Chapter 30 Emotionally stable, and cute...
On Monday morning, Song Xinran went out to buy groceries as usual. She pulled her newly bought handcart, which had now completely turned into a grocery cart, to the market. She could simply put the groceries in it, and it was not only larger than a basket, but also several times easier to pull.
Upon seeing it, Huang Yun said, "Xinran, where did you buy this handcart? It looks really nice, easy and convenient. I'd like to buy one to transport things too."
Song Xinran said, "It's made in a stainless steel processing factory. Sister Yun, if you want to buy some, you can go and ask."
"Okay!" Huang Yun examined the handcart carefully and even touched it. "The quality is quite good, sturdy."
Song Xinran smiled, exchanged a few pleasantries with Huang Yun, bought meat as usual, put it in the cart, and then went to buy other vegetables.
She used to come to the market but never had time to look around properly. Carrying a heavy basket of things on her back, she would always plan ahead what to buy, go straight there when she arrived, buy what she wanted, and leave.
But having a stroller made things much easier, and I could take my time looking at the pictures.
The essential ingredient for oden is, of course, radish. Now is the season for local white radishes to ripen, and many stalls in the market sell radishes grown by farmers themselves.
Song Xinran carefully selected several radishes and finally bought a few pounds of radishes that looked uniform in size and felt heavy in her hand. These radishes were juicy, had a good texture, and tasted even better when cooked.
Vegetables like potato slices and lotus root slices are essential. Adding some meatballs will also please the children. There is only one supermarket in town that sells genuine frozen goods, and the price is relatively expensive. Song Xinran bought some fish balls and meat balls, and finally drove home with a car full of them.
Song Yu opened the door for her immediately. The little boy was wearing new clothes today. Strictly speaking, they weren't new anymore, but he cherished them and only wore them on important occasions, such as when going to the city or visiting relatives and friends, so they looked brand new.
His hair, which he cut a month ago, has grown a bit longer, with the ends of his bangs slightly covering his eyebrows. His hairstyle has reached its perfect stage. He has gained a little weight after a month of rest, and his skin has become much fairer, making him look very handsome.
Song Yu took it very seriously because today was the day his friends were coming over to play. It was the first time he had made good friends, and the first time his friends had ever visited him.
Even when Cai Yang's friends came to visit his hometown, they didn't receive this kind of treatment. This time, when his friends came to visit, his mother prepared a lot of food and was even going to make oden, which he had never eaten before.
Therefore, Song Yu didn't go to the market today. Instead, he swept the floor, wiped and washed the house, even cleaning the benches, making the house sparkling clean.
"Mom, are we going to make oden now?"
Song Xinran said that she took everything out of the cart, and Song Yu helped untie each bag and take out all the contents.
Song Xinran first blanched the chicken carcass to remove the blood and foam, then added ginger slices to the pot and started simmering, while on the other side she began to prepare other ingredients.
Once the soup is cooked, lifting the lid releases a rich aroma of chicken broth that is neither fishy nor greasy, but rather comforting and warming.
Song Xinran took a deep breath and felt her body warm up considerably. No wonder there's a saying that chicken soup is good for the body; the chicken bones cooked in this soup tasted incredibly fragrant.
The other ingredients were also prepared. The soaked kelp was cut into small pieces and put into the pot. Song Xinran turned the heat down to low to avoid cooking for too long and making the soup bitter.
Judging that it was about time, Song Xinran scooped up the kelp, pinched a handful of bonito flakes and sprinkled them into the boiling soup, and the umami flavor immediately rose up from the ground.
Song Yu sniffed. It was the first time he had smelled such a fragrance, which made him unable to stop swallowing. However, the next moment, Song Xinran put the lid on the pot, and all the aroma was gently suppressed, leaving only a few that had sneaked out and lingered in the kitchen.
The final filtered broth is a clear, light golden color, with a continuous flow of umami flavor that drifts out of the kitchen on the breeze and can be clearly smelled by the neighbors next door.
"What are they making next door today? It smells so good!" The old lady next door couldn't help but sniff. As people get older, their sense of smell and taste weakens, but they can always smell the aroma whenever their neighbors are cooking. It smells amazing.
At first, the old lady thought it was because she used too many seasonings. Then she tried to make it herself, with more oil, more chili, and more seasonings, but the aroma she made was not as good as the one coming from next door.
The old man, smelling the aroma, was puzzled: "It's not spicy or numbing, so why is it so tempting!"
You should know that their local cuisine is mainly spicy, and everyone prefers this flavor.
But the taste was just so fresh, an indescribable freshness. The old man, at his age, had never smelled anything like it before, and his heart was immediately captivated.
