Keys, Fake Liquor, and Seats

(A longer chapter will follow later)

Qin Yanan looked at the brush in her hand, then at the paint bucket, and for a moment she didn't know where to begin.

"Didn't you brush it perfectly when you were grilling it?" Liu Chang'an asked, puzzled by Qin Yanan's flustered state.

"How can that be the same?" Qin Yanan realized that this person thought that since she could apply oil or barbecue sauce evenly to the grilled meat, she should be able to paint the wooden bed in front of her?

"What's different?" Liu Chang'an seemed quite accepting of the women's meticulousness in their crafts, and said calmly, "Before painting, immerse the brush bristles halfway into the paint. If you've dipped it in too much, lightly pat it along the edge of the paint can to prevent drips during application. When painting, hold the brush handle between your thumb and forefinger, and apply pressure with your fingertips to slightly bend the bristles. This will allow the paint to be applied evenly, avoiding repainting areas that have already been painted, and ensuring a smooth surface."

"It sounds like nothing more than brushing sauce onto barbecue." Qin Yanan shoved the brush into the paint bucket. This guy can actually teach others how to paint? Is there anything he can't do?

Liu Chang'an nodded, recalling the barbecue Qin Yanan made. He couldn't help but glance at her slender legs. Generally speaking, lamb legs suitable for barbecue are also of this proportion: neither too fat nor too lean, with long calves and thighs without too much fat and muscle.

"Ah, the brush fell into the bucket!" Qin Yanan exclaimed in surprise, looking up at Liu Chang'an innocently.

Why do you look so innocent?

"How... how would I know it would fall in?"

"This is a mistake on your part. Your innocent look shows that you are not unaware that it's a mistake; you're just hoping to use that look to win forgiveness and tolerance from the person you're trying to charm." Liu Chang'an nodded understandingly. "There's nothing wrong with charming me, but when you're with other people, if you do something wrong, you should consciously take responsibility, instead of showing an innocent look."

"Where did I act cute?" Qin Yanan disagreed. "Do you think everyone is like An Nuan, a little girl who can't do anything but act cute?"

"That's true, only a little girl would act coquettishly. You're seven years older than her, a mature woman enough." Liu Chang'an nodded, saying with a hint of apology, "I've been lecturing you out of habit, but in reality, your age advantage means I don't need to explain such simple truths to you."

The advantage of age? Qin Yanan just wanted to take the brush out of the paint bucket and smear it all over his face.

Liu Chang'an took the brush out and threw it away, then handed a new one to Qin Yanan, taking her hand from behind. "I'll teach you."

Qin Yanan felt as if she were being embraced. She thought she would be stiff and rigid, but unexpectedly, she tightened her waist and abdomen, her body softened, and she lowered her head slightly, leaning back naturally. Her arms and fingers were so soft that they seemed boneless. Feeling the movement of his fingers, she gently picked up the brush and started brushing the wooden board.

Oh right, he's not some complete stranger you've never been intimate with before. He's hugged me countless times, hasn't he?

It seemed that never before had he held her in his arms with any particular emotion, and this time would probably be no different... Qin Yanan turned her head to look at his focused profile. When a man was doing something intently without any expression, he always exuded a captivating charm—that seemingly frozen expression, that projective gaze, the sculpted contours of his face. Qin Yanan involuntarily opened her mouth, a strange feeling stirring within her. She couldn't help but feel a little confused. What kind of man did she long for, someone she could accept and not reject being held in his arms?

"You're breathing on my face." Liu Chang'an poked Qin Yanan's face with a finger. "Did you learn it?"

"You insisted on hugging me!" Qin Yanan blushed, and poked Liu Chang'an's cheek back without backing down. She was so angry at him. Was he Saintess of the Saintess Cult? Did he become impure just because someone breathed on her face?

"That's how I taught your great-grandmother to write calligraphy when she was little," Liu Chang'an said skeptically. "Your calligraphy isn't very good, is it? I'll teach you sometime."

"Thank you, but I'm not interested now." Qin Yanan picked up a brush and started brushing randomly on the wooden board. She had told him before that she wanted to learn calligraphy from him.

