Pei Zheng was furious and had to argue with Lu Nong about what "I'm curious about how you became so smart" meant?

He questioned Lu Nong, "Do you think I was stupid before?"

Lu Nong said, "If you want to think this way, I can't help it."

Pei Zheng almost choked. Why did these words sound so frustrating?

That's right, Lu Nong glanced at Pei Zheng's expression and thought that this sentence was one of the classic quotes of modern scumbags, a choking weapon in quarrels, and even a god would want to hit him after hearing it.

Seeing Pei Zheng's face turn from resentment to grievance, Lu Nong stopped teasing him and coaxed him with kind words: "Who said you are stupid? No matter how many homework I assign you, you can complete it at a high level. Who wouldn't praise you for being smart? This is just one aspect. I won't elaborate on the others."

Of course, these words did not conflict with the fact that he was a wronged person in Lu Nong's heart. Sometimes white lies are just selective words.

Pei Zheng listened to Lu Nong praising him, and his expression gradually improved. He even boasted: "Of course, I won't leave this time. Do you know why? I finished my studies ahead of time. How about that? Young Master, you are awesome, right?"

After saying that, Pei Zheng subconsciously looked behind him. He heaved a sigh of relief when he didn't see his biological father. He looked at Lu Nong proudly, waiting for her to compliment him.

“…”

Lu Nong looked at him with an indescribable look.

Pei Zheng felt embarrassed when he saw Lu Nong's expression. Wasn't he afraid of the snake once and would be afraid of it for ten years?

A person can fall into the same pit once, twice, or three times, but not four, five, or six times.

"Ahem," Pei Zheng coughed, "Just tell me if I'm awesome or not, okay?"

...In the end, he omitted the two words "young master".

Lu Nong said perfunctorily: "Very good, very good. I'm impressed by you after not seeing you for three days." He even remembered to observe the surroundings. It seemed that Pei Xiaozheng had indeed improved a lot during this trip.

"Are you sleepy? You must be tired after sitting in the car for a whole day. Come on, I'll take you upstairs to see your room." Lu Nong went upstairs first without waiting for Pei Zheng to refuse.

"Hey, I haven't finished yet..."

Unfortunately, Lu Nong had already walked far away, so Pei Zheng had to let go of his hand in disappointment, picked up the luggage on the ground and followed Lu Nong.

When they got to the second floor, Lu Nong stood at the door of Pei Zheng's room and said, "Go in by yourself. Aunt Wu knows you'll be here in the next two days, so she's prepared the quilt and slippers for you. The bathroom is in the yard downstairs, so you can find it by yourself. I won't bother you anymore. Good night."

After saying that, he left without looking back, decisively and without any unnecessary concern.

“…”

Pei Zheng: As expected of you, stepmother Lu Nong, you are so heartless and unfeeling.

He pushed open the door and was surprised and amazed the next second.

The design and decoration of this room was too good. It was a bedroom divided into two halves in the middle, with identical beds, tables, chairs, bookcases, and wardrobes on both sides. All the furniture was beautiful and elegant, a style that Pei Zheng had never seen before.

One can imagine how much effort and ingenuity the person who decorated it put into it.

Pei Zheng was somewhat moved. Mother Wu said that this room was specially prepared by Lu Nong for him and Xiao Huai, proving that Lu Nong had included him in the family from the very beginning.

Well, forgive her for now.

Pei Zheng touched things here and there like he was opening a blind box. After playing around in his room, he couldn't help but sigh again: She is worthy of being Miss Lu Nong. When it comes to aesthetics and taste in life, I can always trust her.

Pei Zheng was very self-sufficient and always held himself to military standards. In a short while he packed his luggage, hung his clothes in the closet, placed the books he brought neatly on the bookshelf, and then folded the quilt that Wu's mother had spread on the bed into a tofu block.

...It was time to go to bed, and it was unnecessary to fold the quilt. But Pei Zheng didn't know whether he felt relieved because he was finally with his family, or excited because the room was so nice. In short, many emotions came together, making his behavior a little abnormal.

After folding the quilt, Pei Zheng thought about Gu Xiaohuai again.

He changed into his pajamas and went downstairs to wash and take a shower.

After taking a shower, Pei Zheng returned to the house and passed by Mother Wu's room. He tiptoed and pushed open Mother Wu's door. There was no oil lamp on in the room and it was pitch black.

Relying on the incredible night vision ability inherited from his father, Pei Zheng quietly walked in, picked up the bed and slipped out.

The little white dog heard the sound coming out of the doghouse. It smelled the familiar scent of Pei Zheng, came forward and nudged Pei Zheng's legs, making a whimpering sound. Pei Zheng made a "huh" gesture with his hand.

