MWCBTC Chapter 6: A Hidden Gem
Mrs. Qin wasn't particularly familiar with Qiao Chen, but because of the recent scandal involving the Qiao family, coupled with that accusatory phone call from Mrs. Qiao the day before, her impression of Qiao Chen wasn’t great.
However, after meeting him and spending a short while together, her attitude shifted drastically.
Unlike most housewives, Mrs. Qin was quite different—especially compared to someone like Mrs. Qiao. She came across as capable and sharp, with a chic short haircut that made her seem rather strong-willed. She didn’t exactly look like the easygoing type, and that likely stemmed from her early years working outside the home.
Yes, although she was now a full-time homemaker, she had once been a powerful businesswoman. The success of the Qin family business owed a great deal to her past efforts.
So as a classic strong woman, Mrs. Qin had an exceptionally sharp eye—and wasn’t easy to please.
Even the usually well-liked Qiao Yu hadn’t managed to score many points with her.
But strangely, her attitude toward Qiao Chen was unexpectedly good. The smile on her face seemed to hold a genuine fondness for him.
And it wasn’t like Qiao Chen had done much—since arriving, he’d only called her “Mom” and exchanged some polite small talk.
Watching from the side, Qin Shen felt a bit puzzled. He couldn’t quite figure out why she was acting this way.
But of course, he didn’t understand. A woman’s intuition is razor-sharp—especially someone like Mrs. Qin, who had met all sorts of people throughout her life.
A person’s eyes don’t lie.
Compared to the restlessness flickering in Qiao Yu’s eyes, Mrs. Qin far preferred the calm and steadiness in Qiao Chen’s gaze.
She had already been dissatisfied with Qiao Yu, and his last-minute disappearance only added to that disapproval. But now, upon seeing Qiao Chen, she thought to herself: A blessing in disguise.
“Xiao Chen, I heard you’ve just come back to the country recently. Do you have a job lined up yet?” she asked.
Qiao Chen felt the warmth in her tone and relaxed a little, replying, “Yes, I’ve already sent out some resumes. I have an interview on Monday.”
Mrs. Qin nodded approvingly. “Good, good.” She grew even more pleased. This was clearly a child who had his life planned out.
As they continued chatting, time passed quickly, and before they realized it, evening had arrived.
Suddenly, Mrs. Qin stood up and said, “You two must be hungry—I’ll make you something to eat.”
Qiao Chen nodded politely. Qin Shen, however, looked a little uncomfortable.
Then he said, “Let the housekeeper do it instead.”
But Mrs. Qin firmly rejected that. “Absolutely not. This is Xiao Chen’s first time visiting. I need to cook myself to show my sincerity.”
Qiao Chen, caught off guard by the kindness, quickly waved his hands. “There’s really no need to go to all that trouble. I’m not picky with food.”
Such a sweet and considerate kid. Mrs. Qin eyes crinkled into a smile, and she looked like she wanted to reach out and pat his head.
Then she confidently made her way into the kitchen.
Qin Shen could only rub his forehead helplessly.
Sure enough, ten minutes later, loud crashing sounds erupted from the kitchen.
The commotion startled Qiao Chen, who was sitting on the sofa.
Qin Shen, on the other hand, looked completely unfazed.
Indeed—whenever Mrs. Qin was in a good mood, she liked to cook. But unfortunately, her cooking skills were terrible. The kind that could bankrupt a cookware store. Yet somehow, she was full of confidence. Every time she finished one of her disaster meals, she’d proudly present it like a five-star dish.
The chaos in the kitchen continued. Qiao Chen kept glancing back anxiously but didn’t get up—likely out of respect for Qin Shen.
Eventually, when the clanging noises still hadn’t stopped, Qin Shen finally gave up and headed upstairs, wanting to escape the inevitable disaster.
After he left, Qiao Chen stood up and headed toward the kitchen. Peeking inside, he saw Mrs. Qin fumbling with the cooking utensils. The pot lid clattered to the ground—it was clear she wasn’t much of a cook.
So, Qiao Chen asked, “Would you like some help?”
And just like that, the role of chef shifted from Mrs. Qin to Qiao Chen. He moved with practiced ease, heating the oil and stir-frying the ingredients. Before long, the kitchen was filled with the delicious aroma of home-cooked food.
