Chapter 65
Caring for the elderly living alone starts with me. Qiao Yu never imagined that Ye Yunjian, who was usually so flamboyant, would not even have anyone to talk to during the New Year.
She turned all the couplets and window paper out, then bent over and carefully applied glue to the back. Ye Yunjian stared at her intently, the light in front of him seeming to grow even brighter, and the girl's calm face gradually made his wildly beating heart flutter.
However, Ye Yunjian quickly came to his senses and stared intently at the couplets and crooked paper-cuts that Qiao Yu had pasted up in a mess.
After a long silence, Ye Yunjian sighed to himself and helplessly pinched the bridge of his nose. He strode over and took the paper cutting from Qiao Yu's hand, dodging her eager hands, "Let me do it."
With her skills, who knows what kind of mess she'll make of my house tonight.
She seems like a pretty smart girl.
Qiao Yu felt that her hands-on skills had been questioned, but she shut her mouth in a moment of resentment. Ye Yunjian did indeed apply it better than her. He didn't even look at it from top to bottom. He just pressed it casually, and the thing was perfectly straight. There was not a single flaw to be found.
Ye Yunjian took on the task, and Qiao Yu clapped her hands, saying, "Aunt Ye, you can do it first, I'll go cook." She said as she walked away, "We can eat when you're done."
Ye Yunjian glanced at her casually, "What kind of food is this that's so quick to make?"
I couldn't help but sigh again. I hope this kid doesn't blow up his own kitchen during the New Year.
She was still worried, her gaze frequently drifting towards the busy figure in the kitchen. The woman's petite frame appeared somewhat frail in the spacious kitchen, but her youthful energy and vitality quickly dispelled her melancholy. Qiao Yu was working diligently, and Ye Yunjian watched for a few minutes, only turning away with relief after confirming that her cooking skills were acceptable.
About ten minutes later, Ye Yunjian raised his eyebrows as he stared at the bowl in front of him. "On New Year's Eve, you're treating me to this bland instant noodles?"
Scratching her cheek, Qiao Yu said innocently, "It's good enough that you can find two packets of instant noodles in your house." Perhaps Ye Yunjian doesn't like to cook at home, so the refrigerator is full of wine. She searched through the cupboard and finally found two packets of instant noodles that she didn't know when they were bought.
Fortunately, it wasn't expired, so I can still eat it.
Qiao Yu eagerly handed the chopsticks to Ye Yunjian, urging her, "Try them quickly."
The girl's eyes were like autumn water, clear and bright, full of expectation. Ye Yunjian moved his fingers, very slowly picked up his chopsticks and stirred the food in the bowl a couple of times, then slowly took a bite with a serious expression of certain death on his face.
The woman's deep, cold face seemed to distort for a moment, but she immediately returned to normal and praised in a calm tone, "It's delicious."
Qiao Yu finally smiled, "I think so too!"
After saying that, she took a small bite herself. Ye Yunjian stared intently at her. After a moment, she half-raised her left hand and pressed her temple, thinking helplessly, "What a pity for this child... Not only is she silly at such a young age, but she has also lost her sense of taste."
Qiao Yu wasn't very hungry; she ate only half a bowl before she couldn't eat anymore. However, she was a little unhappy to see that Ye Yunjian had also left most of his bowl uneaten. Ye Yunjian explained, "I don't have an appetite."
She belatedly realized that Ye Yunjian had just finished his IV drip, and let out a soft "ah." Qiao Yu could only say regretfully, "Then I'll make it for you again in a couple of days when you're better." She quickly put the bowl away in the kitchen. Ye Yunjian stared at her back, his vision blurring slightly.
After a long while, Ye Yunjian found his voice and politely declined the other party's offer, saying, "No need."
Upon hearing this, Qiao Yu didn't even look up. "Aunt Ye, you don't need to be so polite with me."
"..."
