Si Nian returned home and casually placed her things on the desk.
As soon as she entered the room, there was a knock at the door. "Miss! I've delivered the stove Director Zhou ordered for you!"
Hearing the stove had arrived, Si Nian's eyes immediately lit up.
She hurried out to open the door.
Two men unloaded the stove from their cart.
The stove was square-shaped with a chimney pipe on top.
This was Si Nian's idea, suggested to Zhou Yueshen. This way, they could not only cook on it but also use it as a table.
The coal for the house had already been delivered but hadn't been used yet.
They had finally waited for the stove to arrive.
The two workers carried it inside for her and thoughtfully installed it.
Thanks to prior planning, there was a spot ready for it indoors. The chimney pipe could be fitted through the window, providing an outlet for the smoke so it wouldn't choke anyone.
Once the stove was installed, Si Nian brought some embers from the kitchen hearth, tossed in a few sticks of firewood, and flames immediately leaped up, making the whole room feel warm and cozy.
"Xiao Dong, Xiao Han, go break up some coal lumps and bring them in," Si Nian said to the two curious children behind her.
It was the first time the children had used coal, and they were filled with a sense of novelty.
Mom had said that with the coal burning, the house wouldn't be cold anymore.
They could even watch TV in the living room in the evenings.
And they could eat gathered around the stove.
Just thinking about it felt blissful.
The two children quickly took a small shovel and a dustpan outside to the pile of coal, as high as a hill, next to the kennel where the dog, Dahuang, slept.
One broke the coal while the other gathered the pieces, and soon they had filled a large dustpan.
They hurriedly carried it inside.
Si Nian placed the coal lumps into the burning firewood, closed the lid, and the smoke smoothly traveled out through the chimney pipe.
The smoke was instantly contained.
With the fire going, she immediately pulled out the spices she had bought earlier—star anise, cinnamon, fennel seeds... a full dozen types.
Beef tallow hot pot required a particularly large variety of spices.
The coal burned well, soon glowing red. Once the lid was closed, the bottom of the stove became scalding hot. Sitting around it was indescribably warm.
Si Nian fetched rapeseed oil, washed the pot, added the oil, and heated it up. Then she added beef tallow, simmering it until fragrant.
Next, she stir-fried the pre-prepared cilantro, scallions, and ginger slices until fragrant, then removed them, keeping only the infused oil.
Limited by ingredients, Si Nian only added minced garlic and ginger to stir-fry, then added broad bean paste to draw out the fragrance.
Since she didn't have chili paste, she had bought some pre-made chili sauce in the city and added it to the wok for stir-frying. Once it was fragrant and sizzling, she added some sugar, Sichuan peppercorns, etc., frying until the oil turned a deep red.
The pungent, spicy aroma made the children sneeze repeatedly.
Just looking at it made their mouths water uncontrollably.
Seeing the children were getting choked by the fumes, Si Nian sent them off to wash the side dishes.
The vegetables grown in the yard were already quite large, more than enough for them to eat all winter.
The two children took a basket to the doorway and picked some baby bok choy, along with the small cucumbers Si Nian had planted earlier. She had set up a simple frame over them, and it had actually worked.
They weren't very big, but they were ready to eat.
Yaoyao toddled along behind them, huffing and puffing as she tried to pull up a radish. In the end, she tore off all the leaves, but the radish remained firmly in the ground.
Her two older brothers, used to such scenes, pulled the radish out for her.
Carrying their full load, they walked to the entrance to wash everything.
By the time they finished washing, Si Nian had finished preparing the hot pot base.
The kitchen fire was still usable, so she steamed rice and some other dishes in a steamer.
After all, the children were young and couldn't handle much spice.
Making this hot pot was purely for her own taste.
Of course, she couldn't deprive herself just because the children couldn't eat it.
Once the hot pot base was ready, the rest was simple.
With the side dishes washed and chopped, Si Nian asked the two children to set the table.
The children, who had been lying by the stove reading books and warming themselves, immediately got up to tidy up.
Just as Zhou Zedong went to clear the things on the table, he noticed a letter.
He glanced at it, didn't think much of it, put it away, and placed it on a side table.
Si Nian had just walked out carrying a dish when, sure enough, the main gate was knocked on.
The younger son immediately got up and said he would answer the door.
Once outside, he froze.
Several unfamiliar uncles stood at their doorstep, with his father at the front.
He hurriedly opened the gate, stole a glance at the men, and timidly called out, "Dad?"
Usually, not many people visited them, and if they did, they were usually familiar faces.
The sudden appearance of so many tall, burly strangers made the younger boy somewhat shy.
