“Waaah, I want Sister-in-law, I want Sister-in-law. Brother is lying. It’s almost evening already, why hasn’t Sister-in-law come back yet?” The little girl cried pitifully.
Pushing the door open, Luo Qingqing felt her heart soften once again. The little girl lying on the ground throwing a tantrum was simply too adorable, like a kitten exposing its belly and begging to be petted.
“Whose little kitten is this, crying like this? You poor thing.” Luo Qingqing could not help teasing her.
Her voice rang clear like silver bells. Gu Jing’an froze for a moment, his brows knitting slightly as his expression shifted several times. His face grew complex and unreadable, until gradually everything seemed to settle, leaving behind only a heavy, mist-like contemplation that nearly enveloped him.
Hearing her voice, Xuanning quickly ran over and nearly knocked Luo Qingqing over.
“Sister-in-law, why did you take so long to come back? Was Xuanning not well-behaved? I’ll be good from now on, please don’t abandon me, waaah.” Her crying was so heartbreaking that anyone who heard it would feel sorrow.
Luo Qingqing hurriedly comforted her.
Gu Qiran tugged at Gu Jing’an’s sleeve. “Brother, she’s back.”
“Mm, she’s back.” Even Gu Jing’an had not expected Luo Qingqing to return. After a whole day, she should have run away long ago. He also had not expected Xuanning to rely on her so much, crying endlessly no matter how they tried to soothe her. His feelings were complicated.
The two brothers stepped forward to take the things from Luo Qingqing, while the little girl clung to her and refused to let go. Luo Qingqing gently patted her and coaxed, “Be good, Xuanning. Come, let’s see what I bought.”
She took out the clothes she had bought for the three siblings to try on. Xuanning happily accepted hers and ran to the room to change.
Gu Qiran felt a little embarrassed. Scratching his head, he took his clothes, thanked her, and waited by the door until his sister finished before going in to change.
Gu Jing’an looked at the clothes handed to him, his dark eyes deepening like an autumn pool. “I have clothes to wear. There’s no need to spend money on this. Take them back and buy something for yourself instead.” She had bought things for all of them but nothing for herself. Was it because she had run out of money? She did not need to do all this.
Gu Jing’an reached into his robe and took out an exquisite green bamboo-patterned pouch. “Take this money.”
The original owner’s stepmother had always maintained appearances, so she had quite a few clothes, and their quality was better than those from the shop. Luo Qingqing did not need to buy new ones.
Looking down, the pouch was finely crafted, the fabric even better than her own clothes. Who had given it to him?
“No need. I have plenty of clothes. Go try them on and see if they fit. The dark green one is for Shen Huaiyu. I’ll go make dinner.” Luo Qingqing stuffed the clothes into Gu Jing’an’s arms and ran off with the basket of vegetables.
Gu Jing’an returned to the room, handed Shen Huaiyu his clothes, then set aside his own before heading to the kitchen. She did not know how to work the bellows, so he needed to keep an eye on things to prevent the kitchen from being burned down. To him, clothes were merely something to cover the body, nothing more.
As he walked toward the kitchen, his steps carried a lightness he himself did not notice.
The kitchen was already filled with laughter. The two children had changed into their new clothes, and Luo Qingqing’s good taste made them look even more adorable.
Gu Qiran had gotten his nose smudged with soot while working the bellows. Luo Qingqing was carefully wiping it clean. Watching his face grow redder, she suddenly felt playful and teased, “Xuanning, you must keep a close eye on your brother at school. A handsome young man like him is bound to attract the attention of older girls.”
Gu Qiran’s face instantly turned red to the tips of his ears. He muttered softly, “Sister-in-law, that’s embarrassing.”
Xuanning patted her chest and solemnly promised she would keep a good watch over her brother.
Luo Qingqing laughed so hard she could barely straighten up. When Gu Jing’an entered, he quietly took his place by the bellows, and Gu Qiran ran off in embarrassment.
Patting Xuanning’s head, Luo Qingqing said, “There are some snacks in the cabinet in the main room. Go share them with your brother, but don’t eat too much. Dinner will be ready soon.”
“Got it! Sister-in-law is the best. I’m going to find my brother!” The little girl dashed off energetically.
Now only the two of them remained in the kitchen. Gu Jing’an preferred silence and did not like to talk, and Luo Qingqing did not know what to say either, so she focused on cooking.
Gu Jing’an worked the bellows, but his thoughts drifted elsewhere.
Luo Qingqing prepared a pot of shredded chicken porridge, spicy diced chicken, braised ribs, stir-fried pork with onions, and seaweed mushroom soup.
“Dinner’s ready!” she called out.
Snapped back to reality, Gu Jing’an went to help Shen Huaiyu from the room. His injuries were recovering quickly, and by the afternoon he had already been able to walk around indoors.
The siblings came to help carry the dishes and set out the bowls and chopsticks.
Shen Huaiyu had already smelled the food from inside the room, and his appetite had been thoroughly stirred. His stomach even growled in cooperation.
When Gu Jing’an noticed him staring at Luo Qingqing again, he pulled him over and pressed him into a seat.
Shen Huaiyu laughed awkwardly, and everyone began eating. The meal was fairly harmonious, if one ignored Shen Huaiyu’s constant stream of praise and Gu Jing’an’s increasingly cold gaze.
The two children ate a bit too much, so Luo Qingqing gave them some hawthorn slices and took them for a short walk to help with digestion.
It was already completely dark. Luo Qingqing sent the children back to their room to sleep while she went to prepare medicine. Earlier, through the window, she had seen Gu Jing’an coughing again. Tomorrow, she will visit the pharmacy to get a new prescription. The current medicine did not seem effective, as he was still coughing after half a month.
Once the medicine was ready, Luo Qingqing also took two pieces of malt sugar from the main room.
Gu Jing’an finished the medicine in one go. In front of him lay her pale palm, holding two pieces of malt sugar.
Luo Qingqing reached out. “Here, to get rid of the bitterness. Even the smell of this medicine is bitter.”
Gu Jing’an lowered his long lashes slightly, concealing the flicker in his eyes. “I don’t like sweets.”
“Who likes bitterness? Just keep it in your mouth until the taste fades, you can spit it out after.” Luo Qingqing pressed the candy into his hand. “Rest early. Good night.” Without giving him a chance to reply, she turned and left.
Gu Jing’an looked at the candy resting in his palm, still carrying the warmth of her hand. He unwrapped it and placed it in his mouth. A gentle sweetness spread across his tongue.
When he was young, he would also cling to his mother for candy after drinking medicine. That man would forbid it, saying boys should endure more hardship, only girls were allowed to be pampered with sweets. Yet his mother would secretly give him candy anyway. After she passed away, he had never eaten candy again.