Chapter 592 Extra – Reunion Again 2

Chapter 592 Side Story - Reunion 2

"You have no idea, my daughters Silan (eldest) and Siting (second) had their grandpa telling Hongtao just the other day to change their names to Zhaodi and Pandi. I had a fight with Hongtao over this, and it still bothers me just thinking about it."

"Our family is doing fine now. Hongtao says it’s all about fate, but his parents keep making a fuss about it every other day, driving us up the wall. It’s not like I’m refusing to have more kids—it’s just not the right time yet. Besides, his older brother already has a son, so their family line is secured. I don’t know why they’re in such a hurry."

"Who? Change whose names?" Zuo Zuying and the others walked in, each with a towel slung over their shoulders.

Su An glanced at Liu Hongtao and said gleefully, "Change Silan and Siting’s names to Zhaodi and Pandi."

Liu Hongtao quickly waved his hands at his brother-in-law. "No, no, no, I didn’t agree to that. It’s just the old folks talking nonsense—ignore them. After what you said last time, my dad didn’t bring it up for half a year. But recently, I don’t know what got into him, and he started again."

Su An turned to Zuo Zuying with a nosy look. "You ran into your father-in-law?"

Zuo Zuying let out a soft, drawn-out hum, almost like he was whining.

Zuo Jinghuan and her husband, as well as Zuo Jingdan and hers, were used to it, but Gang Zi and Chu Shuyu shuddered.

"Xiao Zuo, are you sick?"

Su An, blushing, shoved Zuo Zuying. "Ugh, you drama queen, act normal."

Zuo Zuying put on a coy expression. "Okaaay then~"

The Zuo sisters lowered their heads to sip tea, unable to watch.

Su An glared. "Be normal!!!"

Zuo Zuying pouted. "Now you want me to be normal? Who was it that made me use a baby voice when she was pregnant?"

Then, he explained to the horrified Chu Shuyu and Gang Zi, "You have no idea how moody An An was during her pregnancies. With the first, she wanted to smell stinky shoes. With the second, she was overly sentimental. And with the third, she’d blow up at the slightest thing."

"If I said normally, ‘I’m going out to handle something,’ she’d interpret it as—" Zuo Zuying suddenly deadpanned, devoid of emotion, "‘I’M GOING OUT TO HANDLE SOMETHING!!!!’"

"Then she’d get mad, saying my tone was off, that I was being arrogant, that she was giving me warmth while I was cold to her. She’d insist I say it like this—" (Zuo’s signature baby voice) "An An~ I’m going out to handle some business now~"

"Pffft—" Chu Shuyu was the first to burst out laughing.

Soon, Zuo Jinghuan and the others joined in.

Su An punched Zuo Zuying. "Lies! I never did that!"

Zuo Zuying looked wronged. "Oh, you did. If I said, ‘Oh, I know,’ you’d say my tone was too cold and demand I say it like this—" (Zuo’s signature baby voice, with a fluttering gesture) "Ohhh nooo~ I get it~"

"Back then, to avoid upsetting you, I had to mentally rehearse every sentence in the most cloyingly sweet tone, adding ‘la~,’ ‘ya~,’ ‘ne~,’ ‘yo~’ to everything. And now that I’ve developed the habit, you think I’m being effeminate. How is that fair?"

Under Chu Shuyu’s teasing gaze, Su An grew flustered and quickly changed the subject.

"Stop making things up! Anyway, what happened with your father-in-law earlier?"

Sure enough, the topic shift worked, and everyone’s attention turned.

Zuo Zuying lazily sprawled. "Oh, last time you got mad and threw me out, so I went to Second Brother’s family to drink with Brother Tao. Just as I sat down, my father-in-law showed up, talking about changing Silan and Siting’s names. He said everyone does it, but Second Brother refused. The old man even scolded her, saying she was just some clueless woman."

"So I tried to reason with him a bit, and he stomped off."

Zuo Jingdan glanced at Zuo Jinghuan. "Why didn’t you mention this? What did Zu Ying say?"

Liu Hongtao gave Zuo Zuying a dirty look. "Nothing helpful, I bet. He said changing Silan and Siting’s names wouldn’t work—I’d have to change mine instead. To Liu Wangzai (Prosperous Boy), Liu Youzhong (Have a Son), or Liu Shengzi (Produce Sons)."

