Qin Wang’s lips pressed tightly together as he stared at her without blinking.
Being watched like that, Su Qinghe could only sigh and put down her chopsticks.
“Didn’t I already say it? You’re my son now—even if it’s just a cheap one, you’re still my son.”
“If you get labeled a thief, then wouldn’t I become the thief’s mother? So really, I’m helping myself more than helping you. Can we eat now?”
Only then did Qin Wang look slightly relieved, as if her explanation satisfied him completely.
Su Qinghe smiled inwardly.
Little kid—just as she expected.
He definitely needed that explanation.
She picked up her chopsticks again, but then Qin Wang suddenly said, “I won’t let you help me for nothing.”
She looked over, only to see him already burying his head in rice, eating quickly.
The braised pork was tender and fragrant, the potatoes soft and soaked in sauce, perfect with rice. When it felt too rich, a bite of vinegar cabbage cut through it with a crisp, tangy heat.
In the end, they finished everything—plates and bowls cleaned spotless.
“Let’s go home,” Su Qinghe said, patting her stomach.
On the way back, she noticed it was already Sunday—meaning school tomorrow.
“Do you go to school tomorrow?” she asked.
Qin Wang immediately became alert. “Why are you asking that?”
“What do you think I’m going to do, bomb your school?”
She rolled her eyes. “I just want to know what you’re eating tomorrow morning. I might not be able to get up early.”
Not might—she definitely wouldn’t.
She just needed to prepare money and tickets in advance.
“You’re so old and you still sleep in,” Qin Wang said disdainfully.
“Who says adults can’t sleep in?” she shot back. “Who made that rule?”
“My dad never sleeps in!”
“I’m not your dad,” she said matter-of-factly. “I’m your cheap stepmother—your dad’s younger wife by more than ten years. I’m still growing. Why can’t I sleep more? Your dad is older than me; shouldn’t he treat me better? Let me wake up naturally? Otherwise why would I marry him—just for his age? For the fact that he doesn’t shower?”
Her words came out like a machine gun.
Qin Wang froze completely.
When he finally reacted, only the last sentence remained in his mind.
His face turned red as he argued loudly, “My dad is not old! He showers every day!”
Now it was Su Qinghe’s turn to be speechless.
She had just been joking!
Why was this kid taking it so seriously?
She realized something: this kid was a total daddy’s boy.
A real “dad-baby son.”
What kind of novel even had a male lead like this?
The thought flashed by and she immediately stopped caring.
“Fine, fine, you’re right about everything,” she said lazily. “So what are you eating tomorrow morning? Two yuan, one jin of meat tickets, and one jin of grain tickets—enough?”
“???”
Just for breakfast?
That much?
Aren’t stepmothers supposed to starve kids?
And yet… she had just taken him out for white rice and braised pork.
For a brief moment, Qin Wang felt like this stepmother wasn’t so bad.
Just for a moment.
He quickly reminded himself: she was just pretending because she had just married in.
He snorted and held out his hand.
Seeing that he didn’t say anything, she simply handed him the money and tickets.
He checked them carefully, then turned and went back to his room.
Looking at his back, she snorted.
Such a stubborn little kid.
She went back to her room, changed into sleepwear, and went to take a bath.
The bathroom lights were warm yellow—not very bright, but enough.
Water came from the rooftop tank. After a full day under the sun, it was just the right temperature.
In this era, there was no shampoo, conditioner, or body wash—only a bar of soap for everything.
But she had a system space.
Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, face wash, scrubs, lotion, sunscreen—everything she could think of was available, all for just two favor points each.
It felt like she had walked into a two-yuan shop.
She bought freely without hesitation.
Everything she had ever heard of or wanted but never bought before—she got it all.
And honestly, it felt completely different.
After bathing, she packed everything back into her space and stepped out.
Qin Wang was already waiting.
“Why did you take so long? Wasting water!” he complained.
“If you say that again,” she said sweetly, “tomorrow I’ll shower for an hour.”
“……”
He stormed into the bathroom, fuming.
She smirked.
Still can’t handle you, little brat?
After checking the door was locked, she sat back in the courtyard.
A summer night breeze drifted in—pleasant, cooling after the day’s heat.
The only problem… were the mosquitoes.