Invincible Dad

Xu Lai went to the kitchen.

Ruan Lan beckoned to Yiyi, her face filled with a doting aunt's smile. "Yiyi, come sit by your auntie here."

Xu Yiyi obediently moved closer.

"Our Yiyi is so pretty; she will definitely be a great beauty in the future."

Although Ruan Lan was meeting Yiyi for the first time today, there wasn't the slightest hint of estrangement; her fondness was clear.

"When Yiyi grows up, I want to be a great beauty just like Auntie," Xu Yiyi raised her little hand, expressing her hope.

Ruan Lan's smile blossomed. "Sis, look at this child! Isn't she just the most honest kid?"

"But my teacher said people should be content with what they have."

"Huh?" Ruan Lan asked.

"So, if I can be seventy percent as pretty as Auntie and Mommy, that would be very, very beautiful."

"Wow!" Ruan Lan exclaimed in surprise. Could her niece be an angel? Such sweet words from this little one!

"Stop fishing for compliments and tell me what happened," Ruan Tang said, pouring a glass of water for her sister.

Ruan Lan's smile stiffened, and she hesitated to speak. Finally, she touched her nose and feigned nonchalance. "Nothing, I just wanted to come see my niece. Is that a problem?"

"You've never been good at lying, not since you were little. You always touch your nose when you lie. Besides, every time you feel wronged, you come crying to me. Otherwise, why would you be sneaking around my neighborhood?"

"..."

Ruan Lan felt a sting in her nose and was on the verge of tears. But she knew this matter would drag her sister into it. So, Ruan Lan forced a smile and said, "I just wanted to come and see you and Yiyi."

Ruan Tang looked deeply at her sister, then shook her head and sighed. "If you don't want to talk about it, I won't force you. How are Mom and Dad? Are they well?"

"They're doing great, don't worry."

"That's good."

The two sisters then chatted about family matters. It was mostly Ruan Lan chattering away while Ruan Tang listened quietly, occasionally interjecting a word or two.

"Sis, you were driven out of the Ruan Family and became a laughing stock all because of Xu Lai. Why would you still get engaged to him?" Ruan Lan said indignantly. "You clearly deserve the best man in the world."

"For love," Xu Yiyi happily interjected. "Auntie, my mommy and daddy love each other very much!"

"You're wise beyond your years, you little rascal," Ruan Lan couldn't help but laugh. She pinched Xu Yiyi's cheeks; they felt so nice that she couldn't resist pinching them a few more times.

When Ruan Tang couldn't bear to watch any longer, she slapped her hand away and said calmly, "The relationship between Xu Lai and me is very complicated. It's not something I can explain in just a few words."

"Sis, you two aren't just pretending to be husband and wife, are you?" Ruan Lan suddenly asked. "Knowing you, you wouldn't suddenly get engaged, unless..."

Before she could finish, Xu Yiyi tugged at Ruan Tang's hand, looking pitiful. "Mommy, are you and Daddy lying to Yiyi?"

Shooting Ruan Lan a sharp glare, Ruan Tang hugged Xu Yiyi and comforted her. "How could that be? Daddy loves Mommy the most."

"Then does Mommy love Daddy?"

Facing her daughter's big, watery eyes, Ruan Tang braced herself and gently hummed in affirmation.

"Yiyi loves Daddy and Mommy the most, too!"

Xu Yiyi was easily consoled. However, Ruan Lan felt increasingly that something was amiss; there was definitely a story here!

Fortunately, at that moment, Xu Lai, having prepared a sumptuous meal of six dishes and a soup in the kitchen, called out, "Dinner's ready!"

Ruan Lan pursed her lips. "Well now, you can cook? You must have tricked quite a few girls with that."

"Be nice," Ruan Tang chided, giving her a look. "Usually we only have one or two dishes. Since you came today, your brother-in-law made seven."

"That's because he knows I'm not to be trifled with. You think my third-dan taekwondo black belt is just for show?" Ruan Lan said seriously. "Sis, you have no idea. I've already mastered the legendary 'aura' that makes common thugs run away in terror at the sight of me."

"Stop being so dramatic and eat."

"Okay."

With a look of disdain, Ruan Lan took a bite of the braised pork. The moment it hit her tongue, she froze.

What kind of heavenly delicacy is this? How can meat taste this good!

"Not to your liking?" Ruan Tang asked with concern, seeing her sister stunned.

"It's alright."

