Since they got together, Tang Yao received calls from Cheng An almost every day. Today he'd taken her to a romantic restaurant, created a little surprise, and the next day he'd bought all the bags and clothes she'd been eyeing.
On the other end of the phone, Cheng An was bubbling with happiness, and Tang Yao was happy for her.
Lu Bei, staying at a guesthouse, received a call from elder brother, seemingly concerned but actually boastful.
"Xiao Bei, you'd better hurry up! Why haven't you brought Boss Tang home yet?"
After saying this, Lu Bei hung up the phone with satisfaction.
Lu Bei: "..."
After summer arrived, Xiao Li started researching homemade popsicles and it became very popular with tourists.
Icy cool and sweet, made with all-natural ingredients.
Tang Yao had sown watermelon seeds in the field and now they had grown into heavy fruits.
Today, Xiao Li made ice cream using watermelon as the main ingredient. The resulting ice cream was pink and delicate, a perfect color for summer.
"Boss Tang, I'd like another drink!" Zhou Tao licked her lips.
"You've already had two drinks, I'm not selling any more," Tang Yao said.
Zhou Tao arrived at the guesthouse a week ago. She booked a month's stay online, choosing the best family room.
After getting acquainted, she told Tang Yao she had run away from home.
She couldn't stand her stepmother and stepdaughter behaving like tyrants at home, so she ran away.
Zhou Tao had a lovely, slightly naive personality and got along with everyone. Soon, she became friends with everyone in the guesthouse.
She learned Lu Bei's true colors. She almost jumped up in shock at first, but after seeing how Lu Bei and Tang Yao interacted, she completely became their CP fan and would cheer for Lu Bei.
This often left Tang Yao both amused and exasperated.
Hearing Tang Yao say she wouldn't be getting any more, Zhou Tao immediately pouted and started acting with a soft, sweet voice.
Tang Yao resolutely refused again and prepared to leave.
"Where are we going? I want to go too!" Zhou Tao, no longer bothered with the ice cream, jumped up and wanted to follow Tang Yao out.
"I'm going to pick up my younger brother," Tang Yao said, getting into the car parked outside.
The car was bought a month ago. She got her driver's license when she graduated from university and quickly learned to drive it.
Zhou Tao sat in the passenger seat, obediently fastening her seatbelt.
Xu Haocheng called yesterday, saying the school had a month-long break and that he brought Tang Yao a gift.
He had already returned to the country yesterday, but first headed to the capital. He was packing to come over today and planned to stay until the start of the semester.
After months of struggling, Xu Anguo finally gave up and found a stable job, working nine to five every day.
Sun Yulan didn't work. She got hooked on playing mahjong with her neighbors, almost always losing money.
The two always argued whenever they met at home.
Xu Haocheng really disliked this atmosphere. Plus, every time he got home, Sun Yulan and Xu Anguo would nag him, urging him to be ambitious and try to take back the Xu Family business.
But Xu Haocheng wanted to be a photographer and had no interest in business.
So, he couldn't wait to escape that house the very next day.
Although Tang Yao grumbled, she still drove to the station to pick him up when she heard he had a lot of things.
Not long after arriving at the station, she saw a tanned young man get out of a car and wave vigorously at her.
Tang Yao almost turned and left.
"Boss Tang, did your younger brother go to Africa?" Zhou Tao covered her mouth, almost bursting out laughing.
Xu Haocheng, completely oblivious to his elder sister's disapproval, happily ran over.
"Elder Sister, you really came to pick me up!" Xu Haocheng grinned widely, revealing a set of gleaming white teeth that made him look even darker. Then, Xu Haocheng's gaze fell on Zhou Tao beside Tang Yao.
"Elder Sister, this is…"
"A customer at the guesthouse. Her name is Zhou Tao," Tang Yao said.
Zhou Tao extended her hand: "Hello, I'm Zhou Tao."
Xu Haocheng extended his hand and shook hers.
After putting the luggage away, the three of them started walking back.
Xu Haocheng naturally stayed in Tang Yao's small building again. However, today, after putting away his suitcase, he didn't immediately go to help at the guesthouse. Instead, he went to Lu Bei's room mysteriously and the two seemed to be discussing something.
Tang Yao, of course, was unaware of their little secret. It was summer vacation and more and more guests were visiting the guesthouse.
Tang Yao took out a plant from her spatial storage that emitted a cooling fragrance and hung it in each room.
The hot air passing through the plant did indeed feel cooler.
Although it wasn't as good as air conditioning, it was definitely all-natural.
For many families with children, this level of coolness was sufficient. They no longer needed to worry about their kids catching a cold from the air conditioning.
Tang Yao didn't know the exact principle behind it. She had found it in a small cultivation world. This kind of herb was very rare in the mortal realm, but in the cultivation world, almost every mountain had many of them.
She had used up all of her senior brother's stockpile and stuffed it all into her spatial storage.
That evening, the siblings ate and chatted on the rooftop.
Xu Haocheng mentioned Xu Wan, whom he hadn't seen in a long time.
"I heard she was mistaken for a mistress and beaten up in the street. Her reputation is completely ruined. Now she seems to be with a man in his fifties." Xu Haocheng still felt a pang of sadness when talking about his former sister.
Tang Yao nodded, feeling a little emotional. The events of her past life seemed to have truly faded away with time.
No matter how their family was doing, it didn't concern her much anymore.
The weather was getting hotter and hotter. The news said it was the hottest year in many years.
In many other places, the heat and drought have resulted in a complete crop failure.
Watching the news reports of farmers weeping in the parched earth, Tang Yao’s emotion deeply fluctuated.
She remembered a time in an ancient world when she encountered a drought.
Regardless of age or gender, people were starving and almost all were reduced to skin and bones. On the journey of refugees, even cannibalism occurred.
At that time, Tang Yao was just one of the refugees, utterly powerless.
Just as netizens were deeply concerned about the disaster, they discovered that an anonymous netizen had donated millions of dollars worth of food and water to various disaster-stricken areas.
While marveling at the netizen's generosity, people began to discuss who this person was.
Several prominent figures known for their philanthropy were brought in for discussion, but none of them matched up.
While the netizens' discussions yielded no results, the people in the various disaster-stricken areas were able to return to a normal life thanks to this donation.
"Elder Sister, don't worry. After I graduate, I'll give you all the money I earn."
Xu Haocheng had gone to donate supplies with Tang Yao. When he saw his elder sister take out so much money to buy supplies, his first reaction was surprise. Then it was followed by a promise.
In his mind, elder sister would definitely have nothing left after donating this much.
On the side, Lu Bei, who had come to help, glanced at him and said, "I'll give you my money from now on."
Tang Yao replied helplessly, "No need, I still have money."
After Xu Haocheng returned to school after his holiday, Tang Yao was discovered by netizens.
It all started when a netizen, who was donating supplies, happened to see Tang Yao receiving praise and awards.
The netizen swiftly and secretly took a picture of this scene.
She was already a fan of the variety show and the guesthouse and immediately shared her observations online.
The guesthouse's Weibo account instantly gained hundreds of thousands of followers, with everyone praising Tang Yao.
Even the official Weibo account reposted this, saying that society needs people like her.
Not long after, Lu Bei announced his official retirement from the entertainment industry on his account.
Lu Bei's news immediately caused a surge in trending topics, crashing the servers for a while. The behind the scenes company had to urgently repair the servers to restore normal operation.
Some fans cried and begged him not to leave, while others, more rational, expressed understanding, acknowledging that Lu Bei had previously stated acting was merely a hobby and that he would return to family life when he reached a certain age.
Following this news, a photo surfaced showing Lu Bei standing with a woman. Lu Bei's head was slightly lowered, a smile playing on his lips, and his eyes showing a rare tenderness.
The news of Lu Bei's relationship sparked another wave of discussion after his retirement from the entertainment industry.
Netizens speculated about which lucky girl was involved.
Some crazed fans began making baseless attacks on actresses who had worked with Lu Bei.
"Does anyone else think this person looks like Boss Tang from the guesthouse?"
"I think so too. I saw Boss Tang wearing this outfit on a variety show livestream."
"Everyone, don't wildly speculate. The gap between them is too big. How can God Lu possibly be interested in a guesthouse owner?"
"So what if she's a guesthouse owner? Boss Tang isn't bad either, okay? She just donated so much to the disaster area, and the country publicly praised him, okay?"
"That’s right, the flowers, plants, tables, and chairs in the guesthouse are worth a lot of money. Maybe our Boss Tang's assets aren't less than Lu Bei's."
"We're making such a fuss, but neither of the parties involved has responded. Maybe it's fake. Let's wait for God Lu and Boss Tang to respond."
The netizens didn't get an explanation from Tang Yao, but they did get one from Lu Bei.