"That's good." Liu Chang'an nodded. He didn't want Qin Yanan to develop the same interests as Ye Sijin.

What's so good about it? Qin Yanan ignored his bewilderment and casually brushed the wood, finding a simple yet creative pleasure in it.

Liu Chang'an went upstairs to Zhou Dongdong's house and cooked a bowl of pig's feet noodles. These past few days, Zhou Shuling has been improving her pig's feet noodles. She always keeps braised pig's feet and stewed pig's feet, as well as bone broth, on hand, so it's convenient for Liu Chang'an to use.

"Brother Chang'an, you just finished eating and you want noodles again?" Zhou Dongdong asked with concern, her cheek pressed against the table. However, she wasn't actually concerned that Brother Chang'an was hungry, nor did she want to eat his noodles. It was just something related to food that she habitually asked when she saw it.

"If you keep lying down, your mother will be back." Liu Chang'an had no doubt that Zhou Dongdong had been in this position since she came upstairs, and had continued until now.

Zhou Dongdong bravely maintained her comfortable TV-watching posture, watching her brother Chang'an go downstairs.

Liu Chang'an went downstairs and handed the noodles to Qin Yanan. "Eat your noodles."

"Thank you." Qin Yanan was indeed a little hungry and touched. Although he rarely said kind words to people, sometimes she felt that he actually cared about her.

She hasn't eaten anything all day.

Liu Chang'an took the brush and continued painting.

"You have a key to the upstairs room?" Qin Yanan knew that Zhou Shuling and Zhou Dongdong lived upstairs, and she had just seen Liu Chang'an come down from upstairs.

"Hmm." Liu Chang'an nodded.

"Does Zhou Shuling also have a key to your house?" Qin Yanan took a bite of the pig's trotter. The pig's trotter was braised in such a short time, it couldn't have been made by Liu Chang'an. The so-so taste was probably Zhou Shuling's cooking.

"Um."

"Oh."

"Oh what?"

"Have you given your house key to anyone else?" Qin Yanan asked casually while eating her noodles.

"No, that's all." Liu Chang'an shook his head. "I usually don't lock the door, but Zhou Shuling likes to meddle. When she comes downstairs and sees that I haven't locked the door, she always locks it for me."

"Then give me one of your keys. I'll bring you some furniture and appliances in the next few days," Qin Yanan said casually.

Liu Chang'an went to get a key and handed it to Qin Yanan.

"Put it on the stool." Qin Yanan held the bowl of noodles, her tone still nonchalant. If one day... of course, it's best if that doesn't happen, and it's best if Qin Yanan doesn't utter such a smug line as, "Oh, I have his house key."

A key is roughly similar to a man's passport to heaven. In the general social definition, having a key to a man's house means becoming the mistress of his home.

Except for people like Liu Chang'an who don't even lock their doors.

But other people won't think that way. They don't know he's the kind of person who doesn't lock his doors, nor do they know he gives out his house keys so easily.

In other words, the phrase "Oh, I have his house key" can sometimes be a highly effective weapon.

After Qin Yanan finished eating her noodles, washed the bowl, picked up her chopsticks, and said to Liu Chang'an, "Should I leave it here, or should I return it?"

"Just leave them here, Zhou Shuling can take them up later." Liu Chang'an also got the bowls and chopsticks from upstairs.

As they were talking, the door was pushed open.

"Do you want to change the security lock?" Zhou Shuling asked as she walked in, touching the padlock on the door.

"To protect myself from you?" Liu Chang'an asked casually.

"Why are you guarding against me?" Zhou Shuling turned around unhappily, saw Qin Yanan holding bowls and chopsticks, and quickly smiled, "Miss Qin is here. Have you eaten?"

"I just ate noodles. Liu Chang'an made them at your place," Qin Yanan said apologetically. "He's too lazy to cook for himself, so he always bothers you, right?"

"It's no trouble at all. He always complains that my cooking isn't very good. Otherwise, I'd cook for him three meals a day." Zhou Shuling shook her fingers, as if she were making soy milk. "He only doesn't say much when he's drinking soy milk."

"Next time, buy some better quality beans," Liu Chang'an still had some reservations.

"Look..." Zhou Shuling pointed at Liu Chang'an as if to prove something to Qin Yanan.

