abcnovels
Chapter 401
Chapter 401
Chapter 401 - You Haven't Even Eaten a Hotpot Before!
The dinner stretched on until the early hours of the morning.
It was only then that Su Qiu managed to drift off to sleep.
While tidying up the living room, Su Ming noticed dawn had broken.
Feeling it was too late to turn in, he decided to skip sleeping altogether.
The breeding zone was still vacant, so he headed there.
He checked the warehouse briefly, then browsed through the marketplace.
Su Ming purchased some common animals from the shop.
With the warehouse offering unlimited space, he figured the more he acquired, the better.
He pondered over which animals he might want to raise next.
The control panel had received an upgrade.
It now resembled the large computers of the older generation.
At the very least, it bore a resemblance to a computer.
Additionally, it featured a new automatic watering function.
After some careful consideration, Su Ming opted to raise bamboo rats.
Since bamboo rats feed on bamboo, they were quite easy to maintain.
He went ahead and started raising some.
Utilizing 24 individual rooms, he bred the bamboo rats, housing four in each room, totaling 96.
Su Ming activated his phone, accessed the marketplace, and exchanged for some bamboo specifically for the bamboo rats.
He hauled the bamboo out of the warehouse and split the stalks in half with a knife.
The bamboo was thick and substantial, appearing quite appetizing.
Su Ming couldn't help but think that there was good reason pandas were so fond of bamboo; he even felt tempted to try a piece himself.
He placed four bamboo stalks in each room to avoid any fights among the bamboo rats over their meals.
“Bamboo rats successfully bred! Harvest time: 50 hours!”
A prompt echoed in Su Ming's head.
The bamboo rats would be ready for harvest in two days, and Su Ming felt the wait wouldn't be too long.
He was content to wait patiently without any rush.
Glancing at the breeding zone's points once more, he saw they had surpassed one thousand.
This meant he could afford another upgrade for the house.
With resolve, Su Ming ceased his hesitation.
He invested 1000 points to upgrade the breeding zone from Level Two to Level Three.
“Breeding zone is upgrading. Upgrade will complete in: 12 hours!”
Su Ming then visited the aquatic product area, where he scattered some feed into the water.
The loaches were lively and healthy, darting joyfully through the water.
The sheep appeared to be thriving.
They bleated affectionately upon spotting Su Ming.
They had a close bond with him.
Su Ming had finished attending to the tasks in the three designated areas.
He started by sweeping the courtyard.
Afterward, he replaced the water in the swimming pool, cleaned the farm truck, and organized the fertilizer in the warehouse.
Though these tasks were varied, Su Ming dedicated his morning to completing them.
Before he knew it, noon had arrived.
Dressed in simple cloth attire, with cloth shoes and a straw hat, Su Ming was squatting in the field, weeding. A towel was draped over his shoulder.
Just then, the villa's door swung open.
Su Qiu emerged, still clad in her pajamas, looking as though she had just woken up.
Upon seeing Su Ming, she rubbed her eyes and said, “Brother, I'm hungry.”
Su Ming couldn't help but feel a bit exasperated.
He remembered how much Su Qiu had eaten the night before and was surprised she could be hungry again so soon. Yet, he also realized that her hearty appetite wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
“Alright,” Su Ming replied with a smile, “go freshen up first.”
Su Qiu nodded and headed off to shower.
Su Ming's home was stocked with women's clothing.
These garments weren't purchased by Su Ming, but by the manager who had overseen the villa's construction.
Believing Su Ming to be a wealthy and handsome man, the manager assumed that there would be many women in his life, so having extra women's clothing on hand seemed sensible.
However, Su Ming wasn't the type the manager had imagined.
Only a few women resided in Su Ming's villa.
One was Little Streamer, whom Su Ming had previously met.
Another was his sister, Su Qiu, who was part of his family.
Su Ming approached the tap and rinsed his hands and feet.
He hung the straw hat on a hook in the warehouse, washed the towel, and laid it out to dry on the clothes rack.
Removing his sweat-drenched shirt, he tossed it into a nearby bucket, planning to wash it later in the afternoon.
After cleaning his mud-caked feet, he slipped into a fresh pair of slippers and a clean set of clothes, then made his way back to the villa.
Su Ming entered the kitchen.
The charcoal in the hot pot was still glowing.
The water in the pot continued to bubble.
However, thanks to the System, there were no safety hazards in the kitchen.
The evaporation rate of the water was significantly slower than normal, ensuring the pot still contained water.
But the water level had indeed dropped by more than half.
Su Ming moved the hot pot to the center of the living room.
He opened the refrigerator and retrieved all of yesterday's ingredients.
Then he sliced some fresh fruits and vegetables.
A knock sounded at the door.
Su Ming glanced at the clock.
He murmured to himself, “Who could that be knocking? A band member?”
That seemed unlikely since Su Ming had informed them that today was a day off.
So, who could it be?
With a hint of curiosity, Su Ming approached the door and opened it.
Xiao Chen stood there with a grin, greeting, “Brother-in-law!”
Su Ming returned the smile, “It's hot out there. Come on in.”
“Sure, brother-in-law.”
Xiao Chen entered, beaming and trailing behind Su Ming like a faithful follower.
Puzzled, Su Ming inquired, “What brings you here?”
Xiao Chen replied, “Today's my dad's birthday, and he'd like you to join us for dinner at our place.”
Su Ming paused, then asked, “His birthday? Why didn't you let me know sooner?”
“Brother-in-law, we didn't mean to keep it from you. He specifically instructed us not to tell you too early.”
Xiao Chen quickly clarified, “His birthday mornings are always hectic with friends dropping by. Knowing you're not fond of socializing, he asked me to inform you at noon. We'll all have dinner together tonight.”
Realization dawned on Su Ming, and he asked, “Have you eaten lunch yet?”
Xiao Chen chuckled, “Brother-in-law, it's almost one in the afternoon. I've already had lunch.”
“Well, even if you've had lunch, join us for a bite.”
“No, brother-in-law, my family is quite strict about eating only at meal times. What's that smell, though? It's delightful.” Xiao Chen paused, suddenly intrigued by the aroma.
He stood still, taking in his surroundings with a deep breath.
The air was thick with the enticing aroma of hotpot.
The scent was simply irresistible!
With a teasing smile, Su Ming asked, “Do you want to try it?”
Xiao Chen nodded vigorously, exclaiming, “Yes!”
He quickly followed Su Ming inside the house.
His eyes grew wide at the sight of the bubbling hotpot and the array of ingredients spread out on the table.
“Is this the famous hotpot?”
Su Ming paused, taken aback by Xiao Chen's question.
“You've never had hotpot before?” Su Ming asked, puzzled.
At the question, Xiao Chen looked like he was on the verge of tears.
“Brother-in-law, my family has very strict rules. The last time I went out to eat with you and my sister was one of the rare occasions I've been allowed to dine out.”
Xiao Chen felt deeply aggrieved.
To outsiders, he might appear to be from a privileged family, living in the lap of luxury.
But the reality was that within his prestigious family, there were numerous rules, and the expectations placed on a future heir like Xiao Chen were particularly high.
He had been under strict guidance all his life, expected to excel in every aspect, from his capabilities to his health.