Zhaonan: The Sweet Pear Tree

Zhou Dongdong hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to burst into tears. After all, she had only eaten something unpalatable, though extremely so, but not to the point of bursting into sobs.

But if I don't cry, I feel uncomfortable.

Zhou Dongdong stood there hesitating for a minute, unable to make up her mind, before swaying and running downstairs to find Shangguan Dandan.

Zhou Dongdong graduated from kindergarten at the age of five and started first grade at the age of six. She didn't grow much taller, but her swaying running posture is very similar to that of Zhou Shuling.

Of course, because it's a round little thing, it wobbles a bit when it runs.

After a while, Shangguan Dandan pulled Zhou Dongdong upstairs.

Shangguan Dandan looked at the peeled bitter orange, peeled off a segment, gently bit the skin, and tasted the sour and bitter juice.

Shangguan Dandan also shuddered, shrinking her neck, then quickly spat it out and said to Zhou Dongdong, "It really tastes awful."

Zhou Dongdong was relieved; it really was something that tasted terrible.

Liu Chang'an is preparing the marinade, which is the most important part of making drunken crab. The key to whether drunken crab tastes good or not lies in the selection and proportion of ingredients. Liu Chang'an used salt, MSG, scallions, and ginger, and prepared two jin of baijiu and a large pot of Shaoxing wine.

In addition, white sugar, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Sichuan peppercorns, cardamom, black cardamom, star anise, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves, dried chili peppers, and white cardamom are also needed.

"You guys are so amazing, why don't you try this intoxicating drink?" Liu Chang'an suggested that they stop studying the bitter orange and try something even more mysterious here.

As he spoke, Liu Chang'an stirred the liquor and handed it to them.

Shangguan Dandan and Zhou Dongdong took a few steps back together.

"You must remember, you can't eat his food indiscriminately. Sometimes, extremely terrible things will happen if you do." Shangguan Dandan recalled how, more than two thousand years ago, she had mingled with the palace maids and attended his banquet. It was because she ate his food that something terrible happened.

"Brother Chang'an often gives me delicious food!" Zhou Dongdong doesn't have a deep memory of eating bitter oranges or houttuynia cordata, so it's only natural that she doesn't have a good memory.

Shangguan Dandan didn't say much. She took the thermos and poured herself and Zhou Dongdong each a cup of effervescent water to relieve the taste of the bitter oranges they had just eaten.

Liu Chang'an continued with his own tasks, cleaning the crabs thoroughly, breaking open the shells, removing the gills, sand sacs, and black roe, and then washing them clean.

There are quite a few crabs, so naturally we can't rely on Shangguan Dandan and Zhou Dongdong for help. Liu Chang'an doesn't have classes in the morning, so he plans to take his time.

Zhou Shuling steamed the meat buns and brought them down.

"Meat buns." Shangguan Dandan watched Zhou Shuling walk in, then slowly walked over and followed behind Zhou Shuling. She waited for Zhou Shuling to put down her plate and sit quietly at the table. She looked at the others and gestured with her eyes, hoping they would come and eat breakfast soon.

"You go eat first," Zhou Shuling said, telling Liu Chang'an to go eat first while she took over cleaning the crabs.

Liu Chang'an went there, and while he was at it, he helped Zhou Dongdong, who was struggling to climb the chair.

Shangguan Dandan was surprised that the two of them, once they sat down, didn't even exchange a glance, nod, or say "Eat!" with Shangguan Dandan. Instead, they each grabbed a meat bun and started munching on it.

Shangguan Dandan had no choice but to take a meat bun and eat it in small bites, like a silkworm eating mulberry leaves.

After breakfast, Lu Si'en took Zhou Dongdong to school, Zhou Shuling prepared to go to the shop, Liu Chang'an continued cleaning the crabs, and Shangguan Dandan sat on the sofa, rubbing her little belly.

"Why didn't you change into the new clothes I bought for you?" Liu Chang'an asked.

"The clothes haven't been washed."

"You don't know how to wash?"

How could I possibly wash it?

With a perfectly reasonable air, Liu Chang'an nodded and went to get a packet of laundry detergent, handing it to Shangguan Dandan.