Gu Xiaohuai also woke up and rubbed his eyes with his hands. Just as he was about to speak, Pei Zheng covered his mouth and said, "Shh, sneak away and don't make any noise."

Gu Xiaohuai quickly covered his mouth and nodded vigorously. Pei Zheng was satisfied. His brother was really smart.

A big one, a small one, and a dog, just like thieves, they left the house...

Mother Wu: “…” I am old, not deaf or blind.

Sometimes Mother Wu really wanted to shake the water in Pei Zheng's head, and at the same time tune him up, and tell him: Pei Zheng, wake up, isn't it good to be a normal person?

If this continues, Xiao Huai will sooner or later be led astray by Pei Zheng.

Alas, my poor Xiao Huai, he has a mother who doesn't worry about anything, and a brother who is never on top of things. What's more, both of them have the arrogance and self-confidence of smart people.

In the past, with the aunt restraining them, these two didn't go too crazy and didn't do too many outrageous things. Now that the aunt is not here, what use is an old woman like her?

Auntie, when will you come back?

This might be the time when Mother Wu missed Pei Jinan the most.

Outside the door, Pei Zheng sneaked into the kitchen with Xiao Huai and Xiao Bai, and whispered to Xiao Huai, "Second brother, did Aunt Wu make delicious cakes?"

Gu Xiaohuai blinked and pointed his little hand at the top of the cabinet next to the window sill.

In fact, the reason why Mother Wu put the cakes on top was not to prevent Xiao Huai, but to prevent Lu Nong. Since Lu Nong gave birth to Xiao Xia, there were very few things she could eat. Later, Xiao Xia became allergic for some unknown reason, so Lu Nong had to avoid even more things.

In daily life, apart from eating cabbage, pork, rice, fruits... nothing else can be eaten, let alone coffee and snacks.

Coffee has disappeared from the Pei family. As for snacks, Mother Wu makes them for Gu Xiaohuai.

Gu Xiaohuai was smart. He only saw Mother Wu take cakes from the counter once and he remembered it.

Pei Zheng smiled wickedly, with a lewd expression on his handsome face, but because he was too handsome, it didn't look lewd, but cute instead: "What a clever little ghost, hehe."

He stretched out his hand and groped around on the counter. When he withdrew his hand, a basket appeared in his hand, which exuded the sweet aroma of cakes.

Pei Zheng took a deep breath of the aroma and put the basket under Xiao Huai's nose again, "Second brother, let me give you a smell."

Xiao Huai opened his mouth and sighed like a little adult. For the first time, he thought, my brother is so childish, why didn’t he realize it before?

He uncovered the cloth on the basket, took out a piece of cake from it and stuffed it into Pei Zheng's mouth. He then took out another piece and broke it in two, gave one piece to Xiaobai and ate the other piece himself.

Perfect.

Pei Zheng: “…”

It's as if I saw a certain shadow of mine in my younger brother. No way, no way, no way?

It’s an illusion, it must be an illusion, the second child is only four years old.

Pei Zheng comforted himself, then took Gu Xiaohuai to the wine cabinet (the layout of the house was similar to that in Beijing), opened the cabinet, and took out a bottle of good wine given by his father's comrade-in-arms.

He turned around and told Gu Xiaohuai: "Second brother, hold the basket and let's go back to the house."

Gu Xiaohuai followed behind Pei Zheng and nodded obediently.

Returning to the room, Pei Zheng lit the oil lamp, put the snacks, wine, and wine glasses on the bed, and carried Xiao Huai to the bed. Then he collapsed and breathed a sigh of relief, "This familiar (intrusion) feeling is really good."

After that, Pei Zheng said to Gu Xiaohuai with a serious face: "Second brother, you are already four years old this year, you are a man, we are now having a conversation between men, let me ask you, when I was away, have you been bullied by the third brother?"

"Bullying?" Zizi ate a mouthful of snack with a "wow" and asked Pei Zheng puzzledly. He didn't really understand. Is this how men talk to each other?

But my brother is right, he is four years old and he is a man!

Thinking of this, Gu Xiaohuai puffed out his chest.

Pei Zheng saw that Gu Xiaohuai was eating without any courtesy, and there were not many pieces left in the basket. He twitched the corner of his mouth, picked up a piece of snack as if nothing had happened, and said, "Just pissing on you, crying, and insisting on being hugged."

Gu Xiaohuai shook his head, "No, good boy Xia."

Pei Zheng curled his lips. Little Daji was quite powerful. It seemed that even the second son was bewitched by her when he was away.