Qiao Yu had originally planned to spend New Year's Eve with Ye Yunjian, but the other party said slowly, "I have a video conference at seven o'clock." The woman's deep gaze was fixed on her, "It will be almost midnight when it ends, you should rest."
After looking at the other person with some skepticism for a while, Qiao Yu finally nodded regretfully, "Alright then, remember to rest early after you finish your work."
Ye Yunjian saw her off to her car and watched it slowly disappear from sight. The woman's full red lips curled slightly upwards, and she seemed to be in a good mood. Standing in front of the door with his hands in his pockets, Ye Yunjian's aloof expression softened, revealing a rare touch of human warmth.
After a while, she turned around and looked at the couplets on the door frame with a pleasant expression.
When Qiao Yu drove home, her family was making dumplings. As soon as she looked up and saw her, Old Mrs. Qiao started talking again, "Always out fooling around. People who don't know her would think that we adults haven't raised her well." Thinking of Qiao Yu's reputation, she felt even more unhappy, "She doesn't act like a proper young lady at all."
Smiling, Qiao Yu raised her eyes and casually replied, "That's right."
"After all, I didn't grow up by your side like my cousin Junhao, and I didn't have you personally teach me."
Upon hearing this, Aunt Qiao immediately became angry. The old lady and old man disliked Qiao Jing because she was a girl, and they had never liked her since she was a child. Even when little Qiao Jing timidly took the initiative to approach them, the two elders would not even glance at her, but they doted on Qiao Junhao alone.
She had always held a grudge about this matter, but she was powerless and had no influence, so she could only keep her grievances to herself all these years. But now, upon hearing that Qiao Yu also had the same idea, her heart immediately turned to her. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Qiao San's wife was arrogant and looked down on her, but Qiao Yu was different.
She is gentle, polite, and knows how to respect herself.
Besides, she and Jingjing are both girls, and girls should help each other out so that Qiao Junhao doesn't get all the benefits. After weighing the options in her mind, Aunt Qiao immediately spoke up for Qiao Yu: "Oh, Mom, Yu Yu isn't like you who can't walk and can only walk around the house with a cane all day. Besides, young people should go out and socialize more so that they can go far when they enter society."
Qiao Yu glanced at the old lady with a livid face, her feelings mixed, "..." How mean.
For a moment, she couldn't tell whether Aunt Qiao was a friend or foe.
The old lady's blood pressure rose so much from her second daughter-in-law's anger that she slammed her cane down hard, wanting nothing more than to hurl a few curses at her. But then she remembered that the other woman and Qiao Yu were two different people, and she knew she couldn't win an argument with her. Besides, she was the elder, and she had to maintain her dignity, so she angrily went back to her room.
Aunt Qiao was a woman who could be considered unreasonable. Even though the old lady's face was already like that, she still asked, knowing the answer already, "Mom, why are you leaving? Aren't you going to eat these dumplings?"
"I'm not eating!" The old lady was furious and immediately retorted angrily.
They deliberately didn't want her to have a good New Year.
Aunt Qiao immediately went to comfort the old lady, and Uncle Qiao, upon returning and hearing the news, also hurried towards the old lady. Aunt Qiao, looking puzzled, walked up to Qiao Yu and said, "Your grandma is too petty. I only said a few words of truth, is it really necessary for her to be so angry that she won't even eat dumplings?"
Mrs. Qiao looked up and said calmly, "Mom is getting old. You should say less in front of her in the future."
"What if the weather causes something to go wrong someday..."
Aunt Qiao narrowed her eyes immediately. It would be good if she got sick from anger. Then, if the old man passed away, wouldn't that mean... she could divide the inheritance?!
Unable to contain the surge of joy that welled up inside her, Aunt Qiao quickly excused herself and hurried back to her room, her expression eager. Qiao Yu lowered her eyes and met her mother's gaze. After a moment, Qiao Yu sat down with a worried look and picked up a dumpling wrapper. "Mom, Auntie is usually so impulsive. I hope she won't accidentally cause trouble and upset Grandma."
