How to raise a random guy's wife

"Don't tell me no one is giving you a ride?"

"..."

"Really not?"

"..."

"Not a single one?"

"..."

"Not even some obligatory chocolates?"

"Me..." the boy was on the verge of tears, "The girls in my class were handing out chocolates like they were distributing fish fry, and even so, I didn't get any... Are you laughing? You just laughed, didn't you?!"

"Pause! Pause!"

Ran stared blankly at the somewhat chaotic scene on TV, then let go of the rice cake she was holding, calling out, "Mommy, Mommy~"

"Hmm?" Kobayashi Megumi looked up from the computer screen. "What's wrong?"

"Did Mom give Dad chocolates on Valentine's Day?"

"correct."

Ran Kobayashi's big eyes sparkled, "And then you two got together?"

Kobayashi Megumi recalled, "No, not at all..."

"Huh?" Ran Kobayashi heard an unexpected answer. "Did Daddy refuse?"

"No, that's not it," Kobayashi Megumi chuckled. "Because Mom and Dad were already together before Valentine's Day."

When Kobayashi Sora spent her first Valentine's Day with Kobayashi Sora, Kobayashi Megumi was already wearing a wedding ring.

As her fingers traced the wedding ring, Megumi Kobayashi seemed to recall the day she put it on, in the bathtub...

“You can still send it even though you’re already together!” Little Lin Lan blinked. “Mommy, Mommy~ Lanlan wants to make chocolate!”

"Should we give this to Dad?"

"Yes!" Ran Kobayashi nodded vigorously. "Chocolate has many meanings!" She recalled the program she had just watched. "For example, um... a lovely daughter giving chocolate to her good father not so much as a better return gift!"

“The name is too long,” Kobayashi Megumi said, lightly tapping her daughter’s nose. “And it reveals our true purpose.”

Ran Kobayashi tilted her head. "Really?"

"Just as obvious as Aunt Eriri's~"

"It's so obvious!" Ran Kobayashi fell into deep thought. "What should we do...?"

"These are family chocolates for my family," Kobayashi Megumi reminded her. "That's fine."

Ran Kobayashi looked expectant. "And then?"

“Then Dad will return the favor.” Kobayashi Megumi stroked her daughter’s soft hair. “Come on, Mom will teach you.”

Lin Lan followed her mother into the kitchen, put on her own little apron, and carefully tried to cook under her mother's guidance while standing on a low stool.

"First, chop the chocolate into small pieces; that way it will melt more easily." Kobayashi Megumi found a plastic cake knife. "What should I be careful about when using the knife?"

"Don't look away!" Ran Kobayashi replied earnestly. "Take it slow, or you'll cut your finger."

The plastic knife wasn't very sharp, but it was sharp enough for cutting chocolate.

"Then heat it in a double boiler to melt the chocolate."

"Water bath heating?"

"That's how it is." Kobayashi Megumi demonstrated, boiling a pot of water and placing the bowl of chocolate on the water.

Ran Kobayashi didn't understand, "Why do we need to heat it in a water bath?"

"Hmm... So what does Lanlan want to do?"

"Can't we just heat it directly?"

"Give it a try," Kobayashi Megumi said, encouraging Kobayashi Ran instead of stopping her.

"Ah!" Ran Kobayashi exclaimed as soon as she tried, "The chocolate is burnt!"

Ran Kobayashi hurriedly reached out to grab it, but Megumi Kobayashi, who had been watching her closely, caught her hand just in time.

"That was close!" Xiaolin Lan snapped out of her daze. "Thank you, Mom!"

"Don't act impulsively," Kobayashi Megumi earnestly reminded her. "Think things through carefully before you take any action."

“Hmm…” Kobayashi Ran thought about it seriously for a moment, and then slowly extended her finger.

This time, Kobayashi Megumi did not stop her.

As soon as Ran Kobayashi's fingertips touched the chocolate in the pot, she immediately pulled them back. "It's so hot!"

Kobayashi Megumi reiterated, "Therefore, we must not act impulsively."

"Hmm." Xiaolin Lan looked at the burnt chocolate with some heartache. "It seems that heating it in a water bath is better."

By using the correct method, the chocolate was successfully melted.

"Stir it for a while longer, and wait until the temperature drops." Kobayashi Megumi found a cute mold. "Then you can put it into the mold and make the shape you want."

“I played with this with Aunt Coco!” Xiaolin Lan said, fiddling with the mold. “I want to use this heart shape. Lanlan will use a small heart, and Mom will use a big heart.”

