"Anything will do for dinner. Just make something simple tonight. I'm not picky anyway."
Liu Xiaocheng always had such an easy - going attitude. Luo Yingshu had never seen him get angry with anyone. To put it nicely, he had a scholarly air and wasn't like those rough butchers who were always loud and boisterous.
Luo Yingshu wiped away her tears. As soon as Liu Xiaocheng came back, there was a bit more glow on her face. "Okay, go take a shower first and relax. I'll pick up Huzi after school when I'm done cooking. He'll be so happy you're back!"
Mentioning their son, Liu Xiaocheng's expression softened a bit. "Okay, I'll go take a shower first."
...
Li Chuchu heard the jubilant commotion next door in her room and slightly clicked her tongue.
She never expected that Luo Yingshu, who was so tough on a daily basis, would be so virtuous when her husband came back. It was really like the saying goes: one thing subdues another.
Li Chuchu thought it was hot and people were prone to heatstroke, so she prepared some mung bean soup and planned to take it to the craftsmen. She put the cooled mung bean soup in a thermos and then took a few bowls and walked to the back.
This sewer wasn't very long, and by now, half of the repair work was already done.
Shen Yanshan had also taken off his clothes and was working bare - chested with the others.
The glaring sun shone on the craftsmen, some young, some old, and some friends Shen Yanshan had called to help.
Among them, only Shen Yanshan could be spotted by Li Chuchu at a glance.
There was a bit of dirt on his face, and his forehead was covered in sweat. His originally fair skin had been tanned to a wheat color. His strong waist was arched in an arc. His muscular and powerful arms swung the hoe in his hand again and again, digging pits on the ground.
He could dig a deep pit in just a few strokes.
A Fei couldn't hold on any longer. Leaning on his hoe, he gasped, "Oh, I really can't do it anymore. Let me take a break."
Huzi wiped the sweat off his head and wailed, "Brother Shen, the cost of installing this toilet in your house is really high! A ceramic toilet costs 500 yuan, and then there's the cost of repairing the sewer and getting in touch with the neighborhood office. All in all, it'll cost at least 2,000 yuan! I suspect that the guy selling the toilet is ripping us off."
Shen Yanshan didn't say a word and just kept digging the sewer.
Hei Gou seemed to be thinking about something. His eyes rolled twice. "Brother Shen, I don't think you're the one who wants this toilet installed, right? Could it be for sister - in - law?"
Shen Yanshan frowned slightly.
Sweat slid down his sharp jawline and dripped onto the soil.
Huzi's eyes widened in disbelief. Looking at Shen Yanshan as if he were a heartless man, he blurted out what was on his mind without any reservation, "Brother Shen, no way! You asked us to work for that promiscuous woman? Have you been drugged by her?"
Shen Yanshan straightened up and finally replied seriously, "She's your sister - in - law. Speak with more respect."
Huzi: Do I really have to look at you in disappointment?
Is there any justice? Who was it that said they were going to divorce Li Chuchu? And yet, just a few days later, "She~ is~ your~ sister~ in~ law, speak~ with~ more~ respect~"
While wiping the sweat that was pouring down like an open faucet, Huzi sighed about his bad luck. Brother Shen was blinded by love, and he had actually ended up doing free labor for a woman.
Compared to Huzi, A Fei was a realist.
He knew very well that during the days they went to Rongcheng, Brother Shen had been a bit absent - minded, which he had never been before. It was likely that his heart had been captured by the beauty, and it was useless for them brothers to say anything.
Rather than blindly trying to persuade him now, it was better to quickly curry favor with the sister - in - law.
He said eagerly, "Brother Shen, what does sister - in - law look like? We haven't seen her yet."
Shen Yanshan coughed slightly.
"Maybe next time."
Li Chuchu walked out from behind the wall. "Everyone's worked hard. I've made some mung bean soup."
By now, Huzi was so thirsty that his throat was almost smoking. At the mention of mung bean soup, his eyes lit up.
Whoever gave him a bowl of mung bean soup was his grandma!
When Shen Yanshan saw Li Chuchu coming, he frowned slightly. "Why did you come alone?"
Li Chuchu was a bit surprised and said matter - of - factly, "I came to bring you the mung bean soup!"
When A Fei saw Li Chuchu, his eyes popped out.
Damn!
No wonder Brother Shen had been absent - minded every day. So he had a beauty hidden in the house!
Not only Brother Shen, but if it were him, he'd also be happy to serve such a beautiful wife attentively every day.
Li Chuchu took out the bowls and was about to distribute them when Shen Yanshan took the bowls from her hands one step ahead. Turning to the others, he said, "One bowl each. Come and get it."
Huzi couldn't wait any longer and rushed up to pour a bowl to quench his thirst.
The mung bean soup was cooked until it was thick. There was rock sugar in it, and it had a cool and sweet taste, as if it had been cooled in a well in advance. After drinking it, one felt refreshed and cool all over.
"Ah—"
Huzi looked completely satisfied.
This bowl of mung bean soup was priceless!
Each person got a bowl of mung bean soup, and almost everyone praised it.
"This mung bean soup is really well - made. They're not stingy with the sugar. It's so much better than the ones you buy from takeaways. I bought a bowl this morning, and it was so tasteless."
"Yeah! Unlike this mung bean soup, you feel cool as soon as you drink it."
The looks in those people's eyes when they looked at Li Chuchu were full of admiration.
Shen Yanshan looked at those shirtless men and frowned slightly. They were grown - ups and didn't even know to avoid suspicion. He took a step to the side to block their view. Only when Li Chuchu was completely surrounded by his shadow did his hidden desire for possession finally be satisfied.
Li Chuchu didn't notice his action. She smiled at the people behind Shen Yanshan. "Stay for dinner tonight? I'll cook a few dishes in advance."
That would be great!
If the mung bean soup was this good, the other dishes must be good too!
Huzi opened his mouth, about to say that he wanted to try the sister - in - law's cooking, but then he got kicked in the back. "I um... wuwu... you..."
"No need to go to so much trouble, sister - in - law. We'll go back and eat!" Hei Gou said with a smile while covering Huzi's mouth tightly.
This fat guy, couldn't he see that after the sister - in - law came, they were still standing here shirtless and Brother Shen's face was almost black?
Li Chuchu looked at Shen Yanshan in confusion.
Shen Yanshan said calmly, "Yes, they've made an appointment to eat out later. You go inside first. It's quite sunny outside."
Huzi: When did they make this appointment? Why wasn't he informed?
After Li Chuchu left, Hei Gou let go of Huzi's mouth. This fat guy had such a big mouth that his hand was numb.
Huzi was furious. "What were you doing just now? Sister - in - law invited us to stay for dinner!"
Hei Gou wished he could knock him on the head. "Your sister - in - law? Aren't you calling her promiscuous now?"
Huzi said righteously, "No way. A person who can cook such delicious mung bean soup can't be a bad person."