Lu Cheng picked up his son and brought him to the living room. “Sit still and get ready to eat. Don’t try to play tricks on me, or the mosquitoes will bite your bottom again.”

Lu Hai Ci tensed up. “There are no mosquitoes now.”

His dad was just talking nonsense; adults deceiving kids was the worst!

Lu Cheng huffed. “What do you mean there are no mosquitoes? Didn’t you get bitten by mosquitoes when you took a bath yesterday?”

Lu Haici’s face turned red as he remembered that he had lied to Ji Yang about it.

He felt a bit ashamed; he knew lying was wrong, having been taught by his aunt and dad since he was little.

Lu Haici’s upbringing was undoubtedly good, which was why Lu Cheng trusted his aunt.

Having grown up with her, he knew her character well enough to feel at ease leaving Lu Haici in her care.

Just then, Lin Qingqing entered with two plates of pancake rolls.

Lu Cheng hurried over to help. “Are they hot? Let me do it.”

Lin Qingqing replied, “They’re not hot. There are still three bowls of porridge in the kitchen; you go bring them over.”

She set the plates down and headed back to the kitchen.

“Okay.” Lu Cheng followed her in.

He carried a large bowl of sweet potato porridge and a small bowl, while Lin Qingqing took the remaining small bowl of porridge and a lunchbox.

At the dining table, Lin Qingqing opened the lunchbox.

It was the box she had used yesterday to pack the tofu pancakes for Lu Haici. “Haici, today I’ve packed four pancake rolls for you to take to kindergarten. You can share them with Ji Yang or the other kids.”

She hoped that delicious food would help Lu Haici make friends, ensuring he had a happy childhood in kindergarten.

Of course, this sharing was based on the Lu family’s financial capacity; if they couldn’t afford it, she wouldn’t do this.

However, pancake rolls weren’t a luxury food, so the Lu family could afford to share.

Lu Haici’s previously happy face suddenly fell, and he lowered his head in silence. “Mom, can I not take them to eat with Ji Yang?” he asked gloomily.

Lin Qingqing noticed immediately and looked at Lu Haici.

She could tell he wasn’t happy.

He had been all smiles just a moment ago; what happened?

“Isn’t Ji Yang your good friend? Did you guys have a fight?” Lu Cheng asked directly.

He knew that his son was close to the son of the neighbor, Captain Ji.

He assumed that Lu Haici didn’t want to share food with Ji Yang because they must have had a little argument.

Kids often squabble but make up the next day, so Lu Cheng wasn’t too concerned about it.

“No,” Lu Hai Ci mumbled.

“Then why don’t you want to share your food with Ji Yang?” Lin Qingqing asked gently. “If you have any thoughts, you can express them. But if you don’t want to say anything, that’s okay too. You’re the little master of this house, and you have the right to decide on this matter.”

Lu Haici looked up at Lin Qingqing, his mouth opening and closing as if he wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words.

Lin Qingqing smiled tenderly: “Alright, let’s eat first. You can see whether the sweet potato porridge or the wraps taste better.”

As she spoke, she took a spoonful of sweet potato porridge and fed it to Lu Haici.

Seeing this, Lu Cheng glanced at his son and then at Lin Qingqing.

If it were him, he would have directly asked why, but since Lin Qingqing said this matter was for Lu Haici to decide, he refrained from intervening.

Lu Haici opened his mouth, and the thick sweet potato porridge entered.

His eyes lit up: “So sweet, so delicious!”

He felt so happy being fed by his mother.

Although his aunt had also fed him when he was little, children should be fed by their mothers, so having been fed by his mom meant he was her child.

As he ate, Lu Haici looked at Lin Qingqing, his eyes sparkling.

Lu Cheng remarked, “He has hands and feet; let him eat by himself. He’s already five years old; no need to spoil him.”

“Hmph…” Upon hearing his father’s words, Lu Haici thought his dad was being mean, clearly jealous that his mom was feeding him. “I can eat by myself!”

He shot a glare at his dad and then sweetly turned to his mom, “Mom, this is really delicious! It’s better than what Auntie made. You’re the best cook I’ve ever seen!”

Lin Qingqing couldn’t help but chuckle; who doesn’t like a child’s flattery?

The sweet potato porridge Lin Qingqing made was cooked with brown sugar, with very little rice added, allowing the rice to break down fully, resulting in a thick consistency.

Although sweet potatoes are a bit sweet, that sweetness alone isn’t enough for the porridge, so sugar needs to be added.

In fact, both brown sugar and white sugar can be used in sweet potato porridge, but Lin Qingqing preferred brown sugar for its better color.

Making delicious food isn’t just about taste; it also needs to look good.

Color, aroma, and flavor all together can stimulate appetite.

Lu Cheng glanced at his son, feeling that he couldn’t bear to watch.

Look at how his little mouth had Lin Qingqing all happy; no wonder his aunt couldn’t sleep when he was taken away.

It turns out he had charmed her like this.

Boys and their sweet talk, always deceiving!

“Since you like it, eat more. There’s more in the pot…”

After it cooled down, it could also be used as a little dessert, Lin Qingqing said.

“Mom is really amazing, even better than Dad. Dad can’t cook; before, my dad and I ate in the cafeteria,” Lu Haici said while sticking his tongue out at his dad.

Lu Cheng shot him a warning glance.

He was munching on the wheat rolls and thought that only a fool would argue with a kid while eating.