"Is a young woman with a child living next door now?" the old man said. "Why don't we buy some things and go over to check on them?"
The old woman spat, "At your age, you still come here to freeload? Have you no shame?!"
The old man sniffed and sighed, "But this smells so good! I've never smelled anything like this in my life."
The old lady thought to herself, "I've never smelled it before either. I really don't know where this little girl next door learned it. Every time the neighbors cook, they can smell it even in their rooms. The aroma is so strong, it seems to seep into every nook and cranny."
"Let's see if the little girl next door will sell it at her stall. If she does, we'll buy it then," the old lady said. Anyway, they're used to buying it and are already regular customers of Bobo Chicken.
The first time I bought it, the old lady was a little embarrassed. She lied and said that a relative had come to visit and the child insisted on eating it. Otherwise, she was so old and it was really embarrassing for her to buy from a roadside stall like a child.
However, once you do it once, you'll do it again and again, and the lies become even more fluent when you buy things later.
The old man thought for a moment and said, "Alright, but I don't know if the little girl will sell it."
"In my opinion, that young girl should open a restaurant so we can eat out more often," the old woman said.
"Who says otherwise?" The old man thought for a moment, then asked, "What are we having for lunch today?"
"Potatoes and pork belly stew".
The old man said, "Then let's hurry up and make it. It will definitely taste even better before the aroma from next door dissipates!"
The old lady didn't want to talk for a moment. Their monthly retirement pensions weren't low, so how could they have come to the point where they had to rely on the aroma of their neighbors' food to make their meals palatable? If word got out, their son and daughter would laugh at them.
*
Song Xinran did not set up her stall that day because kindergarten dismissed students at five o'clock, which happened to be within the stall's opening hours.
The door was wide open, and Song Yu stood at the entrance looking out with great anticipation. A little after five o'clock, four children ran over and exclaimed, "Song Yu, we're here!"
Yuanyuan ran in first, sat on the cool couch, and her eyes darted around: "Song Yu, your house is so clean, and the curtains are so pretty."
Suddenly noticing the painting hanging on the wall, Yuanyuan recognized it at a glance and immediately called her friends over to see: "This is a painting by Song Yu!"
Three children ran up to watch. The painting depicted Song Xinran selling Bo Bo Chicken. The children's brushstrokes were immature, but the colors were very bright, and the food looked especially vibrant, making it quite appetizing.
The focus is on Song Xinran. Song Yu drew her with long hair, big eyes, and red lips. Although she doesn't look like Song Xinran at all, you can see that Song Yu put a lot of beautiful feelings into it.
"Song Yu drew Auntie so beautifully," Zhang Xiaolang said, "It seems that children have similar tastes."
Zhang Xiaoda said enviously, "I also drew a lot of pictures in art class, and I asked my mom to hang them on the wall when I got home."
Zhang Xiaolang quickly covered his mouth, looking anxious: "No, your drawing is so ugly! Song Yu's is beautiful!"
Yuan Yuan had a smug look on her face: "Song Yu also drew a picture for me and gave it to me."
Song Xinran originally thought that Song Yu had given each child a painting, but she saw that Song Yu was a little nervous after hearing this.
Zhang Xiaoda's eyes widened: "Song Yu, you drew it for Yuanyuan, but I didn't!"
Zhang Xiaolang: "I don't have any either!"
Zhou Xue puffed out her cheeks: "Me too."
Song Yu quickly said, "I haven't finished drawing yet, everyone else has one."
"Then what did you draw for me?" Zhang Xiaoda asked curiously.
Song Yu fell silent because he hadn't gotten there yet. Song Yu was a very meticulous child and took drawing very seriously, so it took him some time. He wasn't the kind of child who could produce a painting in half an hour.
However, Zhang Xiaoda couldn't understand the silence and continued to make a wish: "Draw me when I'm playing with a water gun, because I'm the best at playing with water guns!"
He pulled out his index finger and thumb to pretend it was a gun, squinted one eye, and began to perform in place: "biu!biu!biu! Okay, you've been shot."
Song Yu looked a little troubled. He felt that this painting was a bit difficult to paint and didn't know if he could do it well.
Song Xinran came to the rescue of the little one in time and opened the lid of the oden pot: "Everyone, quickly wash your hands and eat."
This statement had a remarkable effect. As soon as the children smelled the aroma, they instantly forgot what they had been discussing. Their noses were filled with the fresh scent, and their minds were almost completely overwhelmed by the fragrance.
There are also kids like Zhang Xiaoda who forget to wash their hands, whose eyes are only on a big pot of oden on the table, and whose legs instinctively run to it, eager to start eating.
