Chapter 252

Xu Ran quickly ran back to their yard with the iron basin in his hand. He also picked up three children on the road. Baozi  was so happy to see the brazier, and he kept saying that he was freezing.

Yan Lan and Yan Hao found it strange. They have never even been to the kitchen before, so they did not know what the brazier was.

So the three children followed behind Xu Ranand entered the room.

The door was always open. Xu Ran put down the brazier and asked Liu Tong and Shao Yu over to warm their hands and feet.

Xiao Qingyun also came over because of curiosity.

Xiao Qingyun pointed at the brazier and asked, “Xu Ran, won’t this go out? How long will it last? ”

Xu Ran said, “This one is not added. It won’t last long.If only there were coal, I wouldn’t have to ask them to get the fire-stone.”

Xiao Qingyun said, “There is a lot of coal, but it’s too smoky, so I don’t use it.”

Hearing Xiao Qingyun’s words, Xu Ran also stopped the idea of using coal.

On the other side, Baozi was very seriously explaining to Yan Lan and Yan Hao what the brazier was, how to use it, and how can the fire in the brazier last. What he said seemed quite reasonable.

However, after he said that, he couldn’t wait and started to look at the gloves that Liu Tong and the others had made.

He put his small hands into the gloves and told them that his hands were missing.

Yan Lan did not buy his words and directly pulled the gloves down. “Isn’t it coming out now?” He looked very proud.

This was the first time that Xu Ran has heard Yan Lan’s words so close, and his voice was very nice but loud. Thinking about his own Baozi, Xu Ran felt that he was also not bad, so he felt satisfied.

Seeing that his trick was unraveled  so quickly, Baozi felt bored and he stopped playing with it. He handed it to Xu Ran and said, “Dad, what is this? It’s so warm, can you make one for me?”

Xu Ran took the gloves and explained seriously to Baozi, “Baozi, this is the gloves. It is used to warm your hands. However, this was not made by Dad, but by Daddy. If you want it, you can make a pair for yourself. It’s very simple, let your Daddy teach you, okay?”

Baozi was thinking about this problem seriously . He was indeed a lazy person and he usually wouldn’t do things which were too complicated .

Usually, when he was seriously thinking about it， there might be a chance that he would do it. Xu Ran continued to tempt him , “Baozi, what Daddy made was too big for you. If you want it, you can make a small pair for yourself only.  What do you say? ”

“Really?” Baozi asked.

Xu Ran nodded and asid, “Of course.”

Baozi touched his chin and with his tiny hands and said, “Okay then! I will make a pair of gloves for myself, but Dad, if it’s too difficult, would you please ask Daddy to help me to do it?”

Xu Ran reached out his hand and gave him a high-five. “A word spoken is past recalling.”

Baozi touch his hand and said, “A word spoken is past recalling.”

They had reached an agreement so happily. Yan Lan has been watching them talking and his eyes were full of envy. When Xu Ran looked over, Yan Lan had already turned his head, with a piece of cloth in his hand, and no one knew what he was thinking about.

Xu Ran looked at Yan Lan and knew that he must be thinking of the way he got along with King Yan.

Xu Ran dragged Baozi to him and whispered to him. After Baozi heard Xu Ran’s words, he went to Yan Lan and said loudly, “Brother Lan, are you going to do it with me? Make yourself a pair, and then make a pair for Brother Hao. If I finish it first, I will help you!”

Xu Ran has been looking at them all the time, and the others also looked at Yan Lan when they heard Baozi’s words. So many eyes were focused on Yan Lan, but he was not being shy. The smile on his face was evident to everyone.

Yan Lan’s behavior was much better than that of baozi, and he was only 10 years old now. Who knew what he’ would be like in a few more years.

However, those who were from King Yan’s residence couldn’t be too shabby. This must be taught by Xiao Qingyun intentionally.

Xu Ran looked at Baozi and wondered if he would let Xiao Qingyun to be his teacher. Baozi had always been impetuous and restless like a kid.

Then he thought of Baozi’s verbal engagement with Qingshu. He is definitely T when compared to Qingshu. And it would be inappropriate If he was too subtle.

Xu Ran felt a little uncomfortable and worried about it.

He was the only one who was worried. Baozi had long gone to learn how to make gloves with Liu Tong, and Yan Lan was also standing next to his Daddy,  learning seriously, the only one who was as bored as him was Yan Hao.

Xu Ran asked Yan Hao over and said to Liu Tong, “Tongtong, I would go to see Tangtang and Guoguo. I don’t know what they are doing. I’ll come back soon.”

Liu Tong nodded and said. “Okay! But you have to come back early to go to the kitchen later. You promised Baozi to cook fish hotpot for him tonight.”

Xu Ran was already standing outside the door when he heard Liu Tong’s voice, and he replied to him, “I got it.” Then he left with Yan Hao in his arms.

Yan Hao had never been in contact with Xu Ran like this. He was a little awkward and had no expression on his face and said nothing.

Xu Ran said, “Hao, can I call you so? Don’t be so serious like your Dad. At this young age, you should smile more and be a smiling tiger.”