Kobayashi Megumi smiled and agreed, "Okay~"

"Pour it in and you're done..." Kobayashi Ran said with lingering interest, "It doesn't seem that difficult."

Kobayashi Megumi suggested, "You can add some of the things Ranran wants to add to enhance the chocolate flavor."

"ice cream!"

"Then it will become crispy ice cream."

"Oh right, how about adding oranges?"

"Then your little heart won't have enough room to hold it."

Ran Kobayashi had a great idea! "Candy!" she exclaimed, pulling out colorful little candies from her snacks. "Would these work?"

Kobayashi Megumi nodded, "Of course."

Now sprinkle small sugar granules into the mold, and then pour in the melted ice cream.

After cooling in the refrigerator and unmolding, they become heart-shaped chocolates decorated with colorful sugar granules.

Using the crafts skills she learned from Tang Keke, Xiaolin Ran made two paper bags, filled them with chocolates, tied them with ribbons, and drew cute pictures on them. "Done!"

Chapter 686 Sunny Atmosphere

"So..." Eriri parked the car, "this is the place you said we should come together?"

“Yeah.” Kasumigaoka Utaha got out of the car carrying her things. “We haven’t come to see Ranran together in a long time. I bet she misses us.”

Eriri ground her fangs, "I thought..."

"What did you think?"

"nothing!"

"Could it be..." Kasumigaoka Utaha raised an eyebrow, "that you have plans today?"

"Mind your own business!" Eriri muttered. "What are we doing here on Valentine's Day? Are we disturbing them?"

"You're overthinking it." Kasumigaoka Utaha rolled her eyes. "Disturb them? When have they ever cared about us?"

Eriri: "...That's true."

Thinking about it calmly, not going out on Valentine's Day feels a bit awful.

But if you go out, seeing couples all over the streets seems even worse.

But staying at home doing nothing is a waste of the holiday.

Coming to Kobayashi's house became the best choice.

There's the adorable Lanlan, and the couple we've grown accustomed to seeing.

No need to worry about couples showing off their affection, you can still enjoy the fun and atmosphere of the holiday.

Eriri rang the doorbell, and Ran Kobayashi, who had been waiting for a long time, immediately opened the door. "Daddy, Daddy~ Here you are... eh?"

Kasumigaoka Utaha and Eriri looked at Kobayashi Ran, who seemed a little lost.

The little girl held the paper bag of chocolates in both hands, staring blankly at Kasumigaoka Utaha and Eriri, "Godmother?"

With her big, blinking eyes, Xiaolin Lan instinctively hid the chocolate behind her back, then, feeling uneasy, hesitated for a moment before presenting the paper bag to the two of them. "Um..."

Lin Lan regretted it halfway through reaching out her little hand.

These chocolates were made for my dad. Even if I give them to my two godmothers, my feelings won't be conveyed.

With her little hand retracting, Xiaolin Lan pleaded in a soft, sweet voice, "Shiyu's mom, Eriri's mom, how about Lanlan makes you some family chocolates later?"

Eriri exclaimed with great anticipation, "Great! Ranran has learned how to make chocolate!"

"Yes! Mom just taught Lanlan that."

Kasumigaoka Utaha's eyes darted around. "Ranran has one, doesn't she? Can't we give it to our godmother?"

“Hmm…this is for Daddy.” Xiaolin Lan answered earnestly, “It contains Lanlan’s feelings for Daddy, and the one for Godmother should contain her feelings for Godmother.”

Kasumigaoka Utaha drawled, "What should we do... Godmother also wants to taste the gift Ranlan gave to Daddy~"

"Hey!" Eriri complained, "Don't make things difficult for children! You're the kind of adult who argues with kids!"

“That’s right.” Kasumigaoka Utaha smiled at Eriri. “I’m the kind of bad adult who throws tantrums with kids~”

"Come in quickly!" Xiaolin Lan greeted them as they entered the house. "When Dad comes back, he'll definitely be happy to share with you."

"Ranran is so smart," Kasumigaoka Utaha patted Kobayashi Ran's head, "She won't be as easily stumped as someone else."

"Kasumigaoka Utaha!"

"Welcome." Kobayashi Megumi smiled as she watched the three of them fooling around. "I'll call Kong Qing and ask him to buy some more groceries."

"Huh?" Eriri turned to look at Kasumigaoka Utaha, who was being trampled by mochi. "You didn't just come over without saying hello, did you?"