CHAPTER 76: CHAPTER 074 IT’S A FORCED WIN! [150+ VOTES]

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"Little girl, do you know how to play chess? Shall we have a game?" Liu Aimin effortlessly took out the chess set from under the table and set it up on the tea table, not giving Zhang Shan Ni a chance to object.

Zhang Shanni: "..." Darling, this feels like being coerced into winning! Luckily, she still knew how to move the pieces in chess, but to say she was good at it—absolutely not!

Watching the elder’s annoyed expression change after Xie Jingchen left, his brows and eyes relaxed as he displayed a philanthropic expression befitting a wealthy man. However, the Military Guard Uniform he wore took away much of the goodwill he intended to convey, leaving people with the impression ’he’s not a hot-tempered man’ at best.

"That old man better let me win a few steps, I’m a complete novice," Zhang Shanni said with a smile, nodding her head and began fiddling with the chess pieces alongside the commander.

Honestly, her grandfather passed away early in her previous life, and it was he who had taught her chess. She was only thirteen at that time and only roughly learned the basics like ’a horse moves in an L-shape, an elephant in a field, soldier crossing the river can’t turn back’, and other simple rules. So calling herself a beginner was an absolute truth.

"No worries, the old man will let you take back three moves!"

In fact, the commander’s chess skills weren’t that great either. Firstly, his mental agility had greatly diminished over the years due to illness. Playing chess with Zhang Shanni was simply a way to pass time and a means to judge her character.

It is often said that one’s conduct in chess reflects one’s character, and there’s truth in that.

Liu Aimin didn’t want to strain his brain and simply played using the most straightforward moves. Zhang Shanni, although a true novice, had a sharp mind and was agile. After three games resembling playful skirmishes, Zhang Shanni began to figure out a few strategies and became increasingly involved.

By the fifth round, Liu Aimin could no longer move as freely, playing slower and slower. Still, Zhang Shanni noticed the old man’s declining spiritual power; his serious demeanor turned somewhat ashen. Worried that he might exhaust himself, she deliberately made a significant blunder, a move that would cause her ’one wrong step, the entire board lost’, allowing the old man to win barely. Zhang Shanni sighed with relief inwardly!

On the surface, Zhang Shanni looked utterly dejected by her defeat, but in her heart, she rolled her eyes grandly. The old man appeared very dignified and virtuous, but he was actually a terrible chess player! He had agreed to let her take back moves three times, yet she didn’t even reuse a single take-back, but the old man did more than three times!

Luckily, Xie Jingchen, who was showing off his skills in the kitchen, probably calculated that the old man must be tired by now, so he sent the guard to take the commander for a walk, pulling Zhang Shanni into the kitchen.

The commander, likely really drained and now approving of Zhang Shanni, contentedly left with the aid of the guard for a walk outside the yard. After all, he had been sitting for about two hours; a walk would help the old man’s circulation.

"Wife, are you cooking the main dish?" Although Xie Jingchen could cook, his dishes were subpar compared to Zhang Shanni’s—it was like comparing trash to treasure! As a man, he could only make the food edible, not particularly tasty.

Since meeting Zhang Shan Ni, this little wife, she had been in charge of cooking at the Xie Family, especially after their marriage. After enjoying a variety of meal styles prepared by Zhang Shanni, Xie Jingchen’s taste buds had become quite discerning, and now with his little wife around, how could he settle for his own ’swill’?

Besides, having his wife show off her cooking skills had always brought face to Rong Wei in front of the commander, and allowed him to show off in front of others; Xie Jingchen was more than willing to let that happen.

At the commander’s residence, if Xie Jingchen wasn’t visiting, they generally ate special meals from the nursing home. But whenever Xie Jingchen visited, the guard would take Xie Jingchen inside and then fetch the food ingredients designated for the commander.

This was a ritual every time Xie Jingchen came. Though Xie Jingchen’s cooking was not great, Liu Aimin had taken a liking to it. Each time, Xie Jingchen would cook himself. Even if the dishes were too salty or too bland, the commander would happily feast on them.

It wasn’t that Liu Aimin was biased, but relationships between people indeed require a certain affinity and connection.

Liu Aimin’s original two sons had died early, one killed in battle and the other from illness, leaving him only a granddaughter. The granddaughter, having lost her father at a young age and being raised selfishly by her widowed mother, could hardly stand living with her grandfather. Whenever they were together, they ended up arguing fiercely.

For his granddaughter’s sake, Liu Aimin even resented his daughter-in-law. It had been over ten years since he last saw his youngest son’s wife, and he only saw his granddaughter once a year. Even then, their meeting would end up in an uproar.

In comparison, this made Xie Jingchen look especially good. At the very least, he truly cared for him, remembering to send gifts and look after him during festivals and holidays. Sometimes, good items would be sent his way.

Liu Aimin knew that Xie Jingchen felt indebted to him for recognizing and valuing him. But in Liu Aimin’s eyes, Xie Jingchen had also saved his life. Back when the young man was new in the military guard, inexperienced and part of a drill, he was accidentally hit by a stray bullet. If Xie Jingchen hadn’t pushed him away in the nick of time, he would have been the one injured.

Although the bullet only hit Xie Jingchen’s shoulder, if it had hit him, it could have been a life-threatening chest wound! Essentially, Xie Jingchen had pulled him back from the brink of death. Even though it was his duty as a guard to protect him, if not for his quick reaction, where would he be today?!

Therefore, he treated Xie Jingchen almost like a nephew. The young man was very conscious of kindness shown to him; a little gesture of goodwill from someone else, and he would repay it threefold, almost wishing he could keep him by his side all the time...

"Come on, wife, make your man proud." What Xie Jingchen initially said was to ask for his little wife’s opinion, but what followed was to forcefully take matters into his own hands—barely had Zhang Shanni entered the kitchen when he forcefully pulled her into his embrace, and casually passed the kitchen knife into her hands.

As the small space contained only the two of them, Xie Jingchen affectionately kissed her on the lips. If it weren’t for his petite wife being so short which made kissing her somewhat difficult, he wouldn’t have settled for just a light peck.

Zhang Shanni was petite and delicate, while Xie Jingchen was tall and slender. With his pull, Zhang Shanni was completely shielded by Xie Jingchen, making it look from the entrance as if only Xie Jingchen was in the kitchen.

At this moment, Xie Jingchen was feeling particularly smug.

In the half an hour he spent earlier prepping in the kitchen, he could hear the joyful laughter of the old man in the living room, indicating that his little wife had indeed caught the old man’s eye, and that was enough to thrill him.

Look, how good his judgment was, even the old man approved of her, surely she was a keeper.