Zeng Xiaoya had good relationships with all her cousins, both paternal and maternal. Even distant relatives from the Zeng clan, those beyond five degrees of separation, stayed in close contact because they were all doctors.
They had a big family group chat where people often discussed difficult medical cases. The older generation, with their vast experience, generously shared advice and guidance with the younger doctors in the group.
Footsteps came from upstairs.
The two of them turned their heads towards the staircase and saw Bao Bao and Su Meng coming down, rubbing their eyes as they walked.
“Bao Bao, you two are awake?”
Zhan Yue only asked after the two children had come downstairs.
“If you still feel sleepy, go back to bed for a while.”
Do not disturb his alone time with Xiaoya. He had not had a proper chance to show off yet.
“Eighth Uncle, I am awake. I do not want to sleep anymore. Have Lele and Beibei not got up yet? Ah Meng, while those two are still asleep, let us go out and play.”
Bao Bao felt that without the two little tag-alongs, he and Su Meng could have much more fun. When he brought his younger siblings along, he always had to keep an eye on them and take care of them.
“I am hungry. Eighth Uncle, these snacks look so nice. Eighth Uncle, can we eat them?”
Su Meng rubbed his stomach and complained of hunger. He quite liked eating snacks, but his parents did not let him eat them every day. They said eating too many would make him fat.
With all the energy he burned, how could he possibly get fat? He ate a lot every day, but as long as he ran around outside for a few hours, everything got used up.
He even had to practise martial arts every day.
“Of course you can. Eighth Uncle made these fresh. Try them and see if they taste good.”
Zhan Yue picked up a plate and handed it to Su Meng. Zeng Xiaoya quickly invited the two children to eat and told them which ones tasted especially nice.
While eating, Su Meng said, “I know that as long as it is snacks made by Uncle Zhan and the others, they are always delicious. Much better than the ones my dad makes. My dad makes snacks that look really pretty, but the taste is nowhere near as good. They are just for show and not for eating.”
Zhan Yue laughed. “That is right. Our cooking skills are much better than your dad’s. That is why your dad loves coming over to eat for free the most.”
Before they got married, Big Brother, Su Nan, and Lu Dongming were ironclad friends. They were so close that they shared everything. Those two often came to the Zhan family for meals.
You could say they ate at the Zhan family more times than they ate at their own homes.
Now, Su Meng had perfectly inherited his father’s habit. Whenever he had free time, he liked to run over to the Zhan family. He ate, stayed, and played there, basically treating the Zhan family as his real home.
Haha, this kid had even said before that he wanted to marry Beibei in the future. If he really succeeded, it would mean he was coming to his future father-in-law’s house early to build good relations. Zhan Yin would have to raise not only his own daughter but also his son-in-law.
“Eighth Uncle also made some snacks that children like. Do you want me to bring some over?”
“Yes, Eighth Uncle, hurry and get them. I want to eat.”
Zhan Yue tapped Su Meng on the forehead. “You are eating so much. When you go home, do not let your parents scold you.”
“You still need to eat a proper dinner tonight. You cannot skip dinner just because you ate snacks.”
Su Meng said, “What time is it now? By dinner time, I will be hungry again. Eighth Uncle, make lots of delicious food tonight. I guarantee I will eat a huge amount for you.”
Zeng Xiaoya smiled. “Children are always running around. They burn a lot of energy and get hungry quickly.”