Lu Bei posted a message saying, "Still pursuing her. She's not in this circle. I hope everyone will respect and give blessings, and not disturb her."
These few words directly acknowledged the netizens' speculation about his relationship, but didn't reveal who his partner was.
Lu Bei's series of actions caused a stir on social media for days, and he himself received a lot of criticism from fans.
Finally, everyone accepted reality.
Lu Bei was doing well at the guesthouse, undisturbed by any stimulated fans, but his manager suffered, barely getting a night's sleep for days trying to quell the situation.
He complained on the phone:
"...If it weren't for the high salary your studio pays me, I would have quit long ago. You, on the other hand, are happily chasing after someone, leaving me here to take the fall for you."
"Alright, I'll give you triple pay, consider it overtime."
Upon hearing Lu Bei's words, his assistant immediately fell silent.
"Look, this marketing account is talking about you and the rising star Guan Tongtong, saying you two might be dating behind everyone's back. But speaking of which, her back view really does look quite similar to the one in the photos." Tang Yao, always eager for drama, made Lu Bei feel quite helpless.
He ruffled Tang Yao's hair: "You know perfectly well who I like, Boss Tang. When are you planning to give me a title?"
Sunlight streamed through the glass-enclosed dining room, bathing them in a golden glow.
The man opposite her had striking features and a gentle smile. Perhaps overwhelmed by his beauty, Tang Yao blurted out, almost unconsciously, "I'll give you a title right now."
Lu Bei paused for a moment before abruptly standing up and bracing himself on the table. He leaned down and asked in a deep, magnetic voice, "Really?"
Tang Yao looked at his ears, slightly flushed with nervousness, and instantly smiled: "It's true."
The next second, she was pulled into a cool embrace filled with the faint scent of pine.
Far away abroad, Xu Haocheng protested about Lu Bei becoming his brother-in-law, but was quickly won over by Lu Bei's several pairs of limited-edition sneakers.
After they got together, Lu Bei became even more clingy to Tang Yao, constantly staying by her side, except when going to the bathroom.
Therefore, he didn't care at all about being photographed.
However, netizens had become quite accepting. Knowing that the other person was Tang Yao, not some internet celebrity or minor star, they all thought the two looked very well-matched.
A few insults were personally refuted by Lu Bei.
Lu Nan would occasionally tease his younger brother with the trending photos, but he wasn't much better off himself.
Three years later.
Today's entertainment news was dominated by a dreamlike wedding of the century.
Lu Bei and Tang Yao's three-year dating came to an end today.
Tang Yao sat in the dressing room, letting the makeup artist apply her makeup and put on her elaborate and heavy wedding dress.
The train of the wedding dress was studded with small diamonds, looking magnificent and unique in the world, but only Tang Yao knew how heavy this wedding dress was.
Xu Haocheng had finished his courses and was currently interning at Guo Jia Magazine. He had taken a day off to come back today.
He brought his girlfriend, Zhou Tao, who had stayed at the guesthouse for a month three years ago.
Zhou Tao had spent two years reclaiming what was rightfully hers and kicking her scumbag father and stepmother's family out of the villa she and her mother owned.
It was unclear when the two had reconnected, but suddenly Xu Haocheng brought her back, claiming she was his girlfriend.
"Elder Sister, you look so beautiful today," Zhou Tao flattered him with a grin.
"This dress was specially ordered by Lu Bei from Country F," Cheng An added from the side.
Cheng An and Lu Nan had held their wedding a year ago. Now, Cheng An was five months pregnant and was being treated like a precious treasure by the entire family.
Seeing the crowd, Lu Nan had Cheng An stay in the dressing room to avoid being bumped into.
Completely suited up, Lu Bei walked in. His eyes lit up when he saw Tang Yao: "You're so beautiful, wife."
However, Tang Yao didn't give him a friendly look: "Look, is it pretty? Why don't you try it on? It feels like I’m carrying a ton of stones."
Lu Bei quickly put his arm around her and coaxed, "It'll be quick, just a short walk down the aisle and you can change. Don't be angry."
"I told you to keep it simple, a destination wedding would be fine too. It's all your fault!"
"Okay, okay, it's all my fault." Even after being scolded, Lu Bei was in an incredibly good mood.
Cheng An and Zhou Tao exchanged a glance and secretly smiled.
The wedding soon began. When Tang Yao stepped onto the red carpet and saw the handsome man in a white suit walking towards her step by step, the resentment from the heavy dress vanished instantly.
After wandering in the worlds for so many years, she was finally going to have a home of her own.
Listening to the pastor's vows, she smiled gently and said to the person before her, "I do."
The sun shone brightly and a gentle breeze blew. The weather will be beautiful from now on.
Yun Shu bowed with Elder Brother, but because the movement was so vigorous, the little tiger hat fell back onto her head.
Yun Juan swiftly reached out to help her remove it again.
Feng Yan and Cheng Yaran stared at the two well-behaved children for a moment, not frightened, but rather a little charmed by their cuteness.
"Hello Mr. Feng and Ms. Cheng, I am Yun Chuman, and these are my two children, Yun Juan and Yun Shu."
Yun Chuman walked over from behind with a smile, patting the two children's heads as she spoke.
Cooperating, Yun Juan and Yun Shu greeted: "Hello, elder brother and sister~"
The DINK (Double Income No Kids) couple waved their hands repeatedly upon hearing this.
Cheng Yaran chuckled awkwardly and said to Yun Chuman, "Chuman, you don't need to be so polite. Just call us by our names."
“That’s right,” Feng Yan forced out what he thought was a friendly smile and said to the two children, “Little friends, we are older than your mommy, so you should call us uncle and auntie, not elder brother and sister.”
Although they hadn't watched the previous episode, they knew from trending topics and conversations with people around them that Mo Rongwen had become Yun Chuman's nephew. They didn't want to have another "little aunt" at their age.
Yun Juan and Yun Shu blinked simultaneously, somewhat puzzled that someone didn't like being called "Elder Brother" or "Elder sister" by them.
But they were very obedient and heed their advice. Obediently, they changed their address, "Hello, Uncle and Auntie~"
Feng Yan and Cheng Yaran nodded in satisfaction.
With a serious expression, Yun Juan asked earnestly, "Auntie and Uncle, are you thirsty? Shall I get you some water?"
Yun Shu smiled and pointed towards the bathroom: "You can also take a nice shower. Uncle and Auntie sweated a lot just like Little Shu. A nice shower will make you feel better."
Cheng Yaran was somewhat overwhelmed by such a warm invitation, and she subconsciously took a step back.
Feng Yan coughed twice: "Um, um... Little Juan, Little Shu, may your uncle and aunt go back to their bedroom to rest first?"
Yun Juan and Yun Shu tilted her head in confusion, looking at the sky outside that had just darkened. Now? Rest?
Yun Chuman noticed Feng Yan and Cheng Yaran's unease, so she smiled at the two children and said, "Your uncle and aunt came from a place much farther away than us, so they are very tired."
She paused and then said, "When little Juan and little Shu were very, very tired, don't you also not want to do anything. No matter what time it was, and just want to sleep?"
The two children understood and quickly stepped aside to make way for them.
Yun Juan frowned and said, "Uncle and Auntie, Younger Sister and I just checked, there are bedrooms on both the first and second floors."
Yun Shu smiled and gestured for them to come in: "Uncle and Auntie, please feel free to choose whatever you like."
Feng Yan and Cheng Yaran were somewhat surprised that Yun Chuman would help them out of that predicament.
They nodded awkwardly to the one adult and two children before dragging their luggage into the small building.
They hesitated for a moment when they got to the stairs, but in the end they went up. Living on the first floor would mean seeing each other more often, so the second floor was better.
Yun Juan and Yun Shu waved to their retreating figures and said in unison, "Uncle and Auntie, get some rest. Goodnight!"
Feng Yan and Cheng Yaran stiffened, turned their heads slightly, and said apologetically, "Goodnight."
They quickened their pace and went upstairs, only breathing a sigh of relief once they entered the bedroom.
Yun Chuman looked up at the bedroom door on the second floor, which had been closed, and wondered if she and the two children were really that scary.
Yun Shu also sensed something was wrong. She frowned and asked, "Don't Uncle and Auntie like us?"
Yun Juan stroked her chin and said seriously, "They should be like Elder Brother Mo, socially awkward."
"Oh, I see." Yun Shu nodded in realization, with an expression that said, "No wonder it is like that."
Yun Chuman thought about how free the two people looked in the pilot episode. If Feng Yan and Cheng Yaran were socially awkward, then the concept of communication difficulties might not exist in this world.
However, she didn't intend to correct the two children. Even if they had the impression of being socially anxious, Yun Juan and Yun Shu wouldn't be affected by their avoidance.