The more Mrs. Qin watched, the more satisfied she felt. Her opinion of Qiao Chen went up another notch.
Polite, sensible, and he could cook—what a hidden gem of a boy.
Very, very good.
Since it was dinner and Mr. Qin—Qin Shen’s father—would be home later, they prepared a bit more food than usual.
Six dishes and one soup. Three meat and three vegetable dishes.
Actually, if you included the “tomato and egg” that didn’t look like tomato and egg (courtesy of Madam Qin), then it was technically seven dishes and one soup.
By the time everything was ready and on the table, it was already an hour and a half later.
At 8 p.m. sharp, Mr. Qin came home.
As the front door opened, he walked in.
Qin Shen looked just like his father—they were practically clones. Handsome and dignified, though Mr. Qin had a calm, steady air that his son lacked.
But because he looked so much like Qin Shen, Qiao Chen instinctively assumed he’d be just as difficult to get along with. So he didn’t dare say anything.
In the end, it was Mrs. Qin who nudged him and said, “Why are you standing there like that? Call him Dad.”
Qiao Chen nodded, bent at a ninety-degree angle, and very earnestly called out, “Dad.”
His seriousness was so over-the-top that it made Mr. Qin chuckle.
“No need to be so nervous, child,” he said gently.
Clearly, this couple shared similar taste. Mr. Qin, like his wife, felt that Qiao Chen was a better match than Qiao Yu.
Just then, Qin Shen came downstairs and saw the cozy scene: his usually stern father chatting warmly with Qiao Chen, his mother laughing beside them as they discussed something he couldn’t quite hear.
Even Qiao Chen was smiling faintly.
For some reason, it rubbed Qin Shen the wrong way.
What right does Qiao Chen have? He’d made a mess of someone else’s relationship and now was happily enjoying the spotlight.
And then—Qin Shen descended the stairs with a stormy expression.
The room’s temperature seemed to drop.
Qiao Chen looked up and saw him, and immediately, his smile disappeared.
Neither said a word, but the atmosphere turned sour in an instant.
In the end, it was Mrs. Qin who stepped in to smooth things over. “Dinner’s ready,” she said, leading everyone to the dining table.
During the meal, both Mr. Qin and Qin Shen remained quiet. Only Mrs. Qin kept chatting—mostly with Qiao Chen.
She sang his praises endlessly, saying how impressive it was that he made all the dishes, how delicious everything was, making Qiao Chen’s face flush red.
“It’s just basic home cooking,” he replied modestly.
“Well, even basic dishes can be impressive. Looks like Qin Shen’s going to be spoiled in the future,” she said with a grin.
Before Qiao Chen could respond, a cold snort came from his side—Qin Shen’s voice laced with disdain.
Embarrassed in front of everyone, Qiao Chen’s face went pale. He bit his lip awkwardly.
Mrs. Qin shot Qin Shen a cold glare and harshly scolded, “If you’re not eating, then leave. Don’t ruin the mood.”
After all, she was his mother, so Qin Shen couldn’t talk back. He had no choice but to swallow his frustration, put down his chopsticks, and stood up to leave.
Just then, Mrs. Qin added, “It’s getting late. Why don’t you stay the night? Your new room has already been set up.”
Qin Shen was about to refuse when Qiao Chen beat him to it, saying, “Probably not a good idea. Tomorrow’s Monday, and this place is pretty far from Qin Shen’s office. Might be inconvenient.”
Qiao Chen was completely bluffing—he had no idea where Qin Shen’s company was, not even the name.
But if they stayed, they’d have to share a room… which would be awkward.
He figured Qin Shen wouldn’t want that either.
And indeed, Qiao Chen’s response hit the mark. Qin Shen wasn’t keen on spending time with him either.
Still, refusing himself was one thing—having Qiao Chen refuse on his behalf was another.
Hearing Qiao Chen so readily turn it down left Qin Shen feeling oddly annoyed.
What’s he acting for, anyway? If he really didn’t want this, why go through all the trouble to climb up?
Qin Shen stopped in his tracks and suddenly changed his mind. He turned around and said, “Sure, I’ll stay tonight. I’m tired and don’t feel like driving.”
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