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

Grandma Hua slapped her forehead and laughed:

"Look at me, I've been so busy talking! Sit down right now, my brain's fried!"

She enthusiastically led He Wanqing and Mo Ye through the slightly crowded dining area to a relatively quiet small booth inside.

The tables and chairs in the cubicle were old-fashioned wooden tables and chairs, shiny and seemingly a bit "greasy".

But upon closer inspection, He Wanqing discovered that the tabletop and chair surfaces had been wiped clean and spotless.

Without any hesitation, she sat down naturally.

This subtle gesture added even more satisfaction to Grandma Hua's eyes.

She was initially a little worried that the girl's attire and demeanor were unusual, and that she might find the shop's simplicity distasteful.

Looking back now, she seems to be a good girl who is unpretentious and knows how to behave appropriately.

"You young people chat, I won't disturb you." Grandma Hua waved her hand with a smile and left, thoughtfully pulling the curtain of the cubicle halfway closed.

Only the two of them remained in the small space.

He Wanqing glanced around, then her gaze fell on Mo Ye's somewhat nervous face opposite her. Suddenly, she smiled, her tone slightly mischievous:

"Mo Ye, you probably... have never had a girlfriend, right?"

Mo Ye was taken aback, scratched the back of his head, and asked in a daze, "W-what's wrong?" Had he done something wrong?

He Wanqing didn't speak, but just looked at him with a smile, her eyes clearly saying:

What kind of guy takes his girlfriend on their first official date and comes here to eat braised pork knuckle rice?

It wasn't that she disliked it.

This place is popular, and Grandma Hua is very kind, but she just felt that... this operation was a bit too "straight man's".

Seeing her expression, Mo Ye assumed she was disgusted by the environment, so he quickly began to explain earnestly, his tone even a little anxious:

"Wanqing, don't let the unassuming appearance of this shop fool you, the food is really delicious!"

I've been coming here often during my university years. Grandma Hua always uses fresh pork that day, and it's cleaned very thoroughly. The braising sauce is also a family recipe passed down through generations, so it's not greasy at all.

And it's incredibly affordable, with generous portions that will keep you full...

He introduced the dishes with great familiarity, afraid that He Wanqing might miss out on the food because of the ambiance, and also afraid that she might misunderstand that he didn't value this date enough.

Seeing how eager he was to explain, as if afraid of upsetting her, He Wanqing felt a sweet warmth melt away her initial mischief.

She was even a little smug—it seemed that this was really his first time dating, and the first time he had brought a girl to a place he frequented.

His "first time" belonged to her.

This realization put her in a great mood.

"Okay," she interrupted his "recommendation," her eyes sparkling with a gentle smile, "I'm very satisfied."

It's not that I'm satisfied with the pork trotter rice, it's that I'm satisfied with you for bringing her to eat pork trotter rice.

Mo Ye finally breathed a sigh of relief, his tense shoulders relaxing.

Soon, Grandma Hua brought in two large bowls, piled high with rice.

It's topped with a glistening, tender half-pig's trotter, stewed until soft and juicy, and served with bright green vegetables and half a braised egg.

"Here it is! Our signature braised pork knuckle rice!" Grandma Hua's voice boomed. "Grandma Hua's treating today! You two, eat as much as you like!"

Mo Ye immediately stood up: "Grandma Hua, how can this be! You're running a small business too..."

He knew that Grandma Hua sold a serving of braised pork trotters for twenty yuan, and after deducting costs, she didn't make much profit. She often added extra meat for the sanitation workers and construction workers in the vicinity.

Grandma Hua glared at her, feigning anger, and said:

"You're slapping Grandma Hua in the face by saying that! The fact that you brought your girlfriend to Grandma Hua's place for dinner shows that you think highly of her, and Grandma Hua is happy about it!"

What's wrong with treating you to a meal? I'll get angry if you refuse again!

Seeing her resolute attitude, Mo Ye knew that further refusal would be counterproductive, so he could only smile gratefully and say:

"Then I'll gladly accept your offer. Thank you, Grandma Hua. I'm taking advantage of you today."

He Wanqing also thanked her gently, "Thank you, Grandma Hua."

"Don't mention it! Xiao Mo used to be a great patron of my business, often helping me move things around."

Grandma Hua waved her hand and hurried out again, saying, "Enjoy your meal!"

The curtain was drawn, and the fragrance filled the small cubicle.

Looking at the bowl of braised pork trotter rice in front of her, which was bigger than her face, and the half-portion of pork trotter, He Wanqing silently calculated the cost-effectiveness in her mind—twenty yuan, which couldn't even buy a decent cup of coffee in the city center.

Indeed...it's a good deal.

Then, she saw Mo Ye take out a one-liter red plastic bottle from the eco-friendly bag he was carrying.

The bottle is printed with three eye-catching red characters: Iced Black Tea.

He Wanqing blinked, looking curiously at the "unfamiliar" drink.

Her usual drink menu only includes coffee, tea, red wine, and imported mineral water.

"What is this?"

Mo Ye chuckled, a hint of excitement in his voice:

"Guojiao! Oh wait... I mean... iced black tea, four yuan a bottle, the king of value for money!"

He took out two clean glasses, took out ice cubes from another small bag that were insulated, put a few cubes in each glass, and then poured in iced tea with gusto.

The orange-red liquid hit the ice cubes, making a crisp sound, and bubbles surged.

Looking at the drink in front of her, which probably cost no more than two yuan in total, He Wanqing felt a sense of novelty.

A four-yuan drink... she seems to have never actually drunk one before.

But she was curious about everything about Mo Ye—what he liked, what he was used to, and the parts of his world that she had never been exposed to.

She picked up the cup and politely took a sip.

The cool sweet tea slid down my throat, carrying the slight astringency of black tea and the refreshing aroma of lemon. Although it was noticeably sweet, it was surprisingly refreshing and helped to cleanse my palate after eating the greasy pork trotter rice.

"...You guys," she put down her cup and commented, "you really do eat."

Although inexpensive, they create a surprisingly harmonious combination.

Mo Ye's eyes lit up: "Right? Let's try the braised pork knuckle rice, eat it while it's hot."

He Wanqing picked up the chopsticks. The chopsticks were ordinary disposable bamboo chopsticks. She broke them apart and rubbed off the splinters, her movements elegant but without any sign of disgust.

She picked up a piece of stewed pork trotter until it was tender and put it in her mouth.

The rich aroma of the braising sauce explodes in your mouth instantly. The pork is so tender it almost melts in your mouth, fatty yet not greasy, lean yet not dry, and the salty, savory, and sweet flavor of the braising sauce perfectly permeates every fiber.

Paired with a mouthful of rice soaked in the braising sauce—

He Wanqing's eyes widened slightly.

The taste... was surprisingly good.

It's not the elaborate, complex flavor of a high-end restaurant, but a simple, down-to-earth deliciousness full of the aroma of cooking.

It doesn't care about plating or rare ingredients; it only uses the most ordinary ingredients and the most careful cooking time to stew a satisfying and warm meal.

She ate one bite after another, and before she knew it, she had finished the whole bowl of rice.

Looking at the empty bowl, He Wanqing pursed her lips in annoyance—tonight's workout plan would probably have to be doubled.

Mo Ye watched her eat with a smile, and only after she finished did he ask, "It tasted good, didn't it?"

......