ã€ŠReborn in the Eighties as a Housewife with a Spaceã€‹


 Chapter 1

    with two ¡°thump, thump¡± sounds, qin xue was struck by a speeding bmw, sending her flying into the air before crashing back down onto the ground.

    the moment she hit the ground, qin xue seemingly saw her deceased mother, yearning for her so much.

    she had initially arranged to have dinner with her best friend today and then go to the karaoke. who knew that she would be hit while crossing the road after getting off work and leaving the hospital? maybe this is fate.

    surrounded by gasps, she heard someone calling 110 and someone else calling 120 for an ambulance.

    qin xue saw the ground covered in blood, getting colder and colder until she was swallowed by darkness. she didn¡¯t notice the jade pendant on her neck, emitting a fleeting glow in the blood.

    she didn¡¯t know how much time had passed before she was awakened by the pain. she opened her eyes, feeling a wave of dizziness mixed with pain in her head.

    she let out a painful hiss and couldn¡¯t help but close her eyes again. when she opened them, she saw a sheet of white overhead.

    the smell in her nose was that of disinfectant; this must be a hospital.

    she turned her head but saw no one. ever since her mom passed away when she was five, her dad remarried, her stepmother brought along a sister, and then had a brother with her dad. she was completely alienated from the family.

    qin xue had been living with her grandparents ever since. it was only after they got older and she went to college that she returned to this home. aside from the living expenses her dad gave her each month, she didn¡¯t feel welcomed in this family.

    however, qin xue¡¯s cheerful and gentle temperament made her resemble her deceased mother. her grandmother would always say, ¡°our xue¡¯er is the most beautiful and gentle girl in this world.¡±

    her grandfather often sat nearby, tidying up his herbs while chuckling at the sight of his granddaughter and wife getting along.

    qin xue missed her grandparents and planned to take a few days off to visit them as soon as she recovered from her injuries.

    as qin xue¡¯s thoughts wandered, someone entered the room. she saw a woman in her early thirties wearing a half-new floral shirt.

    she was also wearing half-new black pants and a pair of black leather shoes that looked like they had been worn for quite some time, with worn-out toes.

    in the woman¡¯s hand was a red thermos decorated with peonies and a big red ¡°happiness¡± character, the kind that was popular in the 1980s. this kind of thermos was mostly used as a dowry item, but this one seemed quite old.

    what era is this? how could there be such old things and such outdated floral clothes and pants?

    qin xue turned her head to look at the ceiling, only to notice that it was peeling and had chunks of plaster falling off.

    fang hong entered and saw that qin xue had glanced at her before looking away. she quickly walked over, put the thermos on the ground, and said, ¡°qin xue, you¡¯re awake. is there anything that makes you uncomfortable? if there is, tell me, and i¡¯ll call the doctor.¡±

    ¡°um? excuse me, who are you? are you talking to me?¡± qin xue asked the woman in front of her in confusion.

    fang hong was stunned by qin xue¡¯s puzzled expression, ¡°of course i¡¯m talking to you, qin xue. are you alright?

    i¡¯m your sister-in-law, fang hong. don¡¯t you recognize me? did you hit your head too hard? just wait here, i¡¯ll go get the doctor.¡± saying this, she hurriedly ran out.

    it wasn¡¯t long before footsteps approached, and a doctor entered wearing a white cap, white shirt, and white coat. this was the standard doctor attire. is this a hospital?

    ¡°dr. chen, please take a look at qin xue. how come she doesn¡¯t recognize me?¡± fang hong said as she walked beside the doctor.

    chen hao adjusted his glasses and touched the bump on the back of qin xue¡¯s head before saying, ¡°ouch, it hurts!¡± no wonder her head hurt so much¡ªit was because of the injury on the back of her head.

 Chapter 2

    after touching the bump on qin xue¡¯s head, chen hao asked qin xue, ¡°how do you feel now? which part is uncomfortable?¡±

    ¡°i feel dizzy, and my head aches so much that i feel nauseous?¡± qin xue guessed that this was a post-concussion syndrome, as she was also a doctor and knew about this situation.

    ¡°hmm, you¡¯ve injured your head and lost a lot of blood, so it¡¯s normal to feel that way. your concussion is a bit severe.¡±

    fang hong mentioned earlier that you didn¡¯t recognize her, so it¡¯s probably because of a temporal memory loss caused by the blood clot pressing on a nerve in the back of your head. once the blood clot dissipates, it should get better.

    ¡°let me take a look at your head wound, and i¡¯ll have the nurse change your medication later. there shouldn¡¯t be any other major issues.¡± chen hao said while unwrapping the gauze and checking the wound, which looked to be healing well.

    ¡°alright, thank you, doctor.¡± qin xue expressed her gratitude.

    ¡°doctor chen, can qin xue eat now?¡± fang hong remembered that qin xue had been unconscious for several days and was pregnant.

    she had been surviving on nutritional support, and chu molin, her husband, happened to be away on a business trip.

    with qin xue injured, mr. xie of her family had no choice but to arrange for yu xiu from xu fangzhou¡¯s family to take turns caring for qin xue.

    when qin xue first arrived at the institute, her bad temper and unreasonable behavior made her unpopular, and her constant quarrels with her family were heard throughout the residential building. everyone knew about her reputation.

    it was even rumored that she had schemed her way into marrying chu molin, as someone with his looks and accomplishments surely wouldn¡¯t have chosen someone like qin xue otherwise.

    for example, the institute¡¯s resident beauty, su yun, had been dating molin with plans to marry him, only for qin xue to snatch him away. if qin xue had been a good person, it wouldn¡¯t have mattered, but she wasn¡¯t.

    when qin xue first joined the institute, fang hong had been instructed by her husband mr. xie to take care of her. however, qin xue¡¯s ungrateful and rude behavior eventually made fang hong give up on helping her.

    but now that qin xue was injured, and chu molin was away on a research trip with no certain return date, fang hong was reluctantly forced to care for her and discovered that qin xue was already two months pregnant.

    qin xue was not only injured and bleeding but now also suffering from memory loss. fortunately, she woke up, and the baby was safe; otherwise, who knew how they would have explained things to chu molin upon his return.

    ¡°she can eat liquid and light food since her digestive system hasn¡¯t adapted yet to being unconscious for several days, so don¡¯t eat anything else. if you need anything, just come to me,¡± chen hao said indifferently.

    after the nurse changed the medication, fang hong asked qin xue, ¡°do you need to use the restroom? let me help you. after finishing, i¡¯ll bring you some porridge from the cafeteria.¡±

    ¡°alright, thank you, sister-in-law.¡± qin xue felt very dizzy whenever she moved, but she also needed to use the restroom, so she got up slowly.

    fang hong helped qin xue to the restroom slowly and then back to bed before going to the cafeteria to get food.

    it was only after fang hong left that qin xue slowly lifted her hand to look at it, gradually recovering from her confused state.

    ever since fang hong called herself fang hong¡¯s sister-in-law, qin xue felt that something was wrong. how could she not have any injuries on her body after being hit by a fast car and only have a wound on her head with a bump?

    qin xue listened carefully when dr. chen mentioned temporary memory loss caused by the blood clot pressing on the nerve. she knew she hadn¡¯t lost her memory.

    however, she indeed didn¡¯t recognize fang hong. it wasn¡¯t until just now, when she went to the restroom and saw her hands, that she knew something was wrong. she was a surgeon, and her hands were slender and fair. now the hands she saw were also slender, but they were thin and dark, clearly not her hands.

    but now they were indeed her hands, which could only mean one thing: her original self had died, and she had been reincarnated into the body of another woman named qin xue.

 Chapter 3

    being reborn with the same name as qin xue but without any of her memories had really left her utterly confused.

    how could she deal with this situation? being completely in the dark, she sobbed, thinking the heavens should at least tell her where she was and who these people around her were.

    at least they should tell her what she was supposed to do. as qin xue was lost in thought, fang hong came back with food.

    ¡°qin xue, i got you some porridge and buns. eat them quickly.¡± fang hong placed the rectangular lunch box on the table and scooped up some porridge, preparing to feed qin xue.

    ¡°sister-in-law, help me sit up and lean against the bed. i¡¯d like to eat by myself, please.¡± even though qin xue felt dizzy, she wanted to eat on her own, as she wasn¡¯t used to being fed by others.

    ¡°alright, i¡¯ll help you sit up.¡± fang hong put the bowl on the table, helped qin xue sit up, and placed a pillow against the head of the bed for her to lean on before handing the bowl to qin xue.

    ¡°sister-in-law, have you eaten yet?¡± qin xue asked as she looked at the porridge.

    ¡°you eat first. i¡¯ll have my meal after you finish.¡± fang hong was surprised to hear qin xue ask this question.

    hearing fang hong¡¯s reply, qin xue said nothing more and started eating the porridge.

    qin xue could have complained about the bland taste of the porridge, but she was so hungry that she couldn¡¯t eat anything too hard; otherwise, it would upset her stomach. she picked up a large bun, broke off a small piece and found that the filling was a mixture of pork mince and bean thread noodles. the taste wasn¡¯t very good and it wasn¡¯t as delicious as the ones she had made herself. however, given her unfamiliar surroundings, she really had no choice.

    qin xue quietly ate half a bun and finished the bowl of porridge before she couldn¡¯t eat anymore. she put down the bowl.

    ¡°sister-in-law, i¡¯m full. you can go eat now!¡± qin xue said after she had enough.

    only after seeing that qin xue really didn¡¯t want to eat any more, did fang hong clean up the lunch box and wash the bowl before going to have her meal.

    qin xue tried to sit for a while but ultimately felt too dizzy. she closed her eyes and found it more comfortable. her mind raced as she pieced together everything she had seen since waking up. it was evident that this wasn¡¯t the era in which she used to live. this place was far more backward, and she might have actually gone back several decades.

    sigh, when in rome, do as the romans; the only thing that worried her was her grandparents. she wondered how they would cope when they discovered her death?

    with these thoughts, qin xue drifted off to sleep.

    when qin xue woke up again, it was already afternoon. she looked at the sun outside the window, then turned her head and saw a woman sitting beside the bed, knitting a sweater with yarn. the woman appeared to be in her thirties; her clothing and style were more fashionable than fang hong, and the quality of her clothes was also much higher. her temperament seemed quite good, indicating that her family¡¯s living standard was relatively high.

    yu xiu, noticing qin xue¡¯s gaze, put down her knitting needles: ¡°you¡¯re awake, are you thirsty? do you want to drink some water or go to the bathroom first?¡±

    ¡°uh, i¡¯d like to go to the bathroom first.¡± qin xue was a bit urgent, as the porridge she had in the morning made her urinate a lot.

    after yu xiu helped qin xue to the bathroom, she poured her a cup of warm water and sat down on a nearby stool to watch her drink.

    ¡°what do you want to eat? i¡¯ll get it for you from the canteen.¡±

    yu xiu¡¯s attitude was neither cold nor warm, just indifferent. thinking back to what fang hong had said earlier, she added, ¡°by the way, my name is yu xiu. fang hong and i will take turns caring for you. if you need anything, just let me know.¡±

    yu xiu didn¡¯t really have any objections to qin xue; it was just her personality to be indifferent to everyone.

    after marrying xu fangzhou, yu xiu had two children, a boy and a girl. the girl was four years old, and the boy was eight. both were attending school and kindergarten, younger than fang hong¡¯s child.

    fang hong¡¯s son was already in junior high school. since yu xiu¡¯s children were much younger, it was yu xiu who took care of qin xue during the day while fang hong took care of her at night.

    ¡°sister-in-law, you should go eat first. just get me some porridge when you¡¯re done, but take your time and eat well. you can come back after you¡¯ve finished.¡± qin xue said softly.

 Chapter 4

    li lan entered with the needle kit, ¡°young lady, have you eaten? would you like to get the injection now or later?¡±

    ¡°i haven¡¯t eaten yet, but you can give me the injection first.¡± qin xue felt that it was alright to get the injection first, since yu xiu hadn¡¯t returned yet.

    ¡°alright, let me give you the injection first. stretch out your hand.¡± li lan used a cotton swab dipped in alcohol to sanitize the back of qin xue¡¯s hand, and then inserted the needle into her vein. she secured the needle with tape and put away the sanitizer tools only after qin xue¡¯s hand was in a stable position.

    ¡°there you go, be careful yourself. i¡¯ll come back later to change the iv solution for you.¡±

    ¡°alright, thank you,¡± qin xue watched the drip infusing drop by drop into her bloodstream.

    she wondered what she should do in the future, as she had never felt so lost. now, aside from knowing her name was qin xue she knew nothing else; what was her path?

    just as the iv bag was nearly empty, yu xiu returned with a lunch box and two boiled eggs, ¡°you¡¯re getting the injection already? do you want me to feed you the porridge or do you want to eat after the injection is done?¡±

    ¡°just set it aside for now. i¡¯ll eat after i¡¯m done with the injection. i don¡¯t have much of an appetite right now.¡± qin xue felt a bit queasy and didn¡¯t really want to eat.

    ¡°it¡¯s normal not to have an appetite. you¡¯ve just been both pregnant and injured, on top of losing so much blood.

    you should have been more careful when you were pregnant. if someone hadn¡¯t discovered you in time that day,

    you might not have survived considering how much blood you lost, let alone the child. fortunately, both you and the child are safe. what if chu molin hadn¡¯t come back?¡± yu xiu unusually shared so much with qin xue, whom she wasn¡¯t familiar with, unaware of the impact her words had on her.

    ¡°cough cough cough cough!¡± qin xue choked on her saliva from the shock of the news.

    ¡°look at you, are you alright?¡± yu xiu patted qin xue¡¯s back until she stopped coughing, and then handed her a cup of water.

    ¡°yu xiu, what did you just say? did you say i¡¯m pregnant? does that mean i¡¯m married already?¡± qin xue asked uncertainly.

    ¡°exactly, don¡¯t you know you¡¯re pregnant? how could you become pregnant if you weren¡¯t married?

    qin xue, take my advice: after you recover from this injury, live a good life with chu molin.

    stop arguing and causing a scene. although chu molin doesn¡¯t talk much and always has a cold face, he¡¯s a good person. you can tell just by how he was willing to put everything aside and marry you. arguing not only damages your relationship but also has a negative impact on the child after he or she is born, don¡¯t you think?¡± yu xiu shared the advice her husband mr. xu had asked her to give to qin xue.

    ¡°sister-in-law, didn¡¯t the doctor say i had memory loss due to my head injury?

    there¡¯s a blood clot pressing on my nerves, so i don¡¯t remember a lot of things. could you please tell me the details?¡±

    qin xue wanted to learn more from yu xiu¡¯s words, as everyone else had been secretive so far, besides fang hong who had met her in the morning. since yu xiu was willing to share information, she wouldn¡¯t let the opportunity go to waste.

    ¡°i can, but i don¡¯t know much either.¡± yu xiu was not a person who liked to gossip about others¡¯ affairs. if it hadn¡¯t been for her husband, xu fangzhou, urging her to advise qin xue, she might not have wanted to share anything.

    ¡°that¡¯s alright, yu xiu. just share with me what you know. i¡¯ve lost my memory and don¡¯t remember anything. when you told me i was pregnant, i didn¡¯t even know what to do.¡± qin xue revealed her thoughts bit by bit.

