Male Lead's Canon Fodder Wife - Chapter 1280

Chapter 1280: Sudden Realization
An Xuyuan was interested and probably had some feelings toward the girl. But, Zhang Yulan seemed completely unaware of his subtle behaviors.

A knowing smile spread across Aunt Lin’s face. It seemed another business opportunity was just around the corner.

For some reason, her matchmaking business had been booming this year. One marriage after another, and most of them were perfect matches!

Not long after Aunt Lin left the Zhang family house, An Xuyuan and Zhang Ermu finished storing the wheat in the warehouse.

After he washed his face, hands, and feet, An Xuyuan saw Zhang Yulan coming out from the backyard while holding a tray. He noticed the bowls and plate on the tray and walked over to help her carry it.

“Let me do it,” he said as he took the heavy tray.

Zhang Yulan’s arms were sore, and she happily handed the tray to him. While she was massaging her sore arms, she said, “Brother Ah, have dinner first before you go back.”

There was a low table and two chairs on the balcony. Placing the tray on the table, An Xuyuan asked, “Yulan, where is your brother?”

“My brother went to take a shower. He might have dinner with Sister Ah Piao later. Let’s just eat by ourselves,” Zhang Yulan said and picked up a bowl of noodles made from wheat flour.

The noodles were kneaded by Zhang Ermu and then stored in a jar. Whenever they wanted to cook the noodles, they only needed to get them from the jar.

Besides the noodles, there was a plate of stir-fried pickled vegetables with pork. Although the pork was sliced so thinly that it would disappear after a few bites, it added oil to the dish and made it more fragrant.

An Xuyuan looked at the simple dishes and smiled. He picked up the noodles and started to eat. It was good to know how to be frugal.

Compared to those educated youths or women raised in the city or town, it was easier to live with someone who knew how to manage the family’s money. After all, it wasn’t easy to earn money, and it was better to save money if it could be saved.

When this thought flashed through his mind, An Xuyuan’s hand stiffened for a moment. He only now noticed that he had been comparing Zhang Yulan with other women lately.

Although he had never been in a relationship, he had heard a lot from his colleagues and friends about their relationships with their wives or fiancées.

He glanced at the girl sitting beside him, saw her eating so contentedly, and thought, ‘She was so easy to raise—just simple wheat noodles, and she was so happy.’

With this thought, he continued eating in a good mood. Suddenly, his chopsticks hit something after he had eaten half a bowl of noodles.

Using his chopsticks, he fished out a poached egg hidden under the noodles. He looked at the round, white egg dazedly.

This was not the first time he had eaten noodles with an egg, but it was the first time someone had hidden an egg for him. Although this feeling was unfamiliar, it made his heart feel warm, and he didn’t dislike it.

Zhang Yulan noticed him stop eating when she turned to pick up the pickled vegetables. Seeing him staring at the poached egg she had added for him, she suddenly felt awkward.

This egg was her share, and she gave it to him because she felt he was in a bad mood today. Maybe eating an egg would make him feel better. What’s more, he has been working hard to harvest wheat for three days, and eating eggs can replenish his body.

Swallowing the noodles in her mouth, she asked, “Brother An, you don’t like eggs?”

Hearing her careful tone, An Xuyuan chuckled and replied, “Who doesn’t like eggs?”

“Then why aren’t you eating? If you keep dazing, your noodles will turn soggy, and they won’t taste good anymore,” Zhang Yulan said.

After she finished speaking, she picked several slices of pork from the plate and placed them in his bowl while saying, “Eating the noodles with pork makes it more delicious. You have worked hard for three days; you should eat more meat.”

Then, she picked the pickled vegetables for herself and continued eating.

An Xuyuan’s gaze softened when he looked at the pork slices on his bow.

This young girl not only gave him an egg, she also gave him all the pork while she ate the pickled vegetables. Even though she was a little bit silly and clumsy, she was kind and generous.

The two of them ate in silence, but they didn’t feel awkward at all.

When they finished eating, An Xuyuan said, “The water is cold at night. Let me wash the dishes.”

“You are a guest, and I am the host. How can I let you wash the dishes?” Zhang Yulan refused.

“We are friends; no need to be so polite. What’s more, you are a girl. If you touch cold water for too long, you will suffer later,” An Xuyuan said firmly.

As soon as he finished speaking, he carried the tray to the backyard and started washing the dishes. Since he insisted, Zhang Yulan could only let him do it.

She followed him to the backyard and sat on the balcony as she watched him work. Under the dim moonlight and small candlelight, his sharp jawline and high nose were not as clear as during the day. It made him look more masculine but also gentler.

With his eyes lowered, she could see his long eyelashes flutter whenever he blinked. His hair covered his forehead and touched the back of his neck.

‘He needed a haircut,’ she thought inwardly.

An Xuyuan could feel her stare, and his body stiffened. He felt embarrassed being stared at so openly by a girl. After racking his brain for a moment, he finally found a topic to talk about with her and diverted her attention.

“Yulan, where did your family buy this soap?” he asked.