The Qinhai City Research Institute was located in the suburbs of Qinhai City. Green trees surrounded it, and lush grass spread all around. However, it was built in a very low-key manner. Without looking at the sign at the entrance, no one would be able to tell that this was a place where Qinhai City’s top talents were gathered.
The main building was a frame-structure building. The exterior walls were covered with small square-patterned ceramic tiles. Sunlight leaped down onto them, flashing with a shimmering glow.
The laboratory where Xu Chenghuai worked was on the fourth floor. From the spacious main hall, one went upstairs, then passed through a long corridor. The second-to-last room was his laboratory.
“It’s almost time to eat. Everyone, hurry up and finish what you’re working on.”
As soon as these words were spoken, the people in the laboratory who were bent over instruments or flipping through materials and filling out records all raised their heads and glanced at the clock hanging on the wall.
“It really is almost time to eat. I heard the canteen is stewing fish today.”
“Why fish again? Haven’t we been eating it for a whole month already?”
“Not everyone has been eating it for a whole month. Isn’t there someone who eats meals sent from home every day?”
As that person finished speaking, everyone’s eyes tacitly turned toward the same direction.
The man was tall and upright. Sunlight streamed through the window and fell on the side of his face. His straight nose bridge and long eyelashes, dark like crow feathers, flickered in the play of light and shadow.
He was looking at the test tube in his hand. The pale yellow liquid, held between his long, well-defined fingers, carried an inexplicable sense of beauty.
Xu Chenghuai’s mind was entirely on the experiment. He had not paid attention to the others’ conversation. Only when he sensed their gaze did he slightly turn his head to look over, a questioning look in his eyes.
Seeing this, Ma Yuanhang immediately smiled and joked, “Everyone’s envious of you. You get to eat meals your wife brings you every day, unlike us, who have to suffer through eating at the canteen.”
Xu Chenghuai pressed his lips together and did not respond. His gaze quickly returned to the test tube, as if nothing was more important than the experiment.
Ma Yuanhang and the others were long used to this. They shrugged, and when the wall clock reached mealtime, a group of people streamed out all at once.
From an angle the others could not see, the long fingers holding the test tube lightly tapped it once, revealing the owner’s relaxed and pleasant mood.
When it was time to get off work, the number of people moving about in the research institute increased all at once.
As soon as Ma Yuanhang and the others left the laboratory, the words they had held back earlier out of consideration for Xu Chenghuai could no longer be restrained.
“Speaking of it, although Old Xu’s wife hasn’t studied much, she really treats Old Xu well. She truly gives him her whole heart.”
“But it’s a pity that she didn’t read much. If you ask me, Old Xu marrying her is really bad luck. If it weren’t for that so-called childhood betrothal, would Old Xu have had to suffer this grievance?”
That was right. Most people at the research institute who knew Xu Chenghuai felt deep sympathy for him. After all, who would not want to marry someone who shared their interests and could be presented proudly to others?
Ma Yuanhang could not help reminding them, “Why are you still talking about this? Have you all forgotten what happened last time when Old Xu overheard you speaking ill of someone? That was the first time I ever saw him lose his temper.”
Others who could not stand their behavior immediately spoke up as well. “That’s right. Who he marries has nothing to do with us. You people are just too full and have nothing better to do.”
There had been an incident before. While Xu Chenghuai had gone out to get food, everyone had discussed Comrade Jiang Hua without restraint. Xu Chenghuai happened to hear it when he came back, and he had erupted in a huge rage at the time. He only let the matter drop after they apologized to Comrade Jiang Hua.
However, no one believed that Xu Chenghuai had lost his temper out of protectiveness toward Jiang Hua. It was simply because his pride had been hurt. After all, talking about her like that was no different from stabbing knives into his heart.
Ma Yuanhang and the others spent only about half an hour eating. When they returned from the canteen to the laboratory, they discovered that Xu Chenghuai was still in the same position, and there was no lunch box to be seen at his seat.
“Old Xu, hasn’t Comrade Jiang Hua delivered the food yet?” Ma Yuanhang asked in surprise, exchanging glances with the others.
Everyone froze.
