He Xiaoqing hurriedly left with her daughter in her arms, and she was absent-minded the whole way back.

Why is Song Qi'an back?

What's he coming back for?

Does Song Yuan know he's back?

A series of questions overwhelmed her, and when she got to her doorstep, she realized she hadn't bought the groceries she needed.

Just as I was about to turn around and walk towards the market, the door suddenly opened.

"Brother Yuan? When did you get back?" He Xiaoqing greeted him, holding her daughter.

Xing'er reached out her hand to Song Yuan and sweetly called out, "Daddy."

Song Yuan took his daughter and touched noses with her, saying, "Our little princess looks so beautiful today."

"New, new clothes." Xing'er tugged at her dress.

"What a beautiful new dress!" Song Yuan felt a sense of relief as he looked at his daughter's smile.

He was originally planning to go out, but carrying his daughter, he walked back into the house before answering He Xiaoqing's question.

"I just got back a little while ago. We're out of cigarettes at home, so I'm going out to buy a pack."

He Xiaoqing rummaged through the drawer under the coffee table. "There's another pack here."

Song Yuan took the cigarette but casually put it in his pocket. She usually doesn't smoke in front of her daughter.

"Didn't you go to buy groceries?" Song Yuan looked at her in confusion. He Xiaoqing had come back empty-handed.

"Ah." He Xiaoqing's eyes darted away.

"I didn't know what to buy, so I came back. I'll just have some noodles for dinner."

Song Yuan didn't suspect anything. "Okay, I see there are a lot of dirty clothes in the bathroom. I'll keep an eye on Xing'er, you go wash them."

"By the way, my sweater is wool, don't put it in the washing machine, it's not cheap."

He Xiaoqing was already used to Song Yuan's instructions. She responded and turned to walk towards the bathroom.

Looking at the basket full of dirty clothes, she knew she was destined to spend the afternoon in the bathroom.

Song Yuan buys brand-name clothes that are of good quality and expensive, but that also means they require a lot of effort to clean.

He Xiaoqing basically washed all his clothes by hand. They've been together for so long, and she's washed countless clothes for Song Yuan.

About two hours later, He Xiaoqing wiped the sweat from her forehead, rubbed her aching back, and shuffled her numb legs toward the living room.

Song Yuan was watching cartoons on the sofa with his daughter in his arms. The TV was turned up very loud, accompanied by Xing'er's clear laughter.

"Finished washing?" Song Yuan caught a glimpse of her out of the corner of his eye. "Xing'er said she's hungry. See if you can make her something to eat."

He Xiaoqing shook her throbbing wrist, looking a little unhappy.

"You go do it, I just finished washing the clothes and I'm exhausted."

"My cooking isn't very good, you cook." Song Yuan didn't even turn her head, hugging her daughter and coaxing her, "Xing'er, isn't Mommy's cooking delicious?"

Xing'er nodded blankly.

Helpless, He Xiaoqing dragged her tired body into the kitchen. Even with the range hood, she could still smell the faint smell of cooking oil emanating from her hair.

The oil in the pan was sizzling and smoking. When He Xiaoqing was frying eggs, some oil splattered onto her hands, but she only glanced at it and continued working.

If it were when she first got together with Song Yuan, she probably would have cried and screamed long ago, but now, He Xiaoqing has learned to ignore these minor injuries and pains.

These injuries were minor matters to her; what mattered more now was that Song Qi'an had returned, and she was afraid that what she had been worried about would happen.