Maternal Kindness and a Rebellious Son

Liu Chang'an and An Nuan sat in the back row. An Nuan sat down first, and Liu Chang'an sat next to her, taking her hand in his.

An Nuan kicked off her shoes, lifted her leg and placed it on the seat, leaning her body sideways and resting her head on Liu Chang'an's arm.

"It stinks!" Liu Yuewang said again.

An Nuan didn't want to pay attention to Professor Liu, who was feeling down and finding fault with everything.

Liu Chang'an turned his head to look and realized that An Nuan was only wearing ankle socks. It turned out that the skirt was covering the part of the socks that hugged her thighs. For many girls, such length socks would reach the top of their thighs, like fairies like Bai Hui and Zhu Juntang, but for An Nuan, they could only be considered ankle socks.

The stockings were silky smooth and delicate, exuding a soft and warm feel. An Nuan's two little feet were pressed together, and a few toes twitched and rubbed against the seat with her unintelligible humming.

A beautiful young girl is like a treasure a man dreams of, something he could have without regrets; like a little boy's first favorite toy, something he holds in his hands day and night, bringing him indescribable joy.

"Why are you getting better and better at acting cute?" Liu Yuewang said with great dissatisfaction. In her impression, this girl was clearly a rough and unrefined person. She had the same feeling when she saw a big man from Northeast Han Dynasty trying to imitate a famous Peking Opera singer by putting on his tiptoes in a high-pitched voice.

"No way!" An Nuan denied it while continuing to rub her cheek against Liu Chang'an's shoulder.

When girls are deeply in love, they often do some small, inexplicable actions. Because these actions are meaningless, they often don't even realize what they're doing.

"You like Liu Chang'an that much?" Liu Yuewang glanced at Liu Chang'an again. This guy also had a gentle and doting look on his face. How annoying! Are you guys acting in an idol drama? Do you really think you're the kind of male and female leads who, whenever there's a romantic scene, get water sprayed by sprinklers, have beautiful streetlights shining down, and can chase each other down the street without getting hit by a car, with background music playing?

"Mom, please stop looking in the rearview mirror," An Nuan pleaded.

Liu Yuewang thought for a moment, then decided not to bother arguing with these kids. Watching them fall in love was like watching children play house. But since An Nuan liked Liu Chang'an so much, if Liu Chang'an ever abandoned her, she would tie him up, force him to reveal the secret recipe for the face cream, and then throw him into the Xiang River.

With a blank expression, Liu Yuewang imagined Liu Chang'an was always calm and composed, being tied to a chair and whipped until he screamed in agony. She secretly gloated as she drove the car out of the Juyuan residential area.

"Why do you like me?" An Nuan asked in a low voice, inspired by something.

Because you're good-looking.

"I knew it was because I'm good-looking!" Although it wasn't the first time she'd been asked this question, An Nuan still felt a mix of smugness and deep helplessness. There was nothing she could do about it; no wonder Liu Chang'an... An Nuan touched her cheek. "I give you special permission to like me for such a superficial reason."

"That's good. I thought you were going to start acting up."

"Do you think I'm that kind of dramatic girl?!" An Nuan angrily bit Liu Chang'an's arm.

"Occasionally."

"Then you have to like me, or I'll eat you up."

Liu Chang'an had no choice but to push An Nuan away, who was about to bite him with her mouth wide open. An Nuan struggled a few times before closing her mouth, signaling with her eyes that she would stop making trouble, and then hugged Liu Chang'an's arm.

"Then why do you like me?" Liu Chang'an rarely asked such a trivial question. However, most of life is boring, and the most magical thing about love is that it can turn boring things into interesting things for two people. Therefore, men and women who feel bored most of the time especially crave love.

Upon hearing this question, An Nuan's heart skipped a beat, and she fell silent. Instinctively, she wanted to maintain her composure, but the tone and words that came out were incredibly gentle, "I don't know... I never thought about what kind of person I would like before. It wasn't until I met that guy who supposedly fainted from being amazed by Bai Hui that I realized what kind of person I would like."

"You're being dramatic again. Will you still bring this up ten years from now?" Liu Chang'an put his arm around her soft shoulder, resting his chin on her hair. What an adorable little girl.

"I'll always bring it up..." An Nuan pouted and huffed, "Sometimes I have this feeling that I've been waiting for you for a very, very long time, so I probably don't need any special reason. As soon as I find out, I just think: Oh, this is the person, I've been waiting for him for so long."

Unable to bear it any longer, Liu Yuewang suddenly turned on the speakers and played a song called "I've Been Feeling Annoyed Lately".

I've been really annoyed lately, really annoyed, really annoyed.

I always feel that my life is a bit extreme.

I think I still

From obscurity to being liked

The old man's voice, filled with helplessness and disappointment, finally broke the atmosphere in the carriage that Liu Yuewang disliked. Liu Yuewang stole another glance at An Nuan's expression, then stared blankly at the traffic ahead.

"It's our fault. Next time we're being affectionate, let's find a secluded place," Liu Chang'an said.

An Nuan was about to nod, but then she remembered Liu Chang'an's theory about feeling safe in deserted places, and blushed as she punched Liu Chang'an lightly.

She wasn't ready yet, or rather, this kind of thing shouldn't require preparation, but An Nuan couldn't help but have wild thoughts. Ever since that day he said he would have sex with her sooner or later, An Nuan had started paying attention to all sorts of nonsense like ovulation and safe periods.

So he punched Liu Chang'an again.

I beat them all the way.

Under An Nuan's direction Liu Yuewang drove the car to the entrance of the residential area. Liu Chang'an originally wanted to get out in front of Baolong Center, but An Nuan asked Liu Yuewang to drive him over.

