Chapter 8
Lu Mingxiao looks like Song Jingliang, even his physique is similar. They both have a strong and slender frame, so even though he is still a boy, his shoulders and back already have the breadth of a mature man, making people feel very safe when they lie on him.
He supported Jiang Huaiyu's legs, carrying groceries in his hands, and stepped across the puddle in two strides. As he unlocked the door, he patted her slender legs and said, "Hold on tight, let me open the door."
He pushed open the iron gate and entered the yard. He then nimbly used his leg to block the tiger that was lunging at him and successfully carried the wounded man to a chair in the living room.
“You’ve only been here a few days and you’ve already been injured twice. Mom will be heartbroken when she gets back…” he said, as he picked up the first-aid kit, pulled over a small chair, sat down opposite Jiang Huaiyu, and without saying a word, grabbed Jiang Huaiyu’s ankle, lifted the injured foot and placed it on his knee.
Jiang Huaiyu instinctively shrank back: "I can do it myself."
Lu Mingxiao held his ankle to stop him from moving: "Why are you being so polite with me? Don't move, let me see..."
Jiang Huaiyu was naturally fair-skinned, not to mention his feet, which were not exposed to sunlight. The pale blue veins were faintly visible under the cold white skin. His arches were delicate, and even the skin on the soles of his feet was very smooth. Holding them in the palm of your hand felt like holding a piece of warm jade.
"They're all feet, but why does Li Rui's smell like an old pickle jar? After playing ball, he's like a biological weapon..."
Lu Mingxiao took out a few iodine swabs, disinfected the wound first, and then carefully examined the badly injured big toe: "It's okay, it's just lifted up a little bit. The toenail will grow back slowly. Does it still hurt?"
Jiang Huaiyu shook her head: "It doesn't hurt."
It still hurt a little, but the young master, being proud and stubborn, controlled his facial expression.
Because of this minor injury, when the polypropylene cloth was being laid in the small bathroom that afternoon, Lu Mingxiao refused Jiang Huaiyu's "team-up request." He asked Jiang Huaiyu to be the supervisor, prepared drinks and watermelon, and set up a small table in the shade under the flower stand to settle Jiang Huaiyu there.
Jiang Huaiyu looked around at the lush greenery and fragrant flowers. He felt that he had successfully blended into the flower stand and become a beautiful but useless vase, which made him feel a little depressed.
Just then, Ms. Jiang Lan made him a video call.
The two families seemed to have little reaction to the baby swap, but in reality, it was the result of their desperate restraint. They had already discussed it and decided not to put any pressure on the two children, and neither of them should rush to advance their relationship or change the children's current living conditions, allowing the children to gradually adapt to this major change.
So during the few days Jiang Huaiyu was here, Jiang Lan only sent messages on WeChat to check on him and didn't inquire too much about Lu Mingxiao's situation. She only called him today via video, which shows how patient she is.
Jiang Huaiyu answered the video call and adjusted the angle of her phone: "Mom."
"Xiao Bao, did you have fun these past few days?" Jiang Lan chuckled, noticing the flower trellis behind him bursting with blooms. "Is this the green belt? You guys were playing outside?"
Jiang Huaiyu: "...Mom, these are flowers planted by Li Qing's mother."
It's no wonder Jiang Lan made a mistake; some delicate northern flowers are indeed grown as green belts in the south, such as the lush bougainvillea behind her.
Jiang Lan coughed and asked, "What are you two doing at home?"
Jiang Huaiyu wasn't sure if Lu Mingxiao wanted to be on camera, so she just said, "I'm relaxing in the cool air, and he's waterproofing the bathroom."
Jiang Lan laughed. She knew that Jiang Huaiyu had helped with the work the past two days, so she asked him, "Why didn't you help today?"
Jiang Huaiyu didn't mention his foot; it was just a minor injury. He was afraid Jiang Lan would overreact, so he only said, "I don't know how to apply it..."
Before he could finish speaking, Lu Mingxiao peeked out from the small bathroom and asked, "Boss Jiang, you've got nothing to do anyway, could you help me with my summer homework? I don't know how."
Jiang Huaiyu: "..."
Jiang Lan covered her mouth and laughed: "Look, even Ming Xiao has things he can't do. You guys... wait a minute, what can't he do?"
In Ms. Jiang Lan's eyes, children are born to do homework. After all, she has never worried about Jiang Huaiyu's grades, so she naturally cannot understand what kind of suicidal thoughts Li Qing had when she looked at the burning summer homework and waved her slippers.
“It’s nothing, Mom,” Jiang Huaiyu said. “I won’t write it for him.”
Lu Mingxiao: "Jiang Xiaoyu! You're heartless! Who carried you back just now?"
A faint smile appeared in Jiang Huaiyu's clear eyes: "Then carry me out, and I'll walk back myself."
Lu Mingxiao ran out of the small bathroom, rubbing his hands together and bending down to hug Jiang Huaiyu: "You said it yourself, watch me throw you into the puddle..."
He looked down and met Ms. Jiang Lan's smiling eyes, his outstretched hand freezing in place: "Are you video chatting with your family?"
Jiang Lan subconsciously tidied her hair and greeted him with a smile, "Xiao Xiao."
Lu Mingxiao was a little embarrassed, but still nodded: "Hello."
"Seeing you two having so much fun makes me feel relieved." Jiang Lan considerately prepared to end the call: "Xiao Bao, are you planning to stay there for a few more days? Remember to tell me if you need anything, and I'll mail it to you."
