Xuan Zhixia has a weak constitution and is prone to illness when he gets tired. He has been to many hospitals and had countless examinations since he was a child, but they have never been able to find out any specific illness. In short, he is weak and needs to be taken care of.
On his first day on this children’s variety show, he didn’t actually do anything strenuous, so before going to bed, Xuan Zhixia was thinking that maybe he wouldn’t get sick so soon after arriving.
I didn’t expect to still get a fever.
Fortunately, it was just a low-grade fever.
Based on Xuan Zhixia’s own years of experience in recuperating from illness, this level of low-grade fever does not require special medication; otherwise, constantly taking antipyretics will only damage the already fragile immune system.
Drink plenty of water, avoid getting chilled, get a good night’s sleep, and you’ll be fine when you wake up.
Xuan Zhixia propped himself up on the edge of the bed and reached out to touch the thermos.
The water in the cup was still a little hot. He poured the water into the lid, then put down the thermos and slowly sipped it while holding the lid.
After finishing half a glass, he poured himself another half and continued drinking.
Then I took the thermos, put the lid back on, and prepared to go to sleep.
But the lights were off in the room, and with the curtains that Shang Shuji had drawn during the day, not much light came in through the windows, so Xuan Zhixia could see almost nothing at all.
I was extra careful when pouring water into the thermos twice just now, because I was still holding a half-filled thermos lid of hot water in my hand.
Now that I can just put down my thermos and lie down to sleep, I’m not as careful anymore. I put it down out of habit, and it ended up crooked. The thermos hit the edge of the stool and rolled to the ground, making a noise.
Xuan Zhixia frowned.
Shang Shuji, who was sleeping on the half of the bed against the wall, seemed to be disturbed and turned over.
Xuan Zhixia doesn’t have the habit of bringing his phone to bed, so he doesn’t have any tools to light it up at the moment.
I really didn’t want to get out of bed in the dark to retrieve the thermos, and besides, I didn’t know where it had rolled off to. Even if I got out of bed, I’d have to turn on the light to see it, and waking Shang Shuji would be a hassle and require me to argue. I probably wouldn’t feel like drinking water again tonight…
With that thought in mind, Xuan Zhixia simply stopped paying attention to the thermos on the ground, lay down again, covered himself with the blanket, and went to sleep.
I’ll pick it up when I get up in the morning.
However, things did not go as well as Xuan Zhixia had anticipated.
He slept for an unknown amount of time, feeling both the passage of time and the fleeting moments of sleep. His body grew heavier and heavier, but he couldn’t quite settle into a deep sleep. As a result, he felt increasingly uncomfortable, which eventually forced him to wake up.
Xuan Zhixia opened his eyes and stared blankly at the mosquito net above the bed frame. There seemed to be some rustling noises around him, but they didn’t register in his mind and he couldn’t concentrate on what they were.
Just as a shadow fell over his eyes, someone stood at the head of the bed, blocking the light, and called his name: “Xuan Zhixia?”
Xuan Zhixia belatedly realized the problem—why was the light on?
Xuan Zhixia tilted his head and saw Shang Shuji standing by the bed, holding a medicine box and a thermometer… He looked somewhat familiar.
”Did he get delirious from the fever?” Seeing that Xuan Zhixia didn’t react, Shang Shuji waved the thermometer in front of his eyes.
Xuan Zhixia opened his mouth, wanting to speak, but couldn’t. The discomfort from his dry, itchy throat made him cough twice.
Shang Shuji sighed helplessly: “You said that the person sleeping on the outside is there to serve others, but it turns out I had to get up in the middle of the night to serve you… You shouldn’t have gone crazy from the fever so quickly. Are you alright? You don’t recognize me, but you do recognize the medicine. This is what I just found in your suitcase. Do you usually take this when you have a fever?”
Xuan Zhixia frowned slightly and nodded.
Then he forced himself to sit up, and Shang Shuji helped him up.
Now a little more awake, Xuan Zhixia took the thermometer. For convenience and accuracy, Xuan Zhixia habitually carried two types of thermometers when he went out: an electronic thermometer and a traditional mercury thermometer.
Shang Shuji probably just grabbed it casually; it was an electronic thermometer.
Xuan Zhixia glanced at the electronic screen, then placed the thermometer under his armpit. Without waiting for the results, Xuan Zhixia knew he was no longer in the low-grade fever category.
Shang Shuji remained standing by the bed, took a strip of medicine from the medicine box, and asked Xuan Zhixia, “What dosage are you taking?”
Xuan Zhixia’s voice was slightly hoarse: “Just one is enough.”
Shang Shuji took out a pill, put the pillbox down, picked up the thermos he had just picked up from the ground, and poured a glass of water into it.
