The younger sister mistakenly identified her brother when visiting relatives and was kissed by the c

Bai Zhengyuan had half a pan-fried bun in his mouth when he heard the word "willing" and then heard the description of her as having a "gentle personality," which almost made him choke.

He quickly swallowed hard, coughed twice while pounding his chest, and waved his hands repeatedly, saying, "No, no, no! Please don't!"

"What's wrong? Elementary school teachers are so great!" Mother Bai's eyes lit up.

"Mom, Xin Xin, please forgive me," Bai Zhengyuan said with a pained expression, quickly explaining, "You all know the nature of my job. I'm in charge of special forces training, constantly on the move, always going into the mountains for training exercises and drills. It's common for me to be away from home for ten days or half a month. How can I have time to date? Even if I did, we'd be apart most of the time. Wouldn't that be wasting a girl's youth?"

Upon hearing this, Bai's mother not only showed no remorse, but instead slammed her chopsticks down heavily on the table with a sharp "smack".

"What nonsense are you spouting?!" Mother Bai sternly retorted. "Are you going to war or to die? There are so many soldiers in the entire military region, and they're all married with children. Why are you the only exception? How is dating a waste of time? Military wives are all very conscious of their status!"

Bai Zhengyuan lowered his head, not daring to retort.

"Look at your sister," Mrs. Bai pointed at Qiao Xinxin, "She's several years younger than you, and she's already married and has a family. And you? You haven't even made a name for yourself! Your father and I are too embarrassed to mention you to anyone when we go out!"

Bai Zhengyuan was speechless after his mother's rapid-fire words. He could only lower his head, shovel a few mouthfuls of porridge, and mutter sullenly, "Mom, don't worry about this. You can't force feelings. When the time is right, they will come naturally."

"Fate, fate, how many years have you been saying that? I think you're just a blockhead, you never get it!" Mother Bai persisted, her fighting spirit undiminished.

"How old are you this year? You'll be twenty-eight after the New Year!" Mother Bai counted on her fingers. "Look at Old Zhang's son next door, he's three years younger than you, and his child can already run around, calling for grandma in the yard every day! If you keep dragging this out, all the good girls will be taken, and you'll be left crying over the leftovers!"

Bai Zhengyuan's ears burned from being nagged so much that he wished he could bury his head in the porridge bowl. He secretly raised his head and glanced at Lu Baizhou sitting opposite him.

His eyes held a strong plea for help, as if to say, "Please, say something to help me out of this predicament!"

Lu Baizhou received his distress signal.

He picked up the bowl of porridge in front of him and slowly took a sip. Then he put the bowl down, looked at Bai Zhengyuan, and said slowly and sincerely, "Old Bai, I think Mom is right. At your age, you really should start thinking about finding a partner. You can't stay single forever."

"traitor."

Bai Zhengyuan gritted his teeth and squeezed out two words, glaring fiercely at Lu Baizhou. But the blush of embarrassment on his face had already spread uncontrollably to his ears.

He was a ruthless and efficient commander in the army, known for his strict discipline. Privately, he was equally adept at joking and drinking with his comrades. However, at home, when his parents pressured him to get married, he couldn't muster any of his usual temper. He could only eat in silence, pretending not to hear.

Mr. Bai, having watched his son's humiliation with amusement, finally decided to step in and smooth things over, giving his son a way out.

"Alright, alright, it's early in the morning, a joyous occasion, let's not dwell on such unpleasant topics." Father Bai waved his hand with a smile. "Zhengyuan knows what he's doing; that boy has a strong will, nagging him won't help. Come on, come on, have some dumplings! These dumplings are especially well-made today!"

He stood up, carrying a large plate of freshly cooked, steaming dumplings, and placed it in the center of the table.

"The chive and egg dish is best eaten hot; it doesn't taste good when it's cold!"

Seeing that her husband had spoken, Bai's mother temporarily let Bai Zhengyuan go. She got up and went to the kitchen, bringing out two small dishes, one a dish of vinegar and the other a dish of peeled Laba garlic.

"Here, Bai Zhou, dip it in some vinegar." Mother Bai pushed the vinegar dish in front of Lu Bai Zhou.

These dumplings are really well made, with thin skins and generous fillings. The thin skins reveal bright green chives and golden egg bits, mixed with dried shrimp and sesame oil. One bite and the fresh aroma bursts forth, leaving your mouth greasy.

Lu Baizhou had a great appetite and ate several of them.

Seeing this, Mr. Bai picked up the spoon again and added a spoonful of dipping sauce to his bowl.

"Bai Zhou, try this chili oil." Bai's father pointed to the bright red oil droplets in the vinegar dish. "These are dried chili pepper pieces that I poured hot oil over myself. They look red, but they're not actually spicy, but they're incredibly fragrant. They're perfect for dipping dumplings."

Lu Baizhou dipped one in chili oil, ate it, and nodded in praise: "It's really delicious. Dad's cooking skills are unparalleled."

The breakfast was a lively and hearty affair, full of the warmth and energy of everyday life.

Although Bai's mother kept muttering that Bai Zhengyuan was "not perceptive" from time to time, her chopsticks were busy piling dumplings into his bowl.

"Eat more, you must not have been eating well these past two days of training."

Only when Bai Zhengyuan's bowl was piled high like a small mountain, with three large dumplings inside, did Bai's mother stop.

Bai Zhengyuan, his mouth full, mumbled, "Thank you, Mom."

Bai's mother rolled her eyes at him: "Just eat your food, eating won't shut you up." Although she said it with disdain, the corners of her mouth involuntarily turned up, and her eyes were full of maternal love.

After breakfast.

To show his worth and to escape the pressure of being forced to get married, Bai Zhengyuan took the initiative to stand up and do the dishes.

"Mom, I'll wash the dishes, you go and rest."

It was unusual for Bai's mother not to fight him for it. She wiped her hands, went into the living room, and sat down to talk with Qiao Xinxin.

"Xin Xin, did you get used to staying in the new house last night?" Bai's mother asked with concern, holding her hand.

"I'm used to it, Mom. The house is very clean, and the blankets are warm," Qiao Xinxin replied with a smile.

"Is the quilt too thin? It's made of new cotton. If you think it's too thin, Mom will make you another one." Bai's mother touched Qiao Xinxin's hand with concern.

"It's not too thin, it's enough. I slept very well last night."

"That's good, that's good." Bai's mother nodded, then asked, "What would you like to eat for lunch today? Your father went to the market yesterday and bought a big grass carp and some pork ribs."

Qiao Xinxin answered all the questions, and they were all simple home-style dishes. She didn't make any unreasonable requests.

Reassured, Bai's mother turned to look at Lu Baizhou, who was sitting upright on the sofa next to her.

"Bai Zhou," Bai's mother said with a smile, "Don't be shy at home. After work, if you don't feel like cooking, come over with Xin Xin for a meal. Our family restaurant is open every day anyway, so one more person means one more pair of chopsticks—it'll be more lively!"

Lu Baizhou immediately straightened his back and solemnly replied, "Yes, Mom. I'll be troubling you and Dad quite often in the future."