    ¡°what can you do? heal your injuries, take care of yourself and the baby, and live a good life with chu molin when he comes back.¡± though yu xiu¡¯s facial expression was still indifferent, qin xue could feel the concern behind her words.

 Chapter 5

    yu xiu saw there wasn¡¯t much medication left, so she went to call a nurse to change the bottle before talking to qin xue about her situation:

    ¡°actually, i don¡¯t know much about you and chu molin. what i know is from overhearing others gossiping in the family building.¡±

    i hope you won¡¯t be mad, but people say that chu molin was forced to marry you because you tricked him. but i don¡¯t know how you tricked him.

    originally, people in the research institute said that the institute¡¯s beauty was dating chu molin, and they were almost ready to file for marriage.

    who would have thought that you would suddenly snatch him away when he went out for research, causing a huge ruckus and demanding chu molin take responsibility, so he had no choice but to marry you.

    not long after, i heard your family wanted chu molin to bring you here, so you came.

    but since you arrived, there¡¯s been non-stop trouble every day, and it eventually led to chu molin being punished.

    then chu molin and the others went out for research, you got injured and were hospitalized¡­ ah, that¡¯s all i know.¡±

    yu xiu finished and felt a bit embarrassed, talking about someone else¡¯s personal affairs like this, especially to the person involved.

    qin xue watched yu xiu¡¯s originally indifferent expression becoming uneasy as she talked about her gossip, and her heart stirred.

    it seems yu xiu is very insightful, though she doesn¡¯t talk much, she pointed out the key issues without wasting words.

    furthermore, qin xue could tell that yu xiu was someone she could befriend. whether they could become close friends depended on their future interactions. if they couldn¡¯t, they could at least be acquaintances, especially since yu xiu was taking care of her now, she didn¡¯t want to leave a bad impression!

    ¡°it¡¯s alright, yu xiu, i don¡¯t mind. i lost my memory and don¡¯t remember anything, so i¡¯m in the dark.

    speaking of which, i should thank you for telling me all this. otherwise, i wouldn¡¯t know if i offended someone or not. although, i may have already offended everyone.¡±

    from yu xiu¡¯s words, qin xue knew that her past self had offended everyone.

    but now that she was in this body, when people talked about the past, they were talking about her. so she needed to turn those bad things around and work towards a better future. it¡¯s time to change, starting now.

    seeing qin xue like this, yu xiu thought the rumors might be wrong.

    if qin xue knew what yu xiu was thinking, she could only sigh.

    she didn¡¯t have her past self¡¯s memories, but she believed she could bring back her good reputation as long as she managed everything well.

    although she wasn¡¯t someone who cared much about her reputation, now that she was married and had a child, having a good reputation would be beneficial.

    it wasn¡¯t until she finished her iv drip that qin xue started eating. the porridge and eggs were still hot, thanks to yu xiu, who was thoughtful enough to keep them warm in a basin of hot water.

    this small act showed how considerate yu xiu was. perhaps her indifference was just because they weren¡¯t familiar yet.

    the porridge today was quite thick, and yu xiu added some pickles, making it very appetizing.

    qin xue ended up finishing the whole box of porridge and two eggs, which made her feel a little embarrassed for eating so much.

    ¡°well, uh, yu xiu, i¡¯ve finished eating.¡± qin xue handed the empty lunch box to yu xiu with embarrassment.

    seeing qin xue¡¯s expression, yu xiu knew what was bothering her and took the lunch box: ¡°hey, what¡¯s the big deal? it¡¯s just a box of porridge. you¡¯re pregnant now, it¡¯s good to eat a lot.¡±

 Chapter 6

    qin xue stayed at the hospital for a week under the care of sisters-in-law fang hong and yu xiu before she was finally discharged.

    the three of them packed their things and took the research institute¡¯s car back to the institute.

    at the entrance, they could see the majestic and mysterious inscription ¡°xx research institute.¡±

    two guards stood straight at the entrance, and when they saw the institute¡¯s car, they gave a military salute.

    qin xue admired the solemn aura of the institute. she had always respected these hardworking researchers in her previous life and wanted to study and work on useful research projects herself.

    qin xue had originally intended to study for a master¡¯s degree, but her father interfered so she could not. later, she became an ordinary surgeon.

    qin xue thought back then that even if she could not continue her studies, she could still work hard to make a name for herself in her chosen field. but unexpectedly, just two years after she started working, a car accident brought her here.

    now she realized she didn¡¯t even have to worry about love or marriage; she was suddenly a mother.

    the soldier driving signed them in, let qin xue and the others out of the car, and said, ¡°ladies, please take your belongings out of the car and wait here while i park the car and return to help you move them.¡±

    ¡°no need for that, xiao zhao. there isn¡¯t much stuff anyway. we can handle it ourselves. you can just go back to your duties,¡± fang hong replied.

    qin xue didn¡¯t know what to say, so the three of them took their things and left the car.

    xiao zhao saw that there wasn¡¯t much stuff either, so he didn¡¯t say anything else and drove off to return the car.

    there were several trees surrounding the family building, where some of the women from the institute were chatting. when they saw qin xue and the others coming, they gathered around, and one of the women said:

    ¡°isn¡¯t this chu molin¡¯s wife? is she discharged from the hospital now?¡±

    qin xue didn¡¯t know who was who, so she just smiled and nodded her head, following sisters-in-law fang hong and yu xiu into the building. the other women commented:

    ¡°what¡¯s there to be proud of? she¡¯s just shameless. if she hadn¡¯t plotted against chu molin, he would never have married her.¡±

    ¡°hey, it¡¯s her skill to rope in mr. chu. what¡¯s there to be envious about? why don¡¯t you try some plotting too?¡± su xiaoyan didn¡¯t like qin xue, but she disliked the gossipy women even more.

    even though her husband also worked under chu molin, she had to help qin xue out. after all, qin xue was chu molin¡¯s wife.

    ¡°what do you mean, su xiaoyan? how can you talk like that?¡± zhang cuihua wished she could claw su xiaoyan¡¯s face.

    was su xiaoyan trying to ruin her reputation? everyone in the family building knew that qin xue had schemed against chu molin to get married. now that she was being mocked by su xiaoyan, how could she not be angry?

    ¡°nothing, just the literal meaning,¡± su xiaoyan wasn¡¯t afraid of zhang cuihua. both their husbands worked under chu molin.

    bai jing hid behind a tree, listening to the women¡¯s gossip.

    bai jing¡¯s face was twisted, her nails digging into her palm, but it couldn¡¯t compare to the pain in her heart. she too was in love with the outstanding man.

    but with su yun, the institute¡¯s flower, around, she never dared to reveal her feelings for chu molin, fearing that su yun would discover her secret. after all, su yun was the granddaughter of the former director, while she had no family background to speak of.

    people said su yun was gentle and kind, but only bai jing knew she was a venomous beauty with a ruthless heart.

    initially, bai jing wasn¡¯t aware of su yun¡¯s true nature until one day, after a rehearsal, everyone else had left.

    bai jing had left too but later realized she had left something backstage. she went back to find it and was about to leave when she heard arguing in the front. she hid quietly backstage and saw su yun push someone off the two-meter-high stage, breaking their leg, then stood by and said:

    ¡°who do you think you are, daring to compete with me for the role? if i don¡¯t kill you, i¡¯m not su yun.¡±

    later, su yun forcibly got someone to find the director, claiming the person had accidentally fallen off the stage and broken their leg. in the end, the injured person couldn¡¯t dance anymore and had to quit. bai jing was so scared that she never dared to have any conflicts with su yun again, fearing she would be su yun¡¯s next target.

 Chapter 7

    at first, knowing chu molin couldn¡¯t marry su yun made bai jing so happy she felt like jumping for joy.

    however, when she later found out that chu molin couldn¡¯t marry su yun because he was going to marry qin xue, a shameless woman, it made bai jing so angry she nearly died of rage.

    she wouldn¡¯t dare to fight against su yun who had a strong family background, but why should qin xue benefit?

    so, when qin xue arrived at the family quarter, she started looking for opportunities to get close to her.

    bai jing slowly managed to bond with the clueless qin xue, even giving her lots of suggestions.

    that made chu molin dislike qin xue more and more. and it was thanks to bai jing that qin xue became infamous in the family quarter in such a short time, always for the wrong reasons.

    eventually, chu molin and the others went out on a mission. su yun then found bai jing and asked her to lure qin xue out, threatening bai jing to comply.

    bai jing, eager to take advantage of su yun¡¯s intentions to deal with qin xue without implicating herself, figured that if anything went wrong, su yun would take the fall, right?

    after one training session, she lured qin xue out. and while waiting for su yun, qin xue kept dry heaving. after asking her, bai jing concluded that qin xue was pregnant, but the foolish qin xue thought she was sick.

    not knowing she was pregnant, when su yun arrived, bai jing told her: ¡°i¡¯ve lured qin xue out. she is over there, i don¡¯t know if she¡¯s sick or what?

    ¡°she¡¯s been vomiting everything she eats, even dry heaving just now, and she won¡¯t go to the hospital for check-up or medicine. anyway, i¡¯ll let you two talk, i¡¯m leaving first.¡±

    hearing this, su yun was upset. chu molin was supposed to be hers. she had waited for so many years, put in so much effort, and they were soon about to get married.

    not only had qin xue stolen him from her, but now she was pregnant with chu molin¡¯s child as well, causing su yun great pain.

    after seeing bai jing depart, su yun angrily confronted qin xue and demanded she abort the child.

    qin xue thought she was sick at first, but when she heard from su yun that she was pregnant and should abort, qin xue firmly declined.

    chu molin had been tricked by her from the start, and she knew that ever since they slept together, even after they got married and chu molin went out on a mission, he never touched her again. although she was naive, she knew she couldn¡¯t abort this child.

    as a result, no matter what, qin xue refused. this led to a bitter argument with su yun. already resentful of qin xue, su yun was more infuriated when qin xue refused to abort and they ended up in a bitter fight.

    in the scuffle that ensued, su yun pushed qin xue, who accidentally fell and hit the back of her head on a sharp stone, causing a lot of bleeding.

    seeing such a scene, su yun panicked and ran away.

    as for bai jing, she returned after su yun left to confront qin xue and sneakily watched their argument from behind a large tree. seeing su yun push qin xue, and watching her bleed heavily and su yun running away afterwards, bai jing also got scared and left.

    poor qin xue died after hitting her head on the stone and her body became host to a new soul.

    due to massive blood loss, she fainted, and remained unconscious when she was rushed to the hospital. the doctors thought she would be in a vegetative state, but she woke up after a few days of coma.

    bai jing originally thought qin xue had died, but later, upon hearing no news of her death and finding out not only was qin xue alive but had been discharged from the hospital, she became more jealous.

    bai jing was extremely jealous of qin xue. despite her massive blood loss and prolonged unconsciousness, how come qin xue didn¡¯t die, and how come the child remained unharmed? why couldn¡¯t that damned qin xue just die?

    if qin xue could know bai jing¡¯s thoughts, she would laugh at her. qin xue was indeed dead, thoroughly dead; how else would she have ended up here?

 Chapter 8

    upon entering her apartment on the third floor with her two sisters-in-law, qin xue¡¯s first thought was how dirty and messy it was. hasn¡¯t anybody cleaned this place?

    how could anyone live in a place that looks like a garbage dump?

    fang hong and yu xiu brought the stuff into the room and said to qin xue, ¡°you go rest for a bit. i¡¯m going to cook. when the food is ready, i¡¯ll call you. anyway, there¡¯s nothing to eat at your home. for these few days, just have meals at my place. once you are a bit more settled, you can buy some supplies and food then.¡±

    fang hong originally planned to tidy up a bit, but considering that her husband, mr. xie, would be coming home from work soon and it was getting late already, she decided not to mention it.

    since qin xue had just been discharged from the hospital and was still pregnant and weak, it made no sense for her to do the cleaning. they would have to help her clean up later when things were more comfortable.

    yu xiu also needed to go home. she had been caring for qin xue these past few days and had neglected her own home. now that qin xue was home, she naturally wanted to go back. therefore, after letting qin xue take a rest, both of them left together.

    ¡°mrs. fang, qin xue¡¯s house is so messy and she¡¯s still weak. how about we help her tidy up tomorrow?

    after spending a few days with her, i noticed she isn¡¯t as bad as people say. i think she¡¯s been influenced by others. chu molin is not at home; we should help her if we can.¡±

    fang hong also lives on the third floor, just at the other end from qin xue¡¯s house. she knows more about qin xue than yu xiu does. qin xue indeed has a bad temper. they had tried to help her before, but she did not appreciate it and thus stopped doing so.

    but after being with her in the hospital this time, they saw that she wasn¡¯t a bad person. maybe amnesia improved her temper. she seemed quite pleasant and gentle. perhaps she¡¯d been lead astray, which led her to behave the way she used to.

    certainly, the quality of a person is an essential issue. since qin xue is inherently a good person, they are willing to help her. not just because chu molin works under mr. xie, but also because of their usually good relationship. hence, they agreed to help her clean the house.

    ¡°sure, let¡¯s come here and help clean up after breakfast tomorrow.¡±

    indeed, qin xue was so weak that she couldn¡¯t even clean her own house, something that bothered her as she was a bit of a clean freak.

    upon further inspection into the other rooms, qin xue found that the two were sleeping in separate rooms. that makes sense, after all, who would be happily married if they felt manipulated?

    it was easy to tell which room was qin xue¡¯s. one was tidy and clean, the other was a complete mess.

    qin xue sighed, picked up a clean set of sheets from the wardrobe, and made the bed. she was so worn out that she fell asleep easily, not waking up until fang hong knocked on her door to get her for their meal.

    she rinsed her mouth and loosely tied her hair back before heading over to fang hong¡¯s for dinner, empty-handed. once she feels better, she¡¯ll buy something as a thank-you gift for them.

    they¡¯ve been inconvenienced for so long, and she¡¯s been eating at their house. she took a deep breath and raised her hand to knock.

    ¡°mr. xie, could you please answer the door? it should be qin xue,¡± called fang hong from the kitchen. xie jun put down his newspaper, stood up, and opened the door. ¡°qin xue, come in. dinner is almost ready.¡±

    ¡°hello, mr. xie. i¡¯m sorry for the disturbance,¡± qin xue had chatted with fang hong in the hospital and knew that her man was the head of a research institute named xie jun. her cheap old husband was under xie jun¡¯s control. they heard that everyone who could get into the research institute was very capable and exceptional.

    chu molin was supposedly the most impressive one in the entire institute. no wonder he had so many admirers. nobody expected that a beautiful flower like him would end up with a cow dung like her. of course, chu molin was the flower, and she was the undesirable cow dung.

 Chapter 9

    as qin xue entered the room, she saw that dishes were already arranged on the table. instead of sitting down directly, she went into the kitchen. fang hong, seeing qin xue come in, called out:

    ¡°qin xue, just sit down, i¡¯m almost done with the soup, and we can start eating.¡±

    ¡°sister-in-law, don¡¯t make too much, we won¡¯t be able to finish it all.¡± seeing that there indeed wasn¡¯t much help needed, qin xue grabbed some bowls and chopsticks and left the kitchen.