Thirty seconds later, Xuan Zhixia took out the electronic thermometer, glanced at the number on it, then silently put it down. He then took the medicine and water from Shang Shuji and drank it.
As Xuan Zhixia took his medicine, Shang Shuji picked up the thermometer and took a look.
Thirty-eight and five degrees.
”It’s alright, you won’t become stupid from the fever.” Shang Shuji put down the thermometer, sat down on the edge of the bed, and explained the situation, “I suddenly woke up just now and found that you were pulling the blanket away as if you were hot, and then pulling it back as if you were cold. When I called you once, you didn’t respond, and when I called you a few more times, you just mumbled in your sleep.”
Xuan Zhixia took the fever-reducing medicine with water, then slowly drank from the thermos lid that served as his water cup, listening to Shang Shuji speak with little energy.
Shang Shuji: “So, for the sake of my own sleep quality, I tentatively touched your forehead. It was quite warm, like you had a fever. However, I didn’t originally intend to take care of you; caring for a patient wasn’t the purpose of my trip.”
Xuan Zhixia looked up without saying a word, but his eyes were slightly puzzled, clearly asking, “Then why did you interfere again?”
Shang Shuji then said helplessly, “Because I suddenly vaguely remembered that I seemed to have been woken up by some noise before. What if that noise was something you did to call for help because you felt unwell… If I hadn’t remembered it, that would have been fine, but now that I have, it shows that I still have a conscience.”
Xuan Zhixia: “…”
So, when Shang Shuji first discovered that he had a fever, his conscience was not immediately awakened.
This is normal in terms of their relationship.
But it feels a little strange that Shang Shuji is saying it so casually now.
Xuan Zhixia remained silent, continuing to sip his water.
Shang Shuji calmly continued, “When I got out of bed, I almost stepped on your thermos that you dropped on the floor. Luckily, I was just a little short. Otherwise, if I had twisted my ankle, I would have had to rely on Jingqi and Jingshu. Also, to be honest, I really can’t figure out what caused your illness.”
Xuan Zhixia finished his water and naturally handed the cup lid to Shang Shuji, saying gently, “Thank you.”
Shang Shuji: “…”
With a wry smile, Shang Shuji took the lid and screwed it back onto the thermos.
Xuan Zhixia then answered Shang Shuji’s question in a soft voice: “My illness was probably caused by being tired during the day and being exposed to too much wind. It was originally just a low-grade fever, and based on experience, I thought it would be fine after a good night’s sleep, but I didn’t expect it to suddenly become more serious.”
”…” Shang Shuji found it unbelievable, “Tired? Too much wind?”
His eyes were full of confusion, his left eye saying, “What did you do during the day to get so tired?” and his right eye saying, “Why didn’t I feel the gale-force winds during the day?” and both of them ended with a question mark.
Shang Shuji felt that this answer was more outrageous than the most bizarre proposal or the worst report he had ever heard.
Xuan Zhixia said helplessly, “That’s true. Why would I lie to you?”
Shang Shuji was silent for a moment, then commented: “The reincarnation of the Beauty Lamp.”
Xuan Zhixia didn’t take it seriously and said listlessly, “Mr. Shang, can you cook porridge?”
Shang Shuji: “…I didn’t even know how to cook before this. With what level of confidence did you ask me this question? Are you sick and need to drink porridge?”
Xuan Zhixia nodded, his voice slightly unsteady: “Vegetable porridge, with a little bit of sugar. The rice cooker in the kitchen has a porridge setting, it’s very simple… Would you like to make it? If not, I’ll make it when I get up in the morning.”
Xuan Zhixia had just taken the fever-reducing medicine and it hadn’t even taken effect yet. He still had a fever, and his pale face from the daytime was now flushed. Although he could still speak coherently, his breathing was unsteady, and he looked sickly.
Shang Shuji scrutinized his expression and inexplicably felt that he only wanted a bowl of porridge, and refusing it would seem very heartless… although there was no need for sentimentality between him and Xuan Zhixia.
“…I’ll do it.” Shang Shuji sounded a bit resigned. “You barely did any work during the day, and you even had a high fever at night. How could I dare to trouble you to cook porridge yourself? What if you get sick again and I have to see you… You’re not going to stay sick forever, are you?”
Xuan Zhixia slowly shook his head: “No, it’s just because it’s the first day of the show, and my body is still not used to this sudden change. I’ll get used to it after being sick once, and I won’t stay sick forever. However, it’s also possible that I’ll get sick again for other reasons, but I will try my best not to cause you any trouble.”
”Thank you for making the porridge,” Xuan Zhixia said wearily. “Can I go back to sleep now?”
Shang Shuji put the medicine box and thermometer back into Xuan Zhixia’s suitcase, then turned off the light and went to bed.
