Gu Aifei would not criticize her husband on the show but planned to discuss it with him later. However, when Zhou Jingxing once again treated Zi Yu coldly, Gu Aifei couldn’t help but say, “You shouldn’t be so harsh on Zi Yu. Don’t think that three-and-a-half-year-olds don’t understand anything. They actually have a strong ability to perceive emotions.”

This was meant as a gentle reminder, but Zhou Jingxing reacted poorly and became cold towards her: “It’s okay to be stricter with boys. If you don’t like it, I’ll teach you a lesson.”

Gu Aifei felt uncomfortable and said, “Parents should treat their children equally. You’re too lenient with Zi Ai, spoiling her, and strict with Zi Yu. This isn’t good for Zi Ai or Zi Yu. It will harm them.”

Zhou Jingxing, already stressed from taking care of the children alone, snapped, “Okay, you can handle the children however you want. I won’t interfere.”

He then left the room to calm down, leaving Gu Aifei feeling confused.

[They were getting along fine just now. Why did they suddenly start arguing?]

[What does Zhou Jingxing mean by turning his face away? Gu Aifei is right. Children do understand a lot. Zi Yu told Nian Nian that his father didn’t like him, which shows Zi Yu is aware of the situation.]

[Initially, I thought it was fine for Zhou Jingxing to favor his daughter and be strict with his son, but it seemed odd. Zi Yu is a good child and has a good relationship with Zi Ai. Zhou Jingxing’s unequal treatment is too obvious and seems fake…]

[Why criticize Zhou Jingxing? He’s raising two young children by himself. The twins cry a lot. Don’t say Zhou Jingxing is annoying. It’s tough to handle them alone.]

[It’s common for couples to have different views on parenting. No need to criticize over such a small issue.]

[Isn’t it okay to have a different opinion? I watch shows about raising children to see warm moments, not arguments. I’m leaving now.]

_

Soon it was time for lunch. Each family would eat at their own home today, so there was no need for everyone to gather.

Shen Mingyou tied on an apron, letting Nian Nian play alone, and went to the kitchen to start cooking. She wanted to make up for Nian Nian’s upset stomach from yesterday’s meal.

The kitchen was clean and well-equipped.

While she was chopping vegetables, Jiang Chen entered.

“Can I help with anything?” Jiang Chen asked.

“No need. Go play with Nian Nian,” Shen Mingyou said, noting he was dressed casually and likely couldn’t help much.

Jiang Chen left but returned shortly with an apron featuring small floral patterns. It was likely borrowed from his host.

Jiang Chen, now wearing the floral apron, approached Shen Mingyou and took the vegetables from her. “Let me wash them.”

Shen Mingyou observed him rolling up his sleeves, revealing his forearm muscles. The contrast with the floral apron was amusing.

[Hey, Sister Youzi, why not roll up Brother Youzi’s sleeves? It would be even better if you could touch him, hahaha.]

[Mr. Jiang, this isn’t right. When you took the food from Sister Youzi, you only touched the food, not her hand. You should be more affectionate!]

[Ah! Besides the unavoidable physical contact at sports events, there’s almost no physical contact between the couple. Why are they so stingy? Sharing some candy is really free.]

[I have to say this: Mr. Jiang, who is 1.9 meters tall, looks really handsome in a floral apron!]

The audience was unsure why, but maybe because Shen Mingyou and her husband were the most reserved of the four couples, or because they looked so well matched—handsome and beautiful—just standing together was very attractive. When the audience saw the couple together, they wished for a hug or even a kiss…

So, one by one, they were scrutinizing every moment to find any physical contact between the couple to scream “so sweet.”

Jiang Chen noticed a small basket of lemons among the vegetables he was washing. After looking at the other ingredients, he seemed to find something off.

“These ingredients…” Jiang Chen hesitated as he handed the washed ingredients to Shen Mingyou.

Shen Mingyou asked, “What’s wrong? Is there something wrong with the ingredients?”

These ingredients were all carefully selected by Shen Mingyou. She and other mothers bought them at the market to make a hearty lunch for the fathers and babies who stayed at home.

“No problem,” Jiang Chen shook his head.

This was the first time he would truly eat a dish made by Shen Mingyou.

At dinner on the day he joined the show, everyone was busy in the kitchen except him. Shen Mingyou mainly helped out, with cooking handled by chefs Zhou Jingxing and Jiang Yuan.

So far, he had never had a proper meal prepared by Shen Mingyou.