Fortunately, Zhang Xiaolang still had some sense and grabbed the hand of his older brother, who was born a few minutes before him: "Wash your hands! Wash your hands!"
Zhang Xiaoda realized what was happening, turned around and ran quickly into the kitchen, turned on the tap to wash his hands and turned off the water in one go, then quickly ran back to the table, picked up his chopsticks and was about to start eating.
Yuanyuan couldn't believe that someone could eat faster than her. She refused to admit defeat and quickly became the second child to sit at the table.
In contrast, Song Yu seemed much more relaxed. Long before they arrived, Song Xinran had fed him many pieces of oden, and his stomach was already half full.
Yuanyuan held her small bowl with one hand and stretched out her arm with chopsticks in the other. She accurately poked a piece of white radish with her chopsticks and quickly threw it into the bowl. The sweet aroma of the radish wafted into her nose, making her mouth water.
The temperature was just right, slightly hot. The radish was so soft and tender that it almost melted in your mouth. You didn't even need to chew it much before the sweet and fresh flavor filled your mouth. The soup flowed down your tongue, and it felt like all the essence of the whole pot was locked in this one piece of radish.
Yuan Yuan's eyes widened. What kind of dish is this? It looks delicious!
She reacted quickly, poking at another piece of radish and asking, "Auntie, what is this?"
Song Xinran said, "This is a white radish."
Yuanyuan looked at the small, translucent pieces of white radish in the bowl, now amber in color. How could this be white radish? The white radishes she had eaten didn't look like this, nor did they taste like this.
She lowered her head and quickly fed the piece in the bowl into her mouth. She chewed it carefully, but still couldn't taste any radish flavor she usually ate.
Could this be a white radish grown by the gods?
But Yuanyuan couldn't worry about that right now, because her friends were eating too fast!
A person only has one mouth. If you use it all for eating, you won't have time to talk. Clearly, all four children were like that at the moment, and they were making whimpering noises from time to time because the food was so delicious that they couldn't control themselves.
Zhang Xiaoda usually dislikes boiled eggs, but his mother loves to make them and forces him to eat them, saying that eggs are nutritious and that eating more will help him grow taller.
Zhang Xiaoda would rather be a dwarf for life than eat boiled eggs.
So when Zhang Xiaoda accidentally scooped out a boiled egg, he was reluctant, but he was too embarrassed to throw it away in someone else's house, so he could only pinch his nose, pick up the spoon, and quickly put it in his mouth.
However, when the tongue tastes the flavor, the mouth suddenly freezes, but this freeze only lasts for a second, and the next second the cheeks move very quickly.
This...this can't be a boiled egg!
The boiled egg had a strange, fishy taste and the yolk was hard and lumpy, but this egg didn't have any strange taste at all; it only had a rich, savory flavor, just like the soup.
The egg white is delicate and tender, its surface tinged with a warm honey color from the broth. With one bite, the soft-boiled egg is slightly moist, not at all difficult to swallow, and slides smoothly down your throat into your stomach.
Zhang Xiaoda thought he could eat three eggs like these in one go!
The fried tofu tasted even better. The golden cubes swayed and floated in the soup as Zhou Xue scooped them into his bowl. He took a bite, and the juice burst in his mouth instantly. The aroma of beans and the freshness of the soup blended perfectly. He didn't say anything, but then he frantically scooped up the fried tofu.
Unlike his friends who ate like hungry wolves, Song Yu ate a piece himself and then shared another with his mother. His cheeks were bulging and his eyes were squinting with happiness.
Song Xinran had prepared hot meals, but the children only ate the vegetables and didn't touch the rice. In the end, they couldn't eat anymore, and when they saw there was still some oden in the pot, they wanted to stuff it into their stomachs.
It feels like such delicious food would be a waste not to finish it.
Song Xinran saw through their thoughts at a glance and said, "If you're full, don't eat anymore. You'll make your stomach hurt and you won't be able to sleep comfortably at night. If you haven't had enough, Auntie will get you a takeout box to take home."
Children don't have as many thoughts as adults. They might feel embarrassed, but they're naturally even happier when they think about bringing delicious food home to eat. They all eagerly agree to do so.
Yuanyuan said, "Auntie, I want radishes, mushrooms, bok choy, meatballs, and eggs!"
"Eggs!" Zhang Xiaoda shouted, "I want eggs too!"
Unfortunately, there was only one egg left in the pot. Yuanyuan reluctantly gave it to Zhang Xiaoda, keeping two extra quail eggs for herself.
After packing up the food, the children, having eaten and drunk their fill, were taken by Song Yu to clean up the dishes.
Seeing this, Song Xinran quickly called for a stop, lest the child tell the parents how much work he had done when they got home, and they would think he had come to be a laborer.
