Chapter 76

The two girls entered the room, and Zhou Shiyuan pouted at the handsome young man outside the door, saying, "Alright, I'm home now. You go back, no coming in!"

The young man was a bit afraid of her and timidly said goodbye before heading home.

Zhou Shiyuan kicked off her shoes and rushed to the sofa, turning on the TV. Donggua carefully arranged her shoes and placed a glass of water on the coffee table.

"Donggua sister, where's Uncle? Why didn't he come back with you?" The little girl chuckled, feeling a bit embarrassed as she took a sip of water and asked.

Donggua tilted her head, thought for a moment, and then put on a teary-eyed look, sadly saying, "Yanyan, let me be honest with you. Your Uncle is very fickle. He changed his heart as soon as he got to Bingcheng. This time, I came to find him secretly without telling him. I didn't expect him to be so heartless. He kicked me out early in the morning and went to school by himself."

As she spoke, she wiped her eyes. She felt a chill inside, thinking, "Donggua, Donggua, who would have thought that a proud woman like you would one day pretend to be pitiful to gain sympathy." She sighed deeply.

The little girl slapped the coffee table angrily, "That's outrageous! A faithless man! Sister is so beautiful, and he's still not satisfied. When he comes back, I'll pinch his arm until it's bruised!"

She was still fuming and gulped down another mouthful of water.

Donggua realized she had overplayed her role and quickly tried to backtrack, "Actually, it's not entirely his fault. Sister can be a bit troublesome sometimes, and he's always so busy."

The little girl slapped the table again, saying resentfully, "Sister, don't defend him. He's just a heartless man. Yesterday, he got drunk with another woman. We'll deal with him together, and I'll make sure he marries you!"

Donggua's head was sweating. Marry her? Had she really played her role too well? She didn't realize she had such a talent. She quickly explained, "Sister still wants to make things right and doesn't want to make things worse. So, I plan to cook dinner to show my effort. Yanyan, you can help me."

The little girl remembered the delicious udon from last night and immediately agreed to go out and buy groceries.

There was a small, elegant market to the left of the entrance to the residential complex, accessible only from inside. It was specifically for the residents, with fresh produce and imported fruits and vegetables. The luxurious complex was well-equipped.

The two girls quickly finished their shopping and returned home with two large bags. The little girl was eager to help, and Donggua thought, "As long as you don't make things worse." To encourage her enthusiasm, she assigned her the task of peeling scallions and garlic.

Donggua, who seemed detached from the world, was actually very efficient in the kitchen, organizing and coordinating everything well.

She started by washing the rice and cooking it, then planned each step so that the entire process was seamless. Soon, dishes like sweet and sour ribs, garlic bean sprouts, lettuce and cucumber with dipping sauce, boiled meat slices, and braised fish with tofu soup were all ready, and the rice was fragrant.

The little girl was still peeling garlic, her eyes watering, and she looked at Donggua in amazement, "Donggua sister, are you a magician? You turned a pile of ingredients into a table full of delicious dishes so quickly."

She swallowed, almost drooling.

Donggua, who loved cooking, enjoyed the magical transformation process. Seeing the little girl's cute expression, she couldn't help but pinch her nose, "It's all thanks to Yanyan's help that I could cook so fast."

The little girl stuck out her tongue, feeling a bit embarrassed.

Donggua's mother was from Sichuan, and her father was from Jianghai, so she could cook both Sichuan and Jianghai styles. When she first came to Northeast China, she quickly adapted and started making dipping sauce dishes, becoming a skilled home cook.

At the dining table, the little girl couldn't help but praise, "Donggua sister, you're the kind of woman who can handle both the kitchen and the living room. Why are you hanging on to a faithless man? There must be many people pursuing you."

Donggua smiled but didn't say anything.

The two girls got along well, feeling a close connection despite their short acquaintance. Donggua had always wanted a mischievous and cute little sister, and she doted on Yanyan.

Children can sense genuine kindness, and Zhou Shiyuan naturally liked this all-around beautiful sister.

Liu Meng smelled the aroma of the dishes as soon as he reached the stairs. He thought he might be mistaken, but when he opened the door, he was surprised to see Donggua there, and the table was full of dishes.

Zhou Shiyuan glanced at Uncle and pouted, "Why are you so late? We've been waiting for you. My stomach is growling."

