Chapter 56 Your husband will cry again if he finds out. He could never know…

In the afternoon, An Fusheng and Xu Sannian were in the kitchen preparing snacks for tomorrow's autumn outing.

Lou Lan went to pick up the children from school, while Wen Xinglan and Wen Xingrui were left in the kitchen to husk corn.

"So this little table was custom-made for them, hahaha!" Xu Sannian laughed so hard he almost fell over.

An Fusheng was puzzled. "Weren't they originally bought for them?"

"No, everyone in our college dorms has one too, to put their laptops and eat things on, hahaha!"

"Don't university dorms have desks? How can you use something so small?" An Fusheng remembered that university dorms in the TV shows he used to watch all had very large desks.

"Yes, this little table is for the bed. Sitting on the bed is much more comfortable than sitting on a desk."

"So that's how it is."

The snacks are almost ready. Many of them only need to be made into semi-finished products. Tomorrow, they can be pan-fried or boiled briefly and then heated up before eating. They are convenient, quick, and fresh. An Fusheng sealed the semi-finished products and put them in the refrigerator. He also took out the chicken wings that he had marinated in the morning.

"Let's make some Orleans chicken wings, so they can eat them when they get home from school and are hungry."

"OK."

An Fusheng lit the fire, set up the wok, and added oil.

"When frying things, you should turn the heat down a bit, otherwise the outside will burn easily while the inside might not be cooked through," An Fusheng instructed Xu Sannian while frying chicken wings.

Although Xu San Nian had never cooked before, he wasn't exactly a kitchen disaster. He could do washing and preparing vegetables quite well with a little instruction, but he was still a bit afraid of fire and hot oil.

"Okay." He said he was studying, but he kept his distance.

An Fusheng didn't seem to care much and continued to explain and demonstrate to her step by step.

On the other side.

The corn was growing too tightly on the cob; Wen Xinglan tried to pick off a single kernel from the entire cob.

Wen Xinglan was feeling a little bored. He was holding an ear of corn, looking around, when suddenly he saw Afu appear in the kitchen doorway. His eyes lit up, he threw down the corn cob, and ran towards Afu, calling out, "Fu..."

It's undeniable that Afu and Wen Xinglan shared a room and developed a certain revolutionary friendship, specifically demonstrated by Afu obediently standing still and waiting for Wen Xinglan to come over.

If it had been Wen Xingrui who came, Afu would probably have run away long ago.

Wen Xinglan picked up Afu in one scoop.

Afu only struggled to adjust his position when Wen Xinglan made him uncomfortable.

The chicken wings gradually release a rich aroma as they are fried in hot oil.

"It smells so good!" Xu Sannian craned his neck to look at the golden-brown chicken wings in the pot, his mouth watering.

"This is done frying, would you like to try it?"

"Yes, yes, yes!"

Xu Sannian took the chicken wing that An Fusheng handed him with his chopsticks, but the chicken wing was a little hot. Xu Sannian was about to find a plate to put it on and eat it when he turned around and saw Wen Xinglan standing at the kitchen door holding a scruffy little white cat.

The man and the cat stared at her with gleaming eyes.

"Wow, where did this stray cat come from?" Xu Sannian exclaimed.

An Fusheng turned around and saw, "It's not a stray cat, it's our cat, its name is Afu."

"Huh?" Xu San Nian couldn't believe it. This dusty thing was all puffed up and looked like it was missing pieces. It was so messy!

"It likes to run around everywhere. A few days ago, it ran into the wasteland behind the house and got covered in burrs. It couldn't be pulled off, so I had to use scissors to cut them off, which resulted in some of its fur being cut off," An Fusheng explained.

"Oh, I see." She thought it was a skin disease. "But if the cat runs around outside a lot, it's better to take it to the vet regularly for deworming and bathing. It's also safer for children to hold it."

An Fusheng hadn't thought of this before, "I'll take it there whenever I have time on the weekend."

As the two were talking, Wen Xinglan, carrying Afu, wobbled and ran towards them.

Xu Sannian thought Wen Xinglan was going to An Fusheng's place and felt that he was blocking his way. When he saw Wen Xinglan coming over with difficulty, he kindly moved two steps to the side to make way.

"Smack!"

When Wen Xinglan fell to the ground, her face was full of disbelief. Why did her sister's thigh suddenly disappear?

An Fusheng turned around when he heard the sound and saw Wen Xinglan lying on the ground with a bewildered look on her face, looking at Xu Sannian and then at him, with Afu under her.

"How did you fall?" An Fusheng quickly lifted Wen Xinglan up. "Let me check if you're hurt."

Wen Xinglan let An Fusheng examine her over and over, her big eyes fixed on the chicken wing that Xu Sannian was holding in mid-air.

"It wasn't me!" Xu Sannian lowered the leg he had raised, trying to cover up his mistake.

An Fusheng: "..."

Xu Sannian: "..."

"You...want to eat chicken wings?" Xu Sannian finally noticed Wen Xinglan's gaze.

Wen Xinglan raised her head high: "Chicken wings."

Xu Sannian breathed a sigh of relief, "You should have said so earlier. Here, take it, it's just cooled down."

Wen Xinglan took the chicken wing and stuffed it into her mouth. After one bite, her whole face scrunched up in a grimace.

"Oh dear, this is a bit spicy!" Xu Sannian exclaimed. "Don't eat it!"

Wen Xinglan held onto the chicken wing tightly, refusing to give it back to her. While Xu Sannian was at a loss, she even took a few bites, not stopping even though her eyes were watering from the spiciness.