Song Yu was puzzled: "But I do it the same way at home."
Her round little face flushed slightly. Remembering that she never did anything after eating at home, she quickly said loudly, "I also clean up the dishes at home!"
Zhou Xue quickly raised her hand: "I can also wash dishes!"
Zhang Xiaolang: "I can sweep the floor and wipe the table!"
Zhang Xiaoda was stunned. He looked around and realized there was nothing left for him to do. He racked his brains and thought, "I... I can cook!"
Zhang Xiaolang gave him a disdainful look.
Song Xinran almost burst out laughing. She knew that children would say anything when they were comparing themselves to each other, but she couldn't let them do these things. She said to Song Yu, "Xiao Yu, take your friends to play for a while. It's getting dark, and they need to go home before dark."
Around six o'clock, the sky was gradually tinged with darkness, and the four children carried their packed lunch boxes home.
As soon as Yuanyuan got home, she said, "Mom and Dad, I brought you something back!"
Mr. Xu was deeply moved when he heard this. His daughter was becoming more and more like a thoughtful little cotton-padded jacket. She thought of her parents when she came back from visiting her friends' houses and even brought back gifts.
Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a takeout box!
Mr. Xu froze.
Xu's mother had obviously seen it too, and her tone revealed a hint of disbelief: "Yuanyuan, this shouldn't be something you brought back from Song Yu's house, right?"
Yuan Yuan blinked her eyes and answered crisply, "Yes!"
Mr. and Mrs. Xu felt a wave of dizziness wash over them. How could they go to someone's house for a visit and then pack up their things when they came back? Anyone who didn't know the situation would definitely think they were stingy and that this was how they raised their child.
But honestly, they never said that. Yuanyuan used to visit other children's homes, bringing gifts when she went and leaving empty-handed. That's the right way to visit someone's home.
What's wrong with me today?
Yuanyuan felt a little embarrassed when her parents saw her. She finally remembered what her parents had said: "It's because it's so delicious. Auntie said they couldn't finish it and asked us to take it home. It wasn't just me who took it home, Zhang Xiaoda, Zhang Xiaolang, and Zhou Xue also took it home."
Upon hearing this, Mr. and Mrs. Xu felt much better, knowing that their daughter wasn't the only one who was being unreasonable.
Suddenly, Xu's mother smelled a sweet, fresh aroma that seemed to be wafting into her nose. She looked down and realized it was coming from her daughter.
I was immediately shocked. Was the smell too strong? Yuanyuan had been playing for an hour and a half, and now she was covered in the smell.
Xu's mother had just eaten, but at this moment she also felt a little hungry.
To prove that what she said was true, Yuanyuan quickly opened the lid of the lunchbox, and a rich and domineering aroma wafted out.
Xu's parents froze on the spot once again.
This time, the taste was completely different from the last time. I was simply overwhelmed by the aroma. Their family is well-off, so they have naturally eaten a lot of delicious food, but when I carefully searched my memory, I couldn't recall ever having tasted anything like this.
Yuanyuan was very generous, mainly because she was already full: "Mom and Dad, you can try some... Just leave a little bit for me to eat tomorrow."
Before she could finish speaking, her parents rushed into the kitchen, grabbed two pairs of chopsticks, and quickly ate several pieces of oden.
"Mmm! This flavor! Absolutely amazing!"
"The oden I've had before didn't taste like this! What's in it?!"
"No wonder Yuanyuan even brought some back..."
At this moment, Xu's mother finally understood her daughter.
Yuanyuan quickly called out, "Don't finish it all! Save two pieces for me to eat tomorrow!"
Fortunately, Mr. and Mrs. Xu's love for their daughter was genuine and reliable. In the end, they left two pieces—really two pieces: one radish and one mushroom.
Yuanyuan said, "Song Yu's mom's cooking is super, super delicious! The Bo Bo Chicken is delicious, and the Oden is delicious too. I even cleaned and swept the floor after we finished eating!"
Mr. Xu was shocked again: "Yuanyuan, when did you learn to sweep the floor?"
Yuanyuan swung her legs happily: "I learned it today. Song Yu taught me. It's very simple. I'll take over the land in the house from now on!"
She said it so easily.
Xu's mother was very pleased to hear this. Many children in first grade these days still can't sweep the floor. How come her daughter is so amazing!
How did Song Yu's mother raise her child so well and cook such delicious food?
Xu's mother said, "He must be an education expert."
Mr. Xu said, "A master chef."
Both of them had the same thought at that moment: what kind of person is Song Yu's mother? They really wanted to get to know her.
"Yuanyuan, we're not going home this weekend. Let's invite your friends over to play," said Xu's mother.
