Chapter 66: Calling “Mom” — For the First Time

The flower-shaped buns were nestled in cozily like under a quilt, the iron-pot braised chicken with chestnuts was finally ready—hot and fragrant, straight from the stove.

As soon as the lid was lifted, a cloud of steamy vapor burst out, carrying with it a mouthwatering aroma that instantly filled the room.

Xu Feng, always the impatient one, leaned his tall body over the center of the table. The wave of steam and fragrance hit him head-on, and before the mist even cleared and he could see what was in the pot, his mouth was already going:

“Smells amazing! Really amazing! Absolutely mouthwatering! This has got to be delicious!”

When the steam finally dispersed, he caught sight of the glistening, oil-coated chunks of chicken, the plump, round chestnuts, and the rich, bubbling sauce that gurgled invitingly.

Just the sauce alone—poured over rice—would be to die for!

Xu Feng swallowed hard.

Lu Zhanlin had already witnessed Chu Yue’s cooking skills before. But those were just ordinary home-cooked dishes. For a grand feast like this braised chicken in an iron pot, she still executed it perfectly—and while simultaneously preparing the flower buns and corn cakes. That was no easy feat.

Even Lu Zhanlin was surprised deep down, though his composed, handsome face didn’t reveal a hint of it. As Xu Feng stared wide-eyed in disbelief, Lu Zhanlin not only stayed cool and calm, but even carried a hint of quiet pride.

Chu Yue called out, “Everyone, dig in! It’s cold out—once the food cools down, it won’t taste as good.”

Xu Feng nodded like a bobblehead. “Yes, yes, yes, Little Sis-in-law is right! If the food cools, it won’t be as tasty. Let’s eat quickly!”

He was even more excited than the actual family of three in the Lu household.

Rubbing his hands, Xu Feng eagerly picked up his chopsticks and lunged straight for the chicken in the iron pot—

Under the table, Lu Zhanlin gave Xu Feng’s stool a solid kick.

Xu Feng stumbled slightly, catching himself with his strong core, but the hand holding his chopsticks tilted off-course and didn’t land on the chicken as intended.

He shot Lu Zhanlin a glare.

What was that supposed to mean? Was he not going to let him eat?

If anyone dared to stop him from eating, he’d throw hands!

Lu Zhanlin remained utterly expressionless, his eyebrows not even twitching—looking every bit like he wasn’t the one who’d just sneakily kicked a man under the table.

He reached out with his chopsticks, steadily picked up a chicken drumstick, and placed it in Chu Yue’s bowl. Then he picked up another drumstick and placed it in Lu Yuanbao’s bowl.

“You two eat,” he said softly to Chu Yue and Yuanbao, before reaching out with his chopsticks a third time.

Now, finally, it was Xu Feng’s turn.

Xu Feng stared wide-eyed at Lu Zhanlin’s chopsticks, watching them closely. When they moved toward a chicken claw, Xu Feng frowned—”All bones! What’s so great about that?” In his mind, Lu Zhanlin had clearly “gotten a wife and forgotten his brothers”—choosing a claw for him?

But then Lu Zhanlin changed course and picked up a chicken wing.

Before Lu Zhanlin could even say anything, Xu Feng immediately thrust his bowl forward. “Mine, mine! I knew it! I knew you wouldn’t forget your battle buddies just because you got married. I don’t like drumsticks anyway—I love chicken wings!”

And just like that, a beautiful mid-section wing landed in Xu Feng’s bowl.

Regardless of what Lu Zhanlin’s original intention had been, Xu Feng had already firmly reconfirmed the strength of their friendship.

The firewood-fed iron pot had simmered for nearly forty minutes, making the chicken both tender and flavorful, but not falling apart or dry.

A single bite would allow you to suck the bone clean.

The chicken was bouncy and chewy, the chestnuts soft and creamy—their textures melting together into a delightful, fluffy bite.

“This is delicious! Seriously delicious! Even better than it looks! … The chicken is amazing, the chestnuts are amazing… Wait, is this yam? Why is this so tasty too?! … Little Sis-in-law, for Lu Zhanlin to marry you—his ancestors must be blessing him from the grave!”

