The furnishings on the first floor seemed more plain compared to the ones upstairs, not nearly as luxurious as the bedroom.
The two-story house, sitting north and facing south, had its ground floor divided into two parts. The south-facing side was the main entrance, cluttered with miscellaneous items—a red rocking car and some children’s toys. The north-facing side was the kitchen.
There was no heating on the first floor, and Qin Baozhu felt a bit cold. She tightened her pure-white mink coat, sniffed lightly, and walked into the kitchen.
The kitchen and dining area were combined, with a small solid-wood table placed in the middle. The walls were lined with white tiles, making the space look bright and spacious. On the stove sat a pot. Qin Baozhu walked over and lifted the lid, and a fragrant wave of salty duck-egg fried rice smell rushed into her nose.
Her stomach growled even harder.
She rummaged around in the dining area for a bowl, filled it to the brim with the golden fried rice, and then sat at the little table to begin eating.
After Aunt Feng dropped Zhou Jingrui off at the kindergarten, she walked home alone.
On the way, she ran into Liang Xiyue, the daughter of the tailor shop owner in town.
Because Zhou Fuguang often asked the tailor shop owner to make clothes for Qin Baozhu, Xiyue was also familiar with the Zhou family.
She was one of the rare young women in Dejing Town who had gotten into a junior college. Now she had already graduated and been assigned as a Chinese teacher at Dejing Town’s middle school. Since the school hadn’t opened yet, she stayed home helping her mother deliver the finished clothes to customers.
Liang Xiyue had her hair tied into a ponytail. She held a snow-white padded jacket in her arms, its sleeves and collar trimmed with fluffy white fox fur, looking elegant and warm.
Seeing Aunt Feng, she greeted her warmly:“Auntie Feng, the coat that Brother Zhou asked my mom to make is finished. Is he home? I can deliver it now.”
Aunt Feng smiled kindly.“Xiao Zhou went to work at the pig farm. It’s just me and Baozhu at home. Give me the coat, I’ll take it back. The weather’s freezing—no need for you to make a special trip.”
But Liang Xiyue didn’t hand over the coat, smiling instead:“I’ll go with you. Baozhu can try it on. If it’s too big, I can bring it back and have my mom alter it. —By the way, Baozhu is awake already?”
The news that Qin Baozhu fell into the river while buying candy in town and nearly drowned had spread across all of Dejing Town.
They said that when she was pulled out she still had a breath, but she never woke up.
Was she fine now?
Aunt Feng was familiar with her, so she didn’t hide anything. Besides, in a few days the whole village would know anyway.
“She woke up. And not only that—guess what? She’s not dumb anymore!”
Liang Xiyue froze for a moment upon hearing that, then couldn’t help asking:“Auntie Feng, what do you mean she’s not dumb anymore?”
“Not dumb means not dumb. What else could it mean?” Aunt Feng sighed. “She must’ve always been normal, maybe hit her head somewhere and became slow. Anyway, I heard she’s completely fine now. It’s just…”
Suppressing the stir of emotions in her heart, Liang Xiyue quickly asked:“Just what?”
“Just that after waking up, she doesn’t want to stay with Xiao Zhou anymore. She’s making a fuss about going home. She even refuses to recognize her own son.”
…
After listening, Liang Xiyue tightened her hold on the white coat in her arms.
In her eyes, Qin Baozhu was the blemish in Zhou Fuguang’s otherwise perfect life.
Qin Baozhu was a fool.
Being stupid was tolerable, but—
She was spoiled.She loved sweets, loved pleasure, loved being pampered, and hated walking.
She remembered one summer evening, after dinner, when Zhou Fuguang took Qin Baozhu and Zhou Jingrui on a walk to digest. Qin Baozhu got tired of walking and insisted on being carried home. She even plopped herself onto the ground and refused to move, more spoiled than a three-year-old child.
The usually steady, composed, well-mannered Zhou Fuguang was helpless. He bent down and squatted to carry her on his back all the way home.
She and her mother had seen the entire scene from the corner. She was so furious she nearly burst.
It was understandable for little Jingrui, a child going to kindergarten, to ask to be carried. But Qin Baozhu, a grown woman—and a fool—still exhausted Zhou Fuguang like that?
Only because he was kind and responsible could someone like her live so easily in Dejing Town.
She had always dreamed of Zhou Fuguang getting rid of that deadweight Qin Baozhu, and now hearing that Baozhu’s mind was back and she wanted to leave, she couldn’t help feeling secretly excited.
Softly, Liang Xiyue said, “If she wants to leave, then let her leave.”Anyway, she and Zhou Fuguang were never a good match.
She only thought this deep inside.
Aunt Feng glanced at her, eyes widened:“If Baozhu leaves, what about Jingrui and the other two kids? A married couple shares a hundred days of affection. Baozhu probably just can’t accept everything right after waking up. Once she gets along with Xiao Zhou a little more, she’ll see how good he is.”
Liang Xiyue turned her head away and rolled her eyes.
It’s because Zhou Fuguang is good — that’s exactly why Baozhu should leave!
When Aunt Feng and Liang Xiyue arrived at the Zhou home, Qin Baozhu was slowly eating her fried rice.
She had good table manners, dressed in a luxurious mink coat, with glossy black hair cascading over her shoulders. Her face was like a pampered princess surrounded by stars. When she heard someone enter, she lifted her eyes lazily—black-and-white almond-shaped eyes, tilted at the corners, both pure and seductive.
