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Zhou Xu truly lives up to Zhu Wei’s teasing nickname of “chef god.” He can turn a basket of eggs into five different dishes: tomato scrambled eggs, soy sauce egg custard, scallion egg pancakes, spicy poached eggs, and green pepper scrambled eggs. Besides these, there are also richly flavored Northeastern-style three treasures, cucumber salad, steamed pumpkin chunks, and stir-fried greens.
Even though they’re all vegetarian dishes, they’re freshly picked and arranged on the table like restaurant-quality dishes, full of color, aroma, and taste.
Wen Cishu exclaimed, “Teacher Zhou, your cooking skills are amazing.”
Being able to make the simplest dishes in eighteen different ways really takes some skill.
Zhou Xu raised an eyebrow and smiled, “Professional.”
[This is really sumptuous, such homely dishes]
[I want to grab chopsticks and join in, why hasn’t my takeout arrived yet]
[Zhou Xu hasn’t been out much these years, could he have been practicing his cooking at home?]
Chu Han served some dishes to the kids and said, “Nowadays, you can’t usually eat such fresh vegetables at home. Eat more veggies, it’s okay to eat less rice.”
Bo Yiming nodded vigorously with his mouth full of delicious food. After swallowing, he asked, “Uncle, do you make so many delicious things for Xiao Qi every day at home?”
Sitting in his dad’s lap, Xiao Qi shook his head and sighed like a little adult, “Every day.”
Zhou Xu ruffled his hair, “Isn’t it good that daddy cooks for you?”
Xiao Qi pouted, holding a small spoon to eat some egg custard, pouting his lips and acting cute to the long-haired uncle, puffing his cheeks and twisting around.
Wen Cishu smiled with his eyes curved, “Xiao Qi baby, eat your meal obediently~”
Xiao Qi happily turned and buried his face in his dad’s arms.
Zhou Xu said, “I think those chickens in the coop look good. After we finish eating, I’ll catch one and prepare it. We’ll have chicken soup tonight.”
He raised his hand and patted Bo Yiming’s shoulder, “Yiming, how about going with uncle to catch a chicken?”
Bo Yiming nodded, a bit expectant, “Will there be delicious chicken meat too?”
Zhou Xu laughed, “Of course, uncle will figure out different flavors. How about catching two? The program group didn’t say we couldn’t.”
“Sure.”
Suddenly, Xiao Qi raised his little hand and protested in a cute voice, “No! The big rooster is very cute~”
Rongrong also put down her small spoon, agreeing with Xiao Qi, “Uncle, don’t catch the big rooster, okay?”
She quickly pointed at the egg custard, “Otherwise, there won’t be delicious eggs tomorrow.”
[Rongrong is right! Smart little baby~]
[The little ones are so kind~ ee heart is soft~ (except for nodding Yiming!)
[What did Yiming do wrong, he just wants to eat chicken]
Before Zhou Xu could say anything, Xingxing, who was picking up shredded potatoes, quietly said, “Then catch a duck, ducks don’t lay eggs.”
“Hmm?” Rongrong and Xiao Qi both made puzzled little sounds, looking at brother Xingxing.
The two little ones, whose ages combined barely matched Bo Yiming’s, exchanged glances and nodded simultaneously.
Rongrong happily said, “Okay, then uncle and brother Yiming can catch a duck.”
Xiao Qi felt something was off, but since sister said so, he immediately nodded, “Xiao Qi will go too~ Xiao Qi will catch a duck~”
Wen Cishu, who was eating, struggled to hold back his laughter.
[Rongrong! Sister just said you’re a good baby! Little rascal!]
[Does the duck not have the right to live? Why!]
[Rooster: blah blah blah~~~]
[Duck: ? Is it my fault I don’t lay eggs? Quack—]
After the meal, Wen Cishu and Chu Han washed the dishes together.
He was about to turn on the tap like he did when washing vegetables earlier when a pair of disposable dishwashing gloves was handed to him.
Chu Han opened her own pair and explained, “I brought these from home, just in case we need to do something. Your skin is better than mine, don’t let the detergent harm your hands.”
“Thank you, Teacher Chu,” Wen Cishu said politely.
With two large sinks, each took one side.
Chu Han let Wen Cishu handle the detergent, while she took care of the first wash.
Wen Cishu carefully rinsed the white porcelain plate she handed over, making sure to wash off all the foam.
[Chu Han is famous for her movie face, really just palm-sized. Little dad, you’re taller, but how is your face just as small!]
[Two gentle housewives, even if you split one with me? (I want little dad, mainly because I’ve never seen such a beauty, really want to have…)]
[Little dad and Teacher Chu are both mine. Little dad stays home with me, Teacher Chu goes out to make movies and earn money…]
[You guys are still choosing? Come on, open your mouths, I’ll feed you some poison]
While washing dishes, Wen Cishu felt extremely thirsty.