The fever reducer started to work, and Xuan Zhixia slept very soundly and peacefully this time.
When I woke up again, the bright light of dawn had already seeped into the bedroom through the not-so-thick curtains, making it clear to the person lying in bed that it was already quite late.
Xuan Zhixia touched his forehead and felt that his fever had subsided.
But out of caution, he took his temperature first after getting up.
36.5 degrees Celsius, within the normal range.
Since part of the bedroom would be captured by the camera, Xuan Zhixia took out the clothes he needed to change into and prepared to go to the bathroom to change.
Upon exiting the bedroom, Xuan Zhixia noticed that the door leading to the backyard was open, and the sound of machinery running could be heard coming from inside.
He peeked out and saw that it was the washing machine in the backyard that was working.
When they arrived in the kitchen, Shang Shuji was standing in front of the rice cooker. Hearing the sound, he turned around and said, “You’re awake? Perfect timing, the porridge is ready too.”
Xuan Zhixia nodded slightly.
After changing his clothes in the bathroom and putting his pajamas back in the bedroom, Xuan Zhixia went back to the kitchen to wash up.
After he finished tidying up, he remembered to check the time on his phone.
I was stunned when I saw it.
Xuan Zhixia, holding his phone, went back to the kitchen and asked Shang Shuji, who was serving porridge, “It’s already 10:30. Did you ask the production team for leave, or what?”
Shang Shuji nodded: “You’re not awake yet. Jingqi and Jingshu are probably too tired from playing around yesterday. When I got up to check on them, they were still asleep and haven’t gotten up yet. The production crew came to call us, so I just told them about your fever and that we wouldn’t be participating in the morning’s activities.”
Since it was a live broadcast, the guests were still in the shot, and they had legitimate reasons for not participating in group activities, the program director quickly agreed.
The viewers in the live stream reacted quite strongly.
【Xuan Zhixia…is actually sick?!】
[It’s not just a minor cold, it’s a high fever…]
[But it seems the fever has subsided now, which is good.]
[I never expected Xuan Zhixia to be so fragile!]
[Yesterday I thought he was exaggerating…]
[Why did I suddenly develop a fever? Could it be from fighting over the blankets in bed and getting chilled?]
[There’s no need to fight over blankets; we’ve prepared several extra.]
[Honestly, even if they weren’t covered by blankets, in this weather, even if their village is relatively cool, they shouldn’t be unable to get through a single night, right?]
[Waaaaah, protect my fragile wife!]
[So, did CEO Shang get up in the middle of the night to take care of the patients? Anyone who stayed up all night watching the live stream, please share!]
[It’s obvious there was some kind of favoritism involved. Judging from their conversation just now, President Shang’s choice to cook this porridge for breakfast must be related to Xuan Zhixia.]
[I feel like the tension between them isn’t as high anymore, is it just my imagination?]
[It’s mainly because Shang Shuji’s attitude has improved a bit; Xuan Zhixia wasn’t particularly aggressive towards Shang Shuji to begin with.]
Shang Shuji filled the rice porridge and prepared to wash the rice cooker while it cooled down.
Xuan Zhixia went to wake the two children who hadn’t gotten up yet.
Shang Jingqi and Shang Jingshu were quite heavy sleepers. When Xuan Zhixia woke them up, they subconsciously rubbed their eyes and asked, “Is it dawn yet?”
The two children got up, washed their faces and brushed their teeth, and then, without having time to change their clothes, ate breakfast in their pajamas.
Perhaps because they had slept enough, they were hungry. Shang Jingqi and Shang Jingshu ate very quickly, as did Shang Shuji. Xuan Zhixia, on the other hand, was the last to put down his bowl.
After finishing his meal, Shang Shuji remembered and checked, “The fever is gone?”
Xuan Zhixia nodded slightly.
Shang Jingqi and Shang Jingshu stared in surprise, asking in unison, “Is Uncle sick?”
“It’s all better now,” Xuan Zhixia said.
However, the two children still couldn’t forget about it.
After dinner, they went back to their bedroom to pick out clothes to change into, discussing as they rummaged through their suitcases.
”Uncle is so weak…”
”You get sick so easily… Is it because of dinner last night?”
”But there were light dishes for dinner last night… but Uncle ate very quietly. Did he not like the food?”
”But when my uncle eats with us, he’s very quiet.”
”That’s because we didn’t talk; we were all focused on eating. But last night, those uncles and aunties talked a lot, sometimes mentioning our uncle, but he still rarely said a word…”
”Hmm… I don’t understand, I don’t know… So, should we pay a little more attention to him so he’ll get sick less often? Being sick is very uncomfortable, isn’t it?”
”Okay, then let’s be a little nicer to him, just a tiny bit more than before, and make sure Dad doesn’t find out!”