"He's just picky about what he eats." Qin Yanan was actually a little unhappy. Zhou Shuling seemed to be a woman with good manners, but if you're only so-so, don't expect to cook three meals a day for her.

"Take the bowl up with you." Liu Chang'an pointed to the bowl.

Zhou Shuling took it and said to Liu Chang'an, "I'll make you some beef hooves to go with your drinks tonight."

"Okay, don't overcook the beef hooves." Liu Chang'an nodded; beef hooves were a delicacy not to be missed.

"Miss Qin, would you like some too?" Zhou Shuling asked Qin Yanan.

"No, I'll leave in a bit." Qin Yanan shook her head. She wasn't the kind of guy like Liu Chang'an who could be easily taken home by a woman.

"Miss Qin knows how to exercise restraint..." Zhou Shuling thought to herself, and walked out the door with some regret.

Qin Yanan's hearing wasn't as sharp as Liu Chang'an's, but she could still hear Zhou Shuling muttering outside the door, "How come Miss Qin has such a great figure? Does she not eat much? Oh dear, I've been making pig's feet noodles lately and have eaten too many pig's feet. But even if I didn't eat them, I could never have a figure like hers. Those breasts, that butt, I really don't know how she grew them, so amazing..."

Qin Yanan could hear it, and she figured Liu Chang'an could definitely hear it too. Luckily, Zhou Shuling was praising her, so she felt a little embarrassed and demurely walked over to Liu Chang'an and sat down next to him. "Do you need my help painting?"

Liu Chang'an then gave her another brush.

"You were praised, and your hostility has disappeared?" Liu Chang'an asked without looking up.

"What did you say?" Qin Yanan denied in surprise. Couldn't you be a little more subtle?

"Zhou Shuling actually has a huge appetite. In the past, she would keep the leftover breakfasts for herself to eat at lunch and dinner because she felt it was a waste." Liu Chang'an knew this. Zhou Shuling often brought breakfast to Liu Chang'an, but it was always fresh. If it didn't sell, the taste would be a little off, so she would keep it for herself.

"She's a thrifty woman." Qin Yanan didn't want to express pity or sympathy, so she smiled. "I hope her life will get better in the future... Meeting you is a blessing for her."

"That's true," Liu Chang'an agreed.

"She's pretty good-looking, and her figure is actually quite nice; her butt looks like it's good for childbearing." Qin Yanan commented, looking at Liu Chang'an's expression.

"As a woman, commenting that other women are good at bearing children is a manifestation of deeply ingrained male-centric thinking," Liu Chang'an shook his head. "If we're really talking about fertility based on buttocks, Zhou Shuling is a bit behind you, isn't she? After all, you've never had children, yet your buttocks are fuller than someone who has..."

"You... I didn't! I didn't!" Qin Yanan interrupted Liu Chang'an's comments, her face flushed as she pulled at her skirt to cover the curves of her waist.

"Look at you... all you do is talk about others. If someone says a few words to you, your face turns as red as a monkey's bottom..."

"I didn't!" Qin Yanan touched her cheek. "Who told you to look over here while talking about others!"

"I wasn't looking at you. You're blocking my way while I'm painting. Move aside."

"You can keep scrolling, I'm going back."

"Goodbye."

Qin Yanan took Liu Chang'an's house key and went downstairs. This guy is really something, still using that kind of padlock at his door. I wonder if he would be willing to replace it with a fingerprint lock or a facial recognition lock... Maybe I shouldn't replace it for now, since I have the key now and it might come in handy for other purposes.

Liu Chang'an had been painting at home until Zhou Shuling finished making the braised beef hooves and called him. Only then did he wash his face and go upstairs for a late-night snack.

Zhou Dongdong had already washed her hands and was sitting properly at the table, with Liu Chang'an sitting opposite her.

Zhou Shuling brought over a basin of beef hooves and a bottle of wine.

"Mom, Brother Chang'an said I was born in winter and have a huge appetite, so my name is Zhou Dongdong!" Zhou Dongdong finally found an opportunity to educate her mother, "Do you understand now?"

"You stupid child, you were born in May!" Zhou Shuling rolled her eyes at Liu Chang'an, who was staring straight ahead.

