Chapter 18

Warmth on Earth

Li Xiaoran knew that her mother felt that she owed her, so she made up her mind to make delicious food for her.

Therefore, she smiled happily and said, “Sure! I remember that I’ve eaten this meat pie Grandma cooked before! I wonder if Mom’s meat pie is as delicious as Grandma’s!”

When Zhao Xiu saw her daughter trying her best to act happy, tears welled up in her eyes. Then, she held back her tears and replied with a smile, “You’ll know after you try it today! In the past, even if I wanted to make it for you, I didn’t have any ingredients. Since I have these ingredients today, I’ll make more for you!”

Li Xiaoran pretended not to see the tears in her mother’s eyes and said with a smile, “Then make more. Xiao Qing likes it too! You have to make enough today!”

“Alright, I’ll make enough today!” Zhao Xiu replied as she went to the cabinet.

There was a large piece of pork in the cabinet. Since she was going to make meatloaf, she naturally had to cut some meat out.

While she was cutting the meat, Zhao Xiu quickly wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes with her sleeve and smiled.

While Li Xiaoran and her family were busy, Luo Cheng followed Big Yellow out of the house and walked towards a forest in the east.

Big Yellow led Luo Cheng to a slope and barked at a patch of overgrown grass.

Luo Cheng and Big Yellow had a tacit understanding. Although he didn’t know what Big Yellow meant, he could roughly guess what it meant.

“You mean there’s something in this grass cage?” Luo Cheng asked after a moment.

Big Yellow barked twice in agreement.

Luo Cheng thought for a moment, then took out the soft sword he carried and began hacking at the lush weeds.

An hour later, when Luo Cheng found something that looked like an iron ring in the weeds, he reached out and pulled it. Then, he was stunned!

The fragrance of the meat loaf came from the kitchen. Li Shun and Li Xiaoqing, who had just tidied up the two rooms, were immediately attracted by the fragrance.

At this moment, the kitchen was bustling with activity.

When Zhao Xiu saw Li Shun and her daughter running over, she smiled at them.

“I made fresh meatloaf. Everyone can eat something delicious later!”

“I made chives boxes here. They taste very good too!” Li Xiaoran said with a smile as she placed the chives boxes that had just been made on the small stove.

Li Shun and Li Xiaoqing looked at the golden meat pie and then at the golden chives box that looked like a crescent moon. Their saliva immediately flowed out.

“Oh my god! This smell is too fragrant!” Li Xiaoqing thought of something. “I remember the last time I ate meatloaf was at Grandma’s!”

They were indeed sisters. When it came to meatloaf, they both mentioned what happened at their granny’s house.

Li Shun was also very ravenous, but when he heard his daughter’s words, his eyes dimmed.

Over the years, he had really been irresponsible as a father.

The only time her daughter could eat meat loaf was at her mother-in-law’s house.

“Then let’s try my cooking today!” Zhao Xiu said when she saw her man lowering his head.

“Okay! I’ll set the table!” Li Xiaoqing ran out happily.

Over the years, when they made a living from Grandma, they rarely even got to drink meat soup, let alone meat.

Most of the time, they ate mush. At most, the mush would be paired with vegetables that were cooked until they yellowed.

Every time she smelled the smell of meat coming from someone else’s house, Li Xiaoqing would drool all over the ground.

Thinking of the past, Li Xiaoqing threw away those bad memories and happily wiped the table clean.

At this moment, Luo Cheng walked back with a wooden box covered in weeds and soil.

“Brother-in-law, you’re back? My mother made meatloaf and my sister made chives. Hurry up and clean up. Come and eat!” Li Xiaoqing shouted happily when she saw Luo Cheng.

When Luo Cheng heard Li Xiaoqing’s words and saw her happy expression, a gentle expression appeared on his face.

“Okay, I’ll be right back after I wash up!”

With that, Luo Cheng dragged the wooden box to a room and placed it there. Then, he went to get water and wash his hands and face.

From the beginning to the end, Li Xiaoqing didn’t ask Luo Cheng what he had dragged back. Luo Cheng didn’t attempt to hide it from Li Xiaoqing either. He didn’t even lock the door to the box.

When Li Xiaoran heard the commotion outside, she remembered something and brought out a pot of hot water.

“Add some hot water to wash it! It’ll be easier to wash it!”

Luo Cheng glanced at Li Xiaoran and finally took the kettle.

He poured some hot water into the basin. As he wrung out a handkerchief and wiped his face, he said, “Have you tidied up your place?”

“No, I’m hungry. My mother and I made meatloaf and chives boxes. In addition, we also made a pot of vegetable soup. Let’s fill our stomachs first!” Li Xiaoran directly told him what they had done. “My father and Xiaoqing have tidied up their rooms. I’ll tidy up my place after I’m full!”

Hearing this, Luo Cheng nodded, then put the handkerchief in the basin and turned to stare at Li Xiaoran.

Just as he was about to say something, Zhao Xiu called out.

“Come and eat!”

After being interrupted by Zhao Xiu’s voice, Luo Cheng quickly twisted the handkerchief and put it away before following Li Xiaoran to have breakfast.

What a sumptuous breakfast today!

There was a huge stack of meatloaf and a huge plate of chive boxes.

In addition, Zhao Xiu also made a light vegetable soup with the vegetables that Li Xiaoran had picked.

When Luo Cheng walked in, he saw the table full of food and froze.

If he lived alone for too long, he would feel lonely even when he ate.

Most of the time, he’d rather sit alone in the yard with a bowl of food than at this table.

At that moment, the warmth from the table and the people around it made him feel a sense of liveliness.

Perhaps it was a good decision for him to let Li Xiaoran’s family accompany him.

...

At least, meals would be lively from now on. He wouldn’t be alone.

“Did I cook too much?” Zhao Xiu was stunned when she saw her son-in-law walk in. She immediately became nervous.

After all, these things belonged to her son-in-law’s family. She had used good white flour and cut a large piece of meat without asking. She wondered if her son-in-law would be angry.

Li Xiaoran saw how flustered her mother was and was about to say something when she heard Luo Cheng speak.

“No! Like I said, feel free to use whatever’s in the kitchen. Let me know if there’s not enough!”

With that, Luo Cheng walked over to the table and sat down.

Seeing that Li Xiaoran hadn’t come over, Luo Cheng looked up at him.

“Aren’t you hungry?”

When Li Xiaoran heard this, she laughed.

“I’m hungry. How can I not be hungry?! Although I ate boiled eggs and porridge yesterday, I feel like I can eat a pig now!”

...