On the way, Qin Yue reassured her in advance: "Don't be nervous; I've already informed them. They all know I have you as my girlfriend, so they won't say anything."
After thinking for a moment, she added, "Even if they have thoughts, they wouldn't dare to say them. Don't worry."
The president big sister exuded confidence.
But Bai Ningning felt confused.
"You misunderstood; I'm not nervous because of that," she said softly, "It's about something else."
What else could it be? Qin Yue ignored her, thinking she was just being stubborn.
Bai Ningning was indeed nervous about something else, and it was a kind of excited nervousness. After consulting Aunt Zou, she completely understood what she needed to do.
Just one sentence: Don't suppress yourself.
"We're here; let's go in."
Qin Yue pulled Bai Ningning into the room, and in an instant, almost everyone's gaze turned towards them, even the noisy atmosphere quieted down a bit.
The adults just glanced casually, but the main attention came from the younger generation. They stared at Bai Ningning, their eyes filled with confusion, curiosity, scrutiny, and resentment.
There was also some admiration... the sister-in-law seemed quite beautiful, and her figure was really good.
But so, what? She still couldn't match up to the Goddess-like Qin Yue!
Bai Ningning casually surveyed the room, ignoring those gazes. Aunt Zou had reminded her several times that the younger generation might not know how to behave, and she needed to show the demeanor of the future mistress of the Qin family, responding with a smile.
Bai Ningning didn't care about that; she noticed that Qin Xin was also sitting with the younger generation, along with her cousins.
Following Qin Yue into the room, someone quickly came up to greet them.
Qin Yue introduced her: "Ningning, this is my uncle."
Bai Ningning nodded: "Hello, Uncle."
"Ah, what a good child," the uncle smiled kindly.
Qin Yue continued to introduce others.
"This is my second uncle."
"Hello, Second Uncle."
"Hello, hello, this child looks very well-behaved."
"This is my fourth uncle."
"Hello, Fourth Uncle."
"What a beautiful girl; Yue has good taste."
"This is my fifth aunt..."
They went through the introductions, and there weren't that many people. The greetings were just a formality and quickly came to an end. After the introductions, the relatives returned to their own conversations, and Qin Yue pulled Bai Ningning to sit in her place.
"Everyone seems quite friendly," Bai Ningning remarked.
She thought she would have to endure some disdain or something.
"They are friendly," Qin Yue pursed her lips, her expression unchanged, "But also very perfunctory."
Perfunctory is more concerning than finding fault; it indicates that they...
"So, what if they are perfunctory? Let them be," Bai Ningning picked up a small fruit from the table, "It doesn't affect me."
Qin Yue was slightly taken aback, then smiled: "You're right."
Yeah, so what if they are perfunctory? As if it could affect the two of them.
Before long, Qin Dad and Qin Mom also arrived, exchanged a few casual words, and the pre-meal dessert was served, marking the start of the gathering.
If you think about it, the reason this tradition has lasted so long does have some merit. Generally, serious matters are not discussed at the dining table, nor are bad things. But to say that such a large family would maintain silence throughout a meal would be quite absurd.
Even at a funeral, there would be some sobbing.
So, when the Qin family gathers for a meal, they usually talk about things related to everyone's interests and that make people happy.
"A few days ago, the company completed another major project,
"This quarter's financial report should look good, right?"
"Of course, we can make more money."
"Ever since Yueyue joined the company, it's been good news every year."
This is the kind of thing suitable for discussion at the dinner table.
However, just saying that feels a bit dry, and the topic can't be extended further. So inevitably, the conversation shifted from the older sister to the younger sister.
"Third brother, your two daughters are really enviable. Not only is there Qin Yue, but Qin Xin also... By the way, has Qin Xin started college?"
Sure enough, after a brief exchange, they began talking about Qin Xin, and the family's gaze turned towards her.
Bai Ningning also cast a worried glance, but she didn't expect Qin Xin to appear very calm. If it weren't for the slight tremor in her hand holding the chopsticks, Bai Ningning would have thought she was completely numb.
"Yes, she just started college this semester."
With the elders asking questions, Qin Xin had to respond.
"Freshman year, I heard the academic pressure isn't too high, so it shouldn't be too much pressure for Xin girl."
"I remember Qin Xin's grades have always been good."
"With the sister strategizing in the company and the younger sister excelling in college, the family's future looks bright."
"Hahaha."
The relatives began to tease as usual, and the dinner table was filled with a cheerful atmosphere. Qin Xin silently tightened her grip on the chopsticks, with faint veins showing on the back of her hand. But no one noticed, and no one cared.
Similar topics were discussed from small to large, and the relatives were accustomed to this traditional segment at the dinner table. Who would care about the growth environment of a young girl? The elders only felt they were encouraging her.
It's all for your own good.
"Speaking of which," the second uncle said with a smile, "It's been a month since Xin girl started school. Has she achieved anything?"
In the first semester of college, just attending classes properly is already good enough; what achievements could there be?
Bai Ningning swallowed the cherry tomato in her mouth and quietly glanced around.
The relatives were laughing and drinking, some of them were even not paying attention to the conversation. Just as Qin Yue said, they meant no harm; they were just used to it.
Qin Xin's face turned slightly pale, and her little cousin Qin Qing nudged her arm in a gesture of comfort.
Qin Yue remained calm, as if she hadn't heard anything.
Qin Dad and Qin Mom felt a bit awkward, but they concealed it well; it was hard to notice if you weren't paying attention.
At this dinner table, everyone is a part of the Qin family, and within this close-knit web of relationships, every word and action needs to be considered.
Only one person was the exception.
"Since entering school, junior Qin Xin has done very well. Whether it was military training or catching up with the courses at the start of the semester, she hasn't dropped the ball on any of them, and both her counselor and classmates have praised her highly."
The cold voice made everyone at the table turn their heads.
Bai Ningning remained calm, her pretty little face stiff and cold.
Although she wasn't Qin Xin's classmate and rarely saw her at school, she was part of the junior group where several juniors often shared updates, so Bai Ningning learned about these things.
But a few relatives were a bit unhappy.
A little village girl who doesn't know how long she can stay here, why is she interrupting and going against the family? Isn't that a bit too arrogant?
The bigger the chest, the more inflated the heart, right?
The second uncle suppressed his displeasure, after all, he had just privately expressed his intention to treat Qin Yue's girlfriend kindly. So, he smiled and said calmly, "That's pretty good, but compared to her sister, she still needs to work harder."
Bai Ningning slightly parted her cherry lips and let out a cute voice: "What about you?"