Chapter 65: Chapter 65: Respect.

No matter what Lu Huan promised, Lu Xiao remained suspicious of her. In fact, Lu Huan’s bizarre behavior only made Lu Xiao trust her less.

It wasn’t that Lu Xiao was particularly worried about what kind of trouble Lu Huan could stir up.

At worst, she’d just hooked up with some male and couldn’t handle the fallout.

After all, given Lu Huan’s current capabilities, that was about all she was good for.

Teacher Ai Li arrived with the other three teachers.

They each brought gifts, such as flowers, perfume, and the like.

Lu Xiao welcomed the group into the room. “Please, have a seat. We’ll be eating in the garden in a bit.”

Ares had just finished setting up the garden. Lu Xiao still had one more dish to make—the sweet and sour pork ribs that Teacher Sherry had specially requested.

“Darling, let us help you,” Teacher Ai Li said, getting up. She felt it wasn’t right for them to visit and have Lu Xiao do all the cooking herself.

But Lu Xiao gently pushed her back down. “It’s just the sweet and sour pork ribs. I’ll be done in a minute. Please, just sit for a bit, or feel free to look around.”

“Xiao Xiao, your home looks so cozy,” Teacher Sherry said with a smile.

Lu Xiao’s house wasn’t particularly large or luxurious, but it was spotless inside and not at all cluttered. It also didn’t have the signs of too many people living there.

It was the kind of home that made people feel comfortable and relaxed.

“That’s right. I was just about to say that this place feels so comfortable.”

Hearing this, Lu Xiao smiled. “I’m glad you like it. Please, chat amongst yourselves. I’ll just be a moment.”

After watching Lu Xiao leave, Teacher Ai Li couldn’t help but remark, “Who would have thought a female like Xiao Xiao would be such a great cook? Her side husband is truly enviable.”

Just as Teacher Ai Li finished speaking, Ares, who had been busy outside, pushed the door open. He saw the four females gathered in the living room, gave them a slight nod, and then headed straight to the kitchen to help without another word.

The four of them were no strangers to Ares. After all, he picked Lu Xiao up from work on time every day. They had all seen him before, but this was the first time they had seen Ares in a home setting.

He gave off a slightly different vibe than when he was in his military uniform.

“Does anyone else feel that Xiao Xiao’s side husband is… a little different?” Teacher Sherry asked, sounding uncertain.

“I sense it too,” Teacher Ai Li nodded.

Ares lacked the subservience and restraint common in other males. For instance, when he greeted them just now, he was completely natural.

If it were their own side husbands, they would always subconsciously shy away from visitors. Even if they couldn’t avoid an interaction, they would just lower their heads to say hello, never daring to look the other person in the eye.

It made them seem timid and anxious from head to toe.

But seeing Ares now, the difference was stark. They were both side husbands, yet Ares was clearly self-confident.

This confidence, of course, was credited to him having a very good female master.

They all felt a bit wistful. But for them to be like Lu Xiao, devoted to only one person… they couldn’t do it.

Through the glass door, the four of them had a clear view of Lu Xiao and Ares bustling about in the kitchen together.

Although it was clear Lu Xiao and Ares weren’t talking much, their every movement revealed a deep, unspoken understanding.

They obviously cooked together often.

Otherwise, there was no way a single glance or gesture from one would be instantly understood by the other.

’Come to think of it, even with our main husbands, we can’t achieve this kind of rapport.’

’There’s always some kind of barrier between us.’

Lu Xiao had no idea what her four colleagues had been thinking about in that short time.

Once the sweet and sour pork ribs were done, Lu Xiao carried the plate out from the kitchen and called to the four women, “Alright, it’s time to eat!”

“Let me help you, Xiao Xiao,” Teacher Ai Li said, coming over to take the plate.

Lu Xiao didn’t refuse, handing the plate to Teacher Ai Li. “Thank you, Teacher Ai Li. I’ll go get the wine.”

“I’ll go with you,” Teacher Sherry immediately said, getting up to follow.

Ares came out after tidying up the kitchen. When he saw Lu Xiao return, before he could even speak, she said, “Go tell Lu Huan to come down for dinner. You’ll be joining us, too.”

Ares’s heart skipped a beat. He wanted to say something, but with Teacher Sherry present, he just nodded tactfully. “Okay.”

Meanwhile, Teacher Sherry, who had overheard Lu Xiao invite Ares to join them, was surprised to find that she didn’t feel offended in the slightest. In fact, it seemed perfectly in character for Lu Xiao.

If it had been any other female inviting a household male to eat at the same table, they would have felt insulted and offended.

But with Lu Xiao, it felt completely normal and natural.

Because of how well Lu Xiao cared for her side husband, he wasn’t someone they could just treat casually.

In fact, even Lu Xiao herself didn’t realize that her way of doing things had earned Ares the respect he deserved.

When Ares called for her, Lu Huan was still in a daze. “My sister really wants me to come to dinner?”

“Yes.” Ares clearly had no intention of saying more. He just answered and turned to head downstairs.

Seeing this, Lu Huan quickly followed him. “Did she say anything else?”

’Like warning me not to say the wrong thing, or to behave myself?’

Ares replied without expression, “No.”

His answer did little to ease Lu Huan’s mind. She pressed on, “Who are the guests today?”

“The female master’s colleagues.”

“My sister really got a job?” Lu Huan still found that hard to believe.

Ares didn’t bother responding to that question. It was utterly pointless.

As they reached the garden, they could see the group from a distance, laughing and talking. The atmosphere was pleasant.

“This is Lu Huan, my younger sister, and my partner, Ares,” Lu Xiao said with a smile, introducing them to her four colleagues.

The four teachers thought nothing of it when Lu Xiao introduced Lu Huan. But when she introduced Ares, even knowing how differently she treated him, they never expected her to use a word as significant as “partner.”

After all, they rarely used the word “partner” even when introducing their own main husbands.

Yet Ares accepted the title with a calm and composed expression, which suggested this was clearly not the first time Lu Xiao had introduced him that way.

When Ares took a seat at the dinner table, none of the four teachers showed any objection.

This left Lu Huan, who had just sat down, utterly shocked.

Back home, her mother, Count Ge Wei, would never eat with her side husbands and other husbands. Even when their father was home, they rarely all sat down to a meal together.

But here at Lu Xiao’s, not only did Ares always have a place at the dining table, but he was now even joining her for a gathering with friends.

’It was unbelievable.’

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep