Xu Ran, having just finished his work, pushed open the door with two bottles of high-end red wine.
Behind him were several waiters carrying dishes.
"Brother Song, sorry to intrude."
Xu Ran, oblivious to the unusual atmosphere in the room, first greeted Song Qiao.
He then surveyed everyone and said, "Hello everyone, I am the owner of this restaurant and a friend of Brother Song. I assume you are all Brother Song's family."
"It is my great fortune to have you all dining here today. As Brother Song's friend, I present you with two bottles of red wine. I'll toast you all."
Saying this, he signaled the waiters to open the wine and pour it for everyone at the table.
"Oh? Boss Xu is friends with my son-in-law? Then we must have a drink." Of everyone in the room, only the father-in-law reacted first. He stood up, clinked glasses with Xu Ran, and drained his cup in one gulp.
Family matters are best kept within the family. The father-in-law was always concerned with his reputation and would not show any discord at home, even if there was a big argument, when outsiders were present.
"I've long heard from Song Qiao that Uncle's drinking capacity is exceptional. Seeing it today, he indeed lives up to his reputation."
Xu Ran offered a compliment, then walked to Xia Yuqing's side with his wine glass.
He smiled politely at her and raised his glass again.
"This must be sister-in-law, right? You are truly as beautiful as a flower. No wonder Brother Song often speaks of you."
Xia Yuqing had also regained her composure. She politely clinked glasses with Xu Ran and drank the red wine in her cup.
Regardless of any unpleasantness that had occurred, she had to save her husband's face in front of outsiders.
At this moment, she was somewhat surprised. In this era, people's thinking was still somewhat conservative. Most men who had extramarital affairs would not talk about their wives to others.
Yet, Song Qiao often mentioned her to his friends. It seemed, as he had said, that he had not been fooling around.
A warmth rose in her heart, and she smiled at Xu Ran, saying, "Boss Xu, you are a distinguished gentleman. Our Song Qiao often praises you in front of me. I always say he has good judgment to befriend someone like you."
"Haha, sister-in-law, you are the one with truly good judgment, finding such a fine man as Song Qiao, who can both earn money and be devoted to his family."
"You might not know this, but he is highly praised in the catering industry in our area."
Xu Ran laughed heartily and bantered humorously with Xia Yuqing.
After toasting everyone except Xi Xi, Xu Ran took his leave. As he was leaving, he even slipped Xi Xi a 200 yuan red envelope, saying it was a gift for the little girl.
...
Xu Ran's timely appearance broke the awkward atmosphere in the private room and quieted down Xia Xueqing.
"Little Song, is this Boss Xu the owner of this Chunfeng Restaurant?" the father-in-law asked Song Qiao with some surprise.
Having frequently dined out with friends, the father-in-law was familiar with Chunfeng Restaurant and knew the reputation of its owner.
He found it hard to believe how Song Qiao could have befriended such a person.
Song Qiao smiled slightly and replied to his father-in-law, "Yes, Boss Xu and I have some business dealings, and we became friends over time."
"Little Song, I've heard a bit about your tofu shop. Be honest with your dad, how much do you make per month?"
The father-in-law seized the opportunity to ask Song Qiao.
Song Qiao paused for a moment, then replied, "It's hard to say. My income has been higher recently due to top-up card promotions. It's likely to stabilize after a while."
"Conservatively speaking, around thirty to forty thousand."
"Hiss, that much money?" The father-in-law gasped, his heart filled with shock.
Thirty to forty thousand, and that was a conservative estimate. In this era, that amount could buy a medium-sized house in the suburbs.
"Yes, roughly. Once things at home are stable, I might open a few more branches in our city. The revenue will definitely increase then." Song Qiao did not humble himself and directly expressed his future plans to his father-in-law.
"Tch, you're just bragging..."
Xia Xueqing was about to mock him when her father silenced her with a stern look.
She pouted but ultimately said nothing more, as she still feared her father to some extent.
"Dad, don't worry, I will definitely ensure Yuqing and Xi Xi have a good life."
Song Qiao not only wanted to show his capabilities to his father-in-law but also to express his sincerity.
He believed that once he won over his parents-in-law, Xia Yuqing would likely be able to return home soon.
"Little Song, you must be down-to-earth in your business dealings. Don't do anything illegal or unethical," the mother-in-law cautioned Song Qiao, unable to hide her unease.
As an ordinary housewife, she might never have earned thirty thousand yuan in her life.
Hearing that Song Qiao's shop was so profitable, she still found it hard to believe and feared that Song Qiao might engage in illegal activities.
"Don't worry, Mom. I'm doing legitimate business, and I have a business license," Song Qiao reassured his mother-in-law.
"Grandma, when can we start eating?"
The mother-in-law seemed to want to say more, but Xi Xi, standing nearby, said with a hint of grievance.
Since the dishes were served, the little girl's eyes had been sparkling. However, the adults were all discussing matters, and not a single person had picked up their chopsticks.
The little girl, having been taught good manners, knew that she should not eat before the elders and could only stare longingly.
At this moment, she was becoming impatient.
"Okay, okay, Xi Xi is hungry, so I won't say any more." The mother-in-law doted on Xi Xi immensely. Seeing that Xi Xi had expressed her opinion, she quickly gave the order to start eating.
Xia Xueqing, unusually, did not retort to Song Qiao. She just lowered her head and ate, not saying a word.
The family ate in harmony.
Song Qiao sat on the side, constantly serving dishes to his wife and daughter, and even took the time to carefully remove fish bones for his daughter.
His father-in-law and mother-in-law observed this, and their opinion of Song Qiao began to change.
It seemed their wayward son-in-law was truly turning over a new leaf.
Xia Yuqing did not express any particular attitude, merely eating with her head down. Her heart, however, was warm. She had already made her own plans.
Tomorrow afternoon, as soon as she finished work, she would personally visit her husband's shop to see if Song Qiao's business was truly as bustling as he claimed. Then, all her doubts would be dispelled.
If her husband's words were true, she would not mind giving him another chance with their daughter. After all, as a married woman, living with her parents long-term was not ideal.