Sweet Nostalgia of the 80s

8: Chapter 8 Trouble with Mice at Home 8: Chapter 8 Trouble with Mice at Home An Ping always felt that An Hao looked at him with disdain on normal days, merely scolding him or taunting him with her cold, sarcastic remarks.

Suddenly being so nice to him, he was a bit unaccustomed to it.

Upon hearing An Hao offer to make him soup, he quickly waved his hand, “No need.

These two big pancakes are plenty.”

“Alright then.

You eat quickly.

Once you’re done, I can wash the dishes!”

An Ping squatted on the ground, picked up his bowl, and started eating.

The pancakes dipped in egg and then fried were glittering golden and fragrant, so delicious that he almost bit his tongue off.

“An Hao, I’ve got to say, your cooking really isn’t half bad!

Way better than mom’s by no small margin,” An Hao mumbled with his mouth full.

An Hao cracked a slight smile.

In her past life, to pay off An Ping’s debts, she had done all kinds of jobs, including working in a restaurant and learning from chefs and pastry chefs—cooking was a piece of cake for her.

Moreover, adding egg and oil, it would be odd if it weren’t delicious.

An Ping wolfed down the fried pancakes and even finished the spicy paste, dripping with sweat, and then belched loudly.

He patted his belly, sighing contentedly, “So tasty.

If only I could eat eggs every day.”

An Hao glanced at An Ping, her heart stirred slightly, and she said softly, “An Ping, just endure a little longer.

I’ll figure something out to make sure you can eat eggs every day.

Not just eggs, but meat too!”

A glint of joy flashed in An Ping’s eyes, but it was gone in a second, replaced by his usual demeanor, “Psh, what can you do!

You’re all talk.”

An Hao said nothing, deciding to wait until she earned some money.

Having overeaten, An Ping felt a bit uncomfortable in his stomach.

He strolled around the courtyard a couple of times before heading to the southern room to look for hawthorn to aid digestion.

An Hao scooped some cold water and washed the dishes in the kitchen.

Bai Xue Mei walked out of her daughter Bai Yanjiao’s room, holding an empty bowl, and as soon as she entered the kitchen, she was greeted by the aroma of fried eggs.

Her face darkened at the sight of the eggshells discarded next to the coal stove.

The eggs she had secretly hidden had been eaten, igniting the anger she had suppressed all day, and with a “clang, clang” she knocked on the door, berating An Hao, “You don’t lift a finger to help at home, but when it comes to eating, you’re never left out!

Did you eat the two eggs I kept under the bowl?”

Hearing the noise, An Hao turned around and saw Bai Xue Mei holding the empty bowl, with egg remnants still visible at the bottom; she understood immediately.

It turned out her mother was so protective of her own daughter that she secretly hid things at home and sneaked them to Bai Yanjiao late at night.

An Hao wasn’t angry.

As she continued to wash the dishes, she smirked and said, “I was wondering why our food was always running low.

I thought we had a mouse problem at first, but now I see the light.

No wonder sister Yanjiao doesn’t eat much yet never seems to lose weight.

It’s the old saying, ‘A horse does not grow fat without being fed at night!’”

Bai Xue Mei’s face turned from red to green as she listened to An Hao’s veiled criticism; she was effectively being called a rat that stole food and was ridiculed along with Yanjiao.

“An Hao, how can you talk like that?

I’m your mother!

Is this how you speak to your mother?” Without any other argument, Bai Xue Mei resorted to asserting her seniority to oppress An Hao.

“So you remember you’re my mother?

By your logic, both Bai Yanjiao and I are your children, so how can you distinguish so clearly between who is dear and who is not?

Sneaking her egg soup at night, I’m sure this isn’t the first or second time this has happened!” An Hao said as she finished washing the dishes, and casually pulled out a piece of dish towel to dry them.

“Your sister was feeling unwell, so that’s why I made her the egg soup!” Bai Xue Mei retorted, realizing that the old An Hao was brainless and couldn’t speak well, but now, after a fall that must have struck her head, she had suddenly become articulate and could now choke Bai Xue Mei with a single sentence.