Zhou Qiqi's "Sister He" was exceptionally clear and natural, with a hint of provocation in her tone. He Wanrou's eyelids twitched upon hearing it, and she instinctively wanted to retort.
"Who are you calling 'big brother'..."
She was so frustrated!
She's only twenty-five! A year younger than Shen Huaichuan!
She's at the tender age of a flower bud, how did she become the "elder sister"?!
This title sounds like it's for a women's director who's in her forties or fifties!
But after only a few words, she immediately realized something was wrong, quickly bit her lower lip, swallowed back the rest of her dissatisfaction, and forced a stiff smile onto her face.
Zhou Qiqi didn't give her a chance to adjust, and preemptively blinked her clear, big eyes, asking with an innocent yet curious expression:
"Oh? Sister He, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
"...No, it's nothing."
He Wanrou almost gritted her teeth as she answered, "Go quickly."
She was afraid that Zhou Qiqi would say something shocking again and make her lose her composure, so she just wanted to get her away as soon as possible.
Shen Huaichuan originally wanted to tell Zhou Qiqi that he would help her start a fire after he settled his mother, but Zhou Qiqi quickly gave him a look, signaling him to keep his parents calm.
Shen Huaichuan received the signal, but swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue, and only nodded slightly at her in tacit understanding.
He turned to look at He Wanrou, who was still blocking his way, and said without a trace of emotion:
"Sister He, could you please move aside? Didn't you say it would be best to carry my mother over there? I can't move because you're blocking my way."
He Wanrou hadn't fully recovered from the shock of Zhou Qiqi calling her "Big Sister" when she heard Shen Huaichuan call her that without hesitation. Her chest tightened, and she almost couldn't catch her breath.
But in front of the elderly couple, she had to maintain a sensible and considerate image. She could only force a smile, reluctantly step aside, and watch helplessly as Shen Huaichuan carefully picked up Qin Peilan and carried her into the inner room.
She stared at Zhou Qiqi's retreating figure as she disappeared in the direction of the kitchen, her eyes blazing with fury.
Zhou Qiqi could even feel the two burning gazes behind her, but her steps became lighter, and she even slightly raised the corners of her mouth, heading to the kitchen in a good mood.
The stove hadn't been used for several days. Shen Huaichuan had just cleaned it before he left, and there wasn't a single spark left. It took a lot of effort to start a fire again.
It was nearly twenty minutes later when Zhou Qiqi returned to the inner room with the brewed tea.
As soon as she reached the living room door, the scene inside made her pause.
My mother-in-law is already in bed, and her complexion seems to have improved.
The father-in-law moved a stool and sat on the edge of the bed, while Shen Huaichuan sat on the edge of the bed. The mother-in-law was holding his hand and whispering something to him.
He Wanrou, on the other hand, was half-squatting by her mother-in-law's bedside, right next to Shen Huaichuan.
The four people were talking quietly, and the scene looked surprisingly harmonious, like a peaceful family at first glance.
Faintly, he seemed to hear his parents-in-law praising He Wanrou to Shen Huaichuan for her thoughtfulness and attentiveness.
Perhaps hearing Zhou Qiqi's footsteps as she returned, He Wanrou, who had been listening quietly, suddenly raised her hand and chuckled softly.
While laughing, she raised her eyes, her gaze gentle and shy as she looked at Shen Huaichuan, her voice so soft it could melt water:
"Yes, Brother Huaichuan~"
"She's only twenty-five this year, how can you call me 'Big Sister He' like Qiqi does? That's not very polite!"
She drew out the last syllable, her eyes sparkling.
"Speaking of which, we might all be family in the future. You can just call me Wanrou, just like your uncle and aunt."
Zhou Qiqi paused at the doorway, a cold smile playing on her lips. The hook in those words was far too direct.
She wanted to hear how Shen Huaichuan would respond.
Shen Huaichuan reacted quickly, shifting his body back significantly to create some distance, his brows furrowed, and replying in a stiff tone:
"Just call me Sister He. I'll call her that like my wife does. She's only twenty, so it's only right that she calls you Sister He."
"you..."
These words left He Wanrou speechless, her face stiffening, and the carefully crafted ambiguous atmosphere was instantly shattered.
But she was a master; she adjusted very quickly, the embarrassment on her face lasting only a second before transforming into an even gentler smile.
As if she had just heard the noise behind her, she turned around very naturally, looked at Zhou Qiqi who was standing at the door with a cup of tea, and asked with a smile:
"Oh, little Qiqi is back? Why did you take so long? Was the stove hard to use? You should have said so earlier, I could have helped you and saved your aunt and uncle from waiting so long."
These words sounded like concern, but they clearly implied that Zhou Qiqi was clumsy and couldn't even handle a stove, which delayed everyone from getting water!
Hearing her words of concern, Zhou Qiqi sneered inwardly, but showed no sign of it on her face. Instead, she blinked innocently and said:
"Sister He, you misunderstood. I was gone for more than just boiling water. I noticed that Auntie didn't look well, and I thought she might have caught a cold on the way, so I quickly found the hot water bottle I bought today. I was afraid that the rubber smell would bother Auntie, so I washed it inside and out several times, and then boiled it thoroughly in boiling water to sterilize it. After filling it with hot water, I put it in a cloth cover before bringing it over, which is why it took a little longer."
As she spoke, she took out a hot water bottle that was fully filled and covered with a brand-new velvet cover. She then wrapped it with a towel to insulate it before handing it to Shen Zhenbang with both hands.
Shen Zhenbang was taken aback by Zhou Qiqi's actions and then took the hot water bottle.
The water in this hot water bottle is quite hot to the touch at first, but with this fleece cover, it feels warm to the touch and is not hot at all. It's clear that it was made with care.
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