The people over at the old residence were relying on Qiu Xianzhi now. Knowing they couldn’t control him, they were thinking of placing someone by his side to keep an eye on him for them.
Qiu Xianzhi shook his head. Right now, he had no interest at all in dealing with those people from the old residence. They could stir up whatever trouble they wanted, as long as it didn’t land right in front of him.
Seeing Qiu Xianzhi’s indifferent look, Qi Ziling nodded thoughtfully and went on eating the meat in her bowl.
Qiu Ziling: “I’m hiding out at your place for a couple of days, hiding from my manager!”
Qiu Xianzhi wasn’t surprised. His place really was a good hideout. No one ever came here.
After the meal, Qiu Xianzhi told Aunt Zhong to buy a rabbit, specifically instructing her to get it from the wet market, the kind people actually eat.
The moment Aunt Zhong heard that, she understood. She couldn’t resist adding a comment, repeating to Qiu Xianzhi what Uncle Zhong had taught Jiang Zhuo.
Qiu Xianzhi’s lips curved upward as he listened. Sure enough, he was still just a kid, his head full of strange and random things.
Qi Ziling burst out laughing. Not only had she completely ignored Uncle Zhong’s words, she even turned around and told Qiu Xianzhi to pour her tea and water.
Suddenly seized by a mischievous urge, Qi Ziling decided to tease Qiu Xianzhi. Mimicking Jiang Zhuo’s tone, she called out Qiu Xianzhi’s name: “Qiu Xianzhi, could you please pour me a glass of water? Thank you!”
Qiu Xianzhi’s cold gaze swept over her, his eyes asking, Are you sure? If I pour it, do you dare drink it?
Qi Ziling did not dare. She chickened out instantly, trotted to the fridge to get herself some water, and even brought a bottle for Qiu Xianzhi, unscrewed the cap, and offered it to him with both hands.
Aunt Zhong immediately ran off and bought a rabbit, then casually tossed it behind Jiang Zhuo.
Whether she’d used too much force, or the rabbit was too timid and ran too fast, it slammed straight into the neatly arranged materials on the ground, and then it fainted.
Aunt Zhong: “Oh my! Where did this rabbit come from? It suddenly ran out and gave me such a fright.”
Looking at the rabbit that had seemingly appeared out of nowhere in Jiang Zhuo’s hands, Uncle Zhong blinked twice. Then he caught the look his wife was giving him and instantly understood.
“Qiu Xianzhi, I caught a rabbit.” Carrying it by the ears, Jiang Zhuo ran inside in high spirits. When he saw Qiu Xianzhi looking as clean and pristine as a prince in a castle, then looked down at his own grimy state, he stopped himself in time, pulled back to keep some distance, and held up the rabbit for Qiu Xianzhi to see.
Seeing Jiang Zhuo call his name so happily, and think of him first before anyone else, made his heart feel warm, and a faint smile appeared on his face.
Qiu Xianzhi: “Mm, then we can have something extra for dinner tonight.”
Qi Ziling watched Qiu Xianzhi as if she were watching a show, not blinking once. She couldn’t even remember what year it had been the last time she’d seen Qiu Xianzhi smile.
Was he really starting to care, or was he just acting?
Jiang Zhuo wiped his dirty paws on the hem of his clothes, put the rabbit in the kitchen, and went upstairs to take a shower.
That night at dinner, rabbit meat was served on the table.
When Qi Ziling stayed quiet, her mouth felt uncomfortable.
Qi Ziling: “Bunnies are so cute, how could you eat bunnies!”
The affected way she said it made not only Jiang Zhuo want to smack her, even Qiu Xianzhi inexplicably felt his foot itching, like he wanted to kick someone.
Jiang Zhuo also put on an affected tone and answered in imitation of Qi Ziling, “The farmers work so hard growing grain, so I guess you can’t bear to eat that either.
As he spoke, Jiang Zhuo called toward the kitchen, “Aunt Zhong, just serve two bowls of rice.”
Qi Ziling didn’t get angry. She stood up and took her own portion from Aunt Zhong’s tray. “Come on now! If I don’t eat, the farmers will lose their jobs.
Jiang Zhuo: “That makes sense too. Then such a cute animal like a bunny, only Qiu Xianzhi and I, with our hard hearts, should eat it. If it pains you too much to eat it, someone will be heartbroken.”
That line moved Qi Ziling so much she rolled her eyes.
Jiang Zhuo didn’t stand on ceremony either. He pushed the rabbit meat a little closer to himself and Qiu Xianzhi, picked out a good piece for Qiu Xianzhi, and looked at him with sly eyes, signaling for him to hurry up and eat.