Qiao Sheng couldn’t read minds, so she had no idea what Gu Huo was thinking. She continued on her own: “From now on, just focus on your own things. You don’t need to worry about me or come back specially to cook for me. I can make my own meals.”
Gu Huo looked up at her in surprise.
Qiao Sheng once again used Grandma as her reasoning: “Grandma told me that no one in this world owes anyone anything. You’ve already done more than enough for me, and I can’t keep taking your kindness for granted.”
As she spoke, she felt a little embarrassed but still expressed her stance: “From now on, I’ll try my best not to be a burden to you. I’ll work hard to be self-reliant!”
Gu Huo stared at her, stunned.
A burden?
She certainly had a clear understanding of her own position…
Was this still the same girl he knew, who used to act so entitled no matter what she did?
After two days of hunger strike, she seemed like a completely different person. If not for respecting science, Gu Huo might even suspect she had been possessed.
Still, even though she had made his life difficult, Gu Huo didn’t regret it.
If not for Grandma, he might have long turned to dust.
It was a shame Grandma left too soon.
He had no choice but to transfer all his gratitude to her.
She was Grandma’s only family, and the only connection he had left in this world…
Taking care of her for Grandma had become a mission ingrained in his very bones.
Perhaps it wasn’t just about repaying Grandma’s kindness.
Without her, he might not even know what the point of his existence was…
Qiao Sheng felt a little awkward under his gaze.
Did what she just said sound overly dramatic?
Probably fake and laughable too.
After all, words were cheap without action.
Given the original owner’s past behavior, Gu Huo likely had his doubts about her declaration.
It made her feel a bit embarrassed.
But she meant every word!
She had said it so Gu Huo could focus on his own things without worrying about her. If he didn’t believe her, so be it—she would prove it with her actions.
“You should go back to work. I really can manage on my own.”
Gu Huo hesitated for a moment, then pulled out the few dozen yuan that hadn’t even warmed up in his pocket: “Then take this money and buy yourself something to eat?”
He wasn’t reassured. As far as he could remember, she had never cooked before. He was afraid she might not manage to cook a meal and end up setting the kitchen on fire instead.
When Grandma was alive, she did everything herself. Her cooking wasn’t anything special, but it tasted like home. Back then, he had enjoyed a few years of happiness too. As for Qiao Sheng, at most she had helped roll out dumpling wrappers—she had never actually cooked a meal.
Qiao Sheng waved her hand: “No need, no need. That’s a waste of money. I’ll just boil some noodles myself—you don’t think I can do it, do you? Don’t underestimate me. It’s just boiling noodles, right? As long as they’re cooked and edible, I can do it.”
In her previous life, as a poor soul struggling alone in the world, Qiao Sheng had developed basic self-reliance skills. Feeding herself was no problem at all.
Seeing how confident she sounded, Gu Huo compromised: “Then I’ll go to work after you finish cooking.”
Finally, Qiao Sheng understood what he really meant.
Oh, so he was afraid she’d blow up the kitchen?
Who did he think she was?
But since he was underestimating the original owner, Qiao Sheng didn’t take it to heart.
She smiled at Gu Huo: “Alright then.”
Her smile was that of a well-behaved girl, with large almond-shaped eyes that held a hint of helpless compromise.
That smile of hers left Gu Huo feeling somewhat dazed, finding her both familiar and unfamiliar. The feeling that she might have been possessed by someone else resurfaced.
Compared to her previously difficult-to-communicate-with self, it felt utterly disjointed.
Qiao Sheng walked into the kitchen. The kitchen was small, and as soon as she entered, Gu Huo immediately caught the scent of shampoo from her hair.
Without a word, Qiao Sheng first washed a few leafy greens. After finishing, she noticed Gu Huo standing quietly nearby, watching like a supervisor—ready to speak up and correct her if she made any misstep.
It left her both amused and under immense pressure.
Her cooking skills were limited to making something edible just to fill her stomach, with no real culinary expertise to speak of.
When she cooked for herself, she never gave it much thought. But now, with a supervisor watching, she felt quite embarrassed. Yet, she couldn’t just ask him to leave, as his intentions were good.
A sudden idea struck her, and she feigned politeness: “Have you eaten? I can make a little extra, and we can eat together.”
Only then did Gu Huo notice the blush of embarrassment on her face.
?
The sun must really be rising from the west today—he never thought he’d see her looking embarrassed in his lifetime.
But given her behavior today, saying the sun rose from the west wasn’t an exaggeration at all.
He had never seen her listen to Grandma so attentively before. Was it just because she dreamed of Grandma that her temperament changed so drastically?
After much thought, Gu Huo concluded that it was probably because Grandma was no longer here.
People only learn to cherish what they’ve lost. She might seem carefree on the surface, but perhaps she secretly missed her loved ones deeply?
Perhaps because they were both missing the same person in their hearts, Gu Huo felt a rare sense of shared sorrow toward Qiao Sheng, beyond just responsibility.
“No need, I ate before coming back.”
The boss had ordered takeout for everyone, but he had been eager to come back and cook for her, so he finished quickly and hurried home.
Qiao Sheng glanced at him briefly but said nothing, leaving Gu Huo puzzled.
Of course, he didn’t realize that his tone just now had been much gentler compared to the strictly business-like way he used to speak to her.
Gu Huo finally left the kitchen but didn’t leave the house, sitting in the living room and looking at his phone.
It seemed he wouldn’t feel comfortable leaving until he saw her finish cooking and turn off the stove.
Afraid of wasting his time, Qiao Sheng quickly started boiling water in the pot. When the water was about to boil and she was ready to add the noodles, she couldn’t help but poke her head out and call to Gu Huo: “Why don’t you have a little more?”
Hearing this, Gu Huo looked up, unaccustomed to her repeated politeness and “enthusiasm.” He shook his head. “No, thank you.”
Qiao Sheng had only been making polite conversation. With his reply, she felt at ease and cooked a single serving of noodles. Once done, she turned off the stove. “I’m finished.”
As soon as she spoke, footsteps sounded, and Gu Huo walked in just as Qiao Sheng had finished scooping the noodles into a bowl.
The broth was plain and watery, as if the cooked noodles had been simply ladled into plain boiling water. A few bright green vegetables floated on top, looking… utterly unappetizing.
“Why didn’t you add an egg?”
“Uh, I… I forgot.”
That wasn’t actually true. When Qiao Sheng cooked noodles for herself, an egg was a standard addition.
The reason she hadn’t added one this time was that she remembered there were only two eggs left. If she saved them tonight, they could each have one tomorrow morning.
Otherwise, if only one remained, Gu Huo would surely be reluctant to eat it and save it for her.
The noodles didn’t look appetizing, but Qiao Sheng had indeed managed to make them independently.
Before leaving, Gu Huo hesitated for a moment and said, “Don’t casually let people come to your place under normal circumstances—it’s not safe. If you have to, try to do it when I’m home.”