Qin Ningyi chuckled and ruffled his hair. "An'an, sometimes it's better not to be so smart."
An'an's eyes lit up. He obstinately asked, "So, Dad, you're really worried Mom will be snatched away, right?"
"Dad, is that uncle very capable? You seem scared," An'an added after a moment's thought.
Qin Ningyi smiled helplessly. If it were anyone else, he wouldn't be so worried; he had some confidence in himself. But Si Nian was different.
Si Nian's capabilities were beyond question, and he was not short on ambition. He had always been like that since childhood – whatever he wanted, he would fight for it, and once he started, he would have to get it. How could he not worry about such a person?
Moreover, he was a comrade with A Rou. According to Si Nian, they had a life-and-death bond, so he...
Even the usually reticent Si Nian had tried to provoke him. Didn't that speak volumes?
Seeing Qin Ningyi's smile, An'an pouted. With a feigned mature expression, he patted Qin Ningyi's shoulder. "Dad, you have to believe in yourself!"
Just as Qin Ningyi was about to be touched by his son's trust, An'an continued, "Can the person Mom chose be bad?"
He looked at the blind trust his son had in Huo Rou, unsure of what to say. He knew then that his position in this family might not be as ideal as he thought.
Qin Ningyi took a deep breath, pushed aside other thoughts, and looked at An'an very seriously. "Are you going?"
An'an answered crisply, "Yes!"
Despite his complaints, An'an was quite willing to personally go to bat in this arena to defend his parents' relationship.
Hearing An'an's agreement, Qin Ningyi instructed the driver, "To Shengse Shifu."
"Home first!" An'an heard Qin Ningyi's intention to leave immediately and quickly stopped him.
"Dad, I need to go back."
They returned to the Qin residence.
An'an went to his bedroom and found an outfit designed by Huo Rou for him. He meticulously dressed himself and even put on a tie.
When he went downstairs, Qin Ningyi was already waiting impatiently. Seeing his son looking even more dashing, he raised an eyebrow. "Can we go now?"
An'an frowned and approached him. "Dad, you're going to snatch Mom dressed like this?"
Qin Ningyi ignored An'an's word "snatch" and looked down at his own clothes. They seemed neat and presentable.
Although not as meticulous as his son's...
An'an shook his head, seeing his father's reaction. "Dad, haven't you heard the saying, 'Clothes make the man, a saddle makes the horse'? Although you're as handsome as An'an, a good-looking face isn't enough..."
An'an chattered on, relaying the urgent knowledge he had just found online. It said that to win the battle for love, a beautiful appearance was a sharp weapon!
"An'an, we're running out of time," Qin Ningyi said, glancing at his watch, trying to persuade An'an to give up on changing his outfit.
An'an shook his head. He was resolute on this matter and wouldn't allow any sloppiness.
He even turned to lecture Qin Ningyi. "Good tools make good work, Dad. You can't be so impatient."
An'an responsibly chose an outfit for Qin Ningyi, in a similar color scheme to his own.
After Qin Ningyi changed, he stood in front of the mirror with An'an. An'an looked at the outfits that were almost like a parent-child set and nodded with satisfaction. "Let's go."
They arrived at Shengse Shifu.
An'an looked around. There were many green plant partitions in the lobby, which would allow them to see and hear everything while also hiding themselves well.
"Dad, shouldn't we observe the situation first?" An'an leaned close to Qin Ningyi, tugging his trouser leg. "Should we go in directly?"
Qin Ningyi, who had been impatient at home, regained his usual composure here.
He nodded and led An'an to their pre-booked table.
"Your mother and them are eating in the private room over there," Qin Ningyi pointed to the adjacent room. "You eat something first, and then we'll go get her."
Just as An'an was about to nod and speak, a delicate voice suddenly rang out, "Handsome guy, want to share a table?"
The voice was right next to them. Qin Ningyi looked up. It was the height of winter, yet a woman in a slip dress was posing flirtatiously at him.
Qin Ningyi, finding it rather unpleasant, shifted his gaze back to the menu and coldly refused, "No."
"Oh, handsome guy, we're late and there are no tables. Could you do us a favor? It's just me and my sister here."