Chapter 7: Utterly Childish
Habits are undoubtedly a terrifying thing. Qin Guanlan can now eat by himself without Shen Qingtang having to coax him. Shen Qingtang no longer keeps her distance as before, but brings her own food and eats with Qin Guanlan.
The two of them never spoke while eating, but the atmosphere wasn't silent; instead, it was relaxed and comfortable. When Qin Guanlan discovered that Shen Qingtang didn't like green peppers, he would seize on this and put the green peppers from his plate on her plate, revealing a rare childish expression that said, "If you don't eat them, I won't eat them either."
A week passed like flowing water, and it was lunchtime again. Qin Guanlan raised his eyebrows slightly, showing a hint of surprise, as Shen Qingtang pushed open the door empty-handed.
It should be noted that Shen Qingtang herself values her three meals a day even more than he does, with strict meal times for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, not a second more or less.
He wondered, "Did the kitchen forget to prepare anything today?" Shen Qingtang shook her head and said, "Brother Qin, let's go downstairs to eat today."
"Go down and eat..." Upon hearing this request, Qin Guanlan reflexively showed a resistant look, his appetite immediately diminished, and he shook his head and said, "I won't eat lunch today."
Hearing Qin Guanlan's answer, Shen Qingtang was not surprised. Since the car accident, he had been staying in the hospital or in his room, creating a barrier as if he wanted to isolate himself from the outside world.
Therefore, she adopted a firm attitude: "Brother Qin, you have to go down for dinner." After saying that, she hugged Qin Guanlan tightly before he could react, and then gave Qi Yi a look and said: "Qi Yi, please lift the wheelchair down."
Qin Guanlan's face darkened, and he raised his voice to coldly say to Qi Yi, who was busy at work, "Qi Yi, you are not allowed to move the wheelchair down."
His tall stature meant he could only wrap his arms around Shen Qingtang's neck, clinging to her like a sloth. His legs dangled limply like lifeless puppet legs, offering no support. Even his usually intimidating aura seemed to have diminished somewhat.
Qi Yi hoisted the wheelchair onto his back and said with a helpless expression, "Brother Qin, why don't you and Sister Chen have a fight first?"
Qin Guanlan: "......"
Despite Qin Guanlan's fierce struggles, Shen Qingtang easily subdued him, even spanking him three times like a child, and scolding him, "Brother Qin, you're not being obedient at all now, you'll be bullied sooner or later."
Qin Guanlan looked coldly at Shen Qingtang, who was "bullying" him at the moment. His deep green eyes were like those of a venomous snake that was extremely poisonous and vengeful.
Qi Er stood to the side, sweating profusely, not daring to meet his gaze. Shen Qingtang, however, ignored him and even began to daydream.
"Brother Qin, after we finish eating, I'll push you for a walk in the garden."
"Lots of flowers are blooming, some red, some green, some white, and there are also little butterflies and dragonflies. Shall I catch some for you to play with?"
This treatment, reserved only for children, infuriated Qin Guanlan. Despite his reluctance, Shen Qingtang still carried him out of the room.
His face flushed red as he said, "Shen Qingtang, wait, I don't want you to hug me, let Qi Er do it." It was one thing for them to hug each other in the room, but if people outside saw them, they would inevitably speculate about an unfounded relationship between them.
Shen Qingtang thought Qin Guanlan was just shy and would rather be carried downstairs by a man than by a woman, so she nodded knowingly and said, "Okay, then I'll go downstairs and hurry up with the dishes."
Looking at Qin Guanlan's "obedient" back as he sat at the dining table on the first floor, Qi Yi couldn't help but sigh, "I thought Brother Qin would definitely throw a tantrum in his room and wouldn't want to come out." He sincerely admired, "Shen Qingtang is really amazing."
When Brother Qin was initially declared paralyzed from the waist down and beyond medical help, everyone tried to persuade him to leave his room and get back on his feet, but all their efforts failed. Yet, in just over a week, Brother Qin was "out" of his room. Isn't that amazing?
Qi Er said in a low voice, "Everyone has a heart." Over the past week, Shen Qingtang's meticulous care for Brother Qin had not gone unnoticed. Not only did she make sure Brother Qin ate all three meals every day, but she also taught him how to massage acupoints and care for his thighs from the therapist. To keep Brother Qin from getting bored, she carefully selected a lot of DVDs and books for him, and would read them to him if he didn't want to watch them.
Whenever Brother Qin got angry with her, she wouldn't show it or retaliate secretly. She was like a well-programmed robot, strictly following the instructions to take care of Brother Qin.
Qi Yi said in a low voice, "Last time Brother Qin got up in the middle of the night, it was she who reminded me. She said she heard a noise in the bathroom and asked me to go and check it out. It was already 2 a.m., I really don't know what time she went to sleep."
Although Qin Guanlan admitted that he was a disabled person with paralyzed legs, he was still thin-skinned and uncomfortable. He would avoid troubling others with things like going to the toilet. If he accidentally fell, he would rather spend an entire night slowly climbing into his wheelchair and pretending that nothing had happened than ask for help.
