Shocking! A three-year-old brings his aloof mother to their door.

Mo Ye listened to his daughter's earnest counting of "one, two, one," and watched her stuff lychees into her mouth one after another, and couldn't help but chuckle.

"You little glutton, you probably won't finish counting tonight. Do you think this is military training?"

He strode over and gently lifted the little one away from the lychee basket. "Alright, you can't eat anymore. Save some room for dinner."

Suddenly lifted off the ground, Tongtong pouted, hugged her father's neck with a pitiful expression, and rubbed her little face against him:

"Dad, the lychees are delicious...so sweet..."

Looking into her wet, longing eyes, Mo Ye's heart softened, but he couldn't abandon his principles.

"Listen to me, you really can't eat anymore. Come on, Daddy will take you to eat something even better. The clay pot chicken should be ready soon, do you want some?"

As the food was served, Tongtong's eyes, which had been filled with grievance, were now filled with anticipation: "I want to eat! Daddy, take Tongtong there quickly!"

Carrying his daughter into the slightly smoky kitchen, Mo Ye put her down and walked familiarly to the old-fashioned wood-fired stove made of bricks and stones.

The embers in the stove glowed with a dark red light, and a large, unassuming, even somewhat dark, earthenware pot sat steadily in the stove opening, gently enveloped by the remaining warmth.

Mo Ye picked up the fire tongs and carefully lifted the earthenware pot out of the stove, placing it on the gray brick stove platform next to him.

The earthenware pot, covered in soot from firewood, was hardly an attractive object.

At this moment, He Wanqing also curiously followed in.

She had never seen such a primitive cooking method before, and her gaze fell on the dark earthenware pot, momentarily stunned.

She has always been somewhat fond of cleanliness, and looking at the marks on the outside of the jar, she hesitated for a moment subconsciously.

But then she saw the expectant gleam in Mo Ye's eyes, a kind of absolute confidence in his own food.

Her doubts vanished instantly; he thought it tasted delicious, and the flavor must be excellent.

The jar isn't too hot anymore.

Mo Ye reached out, grasped the heavy ceramic lid, and gently lifted it—

With a soft "pop," the lid was opened.

In an instant, an indescribable aroma, a blend of rich chicken, fresh mushrooms, sweet herbs, and a unique complex fragrance released by the firewood, burst forth like a tangible warm current, instantly filling the entire kitchen!

"Wow—!" Tongtong sniffed hard, her eyes wide open, completely captivated by the aroma. She tiptoed towards the stove, "Daddy! It smells so good! I want to see!"

Mo Ye smiled and picked her up again so she could see inside the jar.

The broth in the pot was golden and clear, not the murky, dark, oily sauce I had imagined.

A whole chicken lies in the soup, its skin displaying an enticing golden hue. Because it has been stewed to perfection, the joints of the chicken wings and legs have slightly separated, revealing the snow-white and tender meat inside.

"Daddy, the chicks are so shiny! They're so pretty!" Tongtong exclaimed, her little mouth involuntarily opening, and a glistening "suspicious liquid" was about to drip out.

Mo Ye quickly pulled her back a little, both amused and exasperated: "Little glutton, wipe your drool!"

Mo Ye brought over two disposable gloves and handed them to He Wanqing and Tongtong.

He then used long chopsticks to first pick out a plump, stewed chicken leg, glistening with rich sauce, from the pot. He blew on it, then handed it to Tongtong, who had been eagerly reaching out her little hand.

He picked up another tender and flavorful chicken wing and handed it to He Wanqing, urging, "Try it while it's hot."

He Wanqing took it, still somewhat hesitant: "Aren't we going to eat together without everyone else? Wouldn't that be inappropriate?"

"There aren't so many rules at my house," Mo Ye waved his hand and smiled gently. "Whoever is hungry can have a bite first, especially the first bite right out of the pot, it's the most delicious. It's just a home-cooked meal, so it's best to be relaxed."

Tongtong wouldn't listen to any of that reasoning. Holding the chicken leg, which was almost as big as her face, in her little hands, she took a huge bite and mumbled, "So good! So good!"

Seeing this, He Wanqing smiled and took a small bite of the chicken wing.

Your teeth pierce through the tender, juicy chicken skin and come into contact with the juicy, flavorful meat; an intense burst of freshness and aroma explodes on your taste buds.

The chicken itself has an extremely rich flavor, with the unique firmness and sweetness of free-range chickens from the mountains, and it has perfectly absorbed the essence of various ingredients in the soup, making it savory, delicious, and rich without being greasy.

Her eyes suddenly lit up as she looked at Mo Ye and exclaimed sincerely, "It's so delicious! This chicken... is completely different from what I usually eat!"

Mo Ye replied, "That's right, these are free-range chickens raised in our back mountain. They grow up eating insects and wild vegetables, and they're the best for making soup. It's hard to buy such authentic ones in the city."

After saying that, he carefully poured the remaining chicken and broth from the earthenware pot into a thick soup bowl.

He carried the chicken into the kitchen of the main house.

Jiang Hui is cooking the last two stir-fried vegetables on the gas stove.

Mo Ye glanced at the table, which was already half full of dishes, and couldn't help but hiss. He then whispered to He Wanqing, who had followed him in:

"I've been home so many times, but I rarely get this kind of treatment. I'm really grateful to the two of you today."

The table was laden with a dazzling array of dishes: steamed fish, braised pork, stir-fried cured pork with garlic sprouts... a truly substantial spread.

Jiang Hui happened to be carrying in a plate of stir-fried vegetables when she heard her son's words and smiled:

"Wanqing and Tongtong are back, so naturally they'll want some good food. Did you let them try the clay pot chicken?"

"We tried it," He Wanqing said hurriedly. "Auntie, it's especially delicious. Tongtong and I couldn't wait and ate some first."

Jiang Hui's face immediately lit up with a smile, her expression full of satisfaction: "As long as it's delicious, eat more!"

For cooks, nothing is more gratifying than hearing genuine praise from those who taste the food.

At this moment, Mo Weiguo also strolled back with his hands behind his back.

Mo Ye winked at Tongtong: "Tongtong, go call Great-Grandpa, Great-Grandma, and Grandpa to come eat, okay? Just say it's time to eat!"

He knew that if he went to call them, they might dawdle for a while, but if it was Tongtong, with her sweet and soft voice, who took the lead, the effect would be immediate.

Sure enough, Tongtong took on the task with a strong sense of mission and ran to the yard.

Within minutes, the whole family gathered around the dining table, all smiles.

A lively and warm dinner unfolded amidst laughter and joy.

Tongtong loved the clay pot chicken, especially the broth mixed with rice, which made her eat an extra bowl of rice, leaving her little belly round and full.

She hadn't forgotten that she wanted to share the story about the little rabbit with Brother Yunqi that afternoon.

She picked up the little rabbit, grabbed her Shangfang sword, and trotted off to the next house with her short legs.

Liu Ying was collecting laundry when she saw Tongtong approaching. Her face lit up with a loving smile: "Tongtong's here? Have you eaten yet?"

........