”But… Daddy cares about Uncle. He just asked if Uncle’s illness is better. Does that mean Daddy doesn’t dislike Uncle anymore?”
”I don’t know…we’ll have to observe!”
”Let’s observe!”
The two children were talking when they picked up the magnifying glass that came with their detective outfits and started playing with it. After playing with it for a while, they continued to look through the clothes.
After Xuan Zhixia finished eating, Shang Shuji took the initiative to wash the dishes without him having to ask.
After washing the dishes, Shang Shuji remembered the clothes in the washing machine and went to the backyard to check on them.
During this time, the two children went into the bathroom one after the other to change out of their pajamas.
As they changed their clothes and came out, they were about to pass in front of Xuan Zhixia, who was sitting on a recliner in the main room.
Xuan Zhixia didn’t pay much attention at first glance, but after a while he felt something was wrong, so he looked at it again.
After seeing what the two children were wearing, Xuan Zhixia fell silent.
Shang Jingqi and Shang Jingshu didn’t think there was anything wrong. When they noticed Xuan Zhixia looking at them, they proudly puffed out their chests and asked, “Uncle, isn’t it beautiful?”
Xuan Zhixia: “…”
The two children were dressed identically—in matching light purple vests and beige short-sleeved shirts, matching dark red cycling pants, and matching blue running shoes.
Individually, each color and style is actually quite nice, but when put together…
Colorful and flamboyant.
In short, it’s harmful to the eyes.
Xuan Zhixia was a little curious about the design concept behind their outfits.
Before he could even speak, Shang Shuji returned from the backyard with a frown on his face.
It was rare to see such obvious emotions on Shang Shuji’s face. Speechlessness was mixed with confusion, confusion with surprise, surprise with incomprehension, and a bit of astonishment… In short, his emotions were very complex.
Therefore, Xuan Zhixia’s curiosity shifted to Shang Shuji.
Shang Jingqi and Shang Jingshu also looked at Shang Shuji with curiosity.
”What’s wrong?” Xuan Zhixia asked.
Shang Shuji still frowned, not answering the question, but instead asking, “Do you know how to use a washing machine to wash clothes?”
Xuan Zhixia was taken aback and blinked: “You didn’t… wash your clothes in the washing machine and didn’t separate them by color?”
Shang Shuji shook his head: “I read the instruction manual, and it mentioned this point. Now the clothes are ruined from washing.”
Xuan Zhixia: “…”
He stood up with great interest: “Shall we go take a look?”
[What’s going on? What happened? I’m curious!]
[The washing machine ruined my clothes… but I saw the brand and model of the washing machine yesterday, and this model isn’t that hard to use.]
[Hahaha, if the washing machine shop owner were watching this live stream, wouldn’t he be trembling with fear?]
[Ahhh, they went to the back! But the camera didn’t cut to them! There’s no camera in the back?!]
[Now that you mention it, I remember yesterday when Mr. Shang and his group were looking at the house, and when they put the washing machine in the back, and this morning when Mr. Shang went to the back to do laundry… there were no live stream cameras following any of that!]
【Ahhh, no!】
[Phew—thank goodness, human intervention is definitely more reliable after all, the cameraman went over and filmed it, hahaha]
Last night, the four of them took a shower and went to sleep without washing their clothes.
Since he wasn’t going out this morning, Shang Shuji figured he couldn’t rely on Xuan Zhixia to do the laundry, and since it was just a matter of putting the clothes in the washing machine anyway, he decided to do it himself while he had the time.
”I was worried that the fabric of the clothes wouldn’t hold up well after washing, so I specifically chose the gentle mode.”
Shang Shuji opened the washing machine with disbelief, took out a piece of clothing, spread it out and examined it closely: “It’s torn. The best ones left are all a bit wrinkled.”
Xuan Zhixia took the fabric and looked at it, saying, “It’s normal for clothes to be a little wrinkled after coming out of the washing machine. Some clothes will be fine after hanging up, while others need to be ironed to smooth out the wrinkles. But this… is so badly damaged, it’s very abnormal, even a bit outrageous… I didn’t see the label on the clothes?”
Xuan Zhixia wanted to check the clothing label to see if Shang Shuji’s clothes were unsuitable for machine washing or hand washing, but after looking through it over and over, he couldn’t find it.
Shang Shuji frowned, thought for a moment, and then confirmed, “It wasn’t the washing machine that washed it off; it didn’t have a label to begin with.”
Xuan Zhixia paused in his movements.
Then he slapped the fabric back into Shang Shuji’s hands and said, “I vaguely remember hearing Aunt Chen say that your clothes are all custom-made by a personal tailor, and that you don’t wear them too many times?”
Shang Shuji: “But it shouldn’t be worn only once or twice. This is everyday wear, not formal attire.”
