Huang Qiaohui then asked Fang Qiao, "Xiao Qiao, your family lives next door to Minister Chen's family. Have you heard any rumors?"

Fang Qiao shook her head, indicating that she didn't know either.

The white tiger cub is a mythical beast, and information about it is not something that can be shared with outsiders.

The group chatted for a while longer, and then dispersed when more children arrived at the daycare.

Fang Qiao asked Wang Yun to look after the children, then turned and went into the kitchen to get busy.

Although I only cook for children, cooking for children requires meticulousness, and it takes quite a bit of effort to prepare a meal.

Fang Qiao put the shrimp, vegetables and steamed egg into a pot and steamed it over high heat. Then she washed the fresh apple, cut it into quarters and put it away.

Steamed eggs don't need to be steamed for too long. Fang Qiao has already chopped the apple, and the steamed eggs with shrimp and vegetables are ready.

She brought the steamed eggs and fruit to the table in the small canteen, and the rest of the work, serving and feeding the children, was the caregiver's job.

Of course, Fang Qiao wasn't idle either. She had to keep an eye on her three children while they ate. Children are unpredictable, and without an adult watching them, they can treat their food like toys.

Fang Qiao was watching Chuan Chuan eat. This child liked to grab food with his hands and smear it on his face while eating, making a mess. You had to keep an eye on him all the time.

Just then, Jiang Ling's figure suddenly appeared outside the window.

She stood by the window and waved to Fang Qiao, calling out in a low voice, "Xiao Qiao, come here, I need to talk to you about something."

Fang Qiao asked Wang Yun, who was standing next to her, to keep an eye on things, and then got up and went out.

She walked up to Jiang Ling and asked, "Sister Ling, what do you need me for?"

Jiang Ling said, "Do you remember the young wife I told you about yesterday who was pinned to the ground and beaten by her sister-in-law?"

Fang Qiao nodded: "Of course I remember."

It had only been one night; she hadn't forgotten yet.

Jiang Ling said, "She's determined to get a divorce. Last night, her in-laws kicked her out to reflect on her actions, and now she has nowhere to go. Because her household registration was transferred to our workplace with her husband, she has nowhere to stay in her hometown. Director Gu felt sorry for her and arranged a temporary job for her at the daycare center, saying she'd help out in the kitchen. He asked if she would accept it."

It's a good thing that she can share the workload without having to pay her a salary, so Fang Qiao naturally accepted.

"Just have her come."

Fang Qiao's quick agreement solved a major problem for Jiang Ling's job. She cheered and said, "Then it's settled. I'll bring her to report to you this afternoon."

In the afternoon, ten minutes before the start of work, Jiang Ling brought the person over on time.

"Xiao Qiao, this is Qi Miao. She's quite young, only twenty years old. She's unfamiliar with Heshan and the place, so please take good care of her."

Jiang Ling introduced Qi Miao to Fang Qiao.

Fang Qiao readily agreed.

She then introduced Fang Qiao to Qi Miao, saying, "Qi Miao, this is Fang Qiao, the cook at our nursery. She's a few years older than you. You'll be working with her from now on, so just call her Sister Qiao."

Qi Miao called out shyly, "Sister Qiao."

Fang Qiao smiled and agreed, "We'll be colleagues from now on, so don't be so polite with me."

Qi Miao pursed her lips and nodded gently.

Seeing that the two had started talking, Jiang Ling smiled and said, "Alright, you two can get to know each other better. I have other work to do, so I'll be going now."

"Okay, go ahead and get busy. I promise I'll take good care of Qi Miao."

After seeing Jiang Ling to the door, Fang Qiao turned back.

Qi Miao hunched her shoulders, her hands clenched somewhat awkwardly, and she lowered her head, asking Fang Qiao in a low voice if there was any work to do right now.

Fang Qiao noticed her nervousness and unease, smiled and nodded, saying there was work to be done.

She'll feel more at ease if we give her something to do; otherwise, she won't be able to relax.

"I prepared the dough in advance. We'll make sweet potato-filled steamed buns for the kids this afternoon. You can peel the sweet potatoes, steam them, and mash them into a paste for the filling."

Sure enough, as soon as Qi Miao heard there was work to do, his hunched shoulders immediately relaxed.

She happily agreed, "I'll peel it right away."

She is very efficient at her work; she is clearly someone who is used to doing chores at home.

Over the course of the afternoon, Fang Qiao gradually became familiar with her and learned that her hometown was in the Northwest, in the same town as her husband. Her mother had died early, and her father had remarried and abandoned her to her elderly grandparents. Two years ago, she married her husband through a relative's introduction.

She wouldn't say anything more.

However, since things had escalated to the point where they were determined to get a divorce, Fang Qiao knew without guessing that what had happened was definitely not pleasant, so she didn't ask any more questions to avoid reopening her wounds.

When she got off work, Fang Qiao asked her, "Do you have a place to stay tonight?"

Qi Miao nodded: "Yes, Sister Jiang Ling arranged a bed for me in the dormitory."

"As long as you have a place to stay, that's fine." Fang Qiao led the child and said goodbye to her: "Say goodbye to Auntie."

"Goodbye, Auntie." An'an's little voice was soft and sweet.

"Goodbye." Chuan Chuan and Yue Yue couldn't finish their sentences, each word escaping out one by one.

Qi Miao's eyes were gentle as she smiled and waved to the three children: "Goodbye, kids."

On the way home, Chuan Chuan and Yue Yue ran very fast ahead, while An An deliberately made "woof woof" sounds to chase after them, making the twin brothers giggle non-stop.

And this beautiful scene was frozen in time the moment I stepped into my home.

The little Vermilion Bird lay on the ground, throwing a tantrum and crying loudly, "Waaah! I don't care! This family can have it or not, it can have me or not!"

An'an, Chuan Chuan, and Yue Yue were stunned by Xiao Zhuque's howl and stood at the gate, one in front and one behind, too afraid to go in.

Fang Qiao was puzzled: "Niao Niao, what's wrong? Why are you crying?"