Someone said, “Could something have happened? Normally, Comrade Jiang Hua delivers the food early. By the time we come back from the canteen, you’ve already finished eating.”
Ma Yuanhang glanced at Xu Chenghuai and immediately refuted it. “Don’t talk nonsense. Maybe something came up at home and delayed her.”
Xu Chenghuai pressed his lips together and lifted his head from the experiment. There was not the slightest trace of anxiety on his face, yet his movements were brisk and neat as he packed up the work at hand. He left behind a single sentence.
“I need to step out for something.”
As soon as the words fell, he had already left the laboratory, leaving behind a group of people staring at one another in confusion.
And at this moment, in the Xu family courtyard.
Jiang Hua was cutting the pork belly and green peppers, then washed the wok clean and set it onto the stove.
Yunshu opened her innocent eyes wide, lifted her soft, adorable little face, and said in a childish voice that she wanted to help tend the fire.
Jiang Hua smiled and patted her little head, then glanced at Yunkai, who was squatting on the ground with his back to the kitchen, looking as if nothing concerned him. “That’s fine, but Mommy isn’t at ease letting you watch the fire alone, unless your brother can help you.”
As soon as she finished speaking, the small figure outside the kitchen paused, then slowly straightened up, visibly filled with expectation.
The corner of Jiang Hua’s mouth twitched uncontrollably. How had she never noticed before that her son was this adorable?
Yunshu had already trotted over. “Brother, let’s help Mommy watch the fire together.”
Yunkai glanced at her and stood up. “Why are you so dumb? You can’t even watch a fire.”
His words were full of disdain, but his body was very honest. As soon as the words left his mouth, the small child walked toward the kitchen entrance like a little adult.
Yunshu did not argue with her brother at all. She immediately followed after him like a little tail, naturally showering him with praise. “Brother, you’re so amazing.”
Yunkai curled his lips and then secretly glanced at Jiang Hua.
Jiang Hua nearly laughed out loud, barely managing to hold it in. “You’re both amazing. You already know how to feel sorry for Mommy and help share the burden.”
Yunshu immediately grinned shyly. This time, Yunkai’s lips also could not help curving upward slightly, his small chest unconsciously puffing out.
After all, the two children were only three years old. Jiang Hua worried that oil might splash onto them, so she deliberately moved the little stools farther away.
She heated the wok and added oil, then stir-fried the thinly sliced pork belly until both sides were golden brown. She ladled out the excess oil, then added ginger, scallions, and garlic and stir-fried until fragrant. As the sizzling sounds rang out, a rich aroma of meat spread through the air.
The two children, tempted beyond restraint, had stood up without realizing it. Their eyes were practically drilling into the wok, and a drop of saliva even fell from Yunshu’s mouth with a soft plop.
Seeing this, Jiang Hua felt a wave of sourness surge in her chest, making her feel extremely uncomfortable.
“It’ll be ready to eat soon.”
Her movements were brisk. She continued stir-frying, added soy sauce to color and season it, and finally added the deseeded green peppers, tossing them constantly until just cooked.
Yunshu finally could not hold back anymore. She rose onto her toes anxiously to look. “Can we eat now?”
As Jiang Hua dished out the food, she said, “Yes. You two go set the table first.”
Yunkai hesitated for a moment. “You’re not sending food to Daddy?”
Jiang Hua paused and glanced at him. “No. From now on, I’ll stay home and eat with you.”
Yunkai froze, then after reacting, gave a dry “oh.”
But the corners of his lips could not be controlled as they lifted upward.
Yunshu, on the other hand, frowned slightly and asked unhappily, “Then what will Daddy eat?”
Yunkai said, “Daddy can eat at the canteen.”
Yunshu became even more unhappy and clenched her little fists. “Daddy will get sick.”
Although the little girl was very young, she had a deep impression of her father getting sick, mainly because she often heard Jiang Hua talk about it.
Yunkai, however, did not want Jiang Hua to deliver food to Xu Chenghuai at all. He was more perceptive than Yunshu and knew that people in the compound mocked Jiang Hua. Although he did not understand what adults meant by saying she was “throwing herself at him,” he could tell from their tone that they were laughing at her.
