On the Meng family's table, the braised fish exuded an enticing aroma, the braised pork belly was perfectly marbled with fat and lean meat, the pork rib and winter melon soup was steaming hot, the steamed eggs were as tender and smooth as freshly cooked tofu pudding, and there was a large bowl of braised pork belly, glistening with oil, making one's mouth water just looking at it. Add to that two plates of refreshing green vegetables, and the table was piled high with food.

Meng Shuyun took off her apron, gently dusted off the corner of her clothes, and looked at Su Xiuju, Su Xiulan, and Meng Kangshun, who had already taken their seats. A warm feeling welled up in her heart; it felt like a home.

She slowly sat down, cleared her throat, and said, "Today, there is a big event in our family that I need to announce to everyone."

As soon as she finished speaking, all three of them turned their gazes to Meng Shuyun, waiting quietly for her to continue.

"Li Dashun will now be a member of the Meng family, and his name will be officially changed to Meng Kangshun. Today is both his birthday and the day of his rebirth."

As she spoke, Meng Shuyun handed a red envelope to Meng Kangshun, her face full of affection.

Su Xiulan spoke first, a smile playing on her lips, as she put a large piece of pork rib into Meng Kangshun's bowl.

"Kangshun, happy birthday! From now on, we're family. I'm your second sister, Su Xiulan, so please don't stand on ceremony."

These days, Meng Kangshun is busy at home, and she has seen it all clearly. Although having another younger brother means there is another mouth to feed in the family, she can afford to support him.

Su Xiuju followed suit, winking playfully, picking up a piece of bright red braised pork and placing it in Meng Kangshun's bowl, saying crisply.

"Happy birthday, Kangshun! You'll have to look out for me more in the future. If Mom scolds me, you'll have to put in a good word for me."

Seeing the children getting along so well, Meng Shuyun was overjoyed. She smiled and put a piece of pork rib in each of their bowls, saying, "Eat, eat, while it's hot."

Looking at the pile of food in the bowl, the steam from the food blurred his vision, and his eyes reddened once again.

He secretly vowed in his heart that as long as he lived, he would never let anyone bully his family.

He also wants to earn lots and lots of money to buy lots and lots of delicious food so that his family can have meat at every meal, wear nice clothes, use nice things, and then buy a spacious and bright house so that the whole family can happily move in.

"Grandma, are you home?" A deliberately lowered female voice drifted from the courtyard gate.

Upon hearing the shout, Meng Shuyun instantly pictured an innocent face.

She walked quickly to the courtyard gate, opened it, and saw that it was indeed Gu Xue.

Seeing Gu Xue standing timidly at the door, Meng Shuyun softened her voice and patiently asked, "It's so late, what's wrong?"

Gu Xue's face flushed red, her fingers twisting the hem of her clothes as she stammered, "I, I..."

Anan had said that she shouldn't eat other people's food, but she was so hungry that her stomach was practically sticking to her back.

She thought to herself, "Grandma is no stranger, so Anan shouldn't be angry!"

Just as I was lost in thought, my stomach rumbled at the most inopportune moment.

Gu Xue's face was as red as a ripe apple, and her head was bowed low, as if she wished she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

Seeing this, Meng Shuyun sighed softly.

No one was home in the neighbor's yard; the stove was cold and the pots were empty. The child must be starving.

She reached out and pulled Gu Xue over, then turned to Su Xiuju and said, "Go, get another set of bowls and chopsticks."

As Su Xiuju stood up, she whispered to Meng Shuyun, "Mother, when did you get such a big granddaughter?"

Meng Shuyun glared at her and said reproachfully, "Go now."

Su Xiuju stuck out her tongue and did as she was told.

Gu Xue sat down at the dining table and buried her head in her food, eating heartily.

When she tasted the meat, her eyes lit up like stars.

At the end of the meal, there was still a large pork rib left in the bowl, but she didn't touch it.

Seeing this, Su Xiulan smiled and picked up another piece of pork rib, putting it into Gu Xue's bowl, and said softly, "Eat."

Su Xiuju also picked up a piece of braised pork with her chopsticks.

Gu Xue shoveled the last grain of rice into her mouth, looked up at Meng Shuyun with anticipation, and said, "Grandma, can I take this spare rib back for Anan to eat? I didn't want to eat it just now."

All eyes immediately turned to Meng Shuyun.

Meng Shuyun didn't say anything, turned around and took a clean bowl from the kitchen, packed up the leftover food in the pot, and added a few more dishes.

As she saw Gu Xue to the door, Meng Shuyun whispered, "Did you remember what I just told you?"

Gu Xue nodded vigorously like an obedient primary school student and said in a serious tone, "I remember, these were secretly given to me by my sister Alan who has two babies. They have nothing to do with you, Grandma. They weren't given to me by you."

Meng Shuyun's lips twitched. This child had a "protesting too much" vibe.

She waved her hand and said, "You don't need to say the last two sentences. Go back now and be careful on the road."

Only after watching Gu Xue enter the neighboring courtyard did she turn around and go back into the house.

Su Xiangnan's room was pitch black.

Upon waking up, Su Xiangnan instinctively reached out and touched the spot beside him, only to find it ice-cold. His heart skipped a beat.

He quickly pulled the cord by the bedside, and the dim light instantly turned on. He shouted at the top of his lungs, "Xue'er, where are you?"

“I’m here, Anan.”

Gu Xue responded sleepily, her voice soft and sweet from just waking up.

Su Xiangnan looked in the direction of the sound and saw Gu Xue asleep on the table with a bowl of food in front of her.

His expression tightened, and he asked anxiously, "Are you feeling unwell anywhere? Does your stomach hurt?"

The veins on his face were bulging, and he was extremely anxious, wishing he could get out of bed immediately to check on Gu Xue's condition.

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