Just now, Tao Xiaohong’s actions didn’t look like those of someone who would cherish a child. This marriage couldn’t go through!
Tao Xiaohong trembled, her eyes reddening as she bit her lip and hurriedly explained, “S-sorry, I didn’t mean it. I was afraid Mianbao would press on my wound, so I reacted instinctively…”
She was just a little wild child with no blood relation—how could Qin Shanhai and Xie Yulan value her so much?!
Qin Shanhai gently patted Mianbao’s back to comfort her, his face stern.
“Marriage is a serious matter. It needs careful consideration. Since your hand hurts, rest well in the hospital. We’ll be leaving first.”
Seeing Mianbao’s small body trembling with sobs, Xie Yulan felt heartache.
“Mianbao, don’t be afraid. Grandma and Grandpa are here.”
She cast a disappointed glance at Tao Xiaohong, then stepped forward and twisted Qin Yanzhou’s ear.
“You brat, you stayed up all night—trying to become immortal? Now hurry home and sleep!”
“Ow, Mom, be gentle!”
Qin Yanzhou was dragged away by his ear, while Qin Shanhai carried Mianbao out.
As soon as they left, Tao Xiaohong’s expression darkened. She clenched the blanket tightly.
Li Juhua said, “What do they mean? The marriage is off? Just because of that little brat?”
“No! I must marry Qin Yanzhou!” Tao Xiaohong gritted her teeth.
This time, she had underestimated that brat’s place in the Qin elders’ hearts.
…
After returning home, Mianbao’s beautiful eyes were still wet, and she looked a little frightened. Xie Yulan, furious, gave Qin Yanzhou a beating.
Watching Qin Yanzhou being chased around, Mianbao broke into a grin, showing a few tiny baby teeth as she giggled.
“Mom, if you keep hitting me, you won’t have a son anymore!”
Xie Yulan stopped, threw the broom aside, and stood with her hands on her hips, panting. Seeing Mianbao laugh, she snorted at her son.
“Alright, go inside and sleep.”
Qin Yanzhou pursed his lips. He strongly suspected his mother had beaten him just to amuse the little radish.
After a sleepless night, he was indeed exhausted. Yawning, he went back to his room to sleep.
He slept deeply, not even waking up for lunch.
Toward evening, Qin Yanzhou had a dream. He dreamed of Tao Xiaojun from five years ago, covered in blood, his face smashed beyond recognition, staring at him with bloody eyes, questioning why he refused to marry his sister.
“Clang…”
The sound of an enamel cup falling to the ground startled Qin Yanzhou awake.
His forehead was soaked with sweat. Sitting up, he recalled the scene of Tao Xiaojun falling off a cliff to save him and dying tragically.
Outside, there was the scraping sound of a stool being dragged.
Qin Yanzhou frowned irritably, got out of bed, and walked out.
Opening the door, he saw the little radish dragging a stool in front of a cabinet. Slowly, she climbed onto it, stretching her short arms to reach the thermos.
Qin Yanzhou strode over and moved the thermos away.
“What are you doing?”
Startled, Mianbao lost her balance and nearly fell off the stool.
“Ah—I’m going to fall!”
But instead of falling, she felt her collar tighten—Qin Yanzhou had lifted her up.
She flailed her arms and legs midair, still a little frightened.
Qin Yanzhou roughly set her back onto the stool.
“Speak. What were you doing?”
The little radish never stayed still—left unattended for even a moment, she would cause trouble.
Mianbao placed her hands on her knees, sitting properly and obediently. She glanced at Qin Yanzhou timidly, then lowered her head, mumbling softly.
“I… I wanted to pour Uncle a cup of water…”
Grandpa and Grandma had gone out. She saw Uncle hadn’t eaten lunch, worried he might be hungry, so she went in to check on him—and saw him sweating all over, thinking he wasn’t feeling well.
When she felt unwell before, her mother would boil hot water for her. Sometimes after drinking it for a few days, she would get better.
Qin Yanzhou picked up the enamel cup, wiped off the dust with his fingers, poured half a cup of water from the thermos, and drank it in one gulp.
“If I want water, I’ll pour it myself. I don’t need a short-legged little radish like you to do it.”
He set the cup down and warned, “If you dare climb this high and touch the thermos again, I’ll spank you!”
Mianbao immediately covered her little bottom, afraid of being hit, and nodded vigorously.
“Mianbao won’t dare again.”
Qin Yanzhou was satisfied.
He went into his parents’ room, and when he came out, he had tucked the household register into his pocket and was about to leave.
Mianbao jumped off the stool, ran over, and hugged his leg like a pendant.
“Uncle, Mianbao wants to go with you.”
Qin Yanzhou grabbed her by the back of her collar.
“Little radish, get down. I don’t have time to play with you.”
Mianbao held on tightly, shaking her head.
“No, no! I want to go with Uncle!”
She had seen it—Uncle had secretly taken the household register to go marry that bad sister!
Qin Yanzhou didn’t want to bring along such a hindrance. With a bit of effort, he pried her off and tossed her back onto the stool, his face stern.
“Sit properly. Stay at home. Don’t follow me!”
Mianbao pouted, holding back tears.
Did Uncle still hate her?
Qin Yanzhou’s mind was filled with the thought that he couldn’t let down his good brother Tao Xiaojun. He turned and strode out.
Mianbao jumped down from the stool, anxiously spinning in circles.
Who knew when Grandpa and Grandma would return? She had to stop Uncle!
Like a little tail, Mianbao quietly followed behind him.
After the family’s bicycle broke, Xie Yulan had planned to buy a new one, but they hadn’t managed to get a bicycle coupon yet. Qin Yanzhou had no choice but to walk to the hospital.
Fortunately, the textile factory compound was only about a thirty-minute walk from the county hospital. Taking a shortcut, he passed through a desolate patch of overgrown grass.
The cold wind howled. Qin Yanzhou suddenly stopped and glanced back.
Why did he feel like someone was following him?
In the waist-high grass, Mianbao wriggled forward, afraid of being discovered.
Just as she was squirming enthusiastically, a low voice sounded behind her.
“Little radish, what are you doing?”
Mianbao froze stiff.
Uh-oh!
Oh no! She’d been discovered!
She turned around stiffly. Two dry yellow stalks of grass were stuck in her fluffy hair, and she even had a dry foxtail grass stem in her mouth.
Qin Yanzhou easily picked her up.
Her arms and legs drooped, her head hanging down—like a pitiful little puppy resigned to its fate.
“You’ve got some nerve, secretly following me.” Qin Yanzhou pinched her cheek.
Mianbao spat out the foxtail grass, puffed her cheeks, and said nothing.
As dusk deepened, Qin Yanzhou had no time to send her back, so he let her follow for now.
“I’ll deal with you when we get back.”
Mianbao’s feet finally touched the ground.
Qin Yanzhou walked ahead and called out, “Keep up. If you get lost, don’t blame me.”
Mianbao pulled the grass from her hair and hurriedly ran to catch up.
Inside the hospital ward, Tao Xiaohong was alone. When she saw Qin Yanzhou, she immediately put on a pitiful expression.
“Brother Yanzhou…”
Her voice halted the moment she saw Mianbao following behind his long legs.