    ¡°qin xue, come sit down, let¡¯s eat.¡± xie jun put away his newspaper and asked qin xue to sit.

    without hesitation, qin xue chose a seat on the opposite side of the table, allowing fang hong and her husband to sit together.

    qin xue observed the arrangement of the room. the space was very similar to her own, but fang hong¡¯s house had many items, all neatly organized. it was obvious fang hong was a diligent and capable woman.

    it seemed that she needed to tidy up her own place soon. just now, she had to mentally prepare herself to put her cleanliness obsession aside before taking a nap. after eating, she would go back and clean up.

    ¡°oh my, why aren¡¯t you eating? the food will get cold. mr. xie, you should invite qin xue to eat too.¡± fang hong placed the soup on the table and urged qin xue to eat.

    there were three dishes and one soup on the table: a stir-fried vegetable dish, radish stir-fried with meat, stir-fried salted vegetables, and tomato and egg soup.

    it was clear that this meal was considered quite lavish at that time, likely specially prepared because of qin xue. perhaps they normally wouldn¡¯t indulge like this.

    qin xue poured herself a bowl of soup and took a sip, praising, ¡°sister-in-law, your cooking skills are excellent, the soup is delicious.¡±

    ¡°if it¡¯s delicious, then drink more. you¡¯ve lost a lot of blood, and your body is weak. here, eat some meat.¡± fang hong placed a piece of meat in qin xue¡¯s plate with her chopsticks, then served xie jun some vegetables.

    xie jun handed the meat in his bowl to fang hong before eating, ¡°hey, why are you serving me? just eat.¡±

    fang hong looked at the meat in her bowl with a gentle smile.

    qin xue observed the interaction between fang hong and her husband; it was apparent that their marriage was a happy one. she was excited for them and couldn¡¯t help but wonder about her own cheap husband and if they would be able to get along.

    after eating quietly and helping clean up the dishes, qin xue returned to her own home.

    once qin xue had left, fang hong finished tidying up the kitchen before placing a glass of water in front of mr. xie. ¡°mr. xie, don¡¯t you think qin xue has changed a lot?¡±

    ¡°yes, based on her performance today, she¡¯s doing quite well. now chu molin can finally work in peace.¡± xie jun couldn¡¯t help but think about how chu molin had been unfairly punished, and couldn¡¯t help but feel sympathy for him.

    however, as a section chief, he could only encourage reconciliation and not divorce. it was already difficult for men at the institute to get married, and as long as they weren¡¯t breaking the law, divorce wouldn¡¯t be an option.

    fortunately, qin xue had calmed down after her injury, and everything was working out. otherwise, he would have had to inform chu molin, who might not have been able to focus on his research. fortunately, everything was progressing in a positive direction.

    xie jun took a sip of the water and looked at his wife: ¡°wife, let¡¯s take a nap together.¡±

    ¡°i¡¯m not sleeping. you go ahead.¡± fang hong still had many things to do at home after taking care of qin xue in the hospital for several days. she didn¡¯t have time for a nap.

    xie jun put down the glass and approached his wife: ¡°are you sure?¡±

    ¡°yes, i¡¯m sure.¡± having said that, fang hong got up to wash the clothes.

    xie jun wasn¡¯t about to let his wife escape so easily. it had been days since he¡¯d been able to hold her.

    ever since qin xue¡¯s injury, his wife had been taking care of her at night. during the day, she didn¡¯t rest well either. there were dark circles under her eyes. with a pull, he brought his wife into his embrace:

    ¡°what are you doing? let go. i need to wash the clothes, and i have to help qin xue clean her house tomorrow.¡± fang hong struggled but couldn¡¯t escape xie jun¡¯s embrace.

 Chapter 10

    how could xie jun possibly let his darling wife fight him off? he picked her up in a princess cradle, saying:

    ¡°darling, be good, take a nap. look at those dark eye circles under your eyes.¡±

    setting fang hong on the bed, xie jun removed his own work clothes before slipping in beside her and embracing her, ready to take an afternoon nap.

    no longer struggling, fang hong let him take charge. she herself was indeed a bit tired. after waking up, she could finish her chores.

    finding a comfortable position nestled against xie jun¡¯s arm, fang hong closed her eyes, preparing to sleep. suddenly, she remembered:

    ¡°mr. xie, when will chu molin and others be back? this time qin xue¡¯s situation was too risky. you have no idea that she was in a coma for several days, doctors even said if she didn¡¯t wake up she could end up in a vegetative state. furthermore, qin xue is pregnant, and without molin around, i was really worried. who would have thought that qin xue would regain consciousness, giving my anxious heart some relief. do you think molin will be as bewildered as you were when he finds out he¡¯s going to be a dad?¡±

    xie jun watched his wife¡¯s fluttering lips and immediately placed his hand over her mouth. instead of resting, she was discussing other men.

    xie jun was clearly jealous ¨C his wife should only think about him, not others. disturbed by this, he smothered fang hong almost to the point of suffocation:

    ¡°stop, do you want to smother me?¡±

    taken aback by fang hong¡¯s annoyed outburst, xie jun immediately removed his hand.

    ¡­

    later, watching his exhausted wife asleep, xie jun was filled with contentment.

    both xie jun and fang hong were city folks who had grown up together. their families both faced financial hardships, so they focused on their education. as an adult, xie jun was lucky enough to land himself a research job. fang hong, following her affection, married him. they were both in their thirties now, with a child in middle school, yet their feelings remained just as strong as before.

    xie jun had known chu molin for over a decade now. they had served together like brothers, both of them climbing up the ladder step by step, which was why reaching where they were today had not been easy.

    xie jun genuinely wished chu molin and qin xue could reach the same comfort level he and fang hong had achieved.

    that¡¯s why in chu molin¡¯s absence, he asked his wife to take good care of qin xue when she was injured. normally, he would never make fang hong go through so much, but as he held her in his arms, preparing to drift off into a peaceful sleep, he knew it was worth it.

    qin xue, upon returning home, tidied the house, discarded the trash, folded and arranged the keeper items. she noticed a dirty spot, fetched a bucket of water, mixed some detergent in it, wiped the spot clean and then emptied the bucket.

    after cleaning the kitchen and living room, she mopped the floor. looking at the floral clothes on her bed made her grimace. what kind of aesthetic sense deemed these okay? were there no normal clothing options?

    most of the clothes were practically brand new, surely bought by molin after they arrived here, qin xue thought. with not many options available, she decided to fold the clothes and sell them some other time ¨C despite being the latest fashion, she could not see herself wearing them.

    after arranging all the clothes and cleaning out the desk drawers, she discovered she only had us$ 68. during the ¡¯80s, this was considered a substantial amount. however, since fang hong had paid her hospital bills after her accident, after paying fang hong back, qin xue would only be left with about us$ 28. what could she do with such a meagre sum of money?

    observing the absence of almost everything essential at home, qin xue pondered the uncertain return of her cheap husband: with him not around, what would she eat or spend on?

    this wasn¡¯t going well, she needed to find a way to earn money. yet, she wasn¡¯t familiar with the place and was carrying a baby, what could she do?

    qin xue didn¡¯t dare rummage through molin¡¯s stuff, nor had any idea about his financial status. burying herself in her blanket, she dozed off while pondering over things. when she awoke, the sun was setting.

 Chapter 11

    qin xue got up, sat on the bed, and looked at the warm and beautiful sunset shining through the window.

    her restless heart instantly settled. if it was a balanced space, maybe she could even go find her young grandparents and mother in the future!

    qin xue gently touched her still-flat belly, her heart tender and confused.

    baby, we¡¯ve been through so much hardship, but we haven¡¯t died. that means our fate is deep, right?

    you have to grow up well. after all, your mom came back from several decades in the future. i know how society will develop, so i will definitely try my best to give you a good growth environment!

    qin xue didn¡¯t know how long she sat there, before she went to wash up, not having a toothbrush to brush her teeth was truly unbearable. after cleaning up, she returned the money to fang hong and went to the cafeteria to get some food. tomorrow, she would go to the street to buy some grain.

    putting her thoughts into action, she went to the kitchen to find some salt, took some money, and went to fang hong¡¯s house. after eating, she needed to boil water for a bath.

    qin xue had been in the hospital for more than ten days and had never showered, only wiping with a towel each time. today, she returned home feeling weak and sweaty after cleaning up her room in the afternoon.

    fortunately, the previous occupant hadn¡¯t thrown out the stove and honeycomb coal, otherwise bathing in cold water in this slightly chilly weather would be impossible.

    she knocked on fang hong¡¯s door and quietly waited for it to open. during this time, several women came from the stairwell and entered the door, all of them taking several glances at qin xue before they entered.

    since qin xue didn¡¯t know them, she just smiled and nodded, then looked away and minded her own business.

    fang hong was in the kitchen starting the stove to prepare dinner when she heard a knock on the door. she opened it and saw qin xue, so she called out:

    ¡°qin xue, you can sit down. i¡¯m just starting the stove to prepare dinner. you can eat with us, come in, i¡¯ll wash the rice and put it on the stove first.¡±

    ¡°sister-in-law, wait, i just want to talk to you for a bit, and then i¡¯ll leave. i won¡¯t eat at your house. i¡¯ll just go to the cafeteria for dinner later,¡± qin xue hurriedly refused.

    qin xue didn¡¯t want to trouble fang hong too much. in this era, no household was well-off, especially when it came to food, which was scarce.

    if she went to eat at fang hong¡¯s house, she would probably have to make extra food like she did at noon. such good things were hard to come by, and there was no need to add to their burdens.

    ¡°qin xue, don¡¯t be so polite with me. what do you mean by going to the cafeteria? isn¡¯t it just a meal?

    just eat with us, okay? did you hear that?

    you said you have something to tell me, go ahead, i¡¯m listening!¡± fang hong thought about xie jun¡¯s request to take care of qin xue, so even though they weren¡¯t well-off, she still invited qin xue to stay for dinner.

    ¡°sister-in-law, this is the money for my hospital stay. now that i¡¯m discharged, i want to return it to you. thank you for lending me the money in the first place. if i hadn¡¯t had it, i wouldn¡¯t have been able to leave the hospital.

    also, do you have any grain, meat, or oil coupons? i¡¯d like to buy or borrow some from you. is that okay?¡±

    qin xue knew that asking for these coupons wasn¡¯t easy. in this era, everything was rationed, and without coupons, you couldn¡¯t buy anything even if you had money. so it was a bit difficult for her to ask for them.

    but qin xue¡¯s room had no such coupons, and she didn¡¯t want to go through chu molin¡¯s things in his room. qin xue only knew fang hong and yu xiu in this residential building, so she could only ask fang hong.

    ¡°hmm, i do have some, but not many. i¡¯ll lend them to you for now. don¡¯t mention buying them.

    your husband chu molin is away on a mission and hasn¡¯t come back yet. you can¡¯t collect his allowance, so just repay me when he comes back and gets his allowance.¡±

    fang hong thought to herself. coupons were already scarce, but chu molin and the others had been away for more than a month and still hadn¡¯t returned. she didn¡¯t even know where they had gone for their mission or when they would be back.

    qin xue, having been injured and lost her memory, was also pregnant. not helping her would be pushing her towards a dead end.

    mr. xie would soon receive his allowance, so she could just lend a bit to qin xue for now.

 Chapter 12

    ¡°how far are we from the street? do you have any free time tomorrow? could you accompany me to the street?¡± qin xue urgently wanted to buy some stuff.

    qin xue¡¯s house lacked many things and was not convenient at all. she needed to find a way to make money. otherwise, they would starve to death by the time her cheap husband returned.

    it was unclear whether chu molin hadn¡¯t given the money and tickets to the original body or whether she had squandered it all. how had she ended up taking on such a mess?

    fang hong got the tickets and gave them to qin xue. ¡°take this money, too. just pay me back when chu molin returns.

    you can take the research institute¡¯s shuttle to the street. let me accompany you tomorrow. i originally planned to clean your house with yu xiu, but we can postpone it since we¡¯re going to the street. i¡¯ll let yu xiu know.¡±

    seeing qin xue¡¯s situation, fang hong hesitated to take the money. her family wasn¡¯t wealthy, but with their only child in junior high and no second child, they could barely make ends meet.

    ¡°no need. i already cleaned the house after having lunch at your place.

    if possible, ask yu xiu to join us for shopping tomorrow.

    since i only know the two of you, i hope you can teach me a lot. thank you.¡± qin xue was sincerely grateful.

    qin xue increasingly felt that fang hong was a good person. it¡¯s easy to lend a helping hand when times are good, but difficult when times are tough. despite qin xue¡¯s terrible reputation, fang hong still lent her money and tickets without fear of not being repaid. that speaks highly of her character. qin xue decided to help her back if there¡¯s ever a chance.

    fortunately, fang hong listened to her husband, mr. xie, and helped qin xue. later, with the help of qin xue and her husband chu molin, hong¡¯s family achieved great success. but that is a story for another time.

    meanwhile, chu molin and his team were in the extreme north of the country, searching a forest. rumor had it that some unfamiliar objects posed a threat to the country. chu molin¡¯s team had been searching for over a month before finding the objects hidden in the forest.

    they might soon be brought into the country by mercenaries.

    as soon as chu molin received the intelligence, his team set out to find the objects in hopes of thwarting the enemy¡¯s plot.

    chu molin, along with his colleagues wei shaohui, ding xi, and li dabao, was ambushing the frontlines while others hid nearby. deng kai had chosen an excellent vantage point at a high location. another colleague was keeping a lookout with binoculars.

    ¡°deputy chief, do you think they¡¯ll show up?¡± ding xi asked chu molin in a low voice.

    ¡°whether they appear or not, we must find an opportunity to destroy their objective and only leave a handful behind to take back. we¡¯ve been out here for over a month.

    we finally found what they¡¯re looking for, and i won¡¯t be able to rest easy until we thwart their plans. it¡¯s so cold, i haven¡¯t even hugged my wife in a long time.¡± wei shaohui continued off ding xi¡¯s words.

    ¡°wei shaohui, don¡¯t flaunt your love life, okay? some of us are still single. deputy chief, do you miss sister-in-law?¡± da bao asked chu molin.

    chu molin remained silent. did he miss qin xue?

    he actually didn¡¯t. over the past month, he had been occupied with finding the target and hadn¡¯t had time to think about personal matters.

    furthermore, he hadn¡¯t willingly married qin xue and even felt disgusted. responsibility compelled chu molin to take care of qin xue, and the best way to do that was to marry her.

    though he married her under the influence of drugs, she was still his wife now. thinking about his marital life, chu molin felt irritated. his icy face turned even darker, scaring da bao into shutting up.