She clapped her hands, trying to change the subject: "Little Juan and Little Shu, we can only choose the bedroom on the first floor now. Can you help me unpack my luggage?"
Yun Juan smiled and replied "Okay." Then he swung his short legs and walked towards the suitcase that was placed in the living room.
Yun Shu skipped and hopped towards the living room, constantly turning back to say, "Mommy, Mommy, there's a rocking chair in the bedroom downstairs! It's so much fun!"
"I'll have to give it a try later," Yun Chuman cheerfully said as she followed them.
Not long after the adult and two children finished unpacking their luggage, the production crew, as usual, brought them dinner.
Just like the last episode, they put a lot of thought into selecting the ingredients.
Cooling and refreshing winter melon and pork rib soup, spicy and appetizing Maoxuewang (a Sichuan dish), pickled fish, refreshing and delicious cold mixed vegetables, sweet and sour sweet and sour pork, and lemon chicken feet.
“Starting tomorrow, you’ll have to cook for yourselves,” Xiaoxi said to Yun Chuman with a hint of schadenfreude after bringing over dinner. “Ahem, since we’re on good terms, I’ll just remind you that there’s no gas here and can only firewood. You’d better be prepared to go hungry tomorrow.”
Yun Chuman raised an eyebrow: "The production team is cunning and treacherous."
Xiaoxi wasn't annoyed at all upon hearing this. Instead, she said proudly, "Thank you for the compliment."
"Unfortunately, the scene you wanted won't happen." Yun Chuman shook her head.
Xiaoxi was taken aback: "What do you mean?"
Yun Chuman looked down. The two children beside her were covering their mouths and giggling.
It was quite a coincidence that Yun Juan and Yun Shu disliked the fact that the alcohol lamp on the children's kitchen stove couldn't control the heat, so she spent a couple of days at home researching how to use firewood.
Although they were different sizes, they had already mastered the skill of starting a fire.
She slightly raised her chin and said to Xiaoxi with an air of self-righteousness, "I won't tell you, it's a secret!"
Seeing this, Xiaoxi vaguely had an outrageous idea.
But the key point was that this outrageous idea makes perfect sense when applied to Yun Chuman, Yun Juan, and Yun Shu. She gave a speechless look and said, "Yun Chuman, you're really something."
She didn't remark that everything was shouldered by the two children.
But Yun Chuman understood and proudly repeated what she had just said: "Thank you for the compliment."
Xiaoxi pouted, and was about to leave when her arm was grabbed. She turned her head and saw Yun Chuman's bright smile, and couldn't help but shudder. She asked warily, "What are you doing?"
Yun Chuman pointed in the direction of the vegetable garden: "Can we pick and eat the fruits and vegetables there?"
Upon hearing this, the two children tilted their heads up, their eyes filled with anticipation.
Stared at by three pairs of identical puppy eyes, Xiaoxi couldn't help but twitch her lips: "Okay, it is originally prepared for you guys."
Yun Juan and Yun Shu happily high-fived each other and said at the same time, "Thank you, Elder Sister Xiaoxi! You're so kind, Elder Sister Xiaoxi!"
Xiaoxi knew perfectly well that their words didn't contain any real emotion and were just casual compliments, but she still couldn't help but smile, "Alright, alright, you two are such sweet-talkers. Go eat now."
After saying that, she turned and walked out, heading straight for the neighbor's yard.
The rain hadn't come down in City Y yet. The weather was hot and humid.
Yun Chuman planned to have dinner with her two children in the outdoor pavilion.
She took the mosquito coils out of the room and saw Yun Juan and Yun Shu standing next to the dining table with their round little bellies sticking out and looking up at the direction of the second floor.
"Little Juan and Little Shu, what are you doing?" Yun Chuman asked.
Yun Juan's little face scrunched up in worry as he asked, "Mommy, aren't Uncle and Auntie going to eat?"
Yun Shu blinked. Her expression conflicted: "Mommy, should we go and call them?"
Yun Chuman glanced at them. Knowing Feng Yan and Cheng Yaran's situation, and considering what had happened during their first meeting, she subconsciously felt that the two of them probably didn't like having much contact with children. So she said, "I'll go call them. Little Juan and Little Shu, go wash your hands. I just saw you feeding the ants."
The two children were startled and instinctively hid their chubby hands behind their backs.
"Wash them properly, I'll come back and check later." Yun Chuman smiled and pinched their chubby little faces.
The two children responded and ran off towards the bathroom on the first floor.
Yun Chuman went upstairs and knocked on the bedroom door: "Elder Brother Feng Yan, Elder Sister Ranran, the production team sent over dinner. Would you like to have some together?"
No sooner had she finished speaking than a loud crash came from inside the room, as if something had fallen to the ground.
Yun Chuman was not in a hurry and waited patiently.
It took a while for the bedroom door to open a crack. Cheng Yaran forced a smile and said politely, "No need, no need, we're not hungry."
Yun Chuman paused for a moment, then said, "Are you really not going to eat anything? I just checked, and the refrigerator here is empty. The production team didn't prepare any ingredients, so if we get hungry tonight, we won't be able to cook."
Cheng Yaran hesitated for a moment upon hearing this, but finally gritted her teeth and said, "It's okay, Chuman, you and the two children can eat well, don't worry about us."
"Alright, then I won't bother you any longer."
As soon as Yun Chuman finished speaking, Cheng Yaran gave a perfunctory "hmm" and quickly closed the door.
She frowned in confusion as she looked at the closed bedroom door. As she walked down the stairs, she saw that Yun Juan and Yun Shu were already waiting at the bottom of the stairs.
When the two children saw her, they simultaneously raised their chubby little hands.
Yun Juan kept turning his chubby little hands over and over: "Mommy, we washed them very clean. We even washed the little creases on the back of our hands."
Yun Shu tilted her little body to look behind her: "Mommy, didn't Uncle and Auntie come down?"
Yun Chuman smiled and checked their little hands. They were chubby and soft, and their tiny nails looked adorable. "Not bad, Little Juan and Little Shu washed them very clean. Uncle and Auntie don't want to eat yet. Let's go eat first."
The two children firmly believed that Feng Yan and Cheng Yaran were also socially awkward, so they were not surprised that they did not come down to eat.
Getting praised, they cheered and went outside.
Yun Chuman paused, turned around and took a new pair of chopsticks and some clean bowls from the kitchen before leaving.
The window of the bedroom where Feng Yan and Cheng Yaran were located faced the gazebo.
They sat on the edge of the bed, munching on the last half-pack of biscuits in their suitcase, while watching Yun Chuman, Yun Juan, and Yun Shu devour their food.
Feng Yan said longingly, "The pickled fish looks delicious."
Cheng Yaran took a big bite of the biscuit: "I like winter melon and pork rib soup the most."
They exchanged a wry look before munching on their cookies even more enthusiastically.
Many viewers in the live stream were puzzled by this scene.
—I'm also childless by choice, but I think Feng Yan and Cheng Yaran's approach is too extreme.
—Other people's well-behaved children are so adorable. I just can't understand their action.
—My two little ones have been rejected one after another, and it breaks my heart.
—Feng Cheng CP fans came uninvited. If I'm not mistaken, they must have been traumatized by the last episode.
—And what they might be afraid of isn't the two kids, but Yun Chuman…
Yun Chuman actually had the same thought. After eating and drinking her fill, she and her two children leaned back in their chairs and looked at the sky. She kept recalling the scene when she went up to call Cheng Yaran.
If Feng Yan and Cheng Yaran were reserved and unnatural in front of the two children, then when they were alone with her, they were afraid and avoided her.
She scratched her head. Had she misunderstood? Had Feng Yan and Cheng Yaran been hiding from her from the very beginning, not from the two children? But what was there to hide from?
While Yun Chuman was lost in thought, Yun Juan and Yun Shu were also somewhat absent-minded, sometimes touching their little bellies, sometimes stealing glances at their mommy.
Yun Chuman noticed their gazes and laughed, "Why are you two always staring at me?"
Yun Shu sat up straight in her chair with a grunt, leaned closer to her with a smile, and whispered, "Mommy, are those dishes for Uncle and Auntie?"
Yun Juan also gathered over, and said with a little face serious, "Should we deliver the food to Uncle and Aunt like we did last time when we delivered things to Elder Brother Mo?"
He frowned again after saying that: "But this time there are no cats, dogs, or mice to help us."
“This time we don’t need the fluffy ones, Little Juan and Little Shu can do it.” Yun Chuman smiled and waved to the two of them.
The two children's eyes lit up, and they skillfully brought their ears close.
Yun Chuman whispered something to them mysteriously for a while and then asked, "Is it possible?"
The two children pounded their chests with their little fists and said confidently, "We guarantee we'll complete the mission!"
The viewers in the live stream were once again intrigued by this familiar scene.
