“I can eat very little, and I can do lots and lots of work. I’d rather die than leave Mommy.”
The child sobbed, crying even more heart-wrenchingly than when he had been rescued from the water.
“Pah, pah, pah! It’s midwinter, stop talking about dying.” Li Qiuyue scolded him with a gentle pat on his little bottom.
Yet her nose tingled, and her eyes blurred with mist.
She felt moved, but at the same time, her resentment toward Qin Huai grew a little more.
Resentment that he had left quietly back then, letting her endure countless insults for no reason.
Hatred that he had returned now, bringing trouble for her and her child once again.
“He’s not your dad, no matter how loud you yell, the most you can call him is ‘uncle.’” She glared at Qin Huai fiercely.
Qin Huai’s eyes flickered, a mixture of emotions as he watched mother and child pour out their hearts, unable to part.
Li Qiuyue, seeing that he wasn’t forcing her to explain about the child and wasn’t bothered by her repeated eye rolls, softened just a little toward him.
Seeing the medicine in his hands, she asked, “Is this what the clinic gave Zhaozhao?”
Qin Huai nodded, opened the bag, and was about to explain the purpose and dosage of each medicine, but Li Qiuyue snatched it away.
What was he dithering for? She wasn’t a doctor she didn’t need to know what each medicine was for. She only needed to read the instructions on how to administer it!
“It’s cold outside. Stay indoors. Mommy will get you water and medicine.” She patted Zhaozhao’s little head and turned to go out.
Once outside, she wiped away the tears that had welled up.
Qin Huai watched her back and rubbed the hand from which the bag had been snatched.
This woman was so rough how could she raise a child properly?
He quickly made a decision in his mind, only to feel something soft against his hand.
Looking down, he saw little Zhaozhao placing a piece of red string around his wrist.
Tears glistened on his long eyelashes, but a coaxing smile spread across his face. “Daddy… Uncle, Mommy’s eyes are sick. If we wear red strings, Mommy will recognize us!”
He wiggled his tiny, soft wrist, which indeed had a red string tied around it.
“Her eyes are sick?” Qin Huai looked down, meeting the child’s gaze.
The little guy nodded seriously, then began to talk about how Mommy sometimes called visitors “cousin” when they came in and “auntie” when she went out.
He said Mommy was smart enough to recognize him even without a red string.
“When Uncle stays at home for a while and gets to know Mommy, she’ll recognize you too,” Zhaozhao said earnestly, his eyes shining with hope.
The child was a little timid but gathered courage, trying to tempt him: “Mommy cooks really well, makes pretty clothes, and tells Sun Wukong stories at night. Uncle, don’t you want to stay?”
Qin Huai pursed his lips, his mind stirring, but he showed a gentle smile to Zhaozhao, patient and calm. “Zhaozhao, do you really like Mommy?”
Without hesitation, Zhaozhao nodded vigorously. Then he thought a moment and added, “Uncle is handsome too I’ll like you too!”
“You’ve got a sweet little mouth,” Qin Huai said quietly, pinching Zhaozhao’s chubby little face.
Inside, he was recalculating.
Honestly, he wasn’t very impressed with Li Qiuyue.
He liked people who were careful and methodical, who reasoned first and planned everything in advance.
Li Qiuyue spoke crudely, acted impulsively, recklessly, beyond his control a total challenge to his orderly world.
But he was on a mission now, needing to survey the safety of the town. Staying here wasn’t a bad choice.
“All right, Uncle promises, you can stay,” Qin Huai quickly made the decision.
Hearing the affirmative, Zhaozhao immediately leapt into his broad arms.
As long as Daddy and Mommy were together, no one could speak badly of Mommy!
And he… he would quietly get on Daddy’s good side, so Daddy would accept him early, sparing Mommy any trouble!
The little guy’s eyes sparkled with determination.
Meanwhile, Li Qiuyue, outside boiling water, had no idea that her son was digging such a big “trap” for her.
When she returned with the hot water, she saw Qin Huai pacing inside with Zhaozhao in his arms.
Zhaozhao wasn’t light, yet Qin Huai held him with one hand, letting the child cling to his neck affectionately.
The tall, broad man carrying a tiny child looked especially picturesque.
When Zhaozhao saw the medicine, he immediately buried his head in Qin Huai’s neck.
Qin Huai instinctively placed his other hand on the child’s back, preventing him from falling, and gave Li Qiuyue a disapproving glance.
This “united front” left Li Qiuyue staring, stunned.
She twitched her lips and scolded Li Zhaozhao, “Stop pretending. Even if you lie there till morning, the medicine won’t disappear.”
Only then did the little one slowly turn, take the medicine, and grumble, still reluctant to leave Qin Huai’s arms.
Qin Huai didn’t refuse; he even took the enamel cup and fed Zhaozhao, clumsy but patient.
Zhaozhao had always been dependent on medicine, and normally wouldn’t act this way but now he looked completely content, thoroughly enjoying it.
After all, he was only three and a half.
Li Qiuyue pressed her lips together. Once he finished drinking, she made up her mind.
She patted Zhaozhao’s hand: “Zhaozhao, come here. Uncle has to leave, let Mommy hold you, okay?”
Hearing this, Zhaozhao widened his eyes, unsure, glancing between Li Qiuyue and Qin Huai.
His little hands clung tightly to Qin Huai’s clothes.
Qin Huai gently wiped the water from Zhaozhao’s mouth and raised an eyebrow at Li Qiuyue, as if asking, Who said I’m leaving?
Li Qiuyue cleared her throat, tone firmer: “It gets dark fast in winter, and the village roads are bad. I’m not letting Commander Qin stay.”
Before Qin Huai could speak, Zhaozhao proudly piped up: “Mommy, Uncle already promised me he can stay. I even gave him a red string. From now on, our family has three people, right?”
The last part was directed at Qin Huai.
Qin Huai nodded earnestly, a trace of mischief in his eyes now he and Zhaozhao were on the same side.
Li Qiuyue stared at Qin Huai and the red string tied near his expensive watch.
She kept repeating in her mind, This is the boy’s lifesaver, yet couldn’t help saying, “The kid has no brains, and you’re an idiot too?”
“I said I don’t need your gratitude. Our feud is over. Why are you pretending to be deaf?” She raised her voice suddenly, though still restraining her anger.
Making such intimate gestures with the child, the kid would take it seriously what if he got attached?
She wanted to snatch Zhaozhao from Qin Huai’s arms, but didn’t know how.
Qin Huai pressed his lips. He thought Li Qiuyue would need a man to shield her from gossip, so he considered only his own will, agreed to Zhaozhao, and acted on his own.
But reality seemed to differ from his expectations.