Yan Hao was curious about the smiling tiger and asked: “What is a smiling face tiger?”

Xu Ran explained to him, “A smiling Tiger is a person who smiles at any time, and he smiles the most happily when he is really angry or when he is playing tricks on other people.”

Yan Hao said that he still didn’t understand. Xu Ran said, “It doesn’t matter if you don’t know now. When you grow up in the future, you will understand.”

The moment Xu Ran finished his words, he felt that his hair was forcefully pulled. He called out aloud. Xu Ran looked at Yan Hao and saw him smiling at himself.

Xu Ran rubbed his head and said, “You’re so smart, but this is just not enough. There’s still a lot to learn. Go and ask your Dad. should know better than I do.”

Yan Hao nodded to Xu Ran and said. “I got it, thank you.”

Xu Ran didn’t respond. He was just a child and he really needed the love of the adults.

Xu Ran actually didn’t know where Tangtang and Guoguo were. It is not easy for him to find someone since it was not his house. And the two children have not looked for him yet. Xu Ran felt that it was really troublesome, and he urgently needed to buy a house and move out.

Xu Ran held Yan Hao and went to Tangtang and Guoguo’s room but they were not here, then he asked Yan Hao where his Dad usually practiced martial arts. Yan Hao showed him the way, but they still couldn’t find Tangtang and Guoguo. Xu Ran thought for a while and asked: “Hao, do you have a library or something here?”

Yan Hao said, “Yes, my father has a lot of books in another place besides his study.”

Xu Ran touched his face and said, “Then, can you show me the way?”

Yan Hao nodded and pointed the direction to Xu Ran.

This library was too far from here. Xu Ran got so tired when they finally got there because he was holding Yan Hao all the way.

Once he arrived at the library, Xu Ran put Yan Hao down, and then he saw a flash of contempt in Yan Hao’s eyes. It happened too fast, and Xu Ran even thought it was just an illusion. In order to comfort himself, he took it as an illusion. As for the truth, who would know.

Xu Ran didn’t expect that Tangtang and Guoguo were really here. They were reading a book in the house seriously. He didn’t even know how they found this place.

After seeing Xu Ran and Yan Hao, Tangtang and Guoguo immediately stood up and greeted them.

Xu Ran walked to Guoguo and flipped through the book he had been reading. However, he found that Guoguo was reading a book on the art of war.

Xu Ran returned it to him and asked, “Do you like fighting so much?”

Guoguo nodded and shook his head, saying, “Dad, you said that good men should make meritorious achievements. I’m not good at studying, so I can’t get success and fame like my brother. Even if I pass the exam, I am not fit to be a government official. But I like to learn martial arts. All I can do is to join the army. Now that I am young and still have time, it will be good for me to read more books on the war.”

Xu Ran was surprised by Guoguo words. He didn’t know what was written on it. He had not read Master Sun’s Art of War much in his previous life, but fortunately, he still remembered what the Thirty-Six Stratagems was.

Xu Ran found a seat and sat down. He told Guoguo to bring him a pen and paper.

Although Guoguo didn’t know what Xu Ran was going to do, he still went to find a pen and paper to give them to him. Since this was  in the library, things like paper and pen were easy to find.

After Guoguo helped him polish the ink, Xu Ran started to write on the paper. What he wanted to write was the Thirty-Six Stratagems. He privately thought that the Thirty-Six Stratagems was actually better than Master Sun’s Art of War .

There was only one reason, and it was because it was easy to remember, but there were so many things to remember in  Master Sun’s Art of War, and no one could remember so much unless he did  it on purpose.”

As for the reason why Xu Ran could remember theThirty-Six Stratagems, it was because his nephew used to force him to watch cartoons with him. Only now did he realize that cartoons could be beneficial.

Xu Ran wrote two copies, one for Guoguo and another for Tangtang. There was only the name of the Thirty-Six Stratagems on it and there was no detailed note on how to use it.

Xu Ran said, “I won’t say much to you now. You should first memorize these words. Call me when you practice tomorrow morning and I’ll go with you. I’ll explain to you when you do it.”

They nodded obediently and went back to the yard to recite it.

Yan Hao had been watching them. When Xu Ran finished talking with Tangtang and Guoguo, he walked over and looked up at Xu Ran, he asked. “Can I have a look, too?”

Xu Ran looked at the child’s serious expression and nodded. “Then I’ll write a copy for you, but I won’t explain it to you. You have to understand it yourself. You’re too young to rush for quick success, do you understand?”

Perhaps it was because Yan Hao didn’t know what rushing for quick success meant, or maybe it is some other reason. Yan Hao silently looked at Xu Ran for a while before nodding.

Xu Ran always felt that it was very difficult to guess what a child was thinking, and only his son Baozi would show his emotions on his face.

After Xu Ran wrote it for Yan Hao, he left the library alone and went to the kitchen. After all, he promised Baozi to make him fish hot pot at night.

Qin Hao wanted to continue studying in the library, and Xu Ran did not stop him. It was not easy for one to understand things that he hadn’t been through.