I have few friends, but many childhood sweethearts.

Chapter 215. Xia Xiaoxiao's Kidney Deficiency!
The two chased each other through the streets for a long time, until they were almost back at the Lotus Courtyard, when Xu Qingfan finally grabbed Xia Xiaoxiao's clothes again.

"Why are you running?!" he said, panting and opening his mouth wide, sounding annoyed.

"If you don't chase me, will you run away?" Xia Xiaoxiao wasn't much better off. Her face was flushed from the cold winter wind, and her small, well-endowed chest heaved violently.

"If you don't run, will I chase you?"

"If you don't chase me, will I run away?" Xia Xiaoxiao asked again.

Xu Qingfan:
Having just finished exercising, the two were still warm all over. They stood in the middle of the street, staring at each other for a long time. Finally, Xia Xiaoxiao couldn't help but laugh first, and Xu Qingfan rolled his eyes at the girl before laughing too.

"Idiot." The two of them simultaneously retorted to each other in an annoyed tone.

"You're the stupid dog."

"You?"

They spoke at the same time, again in perfect unison.

“You.” Xu Qingfan pointed at her.

Xia Xiaoxiao grabbed his index finger and pressed it down, raising her eyebrows and saying in a stronger tone, "You!"

The girl held Xia Xiaoxiao's hand, which was still ice-cold from running. Xu Qingfan took her hand in return and pulled her away, saying, "Why are your hands still so cold? I think it's because you have kidney deficiency."

Walking hand-in-hand with the smelly dog ​​on the sidewalk, the girl instantly became obedient, even forgetting to retort to Xu Qingfan's earlier comment about her kidney deficiency.

Xia Xiaoxiao tried to recall when she last held hands with this stinky dog ​​while shopping, but her vague memory suggested it was when she was in second or third grade.

It seems that ever since she learned about the differences between boys and girls in fourth grade physiology class, she has never been this close to Xu Qingfan.

Then we started sleeping together. If we don't count that one accident, the last time we slept together was back in second grade.

That time, only she and Xu Qingfan participated in Hua Luogeng's national competition. The quilts in the hotel were not warm at all, so she went to sleep on Xu Qingfan's bed.

Looking back now, it was a really great experience. I warmed my cold feet on the dog's lap, smelled his pleasant scent and heard his regular breathing, and slept soundly until dawn. It was so comfortable.

It's a pity that we can no longer sleep together like we did when we were little after we grew up.

As Xu Qingfan led her along the same street, Xia Xiaoxiao felt that the street seemed even more beautiful than usual.

She asked with some curiosity, "Do girls do that too?"

"Which one?" Xu Qingfan blinked and turned to look at her.

"You have kidney deficiency."

"You're stating the obvious. You don't have kidneys, right? Both men and women can have kidney deficiency. Your cold hands and feet are a sign of kidney yang deficiency, which can even lead to infertility in severe cases," Xu Qingfan explained logically.

Don't ask him how he knows so much; a friend told him all of this.

"Huh?" Xia Xiaoxiao was a little frightened. The thought of not being able to have a baby was too terrible.

"But I didn't say there were only exhausted oxen. Hey~ why did you hit me!"

"Stop reading those irrelevant things. Kidney deficiency is also related to a person's lifestyle. Lamb is good for the kidneys, strengthens yang, and nourishes yin. Eat more of it at noon." He rolled his eyes at the girl and said.

"Oh." Xia Xiaoxiao obediently did not argue, but secretly she was planning to eat more lamb kidneys at noon!

As they were about to return to the Lotus Courtyard, Xu Qingfan let go of Xia Xiaoxiao's hand. After all, they had both grown up now, and holding hands like they did when they were children would inevitably cause misunderstandings.

You said you were warming her hands?
Yes, yes, I get it, I get it, it's for warming hands, I get it.

The more you try to explain, the more lewdly the other person laughs. Where can you reason with that?

Xia Xiaoxiao put her hands back in her pockets, a faint sense of loss she didn't want to admit to herself. If only they could continue walking hand-in-hand openly forever.
When I got to the third floor, Lin Jing was sitting by the door, basking in the sun, holding a cup of hot tea in her hand, clearly enjoying herself. "Good morning, Auntie."