Afraid that Jiang Hua might change her mind, the little fellow grew anxious and could not help glaring at his sister. “Uncle Ma eats at the canteen every day and he hasn’t gotten sick. Eating at the canteen won’t make you sick.”
Seeing that the little girl was about to speak again,
Jiang Hua hurriedly interrupted her. After thinking for a moment, she explained, “Before you were born, your daddy always ate at the canteen, so eating there won’t make you sick.”
The little girl was confused and could not understand for a moment. She lifted her small face and stared with round, clear eyes. “Mommy, didn’t you say he would get sick?”
“Before, Mommy was too nervous about Daddy. Now Mommy has figured it out.” Jiang Hua squatted down to meet their eye level and said with a smile, “You are the most important.”
Hearing this, the little girl immediately revealed a shy smile. Yunkai, on the other hand, froze for a moment. His eyes were fixed on Jiang Hua, filled with a kind of moist brightness he had never had before, as if light were flickering deep within them.
Jiang Hua reached out and touched his head.
For the first time, he did not resist. He lowered his head and let her touch him.
So when Xu Chenghuai returned from the research institute, what he saw was the three of them, mother and children, sitting at the dining table, with only one another in their eyes.
He pressed his lips together and lowered his gaze to look at the dry branch on the ground, then lifted his foot and stepped on it without hesitation.
A “crack” sounded, and the mother and children all instinctively looked over.
Xu Chenghuai looked at Jiang Hua. “I came back to eat.”
Yunshu immediately grinned happily and clapped her little hands. “Daddy’s back.”
Yunkai curled his lips, jumped down from the chair, and spoke in a tone that sounded far from willing. “I’ll go get a bowl.”
Jiang Hua glanced at him and said politely, “Perfect timing. We just started eating.”
Xu Chenghuai glanced at her again, then walked over and sat beside Yunshu, taking the bowl Yunkai handed him.
Yunshu happily swung her short legs. She had the same round, bright eyes as Jiang Hua. “Daddy, Mommy said you were going to eat at the canteen. Why did you come back?”
Although the little girl was only three years old, her language skills were better than those of many four- or five-year-old children.
Xu Chenghuai glanced at Jiang Hua, then looked back at the little girl. “I happened to have time. What did you do today?”
Hearing this, Jiang Hua could not help looking at him. She did not know whether it was an illusion, but she inexplicably felt that he was probing what she had done at home and why she had not delivered food to him.
After thinking about it, she laughed at herself. How could that be possible?
“Brother, Mommy, and I went to buy groceries,” Yunshu said, counting on her fingers. Thinking of something, she then smiled shyly, her little chest unconsciously puffing up, her tone filled with pride and happiness.
Xu Chenghuai raised an eyebrow.
“Mommy also bought meat buns and Jianlibao,” Yunkai said. After a pause, he added in a show-off tone, “Only my sister and I have them.”
Xu Chenghuai: “…Is that so?”
Yunshu nodded excitedly.
Xu Chenghuai pressed his lips together, feeling somewhat displeased. So this was the reason she did not deliver food to him?
However, his gaze finally fell openly on Jiang Hua’s face. “Why did you suddenly think of buying these snacks for the children?”
Jiang Hua had not expected him to suddenly speak to her. She froze for a moment, then reacted and casually made up an excuse. “I saw that they wanted to eat them.”
Xu Chenghuai frowned.
He could sense Jiang Hua’s perfunctory attitude. She had been off since the morning. From the time they got married until now, Jiang Hua had always taken meticulous care of him. Even after the two children were born, he had still been placed first in her heart.
Xu Chenghuai knew very clearly what position he held in Jiang Hua’s heart.
He truly could not understand what had happened to cause such a drastic change in Jiang Hua’s attitude.
After thinking for a moment, Xu Chenghuai looked at her seriously. “Dreams are fake.”
He thought Jiang Hua had dreamed of something.
However, Jiang Hua had long forgotten the excuse she had casually made earlier and did not think deeply about the meaning of his words at all. She nodded without much concern. “I know.”
Xu Chenghuai: …