I was approached by a cat-eared girl.

After a moment of silence, she shook her head and said, "No, he doesn't bully me."

"As long as he doesn't bully you, that's fine. If he dares to bully you, just tell Auntie, and Auntie will teach him a lesson."

"okay."

Wu Yulan also noticed that the atmosphere was a bit off, so she stopped talking and asked instead, "Auntie just heard you say that you might not be eating lunch?"

"Ah."

Bai Xiaoqi nodded, then thought for a moment and explained, "We go to bed late at night and get up late in the morning, so sometimes we eat breakfast and lunch together."

"Oh."

Wu Yulan gave an "oh" and didn't dare to say anything more, feeling that she had gotten something important out of her.

She bent down to mix the filling, picked up the dough and was about to wrap the filling when she hesitated for a moment. She then gently instructed, "You can't skip any of the three meals a day. You can't eat breakfast and lunch together. You need to go to bed early at night. You can't keep doing this. Staying up late is very bad for your health."

Upon hearing this, Bai Xiaoqi couldn't help but recall the headbutt incident from last time. Combining this with these words, she suddenly realized that it was because she stayed up late.

“Auntie, you should tell him this too, his health is quite poor right now.”

"..."

Wu Yulan really didn't dare to speak anymore. She glanced outside again, wondering if she should let Chen Jianwen say it, since she couldn't say it herself.

......

When Chen Shuo returned, it was already late at night, and firecrackers were going off outside. There was only the sound, but no smell of gunpowder.

In the past two years, urban safety management has become increasingly comprehensive, with concerns that fireworks and firecrackers could cause fires and result in losses for the people.

However, the great working people and working class failed to understand their good intentions and actually launched a fake firecracker on the market that looked exactly like a firecracker.

The common people, oblivious to the danger, bought them one after another, fueling this bad trend. They took these fake cannons home to have some fun and hear a sound.

They even argued that the custom of setting off firecrackers during the Lunar New Year was passed down from their ancestors for thousands of years, and that they couldn't let this thousand-year-old tradition end in their generation, as that would be letting down their ancestors.

The dishes prepared for the New Year's Eve dinner were basically all served, including cold dishes with smoked meat, stir-fries and stews, chicken, duck, fish and meat, and everything else you would expect.

Every household turned on their lights and gathered around the table to prepare for the New Year's Eve dinner.

Seeing that Chen Shuo had been gone for most of the day before returning, and that he immediately went into the bathroom to wash his hands and prepare for dinner, Wu Yulan couldn't help but say, "You're nowhere to be seen when I'm busy, but you come back when the food is on the table. You didn't help at all, and you just waited to eat?"

"But my dad didn't help either, did he?"

"I was helping to serve the dishes."

"I'll wash the dishes in a bit." Seeing this, Chen Shuo had no choice but to agree to wash the dishes after the meal.

.......

Everything was ready, and the four of them sat down. With one more person in the house, it didn't seem any different. The TV was on, but no one was watching the Spring Festival Gala. The house was warm and cozy, and firecrackers could be heard outside from time to time. The table was full of delicious dishes.

If he had to pinpoint the difference, Chen Shuo looked at Bai Xiaoqi, then at his parents, and wondered if it was just his imagination, but he felt that Wu Yulan's gaze towards him was a little off.

Chapter 87 Open Source and Cost Reduction

The New Year's Eve dinner lasted until after 10 p.m., and Chen Shuo conscientiously cleaned up the dishes and took them to the kitchen to wash.

At home, I wash the dishes myself.

Even when visiting my parents, I still wash the dishes myself.

I feel like a human dishwasher.

It's a real human-shaped dishwasher. Now the dishes are washed so well. Just soak them in dish soap for a while, then wipe them in circles with a cloth, and rinse them again. They're spotless.

Without him, only familiar with Seoul.

After he dried his hands and went out, only Bai Xiaoqi was in the living room, sitting on the sofa watching the Spring Festival Gala with a blank expression.

Chen Shuo glanced at the TV and immediately understood. No wonder he was expressionless; it was a skit where the actors were crying their eyes out, forcing an emotional response.

Where are my parents?

"They said they had something to do and went into that room."

Chen Shuo looked in the direction she was pointing and saw it was the study. He didn't ask what it was about, since she would probably just say she didn't know anyway.

"We'll tell my parents when they come out and then go home."

As he spoke, Chen Shuo walked over and sat down on the sofa. He naturally put his arm around her and pulled her into his arms. Then, remembering that they were at his parents' house, he let go and took her small hand in his, kneading it gently.

Bai Xiaoqi looked down and saw that this guy always seemed to have to do something for her, otherwise he wouldn't feel comfortable.

Thinking this, she rested her head on Chen Shuo's shoulder, her eyes fixed on the study door with a slightly nervous expression.

"The current Spring Festival Gala is outrageous. It's unbearable not to watch it during the New Year, but it's even more unbearable to watch it. It can make you feel bad for a whole year."