"Your grandmother is getting old, and her health isn't what it used to be."
Qiao Yu smiled gently and said in a light tone, "That's a pity. I was hoping that Grandma would live a long and healthy life to be two hundred years old."
The old lady suddenly threw a tantrum, and it took the whole family working together to calm her down. Once everyone sat down at the table, no one had any appetite. They were all exhausted, both physically and mentally. Qiao Yu didn't go, so she ate with great relish, taking bites here and there. Qiao Jing glanced at her subtly for a couple of moments, then silently looked away, her expression unreadable.
Qiao Yu didn't mind. After finishing her meal, she put down her chopsticks and picked up her phone to play. "Aunt Ye, are you done with your work? Are you hungry? Do you want me to pack some food for you?"
As he spoke, he sent the other party a photo of a lavish New Year's Eve feast.
Perhaps the other party was busy with a video conference and didn't have time to check their phone, so they didn't reply for a long time. Qiao Yu rested her cheek on her hand, feeling bored, and then went to find Song Wanzi, but the message she sent to Song Wanzi also disappeared without a trace.
Unconvinced, she contacted Bai Yiyu again, and this time Bai Yiyu finally replied, "I just finished eating."
She then sent over two photos, saying, "Watching the kids playing with sparklers in the compound."
The fireworks were dazzling and bright, but Qiao Yu's attention was completely drawn to the woman beside her. She stood in the dim light, the dim light blurring the lines of her face, making her seem mysterious and alluring, stirring a tingling, itchy feeling in one's heart.
In the photo, Bai Yiyu gazes quietly at the child, a gentle smile on her face. Her deep, soft eyes, high nose bridge, slightly upturned nose tip, and full red lips—every feature perfectly matches her aesthetic. Qiao Yu, eager to join in, says, "I want to play too."
"You didn't play?"
"No," Qiao Yu said. "I'm too old for that. How could I possibly play these kinds of games?"
The other party quickly replied, "I'll buy it for you in a couple of days."
Qiao Yu's eyes crinkled with laughter, and she said contentedly, "Thank you, Auntie."
The system asked in surprise, "Host, you also like playing with these little toys that kids play with?"
"How could that be?" Qiao Yu innocently raised her chin. The system immediately understood; it knew its host had ulterior motives. A sparkler was nowhere near as appealing as an auntie.
It almost believed that the host still retained a pure and innocent childlike heart.
The family atmosphere tonight was far from pleasant. The old lady was still angry and found fault with everyone. Qiao Yu sat on the sofa, playing on her phone without even lifting her eyelids. Someone in the EGA group was sending out red envelopes, and she sprinted over to grab a few hundred yuan, then was about to leave satisfied when a close friend immediately stopped her, "Yu Yu, the number one rich and beautiful woman in Beijing, you've eaten so much, shouldn't you throw some up?"
Just as Qiao Yu was about to reply, a familiar profile picture transferred 50,000 yuan to the group in one go.
Before her mind could even process it, Qiao Yu's body had already moved with lightning speed, quickly pocketing the transfer. The group was stunned; 50,000 yuan was gone in an instant, and they immediately accused her of being stingy. Qiao Yu chuckled sheepishly, quickly sent a few red envelopes in the group chat, and then ran to find Lu Shangyi, "Sister, did you click the wrong chat box?"
After sending the 50,000 yuan to the other party, Qiao Yu said smugly, "Luckily I was quick, otherwise they would have snatched it. They are not as honest and kind as me. If it were someone else, you might not have gotten your money back."
As Lu Shangyi looked at her phone, she could almost picture the girl proudly raising her head, waiting for her praise.
The transfer was returned, saying, "It was a red envelope for you anyway, you don't need to give it back to me."
Qiao Yu was taken aback. "I'm so sorry." Although she said this, she honestly accepted the money. "A little something is enough. There's no need for so much. You're too kind."
