Time rewound to the morning.
Xu Nianhua arrived at the hospital with a pot of boiled lean meat porridge, and Xu Nian’an looked at her as if she was a savior, saying, "Little sister, you’ve come way too late, my stomach is completely flat with hunger."
Xu Nian’an looked at the porridge in her hand and the bag of meat buns, happily saying, "Little sister, you’re the best, you know I love meat buns."
Xu Nian’an ate the meat buns with big bites, feeling exceptionally satisfied, convinced that home was best, even the meat buns tasted better from home.
"Big brother, are you being a bit melodramatic?" Xu Nianhua placed the porridge down, glanced at her watch—it was just a bit past seven o’clock, she hadn’t arrived that late.
Xu Nian’an finished a meat bun in two bites, his flat stomach finally feeling a bit more comfortable.
"Yicheng, I made you some lean meat porridge, give it a try." Xu Nianhua, no longer in the mood to scold her brother for his wolfish eating, took out a bowl she had brought and ladled some porridge for Pei Yicheng. The moment the lunch box was opened, the aroma of lean meat porridge filled the air.
Pei Yicheng, originally lacking any appetite, found his mouth watering at the scent. The porridge was so tender it melted in his mouth, infused with a faint meaty fragrance, and the lightly salted broth made him consume two bowls in succession.
Xu Nian’an had three large meat buns and two full bowls of porridge, which elicited a full-blown grudge from Pei Yicheng, who obviously had anticipated the porridge prepared specially for him by Nianhua.
"Don’t tell me you’re that petty?" Xu Nian’an, patting his full stomach, felt extremely comfortable. Seeing the resentful gaze of Pei Yicheng, he deliberately smacked his lips and said, "The lean meat porridge is really so fragrant and tasty, I could eat another bowl!"
"My little sister really makes delicious stuff."
Xu Nian’an deliberately said this to contrast with Pei Yicheng’s resentful demeanor, amusing Xu Nianhua to laughter. She said, "You guys are only three years old this year, right? Yicheng, to get so worked up over a bowl of porridge, really!"
"It’s very appropriate, it was made with your own hands for me." Pei Yicheng replied earnestly, his seriousness resembling that of a three-year-old.
Trying to contain her amusement, Xu Nianhua said, "Then next time I’ll make it for you and not for my second brother."
"No way, little sister, I’m your dear second brother." Upon hearing this, Xu Nian’an immediately objected. That delicious porridge—why shouldn’t he be able to have it?
"Nianhua, you said it, no take-backs." Pei Yicheng, fearing she might change her mind, and at the same time glaring at Xu Nian’an, said, "Nian’an, if you want to drink, ask your wife."
Where would he find a wife?
"Right, go to my second sister-in-law for it." Xu Nianhua, in wholehearted agreement, pondered and said, "I remember Su Xi seems to be able to cook, and she makes quite tasty dishes."
"Alright, I get it, you want me out of the way." Xu Nian’an stood up and headed out.
"Second brother, you’re not actually upset, are you?" Xu Nianhua saw his retreating back, about to pull him back, but her hand was caught by Pei Yicheng instead. He said, "Nianhua, I’m sure Nian’an is thinking about how to find you a second sister-in-law."
"Unlikely." Xu Nianhua knew Xu Nian’an’s thoughts well—he wanted to be a good doctor; romance was nowhere in his plans for the next few years.
"He can’t stand it anymore, surely he will start looking for someone." Pei Yicheng stated with conviction.
Xu Nianhua was half-believing, half-doubting.
As he reached the outside of the hospital room and didn’t see Xu Nianhua chasing after him, Xu Nian’an sighed deeply: Little sister has grown up!