Shen Huaichuan really put a lot of thought into making this bowl of rice soup.
The millet grains were simmered slowly over a low flame for almost an hour until the rice oil was extracted.
In the end, Shen Huaichuan only gave Zhou Qiqi the top layer of soup.
However, because of the long cooking time, the soup is quite flavorful.
Shen Huaichuan carefully blew on the spoon to make sure it wasn't too hot before gently placing it to Zhou Qiqi's lips.
Zhou Qiqi took a big gulp and felt comfortable all over. She couldn't help but exclaim:
"It tastes so good, exactly the same as what my grandma used to make..."
That familiar taste instantly stirred up memories in her heart.
When I was little, my grandparents were poor. They would skimp on food for themselves but always tried to find ways to get me something good.
She likes to drink millet porridge, so her grandmother would spend an hour every few days cooking a small pot of porridge for her.
She didn't put in many grains of rice, but she scooped them all into her small bowl.
The food in Grandpa and Grandma's bowls was just thin rice porridge on top.
She was young and ignorant at the time, and stubborn, so she insisted on making sure her grandparents ate with her.
On one occasion, he even threw a tantrum and broke his own bowl.
Grandma never got angry; she would just silently bring her own bowl over and share the drink with her.
They always say with a smile that they are old and love to drink this soupy drink, as rice grains are hard to digest.
That bowl of thin rice porridge became the warmest taste in her childhood memories.
The grandparents were not well-educated and did not understand the little girl's feelings, but they gave her the best of everything within their means.
But they left too soon, and this longing has become a scar in her heart.
I don't dare to think about it normally.
Having gone through this brush with death, she let go of many of her obsessions and was finally able to talk about these things with equanimity.
Shen Huaichuan didn't ask any more questions, but continued to feed her until she finished the rice soup in the bowl.
He wiped her mouth again, then took her hand and asked softly:
"Can you tell me about... your grandparents? What kind of people were they?"
Upon hearing this, Zhou Qiqi smiled gently, a slight curve to her lips, lost in thought, and softly said:
"Them..."
She began to recount her grandparents' kindness and their frugality...
Shen Huaichuan listened quietly, his gaze fixed intently on her face. Only after she finished speaking did he ask softly:
"So...the world you came from is about thirty or forty years from now? That is...around 2024 or 2025?"
Zhou Qiqi was slightly taken aback.
She remembered that she had only mentioned her grandparents' ages and some snippets of their lives.
It seems that no information about the specific year was mentioned.
Unexpectedly, Shen Huaichuan was able to deduce the correct era from just a few words she uttered.
This insight amazed her once again.
It must be said that this man's sensitivity in certain areas is terrifyingly powerful.
She nodded and said frankly, "Yes, it's 2025."
Shen Huaichuan's eyes brightened slightly, and he asked:
"So... what will China be like in 2025? Will everyone be able to eat their fill? Will there still be enough food stamps? Will there still be wars outside?"
When he asked these questions, his expression was one of nervousness that Zhou Qiqi had never seen before.
It seemed like there was a strong urge to know, but also a fear of hearing the answer; these two emotions were fighting inside, creating a bit of a contradiction.
Zhou Qiqi's feelings were also complicated.
She knew that Shen Huaichuan came from a military family; his parents-in-law, his elder brother, and himself were all people who had actually been to the battlefield.
My second brother and sister-in-law sacrificed themselves for the country and remain in a coma to this day.
This family has dedicated almost everything to this land.
The questions he asked embodied the most basic wishes of his generation.
She gripped Shen Huaichuan's hand tightly and began to describe it to him, bit by bit.
She had been unconscious for three days and was not sleepy at the moment. Her wounds were still throbbing, and talking helped her to distract herself.
So he simply started talking non-stop.
Although Shen Huaichuan had also stayed up for three days with her, he listened with utmost concentration, his eyes shining, constantly asking all sorts of questions, like a student full of thirst for knowledge.
"What? You don't need a household registration book or ration coupons to buy things anymore? You can buy whatever you want?"
"Airplane? Ordinary people can save up some money and fly for business trips or tourism? High-speed rail... what is high-speed rail? It's several times faster than the fastest train?"
"An aircraft carrier?! You...you even went on a visit? Our country has its own aircraft carrier? And more than one?!"
...
Zhou Qiqi patiently answered all their questions. One of them described the scene with great enthusiasm, while the other listened attentively and asked questions. Before they knew it, the sky outside the window was gradually turning a pale white.
After Zhou Qiqi finished asking a question about how convenient smartphones are, she habitually turned her head to wait for the next question, but received no response for a long time.
She turned her head and realized that Shen Huaichuan had been fast asleep, lying on the edge of the bed, without her noticing.
This time, however, the corners of the man's mouth were curved even when he was sleeping.
Zhou Qiqi's heart softened. She carefully moved aside, picked up her coat, and gently draped it over his shoulders.
Then she took his hand again, which was resting by the bedside, closed her eyes peacefully, and soon drifted off to sleep.
Zhou Qiqi had been unconscious for three days and three nights. Although her body was still weak, she had indeed slept quite a bit.
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