Chapter 404: Who Isn't a Child?

After eating and drinking to his heart's content, he accompanied the old master in the living room at Xia Nuannuan's house, drinking tea and playing two games of Chinese chess, deliberately losing one game to let the old master win.

Afterwards, Qin Tian repeatedly refused the old master's request for him to stay, said goodbye, and left.

Dragging his suitcase out of the residential area, he hailed a taxi on the side of the road and arrived home at three o'clock in the afternoon.

Mom should still be at the clothing store and hadn't returned. Qin Tian went next door to chat with Grandpa Sun and Grandma Liu, then went out to buy groceries at the nearby vegetable market.

After buying some vegetables and going to the supermarket to buy some things, Qin Tian quickly cleaned up the things he bought after arriving home and then started making dinner.

In winter, it gets dark earlier. After five o'clock in the afternoon, the sky outside gradually darkened.

Qin Tian was frying a fish when his mother's familiar voice came from outside the kitchen.

"Little Tian? Are you cooking?"

"It's me!"

Qin Tian hurriedly responded.

Immediately after, his mother walked into the kitchen with a bright smile.

"Not bad, university really is different. Once you're back, you know how to cook a meal to show filial piety to your mom."

Tang Xiuxia praised while reaching out to take a duck neck from a plate of sauce-braised duck on the kitchen counter, eating it with great satisfaction.

"It's as if I haven't cooked for you before."

Qin Tian turned his head to look at his mother and said with a wry smile, "Please, why are you like a child? Stealing food without washing your hands."

"Who's stealing food? I'm eating it openly. I washed my hands before coming back, it's clean!"

Tang Xiuxia rolled her eyes.

"Well, since you've eaten it, can you help carry a dish?"

Qin Tian asked with a helpless expression.

"No problem."

Tang Xiuxia nodded with a smile, picked up the two dishes on the kitchen counter, and went to the front room.

Soon, the meal was ready.

It was just the two of them, mother and son, so Qin Tian didn't make many dishes, just four dishes and one soup, a combination of meat and vegetables, with great color, aroma, and taste.

Qin Tian was still pouring drinks, while Tang Xiuxia had already picked up her chopsticks and was eating impatiently.

"Mm-hmm, this fish is also not bad, delicious, delicious."

"Why are you like someone who hasn't eaten in three days?"

"I'm too lazy to cook when I'm home alone. I'll have breakfast out, and if I'm at the store in the afternoon, I'll just find a place in the mall to eat something casual. It's true I haven't eaten a proper meal like this for several days."

Tang Xiuxia answered with a smile, then winked at him and said, "The key is still that my son, your cooking skills are good, and it's delicious."

"Didn't I tell you to take it easy yourself?"

Qin Tian put the juice in front of her and frowned slightly.

"It's very easy. I wake up naturally every day, then go out for breakfast, then go to the store for a while, or accompany Nuannuan's mom to go shopping and play cards. Life couldn't be more comfortable!"

After Tang Xiuxia finished speaking, she picked up her glass and drank it in one gulp.

"Then can't you cook for yourself?"

"Cooking for one person is such a waste of energy, and I don't cook well anyway."

"You're really something."

Qin Tian poured her another glass of juice, speechless, and then sat down.

"I'm thinking I don't have the talent for cooking either. How come the food you make is so delicious?"

Tang Xiuxia put two pieces of chicken in his bowl and looked at him suspiciously.

"That's because you're too lazy."

Qin Tian said lightly.

"Nonsense? I'm clearly very diligent, okay? I worked so hard before, it was you and Nuannuan who insisted I take it easy."

"Then you should be diligent every day and buy groceries to cook for yourself!"

"Hehe... aren't you on vacation now? For the upcoming winter break, the task of buying groceries and cooking is handed over to you!"

Tang Xiuxia raised her left hand and patted his shoulder with a bright smile.

"Mom, I'm still a child!"

Qin Tian said with a bitter face.

"Who isn't a child!"

Tang Xiuxia smiled, stuffed a large mouthful of shredded cabbage into her mouth, and said unclearly, "Counting from the ten months of pregnancy, your mom has been taking care of you for almost twenty years, right? Now that you've grown up and your cooking skills are much better than mine, can't you cook a few more meals and take care of your mom..."

"Fine, fine, stop talking, I'll do it, okay?"

Qin Tian interrupted her with a bitter smile.

"That's my good son!"

Tang Xiuxia raised her left hand with a face full of smiles and patted his shoulder with satisfaction.

"Make a few more dishes tomorrow and call Nuannuan and her mom over for dinner."

"Yes, my dear mother."

"Eh!!"

Mom ate to her heart's content and took the initiative to take on the task of washing the dishes.

Qin Tian went out for a stroll with peace of mind.

The phone in his pocket rang.

Qin Tian took it out and looked at the caller ID; it was a call from Xu Hao, whom he hadn't seen for a long time.

"Hello, Brother Hao!"

"Master, are you back? That kid Zhang Peng just called me and said he wanted to come over and play with me."

"I'm back, arrived at noon."

"Then do you want to join us?"

"Where to? Another internet cafe?"

Qin Tian asked with a smile.

"No, let's go play at the mall. A skating rink opened on the fifth floor, and they also set up a few pool tables in the game hall. Shall we go and play?"

"Alright, where are you? I'll come find you."

"I'm still at the internet cafe. Let's meet at the mall. I'll let Zhang Peng go directly there too."

"Good!"

"Mm-hmm, see you later, hanging up first."

After speaking, Xu Hao hung up the phone.

Qin Tian turned around and dialed Xia Nuannuan's phone.

"Nuannuan, Zhang Peng, Xu Hao, and I are planning to go to the mall to skate and play pool. Are you going?"

"I want to go, I want to go."

"Then I'll come find you?"

"Mm-hmm, I'll ask Su Yan and Jiajia if they want to go."

"Good, hanging up, I'm already on my way."

"Mm, I'll be down soon."

After hanging up the phone, Qin Tian walked quickly towards Xia Nuannuan's residential area.

When he arrived, Xia Nuannuan was already waiting at the entrance of the residential area, texting someone on her phone.

"Nuannuan!"

Qin Tian called out.

Xia Nuannuan looked up at him, ran over happily, and hugged his arm with both hands.

"Are they going?"

"Su Yan is still eating and doesn't really want to come out. Zhang Peng has already called Jiajia."

"Is she back too?"

Qin Tian asked with a smile.

"She came back with Zhang Peng, arrived yesterday."

Xia Nuannuan smiled.

While chatting, the two walked hand in hand towards the mall.

The weather was cold, and Qin Tian suggested taking a taxi, but Xia Nuannuan refused, saying she had been blowing the air conditioner at home all afternoon and wanted to take a walk.

"Are your other sisters back yet?"

"You mean the class monitor and the others? I messaged them two days ago. Mu Nan's school vacation is late, Liao Juan is waiting for her, and it will be a few days before they can return. Cui Ying and Qiu Man... I haven't been in touch for a long time."

Speaking of this, a look of disappointment appeared on Xia Nuannuan's face.

Qin Tian raised his hand to help her put on the hood of her down jacket, a doting smile appearing on his face.

"Don't be too disappointed. Life is like this. Even the best friends may drift apart as time goes by."

"I know. When we first went to university, we often messaged and called each other, but later it became less and less. Now I want to message them, but I don't know what to say."

"When the Chinese New Year comes, the class monitor should organize a class reunion. When you meet and chat then, it might be better!"

"Mm, I hope so!" ===== CHAPTER 405 =====