Xu Feng took a big bite of cornbread, followed by a bite of braised chicken. He ate with great enthusiasm, smacking his lips nonstop as he praised Chu Yue’s cooking. His animated compliments made the atmosphere at the dining table lively and cheerful.

At first, Lu Zhanlin wanted to stop Xu Feng—after all, he was his brother, and he wanted to save him some face in front of Chu Yue.

But he simply couldn’t stop him. Seeing that Chu Yue was smiling the whole time, her eyes bright and clearly enjoying herself, he decided to just let Xu Feng be.

Xu Feng kept going on and on:
“Little sister-in-law, compared to your cooking, the meals made by the mess hall cooks might as well be pig slop. Not even fit for human consumption!”

Lu Yuanbao frowned and disagreed, “Uncle Xu, I’ve been to the mess hall before. Their braised pork belly is really tasty. That’s not pig slop. Grain is for people to eat—pigweed is for pigs.”

Xu Feng raised his brows, amused. “Oh? You’re just a little kid, and you already know how to raise pigs? Then tell me—besides pigweed, what else do pigs eat?”

Lu Yuanbao had been holding the last little flower bun in his hand—soft, fluffy, and soaked in delicious broth. But Xu Feng’s sudden question distracted him, and he absentmindedly put it down.

“Pigs can also eat slop…”

Suddenly, Xu Feng grinned and, quick as a flash, snatched the last little flower bun, stuffing it into his mouth in two or three bites.

By the time Lu Yuanbao realized what had happened—his flower bun was gone!

Gone! The last little flower bun was gone!

“Hahaha… Hahaha…” Xu Feng burst out laughing. A grown man bullying a five-year-old boy—it shouldn’t have been funny, but he found it hilarious.

Lu Yuanbao’s little face scrunched up like a bitter melon. He looked aggrievedly at Chu Yue but couldn’t even explain himself—he had let his guard down and gotten ambushed by Xu Feng.

Chu Yue couldn’t help but laugh. She picked up the little flower bun she hadn’t eaten yet and handed it to Lu Yuanbao.
“Yuanbao, I still have one. You can have it.”

“I don’t want it,” Lu Yuanbao shook his head and looked at Chu Yue with his bright, black eyes. He said seriously,
“This one is yours, Mama. You eat it. The flower buns are really yummy!”

Mama.

That was the first time Lu Yuanbao called Chu Yue “Mama.”

It wasn’t during some big, significant moment. It wasn’t something Chu Yue had asked him to do.

It just happened—right there at the bustling dinner table, with Xu Feng laughing loudly in the background, and Lu Zhanlin quietly watching.

In the middle of an everyday, ordinary moment of life.

“Mom” slipped right out of Lu Yuanbao’s mouth, without a second thought.

Chu Yue responded just as naturally, as if it were the most normal thing in the world. She still passed the flower bun to Lu Yuanbao.

“Eat up. If you like them, we’ll make more tomorrow.”

“Mmm-hmm!”

Lu Yuanbao bit into the bun and nodded his little head hard.

Lu Zhanlin’s eyes were filled entirely with the image of the two of them—his wife and son.

In the midst of this warm and happy scene, Xu Feng, the lonely bachelor still burying his head in his food, thought:
What the hell? Why doesn’t this bun taste good anymore?

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After dinner, as usual, Lu Zhanlin cleaned up the mess.

Xu Feng leaned back with a thoroughly satisfied look—definitely energized enough to head down the mountain and spend the night drilling those fresh recruits. Night exercises were a mandatory part of their training, after all.

As he was about to leave, he turned to Chu Yue and said,
“Little sister-in-law, thanks for the meal. I’ll definitely make up for the wedding gift I owe you two. It’s so dark outside—I’ll have to trouble you to walk me out.”

A big, burly guy like Xu Feng wasn’t the type to be afraid of the dark. His request sounded… odd.

Chu Yue understood—Xu Feng wanted to speak with her in private.

She nodded. “Alright.”