Xuan Zhixia said helplessly, “But it’s obvious that your delicate clothes can’t withstand the torture of the washing machine.”
【ah……】
【this……】
[I thought I was here to laugh at rich people who don’t know how to use a washing machine, but it turns out that this is why they “don’t know how”…]
[Damn capitalists! There are so many rich people! Why can’t I be one more?!]
[Waaaaah, when I become rich, I’m going to be the most frugal rich person ever! I’ll wear my clothes three times before throwing them away!]
[Hilarious! If all of CEO Shang’s clothes are like this, then wouldn’t he only be able to wear each outfit once during his time on the show?]
[Hahaha, did Mr. Shang bring thirty sets of clothes? His suitcase doesn’t look like it can hold that many.]
[However, since President Shang brought bodyguards, perhaps we could have the bodyguard team deliver the clothes?]
[Hmm, I almost forgot about it if you hadn’t mentioned it. By the way, where did President Shang’s bodyguard team hide? They’re so secretive!]
[Hahahaha, I’m still looking at Qiqi and Shushu’s clothes, hahaha, who taught them to dress like that?!]
“It’s already ruined from washing, there’s no point in looking at it. Think about how you’re going to wash clothes from now on,” Xuan Zhixia said slowly. “Now, can you take a look at what your two children are wearing?”
Shang Shuji glanced calmly at Shang Jingqi and Shang Jingshu and replied, “I already saw it. They chose these clothes themselves, I won’t interfere.”
Xuan Zhixia: “…”
Long live democracy.
Shang Jingqi and Shang Jingshu initially thought they were dressed quite well, but after overhearing the conversation between Shang Shuji and Xuan Zhixia, they sensed something was amiss.
Shang Jingshu tilted her head up and asked, “Dad, Uncle, don’t we look good in our clothes?”
Shang Jingqi looked down at his clothes: “We spent a long time picking them out…”
Upon hearing this, Xuan Zhixia asked with great interest, “How did you choose them?”
“At first, I wanted to wear this beige outfit, which has a shirt and a skirt, while Shang Jingqi’s outfit is pants,” Shang Jingshu said. “But Shang Jingqi didn’t want to wear this outfit.”
“I want to wear a knight outfit! It’s super cool! Uncle, look, these are the pants! The clothes are white, and they look great!” Shang Jingqi said.
Shang Jingshu continued, “So we’ve decided that I’ll wear the clothes I want to wear, and he’ll wear the pants he wants to wear, because we like both of them! They both look good!”
Shang Jingqi: “Then, I wanted to wear these blue shoes, but Shang Jingshu said she didn’t want to. However, shoes come in pairs, and it would be strange to wear only one of each pair, so Shang Jingshu chose a vest that she liked instead.”
After saying that, the two children smiled sweetly and were very well-behaved.
Xuan Zhixia: “…”
I understand. These two kids didn’t consider the overall effect when choosing clothes; they only looked at the individual pieces.
I like the light purple vest.
I like the beige shirt.
I like the deep red riding pants.
I like the blue running shoes.
All of these together mean I like them all!
Xuan Zhixia thought for a moment and asked them, “Can’t you two dress according to your own preferences? Why do you have to dress exactly the same?”
”But it would be so cool if we wore the exact same outfit!”
Xuan Zhixia: “…The two of you dressed like this will definitely attract a lot of attention when you go out.”
[High EQ: Attracts attention; Low EQ: Appalling.]
[To be fair, Qiqi and Shushu’s logic is quite sound.]
[Hilarious! So, Mr. Shang really has no intention of caring what the two kids wear?]
[That’s a bit too open-minded, hahaha]
Shang Jingqi and Shang Jingshu were somewhat frustrated.
”Should we change into other clothes?”
Xuan Zhixia said indifferently, “If you really think this is fine, then you don’t need to change it. But before you go out, you need to know that this kind of outfit is relatively niche, and you need to be prepared to not care what others think.”
After speaking, Xuan Zhixia slowly returned to the house, ignoring the washing machine that Shang Shuji found so troublesome, and the two children who were questioning their own aesthetic sense.
After a while, Shang Jingqi and Shang Jingshu ran up to him.
“Uncle…” Shang Jingshu blinked.
”Um…” Shang Jingqi said a little awkwardly, “Uncle, we discussed it and we think that this outfit doesn’t look very good…”
Shang Jingshu: “But Dad said we can wear whatever we want, he doesn’t care, and he’s very busy right now… Can you take care of us?”
Xuan Zhixia raised an eyebrow.
Shang Jingqi quickly added, “Well… we remember yesterday you said you wouldn’t feed us, but clothes aren’t food… could you help us pick out clothes?”