—What is Yun Chuman trying to do?! It's always like this. I'm completely under this woman's thumb!
—Although I don't know what they're up to, I'm looking forward to seeing Feng Yan and Cheng Yaran's "it's actually pretty good" moment, hahaha.
After Yun Juan and Yun Shu helped Yun Chuman take the plates to the kitchen, they ran upstairs to the second floor.
The two children tiptoed closer to Feng Yan and Cheng Yaran's bedroom. They looked at each other and nodded seriously.
Yun Shu bent over slightly, sticking out her little bottom, put her two chubby little hands to her mouth, and deliberately raised her voice towards the bedroom, "Elder Brother, dinner is delicious!"
“Hmm,” Yun Juan made the same gesture, “I like lemon chicken feet, they’re sweet and sour, but there’s so little of them, I haven’t had enough.”
Yun Shu wrinkled her nose, thinking, ‘Elder Brother doesn't like chicken feet. He finds them too troublesome. What a great actor!’
She moved a little closer to the bedroom door. "Elder Brother, I'll tell you a secret. Before dinner, I saw Mommy set aside a small portion of each dish and put it in the kitchen. How about we sneak over and eat it?"
Yun Juan nodded approvingly, thinking, ‘Little Shu's words were full of emotion. Not bad!’
Though he had a poker face, his voice was somewhat surprised and stern: "Of course not, Little Shu, how could you have such a thought? That food is saved for Uncle and Auntie."
Yun Shu pouted and said aggrievedly, "But it won't taste good when it's cold. There's no way to heat it up here, so we might as well just eat it."
"Little Shu, aren't you afraid Mommy will get angry?" Yun Juan said, stretching out his chubby little hand and patting his tummy. "Besides, we've already eaten a lot. If we eat any more, our tummy will hurt."
Yun Shu lowered her eyebrows in disappointment, looking quite troubled: "Okay, fine, if you don't want to eat it, then don't. It would be great if Uncle and Aunt could eat it while it's hot, then it wouldn't be a waste."
“Yes, yes, let’s go wash up. Mom’s calling us to go to bed.” After saying that, Yun Juan took Yun Shu’s hand and walked down the stairs.
"Elder Brother, Uncle and Aunt must have heard our conversation, right?" Yun Shu stood on tiptoe and kept looking up at the second floor.
Yun Juan said slowly, "Must have heard you, your voice was so loud."
"Is it loud?" Yun Shu tilted her head in confusion. "Elder Brother, you sounded so fake when you said you were leaving. Mommy didn't even say anything, so why did you say she told us to go to sleep?"
Yun Juan was stunned upon hearing this. That's right, he had actually made such an obvious mistake!
He thought for a moment and said, "How about we go back up and do it all over again?"
"Okay, okay..."
Yun Shu nodded excitedly. As soon as she stepped onto the first step, she saw that the door to the second-floor bedroom had opened a crack.
She quickly pulled her short legs back, bent down, and pulled Yun Juan down with her as well, whispering, "Uncle and Auntie are coming out."
Yun Juan instinctively wanted to sit up to look, but quickly stopped himself. He whispered, "Let's go find Mommy."
As he spoke, he pulled Yun Shu toward the kitchen.
Yun Chuman had just finished washing the dishes when she turned around and saw two children sneaking around hand in hand and bending over as they quickly shuffled towards her with their short legs.
She couldn't hold back the laughter: "You guys went off to be thieves? Did you finish your mission?"
Yun Juan and Yun Shu rushed towards her anxiously, pulling her hands on either side and leading her towards the bedroom, saying, "Mommy, Uncle and Auntie are coming out. Quickly hide."
Yun Chuman was stunned for a moment and subconsciously glanced up at the second floor. Sure enough, the bedroom door of Feng Cheng and Cheng Yaran was ajar.
She hadn't expected the two to come out so quickly. They must have been starving. She picked up one child in each hand and rushed into the bedroom.
When Yun Juan and Yun Shu went upstairs, Feng Yan and Cheng Yaran had found out. The more they listened to their conversation, the hungrier they felt. Only when they heard the two children say they were going to bed did they dare to secretly open the door.
"Is anyone there?" Cheng Yaran asked from inside the bedroom.
Feng Yan peeked down from the second-floor staircase: "No one."
Cheng Yaran breathed a sigh of relief and immediately came out, pulling Feng Yan downstairs: "Quick, quick, let's go eat, we're starving."
Although the two were anxious, they didn't dare to make a sound. They almost tiptoed from the second floor to the kitchen. The rich aroma wafted over from afar, and their stomachs rumbled in response.
The kitchen in this small building was large, but there were no stoves, only a dining table, a dish rack, and an empty large refrigerator.
When they went in, they saw several small bowls neatly arranged on the dining table, with a pot lid covering them for temporary heat preservation.
The note next to them read: "If either of you wants to take a shower, please feel free to use the bathroom. Don't worry about disturbing us."
Feng Yan stared at the note for a moment and lifted the pot lid, revealing an even stronger aroma of food.
Cheng Yaran took a deep breath, looking at the white rice and still warm dishes, and almost burst into tears of emotion.
Without saying a word, the two sat down and began to eat heartily, finishing off the food in no time.
They leaned back in their chairs, sighed comfortably, and then got up to start washing the dishes.
Cheng Yaran suddenly said, "Chuman and the two children... are pretty nice. We seem to have gone a bit too far just now."
Feng Yan sighed heavily: "It was very rude. Let’s apologize to them tomorrow."
"En." Cheng Yaran responded. After a pause, she said in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Yun Chuman is different from Yun Xinxin."
After eating and drinking their fill, the two took separate showers before comfortably going upstairs to sleep.
Yun Juan and Yun Shu kept their little ears perked up, listening to the sounds outside. When they heard a sound, they looked at each other happily.
Yun Chuman patted their little heads: "Little Juan and Little Shu have such great acting skills! You completed the mission very well."
Yun Juan touched his head guiltily. Actually, he had made a mistake.
Yun Shu blushed shyly, covering her mouth and giggling.
At this moment, the rain that had been holding back for so long finally came down, and the sound of raindrops hitting the ground gradually increased in volume and speed.
Yun Chuman opened the window a crack, and a cool breeze carrying the smell of rain rushed into the room.
The two children took a deep breath at the same time, ran to the window, and stood on tiptoe to look outside, but unfortunately it was pitch black outside and they couldn't see anything.
Yun Chuman watched with them for a while. Finding the wind was getting a bit chilly, she closed the window again and took their chubby little hands: "Little Juan and Little Shu, it's time to sleep."
"Okay~" Yun Juan and Yun Shu replied with a long, drawn-out smile and said in unison, "Goodnight, Mommy."
The two peeked at each other and said in unison, "Goodnight, Elder Brother/ Younger Sister."
Yun Chuman lay on the bed, holding the two children on either side, and gently kissed their foreheads: "Goodnight, Little Juan, goodnight, Little Shu."
The one adult and two children soon fell asleep, accompanied by the sound of rain.
Even at this point, some viewers in the live stream were still unwilling to leave.
—Waaaaah, can anyone tell me how to get cute little ones like little Juan and little Shu?
—What's Yun Chuman thinking about all day? She's got so many ideas!
—We're one step closer to Feng Yan and Cheng Yaran's "it's pretty good!" moment, hahaha.
—Am I the only one who thinks Little Shu's acting is superb? Her expressions and tone were simply perfect!
—I noticed it too! Ahhh, Manman, hurry up and let Little Shu go film a movie! I, a Mommy fan, will immediately become an acting fan!
The short scene where Yun Juan and Yun Shu pretended to discuss whether or not to steal food outside the bedroom door on the second floor quickly became a trending topic because of their excellent acting skills and cute actions.
Li Rufei also received several calls from colleagues, who subtly inquired about the two children, and some even extended direct invitations.
He instantly felt a sense of pride, as if his own child had been discovered, and his face forcefully broke into two extra wrinkles with a smile.
He also liked the two children and spoke highly of them. In the end, he selected a few reliable people and told them to contact him after Yun Chuman finished filming this episode of the variety show.
The assistant watched for a while and couldn't help but chip in, "Little Juan and Little Shu's careers are pretty smooth sailing, aren't they?"
Li Rufei snorted: "Mainly because they are excellent. Sigh, but the most important thing is that I have good taste."
The assistant rolled his eyes as he subtly praised himself again.
Yun Chuman was unaware that the two children had become a trending topic again. Although she could make phone calls during the live stream, she could not access the internet.
When she woke up the next morning, she found that the air in the yard was exceptionally fresh after the heavy rain the night before, and she couldn't help but take a few more breaths.
When the two children woke up and couldn't find her, they didn't cry or make a fuss. Instead, they walked out of the bedroom hand in hand.
