CH 60

It really was a bit cold. When Xu Zhao was riding the bike, he felt that his fingers were a bit stiff. After brushing against Cui Dingchen, he quickly shoved his hands inside his pockets to cover them. His smile was warm as he said, “They got cold from the wind.”

Cui Dingchen looked him up and down then asked, “Why aren’t you wearing more?”

“I’m wearing a lot.”

“What are you wearing?”

“I’m wearing both a shirt and sweater.”

Xu Zhao pulled at his collar.

Cui Dingchen saw the sweater inside his shirt. Xu Zhao really was wearing a lot, so he finally said satisfactorily, “Come in.”

Xu Zhao called for Xu Fan to enter the hallway. There were two small rooms on either side of the hallway. One room was the kitchen, and the other seemed to be empty.

Walking through the hallway into the clean and large courtyard. It was the cleanest courtyard Xu Zhao had seen since coming to this world. The dirt ground was level and there wasn’t even a single leaf on the group. There was only a single black compact car parked there, which was Xu Zhao’s vehicle.

Xu Fan saw the “big car” and immediately ran up to it happily, his small face full of joy. “Daddy! The big car! Look! Big car! It didn’t run away!”

“Mn, you can play with it.”

“I-I’ll look at it.”

“Okay.”

Xu Fan surrounded the big car to look at it.

Xu Zhao followed Cui Dingchen to the bicycle. He reached out to unzip the bag behind the bicycle and said with a smile, “Youngest uncle, I brought you some vegetables from the greenhouse.”

“Which kind?” Cui Dingchen asked.

“Bean sprouts, spinach, Chinese cabbage, string beans, and cucumbers.”

“String bean?” Cui Dingchen asked in bewilderment. “The string beans have matured?”

When the vegetables ripened in the greenhouse, Xu Zhao would always taste them first to confirm their flavor. The shelf that had just borne tender string beans tasted fresh and sweet, and that was why he especially brought some over for Cui Dingchen.

“They’re still very tender, but they can be eaten. They taste really good,” Xu Zhao said with a slight smile.

“Alright, I just bought some meat and eggs. We can eat them together. Oh right, I bought a lot. You and Xu Fan should have a meal here later.”

“Okay!” Xu Zhao directly answered.

Cui Dingchen couldn’t help but look at Xu Zhao, his gaze turning softer. He then invited Xu Zhao and Xu Fan to enter the main hall. He poured two cups of warm water for the father and son, handed two biscuits, two toys, and two bags of melon seeds to Xu Fan so that he could play on the side by himself.

Cui Dingchen and Xu Zhao started talking about greenhouse vegetables. They talked all the way until noon when Cui Dingchen entered the kitchen to pick the vegetables.

Although Xu Zhao was a guest, he didn’t consider himself a guest and took the initiative to go up to help Cui Dingchen cook. Cui Dingchen very naturally accepted the offer. He stood in front of the faucet and asked, “Did you already send vegetables to the steel factory?”

Xu Zhao stood in front of the counter, slowly breaking off the tender green leaves one by one, and replied, “Not yet. I’ll wait a bit longer.”

“Wait? For what?” After Cui Dingchen washed his hands, he stood beside Xu Zhao, grabbing some small Chinese cabbage to pick off the leaves as he asked.

“Since the seasonal vegetables haven’t completely gone off market yet, the steel factory’s canteen isn’t lacking for my vegetables. Besides, they prefer the popular and more rare immature green soy beans, string beans, hot peppers and other things. They need a bit more time before they mature. I’ll put them all in the market when the time comes and it would be the opportune moment to dominate the market.”

“Mn, not bad,” Cui Dingchen nodded his head in approval.

Xu Zhao smiled and self-mockingly said, “I’m just worried that they won’t want my vegetables when the time comes.”

“They definitely will,” Cui Dingchen’s tone was firm.

“I hope so,” Xu Zhao continued with a slight smile.

The two continued exchanging sentences as they picked the vegetables, washed the meat, and after everything was chopped, the stiff and courteous atmosphere between the two people slowly loosened. Xu Zhao thought about the matter of borrowing money, so he needed to act well. And so, he took the initiative to stand in front of the gas burner, picking up the spatula to stir fry cucumbers with eggs.