Shang Jingshu’s gaze was sincere: “At home, we have maids to help us choose clothes, but no one teaches us how to choose them…”
The two children looked at Xuan Zhixia pitifully.
Xuan Zhixia: “…Alright then.”
Xuan Zhixia got up and went into their bedroom with the two children.
Two open suitcases were on the bedroom floor. The clothes inside were originally neatly arranged and mostly matching sets, but now they were a mess.
Xuan Zhixia was too lazy to rummage through the boxes, so he sat at his desk and let Shang Jingqi and Shang Jingshu take things out of the boxes one by one and show them to him so he could choose.
”Speaking of which, aren’t you afraid your father will be unhappy if you ask me to help you choose clothes?” Xuan Zhixia suddenly asked.
Shang Jingqi replied, “Don’t worry, Dad won’t be upset!”
“Dad was hanging up the laundry, and he told us that if we were really struggling with a decision, we could ask someone who was free to help us make a decision… We thought that you were the only one who was free, so it was Dad who suggested that we come to you. He won’t be angry!” Shang Jingshu said firmly.
Xuan Zhixia: “…”
As Shang Jingshu spoke, she picked up a dark green shirt with a tie tied around the collar. The tie had a cartoon animal badge on it, the same design as the embroidery on the shirt’s chest.
”Let’s take this outfit,” Xuan Zhixia said. “What kind of bottoms was it originally paired with?”
Shang Jingqi pulled a pair of white pants out of a pile of clothes: “This!”
”No, I remember it was a pair of black pants…” Shang Jingshu rummaged through the tangle, “Found it!”
Xuan Zhixia looked them over and said, “Black pants, I guess. And shoes? Do you have any other shoes?”
“I also have a pair of red leather shoes!” Shang Jingshu continued rummaging through her suitcase.
Shang Jingqi was the first to pull out a pair of white running shoes: “And these!”
Xuan Zhixia nodded: “Alright, let’s go with the white ones, you both have them, right?”
Shang Jingshu nodded: “I have one too!”
So Xuan Zhixia “retired after accomplishing his mission” and returned to the main room to continue lying down, while the two children changed their clothes again.
After they had changed, the two of them stood together in front of Xuan Zhixia: “Uncle, how was it this time?”
Xuan Zhixia said lazily, “It’s fine.”
So the two children ran to the backyard to show Shang Shuji, who was still struggling with the washing machine and the clothes that had been damaged by it.
Shang Shuji remained calm, offering no comment, but nodded slightly in response.
The two children ran back into the main room and asked Xuan Zhixia, “Uncle, aren’t we going out this morning?”
Xuan Zhixia glanced at the sunlight outside the door: “It’s almost noon, let’s talk about it this afternoon. Can any of you do me a favor and go to my room to get my book, the one that’s on the table?”
”I’m going!” Shang Jingqi exclaimed, kicking up his foot in a flurry of activity.
Shang Jingshu sat down on a small stool and shook her head at Xuan Zhixia: “Uncle, this is not good for you. You need to exercise more so that you can be healthy.”
Xuan Zhixia remained calm: “Aren’t we going out this afternoon? I’m not short of exercise.”
Xuan Zhixia doesn’t really like sports, because he knows his own body well. He has poor physical condition, and exercise would only increase the burden on his body.
Go out for a leisurely walk every day, soak up the sun, breathe in some fresh air, don’t overexert yourself, eat a light diet, and maintain a regular sleep schedule, and that should be enough.
Aside from some regularly prescribed medications for general health maintenance, it’s best to avoid giving other medications, such as cold medicine and fever reducers, unless the condition becomes severe. Otherwise, given how frequently he catches minor colds and has low-grade fevers, he might end up taking medication like it’s part of his daily diet, which could easily lower his immunity and lead to drug resistance, etc.
In short, take good care of yourself, take care of your body and your emotions, and don’t think too much all the time.
Xuan Zhixia has seen many doctors since he was a child. Some doctors would subtly remind his parents that the child might not live to adulthood, or that eighteen is a critical age. They would say that if he survives this age, he could live to be a hundred years old, since he has survived the most vulnerable period of childhood, and that the medical industry will continue to advance.
Xuan Zhixia didn’t know if he could live to be a hundred, but he had already lived past adulthood, and his health had remained the same over the years without any signs of deterioration, which was already a good sign.
Shang Jingqi took the book out for Xuan Zhixia, and then sat down on the small stool next to Shang Jingshu.
“Uncle, you just said something wrong again,” Shang Jingqi said.
Xuan Zhixia looked at him.
Shang Jingqi said seriously, “Dad said that room isn’t just your room, so you should have said it was your and Dad’s room.”
Xuan Zhixia: “…You two go play.”
Xuan Zhixia continued reading.