Liu Yuewang watched Liu Chang'an enter the residential area, then peeked inside and remarked, "This residential area is really dilapidated."

"Where is it broken? It's fine." An Nuan said unhappily.

"Pah, you're blind."

I think it's great.

"It's not that I look down on him because he's poor, I'm just telling the truth. I've known about his family situation for a long time." Liu Yuewang spoke the truth, then turned to the present and said earnestly, "Look at you, when you're in a relationship, you act like those foolish women from ancient times who wouldn't marry anyone but their beloved."

"I'll focus on dating and then share my experience with you."

"You have no manners! I'll slap you across the face!"

"I'm not worried about Liu Chang'an's future. I can support a family on my own. Why should I rely on a man?" An Nuan said confidently. "I'll buy a house, I'll buy a car, and I'm going to marry Liu Chang'an. He can just stay home and flirt with me."

After An Nuan finished speaking, she shyly hugged the cushion behind her to cover her face, and twisted her body while giggling.

"Shameless!" Liu Yuewang cursed, then added, "You shameless bastard."

"I was practically a free gift with a phone top-up."

"The freebies they give away with phone credit are all useful," Liu Yuewang said, then added with a touch of wistfulness. "It's been so long since I've been to a mobile phone store. I wonder if they give away laundry detergent, dish soap, or dishwashing brushes when they give away free phone credit... Remember to remind me later that we need to get a new dishwashing brush."

"That robot vacuum is so stupid. Just buy a regular vacuum cleaner! Who told you to buy that robot vacuum and break it?"

"Okay, let's go buy underwear first."

"I feel like I've really grown another cup size!"

"It's still early, don't start dreaming so soon."

"Pah, I'm a two-D cup."

"Others are just putting on a show of wealth, what are you anyway?"

"Ugh! Ugh, Mom!"

When Liu Chang'an returned home, Zhou Shuling had already put away the chili sauce for him. Liu Chang'an knocked on the downstairs door, but there was no response. After waiting a while, he called out "Dan Dan" twice, but still there was no response.

Liu Chang'an then went inside, glanced at the coffin, and this time he didn't hallucinate. He then took out the bucket containing the beans.

Upon opening the lid, Liu Chang'an discovered that the beans had grown a thick layer of mycelium. He poked a hole with his finger to test the temperature and surface viscosity of the beans. He made nine shallow holes in total, and finally inserted his finger deep into the bottom of the beans to feel the temperature and humidity. He was very satisfied.

Hearing a sound behind him, Liu Chang'an knew that Shangguan Dandan had climbed out of the coffin. He didn't turn around, lest she put on airs again and ask him to help the noble Empress Dowager out of the coffin.

"What are you doing?" Shangguan Dandan walked over, looking at Liu Chang'an, who was planting beans, with a stern expression.

"Making fermented black beans."

What is fermented black beans?

"You don't know about fermented black beans?" Liu Chang'an asked in surprise. "Soybeans are also called 'shu', and fermented black beans are made from 'shu'. Back then, the Shanrong tribe attacked the Yan state from the south, and the hegemon Duke Huan of Qi sent troops to help them. They fought all the way to the Shanrong tribe's stronghold deep in the Yanshan Mountains and found the best soybean seeds... Later, it was only natural that I and the vast number of creative and wise working people invented fermented black beans."

"Oh, fermented rice, salt, and soy sauce—it's recorded in the 'Biographies of Merchants'." Shangguan Dandan understood.

Liu Chang'an nodded, scraped off all the growing mycelium with chopsticks, and then went to Auntie Xie's shop to buy a large bottle of drinking water.

Liu Chang'an first rinsed the fermented black beans under tap water. This is the most important step in making fermented black beans. First, the fermented black beans need to be allowed to mold, but now the mold needs to be completely cleaned off. Otherwise, if they are sealed in a ceramic jar and mold grows back, the whole jar of fermented black beans will be ruined.

After repeatedly scrubbing and washing, the fermented black beans were clean. Liu Chang'an rinsed them again with drinking water, drained them in a sieve, and they could be put into jars tomorrow.

As for the dried green beans, chili peppers, and garlic slices that are mixed with the fermented black beans, they have already been prepared.

Shangguan Dandan just stood there watching Liu Chang'an busy himself.

Seeing that Liu Chang'an had finished his work, Shangguan Dandan called out to him.

"I'll make you breakfast tomorrow morning," Shangguan Dandan said.

Liu Chang'an was quite surprised. He raised his hand but didn't touch Shangguan Dandan's forehead, lest she think he was trying to provoke her again.

"I won't eat it." So Liu Chang'an refused without hesitation.

Shangguan Dandan was also surprised and looked at Liu Chang'an with a puzzled expression.

"I'm very grateful that you had this idea, but what kind of breakfast will you make? Please don't waste food ingredients," Liu Chang'an said very frankly.

Shangguan Dandan opened her mouth, took out her phone and glanced at it. It wasn't written like that! Why was Liu Chang'an different from everyone else?

"Good night." Liu Chang'an walked out.

Shangguan Dandan watched Liu Chang'an walk out and marked the article "How Long-Separated Parents Can Repair Their Relationship with Their Children Starting with a Delicious Breakfast" with an X.

Shangguan Dandan lay back down in the coffin and began searching for a new method.

-

-

I recommend a book called "My Neighbor is the Emperor". Xia Hua actually wanted to try writing historical novels, but she felt that she would either write too lewdly or too seriously, so she decided to give up. Those who can write history are all masters.

Sorry, I caught a cold today, so I had to step in dog poop. It stank! I'll challenge myself again tomorrow.