Aunt Feng and Liang Xiyue were used to seeing her blank and dull, her eyes lifeless. It was their first time seeing her so lively and expressive. They were stunned, momentarily speechless.
Qin Baozhu looked at them. She didn’t recognize either of them, but she had an imposing presence despite that. She set down her chopsticks and asked, “Who are you?”
Aunt Feng, amazed by how clear her speech was, felt even more surprised. Even when she had been stupid, dressed up by Zhou Fuguang she was already pretty enough that people pitied her—like a fairy but mentally slow.
Now her eyes were sparkling, her tone full of natural arrogance. Sitting there, she looked like a celebrity in a magazine—so beautiful people felt nervous to speak loudly around her.
Aunt Feng smiled kindly.“Baozhu, I’m Auntie Feng, the caregiver Xiao Zhou hired to look after you. When did you come downstairs? Do you want to eat anything else? I’ll make it.”
Her gentle voice and friendly face made Qin Baozhu relax. She glanced at her and shook her head.“I’m fine with this. No need to cook.”
Then her gaze shifted to Liang Xiyue, who was staring at her.
This woman—she’d never seen her before. And she hadn’t offended her, so why was she glaring?
Picking up her chopsticks, Qin Baozhu ate a grain of rice and asked, “And her? Who is she?”
Aunt Feng began, “She is—”
“I’m Liang Xiyue.”Liang Xiyue abruptly cut her off. She lifted her chin high.“A Chinese teacher at Dejing Middle School.”
Oh, a teacher.
Qin Baozhu immediately lost interest and instead looked at the coat in Liang Xiyue’s arms, eyes lighting up.
She put down her chopsticks, walked toward her, and asked, “Is that mine?”
Qin Baozhu was the same height as Liang Xiyue, but standing so close, perhaps because she was too beautiful, she made Liang Xiyue feel inexplicably inferior.
Aunt Feng quickly said, “Yes, yes! This coat is the one Xiao Zhou asked Xiyue’s mother to make for you. Baozhu, try it on—see if it fits.”
Qin Baozhu loved pretty clothes, so when she heard it was hers, she stretched her hand out toward Liang Xiyue.
“…”
Looking at her delicate face, Liang Xiyue felt a surge of irritation for no reason.
The coat was made for her, but when Qin Baozhu reached out to take it, she didn’t want to hand it over at all.
Why was this woman still accepting Zhou Fuguang’s gifts so openly if she was supposedly planning to leave?
Even though she sensed Liang Xiyue’s reluctance, Qin Baozhu didn’t care. Since the coat was hers, she simply took it herself.
The padded jacket was soft and made of pure cotton, with beautiful fox fur. Smiling, Qin Baozhu tried it on.
Her figure was slender and petite. Wearing that pure white coat, her fair little face was embedded into the fluffy fur, black hair and red lips creating a striking contrast. On anyone else the coat might have looked bulky, but on her it made her look noble and adorable.
After trying it on and finding it just right, she looked up and asked, “How is it? Does it look good?”
Aunt Feng nodded repeatedly.“Beautiful! Xiao Zhou has good taste! Baozhu, put your mink coat back on. You’re dressed too thin under it! Don’t catch a cold!”
Seeing that Qin Baozhu was only wearing a silk nightdress underneath, Aunt Feng quickly urged her to change back, then asked what she wanted for lunch.
Qin Baozhu didn’t know what she wanted. Seeing the snowy landscape outside, she doubted a rural town like this would have her favorite creamy mushroom soup, so she said, “Fried rice is fine.”
“No, no!”Aunt Feng shook her head.“Xiao Zhou won’t come home for lunch, and I still have to deliver food. It’s too cold downstairs. Once you finish eating, go back upstairs—there’s heating there. Should I bring your lunch up, or will you come down to eat?”
Qin Baozhu thought it over. Being served upstairs felt too impolite in someone else’s home, so she said, “I’ll come down.”
“All right.” Aunt Feng nodded, relieved to see Baozhu speaking fluently and behaving normally. She added with a smile, “Baozhu, you fell into the river the other day, and Xiao Zhou was so worried. Now that you’re better, he’ll be overjoyed.”
“…”Qin Baozhu withdrew her gaze calmly, showing no particular reaction. The fried rice had already gone cold, and she didn’t like it cold, so she quietly went back upstairs.
Seeing her arrogant attitude, Liang Xiyue was filled with anger.What was that supposed to mean? Did she think this house belonged to her?
Even though Aunt Feng had always delivered her meals when Zhou Fuguang wasn’t home, hearing it now made Liang Xiyue strangely annoyed.
Once Qin Baozhu went upstairs, Liang Xiyue blurted,“What’s with her attitude! Does she really think this is her home?”
Aunt Feng, while folding the fox-fur coat, looked at her oddly:“Whose home would it be if not Baozhu’s?”
“…”Liang Xiyue choked and stiffly explained,“I mean—she says she’s leaving, yet she still expects you to serve her. Isn’t that shameless?”
“Oh.”Aunt Feng waved her hand.“Well, Xiao Zhou pays me to take care of her. Besides, don’t you feel like Baozhu, now that she’s recovered, has a special aura?”
“…What?”
“Like… the kind that makes you want to serve her.”
Liang Xiyue: “…………”
Aunt Feng, have you been watching too many TV dramas?