Abnormal Gourmet Chronicle-Chapter 925 - 455: Life Continues (Part 7)_2

Yes, Qin Huai watched Zhao Cheng'an steal for an entire night like this.

If he had to evaluate Zhao Cheng'an's stealing skills, Qin Huai could only say that under the cover of night, Zhao Cheng'an should be unrivaled in this field. His stealing skills are much higher than his level in making snacks.

Thanks to Chen Qiusheng and Xia Sheng for keeping Zhao Cheng'an in check over the years, otherwise after the crazy lady, Beiping City would have another legend of a great thief.

After a whole night of effort and struggle, Zhao Cheng'an was quite fruitful in his "harvest". Perhaps he's broadened his horizons from stealing too much, no longer stealing just anything. Now, Zhao Cheng'an steals more to hone his skills and prevent his craft from becoming rusty, being more selective in his choices.

Meat is definitely needed, whether it's offal or pig's head, Zhao Cheng'an accepts it all. Occasionally grabbing some rice bran, picking large sweet potatoes depending on the situation, taking a few fresh wild vegetables if available, and taking black beans, soybeans, millet, barley, and other grains as per his strength.

Moreover, Zhao Cheng'an no longer exploits a single human trafficker mercilessly like before. When stealing, he always leaves some room to avoid scaring them away so there's no practice for next year.

Eventually, Zhao Cheng'an successfully dragged back a sack full of gains before the morning.

No one in the Chen family slept, all sitting in the main room with lights on, waiting for Zhao Cheng'an to return.

The old servant of the Chen family was no longer around, probably having passed away due to age. Chen Ping'an had grown from a child to a teenager, not very tall, just over 1.6 meters, with very fair skin, almost pale and looking sickly, obviously not very healthy.

"Ping'an, why aren't you asleep yet? Don't you have school tomorrow?" Zhao Cheng'an came back with his spoils, excitedly dumping the contents of the sack onto the floor, "I stole a good thing today—a bag of pig's head meat!"

"Take it to school with you tomorrow to eat then."

Chen Ping'an cautiously went through the sack's contents, finding only food and no money or jewelry, then sighed in relief.

"Dad, it's all food," Chen Ping'an said.

Only then did Chen Qiusheng nod.

"You were worried I'd steal something else?" Zhao Cheng'an asked nonchalantly, "I wouldn't steal anything else. Didn't Master Chen tell me, if I want to practice on human traffickers, just steal food, never money."

"I never said that," Chen Qiusheng defended, "I said if you already stole, it's better to steal food than anything else."

"There was a theft at the Prince's Mansion tonight," Xia Sheng said, "I heard a lot of valuable things were lost, including two East Pearls. The police station's in chaos, the city is full of thief hunts. You didn't come back for so long, we were worried the police had caught you, so we waited at home."

"Huh? So that's why it felt so lively outside tonight, kept hearing noises. It's a good thing I kept away from the noises," Zhao Cheng'an realized, somewhat troubled, "Does this mean I can't go out of town to steal the next few days? Tonight, I went to check outside the city, those human traffickers had very little goods, feels like they could sell out in a few days. I also heard them say business is getting harder, heavy taxes in many places have driven people away, nothing good is left."

Hearing this, Chen Qiusheng just sighed and shook his head: "Ah, the world is not good now, we just need to live our days well. Since it's chaotic outside, you should go out less, stealing is a craft used only when absolutely necessary, steal less during normal times."

"No, should be can't steal."

"Yeah, today Xia Sheng and I discussed it. Don't worry, when I get into college and work for the government, I'll support you and Brother Xia Sheng," Chen Ping'an laughed and said.

"Of course, it should be your turn to support us. Right now, the three of us are supporting you. Your medicine is so expensive, Xia Sheng and my monthly wages can't cover it, if it weren't for Master Chen not letting me steal, I'd want to steal from Manager Lu, his pay for me is too low."

Chen Qiusheng & Chen Ping'an: ...

"Hungry?" Chen Qiusheng asked.

Zhao Cheng'an thought for a bit: "Not hungry, but I could eat."

Chen Qiusheng gave Xia Sheng a look, and Xia Sheng went to the kitchen to bring the yam cakes that had been warming on the stove, just two pieces.