She was just being polite, but Lu Shangyi said, "Too much?"
"Then give me back some."
Qiao Yu: "..." Why don't you play by the rules?
She frowned, pondering how much "little bit" Lu Shangyi meant. But there was no point in spitting it out now that she had already swallowed it, so she simply sent a 520 message: "Happy New Year, I'm going to sleep now, goodnight."
Then quickly log off and disappear.
Lu Shangyi chuckled softly as she stared at the meager amount, and without being polite to Qiao Yu, she tapped the screen to accept the red envelope.
Jiang Mei walked over quietly. Lu Shangyi was standing on the balcony with her back to the door, looking at her phone without trying to hide it. So Jiang Mei accidentally saw the message on the other person's screen. She immediately noticed the red envelope number that represented a special meaning. She was stunned for a moment, then she wisely looked away and stopped. "Auntie, Grandma is calling you."
Lu Shangyi put away her phone and nodded. "Understood."
Watching the woman leave, Jiang Mei suddenly felt a sense of relief. Her aunt had a romantic interest; did that mean she could now pursue Qiao Yu without restraint?
She no longer had to compete with her aunt for the same woman, which was the happiest thing for her this Chinese New Year.
The smile on her face deepened unconsciously, and she no longer found it annoying that Mu Siyan had been pestering her so many times tonight.
Lu Shangyi looked up at her niece, who was standing on the balcony grinning foolishly. Her brows furrowed slightly, but she quickly regained her composure and walked toward Madam Lu with an air of mystery.
Qiao Yu was overjoyed tonight after receiving several large red envelopes. She waved her hand and shouted in the EGA group, "See you at the Jingma Club tomorrow afternoon at 3 pm, it's on me." After posting a status update on her WeChat Moments, Qiao Yu returned to the group again, "Blind date, sisters, remember to dress up nicely."
"When have you ever stopped being pretty, ladies?"
"Exactly, the sisters are most beautiful when they're not wearing clothes."
"However, if you're not wearing clothes, the Beijing Marathon Club probably won't let you in."
Qiao Yu: "..."
System: "..." No wonder she's the host's sister. You become like those you associate with. Awesome.
Tang Shu arrived the next day. She looked haggard, with dark circles under her eyes, and appeared listless. Qiao Yu circled her twice. "Were you bitten by a ghost last night?"
Tang Shu glared at her a few times, "You know nothing!"
When someone suddenly looked over, Tang Shu's face immediately turned bright red, and she unconsciously shut her mouth. A moment later, however, she triumphantly lifted her collar, revealing a few light red hickeys on her clothes, and stared at Qiao Yu provocatively.
Qiao Yu was immediately provoked: "!!!"
Her shocking appearance finally pleased Tang Shu, who patted her on the shoulder earnestly, "Young lady, you must work hard too."
Qiao Yu was extremely unhappy. She put on a sullen face, completely devoid of any worldly desires. But Tang Shu clung to her like an annoying fly, following her wherever she went, making Qiao Yu even more annoyed, wishing she could set her on fire and send her flying.
After finally finding a seat, Qiao Yu was about to ask her close friends in the group where they were when Tang Shu suddenly screamed next to her, "Ahhhhh!"
Qiao Yu trembled with fright and was about to hit her when Tang Shu grabbed her clothes tightly, raised her finger and pointed in a trembling direction, "Meng Meng Meng Meng E!"
Qiao Yu rolled her eyes in utter exasperation. What was there to be afraid of, Meng E? Didn't you still have that little thing that someone planted on your neck?
No ambition.
Qiao Yu withdrew her gaze from her and was about to look up and greet Meng E when she saw the people next to Meng E. She was so frightened that she hugged Tang Shu tightly and screamed, "Ahhhhhh!"
Why are Aunt Bai, Aunt Ye, Sister Lu, and Sister Song sitting here playing mahjong together?!
Author's Note:
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