Zhou Dongdong was slightly puzzled. What did her mother's words have to do with the fact that she was born in winter and had a big appetite, hence the name Zhou Dongdong?

Zhou Dongdong didn't care much about it. She had already told her mother why she was called Zhou Dongdong. As for whether her mother could understand the lessons as little as she could, Zhou Dongdong couldn't do anything about it.

Because she was about to enter the barrier.

"This bottle of wine is leftover from a banquet I had when I went back to my hometown last time. There were only women and children at our table, and no one was drinking, so I brought it back." Zhou Shuling presented the wine to Liu Chang'an like a treasure.

"Can't you return all the unfinished drinks at a banquet?"

"We don't do it that way where I'm from. Once the food is on the table, there's no going back." Zhou Shuling looked at Liu Chang'an expectantly. "Hurry up and drink! It's Wuliangye, I heard it's really expensive."

But this is Five Good Liquor!

Liu Chang'an watched as Zhou Shuling rested her chin on her hands on the table, looking somewhat smug and expectant after presenting her treasure. Liu Chang'an then opened the bottle and drank.

Fortunately, the beef hooves were cooked quite well; the tendons weren't overcooked and mushy, some parts were crisp, and some parts were very chewy, resulting in a pleasant texture.

Liu Chang'an drank the entire bottle of "good wine." He knew that if he didn't finish it, Zhou Shuling would definitely not waste what she considered "good wine"—she would either drink it herself or use it for cooking or something.

Liu Chang'an was too lazy to explain anything to her. It was easiest to finish drinking it, so that she wouldn't finally understand and then look at him with a pitiful expression, as if to say, "So I really am a stupid mother."

After finishing the fake alcohol, Liu Chang'an went downstairs, not forgetting to give her some instructions.

"Wait... wait until I've finished making Dongdong's bed... you... you can bring your sweetheart back."

After Liu Chang'an finished speaking, he went back to sleep.

Zhou Shuling blushed deeply. So that's what he was thinking? Is this what they mean by "speaking the truth when drunk"? Honestly, does her not having a partner bother him?

The next morning, Liu Chang'an vaguely heard a rooster crowing and woke up before dawn.

Last night, Liu Chang'an drank a whole bottle of fake alcohol. This stuff didn't harm his body at all, but he sometimes wanted to experience the effects of being drunk, the most direct result of which was that it allowed him to sleep a little longer.

Liu Chang'an washed his face and brushed his teeth, preparing to train the dog. When he went downstairs, he saw Zhou Shuling doing morning exercises under the sycamore tree, which was a rather difficult situation.

"Were you shocked by Qin Yanan's figure yesterday?" Liu Chang'an laughed, revealing Zhou Shuling.

Zhou Shuling rolled her eyes at him and didn't say anything.

"I feel irritable first thing in the morning!" Liu Chang'an patted Zhou Shuling on the shoulder, then quickly tapped her on the back, neck, and arms a few times.

Zhou Shuling almost screamed, but when Liu Chang'an stopped, she was surprised to find, "Hey, I feel like you've stretched my muscles, these movements are so much easier now!"

"Good to know. Adults inevitably have stiff muscles and poor blood circulation, making exercise less effective. You need to loosen up your muscles and blood vessels first to achieve twice the results with half the effort." Liu Chang'an also shifted his body a few times. "Given you an eye roll so early in the morning, you got what you deserved!"

"You... who told you to get drunk and talk nonsense last night?" Zhou Shuling rolled her eyes at him again, unconvinced. She wasn't afraid of him, nor did she really care. If she was really unhappy, she wouldn't talk to him.

"What did I say?" Liu Chang'an really couldn't remember, not because he was drunk, but because sometimes he just said things casually.

"She didn't say anything." Zhou Shuling ran to the wall to do her morning exercises.

Old Man Qian came over again to take pictures of the tree. Because it was wrapped in plastic wrap, he seemed to think that since someone else had created a favorable environment, he should take advantage of it. So, two other old men and women came over and took pictures of the tree together.

Ignoring them, Liu Chang'an took one of Zhou Dongdong's clothes, covered the dog's head except for its eyes, and went out for a stroll with Lu Si'en.