 Chapter 13

    chu molin didn¡¯t say anything as he watched li dabao¡¯s actions, only feeling a deep sense of powerlessness when thinking about qin xue.

    chu molin would rather do scientific research than face qin xue at home, she was just too difficult, both lazy and troublesome. the house was always a mess, she never cooked, and every time he returned from work, there was a quarrel.

    eventually, chu molin simply stopped going home and moved into the dormitory, prompting his supervisor to have a talk with him.

    chu molin remained unyielding and was even punished. as soon as the punishment ended, he went on a mission to this place to collect samples.

    chu molin recalled that whenever he gave qin xue money, she would always buy a bunch of clothes, never leaving any behind.

    chu molin didn¡¯t mind her buying clothes, but she bought too many and couldn¡¯t wear them all. whenever he mentioned it, she would get into an argument, and since he wasn¡¯t much of a talker himself, chu molin eventually stopped mentioning it.

    she didn¡¯t cook anyway, so they both ate in the cafeteria. he had been away for over a month and had no idea if the money and tickets he left behind were enough for her to use.

    he didn¡¯t know when he would finish this task and return home.

    having such a wife was truly troublesome. they had been married for several months and hadn¡¯t even told their families. he wondered what would happen when they eventually found out.

    he didn¡¯t think about divorce, as long as qin xue lived peacefully, even without love, it didn¡¯t matter to chu molin.

    after sorting out these thoughts, he focused on observing the surroundings for any abnormalities when suddenly, chen hao¡¯s voice came:

    ¡°mr. chu, something is happening at the eleven o¡¯clock direction.¡± chen hao had observation glasses and detected the situation earlier than others.

    ¡°everyone, stay hidden and don¡¯t get discovered. pay attention to your own safety.¡± chu molin arranged everything and waited to eliminate the target in one swift move.

    after declining fang hong¡¯s kind offer to stay for dinner, qin xue took the tickets and money and went home.

    qin xue took the lunch box to the cafeteria to get food and placed it on the table. she prepared to light the stove, put water on it, and after eating, the water would be hot enough to take a bath.

    however, she had overestimated herself, having never lit this kind of stove before. in her previous life, she used an electric rice cooker and gas stove for cooking, and solar energy for showering. she had no idea how to handle this antique item, and the room filled up with so much smoke that it made her cough. if one didn¡¯t know any better, they would think there was a fire.

    this frightened many women who came over, some even went to find the men to put out the fire. fang hong also came over, anxiously knocking on the door:

    ¡°qin xue, qin xue, open the door, is there a fire? there¡¯s so much smoke, hurry up and come out.¡±

    qin xue couldn¡¯t stand it any longer and dropped the fire poker to open the door. smoke poured out of the door, making the women outside cough immediately.

    ¡°sisters, it¡¯s not a fire, i was just trying to light the stove, but it wouldn¡¯t ignite properly. i have no idea how i made so much smoke.¡±

    fang hong saw qin xue, who had come to open the door, her eyes red and her face black and white with soot, and couldn¡¯t help but laugh and cry.

    fang hong pulled qin xue out to the hallway to breathe, then went into her house, opened all the windows for ventilation, and removed the smoldering firewood from the stove. it took quite a while for the smoke to dissipate.

    ¡°oh, isn¡¯t this mr. chu¡¯s house? what are you trying to do, burn down the house? you managed to create such panic just by lighting a stove.¡± zhang cuihua couldn¡¯t help but pick a fight with qin xue when she saw her.

    ¡°yes, mr. chu¡¯s house nearly caused a fire scare.¡± other women chimed in after hearing this.

    ¡°exactly, you¡¯re so troublesome every day, can¡¯t you give us a break?¡± someone said, annoyed.

    qin xue couldn¡¯t take it anymore: ¡°i¡¯m sorry, sisters, it was my mistake, please go back.

    instead of always focusing on others¡¯ gossip, living your own life well is better.¡±

    ¡°qin xue, what do you mean? are you saying you were right to cause this panic?¡± zhang cuihua was the first to choke upon hearing qin xue¡¯s words.

 Chapter 14

    qin xue¡¯s words offended quite a few people as soon as they were spoken.

    ¡°exactly, she not only schemed behind mr. chu¡¯s back but also got him punished. and now, she almost set the house on fire and still has the nerve to criticize us,¡± other housewives who enjoy gossiping when they have nothing else to do, were certainly displeased with qin xue¡¯s words.

    ¡°isn¡¯t it true, though? is it fun to keep an eye on other people¡¯s lives? or do you prefer others gossip about your personal affairs every day? if any of you like that, let me know, and i will come gossip about your life,¡± qin xue, not used to quarrels, said.

    she could only strike back with words that hit where it hurts. after all, everyone likes to talk about other people¡¯s gossip, but no one wants their own lives to be the subject of gossip.

    ¡°you, you, on what grounds?¡± the women were so angry that they couldn¡¯t react. but qin xue was right. they loved gossiping about others but didn¡¯t want anyone talking about them.

    ¡°isn¡¯t it? i think you¡¯re just idle, nothing better to do than to scrutinize other people¡¯s affairs.¡±

    aren¡¯t you afraid that one day someone will expose even where you hide your money, or perhaps even details about your marital bed?¡± qin xue scrutinized each of their expressions, finding their shock amusing.

    let them gossip and target me every day, if i don¡¯t scare them off, i¡¯m not qin xue. hehe, let¡¯s see if they dare to do it again.

    the women, frightened by qin xue¡¯s words, walked away. only then did fang hong came to qin xue, tapped her forehead and said:

    ¡°you, seriously, if you keep this up, everyone will target you. why would you do this?¡±

    ¡°sister-in-law, it¡¯s the truth. they have nothing better to do, that¡¯s why they focus on other¡¯s trivial matters. or do you enjoy them talking about you?¡± qin xue couldn¡¯t help but act cute towards fang hong.

    ¡°you, i really don¡¯t know what to do with you. quit stirring up trouble. just bring over a lit lump of honeycomb briquette from my place. after using it, put two smokeless briquettes inside and cover the fire door. next time, just use it directly without having to start the stove every time,¡± fang hong taught qin xue how to store a live ember and start a stove.

    ¡°really? thank you, sister-in-law, you¡¯re so kind.¡± qin xue hugged fang hong¡¯s arm excitedly and started laughing with narrowed eyes.

    looking at qin xue¡¯s delighted behavior, like that of a child, fang hong could only shake her head helplessly. come with me and bring the fire poker, we¡¯ll need it to rekindle the briquettes.

    after fang hong left, qin xue thought about how her personality has changed quite a bit since she lost her memory due to the accident. this change was a good one, and chu molin finally had hope.

    qin xue brought over an unused honeycomb briquette to exchange for the firestarter from fang hong. ¡°what are you doing? i only asked for a fire starter, yet you brought the briquette.¡±

    ¡°sister-in-law, everyone has it tough. i can¡¯t let you bear all the burdens. you¡¯ve been so good to me, i can¡¯t let you be disadvantaged, right?¡± qin xue¡¯s nature was such that she repaid kindness with kindness and held grudges.

    she had a lazy disposition and would not retaliate unless she was pushed to the extreme.

    that¡¯s why in her past life, after her mother had died and her father remarried,?

    qin xue preferred to grow up with her grandparents rather than live with her father and stepmother. if they were not of the same breed, she did not mix with them, and she was happier on her own.

    now, fang hong showed kindness in every possible way, and qin xue was more than willing to accept it.

    she took the fire starter home, put it on a briquette, placed a pot of water on top to boil, and took out the already cold cooked rice to eat. luckily the dish didn¡¯t have too much oil, otherwise, it would have been inedible when cold.

    after finishing her meal and washing the dishes, she stretched her body comfortably, feeling relaxed.

 Chapter 15

    qin xue found a loose set of clothes to use as pajamas and took them to the bathroom.

    she went to pour water to bathe, then filled a kettle to boil. once it boiled, she mixed it with the water in the kettle so she could drink if she got thirsty.

    qin xue carried the water into the bathroom, mixed it with cold water, and undressed before taking a bath.

    the skin of the original body she was now in was very fair, contrasting sharply with the skin of the face and hands. this body was thin, but curves were where they should be, and angles where they shouldn¡¯t.

    in modern terms, this would be called an enviable figure.

    qin xue really didn¡¯t expect to have such a good physique.

    this was the first time in the ten days since she had arrived here that qin xue had a complete look at her current body. she traced her hand from her face down to her flat stomach.

    it was hard to believe that this body was already nurturing a small life within it. it felt truly magical.

    qin xue looked at the woman in the mirror ¨C her face was soft and gentle, but the confidence in her eyes made her even more attractive.

    this self-confidence was so incongruous with her appearance, yet together they created a unique aura.

    qin xue had never seen this kind of aura before, but now, was this really her?

    ¡°huh, what¡¯s this?¡± qin xue peered into the mirror, looking at the mark below her collarbone, rubbing the mark with her hand. it seemed like a pink peach blossom with a red center¡ªan extraordinary mark.

    ¡°eh, why does it look so similar to the peach blossom from the jade pendant my mother left me in my past life?¡±

    however, that flower was pink with a pink center, not red. as qin xue thought about this, she continued unconsciously rubbing the mark.

    suddenly, she felt a wave of heat from her fingertip, and before she could react, she was transported to another place.

    ¡°wow, it¡¯s raining peach blossoms! so beautiful! where is this place?¡±

    the peach blossoms were in full bloom everywhere she looked. it took qin xue roughly fifteen minutes to walk out of the peach forest.

    what she saw next was a plot of land about two and a half acres in size with black soil, a well beside it, and a half-meter wide cobblestone path between the well and the land. behind the path was a bamboo house, and behind that was a bamboo forest. who lived in such a beautiful place?

    qin xue approached the bamboo gate and knocked on the door, but no one answered. she pushed on the door, and it opened easily, not latched.

    ¡°hello? is anyone here?¡± there was no response, just silence.

    was qin xue scared? not really. as someone who had already died once and had had her soul transferred to another body, there was little left to frighten her.

    but she couldn¡¯t stay here forever, right? this place had nothing but a peach blossom forest, a bamboo forest, a bamboo house, a well, and some land. there wasn¡¯t even food¡ªwas she going to starve to death here instead of dying in a car accident?

    no, there had to be a way out. how did she get here? what was she thinking about when she got here?

    ah, at that time, she seemed to be thinking about the peach blossom mark beneath her collarbone resembling the peach blossom on the jade pendant her mother had left her.

    right, she was thinking about that. what else did she do at the time?

    qin xue touched the mark with one hand, and placed the other on her chin. how could she return to where she came from? in, out, come, go.

    it didn¡¯t work. was she supposed to say ¡®exit¡¯? she tried it.

    ¡°i want to exit.¡± incredibly, she was back in the bathroom. ¡°ha ha, i¡¯m finally back! brr, it¡¯s so cold.¡±

    she didn¡¯t feel cold in the peach blossom forest, but now she was shivering and realized she was still naked.

    she hadn¡¯t taken her bath yet, and after so much time, she didn¡¯t know if the water was still warm. she touched the water, and it was still hot, just as it was when she had first adjusted the temperature.

    as long as the water was still hot, she would quickly bathe first, and worry about the rest later.

    there was no body wash, just soap. she sniffed it, and there was no particular scent. soaps these days were quite simple, unlike the modern ones with various floral and milk fragrances. could she start making soap to exchange for money?

    qin xue hurried through her bath and put on her clothes, because the weather was quite cold and she couldn¡¯t afford to catch a cold.

 Chapter 16

    after qin xue finished dressing and washing her clothes, she went back to her room and got under the covers.

    thinking about the place she had gone to during the bath, could she enter it again?

    qin xue opened her clothes and looked at the mark, touching it with her hand.

    when she came out earlier, she touched the mark and said she wanted to leave. would it work if she touched it and said she wanted to go in? she put the thought into action:

    ¡°i want to go in.¡± haha, she really entered.

    ¡°is anyone here?¡± qin xue walked and looked around, but still no one. why was it so strange?

    qin xue came to the bamboo house again and knocked on the door, but still no one. she walked to the well and saw that the water had reached the edge of the well.

    the well¡¯s edge was only a hand¡¯s length higher than the ground, so she could lean over and drink the water, which looked quite clear.

    qin xue scooped up a handful of the warm water. this water should be drinkable, right?

    qin xue lowered her head to drink the water. it was very refreshing and sweet. qin xue drank several mouthfuls and didn¡¯t feel anything unusual.

    qin xue sat on the stone steps in front of the bamboo house, looking at the peach blossom forest in front of her. what kind of place was this?

    why was there no one here? since she could enter, there must be some special significance.

    but she didn¡¯t know anything about this place and no one had come to explain the situation. why had she come here?

    qin xue didn¡¯t understand or know anything about it. her calming heart became even more bewildered because of this place.

    not knowing how long she had been sitting, qin xue finally got up to leave and go to sleep.

    qin xue turned off the light and covered herself with the quilt before going to sleep. in her dream, she returned to that space.

    this time she wasn¡¯t alone. qin xue looked at the little fox in front of her, with snow-white fur and a big, long tail like a fan. it was so cute.

    ¡°master, you¡¯re here. i am xue ling, and i am very happy to meet you.¡± the little fox squeaked.

    ¡°wow, you can talk! you¡¯re so cute. can i touch you?¡± qin xue had always liked fluffy animals since she was a child.

    however, she didn¡¯t like cleaning up after animals, such as their feces, so she had never kept a pet. now seeing this cute little creature, she wanted to touch it.

    ¡°of course! master, i am your pet.¡± xue ling blinked her big eyes and said to qin xue.

    getting a satisfactory answer, qin xue picked up xue ling. holding xue ling with one hand, she touched xue ling¡¯s head with the other: ¡°xue ling, you call me master, and you say you¡¯re my pet, but what¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°master, it¡¯s because you opened this space, and i woke up because of you. that¡¯s why you¡¯re my master,¡± xue ling looked at qin xue as she answered.

    ¡°then can you tell me how i opened this space and how i got here?¡± what qin xue wanted to know most was why she was here.

    ¡°of course! i brought you here. isn¡¯t xue ling great?¡± xue ling waited for qin xue¡¯s praise.

    ¡°you brought me here, but why?¡±

    ¡°it¡¯s because, master, you died in a car accident. your blood just happened to stain your jade pendant, and it opened this space, so i brought you here.

    i¡¯m sorry, master, i had just woken up and didn¡¯t have time to select a suitable body for you.

    it just so happened that the person in this body had died, but the child in her womb was still alive, so i sent you into this body.

    this way, it not only saved the child¡¯s life but also offset your defiance of nature by surviving.¡± xue ling said in a low voice, her head down, barely audible.

    ¡°so, you mean that because i died in the modern world, it just happened to wake you up, so you took my soul away.

    wanting me to continue living would be defying fate and would bring heavenly punishment.

    but this qin xue had died, yet her child was not supposed to die.

    so now i want to live but will face heavenly punishment, while her child is doomed to die because of qin xue¡¯s death.

    now you¡¯ve sent me into this body as a way of balancing the good and bad, right?¡± qin xue sorted out xue ling¡¯s words.

 Chapter 17

    ¡°mm-hmm, yes, that¡¯s what it¡¯s like.¡± xue ling¡¯s voice was as soft and sticky as a child¡¯s, as if she were coquettishly coaxing.

