Chapter 54 Wow, so soft! So cute! So cute! ...

"By the way, my name is Xu Sannian. What's your name?"

Xu Sannian chatted with An Fusheng while driving.

"My name is An Fusheng."

"Does your name have any special meaning?" Xu Sannian asked.

An Fusheng thought for a moment and said that it wasn't anything special, "It's just a name chosen according to the generational naming convention."

Fushan Village is descended from a single ancestor, so it is considered a clan and has a unified generational naming system. Most people in the village choose their names according to this system. The middle character of the name is a fixed generational character, and then a character with a good meaning is added after it. Actually, it's quite casual.

“Wow, so few people name their children according to their generational names these days!” Xu Sannian thought it was quite something. “I think naming children according to their generational names is very meaningful. It has a sense of ritual for the inheritance of family and bloodline.”

“Yes.” An Fusheng completely agreed with this point.

Do you know why my name is Xu San Nian?

An Fusheng asked curiously, "Why?"

"Because I was born on my parents' third wedding anniversary, my name is San Nian, which means the third anniversary."

“Your name is very meaningful!” An Fusheng said. “Your parents must be very loving, right?”

"They're so in love, but they don't care whether I live or die." Xu Sannian pouted and complained, "From childhood to adulthood, whenever people hear my name, they ask if I have an older brother named Xu Sanduo."

An Fusheng didn't immediately get her point and asked seriously, "Why?"

"Have you watched Soldiers Sortie? The main character is named Xu Sanduo, which is very similar to my name."

An Fusheng suddenly realized what was happening and quickly apologized, "I'm sorry."

Xu Sannian said nonchalantly, "It's okay, Xu Sanduo is also very capable. I just don't like being teased all the time."

The car turned an intersection and arrived at the street where the welfare home was located. An Fusheng pointed to the welfare home not far away, "It's over there. Just stop at that gate."

Xu Sannian looked closely and exclaimed, "Huh? You're from the orphanage?"

"Yes."

"Do you work at an orphanage?"

"Yes, I am the cook at the orphanage."

Xu Sannian immediately felt a surge of respect.

An Fusheng added, "However, I also grew up in an orphanage."

Xu Sannian felt a mixture of admiration and pity, which in turn brought a pang of guilt. An Fusheng must have grown up in an orphanage and certainly didn't have parents. He had just envied his own parents' loving relationship, and she was even pretending to complain, which seemed like she was showing off.

There are no security guards at the welfare home, and no one helps them open the gate; cars can only be parked in the open space outside the gate.

An Fusheng took out fifty yuan and gave it to Xu Sannian, saying, "Thank you, this is for your fare."

"No, no!" Xu Sannian exclaimed in surprise, hurriedly refusing, "I was just helping out with a small favor, and the journey wasn't long, so there's no need to pay me for the ride."

After a brief struggle, An Fusheng finally got his fifty yuan back. "Thank you for your help. If you're not busy, would you like to come to my house for a visit?"

In the countryside, it's customary to invite someone over to your home to slaughter chickens and ducks as a gesture of hospitality after they've helped you. An Fusheng knew that city dwellers were very particular about boundaries and wouldn't easily visit other people's homes unless there was a specific reason, but he couldn't afford to be impolite no matter what.

"OK."

Xu Sannian was not the city dweller with a strong sense of boundaries that An Fusheng thought she was. She got along well with An Fusheng and felt that the two of them were friends. Since they were friends, why be formal? Anyway, she had nothing to do and was bored.

An Fusheng carried Wen Xinglan out of the car, and Xu Sannian helped An Fusheng carry the stroller.

"This is my first time visiting a welfare home."

Is it as you imagined?

“Not quite the same.” Xu Sannian glanced at the lonely old building in front of him and the messy weeds around it. To put it simply, it was only slightly better than an abandoned, unfinished building.

“Our welfare home used to be a private welfare home, so it is relatively small, but there are also few children, so there is enough space for activities.”

Speaking of children, Xu Sannian hadn't seen a single one since he entered. "Why don't I see any kids? Aren't they all out playing?"

"They've all gone to school. But Aunt Lou and Xingrui are at home."

An Fusheng shouted upstairs, "Aunt Lou!"

"You're back?" Lou Lan poked her head out from the second-floor balcony.

"Um."

An Fusheng led Xu Sannian upstairs and introduced her, "This is my mother, Lou Mama."

Then he introduced him to Lou Lan, "Aunt Lou, this is Xu Sannian."

After introducing the two parties, An Fusheng briefly told Lou Lan about how he had helped Xu Sannian and even sent him back.

"Human traffickers?" Lou Lan asked nervously. "How could there be human traffickers?"

"It's not necessarily a human trafficker. It just so happens that she followed me twice when I was with Xiao Ba. I'm just guessing, but I can't think of anyone else who would follow me besides a human trafficker."

Lou Lan was still shaken. "I'll be more careful when I go out in the future. I'll try not to take my child out if possible, and if I do take my child, I won't go to places with few people."

An Fusheng nodded, "Okay."

The group chatted and drank tea in the living room. An Fusheng went to cook, while Xu Sannian and Lou Lan continued their conversation. They got so engrossed in their chat that they forgot the time.

It wasn't until she smelled the aroma of food wafting from the kitchen that she realized what was happening and hurriedly said, "I should go."

"Why don't you stay for lunch before you leave? My son Fuzai is a great cook," Lou Lan urged.

