In the evening, Aunt Jin prepared a table full of dishes, all featuring flavors of South City, including a spicy chicken dish that made Xu Nian’an’s mouth water just by looking at it.
"Aunt Jin, your cooking skills are getting more and more impressive!"
Xu Nian’an praised, feeling a sense of homecoming each time he ate Aunt Jin’s dishes.
"As long as you guys like it," Aunt Jin replied with a smile and, as usual, after finishing cooking, she went home no matter how much Pei Yining and her brother tried to make her stay.
At a table for four, Xu Nianhua felt the feast was somewhat extravagant.
"Consider it a celebration for the start of summer vacation!"
Taking a deep breath, Pei Yining, holding a bottle of orange soda, said, "Come on, let’s celebrate. Summer vacation has finally started!"
"Right, let’s celebrate." Xu Nianhua also held up his orange soda and joyfully added, as for students, starting their summer or winter vacation was always something to be happy about.
The next day, early in the morning, Xu Nian’an went to the station. Before leaving, he repeatedly instructed Xu Nianhua to take good care of herself and to call him if anything happened.
Xu Nianhua’s ears practically grew calluses from listening, she said, "Elder brother, I know. I’ll take good care of myself. Have a smooth trip, go home and learn well from Grandpa Du, and help mom and dad out!"
When it came to nagging, Xu Nianhua could hold her own; she nagged Xu Nian’an until his head ached, so he picked up his belongings and boarded the train early.
"Elder Xu really worries about you a lot." Pei Yining dug at her ears, having been listening to Xu Nian’an’s instructions to Xu Nianhua since the morning, nonstop. Not just Xu Nianhua, even Pei Yining’s ears were buzzing.
Sometimes she couldn’t understand how a man could talk so much?
"Elder brother is just concerned about me," Xu Nianhua said with a slight smile, Xu Nian’an’s nagging was a headache, but it was filled with deep care.
"Let’s go, I’ll spend the day with you."
Xu Nianhua, linking arms with Pei Yining, suggested, taking it as an extra half-day off for herself.
"Half a day, right?" Pei Yining knew she had to go to the library in the afternoon, so she cherished this half-day off, pulling Xu Nianhua everywhere to take photos. Recently, she was focused on photographing from behind, wanting to capture a beautiful back shot. However, no matter how many she took, they were never quite perfect, so Pei Yining decided to have Xu Nianhua model for her.
After shooting all morning, Pei Yining felt each photo was beautiful but still lacked something from being perfect in her eyes.
In the afternoon, Xu Nianhua spent half a day at the library, even borrowing a book to be better prepared for receiving foreign guests with Professor Fei.
After returning from the library, Xu Nianhua bought ingredients on her way home, planning to make braised pork ribs and cold skin noodles.
Pei Yining exclaimed, "That’s really blissful, Nianhua, it would be great if you lived at home every day. When are you going to marry my brother?"
"Yining, I cook some braised pork ribs and cold skin noodles, and you’re ready to sell your brother out?" Xu Nianhua brought out the freshly cooked braised pork ribs, their glossy appearance and savory smell making Pei Yining salivate. She swallowed and said, "What do you mean sell my brother? My brother wishes he could marry you today, and of course, I hope you marry him soon too, so I can enjoy delicious food in the future."