The green, yellow, and white matched very well and looked very good. But he didn’t know if it would taste good. Xu Zhao used his chopsticks to pick up a piece of egg and handed it to Cui Dingchen.

“Youngest uncle, have a taste,” Xu Zhao said.

Cui Dingchen was slightly stunned. The calm in his eyes flashed a trace of excitement as he accepted the piece of egg from Xu Zhao’s chopsticks.

Xu Zhao looked expectantly at Cui Dingchen and asked, “How does it taste?”

“Not bad. I’ll stir fry it,” Cui Dingchen said.

Since it wasn’t bad, why would he personally stir fry it then? Xu Zhao looked at Cui Dingchen doubtfully.

“I think I can stir fry it better than you,” Cui Dingchen said.

Xu Zhao: “…”

And so, Xu Zhao voluntarily stepped back.

Cui Dingchen tied the apron and took the spatula as he leisurely stood in front of the gas burner and very skillfully stir fried the bean sprout vermicelli, string means with meat, potatoes with eggs, as well a Chinese cabbage tofu soup. The whole process went very smoothly.

He really was very handsome and looked good while doing anything. A successful man was showing off his culinary skills. It was really pleasing to the eye.

Once everything was ready, the four dishes and one soup were served to the small dining table in the main hall.

“Wow.” Xu Fan stood in front of the small table, his eyes shining, and his saliva already flowing.

“Xu Fan,” Xu Zhao was strict as he called out.

Xu Zhao looked at Xu Fan, who immediately put away the hungry face and sat quietly next to Xu Zhao to wait for the adults to pick up their chopsticks first. He looked very obedient.

Cui Dingchen glanced at Xu Fan, then couldn’t help but look at Xu Zhao again.

Xu Zhao’s was unnatural as he said, “Youngest uncle, I’m sorry. Xu Fan is used to being wild at home so he doesn’t really understand manners.”

Cui Dingchen’s gaze softened as he said, “No, he’s very cute and has good manners.”

Cute?

Very cute?

Cui Dingchen actually knew what “cute” was, which was really unbelievable. Especially with Cui Dingchen using the words “cute” to describe Xu Fan. Cui Dingchen never liked children, and his previous expressions showed that he didn’t really like Xu Fan either.

If Mother and Father Xu weren’t busy with the greenhouse today, Xu Zhao wouldn’t have brought Xu Fan to Cui Dingchen’s place in case he annoyed Cui Dingchen. He never thought that Cui Dingchen would actually call Xu Fan cute.

What a surprise!

“Youngest uncle, are you serious?” Xu Zhao couldn’t help but ask.

Cui Dingchen nodded. “He’s cute like you.”

Xu Zhao finally couldn’t suppress his laughter. He had lived two lifetimes, and people had called him warm, courteous, or even healing, but no one had ever used the words “cute” to describe him. Did Cui Dingchen really not use the wrong word?

Cui Dingchen didn’t understand why Xu Zhao suddenly started laughing and raised an eyebrow at Xu Zhao.

Xu Zhao quickly explained, “Youngest uncle, you misunderstood. I’m not going for the cute type.”

“So which type are you going for?”

Xu Zhao really didn’t know which type he was going for. He was relatively gentle, so gentle that he didn’t really have any outstanding personality, so of course he didn’t have any particular style either. He could only smile and said, “I don’t know either. In any case, I have nothing to do with the word ‘cute.’”

“But I think you’re very cute.”

“…”

Xu Zhao was speechless.

At this moment, Xu Fan’s small meaty hand pulled Xu Zhao’s clothes as he whispered, “Daddy, I eat meat.”

He almost forgot about Sanwa!

Xu Zhao quickly picked some suitable lean meat into Xu Fan’s bowl, then picked another piece for Cui Dingchen’s bowl before lowering his head to focus on eating. He completely didn’t notice Cui Dingchen slightly raising the corner of his lips.