The little girl, though mischievous, was polite. When Donggua suggested waiting for Uncle to come back for dinner, she immediately agreed.

Liu Meng was holding two takeout boxes and felt a bit embarrassed to bring them out.

"Let's eat together," Donggua said with a smile.

Liu Meng wanted to resist, wanting to eat his takeout with dignity, but the aroma was irresistible. After a brief struggle, he surrendered and sat down to eat.

He knew the saying "if you eat someone's food, you owe them," but he couldn't resist! Donggua's cooking was indeed delicious, not greasy, and well-balanced, not overly stimulating to the taste buds.

The two food lovers enjoyed the meal, while Donggua ate less, watching them with joy. This was one of the pleasures of cooking, and she felt a great sense of accomplishment.

They finished everything, even the last sip of tofu soup, and their bellies were round and full.

Liu Meng and Zhou Shiyuan looked at each other and chuckled.

"Uncle, go wash the dishes!" The little girl quickly jumped onto the sofa and gave orders.

Liu Meng, understanding the situation, hurried to wash the dishes. Donggua also helped, tidying up the kitchen. Liu Meng praised, "Your cooking is really delicious. I won't eat for free; I'll pay you."

Donggua giggled, "Oh, that's expensive. I don't cook for just anyone!"

"How much?" Liu Meng was nervous, hoping Donggua wouldn't overcharge. He didn't want to owe her anything.

"Just kidding. It's just a meal. I'm happy you enjoyed it. Don't overthink it!" Donggua smiled brightly, her face radiant, almost blinding Liu Meng.

Liu Meng shook his head, calmed down, and said softly, "I really can't sign with you, sorry!" He felt a bit regretful. He had been wavering, but recently, he learned from two loyal fans, Emperor Zhengde and Prince Wanku, that the big shot from Huandao Book Alliance, A Chao, was planning to switch to Dianmiao and not renew his contract with Huandao Book Alliance.

This added to Liu Meng's burden. He couldn't sign with Dianmiao in good conscience, despite their sincere offer.

Donggua felt a bit disappointed. This "Fat Three" was really heartless. Despite her efforts, she still failed. She tried to hide her disappointment, "It's fine. You have your principles, and I have mine. I did what I could, and I don't regret it. I've thought about it, and if it doesn't work out, I'll go back to Jianghai tomorrow."

After saying this, Donggua felt a sense of relief. She hadn't been herself these past two days.

Her tone was a bit sad, and Liu Meng sighed. Men's loyalty and women's tears were always difficult to handle.

At ten o'clock, Liu Meng, acting as a responsible uncle, told the little girl to go to bed. They both weren't sleepy and sat on the sofa. Donggua made a pot of tea, poured a cup for Liu Meng, and one for herself, raising her cup, "Fat Three, I'm leaving tomorrow. Let's have a cup of tea instead of wine."

Liu Meng also raised his cup, took a sip, and felt a bit guilty. He had been avoiding her, causing her to chase him around and wait outside the dorm for so long.

"Putting aside my role as the editor of Dianmiao, I'm also a web novel author. Your 'Return to Ming' is significant for the development of web novels. It will break the dominance of Western fantasy, and more diverse genres will emerge, leading to a true flourishing of web literature." Donggua looked at Liu Meng with admiration.

Liu Meng felt a bit ashamed. Writing was just a hobby for him, and his real goal was to make money. His expertise wasn't in this, so he just smiled without answering.

Perhaps because of the past two days, Donggua opened up, sharing some amusing stories from her childhood. She laughed heartily, "You know, by high school, I couldn't understand math, physics, or chemistry at all. My father forced me to study science, and I dropped out in a fit of anger, never even going to college."

"Ah, Fat Three, I've been talking too much. Tell me about you. I'm so curious. How can you write 'Return to Ming' in your first year of college and still love math? How do you do it?" Donggua was very curious. Despite his young age, Liu Meng had a calm and slightly melancholic demeanor, with a hint of coldness in his eyes.

Although he hid it well, Donggua was confident in her ability to read people.

Liu Meng took a sip of tea and said calmly, "It's a long story. I don't really like talking about myself. Some things can only be understood through experience."

Donggua's eyes showed disappointment. She forced a smile, looking a bit tired, and stretched, "Let's go to bed!" She then realized her mistake, "I mean, you go to the guest room, and I'll sleep on the sofa tonight!"

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