Chapter 3: Daddy… Can Baobao Really Eat It?

The Zhou family lived in a two-story Western-style house, with running water and a small water tank in the kitchen.

Xiao Naiwang looked at his reflection in the water tank and frowned. Come to think of it, this original body looked almost identical to him—could that be one of the reasons he had transmigrated here?

...Well, whatever the reason, he was already here.

Shaking off the thought, Xiao Naiwang quickly washed the vegetables, peeled the potatoes, and soaked them in saltwater with a few drops of vinegar. Then he started slicing the tomatoes.

His movements were swift and orderly, carrying an indescribable grace. Zhou Yiguo stood outside, watching the delicate face busy under the dim yellow light, his heart stirring slightly. Coupled with the tempting aroma gradually filling the air, he became even more convinced that this marriage should not end in divorce.

"Brother, I'm hungry! Hasn't Xiao Naiwang started cooking yet?" Zhou Yurou stomped heavily on the stairs, her face filled with anger and impatience.

"Xiao Wang is cooking now. It won't be long before dinner is ready. Go call Xiao Jing." Zhou Yiguo suddenly felt a wave of irritation. He had insisted that the two apologize to Xiao Naiwang, but his son remained stubbornly silent.

"Tch..." Zhou Yurou suddenly chuckled, sniffed the air, and secretly swallowed a mouthful of saliva, yet her expression was disdainful. "Brother, I told you Xiao Naiwang wouldn't hold out for long. See, he's already started cooking to please us. And judging by the smell, it's a dish he's never made before. He probably spent the whole time hiding in his room thinking about it."

Zhou Yiguo's gaze drifted toward the kitchen, watching the busy figure inside, and his frustration eased somewhat.

Soon, Xiao Naiwang finished cooking two dishes simultaneously: a rich, glossy, and aromatic traditional braised pork Red-braised pork belly — one of China's most iconic comfort foods. Pork belly slow-braised in soy sauce, Shaoxing rice wine, rock sugar, and whole spices for 1–2 hours until the fat turns translucent and the sauce becomes thick and glossy. The kind of dish that fills the whole house with smell while cooking. It's the Chinese equivalent of a home-cooked Sunday roast — deeply nostalgic for most Chinese people. , and a savory, tangy garlic eggplant . Just looking at them made him swallow involuntarily. He instinctively pulled a pair of chopsticks from the nearby holder, ready to taste a piece.

"Gurgle"

A loud and familiar stomach growl suddenly echoed. Xiao Naiwang paused and looked toward the doorway, where Xiao Baobao stood motionless, his small figure clinging to the doorframe. His eyes were fixed longingly on the braised pork, and he kept swallowing hard, yet he didn't cry out in hunger or ask for food.

Xiao Naiwang's heart ached. It seemed this child had been scolded by the original body far too often—he was just too well-behaved, so much so that it was heartbreaking.

Picking up a piece of glistening, perfectly marbled braised pork with his chopsticks, Xiao Naiwang blew on it gently, then walked over and crouched beside Xiao Baobao. Smiling, he held it to the child's lips and said softly, "Baobao, want to try?"

Xiao Baobao's eyes widened in surprise, sparkling with delight. He swallowed another gulp of saliva but didn't immediately open his mouth. Instead, he looked cautiously at Xiao Naiwang and whispered, "Daddy... can Baobao really, really eat it?"

"Why not?" Xiao Naiwang gently pressed the braised pork against the child's lips. "Be good, open your mouth."

Xiao Baobao instinctively opened his mouth, stuck out his little tongue to lick it, and then his eyes lit up instantly. With a wide "ah-um," he took the braised pork into his mouth.

As the braised pork belly, with its perfect balance of fat and lean meat and thick, savory sauce, entered his mouth, two little dimples appeared on Xiao Baobao's cheeks. He looked so blissful he might as well have blossomed, his small mouth moving rapidly. The meat, stewed until tender and flavorful, and the slightly chewy, springy skin burst with a rich, smooth, and intensely sweet sauce the moment he bit down. The aroma was so intoxicating he could have swallowed his own tongue.

"Daddy, so yummy! So yummy!"

