"Lan Lan's words are so sweet," Ling Bo said with a smile as he got up and pulled out a chair for her.
Jiang Mi was right, Ling Bo was very handsome. As a doctor, he exuded a scholarly aura, making him very approachable and likable.
When Jiang Jingxiu and Jiang Mianmian arrived together, Jiang Mi almost cursed. Ling Bo had invited Mianmian for dinner; what was Jiang Jingxiu doing here, crashing the party?
Upon seeing Mianmian, Ling Bo knew she was Jiang Mi's daughter. He raised an eyebrow at the man beside her, but he maintained his smile, appearing so approachable that it was hard to dislike him.
This was precisely what Jiang Jingxiu felt. He had been in a foul mood before coming, but meeting this kind and gentle man, his first impression was surprisingly positive.
"Mom," Jiang Mianmian called out proactively, her eyes examining her mother's boyfriend.
"You must be Mianmian. I'm Ling Bo, your mom's boyfriend. Hello, it's nice to meet you," Ling Bo greeted Mianmian first. He understood the priorities; his main goal today was to win over Jiang Mi's daughter to facilitate his relationship with Jiang Mi.
"Hello, Uncle. Thank you for inviting me to dinner," Mianmian replied with a smile.
"Let me introduce you. This is Ling Bo, my boyfriend. This is Jiang Mianmian, my daughter. And this is... Mianmian's father, who was my uncle before we were related by blood," Jiang Mianmian introduced.
"Hello, Mr. Jiang. Please have a seat." Ling Bo greeted them kindly, and everyone took their seats.
He didn't engage in lengthy pleasantries with Jiang Jingxiu, offering insincere thanks for taking care of Jiang Mi. Such words would only annoy Jiang Jingxiu. Ling Bo's restraint made him seem less detestable.
Jiang Jingxiu thought he must be crazy; this was his love rival.
Next, they simply ordered food. After everyone had chosen their dishes, Ling Bo turned to Jiang Jingxiu and said, "Mr. Jiang..."
Jiang Jingxiu thought, here it comes, the inevitable showdown. After all, male competition was often this simple.
"Are you feeling unwell?" Ling Bo asked with a frown.
Jiang Jingxiu had been mentally preparing for a fierce battle between two males, only to have his opponent suddenly inquire about his health.
Caught off guard, Jiang Jingxiu couldn't even hide his surprised expression. Jiang Mianmian thought, "Dad, you're so embarrassing," and tugged at his sleeve.
"Thank you for asking. I'm a little, but it won't affect my eating," Jiang Jingxiu replied, feeling dejected.
Jiang Mi said, "Let's eat. We should leave soon after dinner; I'm tired."
Ling Bo nodded and began to attentively serve Jiang Mi. Jiang Jingxiu attended to his daughter.
Jiang Mianmian couldn't help but keep looking at her mother's boyfriend. She, too, found the uncle very gentle and kind to her mother. Her mother seemed to like this uncle quite a bit. Would her mother be happier with him? Mianmian's greatest wish was for her mother's happiness, and she was beginning to feel conflicted.
"Mianmian, you should eat too. I don't know your preferences, so it might be better to let your father take care of you," Ling Bo said, offering the child an egg tart.
"Thank you, Uncle. I'm not a picky eater," Mianmian replied with a sweet smile.
Jiang Jingxiu immediately nudged his daughter, thinking, is this child about to switch allegiance?