Ruan Lan, ever the tsundere, moved her chopsticks with divine speed. She devoured nearly half the plate of braised pork like a whirlwind. If she weren't considering that Yiyi still had to eat, she probably would have finished the entire dish.

But even so, along with the other dishes, she easily polished off three large bowls of rice.

"How is it?" Xu Lai asked with a smile.

"It's so-so. About the same as the school cafeteria," Ruan Lan said nonchalantly.

Xu Lai raised an eyebrow at his bargain wife. Why did that line sound so familiar?

Ruan Tang's face grew a little hot. Thankfully, Xu Lai was considerate and didn't tease her further.

"Wow, Auntie, you can eat so much!" Xu Yiyi said, her eyes bright. "Yiyi will try to eat more, too!"

"..."

"Yiyi, remember," Ruan Lan said, crestfallen. "You should never praise a woman for how much she can eat."

"Oh," Xu Yiyi replied, only half-understanding.

"Being able to eat is a blessing, eating wisely is a mark of intelligence. Being able to eat a lot is a good thing," Xu Lai said with a smile.

The Seventh Divine General of the Heavenly Court, whose surname was Chang, came from Earth. He would often repeat this phrase, claiming it was a proverb from his hometown. Xu Lai had learned all his culinary skills from him.

"Exactly!" Ruan Lan nodded emphatically.

"By the way, your brother-in-law works as a school doctor at Dongli University. If you need anything, you can ask him for help," Ruan Tang suddenly said.

"Him? A school doctor?" Ruan Lan paused, then said indignantly, "My friend Zhao Xixi asked for leave today. You were the one who rejected her, weren't you?"

"The one with the stomach ache?"

"Yes!"

"Go back and tell her to drink more hot water."

"..."

It would have been better if he hadn't said anything. The moment she heard those words, Ruan Lan's head nearly exploded. That advice had been her idea in the first place, which was why the now-rejected Zhao Xixi had followed her around all day repeating "drink more hot water."

Furious to the point of grinding her teeth, she declared, "I'm full from anger! I'm not eating anymore!"

"Auntie, let me get you another bowl of rice. you can eat it after you've calmed down."

"..."

At that moment, Ruan Lan felt an intense wave of malice from her niece. This isn't a little angel; this is clearly a demon!

But Ruan Lan still ate it.

She had to admit, this rice... was truly delicious!

...

After the meal, Ruan Lan pinched Xu Yiyi's cheeks for a good while, shot a few more threatening remarks at Xu Lai, and then reluctantly said her goodbyes to Ruan Tang.

The family of three walked Ruan Lan to the subway entrance and then started back home.

Watching Xu Yiyi skip happily ahead of them, Ruan Tang whispered, "Ruan Lan might have realized we're a sham couple. Don't let her find out."

"Okay," Xu Lai acknowledged. He looked ahead and then asked, "Do you have any change?"

Ruan Tang didn't ask why. She saw that Xu Yiyi had stopped up ahead, her big eyes wide as she looked at a beggar kneeling by the side of the street.

"Suffering from a terminal illness? Some of these are scammers," Ruan Tang frowned.

"This old man has cancer. It's in the late stages."

An ordinary person couldn't diagnose an illness at a glance, but Xu Lai could. As The Supreme Emperor, he possessed a pair of divine eyes that could see through all falsehoods, let alone the trivialities of a mortal body.

Ruan Tang didn't believe him, thinking he was just talking nonsense. Even so, she took out two hundred yuan in cash and gave it to Yiyi.

Holding the money in her small hands, Xu Yiyi dropped it into the iron bowl on the ground.

The kneeling old man's eyes grew moist. "Thank you, thank you. May good people have a lifetime of peace."

"Daddy, there are more people up ahead," Xu Yiyi said, pointing.

"Boss, help me out!"

"Boss, spare a little, please!"

"..."

The four beggars up ahead appeared to be missing arms and legs, but Xu Lai could sense their limbs hidden inside their clothes. These people are all con artists!

So, Xu Lai simply ignored them, walking past under the puzzled gazes of Xu Yiyi and Ruan Tang.

He stopped and rubbed his daughter's head, saying gently, "Yiyi, many people are disabled or poor, and they deserve our help. It's not because they aren't trying, but because they were born into misfortune. Like the old man we saw first; he truly is seriously ill and has lost the ability to work.

"But those people just now have healthy bodies and could work hard, yet they pretend to be disabled to beg, deceiving the kindness of others. That's why I didn't let you give them anything."

Xu Lai finished calmly, "A person must live with principles. These principles are kindness, self-respect, and self-love."