We agreed it was just a hug, why did you actually do it?

Grandma's courtyard is always so cozy. Today we had lamb spine hot pot.

One of the Soviet soldiers' good friends, Tou Liantian, went on a trip and brought back pure lamb.

These pieces of meat were all hand-cut by the Soviet soldiers. They were cooked in the lamb spine soup that my grandfather had simmered over a low flame. The taste was absolutely delicious.

As soon as Tang Shaowu took his first bite, Grandma eagerly asked, "Shaowu, how is it?"

Tang Shaowu nodded and said, "It's delicious, very fresh, but not gamey at all. It's really good."

Hearing this, the two elderly people smiled even more broadly.

After meeting Tang Shaowu for the first time, Grandma said to Grandpa, "Other people's children are so well raised. I've never seen Tang Shaowu with such a refined demeanor before."

Grandpa also said, "Yes, he's a rare and outstanding person."

Grandma said again, "He's so good-looking. Do you think our Lele is attracted to Shao Wu because he's so handsome?"

"Nonsense, isn't our Lele pretty?"

Hearing that her grandmother had finished asking Tang Shaowu and then fell silent, Su Weile was furious.

"Grandma, why didn't you ask me if the mutton was good or what? Honestly, have you forgotten about me now that you have a new grandson?"

Grandma smiled broadly and said, "How could I forget you? You're the apple of my eye. Grandma knows you love hot pot. I'm not worried you won't like it."

Grandma and Grandpa knew Su Weile's tastes and that he was a picky eater, so Grandpa quickly used serving chopsticks to put the green vegetables that Su Weile hated the most on his plate.

Su Weile immediately glanced at Tang Shaowu, and sure enough, under the cover of the copper pot, the vegetables in Su Weile's bowl had mysteriously disappeared.

Su Jun, sitting next to him, watched all this silently without saying a word.

During each meal, Su Jun hardly spoke, silently drinking his wine.

When Su Jun's wine glass was empty, Tang Shaowu stood up and leaned over to refill it for him.

No one at the table spoke. Tang Shaowu smiled faintly, picked up his cup, and said...

"Uncle Jun, let me toast you."

However, just as Tang Shaowu picked up his glass to clink glasses with Su Jun, Su Jun picked up his glass and drank it all in one gulp.

The atmosphere instantly became awkward. Su Weile, feeling distressed, called out, "Dad, what are you doing?"

Tang Shaowu just smiled and patted Su Weile's shoulder to indicate that he was alright.

Then he put down his cup and got up again to refill the Soviet soldiers' cups with wine.

He calmly said, "There's no rush to drink this. It's alright if you don't want to drink with me. There will be plenty of time in the future."

"But although this wine won't make you feel sick, it's still quite strong, so drink it slowly."

Su Weile felt genuinely sorry for Tang Shaowu. He had always been a high and mighty person; when had he ever humbled himself to please someone like this?

This wasn't the first time this had happened. Every time Tang Shaowu tried to make amends, the Soviet army always humiliated him.

Grandpa saw Tang Shaowu sit down and immediately said, "Come, come, Shaowu, have a drink with Grandpa."

Tang Shaowu immediately stood up again, lowered his glass, and clinked glasses with his grandfather.

Grandma said from the side, "Shaowu, if you have headaches, don't drink so much. Come on, eat some vegetables."

Su Weile, standing nearby, felt that Da Wuwu had been wronged and stayed by his side to take care of him.

They would pour water for me one minute and serve me food the next, and of course, they would secretly take food from my own bowl that I didn't like.

Seeing the one-sided situation at the dinner table, Su Jun was so angry he felt like he was about to bleed from all seven orifices.

Tang Shaowu must be doing this on purpose. He always does it when everyone is around. If he wants his approval so much, why has he never approached him privately?

He always pulls this stunt, making everyone blame him and then feel even more sorry for him.

Su Jun was so angry that he downed another glass of wine.

Su Weile picked up a piece of lamb spine and put it in her father's bowl. "Old Su, if you keep drinking like this, I'll have Mom appear in your dreams."

The Soviet soldier remained silent, but he didn't pour any more wine.

-----------------------

Late at night, the once bustling courtyard is now quiet and peaceful.

Su Jun looked at the stars in the sky, wondering which one his wife had become.

Someone brought a ladder, and the Soviet soldier climbed onto the roof of the side room. He wanted to get closer to the stars.

The roofs of the main house are not flat; only the roof of this low wing room is flat. Every autumn, Su Weile helps her grandmother dry vegetables here.

The Soviet soldier sat on the roof, his back against the ridge of the main house. From his position, he was out of sight of those on the ground.

So when Su Weile appeared in the yard wearing comfortable home clothes, she didn't see her father on the roof.

Su Jun frowned as he watched his son wander around the yard, phone in hand.

A surge of anger welled up inside him. "Why are you out so late instead of sleeping? Are you two having a fight? Oh no! If you were angry, wouldn't that guy surnamed Tang kick you out? How can you be out by yourself?"

Just as the Soviet troops were about to leave, there were two light knocks on the door.

Su Weile walked over quickly and gently opened the door.

Tang Shaowu, dressed in trousers and a shirt, came in from outside, carrying several food bags in his hands.

Su Weile quickly took the bag and went to the stone table in the courtyard. Tang Shaowu, holding the car keys, turned around and gently locked the gate.

When Tang Shaowu arrived at the table, Su Weile couldn't wait to take out the small boxes from the food bag one by one and place them on the table.

Tang Shaowu gently stroked Su Weile's hair and said affectionately, "Why are you in such a hurry? Let's go inside and eat."

"No, I want to eat here."

Tang Shaowu didn't continue trying to persuade her. He simply went inside, took out some portable mosquito repellent liquid, and placed it on the stool at the stone table. Su Weile was particularly prone to attracting mosquitoes.

"Tang Shaowu, come sit down and eat with me. Oh, Tie Tou kept saying how delicious his family's pastries are during the meal, it's making me so hungry."

I was worried that they'd be closed by the time I got there so late.

Tang Shaowu said nonchalantly, "It was closed. I had to call to open it. It's a husband-and-wife shop; they live on the second floor."

"Oh? Really? It's closed? That's really bad."

Tang Shaowu laughed and said, "Yes, that's why I gave them more money. I told them my wife really wanted to eat it and asked if they could open the shop and sell me some. They readily agreed and even asked if my wife was pregnant."

Su Weile choked on his saliva. Tang Shaowu quickly helped him pat his back. Whether it was from choking or something else, Su Weile's face was flushed.

Under the bright moonlight, Tang Shaowu was somewhat mesmerized.

"Tang Shaowu, shut up. If you try to take advantage of me again, I'll beat you up."

Tang Shaowu smiled and said nothing more.

Su Weile took a fancy to a pastry with a unique shape and took a bite.

Then he suddenly froze, frowned, and pondered it carefully again.

His brows furrowed more and more, and then he made a whimpering sound, shaking his head in pain as he looked at Tang Shaowu.

Tang Shaowu still smiled faintly, then reached out and placed his hand on Su Weile's chin, gently pressing it, and said, "Go ahead and throw up!"

Su Weile immediately spat the small clump in her mouth into Tang Shaowu's palm.

Then, breathing heavily, he said, "I really shouldn't have trusted Iron Head's taste. My God, what is this? Green Silk Rose, a lethal dose of Green Silk Rose."

Without changing his expression, Tang Shaowu put the things in his hand into a tissue, crumpled them up, and threw them into the trash can.

Su Weile was still grumbling angrily, "Tang Shaowu, you eat this. I hate Green Silk Rose the most."

"Okay, you can try something else."