"If it's yummy, eat more, baobao." Xiao Naiwang smiled, ruffling Xiao Baobao's little head. He took out a small bowl, picked out five or six pieces of the best-quality braised pork, added a small spoon, and handed it to Xiao Baobao.

"Baobao, hold the bowl and eat slowly. Daddy needs to cook now."

Xiao Baobao froze, as if he couldn't believe it. He thought getting one piece was already good enough, but Daddy had given him so many more!

Tilting his little head to look at his father, who was draining the shredded potatoes, Xiao Baobao suddenly felt... incredibly happy!

"Daddy..." Just as Xiao Naiwang was about to heat the oil, his pants were tugged. Looking down, he saw Xiao Baobao holding the small bowl, but not a single piece of braised pork had been touched.

"What's wrong?" Xiao Naiwang looked at Xiao Baobao. "Why aren't you eating, baobao?"

"Daddy should eat too." Xiao Baobao struggled to lift the bowl higher. "Daddy, eat!"

Xiao Naiwang was taken aback, then smiled gently. He bent down, picked up the smallest piece of meat with his chopsticks, and put it in his mouth. His eyes instantly lit up.

The meat in this era was truly fragrant! Of course, his cooking skills also played a part. That small, glistening red piece of braised pork seemed to concentrate all the essence—rich, tender, savory, oily but not greasy. The thick, smooth sauce blended perfectly with the meat's aroma. Even after swallowing, the lingering sweetness on the tongue made one's mouth water uncontrollably!

However, he had to rein in his appetite now, hurry up with the potatoes, and get the meal ready.

Checking the soup pot, Xiao Naiwang turned up the heat, then quickly stir-fried the shredded potatoes. He only added half a green chili pepper, making the dish fragrant but not spicy, perfect for baobao to eat.

Next, he scooped two bowls of steamed rice. Telling baobao to wait there, he first brought out the minced garlic eggplant and shredded potatoes .

As soon as he entered the living room, he noticed that, aside from the bratty child Zhou Chuanjing, both Zhou Yiguo and Zhou Yurou were waiting there. Seeing Xiao Naiwang come out, Zhou Yiguo hurried over to take the dishes.

"Xiao Wang, you've worked hard."

Xiao Naiwang glanced at Zhou Yiguo expressionlessly, then turned to fetch the other dishes. Zhou Yurou wore a look of disgust and dissatisfaction. "Brother, look at his attitude. Who does he think he's giving that face to?"

"Enough. Go call Xiao Jing for dinner."

"I already called him. Xiao Jing won't come out. He said Xiao Naiwang has to leave first." Zhou Yurou smirked gleefully. This had happened before, but Xiao Naiwang never left—he always apologized to Xiao Jing meekly. Hmph, this time, she was waiting for Xiao Naiwang to beg for forgiveness.

"Forget it, I'll go call him." Zhou Yiguo felt a headache coming on.

As soon as Zhou Yiguo left, Xiao Naiwang walked over with Xiao Baobao. He carried the braised pork in one hand and a large bowl of rice with a pair of chopsticks in the other. Xiao Baobao held a small bowl of rice with a little spoon inside. When he saw Zhou Yurou, he visibly trembled, shrinking fearfully closer to Xiao Naiwang.

Xiao Naiwang glanced at Zhou Yurou, seeing the malice on her face, and felt extremely displeased. He set the food on the table, lifted Baobao onto the small stool, and simply acted as if he couldn't see her.

Xiao Naiwang added a serving of shredded potatoes, a piece of braised pork, and some eggplant without garlic to Baobao's small bowl, then gently ruffled the child's hair. "Be good, eat up."

Baobao had eaten poorly before, lacking enough nourishment, so he couldn't have too much meat all at once. Counting what he'd just eaten, this piece made five pieces of braised pork in total—no more than that.

"Mm." Xiao Baobao nodded obediently, picked up his small spoon with his tiny hands, and began eating on his own. Though not yet three years old, he was more independent than many six- or seven-year-olds.

Xiao Naiwang nodded with satisfaction, then turned to ladle the soup.

Unexpectedly, when he returned with the soup, he saw Zhou Yiguo standing by the dining table holding the braised pork dish, with Zhou Yurou looking displeased beside him.