[Hahaha, what a profound truth a kid like that speaks!]
[I have a feeling that if things continue like this, they’ll probably really be a family of four after this show ends.]
[I’d bet a pack of instant noodles!]
[Qiqi and Shushu look much better dressed like this; their previous outfits were really… hahaha]
Soon it was time to cook again.
The vegetables that Shang Shuji bought yesterday at noon are still in use, which is just enough to make this meal.
Since Shang Shuji has now basically mastered the skill of starting a fire and burning firewood, and is only lacking the skill of cooking in a pot to hone his skills in controlling the heat, he plans to cook this meal using an earthen stove.
The only concern is whether it’s edible, not whether it’s visually appealing, fragrant, and delicious, so Shang Shuji thinks it shouldn’t be too difficult.
”Come wash the rice and start cooking,” Shang Shuji told Xuan Zhixia. “Now that you’re better, you still need to get back to work.”
Xuan Zhixia nodded slightly, deciding it was a good time to get up and stretch.
After cooking the rice in the rice cooker, Xuan Zhixia looked at Shang Shuji, who had already started preparing the ingredients: “Should I continue to supervise?”
Shang Shuji: “…No need, I’ll go out after I finish my work. I need to cook with firewood later, and I’m afraid the smell will upset you.”
Although his knife-wielding skills were still somewhat clumsy, Shang Shuji’s tone already carried the air of a renowned chef.
Xuan Zhixia thought Shang Shuji’s skills were questionable.
He blinked and said gently, “Then could you please make me an extra dish in the microwave… and carrots, right? Okay, carrots it is, like yesterday at noon, thank you.”
Shang Shuji lifted his eyelids: “You’re quite picky.”
Xuan Zhixia smiled.
The results proved that Xuan Zhixia’s “pickiness” was necessary.
Although Shang Shuji didn’t verbally agree, he still used the microwave to make diced carrots for Xuan Zhixia, which was the only dish in the meal that looked and tasted normal.
For the other dishes, Shang Shuji stir-fried them in a large pot over an earthen stove.
There were three dishes in total. The best one was the tomato and egg stir-fry. At least you could see that there was yellow and red. However, the red tomatoes were overcooked and mushy, and they were hard to separate from the yellow, mushy egg mixture. It tasted salty and burnt.
The worst situation was the stir-fried cured pork—this piece of cured pork was brought along by Shang Shuji when they went to Gu Xie and Lin Zhaoshui’s house for dinner yesterday, and each family brought their own ingredients.
Lin Zhaoshui cleaned the whole piece of cured meat and cut it in half for Shang Shuji and Xuan Zhixia to take back, saying that it was too much and that they didn’t need so much for last night’s meal.
While making lunch, Shang Shuji cut the remaining half of the cured meat into thick slices—his original intention was to cut thin slices, but unfortunately his knife skills were not up to par.
Whether it’s thin slices or thick slices, the final plated product doesn’t make much difference, because it’s all burnt, all the oil has been squeezed out, and it’s so tough you could break your teeth if you bit into it.
This meal, with its few dishes, was so ‘delicious’ that even Shang Jingqi and Shang Jingshu, who weren’t picky eaters, found it hard to eat. They could only “secretly” pick up the plate of carrots in front of Xuan Zhixia, which looked relatively normal.
Shang Shuji: “…”
Xuan Zhixia didn’t eat the dishes that Shang Shuji had “painstakingly” cooked, but just by looking at them, he knew they weren’t good. He pushed the carrots to the middle and then said to Shang Shuji, “It’s inevitable for a novice to fail when cooking. Keep trying.”
Shang Shuji said indifferently, “You’re not encouraging me, you’re just worried that I, the laborer, will quit and not do any work.”
Xuan Zhixia said calmly, “Mr. Shang doesn’t need my encouragement.”
Shang Shuji painstakingly prepared a meal, but the dish turned out to be indescribable. In addition to washing the dishes, he also had to wash a large iron pot with burnt bottom, making it a complete disaster.
The guests will still gather at 3 p.m. this afternoon.
When Shang Shuji, Xuan Zhixia, and their two children arrived, the other guests who had already arrived expressed their concern for Xuan Zhixia’s health.
Yesterday, Gao Feng and Shang Bishu looked down on Xuan Zhixia, deliberately ignoring him and even trying to cause him trouble. But now they act as if nothing had happened, showing extraordinary concern for Xuan Zhixia.
After all, yesterday they thought Xuan Zhixia was disliked by Shang Shuji, so they tried to curry favor with Shang Shuji by targeting Xuan Zhixia as a show of loyalty. As for whether it would be useful or not, the couple thought that doing something was better than doing nothing.