    ¡°xue ling, thank you for giving me a new life. is this space inside my jade pendant? what is its purpose?¡±

    ¡°i don¡¯t know the specific functions; i only appeared and activated the space because of your blood. you have to explore and discover its purposes yourself.

    but i know that you can store things in here, and you can also plant things on that ground over there.

    that well is called the spirit spring, and its water not only accelerates the growth of crops when used for irrigation but also has the effects of strengthening the body, refreshing the mind, and speeding up the healing of wounds.

    however, for everything else, you, the owner, need to find them yourself. you must work hard.

    by the way, weren¡¯t you a doctor in your previous life? the time in this space is faster than the outside world, so you can look for or buy some medicinal seeds to plant.

    these seeds will grow quickly, but since my spiritual power is not enough, i could only bring a set of surgical tools when i brought you here.

    now i will give you this set of surgical tools, and i hope you can live a good life in this world.¡± xue ling handed the surgical kit to qin xue.

    qin xue held the surgical tools, filled with mixed emotions.

    thinking of her grandparents, her best friends yingying and chenchen, those were the things she couldn¡¯t let go of in her previous life.

    there was nothing else that made her linger.

    in her previous life, her mother died early, and her father remarried, causing qin xue to not believe in love and never wanting to get married, so she never agreed to any suitors.

    her grandparents even tried to arrange blind dates for her, but she always found excuses to refuse. qin xue remained single for 24 years until a car accident brought her back to the 1980s.

    not only did she get married here, but she also had a child, bypassing the marriage that qin xue had been resisting.

    she just hoped this marriage wouldn¡¯t disappoint her.

    now qin xue didn¡¯t want to be a doctor with these surgical tools, and she knew the original owner did not have a high education or any influence.

    she was afraid that if she showed off any of these skills, people would look down on her, or worse, she¡¯d be arrested for spying or captured for research. so unless absolutely necessary, she mustn¡¯t let anyone know about her skills.

    ¡°xue ling, i don¡¯t want to take these surgical tools out right now. is there a place you can put them in here? can you keep them for me and give them to me when i need them?¡± qin xue handed the tools back to xue ling.

    ¡°master, yes, that bamboo house can store them. you can put the tools wherever you like since only you can enter this place for now.¡± xue ling pointed to the bamboo house as she spoke.

    ¡°so you mean i can do whatever i like with that bamboo house?

    can i go in there now?¡± last time qin xue came in, she thought it belonged to someone else.

    she only glanced in, but didn¡¯t take a closer look. now that she knew it was hers, she could explore freely.

    qin xue carried xue ling and entered the bamboo house, which had two rooms and a living room. one room was a bedroom, the other a study.

    the study contained a bookshelf with some books, a table, and a chair. there was a book on the table.

    when qin xue picked it up, she discovered it was a guidebook to the space. it was created by an ancient cultivator and used as a storage tool.

    at first, the cultivator¡¯s abilities were limited, so this space didn¡¯t have many functions, but as the cultivator became more powerful, they created better spaces and no longer needed this one.

    however, because they couldn¡¯t bear to abandon it after accompanying them for so many years, they set a seal on it. whoever was fated to unlock it would become its new owner.

    the peach trees and bamboo grove inside had been transplanted one by one by the ancient cultivator.

    the land was developed for fear of not being able to leave in a timely manner in case of special circumstances, so they could plant crops to be self-sufficient and not starve to death.

    the acceleration of time was based on the rates of crop growth.

    the cultivator also set a different space-time speed between the bamboo house and the land, meaning that the house and bamboo forest on the pebble-strewn side had a slower time flow, while the wilderness and peach grove on the other side had a faster time flow.

    the role of the pebble-strewn path was to separate the space-time speeds. it was formed by merging another small space, creating a separate area. both spaces shared the same entrance.

 Chapter 18

    the books on the shelf were collections of qimen array, military strategy, martial arts secrets, as well as alchemy techniques and some treatments for rare and complicated diseases and medicinal formulas.

    surprisingly, there was even a book on embroidery. for qin xue, aside from the treatments for rare diseases, medicinal formulas, and embroidery, the rest were useless.

    qin xue didn¡¯t know anything about arrays or military strategy besides the thirty-six stratagems.

    alchemy required a cultivator¡¯s pill furnace and spiritual power with spiritual fire to refine the pills. where could she find a pill furnace, spiritual power, and spiritual fire?

    qin xue did know how to refine medicine into pills. in her previous life, her grandfather was a famous chinese medicine practitioner. she disliked the bitter taste of chinese medicine, so her grandfather would boil the medicine and refine it into pills for her.

    her grandfather would also teach qin xue chinese medicine, pulse diagnosis, tongue diagnosis, and acupuncture during his free time.

    however, she was not very skilled in these techniques. the thing she was best at was using a scalpel, but she unfortunately died in a car accident after only two years of experience, just when she was about to perform the surgery on her own.

    qin xue also knew a little about embroidery. her grandmother was a woman from jiangnan who was good at embroidery, especially suzhou embroidery.

    when she was a child, her grandmother wanted her to inherit her craft, but qin xue preferred medical skills, so she only learned a little about embroidery.

    if only she had known she was going to die, she would have thoroughly learned the skills of her grandparents in order to repay their kindness in raising her.

    unfortunately, there¡¯s no such thing as knowing beforehand. qin xue organized the books and stepped out of the space after tidying up the colorful clothes she had sorted out during the day.

    she put them in a bag, threw it into the space, and planned to take it out in a deserted place the next day to exchange for some money. otherwise, her money wouldn¡¯t be enough to support her daily life.

    looking at the night sky, she estimated that it was around midnight. it was time to continue sleeping so she could go shopping the next day.

    this time, qin xue slept soundly until the morning. even the wakeup call didn¡¯t disturb her, showing how deeply she was asleep.

    after getting up and folding her quilt, qin xue went to the kitchen, got some salt to rinse her mouth, and decided that she needed to buy a toothbrush today.

    perhaps because she had drunk water from the space the night before, the bump on her head had reduced a lot, her wound was healing well, and she no longer felt dizzy. it seemed that xue ling was right about the well water¡¯s ability to accelerate wound healing.

    qin xue entered the space again and took a cup of spirit spring water to drink before leaving the space.

    she opened the wardrobe and put on a less floral shirt and a red ni zi jacket.

    a ni zi jacket wasn¡¯t cheap during this time and cost several dozen yuan each, almost equivalent to a worker¡¯s monthly salary.

    no wonder the original owner of the body had only us$68 left.

    she wore black cotton straight-leg pants, as there were no fancy styles available at this time.

    unlike modern times, where there were a variety of styles to choose from, with money, qin xue could design her clothes and find someone to make them for her.

    she combed her hair, tied it up in a bun on top of her head, and looked in the mirror. this style was refreshing and elegant.

    she pocketed her food stamps and money before looking for fang hong to go shopping. they arrived before the supply truck came.

    ¡°sister-in-law, isn¡¯t yu xiu¡¯s sister-in-law coming?¡± qin xue didn¡¯t see yu xiu and asked fang hong.

    ¡°she said she¡¯s coming. she should be here soon.¡± fang hong finished speaking and looked back. as she spoke, she saw yu xiu coming.

    ¡°look, isn¡¯t she coming?¡± she pointed at yu xiu and said to qin xue.

    ¡°you two are early. let¡¯s go to the door and wait for the supply truck.¡± yu xiu walked over with a cloth bag in her hand and pulled fang hong while speaking. they would go out to collect supplies every two days.

    ¡°eh, qin xue, you¡¯re going shopping without a bag to carry things?¡± yu xiu saw qin xue empty-handed and asked suspiciously.

    ¡°oh, i have to bring a bag? i didn¡¯t know, so i didn¡¯t bring one.¡± qin xue, a newcomer to the 21st century, was used to plastic bags for shopping.

    she didn¡¯t know that shopping bags were needed back then and didn¡¯t even think about it, since she had the space to store things now.

    ¡°what should we do? do you want to go back and fetch it? it¡¯s my fault for not reminding you.¡± fang hong hadn¡¯t realized that qin xue had forgotten even the basic requirements of daily life after losing her memory.

    if qin xue knew what fang hong was thinking, she would definitely say that it wasn¡¯t because she couldn¡¯t remember, but because she hadn¡¯t experienced this situation before.

    ¡°it¡¯s fine, sister-in-law. let¡¯s go. my house doesn¡¯t even have a bag like that. if i buy too many things, i can just buy a bag to put them in.¡±

    after all, it will be useful in the future.¡± qin xue wasn¡¯t worried about not having a place to put her things. the big space she had made it easy to just throw things in, saving both time and effort.

 Chapter 19

    when the three of them arrived at the entrance, they saw a few other ladies waiting for a ride too, so it seemed that quite a few people wanted to take a ride to the market.

    not long after that, as soon as the supply truck arrived, the ladies quickly got into the back.

    wow, they moved so quickly and easily climbed into the truck.

    qin xue, who had never taken this kind of ride before, didn¡¯t know how to get into the vehicle.

    fang hong saw that qin xue was still down there and realized that she was unfamiliar with this, so she said:

    ¡°qin xue, come on, we¡¯ll pull you up.¡± then fang hong and yu xiu each grabbed a hand and dragged qin xue up.

    thus, qin xue experienced an open-top car ride from the 80s.

    qin xue had never had such a riding experience in her life. in the past, she either took buses or taxis, or at worst, electric scooters, but never a ride like this before.

    in fact, such mode of transportation is very unsafe in the modern days, but now she could only follow the local customs.

    she thought that if she had a chance, she would definitely buy a bicycle. although the price of a bicycle was not cheap, it would be convenient to go anywhere, right?

    after a long and bumpy hour-long ride, they finally arrived at the county town.

    the three of them got off the truck and asked about the return trip time before they started shopping.

    when they arrived at a breakfast shop and saw soy milk and fried dough sticks, qin xue felt hungry.

    ¡°come on, ladies, let me treat you to breakfast.¡± she pulled them into the breakfast shop sat down at a table.

    ¡°ladies, whatever you want to eat, just order it. i¡¯ll pay the bill.¡± qin xue had been craving for soy milk and fried dough sticks for a long time. when she saw some, she just couldn¡¯t resist.

    ¡°qin xue, you eat by yourself, we¡¯ve already had breakfast.¡± fang hong and yu xiu really had porridge and buns at home before they came, so they felt it was a waste of money.

    ¡°come on, please keep me company and eat something.¡± after that, qin xue ordered three fried dough sticks and three bowls of soy milk.

    letting fang hong and yu xiu watch her eat, qin xue couldn¡¯t eat either.

    fang hong and yu xiu saw that they really couldn¡¯t refuse qin xue, so they agreed.

    the breakfast cost for the three of them was only 45 cents, not that expensive.

    after breakfast, qin xue wanted to deal with the clothes in her space, but she couldn¡¯t take them out when she was with the others.

    so she asked: ¡°ladies, what do you need to buy? how about we split up and buy what we need, then meet back where we got off the truck to wait for our ride back? i¡¯m just afraid that there won¡¯t be enough time if we shop together. how does that sound?¡±

    the other two agreed, feeling that their shopping lists really differed quite a bit, and shopping together would be too time-consuming. so, they agreed with qin xue¡¯s arrangement.

    qin xue then asked about the location of the supply and marketing cooperative and the department store before parting with the two sisters-in-law.

    qin xue first found a private spot to take the clothes out of her space and then went to the black market. she found a place to spread out the clothes on wax paper and started to set them out one by one before shouting:

    ¡°everybody, come and take a look, cheap stuff for sale, cheap stuff for sale! there are only a few clothes, so first come, first served!¡± qin xue wasn¡¯t afraid of not being able to sell them.

    she didn¡¯t like these clothes because they were too flashy, but they were actually popular styles of the time.

    before long, qin xue had sold all six items of clothing and trousers she brought, for a total of us$55, along with a few grain coupons, oil coupons, and even two cloth coupons but with small denominations.

    qin xue quickly packed and hurried to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy things. wow, there were so many people! there were queues, and it was so crowded.

    qin xue was afraid that her belly would be bumped, which would be a loss.

    qin xue protected her belly with her hand and slowly queued up. finally, she bought 2.5 kg of rice, 2.5 kg of fine noodles, 5 kg of cornmeal, 2.25 kg of pork belly, and a bottle of soybean oil.

    she used all the borrowed grain, oil, and meat coupons.

    thinking of the space, she bought more vegetable seeds, a small hoe, toothbrush and toothpaste, and when she saw the towel that didn¡¯t require a ticket, she bought one as well, which cost nearly eighteen yuan in total.

    she also bought four apples when she saw them for sale. the apples were really expensive, costing three yuan for just four.

    qin xue spent more than twenty yuan on all these items. after purchasing them, she found a secluded place to put the items into her space and then leisurely began to wander around.

    the economy at this time had not yet developed but it was the easiest time to make money.

    simply setting up a stall would make someone rich, but with the development of the country and the rapid pace of economic development, business became increasingly difficult, and money became harder to earn. so she had to think of a way to make money now.

    but what should she do? as qin xue wandered and pondered, she passed by a place selling watches and realized that there wasn¡¯t even a clock to tell time at home.

    wristwatches were unaffordable for qin xue at the moment, but she could buy an alarm clock. she chose a sky-blue round alarm clock.

    seeing the yarn that didn¡¯t require a ticket, she picked out a khaki-colored one and bought a pound, along with two ounces of tao hong color, which could be knitted into a flower pattern.

    although the child was only two months old, she could knit some small sweaters for her to wear. qin xue didn¡¯t know whether the child in her belly was a boy or a girl, so she chose the khaki color, which would be suitable for either gender.

    qin xue put her hand on her belly. although the child was not conceived through her sleeping with that man.

    but ever since qin xue took over this body, the tenderness radiating from her heart was so sweet that it felt as if the child had been naturally conceived by her from the beginning, without any barriers.

    qin xue herself didn¡¯t realize that the smile on her face was so enchanting.

    qin lang, who had just come down from the second floor of the grocery store, saw this scene: a woman dressed modestly, one hand holding a ball of yarn and the other on her belly, smiling so sweetly and beautifully.

    it made people unconsciously follow the mood she radiated, and qin lang¡¯s depressed mood improved because of her smile. it seemed that he had been overthinking, and there was nothing that couldn¡¯t be solved. the old man told him he had an arranged fianc¨¦e and should go back to get married ¨C why not just go back and see for himself?

    qin lang felt much more relaxed after thinking it through. he walked to the jeep parked at the door and got in.

    ¡°captain qin, are we going back to the research institute or¡­¡± xiao zhao glanced at qin lang.

    ¡°back to the research institute. i need to report to the section chief about my transfer order and ask for a few days¡¯ leave to return home,¡± qin lang had volunteered to transfer to s province as a small team leader to avoid dealing with a mess back at home.

    he didn¡¯t expect that the old man would set him up like this after finding out he had asked to be transferred to s province, so he had to go back to the capital.

    he needed to clean up the mess, so he wouldn¡¯t be bothered like this all the time.

    ¡°all right, captain.¡± xiao zhao turned the key in the ignition, shifted gears, and drove towards the research institute.

    xiao zhao received the notice that morning to pick up qin lang and had been waiting outside the grocery store since he said he wanted to come here.

    now that qin lang asked to return to the research institute, xiao zhao obeyed and went back.

    after picking out the yarn, qin xue had to pay and get a receipt before she could take it. it cost four yuan, and she spent several dozen yuan in total.

    she checked the time and realized there was still half an hour before the agreed-upon time.

    qin xue decided not to wander around anymore and went to the meeting place with her purchases. she only bought some meat and no vegetables.

    she planned to buy more from the small market near the research institute tomorrow since the county town was too far away and she had never been there before. she came today to explore and find a way to make money.

    however, there wasn¡¯t enough time to see everything. knowing the location of the black market was enough. normally, the women in the military housing complex went to the small markets in the nearby villages to shop since they weren¡¯t the only ones in the area.

    she could go there once she asked for directions. it was said to be only a ten-minute walk away, so she wasn¡¯t in a hurry.

    when qin xue arrived, the others hadn¡¯t come yet. she waited for about seven or eight minutes before they began to arrive one by one.

    fang hong and yu xiu also bought a lot of things, filling their pockets with their purchases. as they were discussing what they had bought, the supply truck arrived, carrying rice, meat, vegetables, and many other items.