However, Xu Zhao knew that Cui Dingchen didn’t have a habit of talking while eating, so he didn’t speak much at the dining table. He would occasionally help Xu Fan pick some dishes, and from time to time, help Cui Dingchen pick some dishes as well.

He couldn’t help but praise a sentence. The dishes Cui Dingchen made really were too delicious. Xu Zhao and Xu Fan ate two bowls of rice, one had a big bowl and the other a small bowl. After they finished eating, Xu Fan was attracted to the TV in Cui Dingchen’s house. He sat in front of the TV, his eyes staring intently at it.

Xu Zhao put on the apron and washed the dishes in the kitchen.

After Cui Dingchen cleared up the table, he entered the kitchen and watched Xu Zhao work. Standing in front of the counter, he stopped and said, “Tell me, what did you need?”

Hearing this, Xu Zhao was slightly startled as he looked at Cui Dingchen.

Cui Dingchen’s eyes were long and narrow. They were very good looking, and at the same time, were extremely deep and sharp as if they could see something other people couldn’t. Xu Zhao knew that he was  amazing, but he was curious how he knew and asked, “How did you know that I came to find you for something?”

“You wouldn’t have stayed for a meal otherwise,” Cui Dingchen stood in front of the counter and gazed at Xu Zhao.

That simple! Xu Zhao was a courteous person. If he didn’t need anything, he wouldn’t trouble others. Even toward family members, he usually liked to do everything himself. He wouldn’t act like Xu Zuocheng and Xu Youcheng, always taking advantage of others or mooching a meal off of others. His character was actually discovered by Cui Dingchen.

Xu Zhao smiled and said, “Youngest uncle, you really are amazing.”

Cui Dingchen naturally accepted Xu Zhao’s praise and said, “I know. Back to the main topic, did you encounter some difficulties?”

Xu Zhao thought for a moment before saying, “Mn… Well I guess it can’t be considered something difficult.”

“Then what is it?”

Xu Zhao raised his gaze to Cui Dingchen and said, “It’s just… I want to install a phone at home to make life and doing business more convenient.”

“You don’t have enough money?” Cui Dingchen asked.

“Hmm.” Xu Zhao nodded with a bit of embarrassment. It wasn’t that he didn’t have enough, he basically didn’t have any money.

“How much do you need?” Cui Dingchen simply asked.

“3,000.”

“Okay, I’ll give it to you,” Cui Dingchen instantly replied.

How refreshing. As Xu Zhao let out a sigh of relief, he also felt a burden in his heart and quickly said, “Once I sell this season’s vegetables, I’ll immediately return the money to you.”

“Mn, there’s no hurry. I don’t need the 3,000 right now anyway. We can discuss it again when you have extra money.”

“In any case, I’ll definitely return it. I’ll give you an IOU in a bit,” Xu Zhao said.

IOU—

Xu Zhao had always been fair and just. Cui Dingchen calmly smiled and said, “Alright. You need to provide your own wire to install phones nowadays. I have some leftover wires from when I installed my phone. You can take it back to use and save some money.”

“Youngest uncle, you don’t need it?” Xu Zhao asked in shock.

“I don’t.”

“Thank you, Youngest uncle.”

“Mn, finish washing the dishes then we’ll go get the wires. Also, you don’t really need 3,000 to install a phone nowadays. Around 2,000 Yuan will do. Don’t get tricked by others.” Probably since Xu Zhao had come to look for him when he encountered an issue, Cui Dingchen’s heart felt strange joy. When he said this sentence, he looked very relaxed as he played with the lighter in his hand.

“Thank you, Youngest uncle,” Xu Zhao said again.

“Thanking me again.” Cui Dingchen’s tone was very relaxed. “You keep thanking me.”

Hearing this, Xu Zhao turned to Cui Dingchen and smiled. He instantly resembled the blooming flowers in march. It was unreasonably beautiful and caused Cui Dingchen to foolishly stare at him. He completely forgot everything around him until he was burned by the lighter in his hand and cried out in pain. The lighter fell and made a thump sound when it landed on the ground.

“Youngest uncle, what’s wrong?” Xu Zhao asked in shock.

Cui Dingchen quickly picked it up and said, “It’s nothing. Nothing.”