No one understands rebirth better than me

Chapter 145 The Magic of a Little Man (Discharged from the hospital! Updates resumed! Good luck on the college entrance exam!)

After spending an hour at the gym, Guan Ren packed up and prepared to go home.

As a student currently enrolled in the military, Guan Ren dedicates one day each week to half an hour of cardio and half an hour of strength training, in addition to his regular exercise routine. This is sufficient for someone like Guan Ren who is focused on maintaining his health.

With extra space and specialized equipment, it does feel much easier to work around, at least you don't have to worry about disturbing the neighbors or anything, and you can just leave when you're done.

"Once the tutoring classes end this semester, I'll have an extra morning free every weekend, and then there's winter break..."

Guan Ren counted the days while waiting for Guan Qiaoyun in the elevator downstairs.

Her class lasted about an hour. Yoga shouldn't be done for too long; doing it for too long can actually have negative effects.

However, after waiting for a while, Guan Qiaoyun still hadn't come down.

So Guan Ren went straight upstairs.

When they went up there, they could see from afar that Ms. Fang, the yoga teacher, was talking to Guan Qiaoyun in the classroom.

After speaking, Guan Qiaoyun raised her phoenix eyes and saw Guan Ren at the door. She then quickened her pace of packing and soon came over and whispered:

"Why did you come up here?"

"That's why you haven't come down yet."

Guan Ren took her bag and slung it over his shoulder:

"Does the yoga teacher go overtime?"

"Oh, not at all. It's just that they taught me a few new moves today, and I... adapted quite quickly. Teacher Fang was very happy, so we chatted for a bit longer..."

Guan Qiaoyun casually flicked a strand of hair behind her ear, but Guan Ren sensed something in her words. He grinned, looked into her eyes, and gave her a thumbs up.

"Oh—! So it's because the good student got praised by the teacher in class. Sister Qiaoyun is amazing!"

"Ugh, aren't you annoying?"

Guan Qiaoyun, who had been quite carefree, had her composure completely ruined by this little rascal. A faint blush rose to her pretty face, and she raised her delicate hand to slap him on the back. After slapping him, she glared at him and snatched his arm, holding it tightly.
"All you ever do is make fun of your mother. I think you deserve a beating!"

"I was wrong, I was wrong, I'll do it again next time..."

"?"

"Cough, I won't do it again next time!"

----------

When I got home, it started raining again.

Guan Qiaoyun disliked the shower room in the yoga studio and would take a separate shower every time she came back from class.

Guan Ren quickly washed off his sweat before she could, then sat down at the computer to continue playing games with Luo Xiaobei, taking a short break, but the break didn't last long.

"I'm logging off now."

"It's raining again? Didn't you go to the gym already?"

Luo Xiaobei had absolutely no interest in fitness; she just felt that there were lumps of iron everywhere, which was very dangerous.

I've never understood why Guan Ren goes to the gym. He's not fat or anything, is it really necessary?
Well…

However, the last time he hugged her, he was definitely stronger than before…

That feeling of being completely enveloped by him... it was actually quite...

In conclusion, considering this point, Luo Xiaobei had to admit that Guan Ren's physical exercise was not entirely unnecessary.

At least it will make me more comfortable~
When hugging.

"I've already been to the gym, so I'm going to cook now."

"Oh."

Luo Xiaobei's sweet voice faltered instantly, and she said indifferently:
"Oh, so you're cooking for Gu Youli. That's urgent. You should go quickly."

"?"

Although it was indeed another day that Little Pear Blossom was coming over for dinner, Guan Ren was still amused by Luo Xiaobei's tone:
"Why does that sound so sour? As if I'm not playing games with you because I have to cook for Gu Youli."

"Tch, who knows..."

Isn't that right?
The childhood sweetheart abandoning his childhood friend for a pretty female classmate feels like a classic trope.

"Whether there are two people or three people, it's all the same. Adding one more person just means adding another mouth to feed."

Although Guan Ren was talking about cooking, Luo Xiaobei felt something was off about it.

"It's getting late, and I still have some groceries to buy. How about we play together this afternoon after we eat?"

"Okay, you can leave now."

Considering that his last "okay?" was quite gentle, Luo Xiaobei stopped bothering him.

But... what does "play with her" even mean?

I don't know who it was that loved playing games since childhood, which is why she's always...

As a result, he got tired of playing "Wenjian Online" that the two of them had foolishly explored together and stopped playing it. Now that he has finally logged back in, it's him accompanying her.

Hmph, what an idiot.

"It's okay to like new things..."

Luo Xiaobei stretched out her finger and flicked the little boy in a photo on the table:
"Don't get tired of the old... you idiot..."

