Panpan kept shedding tears, and Tuantuan immediately stepped forward, took Panpan's hand, and gently wiped away her tears with her other hand. "Panpan, it's okay. I forgive you."
"I'm not angry. We're good friends."
Panpan nodded hard, and the two children happily sat down beside each other to eat grilled skewers.
Panpan's father carried over a small stool and sat beside Su Chen, saying apologetically, "Mr. Su, I really feel terribly embarrassed."
Su Chen shook his head. "It's fine, Panpan's father. Look at the two kids—they're getting along just fine now, aren't they? It was only a small matter to begin with."
"You're so magnanimous! Honestly, sometimes we parents aren't as clear-minded as children. Tuantuan is just like you, such a generous little girl. Panpan having a classmate like her makes both her mother and me very happy."
The children had made up, and the parents no longer had any lingering grievances. Panpan's father simply moved his barbecue grill over and learned how to grill from Su Chen, because Su Chen's food truly smelled incredible!
The two fathers grilled while discussing their experiences raising children.
As a novice father, Su Chen listened with great interest.
"Mr. Su, raising children is hard work~ But it's also joyful. Watching the little ones grow up day by day is truly something especially magical~"
"Oh, right, Mr. Su. I noticed that Tuantuan seems to like meat too and doesn't really like vegetables. Is she a bit of a picky eater as well?"
Su Chen nodded. "Yes. Lele's fine—he eats both vegetables and meat. Tuantuan is different. She only likes meat."
Panpan's father laughed. "Come to think of it, it's strange. The daughters in our two families are the ones who love eating meat."
"They're kids~ They don't have to worry about their figures. Meat naturally tastes better than greens," Su Chen said.
"Exactly. To correct her picky eating, her mother and I tried who knows how many methods. We're finally seeing some results now. Whenever I cook, I mix the greens and meat together, blend them up in a food processor, then shape them into meatballs. Kids are easy to fool—they can't taste the difference at all, haha."
Su Chen looked impressed and laughed. "That's a good idea. Even if they think something's off, as long as it looks like meat, they won't suspect anything. I'll have to try it sometime!"
"Mm, it works~ With Mr. Su's cooking skills added in, Tuantuan definitely won't notice. And also..."
The two fathers continued discussing parenting, while Su Chen's hands never stopped moving. His little barbecue stand seemed to have become the barbecue restaurant of the area. All the children crowded around it, leaving the parents too embarrassed not to come over and shamelessly trade raw skewers for the cooked ones Su Chen had made.
But once they had eaten Su Chen's skewers, the children all played happily with Tuantuan and Lele.
When it was time to leave, Tuantuan happily said to Panpan, "Panpan, this place is so much fun! I want to come again now! Next time, I want to come with Daddy and Mommy~"
"My mommy had to go to work today to earn money, so only Daddy could bring us. When Mommy has a day off, our whole family will come out and play together~"
Panpan nodded. "Okay, then we'll come out and play together next time too~"
Tuantuan happily hooked pinkies with her, while Lele stood beside them with the corners of his lips slightly raised.
When Su Chen brought Tuantuan and Lele home happily, Yan Bingxue had already returned.
After finishing her video conference, she still had some work to do, but none of it needed to be handled at the office, so she simply brought her computer home.
After moving in with Su Chen, she had suddenly realized that being at home was far happier than being at the office.
Whenever she had the chance, she wanted to be by Su Chen and the children's side.
The sound of the door opening came from the entryway. Yan Bingxue immediately looked up. Before she even saw them, she heard Tuantuan's cheerful voice.
"Daddy~ Tuantuan was really super happy today! Panpan said Daddy's barbecue is the best in the whole world~"
Yan Bingxue immediately got to her feet and went to greet them.
"You're back?"
"Mommy~" Tuantuan dashed toward her and plunged straight into her arms. Lele also happily walked over and stood beside his mother.
Su Chen changed his shoes and walked over. "Mm, we're back. You came home early today."
Yan Bingxue nodded. "After the meeting, I brought the rest of my work home to finish."
"Tuantuan and Lele didn't misbehave during the day, did they?"
Before Su Chen could answer, Tuantuan immediately replied, "No~ Mommy, Brother and I were super well-behaved~"
"Mommy, we were really super happy today. Daddy's barbecue was so delicious, and all the other children loved it too~"
She could not wait to share the interesting things that had happened during their outing with her mother. She even talked about arguing with Panpan and then making up with her, her little mouth chattering away as though it would never stop.
As Yan Bingxue listened, her gaze drifted now and then toward Su Chen, who was drinking tea nearby.
When Tuantuan mentioned that Su Chen had grilled many skewers today and all the children nearby had gotten to eat them, Yan Bingxue looked at him with some heartache and said, "You worked hard today."
Su Chen shook his head. "It wasn't hard. I was happy to go out and play with Tuantuan and Lele. Besides, if this counts as hard work, then how hard must things have been for you before?"
Yan Bingxue lowered her head slightly, the corners of her lips lifting.
He was so considerate of her~
So in his heart, he believed that raising Tuantuan and Lele to the age of three had been very difficult for her.
People really were strange~ When she had raised Tuantuan and Lele alone before, she had never felt that it was hard. But hearing Su Chen say that now, she suddenly felt as though she had countless grievances, as though only a good hug from him could ease them.
But Yan Bingxue remembered the way Tuantuan had secretly giggled after seeing her and Su Chen sleeping in each other's arms that morning, and she quickly threw that thought away~
Turning to look at Tuantuan and Lele beside her, Yan Bingxue suddenly felt that the two of them seemed rather conspicuous in this scene~
Amused by her own thoughts, she looked up at Su Chen and said, "I didn't work hard either."
Su Chen was slightly startled when he heard that, then he smiled.
Within their smiles, something seemed to have gone without saying.
After resting for a while, Su Chen checked the time and stood up. "Mother of my children, now that you're back, stay home with Tuantuan and Lele. I'll go downstairs to buy some groceries and make a good dinner for you three tonight."
"I made food for Tuantuan and Lele yesterday, but I haven't seriously cooked a proper meal for you yet."
After yesterday and today, Su Chen was now extremely confident in his cooking. He believed his skills would definitely surpass the family's cook and leave Yan Bingxue clapping in amazement~
Yan Bingxue looked at him in surprise. She had not expected him to still remember that she had not gotten to eat the food he made. In truth, she had already been very satisfied after eating the noodles he cooked last night.
But Su Chen was thinking of her and wanted to cook for her, which naturally made her even happier~
Tuantuan clapped excitedly. "Okay, okay, okay~ Daddy's cooking is super delicious. We can eat Daddy's cooking again tonight~"
"Gege, do you want to eat Daddy's cooking?" Tuantuan was not content to be happy alone and had to ask Lele too.
Lele's awkward little face reddened. He had originally wanted to say no, but when he thought of the food Su Chen had made last night, he could not help swallowing.
He wanted to eat it too!
That action from his son already said everything. Su Chen smiled and said, "Then wait at home for a while. I'll go buy groceries and cook for you~"
Su Chen went out happily.
Just as he left the residential complex and headed toward the nearby market, Su's Father and Su's Mother arrived from the other side, carrying large bags and small packages.
The three of them almost brushed shoulders as they passed one another.
Following the address on his phone, Su's Father found his son's home.
Standing at the door, Su's Mother asked nervously, "Old Su, we came so suddenly and didn't even tell our son. He won't be out, will he?"
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