Chapter 91 Wanting to Make Amends

In the evening, when Zhou Haiqing got home from work, he saw Zhou Hairong wearing an apron, carrying a plate of vegetables in each hand, walking steadily with a smile on her face.

Under the light, beads of sweat still clung to his forehead, and his apron straps were tied meticulously.

Steam rose from the stove, the freshly stir-fried dishes were still sizzling, and the aroma of rice filled the air.

The scene was astonishing.

Zhou Hairong is actually cooking?

Did they even prepare a new meal?

Zhou Haiqing stood at the door, his briefcase still hanging on his shoulder.

He stood there stunned, unable to react for a long time.

"Oh? You're cooking?"

Zhou Haiqing suddenly pushed open the door, and a cold wind swept into the room along with him.

He stood frozen at the doorway, his eyes wide with disbelief.

He opened his mouth wide, his throat moved, and he almost thought he was seeing things.

Standing in front of the stove was Zhou Hairong, who never cooked on ordinary days.

"Okay, go wash your hands, dinner will be ready soon."

Zhou Hairong didn't turn around, but just kept stirring the food in the pot.

He casually put the lid back on the pot, then lifted it again to check the heat, his expression focused.

Zhou Haiqing was shocked and took a hesitant step forward.

He turned around abruptly as soon as he entered the house, his eyes fixed on the stove.

He walked along, glancing back frequently.

Upon entering the house, my gaze swept across the dining table, where I saw him holding a rice cooker, steadily scooping rice spoonful by spoonful.

"What are you staring at? Are you looking where you're going? You might bump into a wall."

Qin Guifang appeared out from the side of the kitchen at some point and reached out to grab him.

She casually took off her apron and pointed to the bathroom.

"Go change your clothes, wash your hands and eat. Don't just stand here, the food is getting cold."

"I was genuinely shocked. Has my second brother lost his mind? He actually started cooking?"

He muttered to himself as he walked toward the bathroom.

"Did the sun rise in the west? Zhou Hairong can cook? This is the first time I've ever seen this."

"You're not home all day, of course you wouldn't know."

Qin Guifang leaned against the door frame, her tone tinged with emotion.

"He cooked breakfast in the morning, frying eggs, boiling millet porridge, and stir-frying shredded potatoes. And that wasn't all. In the afternoon, he was pouring water, tidying up the room, washing clothes, and mopping the floor. He was so busy that his feet barely touched the ground. I was dumbfounded."

She gently shook her head.

“He used to be so eager to move a finger, but now he’s taking the initiative.”

"Really? He did so much work?"

After washing his hands, Zhou Haiqing shook off the water droplets, frowned, and stared at Qin Guifang in disbelief.

"Could it be... that things have really gotten better?"

He muttered to himself, his tone tinged with uncertainty.

In his memory, Zhou Hairong was incredibly lazy; he would rather lie down than sit, and rather sit than stand.

You have to beg him three times to get him to pour you a glass of water, and he might not even budge.

Not to mention the mundane tasks like cooking and laundry.

How could things change so drastically all of a sudden?

Is he delirious from the fever?

Or did you experience some kind of trauma outside?

"Who can say for sure?"

Qin Guifang sighed, slowly shook her head, and turned her gaze toward the kitchen.

Although she said that, she wasn't sure herself.

This change came too suddenly and was too abnormal.

She couldn't easily believe that this was a real change.

Once everyone was seated at the table, hot dishes were served one after another.

The aroma filled the room.

The braised pork belly was glistening with oil, and the green vegetables were crisp and juicy.

A few chopped scallions floated on the surface of the soup, making it look and smell delicious.

The family sat around the table, all the food was ready, and they were just waiting to start eating.

Zhou Shufen sat in the corner, her expression calm and composed, showing neither surprise nor enthusiasm.

She maintained her distance, unwilling to get close easily or express her opinion readily.

In her mind, trust takes time.

They need to prove themselves with actions, not just be easily swayed by a meal.

Zhou Haiqing is different.

Watching Zhou Hairong serve food to Qin Guifang and then get up to go to the kitchen to add soup.

He was covered in sweat from running back and forth, and his heart had already softened considerably.

"Try it. If you don't like the taste, tell me and I'll adjust it tomorrow."

Zhou Hairong finally sat down and casually wiped the sweat from his palms with his sleeve.

He glanced at Zhou Shufen, and seeing that she wasn't touching her chopsticks, he quickly added, "I've adjusted the saltiness, so it shouldn't be too strong."

"Okay, let's eat first, I'm starving."

Zhou Haiqing quickly responded with a smile, his voice hearty.

He picked up a piece of shredded potato with his chopsticks, put it in his mouth, and nodded exaggeratedly.

"Mmm! Not bad, it smells great, much better than what I cook."

He was afraid of creating an awkward silence and embarrassing the other person, so he took the initiative to start a conversation to ease the tension.

Zhou Hairong glanced at him gratefully, a hint of relief flashing in his eyes.

At the dinner table, only the two of them exchanged a few words every now and then; one asked if the food was too salty, and the other replied that they should put less salt next time.

The back-and-forth banter, though not particularly lively, managed to keep the atmosphere going.

Zhou Shufen and Qin Guifang remained silent throughout, eating with their heads down and calm expressions.

After finishing her meal, Zhou Shufen didn't linger, nor did she say a single unnecessary word, before slowly standing up.

Her back view looked somewhat stiff.

The room fell silent, with only the leftover food on the table remaining.

Zhou Hairong sat there, her eyes following her mother's departing figure.

Until the door slammed shut.

He lowered his head, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the rough corner of the table.

There was no joy in that smile; instead, it was full of self-mockery.

He knew that the mistakes he had made could not be mended with just one meal.

Zhou Haiqing watched this scene silently, feeling as if something was blocking his chest.

He understood his brother's guilt and his mother's insistence.

Being caught in the middle is really unpleasant.

He remained silent for a moment, then finally stood up and gently pulled out a chair.

Pushing open the door, the room was not brightly lit. Zhou Shufen was sitting on a chair by the bed, holding a well-worn magazine in her hand.

Zhou Haiqing took a few steps closer, lowered her voice, and cautiously asked, "Mom, what are you looking at?"

"Just say what you have to say, don't beat around the bush."

Zhou Shufen didn't even look up, her tone calm.

She closed the magazine, gently placed it on the bedside table, and finally looked up at her son.

She knows Zhou Haiqing too well.

The child never bothered her on his own initiative, nor would he come to chat for no reason.

His cautious demeanor clearly indicated that he was hiding something, wanting to speak but not daring to say it directly.

"Actually... it's nothing serious."

Zhou Haiqing paused, then took a deep breath.

"It's about my second brother. I think he really knows he was wrong this time. Didn't you see the look in his eyes last night? He was genuinely regretful, not faking it. Besides, he's started taking initiative lately, trying to make amends and improve. Why don't you... give him a chance and let him show us what he's made of? Even just once would be good."

Zhou Haiqing spoke in a very soft tone.

Despite Zhou Hairong's past mistakes.

But after all, they were brothers, and he couldn't bear to watch his brother sink into despair.

Besides, no matter how tough Zhou Shufen is, can she really not love her son at all?