He had refused to eat food cooked for him before, but now he wanted to try his wife’s cooking. However, he didn’t have the courage to ask her directly.

Jiang Chen was looking forward to tasting her food.

He didn’t want to direct his wife on what to do.

After handing over the ingredients, Jiang Chen turned and went back to other tasks, not noticing Shen Mingyou’s satisfied smile.

[Why does Sister Youzi smile a little weirdly?]

[I don’t know. Mr. Jiang specifically asked about the ingredients. Is there something wrong with them?]

While Shen Mingyou was cooking, Jiang Chen tried to help. 

But he wasn’t a great assistant. He couldn’t tell the difference between sugar and salt, or dark soy sauce and light soy sauce. He only slowed down her cooking by mixing up the seasonings. Shen Mingyou found him standing in the small kitchen quite unhelpful.

“Just stand there and don’t move,” Shen Mingyou said. She couldn’t do it well and couldn’t send him away, so his main job was not to cause trouble.

Jiang Chen realized he wasn’t much help. He had only been in the kitchen a few times and wasn’t good at it, but he didn’t want to leave.

There was no air conditioning or fan in the kitchen. Seeing his wife’s face covered in sweat from the heat, Jiang Chen thought of something and ran out.

After a while, Shen Mingyou felt a cool breeze on her back. She turned and saw Jiang Chen fanning her with a palm-leaf fan. 

Shen Mingyou had seen these fans before, used by elderly people to cool off. Jiang Chen’s fan was wrapped in cloth with a small floral pattern, matching his apron.

Shen Mingyou continued cooking, smiling. She had never imagined cooking in the same kitchen with Jiang Chen.

[I hit it again and again. This must be true love. Although Mr. Jiang isn’t good at much, he’s great at pampering his wife!]

[Okay, I’m satisfied again. Even though I didn’t see Mr. Jiang and his wife kissing or hugging, it still felt so sweet!]

[Hahahaha, Mr. Jiang is wearing an expensive shirt and suit pants, but with a floral apron and fan. It looks a bit comical, but he’s still very handsome!]

Shen Mingyou cooked quickly. The soup had been stewed early in the morning, and the other dishes were simple. Soon, three dishes and one soup were ready: lemon shrimp, lemon chicken feet, beef in sour tomato soup, and sour radish and duck soup.

The dishes were colorful and delicious, making people drool just looking at them.

Nian Nian was waiting impatiently with chopsticks in hand.

Jiang Chen picked up the chopsticks but hesitated to use them.

Shen Mingyou picked up a peeled shrimp for Nian Nian, then another for Jiang Chen, and put it in his bowl. “Eat it, what’s wrong? Is my cooking not good?”

“No, I haven’t tasted it yet,” Jiang Chen said, putting the lemon shrimp into his mouth.

Very sour.

Shen Mingyou quickly picked up a piece of lemon chicken feet for him. “Try this one.”

Jiang Chen swallowed the shrimp and tried the chicken feet.

Very sour.

The boneless chicken feet had lemon zest and lemon juice, making it very sour.

Finally, Shen Mingyou picked up a piece of pickled radish for Jiang Chen.

Jiang Chen swallowed it quickly.

Very sour.

The sourness was so strong it almost made his teeth ache.

Shen Mingyou and Nian Nian enjoyed sour and sweet food, but Jiang Chen couldn’t handle sourness well. He only liked mildly sweet and sour dishes.

Today’s menu seemed to be a playful way to tease Jiang Chen for taking care of their daughter yesterday, turning her from a clean little dumpling into a messy one!

She thought of a way to play a trick on Jiang Chen by deliberately making today’s dishes a bit too sour, hoping his teeth would hurt from the taste.

Just as Jiang Chen was about to leave his seat to find a trash can, Shen Mingyou’s voice reached him: “A good father should set an example and not waste food.”

“Nian Nian, you’re right, right?”

Nian Nian swallowed a shrimp and said, “Mom is right. That’s how Nian Nian taught Dad yesterday.”

Nian Nian loves sour shrimp, and so does her mother. Nian Nian picked up a shrimp for her mother too.

Dad, however, can’t handle sour food.

But Nian Nian is a good and thoughtful child. She didn’t want to be unfair, so she also picked up a sour shrimp for her father: “Dad, eat more.”

Jiang Chen: “…”

[I knew that Mr. Jiang was in trouble. It turns out Sister Youzi is waiting here.]

[Hahaha, Mr. Jiang, who can’t handle sour food, was tormented by Nian Nian yesterday and by his wife today. Mr. Jiang is so unlucky!]