First Meeting With the Xiao's

Hastily attempting to correct himself he tried to speak to me in a placating tone, "Now, now Gao Bai, calm down I have a perfectly reasonable explanation for this."

Keeping my current expression, and tone, I replied, "Oh~ really why don't you tell me then."

I could tell the guy was grasping at straws to reason with me, "Well I needed some help in setting up the table, after all how could an old man like me set up such a large table by myself?"

Raising my eyebrow at his version of an excuse, I thought, 'This excuse has so many holes in it, might as well use it as the mast of a ghost ship from SpongeBob SquarePants. After all you were literally trying to do just that.'

Completely in an attempt to silence him in a single shot, I said, "Now might you…"

Interrupting my little conversation with Old Jack, a little girl with long brown hair petit body and face for her age interrupted me, how do I know because it was a female childish voice who I did not know, and she talked in a rather up-beat tone if I must say, "Um, excuse me you are Gao Bai, right?"

Hearing this voice, I could not help but think, 'Is it just me or am I interrupted a lot?'

Hearing the little girl in the group, who I knew but did not know personally, I replied temporarily completely forgetting to even look in her general direction, "Yes, I am Gao Bai, unless there are other Bai's in the family"

In an admittedly horrendous attempt to salvage the situation from my barrading of the old coot, I tried to make a light horrible joke, as those are what usually works out in those anime… moreover who tells a joke without looking at who you told the joke to?

Though putting on a light aqward smile to make it seem a little false was unusually difficult thing to do this time.

I usually used it with my sister once in a while, to make her go a little lighter on me when I realized I did something wrong, however she had me clean the whole house, everything for a full week… I mean I did deserve it, after all I had tried to make her eat my cooking, and my cooking, let's just say that it was like Shinon's from 'That Time I got Reincarnated as a Slime'. Which to be honest was really unexpected, after all I was a pretty decent cook back in my original world, I mean I didn't die from them previously which is a lot to say compared to what I cook now, pity sis had the great idea to have it as rat poison… and sadly it worked as intended… unfortunately not as I intended.

Once again coming back to my senses, I refocused on the task at hand.

Raising her eyebrows with a rather cute confused face, at my horrendous attempt of a joke I was almost on the verge of putting on a slight smile.

However more importantly that should have been enough to confabulate her enough for me to drop this conversation, hopefully smoothly.

Letting out a slow purposeful sigh, though it was difficult to make sure that my ribs did not suddenly start to pain.

In any case, I was about to look at Old Jack to end off this entire conversation, the same mature happy go lucky voice that I hear calling for old jack, "Hello, Old Jack talked a lot about you."

'Well ain't that the nicest thing I heard about Old Jack'

"He usually talks about how he wishes for you to get better,"

'…Okay things are already getting too nice... and that is saying a lot, we are traversing in some fishy waters here Jack'o.'

Giving into my instinct I gave a glance towards Old Jack, only to see that old man was, becoming a little pale in the face.

Again, for must have been for the hundredth time today, my eyebrows almost twitched, 'Yup, I knew it!'

"He especially talks about the 'idiotic adventure of you three rascals'."

Okay this time my eyebrows had twitched, and quite a few times, 'Damn it I knew it!!! This old coot would not be so kind as to compliment me, maybe sis but not me.'

Of course, I had to keep myself in check after all I wanted to ensure that the Xiao family, I think? After all Gao San's wife from the original manga's name was Xiao Wu, so I think the family name should be Xiao?

The question is what is the mother's name?

Xiao, what?

Xiao Ge? Small Song?

Xiao… whatever!!! I will get to that later, after all they have to introduce themselves to me.

I should not think about things that will be answered later.

After all that is a rule in my mind, I repeatedly tell myself.

In any case I need to calm down, Old Jack is speaking, and I have not even bothered listening!

I need to throw this conversation in a direction I want it! This old coot probably is not even talking about anything important so just get to the good parts of the stuff, ah!

I could not resist mentally groaning.

Turning my head to the direction, of the other family in the room, I saw a pair of very similar looking mother and daughter. Both had a beautiful milk chocolate brown hair, and exquisite fair skin, that had the texture of cream, but seemed to amazingly smooth.

