The aroma of mutton soup wafted over the next second.

The two looked at each other in bewilderment.

Soon, a large bowl of mutton soup and a small basket full of steamed buns were placed on the table.

They didn't do anything else. It's snowing heavily outside, and they're probably in a hurry, so this is quick.

Seeing that the two were still standing there in a daze, I simply served each of them a bowl.

"Hurry up, finish eating so we can head back."

Knowing they wouldn't stay, Jian Dan didn't bother pretending to stay at all, and besides, it really wasn't convenient for her home.

"Are you busy cooking for us right now?"

I put down Jianxin's little bowl and then picked up the child again.

"So what? Aren't we going to eat? Hurry up and eat. We've been keeping it in the pot to simmer at noon, and it's all mushy now."

Cheng Chao unconsciously swallowed, but didn't stand on ceremony. He immediately sat down, picked up the bowl, took a sip, and felt a comfortable warmth spread through his body.

"How come you have such a good thing?"

Jian Dan was busy tearing the mutton in the little girl's bowl into small strips, without even looking up.

"That's right, you came at the right time. I only remembered this morning after you left, and since it was cold, I just made it."

Cheng Chao had no doubts whatsoever. The simple information had been placed on Cheng Jin's desk long ago, and now he felt that whatever she did was reasonable.

Jian Wenxiu's gaze was calm, and it was unclear whether he had any doubts. However, Jian was not afraid; if he dared to bring it out, he was not afraid of being investigated.

A large bowl of mutton soup and a basket of steamed buns were served. After the two girls each had a bowl of soup and one and a half steamed buns, the rest were cleaned up by the two big men. Not to mention Cheng Chao, even Jian Wenxiu was secretly rubbing his stomach. He hadn't eaten so satisfyingly in a long time.

Cheng Chao was even more so,

"I think I've come here to improve my life?"

Simplicity brings laughter.

"You brought so many good things, it's not like I can't see them. Besides, there are only two of us, how much can we eat? Food tastes better when there are more people, right, Xin Xin?"

The little girl was warm now, and had eaten her fill. She was still half-asleep, her eyelids almost drooping, and although she hadn't quite heard what was being said, she nodded along.

"Yes, sister is right."

Seeing the situation, and realizing it was indeed getting late, the two quickly cleared the table.

"Oh? No need, you guys go ahead and leave, I can pack up myself."

Cheng Chao was quick and efficient.

“It won’t make a difference if you watch the child. We don’t know how to take care of children, so we’ll have to trouble you. We’ll come back in a couple of days. Just tell me what you need and I’ll bring it to you.”

Jian Dan was a little confused. What was going on? Was he being helped to raise her child?

Or is Jian Wenxiu really Xin Xin's uncle?

Why doesn't he take Xin Xin back and take care of her himself? Wouldn't that be more reassuring?

Moreover, why did Cheng Chao say these words?

Chien Wen-hsiu is truly a man of few words; aside from taking care of the children, he avoids speaking whenever possible.

"You can see what I have here, right? I don't need anything, so you don't need to bring anything. Those snacks are enough for the two of us all winter."

Cheng Chao felt a little regretful. They had searched for almost all the foods that girls like, so what else was there that they hadn't thought of?

"Okay then, I'll bring you something else next time."

Cheng Chao tidied up the kitchen, and Jian Wenxiu put the child to sleep. Jian Dan was speechless. Was this the start of taking over someone else's work?

Once outside, Cheng Chao looked at Jian Wenxiu speechlessly.

"Brother, this is someone else's child, someone else's child, why are you so concerned?"

Someone else's child?

Jian Wenxiu unconsciously frowned, opening his mouth to explain.

"no,"

Cheng Chao snorted lightly.

"Not someone else's child? Not their child? Is it your child? Would you dare tell them that?"

Jian Wenxiu immediately shut up; this was something he really couldn't say right now.

It was two hours later when we got back to our base.

Looking at his nephew's ruddy face, Cheng Jin was at a loss for words.

"You went to patrol the mountains and spent the whole day patrolling?"

The team's all back, what were you two doing? Hunting wolves?

Jian Wenxiu was still thinking about other people's children and was feeling down, so he didn't say anything.

Lin Zhengde moved closer.

"You two were stealing... no, this is... mutton soup? Where did you two go to drink mutton soup?"

How come he didn't know there was such delicious mutton soup nearby?

"You two are really something! We're eating cabbage, and you're going to have mutton soup?"

The group of people were close friends and didn't have any reservations when talking to each other in private.

Cheng Chao dodged Lin Zhengde's slap, but as he moved, his arm was grabbed. He turned around and saw...

"Huh? When did I start carrying a basket on my back?"

Jian Wenxiu silently took the oral exam.

"When you go out."

"I don't remember that at all."

"You're busy saying goodbye to the puppies."

"puff!"

Lin Zhengde and Cheng Jin were immediately amused.

"Cheng Chao, are you an idiot? You don't even remember this?"

Cheng Jin does know a little bit.

"You guys went to Liujiatun? To find Jian Dan?"

Cheng Chao has said more than once that he feels most relaxed and at home at Jian Dan's place.

That was the only place that caught him off guard.

"Ah, yes!"

Cheng Chao took the basket off his back and put it on the table.

"And you say that? She won't let us buy those things anymore, saying that the two of them can't eat them all winter."

Cheng Jin covered his mouth and laughed.

"Look at you, all you know is to buy snacks. They can't be a meal. Why don't you come up with something different?"

"What kind of tricks could I try? I don't have a sister to experiment with. Besides, she really has everything. She's not just being polite to me."

You all didn't see it. The cellar had meat, vegetables, eggs, rice, flour, millet, soybean oil, everything imaginable. The shelves in the cellar were overflowing with them.

She still has dozens of those watermelons she sent us in the summer in her cellar.

Knowing how easily they could kill wild boars, they weren't surprised by these things.

He was gesturing towards the basket.

"Aren't you going to look at what I brought you?"

Cheng Chao also became interested, shook off the snow, and lifted the lid.

Holy crap!

Then he received a merciless slap on the head, a greeting from his own uncle.

"What are you saying!"

"No, Uncle, look,"

Several heads huddled together.

"Is this meat?"

It was cold, and everything was frozen. Cheng Chao took them out one by one.

"These are lamb bones, lamb offal, and lamb meat."

"Did they bring you this because you looked like you hadn't had enough and were feeling embarrassed?"

Cheng Jin knew his nephew well; he had been thinking about simple cooking skills for a long time. It was the kind of cooking that made everything taste delicious and was so good that he could never get enough of it.

Cheng Chao scratched his head uncertainly.

"I don't think so?"

Turn to Jian Wenxiu,

Do I look like that?

Jian Wenxiu stared at the mutton for a while.

"It shouldn't be. When we came out, the basket was already packed and placed outside, and there was snow on it at the time."

Cheng Chao cleaned the kitchen; she didn't leave during the process, so it must have been prepared beforehand.