"Xiao Wang." Zhou Yiguo's eyes were full of apology, though his tone carried a hint of entitlement. "Xiao Jing refuses to come down, so I'm taking some food up to him."

"You want to take the whole dish?" Xiao Naiwang didn't respond directly, instead questioning Zhou Yiguo, showing none of the eagerness or apology Zhou Yiguo had expected.

"...No." Zhou Yiguo frowned, quickly adjusting his words. "I'll just take a portion up to Xiao Jing."

"Then put it down, go to the kitchen and get a plate to serve it. And don't forget to serve your own rice and soup." Xiao Naiwang sat down directly and began eating.

Unfortunately, he hadn't taken more than a few bites when an angry shout erupted beside him. "Xiao Naiwang, are you dead? Don't you know to serve rice and bring chopsticks for my brother and me? All you do is eat with that little money-loser, lazy and greedy—do you want to die?"

Xiao Baobao was startled, his small spoon clattering to the table as he shrank back against the chair. Xiao Naiwang's expression turned cold. He steadied Baobao's shoulder with a gentle pat, his gaze icy and disgusted as he looked at Zhou Yurou.

"Zhou Yurou, you really have no self-awareness. If laziness were a contest, you'd take second place with no one daring to claim first. Over twenty years old and you won't lift a finger even if a bottle falls over. You demand others serve your rice and hand you chopsticks, placing everything right by your hand before you'll eat—otherwise, you curse and shout. Actually... this isn't just laziness, it's acting like an ancestor."

Xiao Naiwang sneered. "Outside, you put on such a capable and gentle act. Why not be honest and show off this cursing, ancestor-like behavior in public too?"

"Xiao Naiwang, you motherf—"

"Enough! Xiao Rou, go serve your own rice and get your own chopsticks!" Zhou Yiguo slammed the plate onto the table, his face dark with anger. He seemed genuinely upset, though whether that anger was truly directed at Zhou Yurou remained unclear.

"Brother!" Zhou Yurou fumed, standing up and kicking the table leg hard, producing a sharp screech. She then turned and stormed upstairs. "Pah, I'm not eating!"

Zhou Yiguo's expression grew even darker.

A mocking smile played on Xiao Naiwang's lips as he looked at Zhou Yiguo. "Weren't you going to get a plate? Hurry up. After we eat, we can discuss the divorce."

"Xiao Wang!" Zhou Yiguo finally couldn't hold back, his face a mix of heartache and dissatisfaction. "What's wrong with you? You weren't this unreasonable before."

"I'm unreasonable?" Xiao Naiwang truly wanted to slap that heartbroken look off Zhou Yiguo's face—it disgusted him to the core.

"Zhou Yiguo, are you saying I should go back to being a servant like before? For example, when Zhou Chuanjing habitually hits and scolds Baobao for no reason, I should scold Baobao and apologize to Zhou Chuanjing? Then work like a housemaid, washing clothes, cooking, and doing chores for you all, getting scolded by Zhou Yurou if I don't place the chopsticks right in your hands?"

Xiao Naiwang's gaze grew colder. "This is a new society now—there's no master-servant hierarchy. Don't pretend to be heartbroken in front of me. If you want to act pitiful, go ahead, but finish up quickly. Once you're done eating, we can discuss the divorce!"

With that, Xiao Naiwang ignored Zhou Yiguo and turned to comfort Baobao. The little one had been badly frightened by Zhou Yurou and Zhou Yiguo earlier and was still shrinking back, which made Xiao Naiwang's heart ache.

Seeing Xiao Naiwang ignore him, Zhou Yiguo felt his mind burning with anger. He couldn't understand it—Xiao Naiwang had always been so well-behaved before. Why had he suddenly become so unreasonable and so prone to making a scene?

Zhou Yiguo stood there for a moment before turning to the kitchen to fetch plates and bowls. Xiao Naiwang simply picked up Baobao, feeding him a bite and then taking one himself.

The food was delicious, but the noisy commotion coming from upstairs ruined their appetite.

After finishing the meal, Xiao Naiwang cleared the table and took Baobao back to their room. He hadn't wanted to clean up, but it was better to avoid trouble. Arguing would only make things worse.

