Chapter 19 Appeasement
Qiao Yiqing was not angry.
She turned her head gracefully and spoke to Qin Yunshu and Zhou Huaiqing.
"Brother, sister-in-law, let's discuss this properly later, there's no rush."
His tone was sincere, with just the right amount of consideration.
"Um."
Everyone responded with a chorus of voices, scattered yet conveying a tacit understanding and ease.
The atmosphere at the dinner table returned to normal.
The clinking of bowls and chopsticks, the whispers of voices, were like a pool of water that had been stirred up but had then returned to calm.
Qiao Yiqing tasted the fish soup; the hot soup was fresh and fragrant, and smooth on the palate.
She thought it tasted good, so she got up, picked up a soup spoon, and scooped out another bowl.
But halfway there, the bottom of the bowl was too hot, and when I pulled my fingertips back, the soup bowl slammed heavily onto the table with a "thud".
The scalding hot soup splashed everywhere instantly.
"oops!"
She cried out in a panic.
All eyes turned to her.
Seeing that the back of her hand was red, Zhou Yuze immediately frowned.
"Did you get burned? Let me see."
Before he finished speaking, he had already stood up and walked around the dining table.
Qiao Yiqing obediently stretched out her hand, her fingertips trembling slightly.
"It's okay, it's just a little hot."
"They've all turned red."
Zhou Yuze looked down and examined it carefully.
"It might blister in a while, I'll go get you some ointment."
After saying that, he helped her walk to the living room.
Song Zhiwei sat quietly, her chopsticks still suspended in mid-air.
The piece of fish I was holding had gone cold.
She listened to the people around her chattering about their concern for Qiao Yiqing.
"This soup is too hot, go rinse it with water!"
"Should we call a doctor to take a look?"
"Are you alright? Does it hurt?"
All the attention was on her.
She silently tugged at her sleeve, which was soaked through.
She was just picking up a piece of fish to eat when the hot soup suddenly spilled down, most of it splashing onto her sleeve.
To make matters worse, in that chaotic moment, a small fishbone got stuck in his throat.
My wrists were burning, and my throat felt like it had been slashed with a knife; every time I swallowed, it brought a sharp, stinging pain.
She could only lower her head and breathe slowly and laboriously.
Zhou Yuce had already helped Qiao Yiqing to the living room.
His back was straight, one hand gently supporting her shoulder, the other gripping her wrist.
The movements were so gentle they were almost tender.
Song Zhiwei felt a tightness in her throat.
Every breath felt like a knife blade, stinging her throat.
It felt like I was about to run out of breath.
Just then, Qin Yunshu suddenly put down her chopsticks, got up, and walked towards the living room.
She walked briskly to check on Qiao Yiqing's condition.
Song Zhiwei opened her mouth, trying to call out to her.
But before he could say anything, he abruptly shut his lips.
As she watched Qin Yunshu's retreating figure, a wave of grievance and bitterness welled up inside her.
Finally, it turned into a breath of turbid air, pressing heavily on my chest.
Suddenly, she was the only one left in the entire restaurant.
The food on the table was still steaming, but it felt unusually deserted.
Her eyelashes were lowered, and her gaze fell on the clump of cold rice in the bowl.
He scooped up a large spoonful of rice and stuffed it into his mouth.
They didn't chew it; they just swallowed it whole.
The rice grains stuck in my throat only made the stinging pain worse.
But she still wouldn't stop.
Each swallow felt like a dull knife cutting back and forth in her throat, the pain making her eyes sting.
She gritted her teeth and endured it with all her might.
But in the end, a few tears still rolled down her cheeks.
She finally couldn't help but ask Sister Wang if there was any way to alleviate the symptoms.
Turning around, I saw the scene in the living room.
Zhou Yuze was sitting on the sofa, turned to the side, his expression focused.
He held Qiao Yiqing's hand, his fingertips gently lifting her wrist.
With her other hand, she held the ointment and carefully applied it little by little to her injured finger.