Xu Sannian is a foodie, and she finds it hard to resist delicious food. Plus, the aroma wafting from the kitchen is so enticing that she can hardly move.

"No... that's not a good idea, it's too much of a bother." Xu Sannian said politely while swallowing hard.

"Not at all, how could it be a bother? You helped Fuzai, and we should be thanking you properly. It wouldn't be too much to treat you to a meal at the best hotel, let alone just a home-cooked meal," Lou Lan tempted. "I'm not bragging, but some big hotels don't even cook as well as our Fuzai. You can try it later, I guarantee you won't regret it."

Xu Sannian hesitated for a moment, then said, "Well... then I won't be polite."

Lou Lan guessed that An Fusheng had almost finished cooking, so she went to help clean up the dining room, leaving Xu Sannian in the living room on the second floor to watch over the two children.

As soon as Lou Lan left, Xu Sannian slid smoothly from the sofa to the children's playmat, sat cross-legged opposite them, and like a wicked big bad wolf, stretched out his hands with a wicked grin, pinching a child's chubby cheek with one hand, "Wow, so soft!"

The two children stared at her with their big, dark eyes, completely bewildered.

"Oh my, so cute! So cute!"

After pinching and poking her enough, Xu San Nian finally withdrew her wicked hands, cleared her throat, and asked, "What are your names?"

Neither of the two children could say their own name.

When Xu Sannian didn't get an answer, he forcibly took the toys from the two children. "Answer my question, and I'll give your toys back if you answer correctly. Any objections?"

The two children had no objections; they just stared intently at the toys that originally belonged to them in her hands.

Who is the most beautiful person?

Wen Xingrui: "..."

Wen Xinglan: "..."

"Ahem... So who is the cutest person?"

Wen Xingrui: "..."

Wen Xinglan blinked her big eyes and patted her head.

"Wow, you actually knew that! How cute!" Xu Sannian exclaimed in surprise.

Wen Xinglan: "Baby."

Xu Sannian returned Wen Xinglan's little rattle to him, "So cute!"

He turned to look at Wen Xingrui.

Wen Xingrui, propping his head up, flashed a big smile at Xu Sannian: "Hehe!"

"Ugh! You adorable little thing!"

He returned Wen Xingrui's toys to him, and Xu Sannian collapsed to the ground, crying out, "Ah, I'm going to die!"

...

Lou Lan came up and called Xu Sannian to come down for dinner. Xu Sannian helped Lou Lan wash the children's hands and took them to the dining room, where the food was already laid out on the table.

Today, An Fusheng made stewed chicken with soybeans, green beans, corn, shrimp, pickled radish cubes, and stir-fried chrysanthemum greens. It wasn't a lavish meal, but each dish looked appealing, and the aroma filled the whole house.

"It smells so good!" Xu Sannian exclaimed sincerely. "It looks delicious."

An Fusheng placed the bowl of rice in front of her and said somewhat apologetically, "I didn't go grocery shopping today, so this is all the food we have at home. I hope you don't mind."

"I don't mind, I don't mind!" It's like I can't stop her from drooling if I don't eat her saliva soon.

Wen Xingrui and Wen Xinglan can eat by themselves. They are both good eaters and don't need adults to worry about their meals. As soon as An Fusheng puts their bowls in front of them, they start eating without saying a word.

Lou Lan invited everyone to start eating.

Xu Sannian first reached for the most fragrant dish, stewed chicken with soybeans, and after one bite, he was so excited he felt like his soul was floating. "Wow, it's delicious!"

“Right? I knew Fu-zai was a good cook,” Lou Lan laughed. “He always has his own ingenuity when he cooks, and everything he makes tastes especially delicious.”

"Mmm!" Xu Sannian agreed wholeheartedly. "I often eat braised pig's feet with soybeans, but this is the first time I've ever had braised chicken with soybeans. I didn't expect chicken and soybeans to be so fragrant when stewed together. It's so delicious! It's even better than braised pig's feet with soybeans. How is it made?" Xu Sannian had intended to restrain himself, but once he tasted the dish, he couldn't stop eating.

"Braised pig's feet with soybeans involves soaking soybeans in water and then stewing them together with the pig's feet. I stir-fry the soybeans beforehand to make them fragrant and then cook them until soft. This makes the aroma much stronger than simply soaking them. I also sautéed the chicken in oil before stewing. Both ingredients release their aromas fully before stewing, and then they blend together during the stewing process, resulting in an even richer flavor," An Fusheng explained.

"You're amazing! Is this your secret recipe?"

"no."

This is a must-have dish for entertaining guests in Fushan Village.

After eating the chicken, Xu Sannian reached for the pickled radish cubes with his chopsticks. "What's this?"

“It’s pickled radish cubes, it’s delicious, you should try it,” Lou Lan said.

Xu Sannian picked one up and put it in his mouth. "It's so crunchy, a little sour and a little sweet, and it's so delicious!"

Lou Lan was amused by her.

...

"Your food is delicious!"

This was Xu Sannian's concluding remark after the meal: "It even tasted like home."

She didn't know how to describe the feeling, but in short, the meal not only filled her stomach, but also gave her a strange sense of happiness and satisfaction.

"I told you so." Lou Lan was not modest at all, mainly because her son Fuzai's abilities did not allow her to be modest.

"Mmm-hmm-hmm." Xu Sannian nodded like a chick pecking at rice.

After the meal, Xu Sannian left, and Lou Lan warmly gave her pickled radishes, canned yellow peaches, and sweet wine made by An Fusheng to express her gratitude.