When Chen Tang returned home, the fourth watch was almost over.
He pushed open the door and entered.
An oil lamp was lit on the table. When the wind blew in when the door opened, the flame suddenly became weak, and the light in the room dimmed.
Chen Tang's vision was not affected by the darkness and he saw two figures lying on the table. One of them was Qingmu and the other was Zhiwei.
The fat old man actually ran to the outhouse, made his bed on the other side of the stove, and slept soundly on his side.
The yellow dog also found a warm and comfortable place by the stove, closed his eyes and took a nap.
When Chen Tang saw this scene, he unconsciously felt a warmth in his heart.
He hadn't felt this way for a long time.
Even in his previous life, he worked outside all year round and lived alone. When he returned home, he only faced an empty room.
No one is waiting.
The only thing waiting for him was a cold cat that ignored him.
The scene he saw at this moment was a little strange to him.
Is this home?
When Zhiwei heard the movement at the door, she stood up reflexively, opened her blurred sleepy eyes, stretched out her hands to rub them, and confirmed that it was Chen Tang who was back. Then she smiled happily and said, "Brother A Tang, you are back!"
"Fortunately, you are finally back."
Qing Mu heard the movement at the door and looked up at Chen Tang, feeling relieved.
"Why don't you sleep? Why are you waiting here?"
Although Chen Tang was moved, he still frowned and asked.
"It's more than just not sleeping."
Qingmu said: "This child has cooked the meal, but you never came back. He didn't even take a bite of the meal. No matter how hard I and the master tried to persuade him, it was of no use."
"Fortunately, you didn't stay out for a month this time."
At the end, Qing Mu rolled her eyes at Chen Tang, like a little daughter-in-law, with a hint of resentment in her tone.
Chen Tang looks at his nose with his eyes, his nose looks at his mouth, and his mouth looks at his heart. He turns a blind eye but does not hear anything.
"Brother Ah Tang, haven't you eaten yet?"
Zhiwei walked to the stove gently, lifted the lid of the pot awkwardly, put it aside, touched the dishes inside, laughed again, and whispered: "It's still warm."
After Zhiwei said this, Chen Tang really felt hungry.
Zhiwei took out several dishes and placed them on the table one by one.
There are meats and vegetables, all colors and flavors.
There was someone waiting for me when I came back, and there were warm meals.
There is also a charming woman sitting next to you, who jokes with you from time to time.
Chen Tang never dared to dream.
Qing Mu said: "During the day, Zhiwei blamed Xiao Huang, saying that he almost got into a big trouble. He also asked me if it was because of Xiao Huang that you left without saying goodbye and refused to come back."
The yellow dog came close to Chen Tang, wagging its head and tail, as if it really realized its mistake, and whimpered softly.
"Be good, I don't blame you."
Chen Tang stretched out his hand and rubbed Xiao Huang a few times, and said: "I also met a big cat in the mountains, his name is Xue Tuan'er. It matches your name very well. I will introduce him to you later."
Xiao Huang was very happy when he heard this and barked.
Chen Tang showed a strange smile.
Zhiwei filled a large bowl of rice for Chen Tang and placed it in front of him. Then she sat back and said expectantly: "Brother A Tang, please try it quickly."
"Have a meal!"
Chen Tang moved his greedy index finger, picked up his rice bowl, and cooked a meal.
"delicious!"
Whether it was because he was hungry or because Zhiwei's cooking was really good, Chen Tang felt that this meal was particularly delicious, even more delicious than the big meals he had in his previous life.
"Didn't you eat tonight too? Let's eat together."
Chen Tang couldn't help but ask when he saw Zhi Wei not moving his chopsticks and just watching him eat from the opposite side.
Zhiwei said: "I will eat after brother A Tang finishes eating."
"What are you doing? We eat together to enjoy the meal!"
Chen Tang said: "I eat it by myself, it's so boring."
Zhiwei hesitated for a moment, but seeing that Chen Tang's tone was unquestionable, she had to stand up slowly, took a bowl, put some rice in it and returned to the table.
Over the years, she has been sold as a maidservant. In every house, she has to wait for the master to finish eating before she can eat. This has long been a habit.
Whatever is left, she eats.
Zhiwei took the bowl and put a few vegetable leaves on several plates to cover the rice. Then she picked up the bowl and ran to the stove nearby, and started eating in small bites.
"What are you doing?"
Chen Tang was stunned for a moment, then seemed to think of something, pointed to the table, and said with a straight face: "Come over and eat!"
"This, this is not good, it is against the rules..."
Zhiwei shook his head quickly.
Chen Tang didn't talk nonsense to her, he stood up directly, went over to pick up Zhiwei, pressed her down on the table, and said: "This is my house, there are no bullshit rules. What I say are the rules!"
Zhiwei's eyes were slightly red, and she whispered: "Yes, but I am..."
Chen Tang waved his hand and said: "No one here treats you as a maid, so don't bear any burden."
"Brother Ah Tang, I want to repay you... repay you."
Zhiwei looked at Chen Tang and then at Qingmu.
"You cook for everyone, even if you repay the favor, hurry up and eat!"
Chen Tang urged, then saw the few vegetable leaves in Zhiwei's bowl, picked up large chunks of meat directly from the plate, and piled them into Zhiwei's bowl like a small mountain.
"This, this is too much..."
Zhiwei was a little at a loss.
"not much!"
Chen Tang said: "At your age, it's the time when you are growing, so you should eat more! By the way, you made this meal, so you must eat more! This is the first rule in the family!"
Zhiwei said nothing.
She just lowered her head, pursed her lips, and her tears rolled down the bowl like pearls.
She plucked at the food in the bowl and swallowed it mixed with her own tears.
The tears are a little salty.
The food is particularly delicious.
Qingmu looked at this scene with a smile, stood up and came to the fat old man, smiling: "Master, don't pretend to be asleep, I win!"
"Okay, you can judge people more accurately than Master."
The fat old man still didn't turn around and muttered.
This kid is indeed a bit different, and has a different temper towards me than others.
He didn't show off last time, but he pretended to be a big one.
I have to find an opportunity tomorrow to show off again and let him see what I can do.
Not long after, Chen Tang and Zhiwei finished eating.
"We'll clean it up tomorrow, go to bed first!"
Chen Tang was lazy and waved his hand.
Zhiwei wanted to speak but stopped.
There is no way that bowls and chopsticks should be left out overnight.
If she was at someone else's house and the used dishes and chopsticks were not washed immediately, she would be beaten again.
Then she had a second thought.
This is Brother Ah Tang’s house, so I’d better listen to him.
Qingmu smiled, took Zhiwei's little hand, and entered the back room.
When Chen Tang saw this scene, he understood why the fat old man came to sleep in the outhouse.
"Hey, are you coming out to accompany me?"
Chen Tang asked with a smile.
The fat old man snorted softly and said: "It's just that it's too crowded for three people to sleep in. I like to be quiet, so I came out by myself."
An old man and a young man gathered around the stove, laid on the floor, and soon fell asleep.
Zhiwei was lying on the hot kang in the back room, but couldn't fall asleep.
In the darkness, she opened her bright eyes, thinking a lot.
She hadn't felt this happy for a long time.
Is this home?
I was accompanied by my mother in my childhood home, but the memory of that time is already a bit blurry.
She couldn't even remember what her mother looked like.
And here, she felt the long-lost warmth again.
is this real?
Zhiwei, from now on, you have a home and don't have to wander around.