Yun Juan rubbed his eyes and asked in a nasal voice, "Mommy, do we have to do radio calisthenics?"
Yun Shu was still dozing off while hugging her blanket when she heard the words "radio calisthenics." With her eyes closed, she subconsciously started waving her limbs.
Yun Chuman couldn't help but laugh: "We won't today. How about I take you outside for a walk?"
It would be a waste not to enjoy nature and fresh air when coming to the countryside.
The two children instantly woke up upon hearing this, no longer showing any signs of sleepiness, and nodded vigorously with bright eyes: "Yes, yes!"
The group of one adult and two children changed their clothes and went out. The cameraman who lived next door followed them quietly.
The village was surrounded by mountains. Though it looked as if it was completely surrounded by mountains, in fact those mountains were all far away.
Yun Chuman led Yun Juan and Yun Shu along the dilapidated road, strolling and enjoying the surrounding scenery.
Sometimes there were small groves on both sides of the road, and one could see a lot of wildflowers and occasionally wild animals. Other times there were large areas of farmland.
The village didn't have many residents. They all lived in a few concentrated areas.
Whenever Yun Chuman and her two children passed through densely populated areas, they would see one or two villagers every few steps, either preparing to go to work in the fields or having breakfast.
Yun Chuman, Yun Juan, and Yun Shu were all from the same social class. They didn't shy away from strangers. Instead, they greet them with smiles on their three similar faces.
Although Yun Juan was young, he had a calm personality and greeted people properly, saying "Good morning" earnestly with a serious little face.
Yun Shu was probably influenced by the natural environment and she became much more outgoing. She had changed from being introverted and shy before. After saying good morning with a bright smile, she would go up and chat with people, asking what they had for breakfast or what they were going to do.
The local people were simple and honest, and the villagers were friendly and hospitable. When they met this family of one adult and two children who were good-looking and loved to talk, they naturally started chatting.
Soon, Yun Chuman, Yun Juan, and Yun Shu became close friends with half of the villagers.
In no time, the two children had a small basket full of breakfast, all given to them by the villagers because they were cute and sweet-talking.
Yun Chuman, on the other hand, found out the situation of the village very clearly, and also heard a lot of gossip.
This village was called Fengnian Village, and its residents had made a living from agriculture since ancient times.
The soil in the village was much better than in other places, and the crop yield was also higher. It used to be prosperous, but it had gradually declined due to its remote location.
In the worst years, villagers had no way to sell their crops and could only sell them to middlemen at prices that were so low that they couldn't even afford the seeds.
It wasn't until a couple of years ago, when some young people who had gone out to make their way in the world returned and used the internet to open up a market for them, that the villagers slowly started to get rich again.
Even people from several surrounding villages came here to find a way out, to see if they could also open up the market through the internet.
One of the people who told Yun Chuman these things was a Tibetan girl with wheat-colored skin, who was cheerful and warm-hearted.
She said she wasn't from this village, but just wanted to see how they developed, so that after learning how, she could go back to her hometown and help her relatives and friends sell yak meat and yogurt.
She said her hometown was not far from here, about a three-hour drive away, and it was even more beautiful than this village, with more hospitable and freer villagers.
She said that the day after tomorrow was the Wangguo Festival in her hometown, a day for them to celebrate the harvest. She has to rush back this afternoon and will return after attending the festival.
Finally, she said to Yun Chuman, "Come back with me and the two children. You should also come and see my hometown. You will definitely fall in love with it after you see it."
Yun Chuman was tempted after receiving her invitation.
She had long been interested in the customs and festivals of ethnic minorities, finding them both interesting and unique.
Moreover, as far as she knew, the Wangguo Festival was concentrated in July and August, but the timing was not fixed. It was rare to have the opportunity to participate now and she would like to go and see it.
But she didn't agree immediately. Yun Chuman hadn't forgotten that she was recording a program, and they would be staying there for two more nights.
However, she did not refuse and exchanged phone numbers with the Tibetan girl before leaving.
The two children also seemed interested in the Wangguo Festival.
Yun Juan tilted his little head and asked, "Mommy, aren't we going with Elder Sister?"
Yun Shu blinked: "Mommy, let's go together with Uncle and Auntie."
Go together?
Yun Chuman smiled and said, "We're still recording the show. If we take Uncle, Auntie, and Elder Sister away, that would be considered running away."
The two children blinked blankly. If they brought along the crew members, would that be considered running away?
Yun Shu didn't understand, but she couldn't worry about it right now.
Because she was hungry, she hugged her rumbling tummy and went to Yun Chuman's side, staring longingly at the bamboo tube cakes in the small basket: "Mommy, this looks delicious."
Yun Juan was also hungry. He sniffed and poked his head out, saying, "The auntie who gave us this said we can dip it in sugar."
Yun Chuman didn't expect their topic to change so quickly and couldn't help but laugh: "You two little gluttons, where can you find sugar now? You can eat it when you get home."
Flushed face, the two children scratched their heads shyly and responded with a soft "yes." Their short legs moved even faster.
When they returned to the small building, Feng Yan and Cheng Yaran were already up.
The two were picking vegetables in the field. They had their trousers rolled up to their knees, wearing straw hats, and their faces beaming with smiles. They looked very happy, a stark contrast to their cautious demeanor the night before.
Feng Yan really enjoyed this kind of rural life. He felt a sense of security when his feet were on the soil.
Pleased to see that the vegetables were growing well, he instinctively called out when he spotted Yun Chuman, Yun Juan, and Yun Shu, "Come on over, the vegetables are so fresh!"
Only after he finished speaking did he realize what he had done. His body stiffened and he looked at Cheng Yaran for help.
Cheng Yaran scratched her head, unsure of what to do next. How embarrassing it would be to be rejected!
Yun Juan and Yun Shu had long wanted to experience the joy of picking vegetables, but their first reaction was to look up at Yun Chuman and ask for her opinion.
Yun Chuman also wanted to experience it.
She looked at the sun. Although it wasn't hot, the ultraviolet rays were still very strong.
Smiling, she raised her voice to the two people in the vegetable garden, "Elder Brother Feng Yan, Elder Sister Ranran, I'll apply some sunscreen to Little Juan and Little Shu first and then bring them over in a bit!"
Yun Juan and Yun Shu's eyes lit up. They put a basket of breakfast in the gazebo and ran into the house with their short legs, not forgetting to turn back and wave, "Uncle and Auntie, wait for us!"
Yun Chuman quickly turned around and followed.
Feng Yan and Cheng Yaran secretly breathed a sigh of relief when they saw that they did not refuse.
The two exchanged glances across the bean trellis, and finally walked out of the vegetable garden together, gazing longingly at the entrance of the small building.
When Yun Chuman sprayed sunscreen on the two children and put straw hats on them, she brought them out and saw Feng Yan and Cheng Yaran standing awkwardly next to the vegetable garden.
She found it amusing and walked over. Puzzled, she asked, "Elder Brother Feng Yan, Elder Sister Ranran, what's up?"
She really wanted to say something like, "Are you being punished by standing?" but then she remembered that they were older than her, so she swallowed her words.
"Chuman, I'm so sorry. We were avoiding you and the two children all day yesterday." Feng Yan awkwardly scratched his head and apologized without any hesitation.
Cheng Yaran smiled apologetically, "You and Little Juan and Little Shu were very nice. We just had preconceived notions."
"It's no big deal," Yun Chuman said with a smile, looking down. "Little Juan and Little Shu, do you blame Uncle and Auntie?"
The two children shook their heads blankly.
Yun Juan frowned in puzzlement, and asked, "Why blame?"
Yun Shu blinked and asked innocently, "Did Uncle and Aunt do something wrong?"
"See?" Yun Chuman said with a smile, spreading her hands.
Feng Yan and Cheng Yaran exchanged a glance. Indeed, other people's children were just adorable.
Yun Juan and Yun Shu, tilting their heads in confusion. "Adults can be so strange sometimes."
Feng Yan reached out his hand to Yun Juan and tentatively asked, "Little Juan, how about Uncle takes you to pick vegetables?"
Yun Juan stared at his hand for a while before slowly circling his index finger with his chubby little hand: "Uncle, can I see the tomato?"
Feng Yan was taken aback for a moment. Then he quickly smiled and said, "Okay, okay, Uncle will take you there right away."
Cheng Yaran glanced at them, mustered her courage, and reached out to Yun Shu: "Can… Auntie take Little Shu...?"
Yun Shu took her hand without hesitation.
Cheng Yaran subconsciously looked at Yun Chuman, her eyes wide with shock. How could a child's hands be so soft!
Yun Chuman was amused by her reaction, but she suppressed her laughter, nodded, and gave her an affirming look.
Yun Shu then said softly, "What does Auntie like to eat? Shall we go pick some together?"
Cheng Yaran snapped out of her daze: "Okay, okay..."