If he wanted to argue, he could do it after finishing his meal.

With that in mind, he ate faster.

He might not be able to talk back to the little brat, but he could definitely eat more than him!

However, he was now convinced of Lin Qingqing’s cooking skills.

The seemingly ordinary ingredients in her hands turned into delicious dishes.

Tomatoes, eggs, and flour were indeed common, but the tomato and egg dumplings tasted great.

For instance, the potatoes and cucumbers were even more ordinary, but wrapped in pancakes, they took on a special flavor.

Remembering the discussions from last night, Lu Cheng said, “After we eat well, I’m going to the army for a bit to check on the cafeteria situation.”

He needed to submit the task report he wrote yesterday. “Then I’ll head to the county to buy some things. Do you need anything?”

Lin Qingqing perked up at this: “Can I go with you?”

She indeed needed to buy some things.

Yesterday, when she was with Yu Xiuyou, she felt shy about buying too much, considering they couldn’t carry it all together.

Plus, she was afraid of taking up too much of Yu Xiuyou’s time, so she didn’t buy anything personal.

Since she had a chance today, she wanted to buy some personal items and tidy up the original owner’s belongings.

She also needed to buy some cotton fabric to make herself a couple of sets of pajamas, and of course, she wanted to get some underwear as well.

Lu Cheng replied, “Of course you can.”

They had ten wheat rolls; Lin Qingqing ate one, Lu Haici ate one, and Lu Cheng ate four, leaving four remaining.

When Lu Cheng went to grab another, Lu Haici quickly placed his hand over the wheat roll: “Dad can’t eat anymore; I’m taking this to share with Ji Yang.”

The little brat had already learned to say “share” from his mother.

Lu Cheng raised an eyebrow: “Didn’t you just have a fight with Ji Yang and say you weren’t sharing?”

“I didn’t fight; you’re just making things up, Dad,” Lu Haici argued loudly.

“Then why did you disagree just now?” Lu Cheng asked.

Lu Haici lowered his head again.

Suddenly, a gentle hand stroked his head.

“Mom…”

Lu Haici looked up.

Lin Qingqing smiled and said, “Since you want to share with your good friend, why don’t you pack the wheat rolls into the lunchbox yourself?”

Lu Haici’s eyes widened slightly.

He bit his lip, and after seeming to make up his mind, he opened his mouth, his voice as soft as a mosquito’s buzz.

Lu Hai Ci looked at her with wide eyes, asking, “Mom, do you like Ji Yang more or do you like me more?”

Lin Qingqing: “…”

It felt like a girlfriend asking her boyfriend whether he liked his ex more or her.

Lu Cheng remarked, “What kind of question is that?”

He couldn’t understand how a five-year-old could come up with such a silly question.

Although Lin Qingqing didn’t know why the little one asked that, she tried to respond in a way he could understand: “Of course I like Haici more! Haici is our little treasure, and I like Ji Yang because he is Haici’s good friend.”

She didn’t say she liked the little one because he was sensible, obedient, hardworking, etc.

She believed adults shouldn’t tell children these things; otherwise, some kids might remember it and fear that if they were ever not sensible, obedient, or hardworking, adults would stop liking them.

She wanted Lu Haici to know that her love for him was pure because he was their little baby.

Upon hearing this, Lu Haici’s eyes slowly widened, and then they quickly filled with tears.

No one had ever told him he was the family’s little treasure.

Wuwuwu… Lu Haici dove into Lin Qingqing’s arms, crying with tears and snot smearing all over her clothes.

Lu Cheng’s gaze shifted.

Even at his age, hearing Lin Qingqing say that had a profound impact on him. “Haici is our little treasure…”

Those words were so lovely; no wonder the little bunny was moved to tears.

Wait… how did it come to him being at that age?

He was only 28, in his prime, so how did he feel like an old man?

“Alright, stop crying. You’re a big boy now; it’s embarrassing.” Lu Cheng reminded him.

A little crying was fine, but the louder he cried, the more it was over the top.

“I’m not embarrassed!” Lu Haici lifted his head from Lin Qingqing’s embrace and glared at his dad.

Lu Cheng picked up his chopsticks: “If you keep crying, I’ll eat the remaining wraps and won’t share them with your friends.”

“Ahh!…” Lu Haici yelled.

“Dad, that’s too much!” He quickly hugged the food container, putting some distance between himself and Lu Cheng. “Dad, you’re a grown-up! How can you snatch food from a little kid? Little kids know not to take things from other little kids!”

Lin Qingqing couldn’t help but laugh and cry at the same time.

She hadn’t expected that the cold and proud Lu Cheng, as remembered by the original owner, could be so easygoing with his son.

Maybe every man has a child king inside him, just as every woman has a little princess in her heart.

Next door…

Yesterday, Xu Huijuan heard Ji Yang say that Lin Qingqing’s food was delicious and also heard Ji Changfeng mention that the tofu pancakes made by Qingqing also tasted good.

This morning, she put her utmost effort into making pancakes for the man and the child.

Her pancakes were made with eggs, flour, and cured meat.

Although they didn’t have tofu like Lin Qingqing’s, how could tofu compare to cured meat?

Still, she admitted that Lin Qingqing’s tofu pancakes were delicious.

“Wow, it smells so good!” Ji Yang sat down at the dining table like an old man as soon as he finished washing up. “Mom, Mom, I want to eat pancakes!”