 Chapter 20

    with the return of the sisters-in-law, they climbed into the car and squatted in the back compartment one by one.

    thanks to her experience in the morning, qin xue was finally able to climb up and sit together with fang hong and yu xiu.

    fang hong saw that qin xue didn¡¯t have much stuff: ¡°qin xue, did you just buy so little?¡±

    ¡°well, it¡¯s not too little. since i eat by myself, i just bought some rice and coarse flour. i can buy vegetables in the small market. i also bought some yarn without needing a coupon to knit a little sweater for the baby.¡± before coming back, qin xue had taken out some rice and flour to carry when no one was around, otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to explain where the stuff came from!

    ¡°yes, that¡¯s good. since you don¡¯t have a job, it¡¯s good to prepare clothes for the baby. by the time you give birth, the weather will be cold.¡±

    when you have cloth tickets, buy some cloth and slowly start preparing small clothes, otherwise, the baby will have nothing to wear.¡± fang hong thought for a while and reminded qin xue, worried that she would panic due to lack of experience at that time!

    ¡°ah, the wife of mr. chu, congratulations, you¡¯re pregnant! how long has it been? mr. chu will be so happy when he comes back.¡± one of the sisters-in-law replied after hearing their conversation.

    qin xue also wanted to take the opportunity to tell everyone about her pregnancy, for she didn¡¯t know when chu molin would come back from his mission.

    in a while, she would show her pregnancy and let people know that she was pregnant, but she didn¡¯t know what it would be called.

    nowadays, due to the lack of knowledge, most women are from rural areas. they come here because their husbands have read more and have the opportunity to do other things. the women all like to gossip and are typical long-tongued women. when people talk too much, it¡¯s annoying, so qin xue thinks it¡¯s better to avoid it if possible.

    ¡°yes, thank you, sister-in-law. i am pregnant. i found out when the doctor gave me a checkup while i was hospitalized for my injury last time, and i was already two months pregnant.

    i was lucky to have discovered it early or i wouldn¡¯t have been able to keep the baby and i wouldn¡¯t have been able to explain it to molin when he came back.¡± qin xue was still scared when she thought about it.

    if she hadn¡¯t entered this body in time, an innocent life would have been lost too.

    ¡°the wife of mr. chu, you have good luck. i hope you will have a boy.¡± the several women on the car had no conflicts with qin xue, and they all congratulated her.

    but the idea of having a boy made qin xue feel a little unhappy. what¡¯s wrong with a girl? girls are also her own children, and they are very popular in modern times.

    however, now most people value boys over girls, so qin xue could only suppress her unhappiness and say with a faint expression:

    ¡°thank you, sisters-in-law, for your good wishes. but now it¡¯s a new society, and mr. mao said that women can also hold up half the sky, so even if it¡¯s a girl, i¡¯d be very happy.¡±

    others heard her and were happy, but some of their faces froze. qin xue didn¡¯t care what they thought, she just shut her mouth and closed her eyes leaning against fang hong.

    ¡°qin xue, what¡¯s wrong? your face is so pale, are you uncomfortable?¡± it was yu xiu who noticed that something was wrong with qin xue.

    ¡°sister-in-law, i¡¯m fine, i just feel a little nauseous suddenly. i¡¯ll close my eyes for a while and feel better.¡± qin xue knew that this was the reaction of pregnant vomiting, and it was normal to feel nauseous sitting in the car.

    yu xiu saw that there was nothing else wrong with qin xue and let her be.

    finally, when qin xue could barely hold on any longer, they arrived at their destination. as soon as she got out of the car, qin xue put her things on the ground and ran to the side of the road to vomit violently, only stopping when the bile came out.

    she thought that the original body had already passed the vomiting period during pregnancy, but today she vomited again after sitting in the car. it was so uncomfortable, she had to go back and cook some porridge.

    fang hong and yu xiu carried qin xue¡¯s things and waited for her to finish vomiting before going to the residential building. seeing her vomiting so uncomfortably, they didn¡¯t let her carry anything and walked with empty hands.

    ¡°qin xue, since you didn¡¯t buy any vegetables today, our home garden has some. you can go pick some. there¡¯s plenty in the garden, just pick whatever you want to eat.¡± after spending so much time together and getting to know each other, fang hong genuinely treated qin xue as her sister.

    ¡°yeah, we have some too. just go and pick whatever you like to eat.¡± yu xiu also felt that qin xue was not like what others had said, and she was willing to treat her well.

    seeing the sincerity of the two, qin xue was happy and even more determined to repay their kindness.

    ¡°alright, thank you both. i was thinking of cooking some porridge later.

    so, i¡¯ll go pick some green vegetables later and stir-fry them.¡± speaking of cooking, qin xue remembered that she had never cooked before.

    besides the salt, there was not even a pot in the house. it seemed that she would have to go back to the small market later to see if there were any pots for sale. why did she forget to buy one in the county town?

    returning home after putting away her things and drinking some water, qin xue locked the door and went straight to the small market.

    perhaps because it was close to the afternoon, there were not many people. only a scattering of old farmers were selling vegetables.

    at this time, it was still considered public property and not their own. in order to do business, they needed to go to the village commune for a signature, otherwise, they would be accused of speculation and criticized.

    the consequences would be very serious. qin xue walked around and finally found a small blacksmith shop at the end. the shop was not big, but it had pots of various sizes.

    qin xue picked a pot for cooking rice, one for stir-frying dishes, and one for making soup. in the end, she bought a spatula and paid for everything.

    she went to the grocery store to buy soy sauce, but she didn¡¯t see any spices, so she had to make do with what she had.

    she would buy more in the county town some other day. today, she mainly explored the market and forgot to buy a lot of things. she would go back and make a shopping list before buying more.

    carrying these things was quite heavy, but it was not convenient to put them in her storage space here. instead, she could only carry them slowly. after buying the vegetables and ten eggs, she went home.

    since the pots were new, qin xue cut a piece of fat to fry them in before washing and cooking.

    qin xue opened the wind door, put in a coal briquette, and put the rice pot on top of it. after washing the vegetables, she waited for the porridge to be ready before stir-frying.

    today she was really tired. after closing the wind door, she went to the bathroom to wash her face and fell asleep on the bed for a while. how long did she sleep for?

    qin xue woke up to the smell of the rice. she was so hungry that her stomach was growling.

    qin xue sat on the bed, dazed for a few minutes before putting on her shoes and washing up. she didn¡¯t know if it was because of the pregnancy, but this body was so weak.

    in the past, she was never so weak. sometimes during surgery, she would work for hours and not feel as tired as she was today.

    it seems that it is necessary to make some changes slowly, or it will become even more tiring when the belly gets bigger.

    looking at the woman in the mirror, qin xue felt that she was somehow different.

    after serving herself a bowl of cold porridge, qin xue took the pot off the heat to swap it for a frying pan to stir-fry vegetables.

    well, her cooking skills were still so good. although it was just a simple stir-fried green vegetable, the taste was not bad.

    it tasted different without the pollution of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. in the end, qin xue ate two bowls of porridge and a plate of vegetables.

    well, she was so full, she couldn¡¯t eat anymore.

    walking back and forth in the living room to digest her food, qin xue cleaned up the dishes and utensils after she was no longer so full.

    she divided the pork belly she had bought into three portions, giving about a pound and a half each to fang hong¡¯s family and yu xiu¡¯s family, while keeping the rest for herself to eat.

    perhaps because the original body hadn¡¯t eaten much meat, qin xue thought about braised pork and garlic-stir-fried pork belly and started drooling.

    when did she become so indecisive, drooling just thinking about it? so embarrassing. fang hong¡¯s family was on the same floor, so qin xue packed the meat and took two apples to fang hong¡¯s family first.

 Chapter 21

    after entering the room, she found fang hong was also knitting a sweater. qin xue looked at the color and pattern, guessing it was probably for mr. xie.

    qin xue thought it looked pretty nice: ¡°sister-in-law, is this sweater for mr. xie?¡±

    ¡°yeah, i don¡¯t have a job anyway, and i¡¯m just idling around, so i decided to knit a sweater for mr. xie.¡± fang hong closed the door and sat on the chair opposite qin xue.

    ¡°sister-in-law, why don¡¯t you look for a job?¡± qin xue is not a person who relies on others.

    perhaps it was because of her experiences growing up, qin xue believed that it was more reliable to rely on herself. as the saying goes, you can¡¯t rely on the mountains to fall, and you can¡¯t rely on your family. so qin xue had been very independent since she was young.

    after graduation, she went to the hospital to work as a doctor and visited her grandparents on vacation. she rarely went back to her father¡¯s home.

    ¡°it¡¯s not that i don¡¯t want to look for a job. both my husband and i are from the city, and we have our own brothers and sisters.

    after mr. xie became section chief, i followed him here. later i got pregnant, gave birth and took care of the child¡¯s schooling, cooking and so on, until now when the child is in the first year of junior high and living on campus!

    now that i have some free time, i¡¯m thinking about finding a job, but since my education level isn¡¯t very high, it¡¯s not easy to find one.

    if there¡¯s a good job available at the department, it would be given to family members first, but there are more monks than porridge.

    so i have to take it slow, eventually i¡¯ll find one!¡± fang hong also wants to find a job, but due to her low education level, she can¡¯t find a good one.

    for mediocre jobs with long hours and low pay, mr. xie doesn¡¯t want her to do it, so she has to wait.

    ¡°what if there¡¯s capital for a small business, would you do it?¡± what qin xue wanted most was to start a business, as being her own boss gave her the most freedom and prevented her from fearing losing her job due to grievances.

    ¡°gosh, are you trying to get us killed? that¡¯s speculative behavior; if caught, we¡¯ll be criticized.¡± fang hong was still afraid that qin xue would speak recklessly, and the criticism she would receive if someone found out.

    ¡°sister-in-law, don¡¯t worry. i think many people are doing business now.

    as long as we get a stamp from the relevant department, it should be okay. i think the country will issue new instructions soon.

    it won¡¯t always be like this.¡± qin xue knew that soon the big pot eating would be disbanded and the land would be distributed to households.

    the economy was also developing rapidly, so when she heard that fang hong had no job, she probed her to see if she dared to try business.

    if fang hong agrees, qin xue will find ways to raise money and start a partnership with her. qin xue has knowledge of development trends for the next few decades and knows which direction to take and how to make money.

    ¡°are you serious?¡± fang hong could tell that qin xue wasn¡¯t joking.

    ¡°of course. look at our country with such a large population; if we don¡¯t allow people to do business, how can we feed so many people with such small public shares? we would starve. don¡¯t you think so?¡± qin xue saw signs of loosening in fang hong and continued to lobby.

    in fact, if fang hong asked xie jun, she would know a little about the direction, since xie jun was a section chief, and he would know both the vision and policies in advance.

    so what qin xue is doing is giving fang hong a direction to prepare for her future, after all, qin xue has no capital now, does she?

    ¡°sister-in-law, do you know how to make clothes? i mean with a sewing machine.¡± qin xue thought fang hong was gentle and polite.

    even if her academic qualifications were not high, she could still make clothes as long as she had a basic understanding of patterns and could interpret the blueprints.

    ¡°yes, i have many siblings, and our family was poor, so we made our own clothes from a young age.

    after i got married, mr. xie hadn¡¯t become section chief. he often went on research trips and came back only after a long time. i took care of the child and did the housework by myself.

    mr. xie saw that i was having a hard time, so he saved the bonuses he earned and eventually accumulated enough money to buy me a sewing machine. since then, i have been using the sewing machine to make clothes. why, do you want me to help you make clothes with the sewing machine?

    i can do that. just bring the fabric, and i¡¯ll measure the size and make the clothes for you.¡± fang hong¡¯s deep love for mr. xie came from his understanding and how he cherishes her, leading to an increasingly loving relationship.

    ¡°yes, i do want to make clothes, but i want to sell them. i can¡¯t make them myself.

    how about we form a partnership? i can draw the blueprints, and you can make the clothes. i have some money, and i can buy fabric first.

    after selling the clothes, we¡¯ll deduct the cost and share the profits.¡± qin xue only provides blueprints and doesn¡¯t know how to make clothes.

    once the clothes are made, qin xue can sell them at a stall first, then rent a storefront specifically for selling clothes and build her brand, taking the high-end route.

    ¡°qin xue, are you serious? you really want to make clothes to sell? isn¡¯t that a bad idea?¡± fang hong was actually tempted, but she was still more scared than anything.

    she thought she should wait for mr. xie to get off work in the evening and discuss with him before deciding whether to do it or not.

    seeing that fang hong was interested but a little afraid, qin xue said:

    ¡°sister-in-law, how about this? when mr. xie comes back, talk to him and see what he thinks, and then we¡¯ll decide whether to do it or not. what do you think?¡±

    ¡°alright, i¡¯ll ask mr. xie when he comes back and see what he says.¡±

    having discussed enough, qin xue prepared to leave, giving fang hong the meat she brought.

    ¡°sister-in-law, here are the apples and meat i bought. i¡¯ll cut some for you to try. it¡¯s not much, don¡¯t mind it.¡±

    ¡°qin xue, what are you doing? hurry up and take it back. keep it for yourself and nourish yourself while being pregnant.¡± fang hong didn¡¯t dare to accept qin xue¡¯s meat. it looked like more than a pound, costing more than two dollars and also needing a meat ticket.

    apples were even more expensive and harder to buy. qin xue brought two.

    fang hong thought it was a waste, but it was a gift for their family. in the residential building, no one had ever been so generous to others¡¯ families before.

    so even though it was wasteful, fang hong couldn¡¯t criticize qin xue for it, otherwise, wouldn¡¯t that poke at someone¡¯s heart?

    ¡°sister-in-law, don¡¯t be so distant. you took care of me when i was injured, and now i¡¯m recovered and pregnant.

    i¡¯m so happy that i started cooking and wanted you all to be happy with me. so just accept the meat.

    when molin comes back, i¡¯ll invite you all over to my place for dinner.¡± qin xue finally managed to persuade fang hong to accept the gifts with much persuasion.

    after returning home, qin xue delivered the gifts to yu xiu¡¯s family as well. then, she started thinking about making new and interesting clothes to sell if fang hong agreed to make them.

    so she began to draw blueprints before it got dark. however, when she returned to her room, she realized that she had no paper or pencil.

    qin xue thought there should be some in chu molin¡¯s room. she pushed open the door to molin¡¯s room and saw the clean and tidy bed, with the neatly folded quilt in the middle. the bedsheets were so wrinkle-free that she wondered how he managed it.

    qin xue knew she couldn¡¯t achieve that level of tidiness. there were a few books and a cup on the desk, a chair, a wardrobe, and a small bookcase with neatly arranged rows of books.

    looking closer, qin xue saw that most of the books were about the military. did this man want to change careers and become a soldier? qin xue really did find a stack of white paper on the desk.

    she took a pencil and an eraser from the pen holder, and after thinking about it, she took a sheet of white paper and wrote a message, leaving it on the desk before leaving the room.

