Back at the courtyard house, Yan Qiao asked Pei Jingzhan to choose between feeding silkworms and cooking.
Pei Jingzhan: "...Can't we not choose?"
Yan Qiao said, "Okay, then go feed the silkworms."
You don't need to choose; I'll make the decision for you.
Pei Jingzhan: "...Okay."
Dong Honglin remained calm and composed, watching the two young men busily working.
Pei Jingzhan carried the mulberry leaves to the side to chop them. After chopping for a while, he saw Dong Honglin sitting with his legs crossed, humming a tune.
He called out, "Teacher Dong."
Dong Honglin squinted. "What?"
"Could you please come and cut some mulberry leaves? Yan Qiao's silkworms are hungry."
Dong Honglin laughed in exasperation, "Me? I'm a guest!"
You brat.
Pei Jingzhan said matter-of-factly, "Guests are here to work."
Dong Honglin laughed and scolded, "You little rascal, I'm still your teacher!"
Is it reasonable to make teachers do chores?
Pei Jingzhan lazily extended one finger.
five.
Dong Honglin was taken aback, but when he realized what he meant, he immediately stood up.
As he approached, he whispered, "Five million?"
Pei Jingzhan scoffed, "Five million for cutting a mulberry leaf? You're dreaming, old man. Five hundred thousand."
Dong Honglin smiled and held up a five, bargaining with him: "I don't want money, you donate five million to our college, and I'll do the work for you."
Pei Jingzhan scoffed and tossed the knife to him.
"Let's do it."
Viewers in the live stream didn't know what they were saying, but anyway, the two of them switched positions.
Dong Honglin was working, while Pei Jingzhan was sitting in the pavilion making tea.
When I picked up my teacup to drink water, I realized I was wearing a mask.
The moment he took it off, he turned around, his back to the camera.
[Ahhh, did anyone manage to take a screenshot?!]
[I saw it! Wow, so cool!]
[It was too fast, I didn't even have time to take a screenshot!]
Pei Jingzhan slowly finished his tea and then put his mask back on.
Netizens expressed their regret, saying it was such a good opportunity, but they missed taking the picture.
Meanwhile, Yan Qiao, who was busy in the kitchen, took out her phone and ordered takeout after a while.
Ordering takeout is more convenient. I'll let someone else cook next time.
Pei Jingzhan waited in the pavilion for a while, but instead of Yan Qiao preparing the meal, he received a takeout delivery.
Pei Jingzhan: "..." I knew it.
After a busy morning, Master Yan ordered takeout.
He plated the food.
The food Yan Qiao ordered wasn't cheap, and after it was plated, it really looked presentable, not at all like takeout.
Of course, it doesn't resemble a home-cooked meal at all.
Chen Ge secretly pulled Yan Qiao aside, "You're breaking the rules. You have to use the ingredients you redeemed yourself to cook. Who told you to order takeout?"
Yan Qiao, though not entirely justified, retorted confidently: "Didn't you ask me to demonstrate my retirement life?"
Chen Ge: "...Who eats takeout after retirement?"
"You need to adapt to the retirement life of young people!"
Yan Qiao opened her phone and showed him the takeout she had ordered.
"It cost me over 1,000 yuan, and I didn't ask your production team for reimbursement, so you should be secretly happy."
Chen Ge almost spat out a mouthful of blood. "I see you guys eating takeout every day. What's the point of filming this show?"
Yan Qiao came out and saw Pei Jingzhan setting out the bowls and chopsticks, while Dong Honglin was washing his hands.
"Have you finished feeding my silkworms?" she asked Pei Jingzhan.
Pei Jingzhan nodded without any guilt, "I've finished feeding them all."
Yan Qiao glanced at him in surprise, "I thought you were afraid of bugs."
Pei Jingzhan firmly denied it: "Impossible, absolutely impossible."
Dong Honglin and Pei Jingzhan exchanged a knowing glance. For the sake of five million, he didn't expose Pei Jingzhan and focused his attention on the food.
"Yan Qiao, did you do all this?" he asked in surprise.
