She wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and patted the back of Xu Qinghe's hand, her face full of regret and reluctance.
After a moment, Xu Qinghe thought of Yin Yunjie still waiting outside the door, so she suggested: "Grandma, you take a good rest here first. I'll go make some food, and we can continue chatting while we eat."
After saying that, Xu Qinghe stood up, his eyes flashing with determination and tenderness, ready to take practical actions to smooth out this sudden turmoil in his family.
The old woman straightened her slightly bent back with all her strength, her eyes gleaming with determination as she said stubbornly and resolutely, "I'll go with you. It's a good opportunity to see who that young man from the Yin family is. If he's not a kind-hearted and upright young man, I, with my old bones that have experienced so much, will risk everything to seek justice for our granddaughter Xu Qinghe. She won't suffer even the slightest injustice!"
Xu Qinghe looked at her grandmother's unquestionable expression. Although she felt a little helpless, she was also filled with warmth. She had no choice but to support her gently, and the two of them slowly walked out of the yard.
As soon as I stepped out from the eaves, the cool air hit me in the face, and the yard was empty.
Only the occasional crackling sound wafting from the direction of the kitchen reveals a bit of the daily life.
Yin Yunjie's old but neat bicycle was leaning quietly in a corner of the yard.
There were still a few drops of morning dew hanging on the wheel, suggesting that he had not gone far away and was probably staying in the kitchen to help.
Xu Qinghe thought that he was a guest on his first visit.
How can we let guests do housework themselves? This is neither moral nor logical.
She quickened her pace and almost jogged towards the kitchen. The scene before her warmed her heart.
In the kitchen, Yin Yunjie took off his outer clothes and wore only a clean and tidy white shirt.
The cuffs are neatly rolled up to the elbows, and the exposed forearm muscles are tight and strong, making him look capable yet gentle.
He was cooking with full concentration and skill, like a chef with a lot of experience in the kitchen.
His strong body seemed even more crowded in the small kitchen space, making it almost impossible to put his feet in the already small kitchen.
On the side, Aunt Sun Youfang seemed to want to help.
But her movements seemed clumsy and unnecessary, and instead caused some trouble for the busy Yin Yunjie.
Her behavior created a sense of uneasiness in the air.
"Aunt Guihua, please go out and have a rest first. I'll call you when the meal is ready."
Xu Qinghe spoke softly, and at the same time reached out and gently pulled Sun Youfang, intending to let her temporarily leave this busy battlefield.
Sun Youfang was about to get angry, but after feeling Yin Yunjie's seemingly unintentional glance.
All the complaints instantly solidified in the throat, turning into an indescribable emotion.
Her face was slightly annoyed, and she whispered in a slightly threatening tone, "Don't forget, I'm your nominal stepmother. If you really dare to deny me food, I'll let the whole village know. By then, you'll be drowned in this ocean of public opinion with just a drop of saliva."
"Whatever you want."
Yin Yunjie's voice came from beside Xu Qinghe, calm but with an unquestionable coldness.
Obviously, he already knew Sun Youfang's character and didn't care about this threat.
Although his words were brief, they seemed to contain deep meaning, and were a silent warning to Sun Youfang.
It was also a silent promise to Xu Qinghe - as a family member, he had the responsibility to protect her.
Sun Youfang knew that he could not get any benefits from Yin Yunjie.
He could only glare at Xu Qinghe angrily, then turned away unwillingly, but secretly vowed in his heart to find an opportunity to "settle the score."
"Thank you, Yin Yunjie."
"You're welcome, we're a family. Come, set the table and get ready to eat."
His answer was clear and concise. As the last dish of delicious fried meat came out of the pot, a simple but warm family dinner was ready.
It seemed that Sun Youfang had specially brought out that plate of meat in order to please Yin Yunjie.
But not only did he not refuse, he also deliberately placed the finished product with Xu Qinghe, preventing Sun Youfang from having the chance to taste it.
Xu Qinghe secretly glanced at Yin Yunjie from the corner of her eye, with indescribable emotions surging in her heart.
Is he protecting me?
Thinking of this, she did not stop moving.
He carefully served the rice and then helped old lady Zhu Yunxiu to take a seat.
The three of them sat around the dining table, enjoying this rare tranquility and harmony.
Old man Zhu Yunxiu held the bowl, but did not pick up his chopsticks immediately. Instead, his eyes were gentle, full of scrutiny and expectation.
He looked deeply at the new family member, Yin Yunjie, as if considering his sincerity and character.
Yin Yunjie could feel that the old man's gaze seemed to carry a delicate touch.
She gently caressed him, exploring and expectant. He didn't rush to break the silence of scrutiny, but just sat there quietly.
Let the old man carefully outline his features with his eyes, trying to read more information from every inch of silence.
"What a handsome young man! You're the life-saving hero of Qinghe, as the outside world has said. Grandma is here to express her deepest gratitude to you on behalf of our entire family."
As Zhu Yunxiu spoke, she gently put down the bowl and chopsticks in her hands and folded her hands.
His eyes were full of sincerity and gratitude, as if every word flowed from the tenderest part of his heart.
Although deep down in her heart, the old lady couldn't help but feel a little dissatisfied with the young man who easily let her precious daughter fall into marriage.
But reason told her that if it weren't for Yin Yunjie's help at the critical moment, her granddaughter Xu Qinghe might have fallen into an unpredictable predicament.
This heartfelt gratitude far outweighs any dissatisfaction.
Yin Yunjie was not in a hurry to enjoy the meal in front of him, but chose to stare intently at the man in front of him with a head full of silver hair.
The old lady, with wisdom shining in her eyes, listened patiently to every word she said as she slowly unfolded.
The old lady's voice was gentle but with a subtle firmness, as if she was telling a long and tortuous story.
"Qinghe's mother passed away young, and her stepmother failed to give her the love and care she deserved. But Qinghe has a kind nature. Now that she's become your partner, she will never do anything to embarrass you."
Having said that, the old lady's tone changed.
He suddenly became incredibly firm, as if declaring some inviolable principle: "But I want to make one thing clear. You must not neglect Qinghe even a little bit just because he lacks support. Otherwise, I will make your Yin family restless!"
Xu Qinghe listened quietly at the side, feeling mixed emotions.
Every word the old man said was like a warm stone thrown into the lake of her heart.
It stirred up layers of ripples, and the bitterness was mixed with indescribable warmth, making her feel valued and loved like never before.
Just as Yin Yunjie was touched by the old man's unquestionable determination.
Just as he was about to nod in agreement, a sudden burst of hurried footsteps sounded outside the door, accompanied by an anxious call that broke the silence in the room:
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