Be more careful next time.
He said in a low voice.
Although the words were harsh, a closer listen revealed an undisguised tenderness and indulgence.
"Okay~"
Qiao Yiqing trailed off, her voice soft and sweet like a spoiled kitten.
She winked at him.
Then he suddenly stuck out his tongue and made a face.
Her innocent and playful appearance made Zhou Yuze shake his head helplessly.
But the corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn up.
Qin Yunshu stood aside, quietly watching the two playfully bickering, her eyes gentle.
She couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"You young people are so lively when you're dating, always chatting and laughing. When we were dating back then, it wasn't this sweet. We were all so reserved, we wouldn't dare to be so playful."
But this warmth and liveliness acted like a thick wall, completely shutting her out.
Song Zhiwei suddenly felt a tightness in her chest.
She lowered her head and quietly clenched her fingers.
Finally, she took a deep breath, slowly got up, and walked very lightly towards the kitchen.
She opened the cabinet, took out the porcelain bowl, and poured a large bowl of vinegar into it.
The pungent, sour smell hit her head, making her nose sting.
Without hesitation, she tilted her head back and poured it down.
Perhaps this old-fashioned method will work.
The sour smell made her nose swell and her throat feel like it was on fire.
She couldn't help but cough twice, her chest heaving.
Strangely, the thorn seemed to have loosened a bit.
So she poured herself another bowl of vinegar, closed her eyes, and drank it all in one gulp.
The moment the acid entered her throat, she trembled all over.
Just then, Aunt Wang pushed the door open and saw Song Zhiwei standing by the stove.
Upon seeing the vinegar stains remaining at the bottom of her bowl, she was terrified.
"Second Miss! What's wrong with you? Why did you drink so much vinegar in one go?"
She quickly put the fruit plate aside and stepped forward to support Song Zhiwei's arm.
Song Zhiwei pulled her sleeve over and wiped her mouth.
She managed a weak smile.
"I was eating fish just now and accidentally got a bone stuck in my throat. I heard that drinking vinegar can soften it, so I'll give it a try."
Upon hearing this, Sister Wang stamped her feet in frustration.
"Oh dear, my second young lady, those are just old sayings, don't believe them! How can you just tough it out like this? You should go to the hospital right now, get an X-ray, and let the doctor take care of it! Drinking vinegar like this will only hurt your stomach, it won't solve anything."
As she spoke, she anxiously patted Song Zhiwei's back.
She watched this child grow up from a young age, and she has always loved him as her own child.
"It's really alright now."
Song Zhiwei waved her hand, forcing a reassuring smile.
She definitely felt much better.
The throat, which had been unbearably painful, no longer felt that burning sensation like a foreign object.
She swallowed slowly.
Only after confirming that the thorn had slid down did I finally breathe a sigh of relief.
"Did you swallow the thorn?"
Wang Sao remained standing in the same spot, her brow furrowed, her eyes filled with worry.
Seeing how nervous she was, Song Zhiwei couldn't help but smile gently.
The voice was gentle and soothing.
"It's loose now, don't worry. My throat doesn't hurt anymore either, I guess it went down with the vinegar."
"Then quickly drink some water to cleanse your mouth."
Wang's wife was still worried.
As he spoke, he took her arm and gently pushed her out of the kitchen.
"Go drink some warm water and rinse your mouth."
Song Zhiwei nodded obediently and walked out of the kitchen with light steps.
The corridor lights were dim and yellow, reflecting off her profile.
A hint of fatigue was visible.
She walked through the living room.
His gaze inadvertently swept over the group of people chatting and laughing by the coffee table.
He paused, then quietly turned around and walked up the stairs.
Back in her room, she first went to the table.
I poured a cup of warm water from the thermos and drank it in small sips.
The warm water slid smoothly down my throat, and the dryness and discomfort finally disappeared completely.
She put down her cup, bent down, and dragged her suitcase out from the corner.
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