Chapter 61 What else is there to say, let's eat first

Strictly speaking, this was Yu Dazhang's second time visiting the Qu household.

The first time, he didn't even make it through the front door; he kissed Qu Tuotuo outside and then carried away their chauffeur.

Coming back this time, even with mental preparation, he was still overwhelmed by the luxurious interior decoration.

It wasn't as if Yu Dazhang had never seen luxury mansions before. Thanks to short-form videos, he had seen every kind of extravagant home imaginable.

Yet, experiencing it in person felt entirely different.

Walking further inside, he couldn't help but look around in wonder.

That man wearing the black vest must be the butler, right?

Oh—he's even wearing a bow tie.

Are those women housekeepers or maids?

This entire vibe felt just like stepping into the lobby of a newly opened KTV.

Following Qu Tuotuo all the way to the first-floor dining room, Yu Dazhang saw that the table was already laden with an array of diverse dishes.

So this is the legendary caviar... Yu Dazhang merely glanced at it before his eyes were immediately captivated by the other culinary delights on the table.

That's king crab!

Truffles? Are those truffles?

Such a huge Boston lobster!

His all-time favorite swimming crabs didn't even qualify to be served here.

Just as Yu Dazhang stood there with his jaw dropped in astonishment, Mr. and Mrs. Qu walked over.

Logically speaking, the couple should have arrived at the dining room first.

However, having been utterly stunned by their daughter's first love at the second-floor window just moments ago, their minds had taken a while to recover.

The couple had stood frozen in place for a full minute before snapping back to reality.

Yu Dazhang recognized them instantly as Qu Tuotuo's parents.

Just as he was about to greet them, he noticed Qu Wannian turn his body to the side and let out a heavy "Hmph."

Yu Dazhang was taken aback.

What the hell are you hmpfing about? I haven't even eaten a bite yet.

Is he planning to compete with me for the food?

I'll need to keep a close eye on him later. This guy is a formidable rival.

When a person is hungry, the desire for food is intensely powerful, and Yu Dazhang was currently in that exact state.

Combined with his relaxed mindset, he felt completely under no pressure at all.

He was just here to help Qu Tuotuo fool her parents, while treating himself to a massive feast on the side.

Since this wasn't a real relationship, Yu Dazhang didn't care about her parents' attitude in the slightest.

On the other hand, Qu Tuotuo's mother acted quite warmly.

After Qu Tuotuo made the introduction, she even took the initiative to ask about Yu Dazhang's family background.

Regardless of anything else, on the surface at least, she seemed to show sufficient regard for her daughter's boyfriend.

Once seated, Yu Dazhang kept his head down, staring blankly at the table full of food.

Both Qu Wannian and his wife assumed he was feeling nervous and reserved because it was his first time at their home.

This was entirely normal and showed that he cared deeply about their daughter; only someone who truly cared would act this way.

It was just his build... Seeing Yu Dazhang sitting opposite him, Qu Wannian let out another "Hmph."

Qu Tuotuo finally couldn't take it anymore and spoke up:

"Dad, you're the one who invited him here as a guest. Is this really how the Qu family treats guests?"

Qu Wannian didn't answer directly, instead glaring at his daughter.

Qu Tuotuo met her father's gaze without flinching, and the atmosphere between the father and daughter instantly turned tense and combative.

Why aren't we picking up our chopsticks yet... Yu Dazhang was so hungry he was breaking out in a cold sweat.

Although he was a guest, there were two elders at the table.

According to etiquette, only Qu Wannian, as the head of the household, could pick up his chopsticks first, allowing others to follow suit. Otherwise, it would seem terribly rude.

Not caring about their attitude was one thing, but basic manners still had to be observed—this was something deeply ingrained in Yu Dazhang's bones since childhood.

No matter the time or circumstance, it had to be followed.

"I brought him here, and you've seen him," Qu Tuotuo stared straight at Qu Wannian, refusing to back down.

"If he's not welcome, we'll leave right now."

Don't do that! If we leave without eating a single bite, wouldn't this trip be for nothing... Yu Dazhang turned his head, looking at Qu Tuotuo with a bewildered expression.

Are you two father and daughter doing this on purpose?!

"Hey, how much do you weigh?" Qu Wannian finally spoke, directing his question straight at Yu Dazhang in an unfriendly tone.

Can we talk while we eat... Yu Dazhang offered an honest, good-natured smile:

"I should be a little over three hundred catties, but in a little while, it'll be under three hundred."