"Brother, do you want to drink?" Gu Xiaohuai pointed at the bottle of wine Pei Zheng brought up and said, "Dad won't let you drink."

“…”

That is to say, sometimes my brother's good memory is not always a good thing.

Pei Zheng fooled his brother while opening the bottle and pouring himself a glass. He took a sip and said, "Dad doesn't let me drink when he's at home, but he's not at home now. Didn't he say I can't drink during this time when he's not at home?"

This logic is very shameless and a trick to fool children.

However, Gu Xiaohuai is Gu Xiaohuai after all. He frowned and said, "Brother lied to me. Dad will not force you to drink, no matter what time it is!"

“Ahem.”

Pei Zheng almost choked. He knew that his second child was smart, but he didn't expect him to be this smart. Could an ordinary four-year-old child easily point out the logical loopholes of adults?

It's a ghost.

No, this kid won’t go and complain tomorrow, right?

There's nothing wrong with complaining to Lu Nong, but if Lu Nong complains to the old man again, he will definitely be in trouble.

Liars didn't work, so Pei Zheng started to bribe and play the emotional card. He hugged Xiao Huai and said, "Second brother, I'll just drink one glass, and I promise not to drink more. This time I brought you a toy. As long as you promise not to tell anyone about my drinking, I'll give you the toy. How about that?"

“I won’t say.” Gu Xiaohuai covered his mouth and shook his head. Gu Xiaohuai had no intention of reporting Pei Zheng. In Gu Xiaohuai’s heart, at this time, he still respected his brother and regarded him as a hero.

"Hey, this is my good brother. Come, I'll show you the toys."

Pei Zheng got out of bed, took out a bunch of gifts for his family from his bag, and piled them on the bed.

The fog gradually rose, and Lu Nong was in a desolate place with no one around. She called out cautiously, "Is anyone there?"

"Strong..."

There was a voice, not too far away, sighing and calling Lu Nong's name softly.

Lu Nong was inexplicably stunned. This voice seemed to penetrate into her heart. She felt that the voice was so familiar. She tried her best to recall who the owner of the voice was, but she couldn't remember it no matter what.

She continued walking forward.

After walking for a while, a figure appeared in front of her. Lu Nong stopped. It was not that she didn't want to move forward, but that she couldn't move. It was as if she was restricted to the spot by something.

That figure... was as familiar as the voice she heard.

Lu Nong asked, "Who are you?"

The figure didn't speak, there was only a vague silhouette, but you could tell it was tall and straight, and it was the shadow of a man.

Lu Nong felt that she should be afraid, but for some reason, she couldn't be afraid, as if she was sure that the shadow man would not harm her.

"Who are you to me?" Lu Nong asked again.

The shadow still didn't speak.

Lu Nong was anxious. She struggled hard to get rid of the invisible restraints and wanted to get closer to the shadow...

"!"

Lu Nong suddenly sat up from the bed.

It's a dream.

But this dream was too real. Lu Nong frowned and tried hard to think about the shadow in the dream, but it was too vague and she couldn't remember it.

The only feeling engraved in her heart was that this person was very important to her, and she anxiously wanted to get closer to him but couldn't no matter what.

Pei Ji'an...did something happen to her?

A thought suddenly popped into Lu Nong's mind.

Then she was startled by herself. No, it was just a dream.

Lu Nong got out of bed and went out to wash up.

As soon as he went out, he saw his godmother standing at the door of Pei Zheng's room, walking back and forth. Lu Nong was curious, "Godmother? What are you doing?"

"Ouch," Mother Wu was startled by Lu Nong's sudden voice, "Xiao Huai was taken to the second floor by Xiao Zheng last night. When I was cleaning the house, I saw that there was a bottle of wine missing from the wine cabinet..."

The words were not yet finished, but the meaning was clear, Pei Zheng took Xiao Huai to drink together.

Lu Nong: “…” Well done, Pei Xiaozheng.

Lu Nong walked over to Wu's mother and knocked on Pei Zheng's door. There was no sound from inside. Wu's mother said, "I knocked, but no one answered."

Lu Nong's eyelids twitched wildly and he pushed the door open.

“…”

There was a mess of things on the bed and the floor in the room, including wine bottles, wine glasses, toys, coffee beans, and cake baskets... Pei Xiaozheng and Gu Xiaohuai were struggling to survive, and the two brothers were hugging each other and sleeping soundly, with a little white dog sleeping at the end of their beds.

If you ignore Pei Zheng's red cheeks and the empty wine bottle on the ground, it would be a harmonious picture.

Lu Nong: “…”