Jiang Huaiyu nodded: "Okay, I understand."
After the video call ended, Lu Mingxiao finally let out a long sigh of relief.
Jiang Huaiyu looked at him, puzzled: "What's wrong? Mom is a very kind and gentle person, why are you so nervous?"
"I don't know either." Lu Mingxiao sat on another chair, took a slice of watermelon, ate it in two bites, not even cleaning the rind completely, and tossed it to Hu Zi. He clapped his hands and continued, "Well, the first time I saw you... when I met our parents, I thought you were a celebrity, you know? That kind of impeccably beautiful appearance made me feel a little... um..."
"A sense of distance?" Jiang Huaiyu added.
“Yes, it’s the sense of distance.” Lu Mingxiao said, “The two of them, at that time, didn’t look like they were on the same level as our family, and you could tell that they had chosen very low-key clothes.”
Jiang Huaiyu blinked, looking at the dust that had settled on his body.
“But you should have lived the same life as them, that’s what your life should be like, Lu Mingxiao. I know your grandfather very well. He will hand over the Jiang family to his own grandson. You will have to get used to some things sooner or later.”
Lu Mingxiao stroked the dog's head and chuckled: "Boss Jiang, do you think I'm being overly dramatic? This is like a windfall, suddenly becoming a heir to a wealthy family. This should be the plot of a wish-fulfillment novel, right? And here I am, agonizing over it. Am I being a bit pretentious?"
“But the person who raised you loves you very much, and he’s not some villainous cannon fodder from a novel,” Jiang Huaiyu said. “You just value relationships and are very responsible. You’re a good person, so don’t underestimate yourself.”
Lu Mingxiao leaned over the small table, getting closer and closer.
Jiang Huaiyu: "...What are you doing?"
"Since I'm already so good to you..." Lu Mingxiao changed the subject: "How about you do my homework for me?"
Jiang Huaiyu: "...Give it to me."
"Okay~"
As the sun set, Lu Mingxiao finished applying the last layer of cement adhesive, and Jiang Huaiyu helped him finish his physics homework.
Lu Mingxiao flipped through it and gasped.
Jiang Huaiyu: "...What's wrong? I even tried to imitate your notes, but I didn't do it right?"
“No, it’s very similar, that’s it…” Lu Mingxiao pointed to the last question in despair: “This is too full. I wouldn’t dare to copy this full even if I copied the answer.”
Jiang Huaiyu: ...
Forgot about that, even helping struggling students with their homework requires skill.
...
Jiang Huaiyu's foot was injured, and the bathhouse was a mixed bag of people. It would be fine to go there normally, but with an injury, Lu Mingxiao was worried that it might cause problems for the young master, so he definitely couldn't let him go anymore.
"Just rinse it off in the yard," Lu Mingxiao said, carrying the hose. "This hose is connected to the water heater, so there's warm water. It was originally meant to be connected to the bathroom anyway, why use this?"
Jiang Huaiyu glanced at the courtyard wall, which was indeed quite high. However, the young master hesitated about taking a shower under the open sky. But if he didn't shower, he would feel sticky and uncomfortable from sweating.
He frowned in confusion, which made Lu Mingxiao laugh: "Young Master, haven't you ever been to a water park? Some rides even have people splashing water on you, what's there to be embarrassed about? Come on, let me show you how."
He raised his hand and took off his short-sleeved shirt with effortless grace.
Jiang Huaiyu: ...
Fortunately, Lu Mingxiao's shamelessness had its limits. He took a quick shower in his athletic shorts, then dragged Hu Zi over to get him cleaned up as well, before finally looking at Jiang Huaiyu.
"Come on, Mr. Jiang."
Jiang Huaiyu thought for a moment: "I'll bear with it for one day, and the wound will scab over tomorrow..."
Lu Mingxiao and Hu Zi shook their heads in the same way, splashing water everywhere. After shaking their heads, they looked at Jiang Huaiyu and said, "Tomorrow is not an option either. You can't soak the scabs in water."
Jiang Huaiyu had no rebuttal.
Wearing short sleeves was too awkward, and since they had already been completely honest with each other at the bathhouse, Jiang Huaiyu put her injured foot on a plastic stool, tested the water temperature, and first wet her hair.
Seeing that it was inconvenient for him to wash his hair with one hand, Lu Mingxiao came over to help him hold the hose.
"Close your eyes tightly, I'll rinse off the foam for you."
Jiang Huaiyu obediently closed his eyes tightly. In the darkness, Lu Mingxiao rubbed his ear.
“There are bubbles.” Lu Mingxiao’s voice came through the sound of water, with a hint of a smile: “Boss Jiang, you’re so stubborn. Grandma Li said that people who are stubborn are very opinionated and can be in charge of their families when they get married.”
Jiang Huaiyu: "This is nonsense without any scientific basis."
"I think there's some truth to it; my mom's just really hard to believe." Lu Mingxiao suddenly called out with great emotion, "Mom!"
Jiang Huaiyu: ...
He had a bad feeling.
He opened his eyes through the flowing water and saw the iron gate pushed open, with a couple standing at the door, looking at him with surprise.
Jiang Huaiyu: ...
The young master, who had lived a respectable life, was gently shattered.
Seemingly sensing the awkwardness, Lu Mingxiao tried to comfort him: "Um... you were switched at birth while taking a bath, so wouldn't you say that's a way of making the best of a bad situation?"
Jiang Huaiyu: "...Thanks, that was very comforting. Don't say that next time."
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