After washing up, Xu Qinghe walked into the kitchen, followed closely by Yin Yunjie. Her tone was filled with helplessness and caution: "If it weren't for the fact that food is not easy to make, I would never easily try the breakfast she made. I always worry about whether there is a hidden secret in it."
The corners of Yin Yunjie's mouth rose slightly, revealing a mysterious smile. He took a step ahead of Xu Qinghe and gently picked up a few strands of noodles and put them into his mouth.
However, perhaps because they had been left for a little too long, the noodles were a little soft and had lost the toughness they had when they were just out of the pot. They were far less memorable than those cooked by Xu Qinghe himself.
Seeing this, Xu Qinghe moved forward curiously, and the bowls and chopsticks accidentally bumped against each other, making a crisp sound.
This action suddenly brought the two closer together. Yin Yunjie's eyes couldn't help but fall on the almost invisible hairs on Xu Qinghe's delicate cheeks. They looked particularly soft and vivid under the morning light.
The girl's eyes were clear and full of curiosity, with a faint smile on the corner of her mouth and a hint of wine on her cheek.
At this moment, their eyes met unexpectedly, and Yin Yunjie's thoughts suddenly drifted back to those beautiful fragments in his dreams, those warm scenes that made him unconsciously raise the corners of his lips.
An indescribable emotion quietly grew in his heart. He quickly looked away, adjusted his breathing, and tried his best to appear calm. Then he said casually, "Xu Jianguo was just in custody for a few days. It's not a matter of life or death. There's no need for Sun Youfang to do anything extreme. You're overthinking her."
Xu Qinghe blinked, as if he understood something.
Indeed, Xu Jianguo's brief detention was only a temporary problem and he would be back soon. If Sun Youfang really tampered with the breakfast, it would not only be illegal, but would also put the pillar of the family in an embarrassing situation of no one to take care of him once he returned.
This analysis immediately dispelled the gloom in Xu Qinghe's heart. The noodles in her hand seemed to become more delicious as a result, and she began to taste them in big mouthfuls.
Just as she was immersed in this simple happiness, she heard staggering footsteps outside the door. Old man Zhu Yunxiu was walking slowly out with a cane in his hand and an old sickle hanging on his shoulder. This scene made Xu Qinghe's heart tighten, and she almost choked on the noodles in her mouth.
She was afraid that her elderly grandmother would do some dangerous work, so she quickly put down her bowl and chopsticks and hurried out the door, afraid that she would miss anything.
Yin Yunjie followed closely behind, thinking that perhaps he could share some of the burden with Zhu Yunxiu.
Outside the door, Xu Qinghe stared at the sharp sickle, her worry evident in her heart: "Grandma, it's just dawn, where are you going? Why haven't you even finished breakfast?"
Zhu Yunxiu faced her granddaughter's questioning with a subtle hint of shyness in her smile. She softly explained, "My old bones woke up early this morning, so I don't have much of an appetite. You young people should eat more. I'm free anyway, so I thought I'd go to the woods and chop some bamboo and weave some baskets. Maybe I can exchange them for some money or some daily necessities for my family."
In those distant and peaceful days, the young Zhu Yunxiu used her hands to weave one exquisite bamboo basket after another.
As time passed, although she grew older, her dexterous hands did not stop working. Instead, they turned to more delicate work, such as weaving sturdy and durable pot lids with soft thatch. Such skills were rare in the village. Whenever her works appeared in the market, they always attracted the attention of neighbors and were exchanged for some meager but precious money or daily necessities.
However, as she grew older, Zhu Yunxiu's eyesight was not as sharp as before, and she was doing less and less weaving, which required delicate eyesight.
But today, a long-lost impulse quietly sprouted in her heart.
Just as Xu Qinghe was about to blurt out words of concern, wanting to dissuade her from wasting her time and effort, suddenly, a clear idea flashed through her mind, causing her to change the subject.
She stared at Zhu Yunxiu, her eyes flashing with confusion and worry, as if she was looking for a reasonable explanation - why would her grandmother resume her old toil? Was it to help Sun Youfang, who always brought trouble to the family?
Zhu Yunxiu's eyes were evasive, as if she was hiding an unspeakable secret. Faced with her granddaughter's keen insight, she seemed both ashamed and embarrassed.
After a long hesitation, she answered softly, her voice tinged with helplessness: "Jianguo is indeed the blood of our family..."
In her heart, there was a deep worry.
If he did not lend a helping hand to Sun Youfang, he was afraid that Sun Youfang would reveal a secret to the public when she was desperate, putting Xu Qinghe's life into a new predicament.
Zhu Yunxiu could only bury this concern deep in her heart and let her granddaughter misunderstand her original intention.
After hearing this, Xu Qinghe's face was filled with mixed emotions, including anger and a wry smile.
She thought to herself, Grandma, oh grandma, how can you be so forgetful?
Can the pain and bullying that Sun Youfang and her son brought us be erased from our memory so easily?
She was about to speak, but was interrupted by Yin Yunjie in time. He gently but firmly offered to do it for her, while gently pulling Xu Qinghe.
Xu Qinghe took a deep breath, suppressed the waves in her heart, and silently returned to the table to continue eating noodles. However, her back seemed unusually heavy, and the last glance she left for Zhu Yunxiu was full of deep disappointment and helplessness.
Zhu Yunxiu looked at her granddaughter's lonely back, feeling a pang of sadness in her heart. She then turned to Yin Yunjie and made her request in a calm manner.
She didn't want to bother this attentive young man any further, and she was willing to make this decision alone.
Yin Yunjie returned to the kitchen and saw Xu Qinghe swallowing food in big mouthfuls, feeling mixed emotions.
After pondering for a moment, he decided to speak. His words revealed his understanding for Xu Qinghe and tried to comfort her unhappiness: "I know you are angry about this, but Grandma has her concerns. You don't have to be too hard on yourself. For her, this may be the most direct way to express your love and care. After doing this, she may feel better."
Xu Qinghe couldn't control her emotions after hearing this, and asked, "She may feel relieved, but has she ever thought about my feelings?"
This question is not only an inquiry into the current situation, but also an appeal against all the grievances and injustices of the past.
Xu Qinghe's heart was shocked by the emotion at this moment, which made her realize more deeply the sadness of the original owner who was harmed by Sun Youfang, wandered around all her life, and was unable to enjoy a moment of peace until the end of her life.
Even though she had a foresight about the direction of the story, if she had not met Yin Yunjie that unexpected night and had not had the courage to try to change her fate, her future might still be confused and uncertain.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
