Chapter 11: An An’s Counterattack

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That evening, after returning from combat training, Lu Zhan stepped through the door and immediately sensed a different atmosphere at home. Zhou Susu seemed to be in an unusually good mood—she was even humming a tune. Little An An trailed behind her like a shadow, never leaving her side, occasionally mumbling incomprehensibly, “Mama… hug…,” “Mama… food…”

Lu Zhan was thoroughly puzzled. At the dinner table, unable to contain his curiosity any longer, he asked Zhou Susu, who was feeding An An, “What happened today?”

Susu glanced up at him, her beautiful eyes still sparkling with lingering joy and a faint smile. “Nothing much,” she said nonchalantly, though her tone carried a subtle pride, “It’s just that our An An called me ‘Mama’ for the first time today.”

She emphasized the words “just that” with a weight that betrayed her hidden pride.

Lu Zhan’s chopsticks froze mid-air. He looked at An An, who smiled sweetly at him. His heart felt full—warm and swelling.

After dinner, Lu Zhan broke his usual habit and took the initiative to clear the dishes. When he came out of the kitchen, he saw Zhou Susu holding An An, reading her a small illustrated book that seemed to have appeared from nowhere. The soft yellow light stretched their shadows long across the floor, creating a tender, picturesque scene.

An An nestled dependently in Susu’s arms, her little face full of concentration and contentment. Lu Zhan stood quietly, watching for a long moment. In that instant, the black-and-white “cooperation agreement” they had signed felt pale and ridiculous.

On a whim, he returned to his room and rummaged through his bag until he found a large, bright red apple issued by the military that morning, which he had been reluctant to eat.

Holding the apple, he approached Zhou Susu and offered it to her. She was so engrossed in reading that she was startled to see the apple suddenly appear before her eyes. She looked up and met Lu Zhan’s deep, slightly embarrassed gaze.

Then she heard this awkward, straightforward soldier speak in a stiff, almost report-like tone, “Thank you for your hard work.”

His voice was dry and tense, and his usually steady hands, accustomed to holding a gun, trembled slightly as he held out the shiny red apple, seeming as uncertain as a child.

Susu almost burst out laughing at his “schoolboy handing in homework” awkwardness. She blinked, deliberately delaying before taking the apple, teasing him with a knowing smile: “Captain Lu, what’s this for?”

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Under the dim light, Lu Zhan’s face seemed to flush. He stiffened his neck and pushed the apple forward again, his tone even more rigid. “A reward. For you.”

“Oh?” Susu raised an eyebrow, elongating the last word, “A reward for what?”

Lu Zhan felt his scalp nearly explode. What was going on with this woman? She used to be the one doting on him, but now it was reversed? Grinding his molars, he felt his temper being worn down underfoot.

“You…” He hesitated for a long time, unable to say anything softer, finally squeezing out between clenched teeth, “You did well today.”

“Pfft!” Susu couldn’t hold back her laughter any longer. This man was such a treasure—he praised like a commander delivering a reprimand.

Still, seeing his earnestness, she decided to let it slide.

“Alright then, seeing as you’re so sincere, I’ll accept this reward,” she said, extending her slender, fair hand to take the large, red apple from his rough, callused palm.

Their fingertips brushed lightly, and Lu Zhan felt a sudden warmth like a spark, causing him to jerk his hand back as if avoiding a wild beast.

Susu smiled more deeply at his innocent reaction. She ignored him thereafter, picked up the fruit knife from the table (made from the space realm), and quickly peeled the apple clean before slicing it into small pieces and placing them in a bowl.

She first speared a small piece and fed it to An An. “An An, try this—Daddy gave this apple as a reward to Mommy, and Mommy is passing it on to you.”

“Mm!” An An closed her eyes in happiness, chewing with a crisp crunch, “Sweet!”

Susu then took another piece and held it up to Lu Zhan, who was still standing awkwardly by. “Here, Comrade Lu Zhan, you worked hard too.”

Lu Zhan froze completely. He looked at the pale, slightly dewy apple piece so close to him, then at Susu’s sparkling, smiling eyes, feeling his heart skip a beat.

What did this mean? The “cooperation agreement” didn’t cover this!

“What, not going to eat it?” Susu raised an eyebrow. “It’s your own apple. If you don’t eat it, I’ll give it all to An An.”

Lu Zhan’s Adam’s apple bobbed. On impulse, he lowered his head slightly, opened his mouth, and swallowed the apple.

The sweet and crisp flavor exploded instantly in his mouth.

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It was the sweetest apple he had ever tasted.

…

Ever since An An had called “Mama,” the atmosphere at home had changed dramatically.

An An had become Zhou Susu’s little shadow, following her everywhere, calling “Mama, Mama,” in a soft, tender voice so sweet it could overwhelm anyone.

Zhou Susu had fully embraced her role as a doting mother. Today, she took premium flour and butter from the space realm to bake a batch of creamy little cookies for An An. Tomorrow, she planned to blend fresh fruit and milk into a “fruit smoothie” that only the future might know. The day after, she even concocted a simple “birthday cake” with chocolate and cream, solemnly celebrating An An’s first spoken words.

Nourished by the spring water and various delicacies, An An’s small frame visibly plumped up rapidly. Her once pale, gaunt face now glowed with a rosy hue, smooth and tender like a freshly peeled boiled egg—so irresistible one wanted to pinch her cheeks.

Her courage grew too; she no longer hid in the house all day but occasionally ventured into the yard with Susu’s company to bask in the sun.

Of course, discordant voices persisted.

Wang Xiaohu and his gang of unruly kids no longer dared provoke An An openly in Susu’s presence, but their mischief behind her back was relentless.

One day, Zhou Susu was inside sewing a cute little knitted hat for An An, who was playing alone on the doorstep with a small beanbag Susu had made. Wang Xiaohu passed by stealthily with two followers.

Seeing An An alone, Wang Xiaohu’s boldness returned. He didn’t dare approach but stood not far off, making faces and muttering curses: “Mute brat, can talk now, still a jinx!” “Nobody wants you, a deadweight! Curse your whole family!”

An An’s face immediately paled. Clenching the beanbag tightly, tears welled in her eyes, but she bit her lip stubbornly, refusing to cry. She remembered her mother saying that crying would spread sickness to others.

Inside, Zhou Susu saw everything clearly. Her expression darkened. Just as she was about to stand and go out, she saw An An do something unexpected.

The little girl neither cried nor ran away but picked up a small stone from the ground and, summoning all her strength, threw it toward Wang Xiaohu.

The stone was too small, and the force too weak to hit him, but the act of defiance stunned Wang Xiaohu.

He hadn’t expected the once trembling mute to fight back today.

“You… you dare throw stones at me!” Wang Xiaohu, furious and humiliated, pointed at An An’s nose and shouted, “You little beast! I’m going to tell your mother!”