----------

A light drizzle continued.

Guan Ren walked through the Liuxing Road vegetable market, holding an umbrella.

"Mmm, it smells so good..."

In the provincial capital and surrounding areas, including Jiangzhou County, every December, many vendors selling mutton soup start appearing on the streets.

Some are dedicated restaurants. Others are roadside stalls catering to families, selling cooked sliced ​​mutton and offal, as well as mutton soup for takeaway.

Although the Winter Solstice, a time when people traditionally eat mutton, hasn't arrived yet, Guan Ren could still smell the aroma of mutton soup being sold on the street when he walked onto Liuxing Road.

"Luckily, I bought the lamb trotters early last time, because the price of mutton has already started to go up."

Guan Ren felt fortunate, after all, having money is one thing, being a sucker is another.

Of course, this is Meteor Road, and during the season when the aroma of mutton permeates the air, the NPCs that reside here will definitely spawn at various mutton soup stalls.

"Here, take a piece of mutton and eat it."

"Thank you, grandma, but my mom doesn't let me eat food from strangers."

"Oh, it's nothing, just one piece."

"don't want…"

An Guoguo stared intently at the mutton with her round eyes, holding a ball of white fur in her arms. She swallowed hard as she backed away, and soon she cried out "Ouch!" as she retreated to the obstacle.

"Guanren, Guanren, do you eat mutton?"

An Guoguo asked this question immediately.

"What's the harm in eating? What's the harm in not eating?"

Guan Ren smiled and asked in return, while simultaneously pulling the fluffy ball out of her arms.

"Wang~"

When Maoqiu saw Guan Ren, it immediately wagged its tail and nuzzled against his arm like a seductive fox.

"Tsk, this little cat, look at the mess you made..."

"Wang?"

……

Strictly speaking, Tuantuan is a female dog who considers herself a female cat.

However, given that she really looks like a cat and can catch mice, Guan Ren decided to just treat her as a cat. Otherwise, her complex composition would feel awkward, like some kind of LGBT cat.

"An'an, it's so heavy, why are you carrying it?"

“It’s raining, and Tuantuan doesn’t like walking on muddy ground.”

"what?"

Upon hearing An Guoguo's explanation, Guan Ren was initially surprised, but then he remembered that this was a cat with obsessive-compulsive disorder who would wash its own face and paws.

"Guan Ren, Guan Ren, don't downplay the important points."

"Oh? You've learned a new idiom?"

An Guoguo was still staring at the mutton soup stall, but she also had to keep an eye on Guan Ren. Her eyes were too busy to keep up, so she reached out her little hand and grabbed Guan Ren's clothes.

Are you going to eat mutton or not?

"Don't eat."

"You... um... you eat."

Why should I eat it?

"Buy some if you want to eat it."

An Guoguo pointed to the mutton soup stall in front of her, her big eyes glancing guiltily at the ground:
"Then...then give me some too."

"I just know how to eat."

Guan Ren bent down and pinched An Guoguo's round face:

"I just heard you say that Mom told you not to eat food from other people."

"But you're not just anyone."

Guan Ren cared for his mother in his old age; what kind of "other person" would do that?
"Don't eat it, it will cause internal heat. Eat it on the winter solstice."

Guan Ren patted her little bottom:
"Lead the way, I need to buy something from your house."

"Oh."

Guan Ren indeed went to his mother again.

An Guoguo skipped ahead, while Guan Ren followed leisurely behind. Soon they arrived at the familiar [Ping An Fresh Braised Food] stall. Seeing the equally familiar woman in a headscarf and apron wiping the stall cart's windows, Guan Ren's smile softened involuntarily.
"Sister Shuirou."

"Ah, Guan Ren has arrived."

Normally, when dealing with regular customers, An Shui Rou would habitually reply with something like, "What would you like to eat today?"

However, An Shui did not have this habit of being both gentle and firm with Guan Ren.

It's as if it's always assumed that Guan Ren doesn't come as a customer.

"Sister Shuirou."

Guan Ren quickly went over and gently took the towel from her hand:
"Let me wipe the outside for you."

"Um…"

An Shui Rou did not refuse.

In fact, ever since Guan Ren helped change the light bulb, whenever Guan Ren comes here and sees An Shui Rou busy, he can't help but lend a hand.

At first, An Shui Rou naturally declined in various ways.

After all, how could I let a guest do my work?
But after a while, An Shui Rou finally gave in to him.

She didn't know what magic this kind and enthusiastic young man possessed, but with just a few words, he always inexplicably made it hard for her to refuse.

(End of this chapter)