Chapter 180.2

The kids first sketched out the basic idea for Su Xiaoxiao to review. They didn’t make it too special, just drawing various steaming, delicious foods at the top. Below, they drew several tables with families happily eating hot pot together. On the wall facing the entrance, they sketched in red and wrote Su Xiaoxiao’s temporary name: “Three Meals, Four Seasons,” symbolizing three meals a day throughout the four seasons.

Su Xiaoxiao felt this was already excellent. Coupled with the visual impact of the kids’ drawings, it would surely impress everyone who walked in.

The kids were all action-oriented, so when they decided to do something, they did it right away. Xiao Fantuan climbed the ladder and was responsible for drawing the upper part, while Xiao Zhuzizi and Xiao Doubao divided the work. Xiao Doubao stood on the kang to draw, while Xiao Zhuzizi brought a chair and stood on it, each taking care of one wall.

Not to mention Xiao Doubao, who had the most experience in mural painting, began his journey in Qingfeng Town. During his youth, he painted on the floor, progressed to a small blackboard, and eventually transitioned to painting on the walls of the painter’s house as he matured. However, during that time, watercolor pens were unavailable, so he utilized chalk instead. Upon acquiring a watercolor pen in the capital, his masterpieces adorned the walls, kang, water tank, and wardrobe of his home. 

Among the three cubs, he painted the fastest and with the highest quality.

Bai Lan and the others washed dishes, pots, and stoves. Su Xiaoxiao was simply responsible for designing the menu for the first issue, which served as a model. In the future, they would change the menu and entrust its management to the kids.

After Bai Lan finished washing a basket of bowls and brought them in, the murals of the three cubs had already begun to take shape. It was only then that she deeply understood what Chen Ping’an meant by not wanting to go to his neighbors and suffer a blow.

It was already admirable enough for her, a widow, to raise a university student. She didn’t know how to raise children like this Peking University couple did. Regardless of age, all of their children were exceptionally intelligent. In the future, they would all be Peking University students.

Bai Lan could only sincerely sigh, “Xiaoxiao, your children are the smartest children I’ve ever seen.”

Su Xiaoxiao watched the kids concentrate on drawing the mural with great satisfaction and couldn’t help but be humble of them: “They are all very obedient and intelligent, and practice makes perfect. They’ve always loved writing and drawing since they were young.”

Bai Lan turned her head and saw the menu drawn by Su Xiaoxiao. She swallowed her saliva. The lifelike braised pork seemed to jump out of the paper, making one want to order it at a glance. Well, with parents as clever and capable as these, how could the children be dull? Doing business with such people made her feel exceptionally reassured.

Uncle Old Yang was the same. He didn’t speak much, but he understood everything. He treated Xiao Zhuzi as half his son. He knew how well Su Xiaoxiao treated Xiao Zhuzi when she raised him. Seeing all the children working hard to draw, he felt extremely gratified.

After Su Xiaoxiao finished focusing on drawing the recipe, it was time to pick up the two little ones from school again. The room was warmed by a kang and charcoal fire, yet she didn’t feel cold. However, as soon as she walked to the door, she trembled. The weather in the capital was truly chilly.

Su Xiaoxiao said, “Sister Lan, Uncle Yang, I’ll stop by and buy some groceries later. Let’s eat here tonight and warm up our store.”

Bai Lan smiled and said, “Alright, I’ll make some food for the children first. When Xiao Roubao comes back, he will surely shout that he’s hungry again.” Speaking of Xiao Roubao, Bai Lan also found him really adorable and had never seen a child who could eat so much.

Su Xiaoxiao didn’t bother with politeness: “Alright, it’s been a while since we had dumplings. You order some noodles, and we’ll try the hot and sour soup dumplings tonight. I’ll adjust the soup later.”

Bai Lan said: “Xiaoxiao, you know so much. I’ve never tried these hot and sour soup dumplings before, but just hearing the name makes my mouth water. They must be delicious.”

Fantuan was the family’s number-two foodie. As soon as he heard about the hot and sour soup dumplings, he couldn’t help but drool. He stopped rubbing his stiff hands from the cold and said, “Mom, I want dumplings with sauerkraut filling.”

Su Xiaoxiao said, “Okay, we have sauerkraut at home. Let’s make a few different fillings, Xiao Zhuzizi, Xiao Doubao, what fillings do you want?”

The two not-so-picky eaters said in unison, “Anything is fine.”

Su Xiaoxiao asked Bai Lan and Uncle Old Yang, who naturally didn’t mind.

Su Xiaoxiao said: “Then let’s make egg and chive, sauerkraut, and cabbage fillings. These three are perfect with hot and sour soup. When we see Auntie Tiantian later, we’ll invite her over to eat.”

Han Cheng had been very busy lately and almost never made it back for lunch. He had already said this morning that he wouldn’t make it back for dinner tonight.

Uncle Yang looked outside and said to Su Xiaoxiao, “I’ll go buy groceries; you go pick up the child.”

Su Xiaoxiao thought it over and agreed. It wasn’t convenient for her to take the two kids to buy groceries. She handed him a large sum of money, but Uncle Old Yang refused to take it, insisting he had enough money. Su Xiaoxiao had no choice but to say, “Uncle Old Yang, if you don’t take this money to buy groceries, I’ll have to take the two kids to buy them myself.”

Uncle Yang couldn’t refuse and had to take the money.

When Su Xiaoxiao arrived at the kindergarten, the class was over. The two kids were hiding from the wind in the security booth. Xiao Roubao had somehow become very close to the security guard. The guard gave Xiao Roubao a handful of melon seeds, and Xiao Roubao, not forgetting his sister, shared half with her. Then he took out candy from her little backpack and offered it to the guard. The toothless guard smiled and quickly declined, but Xiao Roubao stuffed the candy into his pocket before leading his sister to find their mother.

Xiao Roubao ran up to his mother with his sister: “Mom, why are you so late? Xiao Roubao is starving!”

Su Xiaoxiao opened her arms to catch the two little cannons rushing over. “Sorry, Mommy forgot to check the time because she was busy with the restaurant. Let’s go home. Oh, by the way, where’s Tiantian?”

Xiao Tangyuan said, “Tiantian asked for leave today. I heard her mother came back yesterday.”

“Is that so?” Su Xiaoxiao remembered that Tiantian’s grandmother had said her mother had left to climb the social ladder and hadn’t come back to see Tiantian in over a year. She wondered if this visit was for Tiantian or for something else.

Xiao Roubao wasn’t interested in other people’s business. He was only interested in eating: “Mommy, can I have a bowl of dumplings today again when we get home?”

Su Xiaoxiao snapped out of her thoughts and rubbed her son’s head. “What a coincidence! Mommy was planning to make dumplings for dinner tonight. Auntie Lan has already made something else delicious for you. Let’s go home first.”

Xiao Roubao grinned and bounced ahead. “Yay!” 

---

T/N: Unlocked chapters: Chapter 180.1 – Chapter 184 Happy Reading~

---