"I want to use the washing machine," Shangguan Dandan said to Liu Chang'an, holding a load of laundry.

Liu Chang'an put down his work and asked her to go downstairs and bring up the clothes. Then he taught her how to use the washing machine. All he knew was that she had to wash her underwear separately in a basin. As for the other clothes, Liu Chang'an didn't care whether they could be machine washed or were only suitable for dry cleaning.

Shangguan Dandan stood in front of the washing machine and started watching it do the laundry. This washing machine was bought by Qin Yanan and had many functions. It would light up here and there from time to time, so Shangguan Dandan curiously pressed each button.

Liu Chang'an washed all the crabs clean, sautéed them in white wine, added chlorine dioxide effervescent tablets to the water to disinfect them, then took the crabs out and patted them dry with kitchen paper. He then placed them neatly and tightly in a basin, marinated them with the prepared marinade, sealed the basin with several layers of plastic wrap, and put them all in the freezer.

It will be ready to eat in a week, but the fermented black beans that Liu Chang'an made are fermenting in earthenware jars and won't be ready to be opened and eaten until at least next year.

After finishing these tasks, Liu Chang'an noticed that Shangguan Dandan was still with the washing machine. He went over to take a look and saw that the washing machine was churning with white foam, which looked like a sea of clouds. The soapy water and foam on the floor were also flowing wildly. Shangguan Dandan was still holding the large bag of laundry detergent, which was only half full, and seemed to be observing whether to add more detergent.

"Get out." Liu Chang'an pointed calmly to the door.

Shangguan Dandan thought for a moment, remembering how Liu Chang'a Shangguan Dandan thrown her off the balcony last time. So, carrying the laundry detergent, she prepared to leave, but turned back to Liu Chang'an and said, "Don't press that red button randomly, okay? It beeps all the time, it's so annoying."

"Go out!"

Liu Chang'an turned around and watched her walk out. He remembered that Zhou Dongdong had also been spanked by Zhou Shuling for playing with laundry detergent. So Liu Chang'an's gaze fell on Shangguan Dandan's buttocks, which were quite rounded as a girl developed.

That would make things difficult.

Liu Chang'an cleaned up the water, tidied up the clothes, took them out of the washing machine to rinse off the excess detergent, and hung them up to dry.

After finishing his morning tasks, Liu Chang'an replied to An Nuan's message. Just as he sat down on the lounge chair on the balcony, he received a call from Zhu Juntang, who said she was under house arrest for a week and told Liu Chang'an to come visit her whenever he had free time.

Liu Chang'an certainly had a lot to do, but since she had been confined to her quarters for so long, Liu Chang'an would take some children and little girls to visit her when he had time.

Hearing her say that she had been grounded yesterday, Liu Chang'an guessed the general reason and wanted to laugh a little, but his strong heart did not feel any soft guilt because of it.

"By the way, how did you choose your name?" Liu Chang'an asked casually.

"It's based on the poem 'Gantang' from the Book of Songs!" Zhu Juntang often takes photos with the Book of Songs, feeling that it suits her temperament. She definitely hasn't memorized this particular poem; she just knows that her name comes from it.

The luxuriant sweet pear tree, do not cut it down, do not fell it, for it is where Duke Shao rested.

The luxuriant sweet pear tree, do not cut it down, do not destroy it, for it is where Duke Shao rested.

The sweet pear tree, though luxuriant, should not be cut down or worshipped; this is what Duke Shao said.

The Great Treatise says, "He who loves others also loves the crows on their roofs." This idea is also expressed in the poem "Sweet Pear Tree." It is precisely because it does not use a single word, it fully captures the charm. It does not say that it loves the person, but that it loves the tree that shelters them; it does not say that it loves them at the time, but that it loves them afterward. Thus, the thoughts that are cherished by those who love them are even more profound.

That probably means "longing for you like a sweet pear tree," a nice name.

Liu Chang'an looked at the sycamore tree in front of him, which he had planted himself years ago and which now stood tall and spreading like a canopy.

I lowered my head and quietly turned the pages of the book, suppressing all the emotions that would remind me of the person I was looking at, as always.

Time always flows silently. Sometimes Liu Chang'an wonders if time has any meaning for him, yet he can feel it passing by as he turns the pages of a book.