After comforting Baobao for a while, Xiao Naiwang went to fetch water to wash up. As soon as he reached the living room, he noticed Zhou Yiguo's figure lurking in the shadows of a corner.

Xiao Naiwang stopped and looked at Zhou Yiguo. "Have you made up your mind to discuss the divorce?"

Zhou Yiguo stepped out of the shadows, frowning and hesitating for a long time before speaking with a gentle yet pained expression. "Xiao Wang, what's really going on with you?"

"I'm perfectly fine. Just tell me when you have time off. We'll go get the divorce certificate. I don't want anything—just the things I brought with me, and of course, Baobao."

"Xiao Wang!" Zhou Yiguo raised his voice suddenly. "If you have any grievances, you can tell me now. I'll—"

"You'll make them change?" Xiao Naiwang laughed. "Zhou Yiguo, how likely do you think that is?"

"Xiao Wang... We've only been married for twenty days!"

"Exactly. In just twenty days, I've become your family's personal housemaid, and Baobao has become your son's personal punching bag." The more Xiao Naiwang spoke, the more impatient he felt, and looking at Zhou Yiguo only annoyed him further. "Just tell me straight—when is your next day off?"

He remembered that as a minor official at the liquor factory, Zhou Yiguo had quite a few days off each month.

"I don't have any left this month. I used up all my leave last time." Zhou Yiguo paused before adding, "Xiao Wang, I don't agree to a divorce."

"You think just because you disagree, we won't get divorced?"

"I won't agree."

Under the dim light, Xiao Naiwang's complexion was as fair as jade, his dark, clear eyes tinged with anger, making him look even more vivid and captivating than before. His long, thick lashes, dark as crow feathers, fluttered slowly, as if trembling against Zhou Yiguo's heart. Zhou Yiguo's throat suddenly tightened, a mix of heat and resentment rising within him. He and Xiao Naiwang had been married for twenty days, but he still hadn't managed to make him his.

A sudden thought struck Zhou Yiguo. Could it be... that Xiao Naiwang was arguing with him because he hadn't consummated their marriage, leaving him feeling insecure?

The more he thought about it, the more convinced he became. Zhou Yiguo's eyes grew fervent as he reached out to pull Xiao Naiwang into his embrace, his voice slightly hoarse yet filled with emotion: "Xiao Wang... we..."

Xiao Naiwang was caught off guard, finding himself tightly embraced and nearly kissed on the cheek. Instantly, fury surged to his head, and he threw a punch straight at Zhou Yiguo's face, making him cry out in pain and release his grip.

"Pah! I'll sue you for marital sexual harassment!" Xiao Naiwang was absolutely livid. He grabbed a basin and was about to storm back to his room when he suddenly felt something was off. Why should he be the one to retreat? It would only make him seem weak!

Stomping loudly, he headed to the kitchen, where he scooped two basins of water that had been kept warm on the stove after dinner. Holding one basin in each hand and balancing them against his waist, he marched back to his room with an imposing air.

After washing his face and feet with his son, Xiao Naiwang didn't bother to pour out the water. Instead, he simply settled down to sleep with the child. The little one was very understanding. Seeing that Xiao Naiwang was in a bad mood, he didn't fuss at all. Instead, he gently patted Xiao Naiwang's back with his small hand, saying in a soft, milky voice, "Daddy, don't be angry... Daddy, don't be angry..."

Xiao Naiwang kissed his son's little hand, turned off the light, and lay down with him, pulling up the blanket. "Good boy, Daddy isn't angry anymore. Let's sleep."

"Mmm, Daddy isn't angry..." The child's soft voice was especially clear in the darkness. "Daddy isn't angry..."

Xiao Naiwang was soothed by his son's gentle voice, but after the child fell asleep, he lay alone in the dark, staring at the mosquito net, still feeling disgusted no matter how he thought about it. He tossed and turned, unable to sleep.

No, he had to earn money quickly and move out of this house. Once they had been separated long enough, even if Zhou Yiguo dragged his feet, they could get an automatic divorce!

The next day, Xiao Naiwang made scallion-flavored egg pancakes and tomato egg soup early in the morning. After breakfast, he took his son and left the house.