Yuanyuan was extremely excited: "Then Mom, will you make Bobo Chicken and Oden too?"
Aunt Xu: "..."
How could that be! Song Yu's mother has made these two dishes so delicious; with such excellent examples before her, she shouldn't embarrass herself.
"Mom will make you a cream cake."
Yuanyuan was a little disappointed, but then she remembered something and cheered up again: "Okay, Song Yu loves small cakes the most, so Mom will make a fruit and cream cake!"
“Okay.” Xu’s mother agreed, but she thought to herself, Yuanyuan has only known her new friend for two weeks, how does she know so much about what the friend likes to eat?
Mr. Xu said, "Then I'll make you barbecue, it's healthy and delicious."
"It will be too late by then, so we can take the kids home and see Song Yu's mom," said Xu's mom.
*
Song Yu quickly told Song Xinran that he was going to Yuanyuan's house to play.
Song Xinran asked, "What gift does Xiao Yu want to give Yuanyuan?"
Song Yu was a little conflicted. His four friends had come to his house to play and had given him small gifts, including food and toys, which he really liked. He also wanted to give someone a gift they liked in return.
Song Yu rummaged through his desk and drawers, finally settling on a box of pencils. It was a gift from Song Xinran when he went to the city. The box contained five pencils, which Song Yu liked very much, but he had kept them because he hadn't finished using the other pencils.
The gift should definitely be something he likes, but in addition, Song Yu also planned to make a packaging box. Accompanied by Song Xinran, he went to the stationery store and bought beautiful printed paper, carefully wrapping the pencil box.
I also drew a big-headed doll inside. Although it doesn't look very much like her, it's obviously Yuanyuan herself.
Only then was Song Yu's gift ready, having taken him a whole day.
Song Xinran didn't have any free time either. Besides setting up a stall to earn money, she would take time every day to walk around the entrance of Xingmiao Kindergarten, afraid that she might miss some news.
Instead of the job posting, I saw an award notice: Congratulations! Kang Zhilan, Principal of Xingmiao Kindergarten, has been awarded the title of Outstanding Educator of the City!
Below the text was the content of the previous issue of the education newspaper. When Song Xinran got closer, the principal's figure and head were particularly clear in the newspaper. Compared with the others in the newspaper, he was the youngest, but his gaze was firm and he looked very elegant and had a very approachable appearance.
*
Before they knew it, it was the weekend. Song Yu took the gift she had prepared, put on her new clothes, and went to Yuan Yuan's house alone.
Song Xinran was worried that he wouldn't be able to find his way, and wanted to take him there, but Song Yu said, "Yuanyuan told me where her home is, and she's waiting for us outside."
As a result, Song Xinran saw Yuanyuan's figure when she stood by the window. The little girl was wearing a red dress today, with white fur on the collar that made her look festive and cute. Her hair was tied into two braids. As soon as she saw Song Yu, she waved and said, "I'm here!"
Song Yu ran over to her, curious: "Weren't you at home?"
Yuanyuan said, "I'll come pick you up."
"What about Zhang Xiaoda and the others?"
Yuan Yuan blinked, clearly not having thought that far ahead.
Song Yu said, "Let's go pick them up together."
Yuanyuan nodded happily: "Okay!"
As Song Xinran watched the two children chatting and laughing all the way, the corners of her lips curved up. In just over a month since they came to town, Song Yu's personality had become much more cheerful.
Finally, the five children went to Yuanyuan's house together. Yuanyuan said, "My mom is not working today, she's making us a cake, and my dad is also off work, he's making kebabs."
Song Yu asked in surprise, "You can make cakes at home?"
Yuanyuan: "Of course! My mom made a fruit cake, and I'll give you a big slice!"
Zhang Xiaoda, a glutton, immediately said, "I want a big piece too!"
Yuanyuan nodded: "Okay, you're the second oldest."
Zhang Xiaoda protested: "I want the biggest cake."
Yuanyuan: "No, the first big cake has to be given to Song Yu."
Zhang Xiaoda immediately exclaimed, "Yuanyuan, aren't I your best friend? Now that Song Yu is here, you're best friends with Song Yu!"
Song Yu was a little unsure how to handle such situations and thought he should share some of his biggest cake with Zhang Xiaoda, even though he also loved cake.
But Yuanyuan said, "It wasn't like that before. Before, Xiaolang and Xiaoxue were the best, and you were the second best."
Children's words always hit home so hard. Although Zhang Xiaoda didn't understand the word "heartbreak" yet, he reacted quickly, grabbed Song Yu's arm, and said domineeringly, "Song Yu, I'm your best friend!"
Song Yu nodded: "You are."
Zhang Xiaoda immediately became smug.
