After transmigrating, I became a stepmother.

Seeing that preparations were almost complete, Lin Hao was about to head to Rongshou Hall to wait for Gu Liunian's return. On her way there, she bumped into Gu Liunian. He wore a dark blue robe, and a matching headband accentuated his tall, slender figure and handsome features.

For a moment, Lin Hao was slightly stunned. This person looked like the male lead in an ancient costume drama!

Gu Liunian also saw her, quickened his pace slightly, approached, and took her hand.

"What are you doing here? Waiting for me?"

"Uh, no, no, I'm going to my mother's." Lin Hao stammered, as Gu Liunian approached, his aura enveloped her, instantly reminding her of last night. Back then, it was the same aura that had tightly enveloped her, leaving her no escape.

Seeing her flushed cheeks and ears, Gu Liunian didn't press her further. After giving a soft "hmm," he led her towards Rongshou Hall.

Lin Hao tried to calm her racing heart and try to stop her face from getting so hot, but the constant heat emanating from her hands made her efforts seem utterly futile.

"Tonight, I plan to have dinner with my mother, we'll have hot pot. I've also invited my second brother's family, but I don't know if they'll come." Lin Hao could only try to distract herself with conversation.

"Hmm." Another short, single syllable. This man was always so economical with words, except…

No, she couldn't think any further. Lin Haohao's cheeks, which had finally regained their normal color, flushed red again. Gu Liunian had been watching her out of the corner of his eye. Seeing her like this, he didn't know why, but he found it quite amusing! She was much more vibrant than when she first entered the manor.

The little boy, who was talking to the old lady inside, saw them arrive. He only glanced at his father before rushing into Lin Hao's arms and saying sweetly, "Mother, I've been waiting for you for so long!"

"Did you complete the task your mother gave you?" Lin Hao stroked his head and asked gently.

"Yes, I told Grandma as soon as I arrived. Right, Grandma?" the little dumpling said in a childish voice.

"Yes, yes, our little Yu'er is like a little adult. As soon as he arrived, he told me to wait for you all to come and have dinner together!" The old lady smiled from ear to ear.

"My darling is so great!" Lin Hao praised without hesitation, giving the little boy a thumbs up. The old lady echoed, "Yes, yes, Yu-ge'er is the best!"

The little boy happily spun around in circles, his eyes narrowed into slits, saying, "I'm the best!" Then, his eyes secretly glanced at Gu Liunian. Seeing this, Lin Hao nudged Gu Liunian, signaling him to give a reaction.

Gu Liunian looked at his son, who was staring at him expectantly, and said, "Well done!" Lin Hao was waiting for the next sentence, but it never came. Just as she was about to ask him to say something more, the little dumpling jumped up happily. Oh well, she was just being redundant!

After everyone had washed up, someone from the second branch of the family came to say that they had finished eating and would not disturb the old lady's meal any longer. By then, the table was already set. A table full of dishes, all served in delicate little plates, were arranged in a pleasing, staggered fashion around the central copper stove, where the broth was bubbling away, looking incredibly tempting!

Lin Hao looked through all the seasonings, including the sesame paste, that she had prepared beforehand. After asking the group if they had any dietary restrictions, she prepared a special dipping sauce for the old lady and the little bun, and added some chili peppers for herself and Gu Liunian.

The old lady tasted the soup base first and exclaimed with delight, "This tastes even better than before!"

"Yes, Mother, I had someone add some fresh mushrooms to it." Lin Hao exclaimed, impressed that the old lady had a good palate and could tell right away.

"No wonder!"

"Why don't you try this dipping sauce again and see if it suits your taste?"

The old lady tried a bite of the vegetables with the dipping sauce, found it quite good, and asked, "I see you put in several things, what's this thick sauce?"

"This is sesame paste, made by roasting, crushing, and grinding peanuts and sesame seeds. How does it taste?" Lin Hao explained.

"Not bad, Nian-ge'er, you should try it too." The old lady ate with satisfaction and didn't forget to remind her son.

Before Gu Liunian could answer, Gu Yu, the little dumpling, was already impatient. "Father, you eat quickly, I want to eat too." As he spoke, a suspicious glint appeared at the corner of his mouth.

Lin Hao picked up a fish ball for him and reminded him, "You have to blow on it and wait for it to cool down before you eat it!"

"Mmm." The little bun replied without looking up, his eyes fixed on the fish balls in front of him.

Seeing his expression, Lin Hao's lips unconsciously curled up. She looked up, about to put something on her plate, when she unexpectedly met Gu Liunian's gaze.

His eyes were no longer as indifferent as usual, but had a brighter light, making him seem more down-to-earth.

Lin Hao shifted her gaze away as if trying to escape, focusing on the food on the table, but her heart was beating a beat faster than usual.

The four of them ate to their hearts' content and thoroughly enjoyed the meal! Although Gu Liunian did not express his opinion, judging from the fact that he ate an extra bowl of rice compared to usual, it was clear that he was also very satisfied!

After Lin Hao instructed Yun Fei, who was by the old lady's side, to make sure the old lady took a few more walks before going to sleep, the family of three returned to Qiyuan.