After helping tidy up the kitchen, he poured a glass of warm water, tilted his head back, and drank it all in one go.
Still not quenched.
Wen Cishu had noticed while eating that the dishes were a bit “heavy” for his taste.
Having eaten at home for a long time, his palate leaned towards lighter flavors, so suddenly eating dishes with rich oil and sauce was a bit much for him.
He had been mindful and ate less of the particularly fragrant dishes, but still…
Wen Cishu licked his still dry lips and tongue, poured another glass of warm water, and leaned against the island counter, slowly drinking.
The transparent water moistened his lips, making them look especially soft.
[Wow wow~ Wife’s snow-white swan neck, sexy collarbone, slurp slurp, crazy for hickeys]
[Oh my god, Yiming’s big dad’s happiness, I can’t imagine]
[What happiness? What are you thinking? This is a parent-child variety show, the youngest is only 4 years old. Restrain yourself!]
[What restraint? Sister, stop pretending. Admit you’re not clean either]
Meanwhile, outside the chicken coop.
Bo Yiming was discussing with Zhou Xu how to coordinate catching ducks.
Suddenly, Bo Yiming stood up straight, “Wait a moment, uncle!”
He fiddled with his watch on his left hand, saw a new message, opened it, and quickly said, “Uncle, wait for me, I’ll go find my little dad.”
“Go ahead.” Zhou Xu wasn’t in a hurry, still studying which duck looked the plumpest.
He glanced at the little wooden house by the lake where Xingxing and the others were fishing, muttering to himself, “Maybe catch two, half for soup, half for beer duck, and roast the other whole for crispy roast duck tomorrow.”
The little one in his arms looked up, eyes fierce.
Zhou Xu covered the little one’s ears with his palm, “Xiao Qi, be good, you didn’t hear anything.”
–
In the kitchen.
Wen Cishu was pouring his third glass of water when a figure, carrying the heat of the afternoon, rushed in.
His arm was held down.
“Little dad, you can’t drink too much water right after eating.”
Bo Yiming looked up, full of concern, “Are you very thirsty?”
Wen Cishu softly said, “Dad just started pouring, just a little, not too much.”
Bo Yiming waved his left wrist with the watch, his bright eyes full of disbelief, “Little dad, why are you lying?”
[Someone sent Yiming a message, who could it be, who could it be]
[No, his wife is just thirsty, why is he so anxious? I’m impressed!]
[Xiao Qi said his dad is clingy, turns out Yiming’s family has one too, hilarious]
[Last time I had a fishbone stuck, my family told me to go to the hospital myself, here someone gets attention for drinking a bit more water (so envious)]
[Not sure what’s wrong with the wife. If it’s the stomach, drinking so much water after a meal isn’t good]
[Wife, look at me, I won’t let Yiming send messages, I’ll storm the live broadcast, kiss and hug and lift high]
[?]
Wen Cishu realized it was probably Bo Tingyuan who told the child to stop him.
—Was he watching the live broadcast the whole time today?
He used a negotiating tone, “Then I’ll hold off, drink a bit more in half an hour, okay?”
Bo Yiming seemed to remember something, turned and ran to the fridge, muttering to himself, “Honeydew can quench thirst, right?”
He took out the cut honeydew, grabbed two pieces, “Little dad, eat this, no more water.”
Wen Cishu picked up a piece and handed it to the little guy.
The usually lively Little Monkey, in critical moments, was mature and sensible.
Bo Yiming didn’t refuse.
But when he bit into the first piece, feeling the cold in his mouth, he snatched the piece from little dad’s hand.
Wen Cishu, left without honeydew, looked at him in confusion.
“Hmm?”
Bo Yiming looked down, mumbling, “It’s cold, little dad, you can’t eat it. If big dad knew, he wouldn’t let you eat it either.”
Wen Cishu chuckled, “So you’re letting dad watch you eat?”
Bo Yiming looked at the two pieces of honeydew in his hands, quickly raised them, and in a flash, devoured them from left to right.
He lifted the two honeydew rinds, shaking them, “All gone.”
Wen Cishu: “?”
Whose silly son is this!
Hmm, must be Bo Tingyuan’s genes at fault.
[What are you doing? Weren’t you supposed to help your little dad quench his thirst?]
[Looks like taking care of little dad’s health, but actually taking care of his own mouth, right Yiming?]
[Yiming: Anyway, you don’t worry, just can’t let little dad eat cold stuff]
Under little dad’s teasing gaze, Bo Yiming belatedly realized that honeydew left out for a while wouldn’t be so cold.
His amber eyes drooped silently, he expressionlessly tossed the honeydew rinds into the trash, then robotically moved to the fridge, taking out another piece.