Although the weather is hot now, if you lie on the cold tiles all night, you'll probably catch a cold again. If Mrs. Qin, with her fiery temper, investigates, it will be their fault, and they will definitely be punished.
Qi Yi and Qi Er took turns keeping watch at night, so this was the first time Qi Er had heard about this. He warned in a low voice, "Don't sleep so soundly next time. You won't be so lucky every time."
Qi nodded and said, "Brother, I understand."
Although the food at the Qin family's house wasn't Michelin five-star hotel level, it was still quite delicious. Qin Guanlan had a rugged appearance, but according to Shen Qingtang's observation, he had inherited Aunt Su's sweet tooth from the Jiangzhe region.
Therefore, she had asked for sweet and sour pork and sweet and sour pork to be made today, but Qin Guanlan held the soup spoon and chopsticks but didn't touch a bite. He was filled with anxiety and restlessness, like a wild beast pacing back and forth, his eyes constantly scanning back and forth.
Even though only Shen Qingtang, Qi Yi, and Qi Er were in the lobby on the first floor, he felt uneasy all over, as if someone was secretly watching his crippled legs from behind, and his expression became unpredictable.
Shen Qingtang observed Qin Guanlan's every move, and she knew perfectly well that this was normal. Even if no one said it aloud, everyone knew that Qin Guanlan treated his room as a sanctuary and the outside world as a dangerous place like a prison.
But the truth is quite the opposite. What Shen Qingtang wanted was for Qin Guanlan to understand that it wasn't that dangerous outside, and that not many people were watching his crippled and powerless legs.
Although no one told her this, she understood that physical ailments are easier to cure than mental ones; some people, even if their legs are healed, will never be able to stand up again. Therefore, leaving the room was just the beginning.
However, as the saying goes, everything is difficult at the beginning. Shen Qingtang simply urged him once and then turned on the TV, no longer paying attention to Qin Guanlan.
As luck would have it, an animated scene of someone eating popped up on the TV.
The mother and daughter were seated in seats that perfectly matched the two of them, and Shen Qingtang immediately became interested without changing the channel.
The dining table fell silent, save for the sounds of Shen Qingtang chewing and conversations coming from the television.
【Yaya, why aren't you eating?】
Because my mother doesn't love me.
So what should I do?
Unless Mom kisses my cheek
Noticing the sudden brightening in Shen Qingtang's eyes due to the terrible conversation, Qin Guanlan felt a sense of foreboding.
Does this person really think that a kiss on the cheek will make him eat obediently? Is he such a naive child?
In fact, the naive child is someone else entirely.
Shen Qingtang had learned a lot from the internet and television these past few days, so she put it into practice quite openly: "Brother Qin, you haven't been eating, is it because you want me to kiss you?"
Upon hearing this, Qin Guanlan looked up abruptly and met the other person's clear, doe-like eyes, devoid of any lust or desire.
Instead, his gaze was hopelessly fixed on the other person's bright red lips. The thin lips were covered with a layer of oil from the food, and under the light, they reflected a moist sheen that was somewhat sexy. They were the pinkest peach in spring and the most passionate rose in summer.
The other person's eyes were focused and serious, as if Shen Qingtang would immediately take action once he said yes.
His body stiffened, his throat tightened, and his heart felt like it was being submerged in boiling water, experiencing tiny, continuous throbbing. He pursed his lips and uttered a sharp criticism that didn't reflect his true feelings: "Utterly childish."
Despite this, he hurriedly picked up a piece of meat and vegetables with his chopsticks and stuffed it into his mouth to chew. Sweet and sour pork ribs have always been one of his favorite dishes, with tender meat and a perfect caramel color that makes them fall off the bone in one bite. But now he couldn't taste the food and just kept eating rice.
Shen Qingtang also noticed this unusual scene and asked, "Brother Qin, isn't the sweet and sour pork ribs delicious?"
Qin Guanlan rubbed his middle finger with his thumb, lowered his eyes to hide his inner guilt, and hummed softly, "The dishes today are all pretty average."
"Is it just okay?" Shen Qingtang frowned slightly, but couldn't taste any difference from before. She thought to herself, perhaps the other person was tired of Xiaoqian's signature dishes.
She didn't show it on her face, but she secretly decided to cook something different for him tomorrow.
She had noticed before that, besides being a practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine, she seemed to have a considerable knowledge of food. As soon as she touched an ingredient, countless recipes and methods of preparation would come to mind, some of which were even rare imperial dishes passed down through generations.
Xiaoqian had always been the one cooking, and she hadn't offered to do it herself to avoid causing any conflict. But now that Brother Qin was tired of the food, she naturally wanted to show off her skills.
Taking good care of Qin Guanlan in every way is her first principle.
After finishing her meal, she pushed Qin Guanlan around the small garden for twenty minutes before going to the kitchen to tell Xiaoqian what ingredients to prepare for the next morning.
As soon as Shen Qingtang left, Xiaowen immediately came over and asked with concern, "Xiaoqian, what was Shen Qingtang saying to you just now?"