Zhou Yueshen patted his head and asked, "Where's your mom?"
Zhou Zehan immediately replied, "Mom is inside cooking. She said she's making hot pot today. We were just about to eat."
"Dad, you came back just in time. Let's have dinner together."
Zhou Yueshen hadn't been home for several days. Because he was usually busy, he didn't expect them to wait for him for dinner.
Now, seeing his father home, the younger son was quite happy.
It had been a long time since he had dinner with his dad.
Zhou Yueshen gave a slight nod and patted his little shoulder. "Let's go in."
The men followed behind into the Zhou family home.
From the outside, it looked like an unremarkable two-story house.
Though compared to other houses, it was indeed larger.
But these men came from fairly good family backgrounds themselves, so they didn't find it particularly strange.
If someone like Zhou Yueshen, after returning to the village for so many years, still lived in an earthen-tiled house, that would have been strange.
However, upon entering, everyone realized that Brother Zhou's home was a case of "plain on the outside, strong within"!
Not only was the interior clean and tidy, but it also had everything—sofa, TV, you name it.
And there was a pungent, mouthwatering aroma of mala spice and rich, sweet rice fiercely assaulting their nostrils.
Having traveled a long way to visit him, they were already somewhat hungry.
Now, smelling this aroma instantly made their mouths water.
Almost in unison, they swallowed.
The smell was a bit choking, but it was also incredibly fragrant and appetizing.
They thought they could hold out, but now they suddenly felt their stomachs sticking to their backs.
Zhou Yueshen's children were young, so they probably couldn't cook something this fragrant.
And that woman they saw earlier, with her delicate, soft appearance and ladylike demeanor, didn't seem like someone who knew how to cook either.
Could it be that Brother Zhou had extravagantly hired a maid?
With this curiosity, the group followed him inside.
Soon, they saw the stove placed by the window.
Even before getting close, they could feel a steady stream of warm heat emanating from it.
The table was set with various dishes. In the center, a pot of red broth bubbled and boiled, with red chili peppers churning within. That impactful, spicy aroma was coming from right there.
Sitting nearby was a slightly older boy, holding a two-or-three-year-old little toddler in his arms, feeding her rice.
The little one ate with gusto, making smacking sounds, looking utterly content.
The whole scene was one of warmth and happiness.
The group was stunned.
Because they thought a man like Zhou Yueshen, with his cold exterior and demeanor, didn't seem like someone who would live in such an environment.
Si Nian walked out of the kitchen carrying a large bowl of rice.
Seeing the group, she showed no surprise. "You're back. Please, have a seat."
Her words were warm, yet her expression remained calm, as if she had long expected their arrival.
The group, who had initially thought Zhou Yueshen had hired a nanny, fell silent upon seeing her. With an apron tied around her waist and her hair pinned up, she looked every bit the virtuous wife and loving mother.
Who said that someone beautiful and pampered couldn't cook?
At that moment, the men wished they could slap themselves.
Zhou Yueshen glanced at the table full of dishes. He knew Si Nian had prepared everything in advance because he had told her these people were coming.
These men had already offended her with the letter incident.
Zhou Yueshen was worried she might hold a grudge.
Yet, despite that, she had still cooked to entertain the guests, letting bygones be bygones.
This was also to save face for him.
She didn't say it, but she was thinking of him.
The older man's heart softened. He stepped forward, took the rice from her hands, and said gently, "You rest. I'll handle this."
Si Nian nodded and said, "I didn't expect you to come too. Good thing I made plenty of steamed dishes."
Zhou Yueshen gave a slight nod.
He had been busy, but he was worried these people might say something unpleasant.
So he made time to come back.
Because of the letter, the men were all feeling rather awkward.
Only when Zhou Yueshen told them to sit did they dare take their places at the table.
They stared curiously at the steamed dishes and hot pot.
They had never eaten food like this before.
Si Nian also joined them at the table and said hospitably, "Zhou Yueshen told me you were his former teammates. Please, make yourselves at home and eat."
The group blushed with shame. They had just helped Yang Yujie deliver a letter, nearly damaging this couple's relationship, and now they were here eating their food. They felt terribly embarrassed.
Apologetically, they said, "Sister-in-law, we're really sorry about the letter."
"We never meant to harm your relationship with Brother Zhou, it's just...."
Thinking of Yang Yujie, their voices trailed off.
Caught in the middle, they were in a difficult position.
But they also understood that Si Nian was entirely innocent in this.
A letter? Harm their relationship?