Just as Yuanyuan pouted, Song Yu said, "Yuanyuan too."
"Xiao Lang and Xiao Xue too."
Zhang Xiaolang and Zhou Xue laughed happily upon hearing this, but Zhang Xiaolang asked, "Can there be many people in the first place?"
Song Yu nodded seriously: "Sure, you and Xiaoxue were Yuanyuan's best friends before."
"Okay..." The group of friends reluctantly accepted this explanation.
Zhang Xiaoda holds a grudge: "You are all my best friends. Besides Yuanyuan, Yuanyuan is my second best friend!"
Yuanyuan didn't care about this. She knew Zhang Xiaoda very well, and she knew he wouldn't say such things after he ate her food.
The five children chatted and laughed and played around until they arrived at Yuanyuan's house.
As soon as the door opened, a sweet aroma filled the air. Song Yu immediately recognized it as a cake. Xu's parents stood at the door, their smiles warm and welcoming: "Welcome, little one, to our home."
Song Yu was a little timid around adults, especially since Xu's father was very tall and both of them were unfamiliar adults, but he still bravely said, "Hello, Auntie and Uncle."
Xu's mother noticed him immediately, because Song Yu was the only unfamiliar child, and he was so cute, with fair skin, delicate features, and soft hair. He looked like a well-behaved child.
Aunt Xu smiled gently: "You must be Song Yu, Yuanyuan's good friend."
Yuan Yuan was a little shy. She pulled Song Yu's arm and walked into the living room, then grabbed a cake and shoved it into his hand: "Here, have some."
Song Yu held the cake in her hand and looked around. Yuan Yuan's house was very big, with a soft sofa, a beautiful glass lamp hanging from the ceiling, and a TV that was much bigger than her aunt's house.
He was a little reserved on his first visit to a friend's house, but the other three children were completely different. Zhang Xiaoda, holding a cake in one hand and a spoon in the other, ate heartily: "Okay, Yuanyuan, you're my best friend now too."
Yuanyuan chuckled twice; she didn't care at all!
"Song Yu, why aren't you eating cake?" Yuan Yuan asked. "Do you want me to feed you?"
Because she didn't eat when she was little, her father would feed her like this. Now that she's grown up, she doesn't need to be fed anymore, but Yuanyuan is now bursting with a desire to take care of others. At home, she also takes care of Barbie dolls, but unfortunately, Barbie dolls can't be fed.
Song Yu is almost like a Barbie doll; she's still a person, and you can feed her.
Song Yu was startled and quickly shook her head: "No, no need, I'll eat it myself."
He had no memory of being fed by anyone except Cai Yang.
He quickly scooped up a spoonful of cream and put it in his mouth. His eyes lit up. This cake was a hundred times better than the ones he had bought!
If only Mom were here too...
Yuanyuan turned on the TV and switched to cartoons. Song Yu was surprised to find that the picture was in color.
Zhang Xiaoda said, "I want to watch this! I love watching TV at Yuanyuan's house the most!"
The other two children were also very engrossed in watching, but Song Yu was a bit distracted. After finishing his cake, he kept glancing at the TV and then at the kitchen, where he noticed that Xu's father was chopping and washing vegetables at the same time.
After hesitating for a moment, Song Yu slid off the sofa and quietly walked to the kitchen door.
While Mrs. Xu was making fruit pudding, she turned her head and saw a small figure standing at the door, looking at them with a somewhat timid expression.
Xu's mother's heart softened: "What does Xiao Yu want to do?"
Song Yu looked at her and whispered, "I can wash vegetables. I can wash them very clean."
He always helps his mother like this at home, and it's become a habit, so even when he comes to Yuanyuan's house as a guest, he wants to help out.
Although his voice was soft, Xu Ma heard him clearly. She loved children because of her job, and her heart softened even more when she heard this. She walked to Song Yu's side and said softly, "Thank you, Xiao Yu, but let me and your uncle do these things. You go watch TV."
Song Yu gripped the door frame, a little conflicted, but decided to stand up for herself: "I washed it very clean."
Seeing him like this, how could Xu's mother bear to refuse? "Alright, then thank you, Xiao Yu."
Song Yu's eyes brightened a bit as she walked in, looking up at Xu's father. Xu's mother was gentle and spoke softly, but Xu's father was tall and seemed very serious and fierce when he smiled, so Song Yu didn't dare to talk to him.
Having overheard their conversation, Mr. Xu offered, "Then I'll leave this to Xiao Yu."
Song Yu's small hand trembled slightly, she pursed her lips, and made a small "hmm".
Yuan Yuan, who was watching TV in the living room, suddenly realized something was wrong. Where was Song Yu?