Xu Sannian felt a pang of heartache just looking at it. "Is it spicy?"

Wen Xinglan blinked her big eyes: "Spicy."

Xu Sannian: "You still want to eat spicy food?"

Wen Xinglan: "Still eating."

Xu Sannian: "Okay... but you're not allowed to cry."

Wen Xinglan: "Baby, don't cry."

...

"Big brother, we're back!"

Just as the shouting began outside, the kitchen was soon filled with children.

The children looked up at the unfamiliar woman in the kitchen. "Who are you?"

Xu Sannian extended his hand. "Hello, I'm Xu Sannian. What are your names?"

The children shook hands with Xu Sannian one by one.

"My name is An Shisi."

“My name is Wen Xingmou.”

“I…I am Wen Xinglin.”

...

Xu Sannian, munching on a chicken wing, took the children to see the gifts she had brought. Among the things she brought that morning were quite a few toys. Although the children didn't lack toys, who wouldn't like new toys?

Besides, there's a rag doll inside wearing a blue lace tutu!

"Wow! My doll is even prettier than Lin Wuyang's! I love it so much!" Wen Xingmou jumped up happily. "Thank you, sister."

"My car is cool too!"

...

Xu Sannian was a true social butterfly; by dinner time, she had already become familiar with everyone.

Xu Sannian didn't learn how to cook today, and Anfu was afraid that her mother would be disappointed, so she packed up the dishes that Xu Sannian had helped to make and gave them to take home.

Does your mother like these dishes?

"I love it, I definitely love it!" Her mother loves these home-style dishes.

Xu Sannian picked up the thermos and got into the car. "I'm leaving now, bye-bye, see you tomorrow."

"Bye-Bye."

The staff at the welfare home saw her off.

When Xu Sannian returned home, the house was empty, and her mother was sitting alone in the living room reading a book.

"You're back?" Mrs. Xu saw her daughter come in and threw the book onto the sofa. "Did you bring anything back for Mom?"

Xu Sannian: "I'm just going there to study..."

"Give it to me!"

Before Xu San could finish speaking, Xu's mother had already snatched the thermos away with lightning speed.

Ten minutes later.

"Mmm, delicious, every single one is delicious." Mrs. Xu held her bowl and ate with relish. "I haven't had such delicious food in a long time."

"You've already cooked the rice, why don't you ask the chef to make a few other dishes?" Xu Sannian sat opposite her mother, looking at her incredulously. "Are you so sure I'll bring you ready-made dishes, and that I won't let you eat rice?"

"I cooked the rice myself; I didn't have the chef come today."

Xu Sannian stared in disbelief. "Then what are you having for lunch?"

I boiled an ear of corn.

Xu Sannian: "...Your husband will cry again when he finds out."

"He couldn't possibly know."

No sooner had he finished speaking than the door clicked open.

Before Mr. Xu even entered, his voice preceded his arrival, "Afu, I noticed the chef didn't come today. What are you having for dinner?"

Mrs. Xu: "I suddenly wanted to eat at the private kitchen we ate at last time, so I ordered takeout from them and gave the chef a day off."

"Oh, I'll take you there next time you want to eat it. It's so far away, the taste must be greatly reduced."

"good."

"No, your wife didn't eat lunch, she just boiled some corn and ate it! For dinner, she ate the leftovers I brought back." After saying that, Xu Sannian jumped up and ran away in a flash.

"Xu San Nian!" Xu's mother gritted her teeth.

Xu San didn't even turn his head. Behind him was his father's heart-wrenching voice, "Afu...you're not eating properly again..."

Friday.

On the day of the autumn outing, the children still need to go to the kindergarten first, have breakfast there, and then gather together to set off.

Knowing they were going on an autumn outing today, the children were so excited when they arrived at kindergarten that they jumped around like monkeys.

"Children, please be quiet!" Shen Xinan shouted. "I'll count to three, and see who hasn't quieted down yet. One, two..."

When the teacher counted down one, two, three, most of the students quieted down, except for a few mischievous boys who were still running around in the classroom.

"Wang Xiaohei, if you don't quiet down, the teacher will scold you."

Wang Xiaohei said without any concern, "I'm not afraid of your criticism."

"Disobedient children are not allowed to go on the autumn outing today."

Wang Xiaohei returned to his seat dejectedly.

Shen Xinan said, "Alright, children, please line up and get your meals from Teacher Lin. You need to eat a lot for breakfast so you'll have the energy for the autumn outing."

"good!"

While the children are eating breakfast, the parents are already preparing it in the park.

To make the autumn outing more fun for the children, the kindergarten set up a play area, a food area, and a craft area in the park.

An Fusheng was in charge of the food area. In other areas, all they had to do was put out the food and wait for the children to come and play. However, An Fusheng's area required more preparation.

Besides the sandwiches, bread rolls, and marshmallows that the kindergarten provided, which could be given out directly, An Fusheng also brought butter biscuits, savory pancakes, and red bean porridge. The red bean porridge was already cooked this morning and is now being kept warm on the induction cooker. The savory pancakes were made yesterday afternoon and need to be fried fresh. He also cooked sugarcane and water chestnut syrup, which also needs to be kept warm in advance. There is only one induction cooker, so he also needs to light a charcoal fire to keep it warm.

An Fusheng also made some small glutinous rice balls, which he cooked and added to red bean porridge, making them more appealing to children.

Around nine o'clock, just as An Fusheng was getting ready, he heard children singing coming from afar.