"It's getting late, almost noon. What groceries did Xiaofan buy this time?" Lin Jing glanced at her daughter and asked with a smile.

"Xiaoxiao wants to eat mutton, so we'll have hot pot for lunch," he said, lifting the mutton he was carrying.

"Then I'll just sit here and enjoy the fruits of your labor, and let Xiaoxiao assist you."

“How can you say that? I consider you my second mother. How can taking care of my stepmother be considered as doing something for nothing? It’s like the saying, ‘Even a blade of grass can repay the warmth of spring.’”

"Alright, alright, anyone who didn't know better would think you were the Chinese teacher." Lin Jing beamed at his words; who wouldn't love to hear something like that?

"Hehe~ Auntie, Xiaoxiao and I are going to cook." Xu Qingfan gave a comical Young Pioneer salute before pulling Xia Xiaoxiao away.

Lin Jing watched the two figures leave and a long-lost auntie smile appeared on her face. She was extremely satisfied with Xu Qingfan, except that he had too many female classmates around him.

However, she still had a lot of confidence in her daughter. The childhood sweetheart relationship and the fact that they spent every day together gave her an advantage over any newcomer.

[Let the children figure out their own affairs.] Lin Jing put her wild thoughts aside and continued to bask in the sun and drink tea peacefully.

The stewing time for mutton should not be too long, otherwise the meat will become tough. After blanching, stir-fry it in an iron pot until dry, then add hot water and the soup will immediately turn white.

After transferring to a clay pot, add stir-fried ginger slices, white pepper, red dates, angelica root, sugarcane, and water chestnuts. Simmer over medium-low heat for about forty minutes.

Ten minutes before the meal, add the chopped white radish. This is a clear broth mutton stew that every household in the port city knows how to make.

Before long, the aroma of white pepper and mutton filled the house, and Xu Aiguo and Yao Jinping slept until the sun was high in the sky before getting up.

"Little one, what are you stewing? It smells so good!"

"When will you serve dinner, son? I'm hungry."

"Good morning, Uncle and Auntie. I'm stewing mutton. We'll have hot pot for lunch, it'll be ready soon," Xia Xiaoxiao said, looking up as she prepared the dipping sauces for the hot pot.

"Little Xiao is so sensible."

Xu Qingfan rolled his eyes at his parents. He was the one doing all the work, so how come Xiaoxiao was so sensible!
[Next time, I'll wake them up at eight or nine o'clock, so Old Deng will know what it means to rebel against the Heavenly Gang!]
At noon, the two families sat down at the dining table for lunch.

The mutton soup, freshly stewed, was heating up on the induction cooker. Its rich white pepper flavor warmed me from head to toe with every sip.

Xia Xiaoxiao had her eye on the kidneys she had bought earlier, but fearing that someone would find out, she would always take a piece of mutton with her when she picked them up.

Because it was cleaned thoroughly, you couldn't taste any unpleasant smell, and it tasted quite good after being dipped in sauce.

Just as Xia Xiaoxiao was looking around and continuing to search for the kidneys in the pot, Lin Jing suddenly said, "By the way, Xiaoxiao, your grandfather called this morning and wants you to come home for the Chinese New Year this year. Your grandmother's health isn't very good."

Xia Xiaoxiao was secretly delighted to have found another kidney, but her smile froze on her face upon hearing this.

"Mom, are you coming back with us?" she asked.

Lin Jing shook her head: "I won't go back. I'll have your Uncle Xu drive you there."

"Then I'll..." Xia Xiaoxiao really wanted to say that she wouldn't go back either, but she didn't finish her sentence because she thought of her grandmother's health.

"Xiaoxiao doesn't want to go back alone, so let that brat keep you company. All he does at home is play video games."

Xia Xiaoxiao glanced at Xu Qingfan, thought for a moment, then nodded and said, "Okay, I'll listen to Auntie."

Xu Qingfan: ? ? ?

(End of this chapter)