As soon as the Yuki clan people left his mansion, Xiao Han found Paul, who was in the kitchen preparing some things for the banquet.
-Paul, I'm sorry for all of this.
The province lord said, sincerely.
-Don't worry, Uncle, Aunt told me that you owed a favor to the Yuki clan, so this could not be helped.
Let's just hope they have given up, because I don't want to deal with them again.
Paul said, not stopping his work.
-What are you making?
Xiao Han asked, since this was the first time he had seen something like this, and he wanted to change the subject.
-A surprise for Natalie.
Irine told me she loves this stuff, so I decided to make some for her.
He grinned.
-I can see why you have a whole harem of beauties around you now.
The province lord laughed.
-It's not my fault that the ladies like me so much.
Paul also laughed.
-It's totally your fault.
Liu Lili came into the kitchen looking for the two of them and heard their conversation.
-Oh, and how is it my Fault?
Paul asked, with a grin plastered to his face.
-For starters, you always overdo it, impressing all the females around, and making all the men jealous at the same time.
She shook her head, then looked at him in disbelief, realizing that he was making fun of her.
-Oh, you little punk.
She said and wanted to kick his ass, only to be stopped by Xiao Han, who was barely able to stop himself from bursting into laughter.
-Calm down, Lili.
Xiao Han said, holding his wife in a bear hug, as she struggled to get free and teach Paul a lesson.
Both men were laughing at this point, which only infuriated the woman even more, and some words she said to both of them were definitely not suitable to use if there was anyone else present.
It took a while, but she finally tired herself out and stopped struggling.
-Sorry, Aunty, I couldn't stop myself.
Paul apologized with a smile that assured her he was anything but sorry.
-Here, it's an apology gift.
He said, scooping some of the thing he was working on and placing it in a bowl, before presenting it to her.
-You are the first one to try it.
He added, as she looked at him suspiciously.
Liu Lili accepted the bowl, knowing that anything he prepared was usually delicious.
Paul did this to pacify her since she loved good food.
The moment she tasted this new dish, her eyes brightened up.
-What is this?
She asked, not stopping to eat the delicious treat.
-It's a surprise for the banquet, I think everyone will like it, and I know Natalie loves it, so I made some for everyone.
Paul smiled, seeing his aunt focusing on the food and forgetting about her anger.
Before anyone knew it, the evening had arrived.
Thankfully, it didn't take long for Paul to be ready.
All he needed was a quick bath and a change of clothes.
The ladies, on the other hand, were a different story altogether, since this would be the first time they would all be at the banquet, so they had a long debate about what to wear, how to style their hair, and which makeup to use.
The utmost attention, of course, was directed at Natalie, since this was her birthday and also her debut as an adult.
Once the evening arrived, the banquet hall was filled with the prominent figures from around the city.
Once everyone had arrived and taken their seats, the three couples entered last.
Xiao Han and Liu Lili were first, and as radiant as ever, followed by Luo Feng and Cai Xiao.
The last couple was Paul and Natalie, and they gathered a lot of attention, since the young lady was permitted to celebrate her birthday during this unprecedented event.
It also didn't hurt that she looked stunning, wearing a green dress, which was far from the traditional dresses of this world.
Truth be told, Irine spent a lot of time making a dress from earth for her daughter, as her personal gift, since the girl wanted such a dress for this occasion.
Adorning her was also a set of delicate and beautiful jewelry made of gold and emerald.
With all of that, she was stunning enough that many young masters were unable to take their eyes off of her, and they cursed Paul for having the opportunity to be a partner of such a beauty.
The ladies were no less jealous, since every one of them would love to accompany Paul as his date to the banquet.
Not only was he handsome, rich, and famous, but he was also a nephew of the province lord, which made him a prime target for any young lady in the city.
Once they entered, both lords gave a short speech thanking everyone for their presence, and then it was Natalie's turn.
She also thanked everyone for attending her birthday and the two lords for allowing her to celebrate it with them.
After that, the banquet went as usual with a main meal, but the dessert was nothing if not surprising to everyone.
The servants brought bowls filled with balls that resembled snow but had a fruity aroma.
Most people looked at this suspiciously until Xiao Han got up.
-Dear guests, this is a new dessert prepared especially for this occasion, and it is called ice cream.
He said with a slight smile, since his reaction was similar when he first saw it.
Then he took his bowl and scooped up some with a spoon before eating it.
Seeing this, everyone tried a small bit at first, but as soon as they tasted it, they devoured the whole thing in the blink of an eye.
The men were satisfied with this refreshing dessert, but the ladies loved it to no end.
Some even dared to ask for seconds, and their wishes were granted to their great delight.
However, no one was as surprised as Natalie at the sudden appearance of ice cream, since this was her favorite treat, ever since she was a little girl.
-Thank you.
She said quietly to Paul, as she was certain that it was his work.
-Don't mention it.
The young man smiled, seeing her happy expression.
Soon after the dessert came some wine and snacks, and as usual at such gatherings, the younger generation started performing for entertainment.