Just then, Wang Man came out of the house after changing her clothes.
Seeing Hu Yuan squatting in front of Tuantuan, the color on his face changed again.
He quickly walked over to Tuantuan, picked her up, and said, "Tuantuan, let's hurry, or we'll be late again."
The two then turned and left the house.
At this moment, Hu Yuan remained in the same state as when he was talking to Tuan Tuan, and fell silent for a long while.
He then slowly straightened up, a strange smile playing on his lips, and began to shake his head and mutter to himself.
"Dad? Hehe, I've never been called Dad by a child before... This sweet, childish voice is so lovely!"
Although Hu Yuan was successful and wealthy in his previous life, the emotional pain he suffered prevented him from getting married or having children, so he never experienced the feeling of being a father.
When Tuantuan called him "Dad," his fatherly love overflowed, and he was extremely excited.
After Wang Man and Tuan Tuan left, Hu Yuan's mind was filled with all sorts of thoughts, making it impossible for him to calm down.
Unable to calm down, Hu Yuan finally couldn't stay idle and started tidying up his house.
First, he wiped down all the tables, chairs, and benches. His hands were busy, but his mind was constantly thinking about these things.
I inexplicably traveled from thirty years in the future to the 1990s. This really happened; it wasn't a dream!
But no matter how much I think about it, I can't understand it, because no one can explain this miraculous encounter.
"Since we're here, we might as well make the best of it! Things have come to this, so we can only focus on living well. Let's figure everything out first, and deal with the rest later..."
The next afternoon, Wang Man brought Tuantuan home from get off work.
She was supposed to be on the day shift, but because of what happened yesterday, she was worried and took Tuantuan to the factory overnight.
When Wang Man opened the door, she was completely stunned.
Holding the sleeping Tuantuan in her arms, Wang Man stared blankly, her mouth agape, because the room was so perfectly tidy.
"You're back?" Hu Yuan asked with a smile as he stood up when he saw Wang Man standing at the door.
"Did you do this?" Wang Man asked Hu Yuan in surprise, her eyes full of suspicion.
"Yes, I didn't have much to do at home, so I tidied up a bit."
As Hu Yuan spoke, he glanced at Tuantuan in Wang Man's arms: "Is Tuantuan asleep?"
"Hmm..." Wang Man responded softly, then turned around to carry Tuantuan back into the house.
"Let me take it, you must be tired after a long day," Hu Yuan said solicitously, reaching out to take Tuantuan from Wang Man's arms.
When Hu Yuan reached out his hand, Wang Man immediately stepped aside and replied in a low voice, "No need, I can do it myself."
Seeing Wang Man's coldness, Hu Yuan smiled awkwardly and then withdrew his hand.
However, his gaze then fell on Wang Man's arm, where a tattered cloth bag was hanging.
The bag contained some vegetables and rice. Hu Yuan, who was so hungry that he was dizzy, seemed to see pork in the shop, which surprised him greatly.
Seeing that Hu Yuan had noticed the bag on her arm, Wang Man inexplicably explained, "I really didn't have any money on me. I borrowed a dollar from Sister Zhang at the factory to buy this..."
Wang Man was afraid that Hu Yuan needed to pester her, so she quickly said, "Wait a moment, I'll put Tuantuan down and start cooking right away."
Hu Yuan smiled slightly, shook his head, and reached out to take the bag off her arm. "You watch the child, I'll cook."
Before Wang Man could react, Hu Yuan grabbed the bag and plunged into the kitchen.
Seeing Hu Yuan's actions, Wang Man, who was holding Tuantuan, was completely stunned.
"Am I dreaming? Is this really the Hu Yuan I know...? Is he up to something again?"
Looking at the house that Hu Yuan had cleaned and the figure that was already busy in the kitchen, Wang Man felt a little dazed.
With dazed eyes, Wang Man placed the sleeping Tuantuan on the bed in the room and sat blankly on the edge of the bed.
Touching Tuantuan's sallow little face, which held a hint of a smile, Wang Man murmured to herself, "Is this all true? Has he really gotten better? Is this God taking pity on me and wanting to give me some sweetness because I've suffered so much?"
For Wang Man, she never craved great wealth and status; her greatest wish was to live a peaceful and harmonious life with her family.
In the past, Hu Yuan would either beat or scold her and Tuantuan, and every day the two of them lived in chaos and misery. A peaceful and tranquil life was something she never dared to dream of. But now, everything was different, as if the life she had longed for had finally arrived.
"If this is a dream, I really hope I can wake up from it soon. Even if I can only live like this for a few days... no! Even just a few more hours would be good..." Wang Man thought to herself as she listened to the sounds coming from the kitchen.
"But...can he cook? He won't just ruin all my food, will he...?"
Unlike Wang Man, who was lost in thought, Hu Yuan in the kitchen was extremely excited.
If he were to compare it to anything else, even achieving a small goal like earning a hundred million wouldn't have excited him as much as he is now. Looking at the pitifully small amount of meat on the cutting board, Hu Yuan's emotions remained unsettled for a long time.
Hunger had made his eyes glaze over, and he wished he could swallow the few ounces of meat whole right now.
"Tsk tsk, prices are really cheap these days. You can buy so much stuff for just one yuan. Thirty years from now, I bet many people won't even bother to bend down and pick up a yuan if it falls on the ground," Hu Yuan said, shaking his head with a sigh.
Indeed, in the early 1990s, various ration coupons had not yet been abolished, and the supply of all kinds of daily necessities was limited. Due to state control, the prices of various goods were not inflated due to limited supply, and prices were naturally very cheap.
A penny could buy a pencil, a few pieces of milk candy, and cabbage cost only a few cents, while pork was only a few dimes per pound. If it weren't for Hu Yuan's extravagant spending, Wang Man's hard-earned monthly income would have been enough to support her family of three.
Unfortunately, Hu Yuan at that time had absolutely no intention of repenting.
Hu Yuan didn't think too much about it and skillfully got busy in the kitchen.
Heat oil in a wok, add sliced meat that sizzles as it's added, and Hu Yuan skillfully stir-fries it, the aroma of the meat wafting far and wide.
Although he can't compare to the country's top chefs, Hu Yuan loved cooking in his previous life and had studied with a Michelin three-star chef for a period of time, so even simple dishes can be given a different kind of energy in his hands.
Especially in this era of scarcity, people are extremely sensitive to the aroma of meat, and ordinary meat dishes are already incredibly precious. What's more, Hu Yuan has some skill; his control over the heat is impeccable, bringing out the aroma of the meat to its fullest.
Wang Man, who was inside the room, was the first to smell the fragrance.
If she had any doubts before, the aroma of the meat had now dispelled all her doubts.
"He...can he really cook?"
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