Seeing them split into pairs and enter the vegetable garden, Yun Chuman adjusted her straw hat and followed them in.
It truly was soil that could nourish crops. As soon as she stepped into the vegetable garden, she could smell the scent of soil and fruit.
Yun Chuman took a deep breath and began picking fruits and vegetables carefully and attentively. A slight smile appeared on her lips. It was another novel experience.
Feng Yan and Cheng Yaran each took care of two children. They were a little stiff at first, but they gradually relaxed.
Yun Juan and Feng Yan stood in front of a tomato trellis.
"Uncle, do you like tomatoes?" Yun Juan asked, pointing to the half-green, half-red tomatoes. He liked tomatoes. They were delicious eaten raw or stir-fried.
Feng Yan bent over, rubbed his chin, thought for a while, and said, "I like small ones."
"The small ones are cherry tomatoes. The big ones were tomatoes. They're different," Yun Juan said seriously with his little eyebrows furrowed.
"Aren't they the same?" Feng Yan stared wide-eyed in surprise. Apart from size, how were they different?
"They are different in size, nutritional content, and taste."
Yun Juan earnestly explained the subtle differences between the two, leaving Feng Yan stunned. He couldn't help but admire the child's skill.
On the other side, Yun Shu and Cheng Ya Ran were picking strawberries.
At the very edge of the vegetable garden, there was a patch of strawberries that were ripe this season. They were small, but brightly colored and very sweet.
Yun Shu carefully placed a bright red strawberry into the small basket. She stood up, wiped her sweat, and suddenly paused. She squinted at the lettuce next to her, stretched out her chubby finger, and said in a crisp voice, "Auntie, there are bugs here!"
Cheng Yaran, who was following behind her, was startled. She straightened up and looked around frantically, saying, "Where? Where?"
Yun Shu strode over with her short legs and pointed to the bugs on the lettuce leaves up close.
Cheng Yaran looked closely and her face turned pale.
Noticing her expression, Yun Shu immediately patted her chest and said, "Auntie, don't be afraid, Little Shu will help you chase the bugs away!"
She raised her chubby fingers, gently pinched the little insect between her index finger and thumb, and ran out of the vegetable garden. She only put the insect on the ground far away, and then ran back.
Cheng Yaran had been watching her small figure the whole time. When she saw her return, she naturally squatted down, took her little hand, and said with tears in her eyes, "Thank you, Little Shu. You're so brave!"
Yun Shu chuckled shyly, her chubby cheeks turning red.
After picking the vegetables, Feng Yan and Cheng Yaran also got much closer to the two children.
Looking at the fresh fruits and vegetables on the table, Feng Yan said to Yun Chuman, "Chuman, why don't we eat them raw? Neither Yaya nor I know how to use that stove."
“Little Juan and Little Shu know,” Yun Chuman said with a smile.
Feng Yan and Cheng Yaran looked over in surprise. Yun Juan and Yun Shu proudly raised their chin, put their hands on their hips and stuck out their belly, and declared at the same time, "We know!"
"This, this..." Feng Yan was so surprised that he couldn't speak. He finally understood how Yun Chuman felt when she was crushed by two children. Tsk tsk, he wanted to go back to the furnace and start over.
Cheng Yaran clapped in amazement. She had no doubt about what the two children said. After all, these were not ordinary children. They were children who could cook!
“But we don’t need to go to so much trouble. The villagers are very hospitable and have given us a lot of food.” Yun Chuman smiled as she opened the small basket of breakfast. The food inside was still warm. She looked at the freshly picked fruits and vegetables. “Fresh fruits and vegetables can be eaten raw. We can’t waste them.”
"Given?" Feng Yan and Cheng Yaran were surprised again. Weren't they just going for a walk? How could they have received so much food?
"They were given to us by our uncles, aunts, grandpas, and grandmas," Grinning, Yun Juan and Yun Shu explained.
Looking at the two children's adorable faces, Feng Yan and Cheng Yaran vaguely understood why they had received so much food. They couldn't help but give them another thumbs up, saying they were much better than the two of them.
They went on vacation before and tried to pay for a meal by using facial recognition, but they were almost beaten to tears.
The villagers mainly provided local specialties, along with freshly picked fruits and vegetables. Listening to the cicadas chirping nearby, the meal had a unique flavor.
After the three adults and two children had eaten and drunk their fill, they leaned back in their chairs and lazily looked up at the sky.
Feng Yan stretched and couldn't help but sigh, "Both have the surname Yun, but the difference is so great."
Yun Chuman immediately realized that he was referring to Yun Xinxin, since the two of them had filmed with her in the previous episode.
“Don’t talk nonsense,” Cheng Yaran slapped Feng Yan, “but compared to a luxury villa, this place is more suitable for us, it’s freedom and unrestrained.”
Freedom?
After finishing her meal, Yun Chuman's sluggish brain kept replaying the word "freedom" in her mind. She thought that the word "freedom" was indeed very suitable for Feng Yan and Cheng Yaran, as could be seen from the preview where they were singing and playing the piano outside.
She paused for a moment, then suddenly sat up straight, startling the two children next to her.
Yun Juan frowned and asked worriedly, "Mommy, what's wrong?"
Yun Shu looked down at her chair: "Was Mommy about to fall just now?"
Yun Chuman shook her head, held the two children's hands, and said excitedly, "Little Juan and Little Shu, let's take your uncle and aunt on an escape journey to freedom!"
Having understood her words, Yun Juan and Yun Shu lit up immediately and cheered in unison, "Run away! Run away!"
Looking at the suddenly excited family of three, Cheng Yaran slowly moved to her partner's side and whispered, "Why...why run away?"
Feng Yan also looked bewildered. He glanced at the empty bowl on the table and asked, "Are we not allowed to eat the fruits and vegetables from that garden?"
Cheng Yaran's face turned pale, and she asked desperately, "Can you still vomit?"
After breakfast, Gu Shi asked the driver to take Nanny Wang to a nearby market to buy a cake.
Seeing that the braised food sold at the braised food shop looked pretty good, Nanny Wang bought a lot of braised food, as well as fish and shrimp. The fish and shrimp hadn't been killed yet. They were kept in buckets. If they couldn’t have them at noon, they could eat them tonight or tomorrow.
At noon, Luo Yongsheng's younger brother, Luo Yongping, and his wife arrived. They brought half a bag of peanuts and half a bag of soybeans, saying that Luo Zhengzheng should take them back to make soy milk and fry peanuts.
Gu Shi immediately filled a large bowl and asked Mother-in-law to fry peanuts.
Yuan Mei was holding a bowl of peanuts. Actually, she had peanuts at home. Since they brought over by younger sister-in-law, she couldn't refuse their kindness.
When Nanny Wang returned from town, she went into the kitchen to help prepare the dishes. The goose was still simmering in the pot. Yuan Mei had to prepare other dishes as well. Luo Meng and her mom were also in the kitchen helping to wash and chop vegetables. The group was busy and bustling about.
Gu Shi had never started a fire before, so he had Luo Zhengzheng sit next to him and teach him. Luo Zhengzheng rolled her eyes, thinking to herself, "Why are you curious about everything?"
Gu Shi found starting a fire to be a very interesting thing and was studying it very seriously.
Yuan Mei let him be. She could see that although her son-in-law was almost thirty years old and usually seemed very steady and could manage a large company well, he still retained a childlike heart.
As for little Chengjia, he was carried around the village by his maternal uncle and played with the village children. He didn't remember his parents at all or the sadness of the goose being killed.
Yuan Mei roasted a rooster, stewed a goose, and braised beef. Seeing the fish that Nanny Wang had bought, she killed a fish and braised it. She also stir-fried some vegetables, fried Gu Shi's peanuts, and then plated the braised dishes that Nanny Wang had bought.
With one table, it was too crowded. With two, it was too sparse. Still, two tables were set up and each were filled with a generous amount of food.
Lunch was ready and Luo Can finally returned from outside, carrying his little nephew on his back.
Yuan Mei washed his grandson's hands, picked up a piece of goose leg meat, rinsed off the seasonings with warm water, removed the skin, and let him gnaw on it.
Luo Can teased him, "What are you eating?"
Little Chengjia, completely unaware, happily munched on the meat, saying, "Meat, meat."
Luo Can asked him again, "What meat meat?"
"Meat meat."
Luo Can wanted to tease him more, but Yuan Mei slapped him and glared at him: "Do you have to make him cry?"
Luo Zhengzheng came out of the kitchen: "If he make him cry, then he coax him."
Luo Can thought to himself that it was him who coaxed crying Luo Can in the morning.
Yuan Mei said, "Everyone, wash your hands and eat."
After washing their hands, the group sat down around the dining table.