Xiaoqian pouted, her pretty face showing dissatisfaction: "This Shen Qingtang actually complained that my cooking is not good. Tomorrow she wants to cook for me herself and asks me to prepare the ingredients. She doesn't even want me to help her."
Xiaowen immediately frowned and said, "Xiaoqian, you're a top-notch chef, how could your cooking be bad?" She lowered her voice and said with concern, "Could it be that she's deliberately picking a fight with you, trying to use this opportunity to get rid of you?"
"No way? How could she possibly kick me out? I'm the maid that Miss brought here." Xiaoqian raised her chin, but her voice was filled with worry.
Xiaowen patiently persuaded, "Xiaoqian, it's not that I'm overthinking it. Last time you went to complain, you offended Shen Qingtang. She's definitely going to find ways to get revenge. You've seen how Madam treats Shen Qingtang. If Shen Qingtang takes away your cooking job, do you think it'll be the one who leaves the Qin Mansion?"
Upon hearing this, Xiaoqian immediately tensed up and looked at Xiaowen with a blank expression, saying, "Sister Xiaowen, what do you think I should do?"
Xiaowen smiled faintly and remained silent, her gaze fixed as she said, "Xiaoqian, you're so smart, you should know what to do, right?"
Upon hearing this, Xiaoqian's eyes darkened instantly, her gaze fixed on a batch of fresh ingredients that had just been delivered.
The next day, Shen Qingtang brought Qin Guanlan's breakfast to the kitchen and asked, "Xiaoqian, have the ingredients been delivered yet?"
A flash of hostility crossed Xiaoqian's eyes as she tidied up the kitchen, saying, "The head kitchen staff said it's still early, and the black-boned chicken you ordered won't arrive until ten o'clock."
Each villa in the Qin Mansion is equipped with a small kitchen. To minimize food waste, the main kitchen staff purchases the ingredients daily and delivers them to the villas.
Shen Qingtang nodded noncommittally, then asked, "What about the other ingredients?"
Xiaoqian touched her nose awkwardly and said, "They said they'd bring it all over together later."
“Alright, I’ll come over at ten o’clock to make lunch, so you don’t need to work at noon today.” Xiaoqian replied, her eyes filled with even more hatred as she watched Shen Qingtang’s departing figure. She whispered, “You want me to never have to work again, right? I won’t do as you wish.”
Shen Qingtang is always punctual, and she stepped into the kitchen as soon as it was ten o'clock.
Looking at the whole chicken on the kitchen cutting board, she poked the limp chicken breast and immediately frowned, saying, "This is the black-boned chicken sent from the main kitchen?" This chicken was definitely not slaughtered that day. When she got closer to smell it, there was a faint stench lingering in her nostrils.
This is clearly a dead chicken that's been sitting around for several days.
Feeling guilty, Xiaoqian nodded immediately upon hearing the question, saying, "Yes, this is what the main kitchen sent over." She coughed and raised her voice, "I even picked out a big one especially for you."
Shen Qingtang pointed out the problem in a calm tone: "But this chicken smells bad."
"What smell? You must be mistaken." Xiaoqian pretended to smell it and called over Xiaowen, who was standing next to her: "Sister Xiaowen, come and smell it. She insists that this chicken smells bad."
Xiaowen immediately lowered her head, sniffed, and shook her head, saying, "Anyway, I don't think there's anything wrong with it."
Xiaoqian said sarcastically, "Sister Xiaowen, maybe Shen Qingtang is born into a wealthy family and has a nose that's much more sensitive than the two of us. Otherwise..." She paused, then continued, "Or maybe she's just deliberately making things difficult for me."
Shen Qingtang could tell at a glance that the two of them were in cahoots and was deliberately making things difficult for her.
She pursed her lips, not wanting to get caught up in a pointless entanglement, and immediately called Uncle Wang, asking him to take her to the market.
Hearing this request, Uncle Wang was a little puzzled: "I remember the main kitchen should have black-boned chicken, right?"
Shen Qingtang shook her head and said, "I have to go out and buy it myself." Xiaoqian was the designated contact person for the main kitchen, and she guessed that the other party would definitely cause trouble again.
Even with her best cooking skills, she couldn't salvage such rotten ingredients; she might as well just buy new ones herself.
Uncle Wang had seen too much infighting and shady dealings among wealthy families, so after hearing Shen Qingtang's words, he didn't press her further and simply left her at the farmers' market.
She can contact him to pick her up after she finishes shopping.
Shen Qingtang thanked them and happened to see a Xinhua Bookstore next door displaying a lot of medical books and ancient texts, attracting the attention of passersby. Her eyes lit up instantly, and she turned and went into the bookstore.
She now needs to read many, many medical books to find the safest way to treat Brother Qin's legs.
A note from the author:
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The Ephedra Decoction uses cinnamon twigs and apricot kernels, surpassing the other four ingredients. It is suitable for fever, chills, headache, neck pain, shortness of breath, and no sweating. —From "The Song of Decoctions"
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