Aunt Feng replied cheerfully, “She’s been good. When Xiyue and I left, she was at home eating lunch by herself.”
“Did she eat breakfast?”
“She did, she did.” Aunt Feng nodded. “When I came back after sending Jingrui to school, she was already in the dining room eating egg fried rice. Xiyue saw it too, didn’t you?”
Because Zhou Fuguang mentioned Qin Baozhu, Liang Xiyue’s mood sank.
Sensing his gaze fall on her again, she lifted her head and forced a smile. “Mm. I went back to your house with Aunt Feng and saw Baozhu eating breakfast.”
After listening, a faintly amused look appeared on Zhou Fuguang’s face. He lowered his eyes and said, with an unclear tone, “…Heh. She’s never been the type to shortchange herself.”
Seeing his expression, Liang Xiyue really wanted to ask—Brother Zhou, since Qin Baozhu is awake, why don’t you send her home?
But with so many people around, and judging by their natural attitudes, it seemed that even if Qin Baozhu was no longer “simple-minded,” she still belonged to Zhou Fuguang, and had nothing to do with the Qin family anymore…
Jiang Canran was already tasting the pork-and-noodle stew, praising as he ate, “Teacher Liang, your cooking skills are way better than my sister’s. Tsk tsk. If you have time, why don’t you teach Jiang Zhi how to cook? That girl spends all day hanging around those good-for-nothing kids on the street.”
Jiang Zhi was Jiang Canran’s younger sister. She hadn’t gotten into college, refused to work after graduating high school, and supposedly ran around with the delinquent crowd in town. Only Jiang Canran could keep her in line. Every day he forced her to bring him lunch.
Being praised, Liang Xiyue reacted calmly. She smiled gently and said softly, “Alright. If you like my cooking, the next time I see Jiang Zhi, I’ll tell her how to make it.”
Jiang Canran glanced at her, narrowed his eyes slightly, and drawled, “Then thank you, Teacher Liang.”
As his gaze shifted, he saw a girl coming in through the door, bundled up like a bear, her hair cropped even shorter than his. Jiang Canran slammed his chopsticks down and went to scold his sister.
When did this girl cut her hair like that?!
The Jiang siblings’ bickering echoed in the distance. Liang Xiyue’s eyes drifted to Zhou Fuguang. He had sat down and was eating lunch. His manners were refined, even while eating. Watching him, she couldn’t help being a little entranced—until Jiang Zhi stomped over cursing.
Seeing Liang Xiyue, Jiang Zhi brightened immediately. “Teacher Liang, you’re here too?”
Liang Xiyue looked at her with her gentle brows and eyes, smiling lightly. “Mm, I came with Aunt Feng.”
The Jiang family had never been gifted at academics, so they respected educated people immensely. Faced with the soft-spoken Liang Xiyue, Jiang Zhi’s voice softened. “My brother told me to learn cooking from you. Teacher Liang, are you free this weekend?”
For anything unrelated to Zhou Fuguang, Liang Xiyue actually had little patience. But wanting to look good in front of him, she nodded with a smile and said warmly, “Sure. I’m free this weekend. Come to my house then—I’ll teach you our family’s recipes.”
“Great!”
Jiang Zhi cheered and exchanged a look with her brother.
Jiang Canran curved his lips in satisfaction and continued eating the pork stew.
He liked Liang Xiyue—only Jiang Zhi knew. But she was satisfied too; having a gentle teacher as a sister-in-law wouldn’t be bad at all.
She liked Liang Xiyue too.
After washing the food containers, Aunt Feng noticed Zhou Fuguang holding Lu Sheng and feeding her milk.
Lu Sheng was two and a half, and like her older brother Zhou Jingrui, had inherited the parents’ good looks. A pretty, chubby little girl in a snow-white cotton jacket, soft and round like a little mochi made of snow.
She sat obediently on Zhou Fuguang’s lap, kicking her short legs as she drank her milk, while Jiang Zhi hovered beside them, completely melted by the cuteness. She begged, “Brother Zhou, let me feed her! Give Shengsheng to me, give her to me!”
Jiang Canran came over and yanked her by the ear. “If you’re not doing anything, go home! Stop embarrassing yourself in front of Fuguang!”
Normally, Aunt Feng took care of Lu Sheng at home. But because it snowed and she returned late after sending Jingrui to school, Zhou Fuguang brought Lu Sheng to the factory for the day.
Aunt Feng walked over and said, “Xiao Zhou, I’m free this afternoon. Let me take Lu Sheng home. It’s inconvenient for you to work while looking after a child.”
Zhou Fuguang shook his head. “No need. Stay home and keep an eye on Baozhu. She’s probably… pretty restless.”
That girl had a fiery temper. If Lu Sheng went home and Baozhu got riled up, who knew what trouble that would cause?
Since she had just regained clarity, better to let her adjust slowly.
Hearing this, Aunt Feng didn’t insist. But noticing his expression, she still tried to speak well of Qin Baozhu. “Baozhu was very well-behaved at home. She didn’t make a fuss and was polite to me. I think she’s doing quite well now.”
“Is that so?”
Zhou Fuguang lowered his gaze. His expression was ambiguous, even faintly mocking.
Aunt Feng felt frustrated; she couldn’t read his attitude and didn’t dare continue.
After Lu Sheng finished her milk, Zhou Fuguang handed her to a female worker and went to change into his butchering clothes and get back to work.
On the way home, Jiang Zhi, Aunt Feng, and Liang Xiyue walked together.
From her brother, Jiang Zhi had heard that Qin Baozhu had woken up.
Curious, she asked Liang Xiyue, “Teacher Liang, you saw Qin Baozhu? How is she now?”
Liang Xiyue smiled politely, her tone distant. “I saw her, but we didn’t talk much. She seems pretty pampered… she doesn’t look easy to get along with.”
“Ugh—” Jiang Zhi sucked in a breath. She disliked delicate, fussy girls. Because of Liang Xiyue’s words, she instantly formed a bad opinion. “She probably only had a good temper when she was still a fool. Honestly, Brother Zhou is something else—why would he marry a fool with such good conditions?”
Everyone in Dejing Town felt that Zhou Fuguang was too good for Qin Baozhu.
Liang Xiyue loved hearing that.
The corner of her lips curled as she spoke softly, “Brother Zhou has his own reasons. Maybe he’ll come around later.”
At the fork in the road, Jiang Zhi waved. “Teacher Liang, I’m heading home. Be careful on the road, you and Aunt Feng.”
Liang Xiyue nodded, watching her leave, then coolly withdrew her gaze. She said to Aunt Feng, “Aunt Feng, I’m heading home too. Walk slow and be careful.”
She left as well.
Aunt Feng stood there, watching the slim figure gradually disappear down the road.
She clicked her tongue.
“Tsk.”