Luo Yongping’s family of three were too embarrassed to sit next to Gu Shi. They were all very reserved and somewhat restrained in his presence, so they sat at a table with the driver and Nanny Wang. Luo Zhengzheng tried to pull them over, but couldn't. Seeing this, Luo Can grabbed some bowls and chopsticks and ran over to join them.
Sitting in a dining chair, Yuan Mei watched Son-in-law eat goose meat with his head down and asked him, "Is it good?"
Gu Shi looked up: "It's delicious."
Yuan Mei was delighted that her cooking skills were recognized and said, "If you like it, eat more. When you leave tomorrow, shall we kill a couple more to take home?"
Gu Shi naturally agreed.
Luo Zhengzheng patted his arm: "You really don't hold back, you take whatever you're offered."
Gu Shi looked at her and said, "Can't I accept it? It's from Mom."
His eyes even had a somewhat innocent look.
Yuan Mei glared at her daughter and looked at Gu Shi: "Ignore her. Have your dad kill the goose first thing tomorrow morning, without letting Jiajia know."
Gu Shi looked at Luo Zhengzheng: "Is it okay?"
Luo Zhengzheng: "Okay, okay, okay."
Gu Shi turned to Yuan Mei, "Mom, she said it's okay."
Luo Zhengzheng kicked him under the table. He did it on purpose.
Yuan Mei grinned, "That's fine."
Gu Shi continued eating without changing his expression.
Yuan Mei then asked him, "Would you like some wine?"
Gu Shi looked up: "It's Dad's birthday, so can drink a little."
Yuan Mei placed wine on both tables, and Luo Can had already started drinking with his uncle and driver.
Gu Shi brought the wine back. He poured a glass for his father-in-law and was about to pour one for his mother-in-law as well.
Luo Zhengzheng quickly said, "Mom, don't drink. Your health is not great, so please don't drink alcohol."
Yuan Mei had no craving for alcohol and never liked drinking. She could tolerate drinking beer occasionally, but baijiu (Chinese liquor) was too strong for her, so she said, "Don't pour me any. I won't drink."
Gu Shi looked at Luo Zhengzheng: "Do you want it?"
Luo Zhengzheng shook her head: "I don't like drinking baijiu. You drink with my dad."
Gu Shi raised his glass and clinked it with Father-in-law's: "Dad, happy birthday."
Luo Yongsheng blushed. He had lived to such an old age and no one had ever wished him a happy birthday. He sighed a few times and took a sip of wine.
The father-in-law and son-in-law didn't drink much. They only drank one symbolic glass of wine before putting down their glasses.
Chengjia was tired after playing all morning. He ate the children's meal that his grandmother had specially made for him and fell asleep soon after.
Luo Zhengzheng and Gu Shi also went upstairs for a nap.
After waking up, the two of them stayed in the room; one turning on the computer to watch TV series, and the other standing in front of Luo Zhengzheng's bookshelf looking for books to read.
Luo Zhengzheng's room was large, and the books she had bought when she was in school were all displayed on the bookshelves. even though the room had been unoccupied for a long time, the bookshelves remained clean and tidy as Yuan Mei would come up from time to time to sweep away the dust.
Gu Shi picked up a book, flipped through it casually, and put it back on the bookshelf. He flipped through several books but couldn't find anything that interested him. Seeing that the book " Dream of the Red Chamber” tilted, he picked it up to sort it. Just as the book entered his hand, a bundle of things dropped out.
He picked it up and was stunned. Inside were several photos of boys in military uniforms, looking youthful, sunny, and handsome. There were also two opened letters with the sender's name still clearly visible—Yan Mingsheng.
Luo Zhengzheng looked up and saw him holding something in his hand in the distance. Upon closer inspection, it seemed to be some photos. She smiled and asked, "Photos of me when I was little?"
Gu Shi looked at her, his face seemingly calm: "It doesn't seem so."
Luo Zhengzheng didn't pay attention and asked him, "Whose photo is that? Luo Can's?"
Gu Shi stared at her quietly, "It doesn't seem like it."
It was a long time ago, and Luo Zhengzheng couldn't quite recall it. She asked, "Whose was it? Let me see it."
Gu Shi handed her the items together: "There are also two letters."
Luo Zhengzheng's eyelids twitched. She took the stack of things, looked at the name on the envelope, and the memory instantly flashed into her mind. Then she looked at the photo and felt embarrassed for a moment. Her husband had discovered the love letters someone else had written to her and the photos they had sent her. What should she do? Online waiting for help and it was quite urgent.
Gu Shi sat on the bed and looked at her: "You still kept it? It seems you cherish it."
Although his tone was very calm, Luo Zhengzheng detected his tone was very strange no matter how she listened to it. It sounded a little angry at the moment. She said, "Isn't it normal to receive a few letters when you're young? I don't believe you've never received a love letter or written one to someone else."
At this point, she immediately thought of Su Zhilan.
Gu Shi looked at her and his tone was extremely calm: "I've received love letters, but I've never written one."
Luo Zhengzheng blinked, thinking she had misheard: "For real?"
Gu Shi leaned against the headboard: "I really haven't written love letters to anyone."
Luo Zhengzheng looked incredulous. What was with that stack of letters from Su Zhilan?
Gu Shi looked at her: "You don't believe me?"
Did he not deserve her trust?
Luo Zhengzheng didn't believe it, after all, she had seen it with her own eyes.
Seeing that she genuinely didn't believe him, Gu Shi felt somewhat helpless: "For me, rather than spending time writing love letters and going back and forth, it's better to confess face-to-face."
Luo Zhengzheng stared at him blankly: "What do you mean?"
Gu Shi patted her head: "Isn't it obvious enough? Writing love letters isn't efficient enough, so it's hard to achieve your goal in time."
Luo Zhengzheng snapped out of her daze: "So, you really don't know how to write love letters to other people?"
Gu Shi was absolutely certain: "No."
Luo Zhengzheng then asked him, "When you were young and just beginning to experience love, didn't you write about it either?"
Gu Shi chuckled: "Back then, I had to study and intern at my family's company and practically wished there was 48 hours in a day. So I didn't have time to fall in love."
Gu Shi had no reason to lie to her. Given his personality, he disdained to lie.
Then it was possible that Su Zhilan lied.
Luo Zhengzheng had mixed feelings. She was nearly forty years old and still been deceived by Su Zhilan, she was still naive.
However, thinking about it, she couldn't blame herself. Many people on the internet believed that the love letter was real and the family was also influenced. After all, no one expected Su Zhilan to be so bold as to forge it. The insults directed at her on the internet were overwhelming and she panicked for a moment, which led her to believe the letters after reading them.
Gu Shi glanced at the photos and letters on her desk and asked casually, "Have you kept these all this time?"
Luo Zhengzheng snapped out of her thoughts and asked him, "Isn't it impolite to lose it like this?"
Gu Shi looked at her: "You can't bear to throw it away?"
Luo Zhengzheng coughed: "I just felt it was impolite, after all, it's someone else's photo."
In fact, she had long forgotten about this classmate. If she hadn't seen the photo, she would hardly have remembered him.
Gu Shi glanced at her: "It seems your life during high school and college was quite colorful."
Luo Zhengzheng looked at him: "Are you settling scores with me?"
Her heart had been tempered by trials and the little episodes in life were just seasoning. Just calmly face them. Cough, even now she felt there was nothing to worry about.
Before he could answer, Luo Zhengzheng quickly said, "Is that necessary? Even if my life was colorful before, I still ended up marrying you. You are the winner, there's no need to be sour."
Gu Shi: "......"
Luo Zhengzheng pointed to the photos and letters on the table and said matter-of-factly, "These were probably thrown in some corner of my mind. If you care about them, then you're not being magnanimous. A man who isn't magnanimous isn't lovable. You should be more magnanimous and lovable to be more endearing."
Gu Shi: "......"
Luo Zhengzheng quickly stuffed the letters and photos on the table into the drawer, trying to bury her head in the sand.
Seeing how determined she was in words but how timid she was in actions, Gu Shi said, "Fine, be magnanimous, otherwise it is not lovable."
Luo Zhengzheng patted him on the shoulder and praised, "Very good, keep up the good work."
Gu Shi looked at her and directly exposed her: "Where did you learn this skill of turning the tables?"
Luo Zhengzheng hugged his arm: "Magnanimous, be magnanimous."
Exasperated, Gu Shi laughed and roughly ruffled her hair, instantly turning her flowing straight hair into a mess.
Cheng An was filming a scene in the water. Always dedicated, she never used a stunt double for such scenes.
Her co-star was the second female lead, a rising star who had recently gained popularity through a period drama. Because her features resembled those of a younger Cheng An, she was called "Little Cheng An."
The two women's meeting was already fraught with tension. Cheng An didn't know what she had done to offend this woman, making her speak so veiledly.