She turned her head and looked around, only to find Song Yu washing vegetables in the kitchen!
She rushed over and shouted, "I'll wash too! I can wash! I want to wash!"
Yuanyuan's shout startled the other children, who all turned around and, seeing what was happening, rushed over.
Children are very herd-oriented; otherwise, if one child cried in kindergarten, it wouldn't be long before everyone started crying together.
"I want to wash the vegetables too!"
Little hands reached into the pool, creating a lively scene.
Mr. Xu sighed, reluctant to spoil the children's fun, but he could already foresee the chaos that would ensue in the kitchen later. After all, what could four or five-year-olds possibly do?
However, Song Yu said, "That's not how you wash them. You have to break each leaf open and wash every crevice clean."
"Place your hands gently in the pool, otherwise the water will splash out."
"Wash the mushrooms carefully, and wash off the slippery stuff on the caps."
...
Looking at the children, they were surprisingly well-behaved, imitating Song Yu's actions and washing quite well, not the kind that caused trouble and required adults to redo it.
Watching Yuanyuan diligently washing the vegetables, her father, Mr. Xu, was deeply moved; his daughter had grown up.
There weren't many vegetables to wash, and the children quickly finished washing them together. Now that they had nothing to do, the children's minds were set free, especially since they were playing in the water.
Yuanyuan reached out and flicked her wrist, a drop of water landing smoothly on Song Yu's face, and Yuanyuan giggled.
When Xu's mother saw this, she immediately tried to stop her, but once the beginning was set, Zhang Xiaoda followed suit, and a drop of water landed on Song Yu's face. Zhang Xiaoda laughed heartily.
This was a game between children, but Xu's mother knew very well that it would soon turn into a big battle. The kitchen would be their battlefield, and they wouldn't stop until they had a good time.
But before she could react, she saw Song Yu wipe the water droplets off her face, and the child said in a childish voice, "Don't play with water in the kitchen, it will wet the floor and make it dirty."
Mrs. Xu was shocked to hear something that sounded like something a kindergarten teacher would say coming from a three- or four-year-old child.
Yuanyuan puffed out her cheeks and suddenly reached out her wet hand to unexpectedly poke Song Yu's cheek.
Song Yu, who has a good temper, remained calm and didn't get angry. She wiped the water droplets from her face and said in a calm voice, "Don't play in the kitchen."
Xu's mother: ...Such a stable emotion. Are there really children with such stable emotions?
She quickly stopped her: "Yuanyuan, Xiaoyu doesn't want to play games right now. You have to respect your friend's wishes."
Yuanyuan said, "Okay."
She tilted her head: "Do you want to come to my room to play in the water?"
Xu Ma's pupils dilated in shock. It would be better to be in the kitchen, at least there are no sheets or blankets there.
Song Yu patiently said, "I don't want to. Let's watch TV."
"Yay!" Zhang Xiaoda was the first to run away as fast as he could.
The children swarmed out, and the kitchen returned to silence. Xu's mother, still somewhat stunned, said, "Now I know why Yuanyuan and Song Yu get along so well..."
When Xu's mother was a child, her personality was similar to Yuanyuan's; she was a bit of a show-off. If there had been a child like Song Yu around her back then, she would definitely have wanted to play with Song Yu. He had a stable personality, was sensible and well-behaved, knew how to play games, and was also cute.
Mr. Xu picked up the vegetable basket, shook it, and laughed, "It's quite clean."
Xu's mother said, "Song Yu only has one mother in his family, it's really not easy for her to raise such a good child."
Lunch was plentiful, with a large plate of roasted meat cut into small pieces, along with pineapple and large red bell peppers;
There was a white, jelly-like substance topped with diced fruit; Xu's mother said it was called pudding.
There were also lotus roots stuffed with rice, placed in brown sugar water, which smelled sweet and fragrant...
Song Yu picked up a piece of lotus root. It was sweet, but not quite the same sweetness as white sugar. The lotus root was very soft, and the rice inside was different from the rice he usually ate.
"Auntie's lotus root is so delicious! It's the first time I've ever had sweet lotus root. Thank you, Auntie." His voice was soft and sweet.
Upon hearing this, Xu's mother smiled brightly: "Xiao Yu's mother's cooking is so delicious! Yuan Yuan even brought us oden on Monday. We should thank Xiao Yu and Xiao Yu's mother!"
Song Yu smiled shyly.
But as soon as he started speaking, the other children joined in.
"Wow, this is delicious! Auntie is amazing!"
"Yuanyuan's mom is a master chef!"
"I'm going to tell all the kids at kindergarten that the headmistress and teachers will be cooking lots and lots of delicious food!"
