Siheyuan (traditional courtyard house): Don't touch my parents!

Try it first to see if it's salty, be careful not to burn yourself!

It seems... it seems to smell less pungent.

Xu Damao actually knew the soup was very hot, but he pretended to be.

Hold the large bowl in both hands, puff out your cheeks, and blow hard into the soup noodles.

Just then.

Accompanied by a series of "thump-thump" sounds as a cane tapped the ground.

The deaf old lady was lured out by the enticing aroma.

She was slightly taken aback when she saw Xu Damao in the kitchen.

Then he asked kindly.

Xu Damao, what are you doing here?

Xu Damao quickly put down the bowl in his hand.

Greet people politely and respectfully.

Grandma, I'm here to have lunch with Brother Zhu.

Look, I even brought ham and steamed buns from home.

The deaf old lady nodded and sniffed.

His face immediately broke into a wide smile.

Zhu Zi, is this cabbage and ham soup you made?

Yes, madam.

He Yuzhu answered with a smile while he was busy working.

There wasn't much ham, and it would be a waste to eat it plain.

I was originally planning to stir-fry some cabbage, but then I thought it would be more practical to make a soup.

The soup is delicious! The soup is wonderful!

On such a cold day, we should drink some hot soup to warm ourselves up.

The deaf old lady praised it with a smile.

Madam, please go back to your room and rest for a while.

I'll stir-fry some shredded potatoes for you too.

We'll start eating right away.

He Yuzhu responded swiftly and efficiently.

Good, good, good! This old woman is in for a treat today!

The deaf old lady turned around and went back into the inner room, satisfied.

Soon, the sounds of her and He Daqing laughing and talking could be heard from inside the room.

He Yuzhu's cabbage and ham soup was still bubbling away in the pot.

Suddenly, a head popped out of the kitchen window.

Hey, Zhu Zi, you're living the good life!

I can smell the delicious aroma from far away. What delicious food is being made?

Can you include me?

He Yuzhu looked up and saw that the person who came was Jia Dongxu. He immediately replied in an annoyed tone.

Okay, you should learn from Xu Damao and bring some meat over.

I guarantee you'll eat comfortably and be completely satisfied!

That's right, how can you even bring up the topic of eating when you're empty-handed?

See that ham in the pot? That's something Da Mao brought specially.

Upon seeing this, Xu Damao immediately joined in the commotion.

Xu Damao, you just wait!

If I don't beat you until you're kneeling on the ground begging for your mother's hand today, I'm not a Jia!

Jia Dongxu was so focused on arguing with He Yuzhu that he didn't notice Xu Damao stirring things up from the side.

Provoked by the two of them, he became enraged and uttered a vicious threat.

I'm not afraid of you at all! I have Brother Zhu to protect me!

Xu Damao was very clever; as soon as he finished speaking, he darted behind He Yuzhu.

Like a frightened little mouse, it hid under a sturdy protective umbrella like an iron tower.

You just wait, I don't believe you'll never be alone!

Slightly!

Xu Damao poked half his head out from behind He Yuzhu and made an exaggerated and mischievous face at Jia Dongxu.

He looked incredibly arrogant.

Hmph, you better not let me catch you in the act!

Jia Dongxu was actually a little nervous. Although he was full of anger, he didn't dare to actually barge into the He family's house to cause trouble.

Although He Daqing was not at home, He Yuzhu's sturdy build was something he had personally witnessed.

He was as strong as a calf, and I, with my bean sprout-like thin physique, probably couldn't withstand a few punches and kicks from him.

Moreover, that kid practiced his martial arts skills quite a bit on a regular basis.

Thinking of this, he could only glare fiercely at Xu Damao, who was hiding behind him.

In the end, he didn't dare to make any further moves and turned away dejectedly.

After all, he still has to save face, unlike his biological mother and future wife.

Those two are truly shameless, even when they're being publicly berated and insulted.

They can also let things go in one ear and out the other; as long as they see something good in front of them, they can still shamelessly reach out and ask for it.

Zhu Zi, who was talking outside just now?

Chen Shuxiang's voice came from the inner room, her tone clearly showing hunger.

Mom, there's no one else here, just me and Da Mao chatting casually.

While busy with his work, He Yuzhu casually replied.

Stop talking nonsense and hurry up and cook. Mom is starving.

Chen Shuxiang's meaning was clear: don't waste time chatting with irrelevant people.

Bring the food in quickly once it's ready, so it doesn't annoy you.

Alright, coming right up!

The rich aroma of stewed cabbage and ham instantly filled the entire kitchen.

He Yuzhu ladled the large pot of delicious soup into a big bowl and carried it directly into the inner room.

Xu Damao was eager to help, but looking at the hot and heavy bowl, he hesitated.

I didn't dare reach out, afraid that I might accidentally drop this delicious bowl on the ground.

That would be a very serious offense.

Immediately afterwards, He Yuzhu brought the casserole in and began to stir-fry the last dish.

As soon as the shredded potatoes were cooked and plated, he turned around and picked out a few cornbread buns and steamed buns made from mixed flour from the basket.

He handed it to Xu Damao and said, "Here, take this inside."

"Why!"

Xu Damao happily accepted the basket.

Carefully holding it, they slowly walked into the inner room.

I just gently placed the basket on the ground.

He hurriedly ran out of the house again.

He Yuzhu casually handed him the bowl, chopsticks, and soup spoon.

He ordered, "Take it and keep moving it inside."

The kid put the things down again.

It darted out like a gust of wind.

At this moment, He Yuzhu was bending over to seal the fire.

He looked up, pointed to the shredded potatoes on the table, and said:

"You can take this dish inside too. You don't need to come out again. I'll be done cleaning up right away."

"Alright, Brother Zhu!"

Xu Damao readily agreed.

He picked up the plate of shredded potatoes, turned around happily, and went inside.

He Yuzhu carefully sealed the fire in the stove.

He washed his hands carefully again before following them into the inner room.

The people inside were already sitting around the dining table, waiting.

Seeing him walk in, He Yuzhu quickly said:

"Madam, Mom, why aren't you eating? The food is getting cold."

"How can you expect the person who cooked to eat the cold dishes first?"

Alright, stop rambling and let's eat.

The deaf old woman spoke, her tone carrying an unquestionable authority.

Immediately afterwards, the old lady picked up two steamed buns made from two different types of dough.

It was placed directly on the table in front of Xu Damao.

Xu Damao stared at the dark, mushy cornbread in the basket.

He couldn't help but wonder:

Why not eat these fragrant steamed buns made from two kinds of flour? What are you trying to do?

The old lady seemed to see right through his thoughts.

However, he didn't offer much explanation, but simply continued:

My dear grandson, go and serve the soup.

Two pots of steaming soup were placed on the table.

He Yuzhu didn't rush to act, but instead asked first:

Which pot should be served first?

"Of course it's cabbage and ham soup, that's a rare treat."

Without the slightest hesitation, the deaf old woman spoke.

She had just had pig's trotter soup yesterday, and she's been craving its delicious taste ever since.