 Chapter 22

    qin xue placed the paper and pen on the table in her room and went to the living room to pour a glass of water before returning to her room to start drawing.

    since qin xue could draw, she couldn¡¯t compare to professionals, but she was still pretty good at it, having learned embroidery from her grandmother before she started learning to draw patterns for embroidery.

    of course, a master like her grandmother could embroider without drawing patterns.

    but who would have thought that qin xue wasn¡¯t such a master, so her grandmother taught her how to draw patterns.

    later in school, she also took up drawing as a hobby, not as a profession, but even if she wasn¡¯t a professional, drawing a clothing pattern wouldn¡¯t be too challenging for her.

    qin xue thought of all kinds of clothes from the future and drew seven or eight designs before stopping.

    qin xue wasn¡¯t afraid that fang hong wouldn¡¯t make them; even if fang hong didn¡¯t, she could still find someone else to do it, as long as they had the courage not to be afraid of not making money.

    now that it was march, summer would soon arrive, just in time to make summer clothes.

    so qin xue drew summer clothes, including t-shirts, suits, skirts, and dresses.

    qin xue first wanted to make skirts and suits, and after some thought, she drew even more designs until it was too dark to see.

    qin xue heated up her porridge and stir-fried some greens before taking a shower and going to bed.

    qin xue entered the space, plowed the land, sowed vegetable seeds, and watered it with spiritual spring water before resting in the bamboo house.

    before resting, qin xue drank a big glass of spiritual spring water and went to sleep. xue ling requested her to rest in the bamboo house, saying that sleeping in the space with spiritual energy inside would be good for her body.

    so qin xue thought that it didn¡¯t matter where she slept; since sleeping in the space was good for her body, she would sleep in the space.

    so qin xue slept beautifully until dawn and found that it was still early when she left the space.

    qin xue took out some flour to make buns and steamed bread, mixed the flour, and cooked the porridge. she didn¡¯t have any filling, so she chopped some meat and cabbage for filling.

    after breakfast, qin xue took out the knitting needles and yarn she had bought yesterday to prepare to knit a sweater with buttons on it, as pulling it over a small child¡¯s head wasn¡¯t convenient.

    qin xue originally learned to knit to practice her finger dexterity.

    she thought about how she used to knit most of the sweaters for her dormmates.

    qin xue didn¡¯t lack money, but one of her dormmates was from a remote mountain area, and getting into medical university in b city wasn¡¯t easy. they relied on their parents scrimping and saving to support their education.

    later, that student made a living selling knitted items like sweaters, scarves, gloves, and other knitwear to earn her tuition. qin xue helped by knitting many items to practice, and found various fancy patterns online. when they started their internships, qin xue stopped helping with the knitting.

    as they graduated and went their separate ways, qin xue returned to work at the hospital in her hometown.

    her contact with her classmates was mostly online, and now that she was dead and had arrived here, she didn¡¯t know how they were doing and if anyone still remembered her.

    as qin xue knitted and reminisced about the past, her hands moved quickly, and she had knitted a long section by morning.

    qin xue put down the yarn, washed her hands, and made steamed buns. she didn¡¯t make too many buns, just about twenty, and ten steamed bread, each of them not too big, about the size of a fist and much smaller than what the cafeteria offered.

    qin xue ate two to keep her full, uncovered the pot, and steamed the buns when the water was boiling. she had just put them in and covered the pot.

    as she picked up the yarn and prepared to continue knitting, there was a knock on the door. qin xue put down the knitting needle, opened the door, and saw fang hong.

    ¡°sister-in-law is here, come in, and have a seat.¡± she poured fang hong a glass of water before sitting next to her!

    ¡°sister-in-law, are you here today because you¡¯ve decided to make clothes?¡± qin xue asked straightforwardly.

    ¡°yes, but can we not let anyone else know for now?¡± fang hong thought about what mr. xie had said the night before when going to bed:

    ¡°did qin xue exactly tell you that? she¡¯s really not simple; she has a keen sense and far-sighted vision.

    if it weren¡¯t for chu molin filing a marriage report and verifying her identity, i wouldn¡¯t think of her as an inexperienced rural girl at all.

    policy is going to change, but the country hasn¡¯t issued any orders yet. i¡¯m only a section chief, and until the policy changes and the documents are issued, i must lead by example and not make mistakes.

    if you want to do it, it¡¯s fine, but don¡¯t be too conspicuous.

    once you find a store, you can start slowly and not attract attention. as long as you wait until the country¡¯s reform and the policies change, you can do anything you want. but before that, you can¡¯t be too conspicuous, or i might be persuaded to go home.¡±

    ¡°so you mean we can do it?¡± fang hong looked up at xie jun and asked.

    xie jun was holding fang hong as they slept, and when she looked up at him, he slightly retreated to make her more comfortable before saying:

    ¡°yes, from what i¡¯ve observed, qin xue is very promising. it¡¯s never a mistake to befriend her more closely in the future.

    if qin xue is providing the designs, the money, and the sales, then you just need to adjust your share.¡±

    fang hong was also determined to find qin xue when she saw the high evaluation xie jun gave her.

    ¡°sure, i didn¡¯t intend to make a big deal out of it anyway.

    it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate to go high-profile before the policy changes. after all, my molin is still just a small shrimp, isn¡¯t he?

    if you think about it, i¡¯ll go to the county town tomorrow to buy fabric and see if i can rent a house.

    if i can rent one, i won¡¯t have to worry about people discovering it. what do you think?¡± qin xue now has about us$ 85, which should be enough to rent a house and buy fabric.

    however, without cloth tickets to buy cloth, she can only go to the black market, where prices are bound to be much higher.

    no matter what, she would decide tomorrow based on the situation.

    ¡°sister-in-law, why don¡¯t you go to the county town with me tomorrow? we can look for houses and cloth together.

    after all, you often make clothes, and you know which kind of fabric is of good quality and cheaper.¡±

    qin xue thought about it and felt it would be better to involve fang hong.

    ¡°alright, let¡¯s go together and see. also, qin xue, let¡¯s change the share we talked about yesterday.¡±

    fang hong told qin xue what xie jun had said.

    ¡°no need, sister-in-law, just split it evenly. it doesn¡¯t need to be changed.¡±

    qin xue also had her own considerations. she could now find a market with her small belly, but when her belly became bigger, she would have to hand over the matter to fang hong and only draw the patterns herself. if the share was too low, it wouldn¡¯t be fair to fang hong, would it?

    ¡°no, it¡¯s not right. according to what you said yesterday, you would provide the designs, the money, and sell the clothes, and i would only make the clothes. splitting it evenly is too much!¡±

    ¡°sister-in-law, listen to me. i¡¯m pregnant, right? my belly is small now, so i can run around, but when my belly gets bigger, it won¡¯t be convenient for me to run anymore. by that time, i will need to find someone to help me sell the clothes, and if the sales are good, you alone won¡¯t be able to handle it.

    you¡¯ll have to hire apprentices to work together, right? that also means paying wages.

    by the time i only draw the patterns for you to make clothes, and you¡¯ll have to take care of everything else, right? so this share isn¡¯t too much.¡±

    qin xue knew that she would invest a lot in the early stage but become a hands-off boss in the later stage.

    so she didn¡¯t want to give people enough incentive to work wholeheartedly without giving them enough attractive value.

    ¡°no, that¡¯s not going to work. if we do it as you said, let¡¯s do four to six. i¡¯ll take four, and you¡¯ll take six. don¡¯t say too much, just do as i say, or i won¡¯t work with you.¡± fang hong was also unsure.

    everything was provided by qin xue alone. if the sales were good, that would be fine, but what if they weren¡¯t? fang hong was only putting in the effort.

    qin xue was putting in the money, and if they lost it, it would be gone. so no matter what, they couldn¡¯t give qin xue a fifty-fifty share when she was trying to make money for herself.

    qin xue saw that no matter what she said, fang hong wouldn¡¯t agree, so she accepted her suggestion of a four-six split. then she wrote two identical contracts, and after fang hong had read them and had no objections, they signed and pressed their handprints, one copy for each.

 Chapter 23

    qin xue checked the time after putting away the contract, and it had been over half an hour. the dumplings were ready, so she put four of them on a plate and placed it on the table.

    ¡°sister-in-law, try the dumplings i made and see how they taste.¡± she handed a pair of chopsticks to fang hong.

    she also took a bowl and put a dumpling in it, taking a bite. it was soft yet chewy and tasted delicious. qin xue¡¯s eyes narrowed in satisfaction.

    fang hong couldn¡¯t help but smile at qin xue¡¯s expression.

    she really was like a child. fang hong picked up a dumpling and took a bite, surprised to find that it was indeed delicious.

    it was even better than the ones sold outside ¨C quite fresh and sweet. no wonder mr. xie had given such high praise for it last night.

    after eating three dumplings in a row, fang hong put down her chopsticks and chuckled, ¡°ah, i¡¯ve eaten too many, i¡¯m so sorry.¡±

    her face reddened with embarrassment, unaccustomed to eating so much or without restraint, especially in someone else¡¯s home. but somehow, at qin xue¡¯s place, she had forgotten her manners and eaten too much.

    ¡°no need to be sorry, i¡¯m happy that you enjoyed it. i made plenty, so eat as much as you want. later, take some home for mr. xie to try.

    you don¡¯t have to cook lunch; just boil an egg and have it with the dumplings should suffice. it¡¯s simple and convenient.¡±

    in her previous life, qin xue enjoyed this as her meal combination, a dumpling and a bowl of egg soup would do.

    ¡°that sounds great, then i won¡¯t be shy. how do you make the dumplings and meat filling so soft and delicious? mine don¡¯t turn out this way.¡±

    fang hong thought that if she could learn how to make these dumplings, her husband and son would love them!

    ¡°it¡¯s simple. the softness comes from balancing water in the dough, knead it until it¡¯s smooth and shiny, and then let it sit.

    when the dough has visibly small holes like a honeycomb, it¡¯s ready to use. knead it again, roll the dough into thin pieces, then stuff and steam them for about half an hour and remove from heat for five minutes.

    meanwhile, prepare the filling by marinating finely chopped meat and vegetables with salt, soy sauce, condiments, a bit of sesame oil, a spoonful or two of pig fat or vegetable oil, and a little bit of white wine. let it sit for about ten minutes.¡±

    qin xue told fang hong the whole process of making dumplings.

    ¡°that¡¯s the secret! no wonder mine don¡¯t taste as good. thank you, qin xue! others may not be willing to share their recipe.¡±

    fang hong knew that this was a skill that could be sold, but qin xue was generous enough to teach her everything!

    ¡°sister-in-law, you¡¯re being too polite! we¡¯re friends, right? why should we be so formal? it¡¯s just a recipe for making dumplings, not a top-secret.¡±

    ¡°with your dumpling-making skills, i can come over and eat at your place without having to make them myself. it¡¯s a win-win situation!¡±

    qin xue knew that fang hong was a grateful person, so she shared the recipe with her, which did not disappoint.

    they chatted while eating dumplings, and qin xue continued knitting her sweater. fang hong watched her, surprised by her speed.

    ¡°qin xue, how did you learn to knit so fast? i¡¯ve been doing it for years, and i can¡¯t keep up with you!¡±

    ¡°sister-in-law, you know how ¡®practice makes perfect.¡¯ once you¡¯re familiar with knitting, it becomes second nature.¡±

    ¡°you¡¯re really talented, good at everything you do.¡± fang hong thought qin xue was incredible.

    even the plan to marry chu molin was a good one ¨C chu molin wouldn¡¯t be at a loss marrying someone as smart and capable as qin xue. fang hong guessed that qin xue¡¯s past behavior might have been influenced by bai jing, but after separating from her, qin xue had changed for the better.

    ¡°qin xue, don¡¯t hang out with bai jing anymore.

    just look at what happened to your reputation when you were with her. now that you¡¯re not with her, you¡¯re so smart and capable.¡± fang hong thought about it and decided to bring up the topic to qin xue.

    ¡°bai jing? who¡¯s bai jing?¡± qin xue really didn¡¯t know who that was, since she had none of the original owner¡¯s memories.

    ¡°uh, i forgot you lost your memory. never mind, just be more careful with people in the future and don¡¯t get fooled and end up counting money for others.¡±

    fang hong felt that qin xue was too naive when it came to people. on one hand, she hoped she could be simple and not have to worry about being on guard when they were together, but on the other hand, she was afraid she would be tricked and couldn¡¯t rest easy. it was a real dilemma!

    ¡°okay, thank you, sister-in-law. mr. xie and the others must be off work now.

    i¡¯ll pack some buns for you to take home and make some soup, otherwise it¡¯ll be too dry and hard to eat.¡± qin xue heard the sound of many people coming and going in the hallway.

    she took a plate and put four buns and four steamed buns in it for fang hong to take away. after steaming them, qin xue didn¡¯t pick them out, but kept them warm in the pot. now they were hot, and fang hong could eat them without having to heat them up.

    ¡°you don¡¯t need that many, this is too many. just pack two would be enough, we can¡¯t finish so many!¡± fang hong had already eaten her fill and didn¡¯t want to take so many home.

    ¡°it¡¯s not too much, i made them small. i¡¯m afraid it¡¯s not enough for a big man like mr. xie.

    don¡¯t push it, it won¡¯t taste good when it gets cold. you go home quickly, and i won¡¯t see you off.¡± qin xue sent fang hong out the door.

    turning around, she packed four buns and four steamed buns for yu xiu¡¯s family as well. there were still seven buns and two steamed buns left for her own dinner and breakfast tomorrow.

    she couldn¡¯t eat steam buns every meal, so she had to switch it up.

    qin xue was from the southern region in her previous life, and her staple food was rice. occasionally eating noodles was fine, but eating them constantly made her not want them anymore. especially now that she was pregnant and her tastes kept changing.

    yu xiu¡¯s family lived on the floor above theirs.

    qin xue waited until there was no sound in the hallway to carry the buns and steamed buns upstairs, so as not to be seen by others and become gossip material.

    when she went upstairs, yu xiu was cooking, and mr. xu was playing with their daughter in the living room. it was very warm and cozy.

    ¡°hello sister-in-law, mr. xu. i made some buns and brought a few for you to try. please don¡¯t despise them.¡± qin xue handed the buns to yu xiu.

    ¡°qin xue came, come in and sit.¡± xu fangzhou put the child down on the ground and stood up to speak.

    ¡°qin xue, what are you doing? you just brought us meat yesterday, and now you¡¯re bringing buns.

    you¡¯re not having an easy time yourself, so don¡¯t bother with us. you should take it back and eat it yourself.¡± yu xiu genuinely felt embarrassed.

    she had only taken care of qin xue for a few days in the hospital, and now she was being brought meat and buns.

    yu xiu felt guilty for accepting them. initially, she had gone to the hospital because mr. xu and mr. xie had discussed it, saying that chu molin was not there and no one was taking care of qin xue.

    there was no choice but for her and fang hong to go and take care of her, but now the things she was sending over were too precious. no one was rich these days, so it was hard to accept them without feeling guilty.

    ¡°sister-in-law, you¡¯re being too polite. these are not exotic delicacies, just some buns. i made a few extras and thought i¡¯d bring some for you to try. as long as you don¡¯t mind, that¡¯s all that matters!

    is this your daughter? she¡¯s so cute!¡± qin xue looked at the little girl with big eyes staring at the buns but not shouting to eat them. she could tell she had been well brought up!