Yan Qiao gave a guilty "hmm," her voice weak.
She and Pei Jingzhan exchanged a glance, then made a zipping motion over their mouths to keep it a secret.
Dong Honglin exclaimed, "No wonder everyone says you're all-around talented! This whole table of food is almost as good as a Michelin-starred chef!"
[Hahaha, Teacher Dong never would have guessed, it really was made by a Michelin-starred chef!]
After finishing his meal, Dong Honglin planned to take a nap.
Stepping into the room that Yan Qiao had prepared for the guests, everyone realized just how luxurious it was.
Crystal chandeliers, luxurious European-style beds—everywhere exudes an aura of wealth.
[Isn't this supposed to be a relaxing retirement haven? This seems so out of touch with reality.]
[Exactly! Who retires and spends over 1000 yuan on takeout?!]
[This is a retirement haven, not a haven for the poor!]
[Yan Qiao never labeled her courtyard house as idyllic; after all, it's located within the second ring road of Yancheng—how idyllic could it possibly be?]
Yan Qiao's desired retirement life was never about living in seclusion in the countryside, far away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
She loves this city with its excellent transportation and complete facilities.
Dong Honglin took a nap, while Yan Qiao took Pei Jingzhan out to buy strings for an erhu.
The production crew's cameramen originally wanted to follow her, but she refused.
"You guys should take a nap too. I've prepared rooms for you. You have to leave us some private space. We can continue filming this afternoon."
After saying that, she pulled Pei Jingzhan out the door.
"I did some research and found that the feedback on the strings sold by this store is pretty good."
Pei Jingzhan glanced at it and nodded noncommittally.
"It's really good. My mom used to buy guitar strings here too."
Yan Qiao asked, "You gave me your mother's white jasmine flowers, should I give you a gift in return?"
I'm a bit conflicted.
The old lady casually throws out all sorts of expensive jewelry, showing no signs of her family going bankrupt.
If Yan Qiao were to reciprocate with a gift, she feared that giving an expensive one would make the recipient feel burdened, while giving a cheap one would feel inadequate.
Pei Jingzhan's narrow eyes held a smile as his slender fingers lightly tapped the steering wheel.
"She doesn't need these substances much."
Yan Qiao asked, "Then what does she like?"
Pei Jingzhan turned his head to the side, a few strands of hair falling loose, the sunlight shining on his lower body, making his eyes appear even more profound.
"She needs a daughter-in-law."
Yan Qiao glared at him, looking at him with annoyance: "Mr. Pei Bingjun, you put on such a serious act, but have you already decided when you're getting married?"
Pretentious and shameless.
Pei Jingzhan chuckled, "You've even thought about which kindergarten your child will attend."
"Dream on," Yan Qiao retorted. "You won't even let me hold your hand. You're practically trying to build a monument to your chastity."
You still won't give me a kiss.
Pei Jingzhan smiled but said nothing, started the car and drove towards his destination.
When they arrived at their destination and parked the car, he got out and walked around to the other side to open the car door for Yan Qiao.
As soon as Yan Qiao unbuckled her seatbelt, she saw a hand extended in front of her. It was clean and slender, with the cuffs rolled up, revealing a strong, muscular arm.
She couldn't help but laugh, "What are you doing?"
Pei Jingzhan glanced at her hand and said, "If I don't hold it now, who knows what someone is thinking about me."
Yan snorted and got out of the car.
"I don't care. You can continue being that clueless old cadre."
Pei Jingzhan turned around and caught up with her, wrapping his arms around her hand.
"I like it."
His hands were much larger than Yan Qiao's, and his palms were warm, making Yan Qiao's cheeks flush slightly.
The two walked inside side by side, hand in hand.
Yan Qiao was originally someone who valued the process more than the outcome.
But for the first time, I felt a longing to spend a very long time with someone.
Why was she born so late, and why was he born so early? They wasted more than ten years of their lives.
Pei Jingzhan glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, but what he was thinking was that he was fortunate to have been born earlier, so he had the ability and confidence to protect her.
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