During the afternoon meal.
Second Aunt and Chu Qing, overjoyed by the cotton cloth, completely ignored the thick rice porridge and fragrant white flour buns on the table.
They kept discussing how to make the new clothes look good.
Even after Second Uncle Chu kept trying to persuade them.
The two of them still refused to listen, circling that bolt of fine cotton cloth again and again.
Second Aunt had been extremely happy when she learned that the pair of deer antlers had sold for more than two strings of cash.
She could not understand why they did not save the money to repay the debt owed to Squire Liu, and instead bought so much expensive grain.
But all that confusion vanished the moment she saw that sparkling bolt of cotton cloth.
In its place was nothing but praise for Chu Xun, that good nephew.
The compliments came one after another, as if he could be praised straight up to the heavens.
After dinner that night.
There were still nineteen Shop Coins left in the shop.
Chu Xun spent two Shop Coins on a packet of salt.
He then spent another eight Shop Coins to buy four catties of flour. After repackaging it in cloth sacks, he also picked up the other bolt of cotton cloth and headed for Qin Yue’er’s home.
…
In the run-down thatched cottage,
Qin Yue’er was holding a bowl of thick rice porridge, feeding Qin Xing’er spoonful by spoonful.
“There are only a few doses of medicine left. Once you finish them, your illness will be mostly gone.”
Then she picked up a pill and brought it to Qin Xing’er’s lips, signaling for her to swallow it together with the rice porridge.
Qin Xing’er looked at her sister, who cared for her so lovingly, and a trace of heartache crossed her slightly pale face.
This rice porridge, and the medicine that treated her illness, had all been exchanged from Chu Xun by her sister, who endured beatings and screams.
She could still remember the crackling sounds of blows coming from the kitchen that day.
This made Qin Xing’er feel unbearably guilty.
If not for her high fever, her sister would not have been beaten until she could barely walk without trembling.
Thinking of this, Qin Xing’er could not help looking up. “Sis, once I get better, I’ll definitely help share the burden at home. I won’t let you carry it all by yourself anymore.”
Qin Yue’er was stunned for a moment, then smiled brightly. “What burden could there be at home? Just focus on recovering, and don’t worry about anything else.”
She stuffed the pill into Qin Xing’er’s mouth.
Then she quickly fed her a few mouthfuls of hot porridge so Qin Xing’er could swallow it.
After the bowl of porridge was finished, just as Qin Xing’er was about to tell her sister about Chu Xun, a timely knock sounded at the door, followed by Chu Xun’s voice.
“Yue’er, are you home?”
Brother Xun is here!
Qin Yue’er jolted upright, her eyes shining with delight, her body trembling slightly with excitement.
But in Qin Xing’er’s eyes, her sister had clearly stood up in fright after hearing Chu Xun’s voice, trembling from fear.
She was so angry that her little chest heaved wildly.
Why was Chu Xun coming to beat her sister again?
Yesterday he had beaten her so badly she could not even walk, and today he was going to hit her again!
Qin Xing’er immediately tried to get up and share her sister’s suffering.
But her body was weak and limp, and she could not gather even a little strength.
“Little sister, stay home for a while. I’ll be back soon.”
Qin Yue’er pressed her lips together, quickly put the bowls and chopsticks into the kitchen, and tidied her clothes.
After making sure she was properly dressed, with her clothes loose and easy to slip off, she finally went outside.
Qin Xing’er felt both sad and heartbroken, and could only watch helplessly as her sister went off to suffer Chu Xun’s bullying.
Once I recover, I’ll go straight to Chu Xun and let him beat only me.
I absolutely cannot let him hurt my sister anymore!
…
After leaving the courtyard gate, Qin Yue’er saw Chu Xun at first glance.
She was instantly overjoyed and quickly threw herself into his arms.
Chu Xun lowered his head and smiled faintly. “You miss me that much?”
Qin Yue’er tightened her arms around Chu Xun’s waist, her face full of sweetness.
She lifted her little face. “Yes. I was thinking about you even while making dinner tonight.”
In truth, she had been thinking about Chu Xun all day.
At one point it got so bad that she drank two bowls of cold water in a row before finally forcing down the heat in her heart.
A woman who has just tasted the sweetness of love often longs for the union of yin and yang even more than a man does.
At that moment, simply holding Chu Xun and breathing in his unique masculine scent was almost enough to make Qin Yue’er’s legs tremble and leave her unable to stand.
Chu Xun took the cloth sacks from the ground and handed them to Qin Yue’er with a smile. “Take a look at what I brought you.”
Qin Yue’er was just about to refuse, saying that she could not keep taking Chu Xun’s things.
But Chu Xun directly stuffed them into her arms and put on a stern face. “If you don’t take them, then I won’t come see you again.”
That single sentence frightened Qin Yue’er immediately.
She could only gather the cloth sacks into her arms, her eyes moistening.
Only then did Chu Xun smile and wave his hand. “Go back. Your little sister is still waiting for you to take care of her.”
But just as he turned around, Qin Yue’er grabbed his clothes.
Chu Xun turned back in confusion and looked at her. What else was wrong?
He saw Qin Yue’er turn her head away, her cheeks burning as she tugged at her collar, revealing a flash of snow-white skin.
She said softly and shyly, “Xun… Brother Xun, my little sister is much better now. She doesn’t need me to watch over her so much…”
Her voice grew quieter and quieter, but her face grew redder and redder, her eyes flickering, and with that seductive way she gently bit her lip, it looked as if she were expecting something.
Chu Xun could not help but swallow hard.
…
After a while, Chu Xun left, and Qin Yue’er did not return home until his figure had vanished from sight.
As soon as she entered, she saw Qin Xing’er sitting up, her big eyes staring straight at her.
“Sis, are you okay?”
Her sister had been out with him for so long; maybe she had been bullied again.
But Qin Yue’er could not really speak at the moment, so she could only smile and nod.
Then she set the cloth sacks on the ground and hurried into the kitchen to drink some water.
But in Qin Xing’er’s eyes, this must mean Chu Xun had beaten her sister so badly that her throat had gone hoarse.
Poor sister. She must have suffered so much.
Her small chest rose and fell with anger.
Her delicate, pale little face was filled with determination:
“I must get better quickly and take on that inhuman torment in my sister’s place!”