"Bwahahaha!" Su An and Chu Shuyu burst into laughter.

Zuo Jingdan and her husband couldn’t help but join in.

Liu Hongtao wasn’t offended. "He even made a whole argument, telling my dad that the character 'dì' (di) is problematic—it contains 'female' and 'younger brother,' implying an even younger sister. In the dictionary, it refers to a concubine or the wife of a husband’s younger brother. Forget whether it can bring a son into the family—even if it does, the kid might end up effeminate."

"He suggested my dad change his own name instead, to something like Liu Wantcock or Liu Hopedick. He said those names are cool and clearly express my dad’s desire for a grandson, and would be far more effective. After all, my dad judges sons by what's between their legs, so there'd be no confusion."

By now, Liu Hongtao was speaking through clenched teeth.

Zuo Zuying rolled his eyes, completely unfazed. "Did I say anything wrong? I was being perfectly logical!"

The Zuo Jinghuan sisters were already doubled over with laughter, while Chu Shuyu kept her composure, though her shoulders trembled slightly. Xiao Zuo had a sharp tongue, but strangely enough, his logic held up.

Gang Zi, of course, stood by his friend and immediately gave a thumbs-up. "Clear thinking, solid reasoning. Trashy but legendary. Brother Tao, I suggest your dad give it a try."

Liu Hongtao shot him a death glare, and Gang Zi leaned toward Zuo Zuying. "Xiao Zuo, he's giving me the evil eye."

Zuo Zuying glared back. "I didn’t say anything wrong. Your dad might not be well-educated, but what about you? Didn’t your teacher teach you about X and Y chromosomes in DNA?"

"The whole family bullies the youngest kids. Your dad even says it’s for 'more sons, more blessings.' If he doesn’t like Wantcock or Hopedick, he could rename himself Laifu (Bring Fortune) and call your mom ‘Bring Joy.’ That’s still better than Zhaodi (Summon-a-Brother) or Pandi (Hope-for-a-Brother)."

"Does he really think changing a name can turn the X in DNA into a Y? The real issue is genetics."

Liu Hongtao shoved Gang Zi aside and grabbed Zuo Zuying by the neck, shaking him. "Stop acting high and mighty in front of me! You’re so desperate for a daughter you’re obsessed. Why don’t you lead by example and change your own name first?"

Zuo Zuying grabbed Liu Hongtao’s short hair. "Bet! I’ll do it! Starting today, I’m Hou Daughter-Blessed. None of you better mess it up!"

Zuo Jinghuan shot Su An a look. "Your husband’s completely daughter-obsessed."

Su An’s eyes sparkled with amusement. "Ignore him. It’s been a while since we’ve all gotten together. I’ve already told the maid to prepare dinner—tonight, we’re having a poolside barbecue."

As night fell, colorful lights lit up the backyard pool. Gang Zi crouched by the grill, flipping skewers while a group of kids chattered excitedly around him. Zuo Zuying splashed around in the pool, ‘teaching’ Su An to swim (mostly splashing her) and occasionally teasing her until she threatened to drown him.

On the other side, Chu Shuyu and Zuo Jinghuan whispered to each other.

"Skewers are ready!" Gang Zi stood up and called out.

Everyone climbed out of the pool. Zuo Zuying grabbed a lamb skewer and devoured it.

Gang Zi instinctively asked, "How is it? Good? This is my specialty."

Zuo Zuying nodded. "Yeah, back in our hometown, when you were practicing calligraphy with Uncle Jia, I could already tell you had talent. I told you to quit and learn how to season skewers at a barbecue stand instead—said you’d make it big. See? Now it’s paying off."

"HAHAHAHA!"

"HAHAHA!"

As laughter erupted, Gang Zi’s smile faded. "Such a decent guy, yet cursed with that mouth of yours. I don’t know how An An puts up with you. An An, control him, or I’ll strangle him myself."

Su An was laughing too hard. "I have no control over him."

Then, raising her glass, she toasted the group. "Cheers~"

"Cheers~"

Su An, Chu Shuyu, and Zuo Jinghuan exchanged glances before saying in unison, "May the rest of our lives be peaceful, and the future full of promise!"

Zuo Zuying raised his glass high. "That’s not a wish—it’s a promise!"

"Wherever we go, spring follows—our fortunes rise by our own hands~"

"Cheers~"