Returning, he placed it by little dad’s hand.
The whole process was like a little monkey offering bananas to the tribe elders.
Wen Cishu couldn’t help but laugh, ruffling his hair.
With all this fuss, he almost forgot about being thirsty.
Under Bo Yiming’s watchful supervision, Wen Cishu waited until the honeydew wasn’t so cold before taking a bite.
Freshly picked honeydew from the morning, sweet and refreshing.
At this moment, a figure ran over, hiding outside the floor-to-ceiling window, peeking in.
Bo Yiming stepped forward, bending down, “Sister? Do you want some honeydew?”
He was about to reach out to hug Rongrong.
But Rongrong rarely asked to be hugged outside, she shyly stepped back, then ran to uncle’s side.
“Rongrong, don’t be afraid. Brother is just too enthusiastic.”
Wen Cishu said, “Yiming, give Rongrong a piece.”
Rongrong shook her head, her little pigtails swaying, clutching uncle’s clothes, “Uncle, mommy said we should fish together. Will you come?”
So she was inviting him to fish.
Wen Cishu nodded, quickly finishing the honeydew.
At this moment, Xingxing ran to the kitchen door, panting, his thin arms propped on his knees, his dark eyes looking at Bo Yiming, “Uncle Zhou said—”
“Oh! I forgot.” Bo Yiming guiltily stuck out his tongue, bouncing forward, “Little dad, I’m going with uncle to catch ducks, you go fish.”
He then bounced back, bending down seriously to Rongrong, “Sister, I’m entrusting my little dad to you.”
Wen Cishu pinched his ear lightly, “Don’t treat dad like a child.”
Rongrong, who was a bit timid earlier, now had a serious look in her eyes, nodding vigorously, “Got it, brother.”
Her little fingers clutched uncle’s clothes tightly.
[Wife is really super gentle, I can’t take it]
[If I had a wife like this, I’d worry about him drinking too much water too! Absolutely]
[Yiming’s big dad: As long as I’m alive, you can’t have him!]
Bo Yiming then rushed over, grabbing Xingxing’s hand, and they ran outside.
“Charge, let’s catch ducks!”
Since joining the program and meeting Bo Yiming, Xingxing had lost count of how many times he’d been “dragged by the hand to run.”
He had just heard Bo Yiming naturally call “sister,” still puzzled how this brother could call everyone so familiarly.
Opening with uncle, auntie, sister, brother.
Xingxing felt like he wanted to call people, but it felt awkward.
Unconsciously, he looked up at the running brother, just as Bo Yiming turned, his smile brighter than the sun.
[Am I seeing things? Xingxing seems to be secretly observing Yiming a lot?]
[Sunny handsome brother and introverted melancholic brother! If their combined age wasn’t smaller than my shoe size, I’d be shipping them already]
[Sisters hold on, I’ve been holding back all day.]
[Since sisters are secretly shipping, I’ll join the army too]
Upon arrival, because Zhou Xu was talking to Xiao Qi, Xingxing couldn’t help but ask, “Why did you join the program?”
As far as he knew, the program was for celebrity parents with kids.
Only Yiming and his dad weren’t in the entertainment industry.
Bo Yiming leaned in, teasing him, “Xingxing, you have to call me brother, then I’ll tell you.”
Xingxing moved his mouth, stupid brother!
But he was really curious, so he mumbled a bit.
“What?” Bo Yiming turned his ear, “Didn’t hear, say it again, quickly!”
Xingxing reluctantly mumbled again, “Brother Yiming.”
Bo Yiming happily jumped, “Oh! Great, Xingxing is willing to call me brother~”
Xingxing grabbed the bouncing brother, “You haven’t said yet.”
Bo Yiming straightforwardly explained, “Because I want to be a big star, I was supposed to join a talent show, but my two dads didn’t agree. Later, little dad signed us up for this program together. He said if I got selected, we’d join together, if not…”
He shrugged, “Maybe they’d hire a tutor to teach me English.”
[Your little dad signed you up? Divine dad]
[Watching this show, sometimes I feel like I lack a wife, sometimes I feel like I lack a dad, I’m impressed]
[Oh my god, Yiming, you didn’t think you were the one selected, did you?]
[Yiming’s confidence, if only I had a bit]
[Yiming, don’t go for talent shows, let your little dad go, one appearance and it’s over]
Xingxing frowned after hearing, looking at him incredulously.
Bo Yiming grabbed him, smiling, “What’s wrong? Do you think brother should join the talent show? Brother will definitely be famous, right?!”
Xingxing shook his head, only asking an unrelated question.
“But aren’t you mixed-race, do you need to learn English too?”
Bo Yiming jumped, “English class has spelling, it’s hard!”
Xingxing: “…”
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Squishee[Translator]
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