After reading for a while, Liu Chang'an noticed out of the corner of his eye that Shangguan Dandan was standing downstairs watching him.

Liu Chang'an closed the book and saw that Shangguan Dandan was still holding a thermos in one hand and twenty yuan in the other. He thought for a moment and knew what was going on.

"You went to play cards, and they played with you. You lost all twenty yuan in no time. They said you're a kid who doesn't know how to play, so they couldn't take your money. They gave you back the money you won and refused to play with you anymore." Liu Chang'an laughed as he looked at Shangguan Dandan's sullen expression.

Seeing others unhappy while you can laugh without any burden is a truly delightful experience.

Clutching twenty yuan, Shangguan Dandan opened the door to the downstairs storage room and was about to crawl inside. She wanted to lie in the coffin for a very, very long time before coming out.

"Wait a moment." Liu Chang'an stepped down from the second-floor balcony.

Shangguan Dandan eyed Liu Chang'an warily. If he continued to laugh at her, she would not only have to lie in the coffin for a long time, but she wouldn't even hear him if he needed to call her.

"Come on, you watch me play a few rounds first."

As he spoke, Liu Chang'an pulled Shangguan Dandan towards the grapevine trellis.

Shangguan Dandan's little feet tiptoed under her skirt. She glanced at his profile and realized that the child had finally learned to be considerate of her mother.

Of course, she wouldn't praise him like that now, lest he throw a tantrum and run away again.

"Here we go again, huh? You even called Liu Chang'an, but it was no use." Old Man Qian was a bit arrogant today.

"I always win against you," Liu Chang'an said sheepishly.

"Did I win every single time? Don't you remember around Chinese New Year? I won thirty yuan from you with a big hand!" Old Man Qian was quite proud of his glorious achievement.

Old Lady Liu clicked her tongue in amazement, "The Mid-Autumn Festival is over now, but back in the Spring Festival, we were still talking about winning a game!"

"Can't I talk about it? Can't I talk about it! Liu Meituo, do you even know that you just set off a firecracker?"

"I set off a firecracker and you didn't catch me? I'll fine you to death!"

"..."

"..."

After the old men and women had their usual bickering and boasting for a while, played a few rounds, and one of them left, Liu Chang'an sat down.

Shangguan Dandan quickly sat down next to him on a long bench. She sat close to Liu Chang'a Shangguan Dandan, watching intently as he drew, arranged, and played the cards.

Liu Chang'an told her some tips and tricks. It's impossible to dominate in card games just by watching a few times, unless you cheat.

The game ended at noon, and everyone was heading home to cook and eat. Liu Chang'an, who had won fifty yuan from the other three people, handed it to Shangguan Dandan and said excitedly, "I've won fifty yuan here, plus the twenty yuan you gave her this morning, making a total of seventy yuan. Whether I can win it back depends on my skills this afternoon. I'm going to class this afternoon, and she'll be sitting here on my behalf. None of you are any good at fighting."

"You... you wait! I'm going to win all her thermos flasks back!" Old Man Qian stood up, his beard bristling and eyes wide, pointing at Shangguan Dandan's thermos flasks.

Shangguan Dandan quickly hugged her thermos, deciding not to bring it with her when she came to play cards in the afternoon. That old man is really naughty.

Liu Chang'an took Shangguan Dandan for dinner, so that they wouldn't have to return any more money they won in the afternoon.

Playing cards is only fun when there's a stake; the excitement of winning and losing makes it enjoyable.

After finishing their meal, Shangguan Dandan sat down under the grapevines, while Liu Chang'an went to school.

Li Hongfang called Liu Chang'an and arranged to meet at Xiangnan University. She had news of Rasputin and had also discovered clues to the legendary treasure of the Nine Provinces Wind and Thunder Swordsman in Li Daoren's notes. She asked Liu Chang'an if he was interested.

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I recommend a book called "I Am the Mastermind." The protagonist inherits the legacy of his underworld ancestor, but all his subordinates betray him. He holds the title of Lord of the Underworld but is left with nothing. Through various maneuvers, he reclaims what is rightfully his and rebuilds his reputation as Lord of the Underworld!