156: Chapter 156 Su Xingxing

Yunhai Residential Complex was an older neighborhood built over a decade ago, but it still had basic amenities like elevators. Su Ye, supporting a slightly unsteady Su Hong, opened the door to the home he hadn't returned to in a long time. The living room lights were on. Hearing the commotion, Li Mei hurried over to take Su Hong from Su Ye. She didn't complain, as she knew today was a special situation.

"I'll take your dad back to his room to rest first. Your little sister is on the sofa; she wouldn't go to sleep until she saw you. I really don't know who she learned such stubbornness from."

Su Ye smiled and said, "That must be from Dad."

Su Ye looked toward the sofa. A little tyke in pajamas was sitting there, her head nodding repeatedly as she fought off sleep. She hadn't even reacted with surprise to the sound of the door opening. Su Xingxing was born when Su Ye was eighteen. Growing up, Su Ye had always doted on his younger sister, and Su Xingxing was very attached to him.

Su Ye walked up to the sofa and crouched down. He reached out to gently stroke Su Xingxing's little head and said softly, "How about we go to bed?"

Su Xingxing lifted her sleepy little face. Her big eyes squinted as she struggled to recognize her brother. Then, she draped her chubby little hands over Su Ye's shoulders and murmured, "Brother."

Su Ye affectionately patted Su Xingxing's head before carrying her to her room.

Just after settling Su Xingxing down and tucking her in, he turned off the light and left the room. By then, Li Mei had already settled Su Hong. She yawned while looking at Su Ye and said, "Alright, you're tired too. Go get some sleep. I've already made your bed in your room."

Su Ye nodded and smiled, "Got it, Mom. You go back to sleep first."

Li Mei nodded, turned around, and went back to her room to sleep.

Su Ye returned to his room and turned on the light. The room was clean and simple, containing only a bed, a desk, and a pure white wardrobe. Su Ye didn't follow celebrities, so there were no posters on the walls.

Su Ye first went back to the underground parking garage to retrieve his suitcase, took out a change of clothes, and went to the bathroom to take a shower.

Lying on the bed he had slept on for over a decade, with the familiar scent lingering in his nose, Su Ye fell into a deep sleep within minutes.

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Before seven in the morning, Su Ye woke up. After washing up in the bathroom, he got dressed and went out, planning to grab breakfast downstairs and arrange breakfast for the family at the same time.

After all, Yunhai Residential Complex was over a decade old, and the surrounding facilities were quite complete. There were places to eat and drink at the entrance of the complex, as well as pharmacies and supermarkets, some of which had been open for over ten years.

For example, Chen's Noodle Shop at the south gate had existed since the complex was built. Su Ye could say he had been eating there since he was a child.

Su Ye strode into the noodle shop and called out, "Uncle Chen!"

A shiny head poked out from the back of the noodle shop, even reflecting the light under the incandescent bulb.

At first glance, with his fleshy face, sturdy build, and bald head, his eyes slightly narrowed, he looked like he could scare away many customers. But upon seeing Su Ye, a look of pleasant surprise appeared on his face.

"Little Su, you brat, you're back?"

Su Ye plopped down onto a slightly worn, polished wooden stool and casually picked up the fresh garlic on the table to start peeling it.

"Yeah, just got back yesterday. Make me a bowl of chicken giblet noodles, and bring out a steamer of soup dumplings. Also, help me pack three bowls of congee and two steamers of fresh meat dumplings. I'll pack the pickles myself."

Chen Dayong said, "Good, very good." Then, he nimbly walked out of the kitchen, quickly cooking the noodles and packing the dumplings for Su Ye.

Within a few minutes, a fragrant bowl of chicken giblet noodles was placed on Su Ye's table. The surface was covered with plenty of stewed toppings; it could have been served as a separate dish.

The slightly sour aroma wafting around Su Ye's nose made his appetite soar. After adding a bit of aromatic vinegar, Su Ye quickly mixed the noodles thoroughly. He picked up a full pair of chopsticks loaded with noodles and chicken giblets, topped with pickled long beans and pickled peppers, and stuffed it all into his mouth.

Salty, savory, sour, spicy. These flavors blended in Su Ye's mouth into a complex taste.

Chen Dayong sat down opposite Su Ye, lit a cigarette, and asked with a smile, "How is it? You haven't eaten here in a long time. Does it still taste okay?"

"Mmm-hmm!" Su Ye gave Chen Dayong a thumbs up while burying his head in his noodles.

After finally swallowing the noodles in his mouth, Su Ye loudly praised, "Uncle Chen, this flavor is unmatched. If you ask me, no high-end private kitchen or five-star hotel chef can compare to this bowl of noodles."

Chen Dayong waved his hand with a chuckle. "Hey, it's not as exaggerated as you say. I'm just a small-time cook. Private kitchens and five-star hotel chefs? I can't compare to them; their culinary skills are streets ahead of mine. Besides, have you even eaten their food?"

He didn't know that Su Ye had actually eaten quite a bit of that. Su Ye didn't continue the topic but kept his head down and ate the noodles. Chen Dayong didn't speak either, just watched Su Ye with a smile; it was still early, and no customers had arrived yet.

After Su Ye finished the noodles, Chen Dayong timely brought over a bowl of noodle soup with a few pieces of bright green scallions floating on top. "Here, the original soup helps digest the original food."

Su Ye took the noodle soup and drank it all in one go. He pulled out a tissue to wipe his mouth, rubbed his bulging stomach, and smiled, "Uncle Chen, this bowl of noodles really hit the spot."

Chen Dayong laughed, "You've been eating these chicken giblet noodles for over ten years and still haven't had enough. You won't even try anything else."

Su Ye pulled a cigarette pack from his pocket, handed one to Chen Dayong, and said, "You know me. I just like eating this; I'm not interested in anything else. Alright, I'm heading out, Uncle Chen. My dad and the others are probably awake by now."

Chen Dayong waved his hand at Su Ye, signaling for him to get lost.

After Su Ye's figure disappeared, an electronic voice sounded in Chen Dayong's ear: "Payment received: eighty yuan."

Chen Dayong was stunned for a moment, then laughed and scolded, "This brat, I already told him I was treating him."

After saying that, he looked at the Cordyceps in his hand and sighed, "Su Ye really has made money; he's even smoking such expensive cigarettes."

Su Ye carried the breakfast home. By now, Su Hong, Li Mei, and Su Xingxing were all awake.

When Su Xingxing saw Su Ye, she quickly trotted over on her short legs and hugged his thigh, looking up at him pitifully. "Brother, I didn't see you when I woke up this morning. Where did you go?"

Su Ye stroked his younger sister's smooth cheek and then shook the food bag in his hand. "I went to buy breakfast for our little glutton."

Su Xingxing wrinkled her little face and said, "I'm not a little glutton, you're the big glutton."

Su Ye picked up Su Xingxing with his right arm and placed the food bag on the table to open it, revealing the steaming soup dumplings inside. "Is that so? Then that little glutton isn't allowed to eat the soup dumplings I brought back."