tension, everyone laughed. Hu Liena's shameless enthusiasm was infectious.
They sat down to dinner—Luo Yan at the head of the table, with Qian Renxue on his right, Bibi Dong on his left, and Hu Liena next to Qian Renxue.
The first few minutes were incredibly awkward. Lots of careful eating and avoiding eye contact.
Then Hu Liena, bless her chaotic soul, decided to break the ice.
"So," she said brightly. "Should we establish a schedule? Like, Luo Yan spends Monday and Tuesday with Miss Qian Renxue, Wednesday and Thursday with Teacher, Friday and Saturday with me, and Sunday is group activities?"
Qian Renxue choked on her wine.
Bibi Dong's face turned bright red.
Luo Yan just laughed. "I don't think we need a formal schedule, Nana."
"Are you sure? Because organization is important! We don't want any jealousy or—"
"There won't be jealousy," Qian Renxue interrupted, finding her voice. "Because we're going to be mature adults about this. Somehow."
"Speak for yourself," Bibi Dong muttered. "I have no idea how to be mature about dating the same man as my daughter."
That broke the remaining tension. Suddenly everyone was laughing—genuine, unforced laughter.
"This is insane," Qian Renxue said through her giggles. "We're all insane."
"Probably," Bibi Dong agreed. "But at least we're insane together."
"To being insane together!" Hu Liena raised her glass in a toast.
"To family," Luo Yan corrected, raising his own glass.
"To family," the three women echoed, clinking glasses.
The rest of dinner went surprisingly well. They talked, laughed, shared stories. Qian Renxue and Hu Liena bonded over their mutual exasperation with Spirit Hall politics. Bibi Dong and her daughter had actual conversations without the weight of years of pain crushing them.
It wasn't perfect. There were still awkward moments, still things that would take time to fully process. But it was a start.
A genuine, honest start.
---
## Later That Night
After dinner, Hu Liena had tactfully excused herself, claiming she needed to return to Spirit Hall for morning training.
That left Luo Yan alone with Qian Renxue and Bibi Dong.
Mother and daughter looked at each other, then at him, then back at each other.
"So," Qian Renxue said slowly. "Is this the part where we're supposed to... I don't know... compete for his attention or something?"
"God, I hope not," Bibi Dong replied. "I'm too old for teenage drama."
"You're forty-two. That's not old."
"It feels old when my daughter and I are dating the same man."
"OKAY, we're not calling it dating," Qian Renxue said quickly. "Let's call it... shared partnership? Family bonding? Anything but dating."
Luo Yan watched them with amusement. "You know I can hear you both, right?"
"We know," they said in unison, then looked at each other in surprise.
"Did we just—"
"I think we did."
"That's horrifying and adorable at the same time."
Bibi Dong laughed. "Alright, let's address the elephant in the room. Renxue, are you genuinely okay with this situation? Because if you're not, I can step back—"
"No!" Qian Renxue said quickly. "Don't step back. You're finally happy. You're healing. I'm not going to ruin that just because the situation is unconventional."
"But what about you? Are YOU happy?"
"Deliriously," Qian Renxue admitted. "Luo Yan makes me incredibly happy. And now that we've reconciled, having you in my life makes me happy too. So if the price of keeping both of you is sharing him..." She shrugged. "I can handle it."
"You're very mature about this," Bibi Dong observed.
"I'm screaming internally, but externally I'm mature."
"That's the spirit!"
They both laughed again, and Luo Yan felt warmth spreading through his chest. This was working. Against all odds, his insane harem plan was actually working.
"Come here," he said, holding out both hands.
Qian Renxue and Bibi Dong moved to sit on either side of him. He wrapped an arm around each of them, pulling them close.
"Thank you," he said seriously. "Both of you. For being willing to try this. For trusting me."
"Don't make us regret it," Qian Renxue warned.
"I won't," he promised.
"And if you hurt my daughter," Bibi Dong added, "I will find a way to make you suffer despite the massive power difference."
"I'd expect nothing less."
They sat like that for a while, the three of them under the stars, comfortable in each other's presence. Eventually, Qian Renxue yawned.
"I should get back to Heaven Dou," she said reluctantly. "I have morning audiences."
"And I should return to Spirit Hall," Bibi Dong added. "The Elders will start asking questions if I'm gone too long."
"Before you go," Luo Yan said, "there's one more thing we should discuss."
"What's that?"
"The chat group."
Both women looked confused. "What chat group?" Qian Renxue asked.
"The All Heaven Chat Group. It's how I connect with people across different universes. Right now it has five members—protagonists from other realities. I was thinking..." He paused. "Maybe you should meet them. Eventually. When the time is right."
"You want us to meet people from other universes?" Bibi Dong's eyes lit up with curiosity.
"Not immediately. But eventually, yes. Because I'll be traveling to other worlds. Collecting more..." He hesitated.
"More women," Qian Renxue finished flatly.
"Potentially, yes."
"How many are we talking about?"
"Honestly? I'm not sure yet. But there are several in other universes who I've already identified as targets."
Qian Renxue and Bibi Dong exchanged a look. Then, simultaneously, they sighed.
"Of course there are," Qian Renxue muttered.
"We're going to need a bigger dinner table," Bibi Dong observed.
"You're both taking this surprisingly well."
"We're too tired to be shocked anymore," Qian Renxue explained. "At this point, you could tell us you're planning to seduce a dragon and we'd just ask if we needed to prepare fireproof accommodations."
"Actually, there's a dragon-type woman in Battle Through the Heavens—"
"I WAS JOKING!"
"I know. But seriously, Queen Medusa is—"
"I don't want to know!" Qian Renxue covered her ears. "Tell me when it's already done and I'll process it then!"
Bibi Dong laughed so hard she nearly fell over.
Eventually, reluctantly, both women prepared to leave. Luo Yan transported them back to their respective locations—Qian Renxue to Heaven Dou Palace, Bibi Dong to the Papal Palace.
Alone finally, he reviewed his progress.
Three women at Perfect Harmony in Douluo Dalu. All of them now aware of each other and accepting the situation. The family dynamic established and functioning.
His cultivation boost was absurd. His System Points were almost at ten thousand.
And more importantly, he'd successfully built something unprecedented—a genuine family unit that transcended normal relationship boundaries.
*Not bad,* he thought with satisfaction. *Now, time to plan the next universe.*
Battle Through the Heavens awaited. Queen Medusa was approaching her transformation crisis.
And Luo Yan was nothing if not punctual.
---
**To Be Continued**
(Next up: Travel to BTTH universe! Queen Medusa arc begins! More chaos! More beautiful women! More Luo Yan being ridiculously OP while somehow making it work!)
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## A/N:
That family dinner was simultaneously the most awkward and most wholesome thing I've written. Qian Renxue having to process that her boyfriend is also sleeping with her mom is peak soap opera drama, and I loved every second of it.
Three women secured in DD. Time to move to the next universe and collect more!
Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think!