...
When Xu Ma was at the kindergarten, she always praised the children. This was the first time she had been praised like this by the children. Their little mouths were as sweet as honey, and the smile on her face never left.
She had always known that it was important to have a leader in a group of children, but today was the first time she truly experienced it firsthand.
Song Yu was still a little confused at this moment, and he didn't quite understand what the headmaster and the kindergarten were saying afterward.
"How old is Xiao Yu this year?" Xu's mother asked.
Song Yu herself was a little confused: "My aunt said I was four years old, but my mother said I was three years old."
But Xu's mother understood that people in rural areas nowadays like to use the traditional Chinese age system (虚岁), so Song Yu's real age should be over three years old.
That's good enough for kindergarten, but I don't know if Song Yu's mother would be willing to send her child to kindergarten. After all, the tuition is 300 yuan per semester, which is not a small amount for an ordinary rural family.
Yuanyuan said that Song Yu and her mother had only been in town for a short time...
After dinner, Yuanyuan took her friends to her toy room to open their gifts.
Song Yu was stunned when he first saw the toy room. There were so many toys: toy cars, trucks, excavators, Barbie dolls with different hairstyles, and a children's bicycle. The toys almost filled the entire room.
Yuanyuan had already opened her first gift, a cute ceramic puppy given to her by Zhou Xue.
Zhou Xue said, "My mother brought it back from her business trip."
Yuanyuan placed the ceramic puppy in the cabinet.
Zhang Xiaolang gave a book, while Zhang Xiaoda gave a bag of candy.
Finally, Yuanyuan opened the gift Song Yu had given her. Upon seeing the exquisite packaging, the children were all stunned. They immediately put the gifts in their bags and brought them over.
With bright, round eyes, she held up the beautifully packaged box and declared before even seeing what was inside, "I declare this to be my favorite gift!"
Zhang Xiaoda puffed out his cheeks in anger, but he didn't say anything. He felt that if he were Yuanyuan, he would also like Song Yu's gift more.
Song Yu was a little embarrassed: "My mom and I made it together."
Yuanyuan untied the ribbon tied into a bow, revealing a rectangular gift box inside, with a large portrait of Song Yu affixed to it.
Yuanyuan held the box to her cheek, overjoyed: "Is this a drawing of me?"
Song Yu nodded.
Yuanyuan carefully took the painting down, gently peeling off the wrapping paper along the adhesive marks, her heart seemingly beating faster.
Once the wrapping paper was removed, the gift was revealed: a box of pencils.
Yuanyuan happily held the gift, saying, "I love this present!"
Yuanyuan is very excited right now. She loves the feeling of unwrapping gifts, but unfortunately, only Song Yu's gifts can make her unwrap them layer by layer.
"Song Yu," Yuan Yuan said in a clear voice, "Come to my house again tomorrow. I'm only inviting you, and you have to bring me a gift too."
Zhou Xue was also unable to resist the temptation of unwrapping the gifts one by one: "Song Yu, come to my house the day after tomorrow too, and give me the same gift as Yuanyuan."
The Zhang brothers, Xiaoda and Xiaoda, were not to be outdone and started arguing back.
In the end, Song Yu could only promise them all, that he would give them all, and that he would give them all on their birthdays.
Xu's mother, who was in the living room, naturally heard these words and couldn't help but say, "Not only is she emotionally stable, but she also knows how to serve water. Our kindergarten needs such a good seedling."
"No, I need to take them back later and also visit Song Yu's mother."
*
Song Yu spent the whole day at his friend's house, and Song Xinran was still a little unaccustomed to it, as Song Yu used to always be by her side.
As it was getting dark and Song Yu still hadn't returned home, Song Xinran figured he was probably having too much fun playing with the other children, so she decided to go pick him up.
Just then, there was a knock on the door.
"Song Yu, is your mother home?" Yuan Yuan's voice came faintly from the doorway.
Now she doesn't need to pick it up.
Song Xinran opened the door and immediately saw a woman wearing a camel-colored sweater, with medium-length hair, a slight smile, and a warm and approachable aura about her.
Song Xinran paused, feeling that the face looked somewhat familiar, and couldn't help but take a few more glances.
Song Yu and Yuanyuan stood beside her.
Song Yu ran in, her voice cheerful: "Mom, Auntie and Yuanyuan took me home."
The woman smiled and said gently, "Hello, Song Yu's mother, I'm Yuanyuan's mother."
Song Xinran finally realized who it was, but then she suddenly froze.
Wait, isn't this the principal of Xingmiao Kindergarten that she saw in the newspaper?
It's Yuanyuan's mom?!
For a moment, Song Xinran doubted whether she had gotten the right number.
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