Both mother and daughter looked creepily of copy and paste… though if I had to say the mother had larger chest, and obviously a bit more curves… what? I would like to think of myself as a man of culture.

Even though her features were not that… inflated, they were still working in beautiful harmony, with a refreshing natural beauty. And along with both their upbeat voices improving their… how to say it ease to talk to, no that's not it in any case I will remember the word later, taking all of those into account, they were a beautiful pair of mother and daughter.

More importantly…

Damn It!!!

Why am I not like at least 16 years old!!!

I could have, even if it is miniscule, had a chance!!!!!

DAMN ITTTT!!!!

Shaking my, head off of such miscellaneous thoughts I forced myself to focus on the problems at hand, make good relations with the Xiao family so that Xiao Wu's mother would accept the marriage between Gao Bai and Xiao Wu.

However only then I had realized that I was staring at both pairs of mother and daughter with a dazed face. So, forcing my dazed face to slowly recede in hopes that they did not realize, what if you panicky pull back a face it will be very obvious?

After pulling my facial features into just a stare, I continued staring at the daughter for a while, until she became a little red faced, I was about to talk, well about to anyways.

Though I have to say did the girl have to retreat to behind her mother, if I remember correctly wasn't, she very outgoing???

The mother who was almost in a little corner of the room, which meant that Xiao Wu was squeezing herself into the corner like a little crab, had spoken up first sadly and took hold of my entire conversation, teasing her daughter who was hiding behind her while she was at it.

Placing her hands near her mouth she chuckled and said, "Xiao Wu, it seems like you caught the eyes of this handsome young lad in the bed over here. Why don't you go and say hi, and properly introduce us?"

This woman took the reigns of this entire conversation!

Also is it just me or is this interrupting me thing occurring a little too frequently? I am seriously not even getting a chance to talk here.

Stopping myself from physically shaking my head, I instead mentally shook my head, to calm down and attempt to guide this conversation into the direction I would like for it to go.

So, I decided I would try to bluntly place the idea in her head, how may you ask I would obviously mention it in the bluntest way possible, that is why I said blunt!

I would do what is called an expert side character move, after they introduce themselves because this old coot is really good at hiding things from people, after all he hid his relationship with Madam Han for quite a while before I found out about it, from the gossip of the village.

Of course, I was not enough of a busy body, to meddle in their relationship, however I did pay attention to the major details about their relationship to make sure that I was in the know about something in my direct family.

More importantly this is the Xiao family's introduction.

I need to make my impression curt, short likable but not lovable to make sure I don't mess with their relationship, after all I have read so many fanfics of these that I should know how to do at least that, I may not be as manipulative as the black blob from 'Naruto', but I should know enough to get their relationship on track.

And hopefully a bunch of coincidences, does not try to get me and Xiao Wu in a relationship. Cause if that does happen things would become very complicated, well not really but emotionally it would become very annoyingly complicated.

In any case, I better just pretend that I did not hear, and simply said, "Want to be my sister-in-law?"

… while there was an awkward silence, I would prefer any amount of awkward silence compared to listening to Old Jack attempting to flirt with Xia Wu's mother… no wait, there never was a proper introduction to these two right…?

Ignoring the awkward silence, I asked what was probably the most obvious question I was supposed to ask, "More importantly I think that we have totally skipped over introductions. After all I need to at least know a little bit about my possible future sister-in-law."

Looking at Gao San who was a little awkward with the occurring situation, which was honestly really obvious, I mean I was basically deciding his marriage when he is less than the age of 6… and now that I think about it I just realized that is all sorts of messed up.

However, it is not like I can just take those words, back right?

They are already out there, and being honest I kind of like the stupefied look on both mother and daughter's faces.

Continuing as if there was absolutely nothing wrong with this I continued, "I mean, Gao San is kind polite, and he has a good future I just feel it! Sure, we have yet to undergo the Wuhun awakening ceremony but even if there is failure, I feel like they both can make things work out, and if they don't then they can talk it out, the worst that can happen is- Ouch!!!"

Placing his hands on his face Old Jack showed embarrassment and said, "Sorry, sorry, Gao Bai has a really vivid imagination and tends to speak out of line at times.