He hoped this would remind Qu Wannian across the table to finally pick up his chopsticks before the food got cold.

"Why don't you lose weight?" Obviously, Qu Wannian wanted to keep dwelling on the issue of weight.

Moreover, his expression was deadly serious; Yu Dazhang even felt that if he gave the wrong answer, the man might order the dishes to be removed.

"Uncle, I've only just gotten fat, I haven't reached the weight-loss stage yet."

Answering this way should be fine... Yu Dazhang comforted himself internally, then stared at Qu Wannian with expectant eyes.

To be precise, he was staring at Qu Wannian's hands.

Because he wasn't sure which hand Qu Wannian used to hold chopsticks.

"Dad, you're going too far," Qu Tuotuo complained in a disgruntled tone.

"So what if he's a bit heavy? Anyone who can gain weight can lose it. Even if he stays like this forever, I still like him."

As soon as these words left her mouth, both Qu Wannian and his wife furrowed their brows deeply.

So their daughter liked heavy guys.

No wonder she hadn't dated anyone during her school years—there weren't any guys this massive at school.

Is he just "a bit heavy"?

With that build of his, he could fit their entire family of three inside him.

The more Qu Wannian thought about it, the more preposterous it seemed. The hand that had just picked up a pair of chopsticks suddenly slammed down onto the table.

"I don't agree!"

Seeing Qu Wannian pick up his chopsticks, Yu Dazhang had thought the meal was about to begin and was just reaching out when the man slammed them back down.

Did those chopsticks do something to offend you?

Stop taking it out on the chopsticks; hit me instead if you must.

I can't take this anymore, my hands are trembling from hunger.

"Dad, I can listen to you on anything else, but not this," Qu Tuotuo said, completely ignoring her father's gloomy expression.

"I trust my own judgment. I'm absolutely certain I haven't misjudged him."

With that, she turned to look at Yu Dazhang beside her, only to see him staring blankly at the table with deadpan eyes, looking as though he had suffered some crushing blow.

Seeing him like this, a wave of heartache washed over Qu Tuotuo.

If she had known, she wouldn't have brought him here.

She never imagined her father would be so harsh, refusing to spare him a shred of dignity.

He suffered such great grievance for her sake, yet he didn't utter a single complaint... The more Qu Tuotuo thought about it, the more guilty she felt toward him.

"Dazhang, if you have anything on your mind, just say it."

She looked at the silent man beside her and noticed beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

"Let's eat first," Yu Dazhang said with a look of utter despair.

Even in a situation like this, he's still keeping the bigger picture in mind... Qu Wannian couldn't help but look at him in a new light.

At the same time, he picked up his chopsticks once again.

Forty minutes later.

Mr. and Mrs. Qu stood watching as their daughter and Yu Dazhang walked out the front door.

"When he first arrived, I thought his gaze was just vacant. Turns out he's been staring at this table of food the entire time."

Qu Wannian had also started his career from scratch, having spent time in both the military and on construction sites back in the day, and he was famous for eating fast in his youth.

Never did he expect to be completely outmatched by a younger generation member at the dinner table.

He hadn't even noticed how the guy was using his chopsticks.

How on earth did a table full of dishes get picked clean down to the scraps in the blink of an eye?

A master. This guy is a true master.

"Prepare another table for me, exactly the same as this one," Qu Wannian instructed the butler.

"Stop acting on impulse," Qu Mother advised. "Can you possibly finish all that?"

Qu Wannian wore a resolute expression, cold sweat beading on his forehead.

"I think I can. I haven't been this hungry in years."

...

On the way back.

Sitting in the backseat of the Qu family's luxury sedan, Qu Tuotuo complained in a disgruntled tone:

"Did you come to my house just to do a mukbang?"

Back at the dining table, even she hadn't managed to eat more than a few bites; this guy's eating speed was simply beyond human comprehension.

By now, having eaten and drunk his fill, Yu Dazhang finally came to his senses.

So Qu Wannian had been humiliating him the entire time.

Damn it, it really is true that accepting food from others makes you soft-spoken... The more Yu Dazhang thought about it, the more annoyed he became, and he couldn't help blurting out:

"How on earth does your mom put up with your dad? With that kind of patience, she could succeed at anything."

"It's not as exaggerated as you think," Qu Tuotuo explained. "My dad just cares about me too much."

"Your mom is no ordinary woman," Yu Dazhang said with a solemn expression.

"Come on."

"Your mom is capable of achieving great things."

"Cut the nonsense."

"Has your mom ever been through rehab?"

"Shut up!"