Her agent pulled her aside, explaining that the other woman's backer was quite powerful and was an investor in the drama, and advised her not to bother with her.
Cheng An had never publicly revealed her family background in the entertainment industry, but that didn't mean she was powerless.
However, she wouldn’t stoop down to hold it against a newcomer like her.
This scene involved the second female lead pushing Cheng An into the water.
For some reason, the second female lead hadn't gotten this take right even after more than ten takes.
For example, right now, Cheng An had been roughly pushed into the water. It was the second female lead's turn to say her lines, but she only looked apologetically at the director: "Sorry, director, I forgot my lines. Let's do it again."
Cheng An stood in the water watching her, clearly seeing the smugness in her eyes.
Cheng An emerged from the water, feeling quite weak. Although the water wasn't cold, being submerged for so long was still uncomfortable.
Equally exasperated with the second female lead, the director approached Cheng An and asked if she was alright and could continue.
Cheng An shook her head: "I'm fine, Director, let's keep filming. I can persist."
The director's expression softened slightly. He turned to the second female lead and snapped, "I don't care which investor put you in here, but if you continue like this, go home and stop acting! You can't even say your basic lines. I don't know which idiot put you on board."
The director was notoriously short-tempered and never gave anyone face.
The second female lead's face flushed and paled by his words. She wanted to retort, but she was still somewhat afraid of the director. Her level was too low for him to be in his films.
"Elder Sis, you shouldn't target Film Queen," the second female lead's assistant whispered, trying to persuade her.
"What do you understand! I'm clearly younger and prettier, yet she overshadows me. She's been out of the industry for three years, how can she still be my equal?"
The assistant didn't even know where to begin complaining. The other party was a Film Queen. Even after all these years, she still had considerable influence—that was all due to her talent. While her own artist, besides being lucky enough to have a face somewhat similar to Cheng An's, couldn't compare to Cheng An in acting skills at all. Where did she get the audacity to target the Film Queen?
She just relied on her sugar daddy's favor to act so recklessly.
The assistant was already thinking about who she should side with when this actress's career collapsed.
Cheng An rested for a while before the filming continued.
This time, the second female lead put in even more force. The push was enough to make Cheng An's back ache.
After entering the water, she had slightly deviated from the planned location.
This caused Cheng An to be caught off guard, stepping on some uncleaned seaweed, falling into the water, and choking on a mouthful of water.
Chaos erupted on the shore as they quickly pulled Cheng An out of the water.
Even Cheng An's manager couldn't hold back: "Are you crazy? Didn't we agree to push this spot? Why did you use so much force?!"
"I really didn't mean to! I didn't know Elder Sister Cheng An is so fragile," the second female lead said, showing no remorse and still trying to shift the blame.
Still feeling unwell after choking on water, Cheng An didn't have the energy to argue.
At this time, a commotion broke out in the crowd. Cheng An looked up and saw Lu Nan, dressed in a suit.
Lu Nan's expression darkened slightly. He pushed through the crowd, walked straight to Cheng An, bent down, picked her up, and carried her in the direction of the hotel where she was resting.
Cheng An's face instantly turned bright red: "Elder Brother Lu Nan, I'm soaking wet! Put me down and I’ll walk myself!"
However, Lu Nan didn't offer his usual gentle smile.
He didn't answer Cheng An's question, but instead told his assistant, "Find out who's behind that second female lead. Tell him to be sensible and get rid of her. I don't want to see her on set again tomorrow."
"Yes, President Lu."
Cheng An stared blankly at him.
Lu Nan carried her back to the hotel, instructing the staff to prepare a bowl of ginger soup.
On the way, Lu Nan had called his private doctor.
Cheng An couldn't get a word.
Back in the room, Lu Nan led her into the bathroom, telling her to take a shower and change.
Cheng An stood in front of the mirror, looking at her slightly flushed face, and patted it hard to clear her head.
After changing, the ginger soup was already served. Although Cheng An felt fine, Lu Nan insisted she drink a bowl to dispel the chill.
Lu Nan bought her congee, her favorite shrimp chip congee.
Lu Nan took a small bowl, ladled out some congee, stirred it to cool it, and handed it to Cheng An.
“Aren’t you usually the most powerful in front of me? How come you got bullied like this without even fighting back?” Seeing that Cheng An had cheered up, Lu Nan joked.
“She’s a junior, I can’t possibly hold a grudge against her,” Cheng An said.
“What kind of junior is that? If she’s disobedient, just teach her a lesson. With me as your support, what are you afraid of?” Lu Nan said.
“You can’t do that forever, can you?” Cheng An muttered softly.
“What did you say?” Lu Nan didn’t hear clearly and asked again.
“Nothing.” Cheng An smiled.
Lu Nan reached out and ruffled her soft, long hair.
This gesture seemed like he was coaxing a child. Cheng An frowned, removing his hand.
“How about I take you out for something delicious tonight?” Lu Nan’s tone sounded like he was coaxing a child, making Cheng An feel a little irked.
That evening, Lu Nan took her to a privately-run Chinese restaurant.
"It's not as good as Yao Yao's food," Cheng An complained.
Lu Nan smiled and poured himself a glass of red wine.
"I want some too," Cheng An said, licking her lips as she looked at the bright red liquid.
Lu Nan poured her a small glass as well: "Just a taste. This wine has a strong aftereffect."
Cheng An took a small sip. The mellow, lingering flavor made her eyes squint slightly.
By the end, Cheng An was quite tipsy. She almost got into someone else's car when they left the restaurant, but Lu Nan pulled her back.
"How did you get yourself so drunk?" Lu Nan chuckled, his deep, magnetic voice sounding above Cheng An's head.
The two got into the back seat, sitting very close. Cheng An felt her face burning even more.
She struggled to move to the side, but Lu Nan grabbed her wrist: "Don't move, okay?"
Lu Nan practically carried her back to the hotel.
Cheng An laid on the bed. Face flushed, she looked incredibly alluring.
Lu Nan stared at her for a while before covering her with the blanket and prepared to leave.
At this moment, Cheng An grabbed his hand. Her slightly open eyes glistened with tears.
“The year before I went abroad, I overheard you talking to your assistant outside your office, asking him to help prepare the things needed for the engagement and to retrieve the engagement ring you had prepared for the proposal.” Under the influence of alcohol, Cheng An honestly confessed.
Lu Nan sat there, silent for a long while.
After a long silence, he reached out and ruffled Cheng An's hair. "Silly girl, so that's why you went abroad."
Lu Nan took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. "There's never been anyone else. I've always loved you."
"I've been suppressing my feelings, afraid to tell you. Before, it was because you were in school, and then you entered the entertainment industry. I was afraid my feelings would affect you. After all, you publicly stated you didn't want to date or get married so early. All those things were prepared for you."
"Now you're drunk, I won't say too much to a drunkard. When you sober up, I want to ask you one more time: are you willing to accept me?"
Lu Nan lowered his head and gently kissed the back of her hand.
Two hours later, half-asleep, Cheng An suddenly sat up in bed. She couldn't be dreaming, could she? Lu Nan had just confessed to her?!
And so, Tang Yao received that phone call.
"I always thought he didn't like me, but I never expected him to say he likes me as much as I like him." Cheng An was a little incoherent, but one could tell she was overjoyed.
"Okay, okay, do you have to feed me this dog food in the middle of the night. Can you please consider the feelings of us single people?" Despite saying this, Tang Yao was happy for Cheng An.
Cheng An giggled on the phone all night, asking Tang Yao if she was dreaming.
The next day, Tang Yao went out with dark circles under her eyes.
After a night of excitement, Cheng An couldn't sleep at all. As soon as she opened the door, she saw Lu Nan standing there, holding a bouquet of flowers.
Cheng An wasn't prepared at all. She was caught off guard by seeing him like this.
"Good morning." Lu Nan's expression was still gentle as he handed Cheng An the flowers and breakfast.
"Why are you still here?" Cheng An blurted out and then regretted it.
Lu Nan raised an eyebrow slightly: "You want me to leave? Too bad, I've taken leave. I won't go back to work until I've successfully pursued my wife."
Cheng An's face flushed instantly. She glared at him and quickly pulled him inside to avoid others overhearing their embarrassing conversation.
"An'an, remember? I said last night I’ll wait for your answer." Lu Nan's handsome face was full of seriousness.
"I...I can't go public with you yet, and you still have to pursue me. You can't interfere with my work..." Cheng An didn't even know what she was saying by the end.
"Of course, you don't need to worry about any of that. I said I'd be your support, I'd unconditionally support you." Lu Nan smiled. His usually cold eyes now filled with tenderness.
Cheng An suddenly had the urge to cry. Her long, hopeless unrequited love seemed to have finally blossomed.
Through teary eyes, Lu Nan pulled her into a tighter embrace.