"Ah, Ye'er, I love hearing that!" Luo Zhenggang, who stepped out of the study, just caught the last sentence from Luo Ye and rarely showed a smile: "Dad is waiting for you two to make him proud, both of you keep up the hard work!"
"Brother..." Luo Ye quickly ran over and grabbed Luo Feng, who was following behind Luo Zhenggang. She scrutinized him to make sure he was in good spirits before she was relieved.
Luo Zhenggang smiled at his daughter: "Ye'er, do you think I would eat your brother alive?"
"I'm just assessing brother's progress. The educational lesson from Mayor Luo has ended, there ought to be some results, right?" In a good mood, Luo Ye playfully teased Luo Zhenggang. After adjusting to the recent days, she has grown to love her life back home, and having figured out her path, her personality isn't as gloomy as it initially was.
"Ye'er, in your eyes, is your brother almost like a girl?" Luo Feng looked slightly distressed.
Luo Ye affectionately leaned on Luo Feng's shoulder: "Brother, you actually have many strengths: kindness, attentiveness, thoughtfulness, etc. Whoever marries you in the future would be really lucky."
"You're just comforting me!" Luo Feng immediately beamed with joy: "Don't worry, I'll listen to you. Let's not fuss over the distant future; for now, I'm here to protect you, Ye'er!"
Luo Ye vigorously nodded her little head: "Brother, keep it up! I'm waiting for you to protect me. In a while, I'll design a new look for us both, for a real transformation!"
"Alright, I'm waiting. I didn't realize my sister had such a talent!" Luo Feng suddenly slapped his forehead: "But Ye'er, please don't give me a haircut like a teapot lid."
"That was brother's specialty before you turned six, how could I dare to copy that?" Luo Ye sneakily glanced at Luo Zhenggang. Her dad had a childhood photo with that same teapot lid haircut.
Luo Zhenggang glanced at Luo Ye: "Girl, what are you peeking at? Grandpa's barber skills are top-notch. Back then, many local kids would queue up for him to give them the 'teapot lid haircut'. If it were not for your mom's insistence, you would have had that hairstyle in a photo too!"
Ye'er patted her chest in relief: "So that's the reason! I wondered why grandpa would let me off. Mom, you're really the best."
Wen Xin smiled softly: "Now you know mom's kindness. Come on over and serve the dishes, it's time to eat!"
...
"This braised pork ribs, Ye'er, you are only allowed to have two pieces!" When Luo Ye's chopsticks reached for the ribs again, Wen Xin stopped her.
"Mom, I'm not fat now!" Luo Ye frowned sadly, does her mom really have to be so concerned about her figure? She's so skinny now, how could she have the strength without eating?
"Eat more vegetables. Girls should eat less meat!" Wen Xin was unmoved as she served a bowl of vegetables for her daughter: "Eat this!"
"Mom, why don't you just lock me in with a rabbit!" Luo Ye put down her chopsticks helplessly: "I seriously disagree with my diet.
I have two reasons: one is that I am still growing and need energy, and second, I am exercising every day, which requires even more energy.
Mom, how about I weigh myself every day and report to you? If after a month of eating freely you find the weight gain unacceptable, I'll go back to the restricted diet set by mom, how about that?"
She had to fight for this right. Besides running with Luo Feng in the mornings, she also secretly trained in her bedroom at night. Without enough food, where would she get the energy to train?
"Alright, agree to it!" When Luo Zhenggang saw that Wen Xin was still hesitating, he supported his daughter by placing a piece of rib in Ye'er's bowl.
"Fine, but you need to report your weight to mom daily, and no cheating. For girls, gaining weight and then losing it is the worst for both skin and health!" Seeing her husband supporting, Wen Xin could no longer persist.
"Thanks, mom!" Luo Ye started to gleefully nibble on the rib her dad placed in her bowl, cherishing the feeling of being loved by her family. Knowing that busier days ahead might make such moments rare.
"Here's the last piece for you!" Luo Feng intended to put it in Luo Ye's bowl. Wen Xin's eyes immediately widened: "Feng'er, do you want to fatten your sister to death?"
"Mom, a single piece of pork rib isn't going to kill me from fat, isn't that a bit exaggerated?" Luo Feng's chopsticks made a turn, and the bone went straight into his mouth.
As Luo Ye's chopsticks reached for the greasy pig's foot, Wen Xin couldn't help but shout, "Ye'er!"
"It's okay, Mom, don't worry!" Luo Ye expertly picked up the pig's foot into her own bowl, her exercise in the evening is even more intense than in the morning.
Luo Zhenggang hurriedly intervened, "Let the child eat. You agreed, so stop fussing over her. If it turns out not suitable, won't she just obediently listen to you?"
"Why are you fooling around with the kids too?" Wen Xin was clearly annoyed, now regretting that she had agreed to let Luo Ye do as she wished for a month.
"Mom, were you really, really fat before?" Luo Ye's face was full of curiosity. Based on her understanding of her own body, she should belong to the type that doesn't gain weight easily, so why is Wen Xin so worried?
Luo Zhenggang glared at his daughter: "Nonsense, your mother has never been overweight, she has always strictly controlled her diet!"
Wen Xin's eyes flickered but she said nothing. Understanding her mom's temperament, Luo Ye knew that if her mom decided not to speak about it, asking would be futile; better to wait for a chance in the future to verify it.
The dinner atmosphere was the most harmonious in the Luo Family for many years, even though Luo Feng was still somewhat afraid of Luo Zhenggang, and Luo Zhenggang still occasionally scolded them, it was already much better compared to the past.
…
"Ye'er, your dad is very happy that you have become sensible, but there's something dad wants to emphasize again. With just over a year left until your college entrance exam, Ye'er, you need to buckle down because with your current grades, getting into a top-tier university will be difficult!
Uh, how about we postpone the job at the leisure center for earning dog food until after your exams? That was dad's oversight." After dinner, the family sat together drinking tea when Luo Zhenggang finally brought up the issue that both parents were worried about.
"Don't worry, Dad, I will catch up with my studies. Also, starting tomorrow, I will start working at the leisure center. I'll go there every Saturday and Sunday when I'm free!" Luo Ye stood up, saying farewell: "I'm going back to my room to review."
"This child has really become stubborn!" Luo Zhenggang smacked Luo Feng who was just getting up to leave: "Feng'er, learn something from your sister!"
"Yes, Dad!" Luo Feng quickly said goodbye: "I'll go see if Ye'er needs any help!"
Watching his son quickly disappear behind the daughter's door, Luo Zhenggang sighed helplessly: "It's a long road ahead!"
Wen Xin chided, "Isn't that because of your education?"
"Yes…" Luo Zhenggang embraced Wen Xin: "Wife, I've made you suffer with me, I really want you to be happy, sigh!"
Wen Xin leaned on Luo Zhenggang's shoulder: "You've always been good to me, Feng'er and Ye'er both listen to me, my father-in-law is also good to me, what's there not to be happy about?"
"For now, indeed, but in the future…" Luo Zhenggang sighed again, "I also have to do my best to keep this happiness!"
"Husband, what's the matter?" Wen Xin quickly sat up.
"Nothing, don't worry, it's nothing!" Luo Zhenggang patted Wen Xin: "It's just that this fasting thing you've imposed got me feeling guilty. If it wasn't for following me, you wouldn't have cut off contact with your family, nor would you always be worried about that matter."
Second update of Nu'an, seeking votes.