Zhou Zedong and Zhou Zehan, sharp as ever, caught these words and immediately stopped eating, looking up at Si Nian.
"Mom, is it that letter from earlier?" Zhou Zedong asked.
He had glanced at it casually and seen a woman's name.
He had thought it was from a friend of his mom's, but it turned out it was for Dad.
Zhou Zehan might not understand, but Zhou Zedong did.
A woman writing to Dad, and Mom saw it.
Zhou Zedong pursed his lips, seeming to grasp the situation instantly. Seeing Si Nian nod, he asked, "Mom, why is that woman writing to Dad? Why does she want to ruin your and Dad's relationship? Is she a homewrecker?"
Zhou Zehan asked confusedly, "A homewrecker? What's that?"
Then, as if a lightbulb went off, he said, "Oh, I get it! The Widow Li at the village entrance gets called a homewrecker. I heard she wants to have a baby for a man who already has a wife, so everyone calls her that."
Si Nian: "..." Where on earth did this kid learn such explosively shocking terms?
She soothed them, "She can only try if your dad is willing. You two eat your dinner first."
The two boys looked at Si Nian, then turned to Zhou Yueshen beside them: "Dad, you won't ever look for a homewrecker, right?"
"Dad, I don't want you having babies with someone else, waaah."
"Yeah, if you have a baby, it should be with Mom."
Zhou Yueshen nodded without hesitation. "Of course Dad won't. I promise you."
The two children immediately broke into smiles, feeling reassured.
Zhou Zehan looked at him and said quickly, "Then it's a deal. If you lie, we won't acknowledge you anymore."
Zhou Yueshen agreed.
Having secured his father's promise, Zhou Zehan immediately ran to Si Nian.
"Mom, Dad said he won't look for a homewrecker."
"And he won't have babies with anyone else."
"Only with you."
Hearing Zhou Zehan's words, Si Nian felt a wave of exasperation.
She hadn't even thought about having more children; raising these three was enough for her.
She patted his head and said helplessly, "Alright, alright, we have guests. Hurry up and eat."
Reassured, the children began eating with gusto, shoveling rice into their mouths, completely oblivious to the discomfort of their guests.
Hearing the children's words, the men wished they could dig a hole and disappear. The untouchable army rose, Yang Yujie, being called a homewrecker by a bunch of kids—who knew if she'd faint from anger if she found out.
But you couldn't blame the kids. Who told her to keep making such misleading moves when she knew perfectly well the man was married?
What decent person writes letters to a married man?
Honestly.
They felt incredibly awkward now.
Too embarrassed to stay long, especially under the gaze of the three children who made them feel like criminals, the men didn't eat much. After having some drinks, they said their goodbyes.
Zhou Yueshen saw them out, while Si Nian and the children cleaned up.
The children didn't much like these men either. After all, they had delivered a letter from another woman to their dad, trying to ruin their parents' relationship.
After washing up, Si Nian let the two boys go play.
The two little ones went outside and saw the men still talking to their dad.
Worried they might still be trying to help another woman steal their dad away, they crept closer to eavesdrop.
However, the men soon left.
Just as they were feeling disappointed, they spotted Zhou Tingting walking towards their house.
Zhou Yueshen clearly saw her too. The children's expressions darkened as they walked over and hid behind their father.
Zhou Zehan looked up at Zhou Yueshen. "Dad, what's Auntie here for again?"
She always comes to cause trouble. It's so annoying. Why do we always have such bothersome relatives showing up?
Suddenly, he realized something and dashed back towards the house. "She must be here to pick on Mom again! I'm going to tell Mom!"
As soon as Zhou Zehan said this, Zhou Zedong's face also tightened, and he ran inside after him.
It must be because of stealing the braised meat recipe. Auntie's here to make trouble again.
Hearing that Zhou Tingting had come again, Si Nian couldn't help but curl her lip in annoyance.
Seeing the children's worry, she reassured them, "Don't worry. No one can bully your mom."
As she spoke, Si Nian walked outside. At the front gate, Zhou Tingting's wails sounded like a pig being slaughtered.
"Big Brother! The Li family wants to divorce me and make me pay compensation! I have no choice, I can only come back to live with you all!"
Having anticipated this outcome, Si Nian didn't show much reaction.
However, the two little boys following behind her immediately grew anxious upon hearing Zhou Tingting's words and spoke up.
"Auntie, don't you have your own home? Why do you want to live with us? We don't have a bed for you."
"You never liked us before. You said we were dirty and wanted to kick us out."
"You also said you loved the city, and you'd only come back to the countryside if you died."
"Well, you're not dead, so why are you back?"
