The two sat for a while longer. Li Chu was about to go and cook dinner when Ding Qiunan stopped him, saying, "I'll cook today. You can just sit there and rest."
"It doesn't matter who cooks, you can organize the fabrics you bought."
"No, no, I can clean up the cloth tonight, but I have to cook the meal," Ding Qiunan said firmly, shaking her head.
Li Chu found it a bit strange: "Why do I have to make you cook?"
Ding Qiunan lowered her head somewhat embarrassedly: "It's just... my mom scolded me today."
Li Chu felt a huge question mark appear above his head: "Why is Mom scolding you?"
"Oh dear, today when we were walking together, I told her how delicious her cooking was, and she scolded me, saying I was a lazy wife who didn't cook at home and made the man cook. What kind of wife is that?"
Li Chu found it somewhat amusing, pulled Xiao Ding into his arms, and ruffled her hair: "It's alright, honey, we don't do that in our family. Whoever has time cooks. Just don't tell Mom next time you go back."
"But..." The girl wanted to say something, but Li Chu interrupted her with a kiss on her lips.
Li Chu pressed her down onto the sofa: "Alright, no buts. You tidy up these fabrics, and I'll cook. Let's divide the work."
After saying that, he walked towards the kitchen.
Ding Qiunan looked towards the kitchen and smiled foolishly.
After Li Chu entered the kitchen, he thought about what the girl had just said and couldn't help but feel a little emotional: What a wonderful era!
He shook his head, thought for a long time, and decided to make three dishes: stir-fried cabbage, hot and sour shredded potatoes, and scrambled eggs.
There are still some steamed buns left from yesterday; I just need to heat them up. I'll also cook two bowls of porridge, and that'll be enough for dinner.
They quickly lit the stove and got busy.
In the living room, Miss Ding was cutting and trimming the fabric she had bought for the sofa with scissors and a ruler, occasionally making a mark on it with a pen.
"Qiu Nan, come and bring the food."
A shout brought the girl's attention back.
"Coming, coming." Ding Qiunan hurriedly put down what she was holding and rushed to the kitchen.
Li Chu was scooping the last dish onto a plate when Ding Qiunan leaned in, stood on tiptoe, and planted a kiss on his cheek: "Li Chu, you're so sweet!"
Li Chu glanced at her disdainfully: "Look at you, you silly thing. Hurry up and bring the food."
After finishing her meal and cleaning up, Ding Qiunan sat down on the sofa and started making sofa cushions.
Li Chu then prepared to go for a stroll.
It was already dark, and there were no streetlights in the alley. Occasionally, a dim light shone from the houses next door, illuminating the small patch of road about the size of a window.
Li Chu didn't pay any attention and slowly strolled out of the alley.
There weren't many pedestrians on the street, and those who were were hurrying along. The movie theater not far from their alley was brightly lit.
In those days, there weren't many forms of entertainment. People had to work during the day, and the biggest pastime after dinner was probably going to the movies. Tickets cost one cent each, and most of the people who went were young people.
Since arriving in this world, Li Chu has only been to a movie theater once, to see an old film called "The White-Haired Girl." The movie was indeed good, but the problem was, Li Chu sat there listening to the person next to him mutter about it the entire time.
Li Chu couldn't help but laugh when he thought about it later. The person sitting next to him must have watched the movie countless times. He remembered every line in the movie and kept talking about it. Wouldn't you be annoyed if you sat next to someone like that while watching a movie?
Since then, Li Chu has never been to a movie theater again.
As he was walking, he heard a faint humming sound coming from the flower bed by the roadside. Li Chu stood there and listened carefully. It wasn't a human sound; it must have been the sound of a dog or a cat.
The flower bed was surrounded by holly bushes, which blocked the view of what was inside. Li Chu looked around to make sure no one was watching, then took out a flashlight from his spatial storage, turned it on, and peered inside from under the holly bushes.
There was indeed a small dog inside, lying there shivering. It must have sensed that someone was watching it from outside, and it tried to lift its head to stand up, but it was probably too weak from hunger and failed.
Li Chu circled the flower bed platform, found a relatively large gap, and went inside. He walked to the puppy, which was only the size of a palm, skin and bones, with black fur mixed with a little yellow, and looked dirty.
He hesitated, unsure whether he should intervene, but if he just left, the little dog would definitely not see the sun rise tomorrow.
After thinking for a moment, he took a handkerchief out of his pocket, placed it in his hand, and picked up the puppy. The puppy whimpered again and stuck out its little tongue to lick the handkerchief.
Li Chu walked out of the flower bed platform and didn't continue turning around. He simply carried the puppy in one hand and walked back.
Upon entering the house, Ding Qiunan was still cutting fabric. Hearing the noise, she didn't even look up before saying, "Why are you back so soon?"
"Qiu Nan, look what this is!"
Ding Qiunan then looked up and saw the dog in Li Chu's hand. She put down what she was holding and walked over: "Poor little dog, where did you catch it?"
"I found it in the flower bed by the roadside. It looks like it's going to die, so I brought it back to see if I could save it. We still have a bowl of porridge left, right? Pour out the thin part and see if it can drink it. Use the cracked bowl under the cupboard."
After hearing this, Ding Qiunan walked into the kitchen. Li Chu carried the puppy to the stove. The honeycomb briquette stove in the living room was already lit. The girl came out with a small bowl and placed it on the ground next to the stove. Li Chu put the puppy next to the bowl and rested its head on the rim of the bowl.
The puppy smelled the aroma, opened its eyes, and started licking it with its tongue. Li Chu and Ding Qiunan squatted down beside it and watched.
The puppy stopped drinking after a short while and climbed back down.
Ding Qiunan looked up at Li Chu and asked, "Why isn't it drinking anymore?"
Li Chu shook his head: "I don't know either. It's probably not just hungry, but also cold. Let it rest for a while. I don't know if it can survive."
After thinking for a moment, he turned and went upstairs. When he came down, he had an old piece of clothing in his hand. He spread it out next to the stove, put the puppy on it, and placed the bowl next to the clothing. He clapped his hands and stood up: "Alright, that's all we can do. Whether it survives or not depends on itself."
Ding Qiunan squatted there for a while before standing up: "Li Chu, do you think it's possible that the mother dog deliberately left the puppies there while she went to find food, and then you brought them back? When the mother dog goes back, won't she be worried if she can't find the puppies?"
Li Chu was speechless: "According to you, I'm the one who stole the dog. This dog looks like it's been starving for a long time, how could it possibly have a mother dog?"
Ding Qiunan also thought her idea was quite peculiar, chuckled sheepishly, and went back to cutting the fabric.
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