Training a dog is not something that can be done in a day or two, but for Liu Chang'an, it doesn't take too much time. Moreover, when a dog is asked to pick up and drop off a familiar young master at school, it can easily do so without fail, rain or shine, and is even more punctual and consistent than humans.

After training the dog, Liu Zhou Dongdong, who was sitting under the sycamore tree waiting to ride the dog to school because she was almost late, to go to school. Liu Chang'an also headed towards the school.

Perhaps it was because he had drunk fake alcohol the night before, but Liu Chang'an felt that the sun had a halo today, forming even more beautiful spots of light in front of his eyes. He squinted at the sun for a while, recalled his classes and classrooms, and found his teaching building.

There were classes in the first two periods today. The freshmen are quite enthusiastic about going to school. Several classes are in one big classroom for the required courses, and it was already almost full more than ten minutes before class started.

Liu Chang'an glanced around and noticed that Wei Xuanyi, Sun Shutong, and Qin Zhiqiang were sitting together in the back row. Qin Zhiqiang was looking down at his phone. Wei Xuanyi and Sun Shutong didn't wave to Liu Chang'an to sit with them.

Liu Chang'an then casually sat down in a seat in the front row.

Yan Qingcheng silently retrieved the books she had placed in front of Liu Chang'an to reserve a seat. Although she felt she had no reason to be afraid of Liu Chang'an, it was best not to provoke this school bully "academic superstar" who had been fighting since the start of the semester and had gone to a hotel with the counselor.

For example, reminding him that he has sat in the seat you were supposed to reserve.

Yan Qingcheng was unsure whether to greet him, but seeing him staring blankly at the ceiling, Yan Qingcheng decided against it.

A girl next to Yan Qingcheng nudged Yan Qingcheng excitedly.

"Liu Chang'an! It's Liu Chang'an!" the girl whispered excitedly to the girl next door.

Yan Qingcheng was seated in the row behind another girl from a different class. Obviously, no one expected Liu Chang'an to choose a seat surrounded by girls, as almost no male students would sit in the first three rows.

The girls in this class had undoubtedly heard of Liu Chang'an. Boys who could stand out whether it was for good or bad reasons always piqued the girls' interest in gossip, and so many things about Liu Chang'an spread.

Yan Qingcheng was a little confused. Why was a playboy who wasn't exactly a villain but definitely had nothing to do with good qualities attracting so much attention? If you really wanted to date, you should be looking at guys with a proper attitude towards life and studies and normal values.

"What a coincidence." Liu Chang'an had just finished watching a spider on the ceiling eat a mosquito when he turned around and saw Yan Qingcheng.

"What a coincidence... hehe... what a coincidence." Yan Qingcheng responded awkwardly. She had been sitting next to him for five minutes before he realized it was Yan Qingcheng. What a coincidence.

The girl who had saved a seat for Yan Qingcheng arrived. She was slightly surprised to see someone sitting next to Yan Qingcheng, then glanced at Liu Chang'an, smiled at Yan Qingcheng with a knowing look, gave Yan Qingcheng a thumbs-up, and went to sit in the back row.

Zhu Juntang was almost the last to enter. Seeing Liu Chang'an sitting in the front row, she glanced at Yan Qingcheng.

She didn't say anything, nor did she look for a seat.

"Do you want to sit here?" Yan Qingcheng asked tentatively.

"If you're not sitting here, I'll sit here." Zhu Juntang felt that her meaning was somewhat different from Yan Qingcheng's. She didn't want Yan Qingcheng's seat; she just didn't mind sitting down if no one was here.

Yan Qingcheng was already feeling extremely uncomfortable, so she quickly waved to signal the girls next to her to move aside and make room for Zhu Juntang.

Zhu Juntang placed a thin cushion on the chair before sitting down, because it was really disgusting to let a fairy's butt feel the temperature of someone else's butt.

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Thank you all so much for your support. Some people feel that Xia Hua shouldn't receive monthly votes, but there are always students who support Xia Hua. Thank you all.

There's another long chapter coming up later, so everyone go to bed early and read it tomorrow morning. Xia Hua will keep striving!