The presentation was particularly good, you could tell at a glance it wasn't something thrown and then picked up again.

"Yam cake!" Zhao Cheng'an exclaimed in surprise, "Master Chen, did you pick it up for me?"

Chen Qiusheng: ...

"Miss Fen wasn't feeling well today, she only had two pieces of yam cake. I had Xia Sheng go find Hui Qin, and asked Hui Qin to set aside two pieces for you specially."

"If there's something you want to eat, you don't necessarily have to steal or pick it up, you can ask. Leftovers are what we below the household organize and divide among ourselves. The good food and meals, Li Mansion's masters are mostly kind and easy to talk to, whether it's the old lady or Mrs. Li, they're good people. And let's not mention Hui Qin, the young madam, we've known for so many years."

"If there's something you want, just say it. If your mind can't figure something out, ask Xia Sheng. If Xia Sheng can't handle it, you can also come to me. Don't make decisions on your own, picking and eavesdropping. Li Mansion is a good family, but not all places are like that."

"The friendship between us and Hui Qin can be used for these little things, but there's no need to use it all on such small matters. Today, I asked Xia Sheng to get Hui Qin to set aside two pieces of yam cake for you, and at the same time had Xia Sheng bring my fish stew recipe to her, and also inquire about Miss Fen's tastes for preparing dishes children like in the future."

"Your mind, sometimes sharp, sometimes dull, think more before doing things, ask others more."

"Ping'an has never made me worry since childhood, but you've worried me a lot."

Faced with Chen Qiusheng's fatherly nagging, Zhao Cheng'an just happily finished the two pieces of yam cake and asked, "Master Chen, there's still half a side of offal in the sack, should we boil it or braise it?"

"... Braise it."

Zhao Cheng'an finished the yam cake and noticed no one had left, realizing there must be more to discuss tonight, he asked, "Is there something significant to talk about?"

Chen Ping'an happily said, "Father, I told you. Eh, he can definitely figure it out."

Zhao Cheng'an looked at Xia Sheng and could keenly sense a slight joy and pride on Xia Sheng's otherwise expressionless face, asking, "Did you get a reward?"

"Master gave me a new name," Xia Sheng said, with a slight rise in tone.

"I know, I was going to tell you this afternoon that I eavesdropped, you were getting a new name," Zhao Cheng'an didn't think much of it. "Is it nice?"

Chen Ping'an directly fetched pen and paper from his room, and neatly wrote Xia Sheng's new name on it.

Qin Huai guessed what Chen Ping'an wrote should be in traditional characters, but coincidently, these three characters are the same in both traditional and simplified.

Xia Mubing.

"Xia... Mu... how do you read this character?" Zhao Cheng'an had some education, but not much.

"Xia Mubing," Xia Sheng said, "Young Master Li helped with the name. Mu implies elegance and gentleness, with courteousness. Bing is described in ancient texts as a kind of grass, signifying clarity and distinctiveness. My original name had a Sheng, as my parents hoped I'd thrive like wild grass and survive, so the new name should include their expectations, thus Young Master Li used Bing."

"Wow," Zhao Cheng'an made a sound of someone who'd never seen the world, "It sounds so great, can Young Master Li give me a name too?"

"I just want a name that I won't regret."

Qin Huai saw the three characters Xia Mubing on the table and was completely stunned, paying no attention to what others were saying.

"I actually thought of a name for you too," Xia Mubing said, "Previously no one was satisfied with the names given to you, you felt they were either too simple, too complicated, unpleasant, or awkward."

"You want a name that you think is meaningful."

"Now I have a new name, and I can give my former name to you. You have no parents, but I have parents, and I have a master, I can give you my former name and my parents' expectations."

"Do you like such a name?"

Zhao Cheng'an exclaimed loudly, "I love it, so I'll be called Xia Sheng from now on?"

Xia Mubing: "...No need to take my surname, do you have a surname?"

"No, but I can take Ping'an's surname, anyway, Ping'an will support me in the future, I'll take Ping'an's surname!"

"Great, I have a name now, I'll be called Chen Sheng from now on!"

With Zhao Cheng'an's excited shout, Qin Huai left the dream.