As usual, Chen Shuo began to criticize the Spring Festival Gala, which is an essential program for every Lunar New Year's Eve. He forgot when it started, but it's been several years. The Spring Festival Gala was really good in the early years, but as for the recent years, it's hard to describe.

"Why watch it if it's even more painful?"

"Because watching the Spring Festival Gala during the Chinese New Year has become a habit, and habits are terrible. Just like when I sit with you, I always subconsciously hug you or touch your hand. That's also a habit."

"Isn't it because you're a lecherous woman who always tries to take advantage of me?"

Chen Shuo was silent for a moment, then asked in return, "So what does it mean when you're holding my arm and resting your head on my shoulder? Doesn't that count as taking advantage of me?"

"No, it's more like and dependence."

I think so.

"Then why did you kiss my feet and touch my..."

"Fine, fine, you like it, I'm just taking advantage of you, I'm a lecher."

Chen Shuo quickly interrupted her and admitted his lecherous nature, preventing her from continuing.

She glanced nervously at the study door. The soundproofing in this house was pretty good; her parents couldn't hear what she was saying at all. By the same token, they probably couldn't hear her conversation either.

If my parents knew I was a foot fetishist who liked to kiss feet, I'd be doomed.

Just then, there was a sudden click, and Bai Xiaoqi sat up straight like a startled little rabbit.

Chen Shuo also coughed lightly, looked at his parents who came out, and said, "Well, Dad, Mom, we'll go back first. You two should get some rest."

"Wait a minute, come in with me for a moment."

Chen Jianwen had drunk some wine that evening, his face flushed, and he looked energetic, but his eyes held a complex expression. He beckoned to Chen Shuo, then turned and went back into the study.

Chen Shuo glanced at Wu Yulan, but Wu Yulan looked away from him and ignored him.

He let go of Bai Xiaoqi's hand and followed her into the study. Before he could do anything, Chen Jianwen handed him a red envelope, saying, "Your New Year's money."

Chen Shuo took it and squeezed it; it was quite thick. He couldn't help but ask, "Where's my girlfriend's?"

"Your mom gave it to you."

"Oh, then I'll go out."

"return."

"Dad, is there anything else?"

Chen Shuo turned around, feeling somewhat confused. Chen Jianwen pushed up his glasses and stared at him for a long time, unsure how to start a conversation.

How have you been feeling lately?

After holding it in for a long time, he finally spoke.

"It's great, it can eat, sleep, run and jump."

"Is anything bothering you?"

"Not feeling well? Yes, I am."

Chen Shuo paused for a moment, then nodded, admitting his own writing habits that caused him a lot of problems. "But Dad, don't worry, I bought some fitness equipment online, like sit-up boards and dumbbells. Once they arrive, I'll exercise every day, and I'll definitely be super strong by then."

As he spoke, he clenched his fist in excitement, determined that he would never let Cat Girl say he was in poor health again, as it involved a man's dignity.

"You're not getting enough exercise."

Chen Jianwen gave him a meaningful look, but that look was hidden by the slightly reflective lenses of his glasses. "You understand what it means to both increase revenue and reduce expenditure, right?"

"Of course I understand." Chen Shuo felt that the old man's question was unnecessary, since he was at least a student of Chinese language and literature.

"explain."

"We must both explore new sources of revenue and control spending."

"Yes, yes, we must exercise restraint."

"?"

A big question mark appeared on Chen Shuo's head. Before he could react, the old man reached out and pushed him out, saying, "Alright, just remember this saying about increasing revenue and reducing expenditure. You're still young, and you'll recover after a period of rest. Go back now."

"No, I..."

Chen Shuo opened his mouth, but why did the conversation still have a hint of eeriness during the New Year? He wanted to ask what it meant, but he had already been pushed out of the study.

Once the door closed, Chen Jianwen sat back in his chair and let out a long sigh of relief. After going through such a long and complicated process, he finally got to the point. Giving himself such a task was really putting a cultured person in a difficult position.

Sometimes I really wonder if I was switched at birth. I'm a perfectly decent person, so how did I end up with such a son? He's too arrogant.

After Chen Shuo and his companion left with a large pile of New Year's goods, Wu Yulan got up from the sofa and rushed to the study.

Did you say so?

"Ah."

"I felt like he was acting like a complete idiot, all dumbfounded. What did you say to him?"

Wu Yulan recalled Chen Shuo's expression just now, which was dazed and somewhat doubtful. She felt that Old Chen was not very reliable and did not seem to have completed the task she was assigned.

"I just told him to be moderate, what else could I say? Should I tell him to buy some Liuwei Dihuang pills to nourish his body?"

"I remember you had some, didn't you? Why don't you just order some for him?"

"He's still young, he can recover on his own."

"Oh, you're getting old, you can't recover on your own."

"Bullshit, I'm not old, I don't need to recover, I'm in great shape, very strong."

Chen Jianwen immediately became anxious, as this involved a man's most basic dignity.