American TV series: Starting with exploiting young Sheldon

George caught a glimpse of the coffee grounds on the table and picked them up.

"Is that so?" Mike asked with a half-smile.

"Yes, that's it!" George said with a flustered expression. "Alright, I've got the coffee, I should go now."

"Oh, and don't tell Connie I was here," George said as he was leaving.

He realized that his clumsy performance probably wouldn't fool Mike at all.

"Okay, I understand." Mike smiled. Even if she didn't say anything, he wouldn't tell Grandma Connie about it.

Although it was a bit underhanded to do this, Mike still hoped that George could win the "bet".

However, when Mike saw George off at the door and turned around, he saw Grandma Connie leaning against the door frame in the hallway, looking at them with a half-smile.

Mike was all too familiar with this scene; he had just been looking at George in the same way.

"Grandma Connie, why aren't you asleep yet?" Mike blocked Connie's view with his body and made conversation.

“Was that George just now? What was he doing here?” Grandma Connie asked, unconvinced.

“Uh, it really is George,” Mike explained. “He was out of coffee at home and came over to get some.”

"I'm afraid it's not that simple," Grandma Connie said, her eyes filled with curiosity.

Then she went to the kitchen and straightened the small box she used to store menus.

"Is this what he's looking for?" Grandma Connie pulled a menu out of her collar.

As it turned out, the shrewd Grandma Connie had already anticipated that George would come to the house to steal the recipe, so she didn't put the barbecue recipe in the kitchen at all.

“Okay, George does want to find the secret formula. But I think his actions are understandable.” Mike didn’t deny it and chose to be honest.

"So, about the bet?" Grandma Connie asked with a smile.

"You win." Mike accepted the bet.

He wondered whether he should honestly tell the other person about his love life.

After all, it was a bit embarrassing for Mike to talk about such a private matter.

"Alright, go back and rest." Grandma Connie enjoyed the bet and didn't press Mike for details about his private life.

Mike, relieved, still added, "I think you can reconsider the barbecue recipe."

"Okay, I understand," Grandma Connie replied, her gaze towards the door growing more intense.

……

Meanwhile, George, having failed to steal the secret recipe, took a bottle of beer from the refrigerator and went to the backyard.

Just as he was drinking alone, Connie's grandma came over carrying two bottles of beer.

"Here you go," Grandma Connie handed George a bottle of beer.

“Even if you hand me a drink, I still won’t like you,” George said, taking the beer and stating the truth.

"How about adding this?" Grandma Connie smiled and took out a secret recipe from her collar.

To be frank, there wasn't any major conflict between the two of them. Besides, they were family, after all.

After George confirmed that the secret recipe was genuine, all his previous resentment vanished at that moment.

Then, he got up and hugged Connie's grandmother.

Chapter 53 Picnic Trip

The next morning, Mike went out of his room and saw George in the living room, fiddling with the beef.

Connie's grandmother, meanwhile, watched from the side, holding a wine glass.

'What's going on?' Mike wondered. The two of them seemed to dislike each other just yesterday, but now they look so harmonious.

Mike walked over and asked in a low voice, "Grandma Connie, did you give the secret recipe to George?"

"Hmm~" Grandma Connie nodded, and seeing the smile on George's face, she clicked her tongue in displeasure and muttered disdainfully, "What an easily satisfied fool."

It's clear that Connie's grandmother still doesn't think much of her son-in-law, but she has learned to hide these feelings so that he won't notice.

Mike looked at George, who was grinning foolishly, and shook his head. In terms of cunning, George was miles behind Grandma Connie.

However, it's all because George got Mary without his mother-in-law's consent back then.

He deserves the treatment he's receiving now.

George, who was busy at work, looked up and saw Mike. He smiled and said, "Mike, you're in for a treat today. I'll make the most authentic Texas-style barbecue."

Judging from the way George gently stroked the beef, he was in a very good mood.

“Okay, I’ll taste it carefully then,” Mike replied with a smile, not saying anything that would spoil the mood.

Then he went to the washroom.

When Mike finished washing up, changed into some refreshing summer clothes, and came back to the living room, George had already finished marinating the beef that needed to be roasted.

A whole serving of beef, weighing about ten pounds, was neatly placed in a transparent box, which looked very professional.

"OK, we can go now." George picked up the box with satisfaction. He couldn't wait to cook the barbecue and let everyone taste his cooking skills.

"Wait a minute..." Grandma Connie put down her wine glass, hurried to the coat rack, took down a wide-brimmed hat and a pair of sunglasses, put them on, and turned to ask, "How is it?"

It's September now, and the hottest weather hasn't passed yet. Although Grandma Connie is getting on in years, she still pays great attention to maintaining her health.

Her current outfit is not only fashionable, but it also protects her from sunburn.

"It's beautiful!" Mike praised sincerely.

George, standing to the side, secretly rolled his eyes at his mother-in-law's extravagant attire, but remained silent.

"Thank you~" Grandma Connie replied to Mike with a smile, then stopped smiling and said to George beside her, "You can go now!"

Today's picnic was organized by the church, and Pastor Jeff had already informed everyone of the location in advance. The location is a farm more than ten kilometers outside of town.

The distance is neither too close nor too far, just enough to satisfy the worshippers' curiosity for a picnic without tiring them out.

At the Cooper's house, George put the marinated beef into the trunk of the car and called into the house, "Mary, get the children out, we should get going."