However, this morning, because Xuan Zhixia was sick, Shang Shuji and his two children did not participate in the activities arranged by the program team… Gao Feng and Shang Bishu immediately felt that they might have misunderstood Xuan Zhixia’s status in the Shangs.
So, in an attempt to salvage the situation, this famously sycophantic and overly open couple began to shower Xuan Zhixia with affection.
”Oh dear, Teacher Xuan has really suffered. Look at his face, he’s still a bit pale.”
”It’s not easy. He’s so young, yet he can endure so much hardship.”
”No wonder Teacher Xuan is doing so well. He has a happy family and his personal development is going so well.”
”Things will definitely get better and better in the future. Teacher Xuan has achieved so much at such a young age. He is one in a million.”
Shang Shuji remained calm, but because his expression never changed and he didn’t show any displeasure because of their concern and praise for Xuan Zhixia, Gao Feng and Shang Bishu interpreted it as the right direction for their efforts and continued to be very enthusiastic towards Xuan Zhixia, with their words becoming more and more exaggerated.
The person involved seemed fine, but the other guests were quite involved, causing the awkwardness to escalate. Unfortunately, it wasn’t convenient for others to interrupt, so the other guests could only pretend nothing was wrong.
The viewers in the live stream also said they couldn’t listen to it anymore—
[Somebody save me. This is so cringe I’m crashing out right now.]
[To be honest, the way Gao Feng and Shang Bishu are able to take things in stride and go all out is something that not everyone can do.]
[This couple is truly one in a million…]
[No wonder she pushed Gao Shang to the back to be with the other kids earlier. I thought it was to help her son fit in, but now it seems she was afraid he’d overhear and sabotage her…]
Xuan Zhixia was lazy and didn’t want to waste his breath talking to Gao Feng and Shang Bishu, so he didn’t respond and his expression was lacking.
Yesterday, the couple tried to get closer to Shang Shuji, but because Shang Shuji was indifferent, the couple didn’t dare to say anything more—therefore, Xuan Zhixia just thought that being indifferent was effective.
But it’s clear now that Gao Feng and Shang Bishu have no intention of stopping.
Xuan Zhixia felt that either he had underestimated the couple’s conviction, or his “deterrent power” was not as strong as Shang Shuji’s cold face… or both.
Xuan Zhixia frowned and could only interrupt Gao Feng and Shang Bishu herself, coldly asking them, “You keep praising my achievements, and I’m rather curious, what exactly have I achieved?”
Gao Feng and his wife, Shang Bishu, were speechless. They had guessed that Xuan Zhixia might not give them face, but they didn’t expect Xuan Zhixia to disregard even his own dignity and ask so coldly.
Fortunately, the program director began announcing the afternoon’s activities, and Gao Feng and Shang Bishu casually avoided answering.
According to the program’s arrangements, this afternoon the children and their parents will split up and play a large-scale game of hide-and-seek in the village. The children will be responsible for finding their parents, who will have to hide without entering the house. Parents can also use this time to buy groceries if needed.
After the arrangements were announced, the children had to part ways with their parents.
Before they parted, the youngest, Yao Shuyue, suddenly asked her mother, Yao Qingqian, to bend down.
Yao Qingqian did as she was told, and then Yao Shuyue gave her a loud kiss on the cheek and said obediently, “Mommy, take good care of yourself. I’ll come find you.”
Seeing this, Mu Zhijun’s mother, Fang Yuejun, also bent down and asked her daughter with a gentle smile, “Junjun, would you like to give Mommy a kiss too?”
”Mmm!” Mu Zhijun nodded emphatically, then kissed her mother’s cheek.
Gao Shang, who had always been resentful of Mu Zhijun, immediately jumped up and said, “Mom, I want to kiss you too!”
Shang Bishu cooperated and let him kiss her cheek, then said with a smile, “Our Gao Shang is sometimes like a little cotton-padded jacket.”
There were five families in total. The children from the other three families kissed their mothers. Meng Xiang, who couldn’t come with his biological parents, was a little envious but too shy to bring it up himself.
Lin Zhaoshui patted his head and asked softly, “If you don’t mind your father, would you like to be like the other children?”
Meng Xiang immediately smiled, nodded shyly, and then kissed Lin Zhaoshui on the cheek.
This matter was not required by the production team, nor was it anything that absolutely had to be done, but after this process, it inexplicably took on a “ritualistic” feel.
Moreover, everything is subject to comparison. Now, only Shang Jingqi and Shang Jingshu have not been able to kiss their parents, and the two children are even getting a little anxious.
However, the two of them still dared not act coquettishly with Shang Shuji, for fear of being rejected after asking.
Then, the two children simultaneously thought of their gentle Uncle Xuan…
Xuan Zhixia blinked as he was stared at by the eager eyes of Shang Jingqi and Shang Jingshu.