Bai An asked with some concern: "Da Zhuang, what do you usually eat at home?"

"Eat whatever is available." Da Zhuang anxiously pulled Bai An's arm and said, "Bai An, why are you asking these questions? Let's go find Cui Ju and eat those good things."

Bai An looked down at the hands holding him, they were also thin and looked like skin and bones.

Bai An was silently dragged to Cui Ju's house by Da Zhuang, where Cui Ju was having breakfast.

The shabby table was a bit broken, supported only by a stick at the lower right corner. On the table lay a bowl of pickles and a few yellow steamed buns.

The family of Chrysanthemum squeezed around the small dining table to eat.

When Cui Ju saw Bai An coming to play with her so early, her sleepy look immediately disappeared without a trace. She waved her hand at Bai An and said, "Wait for me first. I'll finish my meal and wash the dishes, then I can go play with you guys."

Lin Zhixia's gaze swept back and forth between Bai An and Da Zhuang's faces several times, and finally stopped on Bai An, just staring at her quietly.

Da Zhuang couldn't stand it anymore, so he leaned over to Bai An's ear and asked, "Why does Cui Ju's eldest brother always stare at you?"

Bai An shook his head and said casually: "Maybe because I look good."

...

...

After hearing Bai An's answer, Da Zhuang also stared at Bai An's face thoughtfully, and finally concluded: "It's possible."

Cui Ju's parents also saw Bai An and Da Zhuang, but no one said hello. They just hurriedly finished the meal in their hands, stood up, said a few words to Cui Ju, and left.

When they passed by Bai An, Bai An said politely, "Goodbye, uncle and aunt."

They just smiled slightly in response.

Cui Ju saw Bai An looking at her parents' backs in confusion, and quickly explained: "My parents just don't want others to see you talking to them. After all, our family background is not good."

As he spoke, he lowered his head and said, "Besides, we don't have any extra food for you."

Seeing Cui Ju's increasingly bent back, Lin Zhixia patted her back with a cold face and said, "Stand up straight."

After saying that, he looked at Bai An and Da Zhuang standing next to him and said, "Why are you here so early? Is there something going on? Or do you want to take the book back?"

Lin Zhixia lowered his head, looking at the table expressionlessly. Bai An could see from the side that his nose bridge was very high, and the strands of hair on his forehead hung down naturally, blocking his eyes.

Bai An quickly shook his head and smiled, "We're not here to ask for the book. You can take your time reading it and there's no rush to return it. We're just here to play with Cui Ju."

Lin Zhixia raised her head and looked at Bai An, "Do your kids go out to play with friends so early now?"

"No." Da Zhuang answered from the side, "I just came earlier today."

Lin Zhixia glanced at Dazhuang, and finally said to Cuiju: "Go out and play. I'll help you wash the dishes later."

"Thank you, brother!" Cui Ju quickly finished the remaining steamed bun in her hand, took a few bites of pickles, and finally drank a sip of water.

Cui Ju wiped her mouth with her sleeve, took Bai An's hand and walked out.

When he was about to go out, Bai An looked back at Lin Zhixia who was still at the dinner table.

He was looking at her too.

Facing Bai An's gaze, Lin Zhixia curled the corners of her mouth and smiled at her.

"Cui Ju, have you ever eaten cake?" Da Zhuang said to Cui Ju with a flamboyant look on his face, "Today Bai An brought me a piece of cake. It has white cream on the outside. I've only heard of it before, but never eaten it. The inside is delicious, too."

"Cake? I ate it when I was a kid, but I haven't eaten it now. It's really delicious." After saying that, Cui Ju said in confusion: "But cake is expensive. Why did Bai An give you cake?"

"Because tomorrow is my birthday." Da Zhuang scratched his head embarrassedly, "But my mother didn't let me tell anyone else, only Bai An."

Bai An added, "You haven't told me yet. It was my dad who told me that you wanted to celebrate your birthday."

"Didn't I forget?" Da Zhuang looked at Bai An and said excitedly, "But it doesn't matter. Bai An, didn't you say there was something delicious to eat?"

Cui Ju also turned her head to look at Bai An and swallowed, "Can I eat it this time?"

"Of course." Bai An thought for a moment, "But we need to find a secluded place."

"A hidden place?"

Da Zhuang pointed to the nearby forest and said, "There is a little thatched house over there that no one else wants. I saw it before when I was herding cattle."

"How do you know that they didn't want it?" Cui Ju followed Da Zhuang's gaze and said, "Maybe they just weren't there at the time."

Da Zhuang laughed foolishly and said, "I sneaked in to take a look. There were spider webs all over the place and the house was about to collapse. No one must want it anymore."

Bai An also looked over there. The trees in the forest were so dense that the thatched house could not be seen unless one looked carefully. It was indeed a good place.

"Why don't we go take a look?" Bai An held Cui Ju's hand and said to Da Zhuang, "You lead the way."

Before reaching the thatched hut, Bai An could feel how secluded it was. He didn't know whether Da Zhuang didn't know the way or there was no way at all.

Anyway, the road they are walking on now was the one they just created.

Bai An once again pulled aside the disturbing branches beside him, looked at Da Zhuang who was walking in the front, and the endless weeds in front of him, and asked in confusion: "How long will it take Da Zhuang?"

"We're almost there." Da Zhuang stepped on the weeds in front of him, broke off the branches that were blocking the way, and squinted his eyes. "We'll be there in a little while."

Cui Ju walked carefully at the end of them and couldn't help asking, "Da Zhuang, how did you find that thatched hut? It's too hidden."

"That was the day I fell asleep on the cow's back, and the cow carried me there."

Cui Ju wanted to ask Da Zhuang if there was any other way to go, but a strange stench came into her nose.

The smell was not strange but not familiar either, it was the smell of rotting animal.

Just when she was about to remind them to be careful, she saw Bai An in front of her turned his head and covered his nose, showing the same disgusted expression as her.

Bai An looked at Cui Ju's expression and asked, "Did you smell it too?"

Aster nodded, "Why don't we take another route? I don't want to see dead animals."

"Me too."

Bai An called out to Da Zhuang who was still walking.

Da Zhuang looked at them with a puzzled look on his face, covering his nose, "What's wrong?"

Bai An said hesitantly: "Do you smell a strange smell? Why don't we go somewhere else?"

"I smell it." Da Zhuang pointed to a place they had just passed by and said, "There's a dead rat there. Didn't you see it?"

The mouse, how come she didn't see it?

Bai An turned his head and looked at Cui Ju in shock, and asked with his eyes: Did you see it?

Aster shook her head.

I didn't see it either.

Da Zhuang looked at the two of them still talking in riddles and urged them: "Hurry up, we'll be there soon."