“Right away…” Mary’s anxious voice came from inside the house: “…Shelly, hurry up!”

Then, a series of clanging and clattering sounds came from inside the house.

Obviously, taking care of three children is not an easy task.

After a while, Mary finally came out with Missy and little George.

Because Pastor Jeff had asked her to take care of everyone's meals, Mary carried a lot of cooking utensils and seasonings, just in case.

When Missy saw Mike, her eyes lit up, and she playfully pounced on him, saying, "Mike, you look so handsome today!"

As mentioned earlier, children are most sensitive to changes in the family atmosphere.

Last night, George, having obtained the barbecue recipe, didn't argue with Mary anymore. Missy, realizing this, naturally returned to her usual lively self.

Mike caught Missy, lifted her up, and spun her around twice in the air, making the little girl giggle.

Sure enough, a cute and adorable little girl is much more likable than a haughty and annoying brat.

Of course, the cases in this regard are limited to Missy and Sheldon Jr.

After smiling and putting the little girl down, Mike teased her, "What, wasn't I handsome before?"

Mike wore a crisp white shirt today, looking both clean and handsome.

However, it wouldn't be entirely accurate to say that he looked even more handsome today.

"No, no, Mike, you've always been handsome," Missy quickly explained, her face turning red.

The little girl's anxious and urgent manner made Mike laugh again. After that, he stopped teasing her, thanked her, and praised her, "Missie, you look beautiful today too."

The little girl was wearing a pink floral dress today, and she also had a butterfly hair clip in her hair. The butterfly wings fluttered slightly when she walked.

This outfit makes her look even cuter, like a little flower fairy.

"Really?" Missy was delighted to receive the compliment and spun around twice, showing off her cuteness.

Then, she composed herself, did a ladylike squat, and said softly, "Thank you~"

Meanwhile, George helped Mary put away the kitchen utensils and looked around: "Where's Shelley? Why hasn't he come out yet?"

Before Mary could explain, a figure wearing a small "spacesuit" slowly walked out of the house.

Young Sheldon glanced at everyone and said, "I hope I'm not late. Alright, let's get going."

Seeing Sheldon's strange attire, Mary's temper flared up again: "Shirley, didn't I prepare clothes for you? What's going on here?"

Faced with his mother's roar, young Sheldon took off his resin helmet, took a couple of breaths of fresh air, and explained seriously, "The wild is too dangerous. There are all kinds of animals, as well as fungi, bacteria, and viruses... The clothes you prepared for me can't protect me at all."

"Luckily, I prepared my own protective suit, which protects me from external harm..." As he spoke, Little Sheldon gestured to his small "spacesuit," looking smug and saying, "Come on, praise me!"

Young Sheldon hates animals; even a chicken can make him uncomfortable.

Therefore, going on a picnic was a difficult test for him.

Whether the gear Sheldon is wearing can protect his health remains to be seen.

However, in September weather, wearing such a heavy, airtight "spacesuit" for a day out would definitely lead to heatstroke due to the stuffiness.

"Haha, little biscuit, aren't you hot?" Grandma Connie laughed happily as she looked at little Sheldon's bulky clothes.

"No, not at all~" Young Sheldon wiped the sweat from his forehead and stubbornly said.

Mary went over and checked her son's forehead temperature, then exclaimed in alarm, "God help you, you're about to get heatstroke. Go back and change your clothes right now!"

Between heatstroke and bacterial infection, Sheldon would rather choose the former.

He remained stubbornly standing in the same spot, refusing to move an inch.

"Go now!" George snapped coldly.

At home, although Mary seemed stricter, Sheldon was actually more afraid of George.

Hearing the scolding, young Sheldon looked to his grandmother Connie for help.

Grandma Connie simply shook her head slightly, indicating she couldn't help her little cookie. In this situation, little Sheldon could only obediently walk towards the house.

Just to be on the safe side, Mary followed her back to the house.

Chapter 54 Acquaintance

Seeing that Sheldon was once again delaying everyone's schedule due to personal reasons, George complained, "What a nuisance!"

He spoke softly, but George still heard him: "You're not allowed to talk about your brother like that."

"Hmph~" Little George rebelliously turned his head to the side, continuing to express his dissatisfaction.

A short while later, at Mary's urging, young Sheldon changed back into his plaid shirt and came out wearing his little bow tie.

Then the seven people in total, each in a car, drove to a farm outside the town.

To express his dissatisfaction, little George didn't ride in George's car, but instead sat in the passenger seat of his grandmother Connie's car.

As for Missy, she also chose Connie's car so that she could spend more time with Mike.

Along the way, compared to the "quiet" atmosphere at George's place, it was much more lively at Connie's grandma's place.

Grandma Connie thoroughly enjoyed the family outing. She pushed up the car stereo and asked, "Does anyone want to listen to some music?"

“Me, me~” Little George in the front row raised his hand in response, and then he found a rock 'n' roll cassette among a pile of tapes.

Soon after, upbeat music started playing inside the car.

The people inside the car were also swaying wildly to the music on the bumpy dirt road.

A joyful atmosphere continued to spread.

As the car left the main road, Mike felt the scenery becoming increasingly familiar. This was the road to Lina's house.

Mike had walked that path once.

Sure enough, the car arrived at Lina's house in no time.

However, this was not the end. The two cars continued along the road for several kilometers and arrived at a pristine farm.

Here you'll find lush green lawns, verdant trees, and even the air is fresher than in the town.