Qin Baozhu didn’t offer any opinion about it.
She wasn’t money — she couldn’t expect everyone to like her.
She never wasted energy over such things.
Whatever. She didn’t even know that woman. If the woman didn’t like her, then she simply wouldn’t like her either.
When Qin Baozhu got home, she ate a bit of snacks to fill her stomach, then sat down to watch TV while cracking melon seeds.
Aunt Feng was busy downstairs, cleaning the dining room and the living room until everything was spotless.
Around three or four in the afternoon, a happy, excited cheer came from downstairs.
Qin Baozhu recognized it as Zhou Jingrui’s voice.
In a moment, thump thunk thump thunk — the sound of his short little legs pattering up the stairs.
With a creak, the bedroom door opened, and Zhou Jingrui came in with his small backpack on, his cheeks flushed red from the cold.
In his hand he held a big, colorful pinwheel. He asked excitedly, “Mama, did you buy this for Ruirui?”
Qin Baozhu was watching the TV. When she heard him, she glanced at him and then at the pinwheel. “You could say that.”
Yay!
It was the first gift his mama had bought him!
Zhou Jingrui hugged the pinwheel to his chest like a treasure, his already rosy little face turning even redder from excitement.
Qin Baozhu was sitting on the sofa watching TV. In front of her was a small coffee table piled with snacks she bought at the market today: osmanthus cakes, peanuts, melon seeds, sesame candy.
All her favorites.
Seeing Zhou Jingrui’s bright eyes fixed on her, she assumed he wanted snacks, so she generously decided to share.
She patted the spot beside her. “Sit.”
Zhou Jingrui glanced at her, his little face pink. He looked shy, squirmed a little, then slowly walked over and sat next to her. His short legs dangled over the edge of the sofa, swinging awkwardly.
To be honest, even though he really liked Qin Baozhu, he still wasn’t used to how talkative she’d become.
In the past, Qin Baozhu rarely spoke. She only made vague “oo oo ah ah” sounds. When he called her Mama, she never responded.
Zhou Fuguang had told him: his mama was different from other people’s mamas. He must never bully her. He needed to treat her well.
How could he ever bully his mama?
Mama was mama, and he loved her very much.
But now that she could talk, she felt a bit unfamiliar, and he didn’t know how to get close to her.
His big eyes blinked as he watched Qin Baozhu divide her pile of snacks and push a small portion toward him.
Qin Baozhu: “For you.”
“All of these are for me, Mama?”
Zhou Jingrui stared in astonishment.
Seeing his wide, surprised eyes, Qin Baozhu felt very pleased.
She nodded. “Mm, they’re all yours.”
Suddenly, Zhou Jingrui felt that the current Mama was better. This Mama didn’t fight him for snacks!
He sat down properly and held an osmanthus cake, nibbling it in small bites.
It was sweet and soft, with bits of osmanthus mixed inside. Very fragrant.
Zhou Jingrui shared the same taste as her, and the two of them narrowed their eyes in enjoyment.
Qin Baozhu asked, “Is it good?”
Zhou Jingrui nodded hard. “It’s yummy, Mama.”
Satisfied, Qin Baozhu pushed over the glutinous rice cake as well. “This one is good too.”
After finishing the osmanthus cake, Zhou Jingrui ate the glutinous rice cake with her.
Aunt Feng came upstairs and saw them eating snacks. Her vision nearly went black.
“You little ancestors! I’m almost done cooking dinner — if you fill your stomachs with snacks, how are you supposed to eat later?!”
She stormed over, scooped up all the snacks, and left only the melon seeds on the table.
Aunt Feng told Zhou Jingrui, “Ruirui, go do your homework. When your father comes home and finds you watching TV in your mother’s room instead of studying, just see if he doesn’t spank you!”
Zhou Jingrui shrank his neck, grabbed his little backpack, and said, “I’ll go to my room to do homework, Auntie.”
Aunt Feng nodded. “And don’t play with toys. You can play only after you finish. Understand?”
Zhou Jingrui quickly nodded. “Mm-hmm, I understand.”
After Aunt Feng left, he said to Qin Baozhu, “Mama, I’m going to do homework first. I’ll come find you later.”
Qin Baozhu nodded. “Mm, go ahead.”
He stood in front of her and blinked. Qin Baozhu was puzzled. “What is it?”
Zhou Jingrui bit his lip shyly and asked in a tiny voice, “Mama, can you hug me?”
Qin Baozhu froze.
She looked closely at the child in front of her, whose features resembled hers by five parts. He had inherited her big, dark, glossy eyes — now reflecting her own face back at her, full of longing and affection.
Qin Baozhu lowered her gaze, put down the melon seeds, and waved him off. “Do your homework first. We’ll talk later.”
“Oh…”
A trace of disappointment flashed through his big eyes, but he quickly perked up again.
He said brightly, “Then I’m going to do homework now, Mama.”
He reached into his pocket and secretly pulled out a piece of fruit candy, slipping it into Qin Baozhu’s palm.
He glanced toward the door to make sure Aunt Feng wasn’t there, then whispered, “Xiaohua from kindergarten gave me this. Mama, hurry and eat it. If Daddy sees it, he’ll scold me.”
Then he grabbed his backpack and dashed away.
Sitting on the sofa, Qin Baozhu opened her hand and looked at the little candy wrapped in clear plastic.
It had warmed and softened a little from staying in his pocket too long.
She unwrapped it and put the tiny piece of candy into her mouth.
Even though it was slightly melted…
It was still very sweet.
Her long eyelashes lowered, hiding the emotions in her eyes.
At six thirty,
Zhou Fuguang came home with Lu Sheng.
Aunt Feng went upstairs to call Qin Baozhu and Zhou Jingrui for dinner.
Lu Sheng liked her balloon as well. Aunt Feng tied it to her little rocker chair and cheerfully told her, “Your mom personally picked this for you at the market today.”
Zhou Jingrui proudly told Zhou Fuguang, “Daddy, Mama also bought me a big pinwheel!”
Zhou Fuguang took off his gray knitted scarf and touched his son’s head with his gloved hand. “Did you finish the homework your teacher gave you?”
Zhou Jingrui nodded quickly. “Mm-hmm, I finished! Daddy, can I come to your room later to watch TV with Mama? Just for one hour!”
Zhou Fuguang looked toward Qin Baozhu, who was slowly coming downstairs. Her gaze didn’t fall on any of them. Her expression was indifferent.
Zhou Fuguang said, “Okay, after dinner I’ll ask your mom.”
Zhou Jingrui said happily, “Don’t forget, okay? Make sure you ask Mama! Just one hour is fine!”
Zhou Fuguang removed his gloves and rubbed his son’s head again. “Alright, go eat.”
Because they had eaten glutinous rice cakes and osmanthus cakes in the afternoon, both Qin Baozhu and Zhou Jingrui had no appetite.
They only ate a little bit.
Seeing the two of them leave more than half their rice untouched, Zhou Fuguang’s expression gradually darkened.