    ¡°yes, this is my daughter, xu jia, her nickname is jiajia. jiajia, say hello to auntie!¡± yu xiu looked at her daughter with a gentle smile.

    yu xiu¡¯s expression now was nothing like her usual calm one.

    it seemed that every mother radiated motherly love when she was with her own child.

    ¡°hello, auntie, i¡¯m jiajia.¡± little jiajia listened to her mother and smiled at qin xue with squinting eyes as she greeted her.

    ¡°wow, so adorable! hello, jiajia! feel free to come over to auntie¡¯s place sometime. auntie will make you some delicious food.¡± maybe it was because she was pregnant herself, but qin xue couldn¡¯t help but like the adorable little girl. she wondered if she would also give birth to such a cute girl.

 Chapter 24

    qin xue gently caressed jiajia¡¯s hair, which was very soft and comfortable to touch, making her heart melt.

    ¡°qin xue, sit down, we¡¯ll eat soon. i¡¯ll go heat up some soup, and we can start eating.¡± yu xiu took the buns to the kitchen to make room for the bowls.

    ¡°no need, sister-in-law, i¡¯ve already eaten. just go ahead and eat without worrying about me.¡±

    just clear the bowls for me, i need to go back and rest. i¡¯m so sleepy lately, i feel like i can¡¯t ever get enough sleep.¡± qin xue knew that being pregnant often meant being sleepy.

    ¡°did you really eat? don¡¯t be shy, or you¡¯ll go hungry.¡± yu xiu also enjoyed sleep when she was pregnant, so she did not insist on qin xue staying for dinner.

    ¡°i¡¯m not being shy. i really did eat. i ate the buns not long ago. if you don¡¯t believe me, the buns are still warm. so, i¡¯m not hungry, and i can¡¯t eat any more. just give me the plate, and i¡¯ll leave, so you guys can enjoy your meal. goodbye, jiajia, feel free to visit auntie¡¯s house anytime.¡± qin xue waved goodbye to jiajia while holding the plate.

    ¡°okay, auntie, goodbye.¡± jiajia also waved her little hand to say goodbye to qin xue.

    yu xiu closed the door before returning to the kitchen to cook the soup. the meal consisted of two dishes and a soup: a meat and cabbage stir-fry, a green vegetable stir-fry, and a tomato and egg soup. it was quite a decent meal, with the meat provided by qin xue from the previous day.

    yu xiu cut some vegetables for the child to eat. the conditions at yu xiu¡¯s house were similar to those at fang hong¡¯s, with the difference that yu xiu¡¯s family had one more child. yu xiu and fang hong were around the same age, but yu xiu had a higher educational background, having graduated from high school, while fang hong only had a junior high school diploma.

    ¡°jiajia, go get your brother for dinner. mr. xu, don¡¯t you think qin xue has changed a lot? she¡¯s not like what people say at all.¡±

    yu xiu handed a bowl of soup to xu fangzhou, served their son half a bowl of soup, fed jiajia some soup, and then gave jiajia a bun to eat herself before she started eating.

    ¡°the change is good. now chu molin can work with peace of mind. otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t work if things were like before. well, this bun is really delicious. try it.¡± xu fangzhou took a bite of the bun and handed another one to yu xiu.

    xu fangzhou ate the buns and served his wife and daughter, while their son had yet to return for dinner.

    ¡°it really is delicious, much better than the ones sold outside.¡± yu xiu had also bought buns from outside before, but they were not as tasty as the ones qin xue made.

    ¡°mom, it¡¯s delicious, i want more.¡± jiajia finished the bun in her hand and wanted more to eat.

    ¡°jiajia, it¡¯s not mom who is delicious, it¡¯s the bun. here you go.¡± yu xiu laughed, tapped the girl¡¯s nose, and handed her another bun.

    ¡°mom, i can¡¯t finish it all. just give me half.¡± despite her young age, jiajia was very sensible and knew not to waste food if she couldn¡¯t finish it.

    ¡°okay, i¡¯ll have dad break it in half for you. you take one half, and your brother takes the other half.¡± yu xiu asked jiajia to give the bun to xu fangzhou.

    xu fangzhou watched the interaction between his wife and daughter with a smile, breaking the bun in half for each of the siblings.

    xu fangzhou felt that seeing his family every day was happiness.

    his wife might be reserved and not particularly talkative with others outside, but that was only because she wasn¡¯t acquainted with them. at home, she was a smiling and gentle woman.

    although life might be frugal, there was always a balance to things. having a wife like this, what more could a husband ask for?

    arguably, mr. xie¡¯s family and theirs were the only harmonious ones in the whole research institute.

    yu xiu felt xu fangzhou¡¯s gaze, looked up at him, and blushed, as his eyes were full of affection.

    when qin xue returned home, she washed her face, went back to her room for a nap, and peeked into the space where she found that the vegetables she had planted the night before had already sprouted.

    it seemed that what xue ling said was right; this space was indeed a good thing.

    the vegetables that were sown last night sprouted in just half a day, so she could enjoy fresh vegetables very soon ¨C yay, how nice!

    after checking on the vegetables, qin xue went back to the bamboo house, ¡°xue ling, can you leave the space and come outside?¡±

    ¡°i can¡¯t right now, master. my cultivation is too low to leave. once my cultivation is higher, i can. do you want me to leave?¡± xue ling had just woken up and had limited abilities, so leaving the space would be very dangerous for her.

    ¡°no, i was just asking. you still have cultivation? but didn¡¯t you say you woke up because of my blood? how do you still have cultivation?¡± qin xue was shocked.

    ¡°of course, i am an artifact spirit, and that¡¯s because my previous master was a cultivator. i grew along with her when she created this space.

    but when her cultivation level increased, she found this space to be low-grade, so she sealed me away when she abandoned the space.

    your blood awakened me, so i woke up, but i had been asleep for so long that my cultivation has almost been completely drained.¡±

    xue ling used to accompany the cultivator in leveling up, but now qin xue is not a cultivator and has no cultivation, so xue ling can only rely on herself to level up.

    ¡°so how do you cultivate, and what abilities do you have?¡± qin xue felt like she had really stumbled upon a treasure, encountering such a fantastical thing.

    ¡°right now, i only know how to use charms.¡± she was shy because charms were meant to attract men.

    ¡°what, really? charms? why would i need them to attract men? how can you, a fox, attract men in the space? and what do you plan to do once you¡¯ve hooked them in?¡± qin xue was confused. weren¡¯t you a fox and not a human?

    ¡°hehe, i don¡¯t have any other choice. once my cultivation is strong enough, i can transform into a human shape, and then it¡¯ll be okay, right?¡± xue ling even cast a flirtatious glance at qin xue.

    ¡°alright, alright, stop giving me those flirtatious looks. we¡¯ll talk about it when you can take human form. i need to rest now, so please don¡¯t bother me.¡±

    qin xue finished speaking and ignored xue ling, who didn¡¯t disturb her after she fell asleep.

    she drank some of the spirit spring water and then went to sleep at the side. in fact, xue ling was not asleep but meditating, which was cultivating. since qin xue was an ordinary person without cultivation, she could only take it slow.

    when qin xue woke and left the space, she felt a pity seeing the ground covered with peach blossoms.

    seeing the full peach blossoms on the tree, she wondered if she could pick them, dry them, and use them for tea or to brew peach blossom wine, or make delicious peach blossom cakes.

    as the thought occurred, she went out and found a few clean, large bags. she came back under the peach tree and began picking peach blossom petals.

    after picking several large bags, they only covered one or two peach trees. with such a large peach blossom forest, the flowers seemed endless, and the trees bore only flowers and no peaches.

    though beautiful, right now qin xue wanted money, so she had to make the best use of everything.

    qin xue fastened the bags filled with peach blossoms and hung them high up on a tree, not worrying about them getting ruined.

    the fallen peach blossoms had lain on the ground undamaged under a thick layer, which qin xue had seen when she dug them up.

    so, next time, qin xue planned to pick them up from the ground instead since they weren¡¯t dirty or trampled on by people. she thought it would be much more convenient than picking them one by one. she decided that would be her plan from now on.

    only when all the bags were tied up did qin xue leave the space. seeing it was still early, she picked up her crochet work and continued, working until 5 o¡¯clock. she then cooked a bowl of chicken egg soup and ate two steamed buns, which took care of her meal.

    qin xue put the water on to heat, but instead of going downstairs for a walk, she paced back and forth in the house to help digest her meal.

    when the water was hot, she went to take a shower. while showering, she heard xue ling¡¯s voice in her mind:

    ¡°master, why don¡¯t you use the spirit spring water to bathe? it can improve your physique. didn¡¯t you notice that after drinking the spring water, your skin has improved a lot and your body is much cleaner of impurities?¡±

    hearing xue ling¡¯s words, qin xue realized it was true. she looked at her reflection in the mirror and saw that her skin had indeed become better.

    after taking a shower and getting out of the space, qin xue surrounded the spirit spring and kept looking at it, then glanced around.

    maybe she could dig a hole on the side to divert the spring water to soak in, so she wouldn¡¯t have to scoop it. it would be much more convenient. ah, that¡¯s it!

    ¡°xue ling, can i use as much of this spirit spring as i want?¡±

    ¡°of course! it will keep replenishing as long as you don¡¯t commit any acts that would bring divine punishment. then it will be inexhaustible and endless.¡±

    ¡°wow, that¡¯s awesome! it¡¯s so great. i¡¯m going to dig a hole to soak in.¡± qin xue decided to do it after returning from the county town the next day.

 Chapter 25

    the next day, qin xue was woken by the reveille. she saw that it was still quite bright outside.

    she rolled over and fell asleep again. by the time she woke up, it was already seven o¡¯clock, and she didn¡¯t feel like having buns for breakfast that day.

    she just finished making and eating a bowl of dough drop soup and washing up when the doorbell rang.

    she expected it was fang hong, and sure enough, it was fang hong when she opened the door.

    ¡°take a seat, sister-in-law. i¡¯ll be ready soon. have you had breakfast? if not, i can heat up some buns for you.¡±

    ¡°i¡¯ve already eaten, no need to fuss over me. when you¡¯re ready, we can leave. we¡¯ll hitch a ride with the supply vehicle, and if we make it back in time, we can ride the same vehicle back. if we don¡¯t, we¡¯ll take the shuttle bus.¡± fang hong thought about all the tasks they had that day and was afraid they would run out of time.

    ¡°alright, we¡¯ll do as you say, sister-in-law. let¡¯s go.¡± qin xue picked up her keys and locked the door.

    they didn¡¯t encounter many people when they left, but there were quite a few waiting at the gate for the vehicle.

    qin xue saw zhang cuihua, the one who had berated her at her doorstep last time, and really didn¡¯t want to take the same supply vehicle now.

    where there is a crowd, there is likely to be trouble, which can be annoying. but before qin xue could turn around, she was spotted by zhang cuihua:

    ¡°oh, isn¡¯t this the charming wife of deputy chief chu? are you also headed to the county town? how great some people have it. with their men not at home, they can go anywhere or do anything.¡± zhang cuihua couldn¡¯t bear to see qin xue have a good time.

    why, despite being of similar ages, should her man be an ordinary worker while qin xue¡¯s is a deputy head?

    and her man, who is both handsome and manly, compared to her own rough and unsympathetic husband.

    such a good man fell into qin xue¡¯s trap, and the thought of it made her uncomfortable.

    ¡°what¡¯s the matter, are you jealous? i¡¯m going to the county town, so what? my husband is not at home, and yes, i¡¯m going out. would you like to bite me?¡± qin xue really wanted to kick this woman away.

    she knew she would never be left in peace whenever she encountered this woman.

    ¡°shameless! your husband¡¯s not home, and you¡¯re running around everywhere. what are you up to? surely you¡¯re not meeting other men, are you?¡± zhang cuihua was indeed envious, but there was nothing she could do except offend qin xue.

    ¡°hey, watch your language. that¡¯s slander, and i can report you.

    did you see me go meet other men, or do you have evidence that i did?

    if you keep talking nonsense, don¡¯t blame me for being rude.¡± qin xue really wanted to smack zhang cuihua in her foul mouth. in this day and age, speaking such words is not plotting to ruin her?

    ¡°i didn¡¯t speak nonsense. you just went to the county town the day before yesterday and you¡¯re going again today. if you¡¯re not meeting other men, then what are you doing?¡± zhang cuihua was slightly scared when she heard that qin xue would report her.

    but qin xue¡¯s trips to the county town were a bit too frequent, weren¡¯t they?

    ¡°zhang cuihua, watch your mouth. qin xue is with me.

    she also went with me and yu xiu last time, nothing like what you¡¯re claiming about her meeting other men.¡± fang hong also despised zhang cuihua, who always liked to sow discord.

    ¡°sister-in-law of the head, i know you¡¯re close to her, but you can¡¯t shield her.

    deputy chief chu is not at home on duty, and she is running around everywhere. does she deserve him?¡± zhang cuihua was so jealous to see fang hong and qin xue getting along so well.

    she had tried to get on good terms with fang hong, but fang hong had always been lukewarm to her, and she didn¡¯t expect her to be so good to qin xue now.

    ¡°ah, zhang cuihua, are you suggesting that when their husbands are away on duty, women are not supposed to go out?

    look at the women around here, is there any whose husband has never been away on duty and not at home?

    are they not supposed to go shopping to supply their homes? i believe there are quite a few people on duty with chu molin this time, right?

    so according to what you¡¯re saying, all these other women going to the county town are also meeting other men? your own man is also away on duty, isn¡¯t he?

    so, you¡¯re also going to meet other men, aren¡¯t you? oh, i get it, do you have a crush on chu molin?

    is that why you¡¯re always targeting me and can¡¯t stand to see me doing well?

    no wonder i never offended you before, but you always confront me whenever you see me. it turns out it¡¯s because of my husband, chu molin.¡± qin xue was also good at confrontations.

    ¡°you¡¯re trying to tarnish my reputation? well, i can tell everyone that your resentment towards me is because you can¡¯t win the affection of my relative, chu molin. let¡¯s see who¡¯s scared then.¡±

    qin xue only hoped that when her darling husband came back, he would spare her.

    ¡°zhang cuihua, you¡¯re the one going after other men, not us.

    we¡¯re just trying to get supplies because our homes ran out.¡± other women angrily retorted, vexed at qin xue for dragging them into it, and hating zhang cuihua for spewing nonsense.

    qin xue wasn¡¯t scared of them, though. she didn¡¯t want to bully anyone, but that didn¡¯t mean she was a pushover.

    although she might be a bit lazy, that doesn¡¯t mean she¡¯s easy to intimidate. weren¡¯t you all just happily watching the drama?

    now let¡¯s see who can remain calm when they¡¯re the ones involved.

    unwilling to ride the supply vehicle with these people and avoid the stress, qin xue pulled fang hong over to wait at the bus stop.

    ¡°qin xue, you¡¯re much fiercer than i expected! you shut them all up.¡± fang hong gave qin xue a thumbs up.

    ¡°pff, hong, you¡¯re definitely not the same person once we got to know each other,¡± qin xue said, finding fang hong surprisingly sweet.

    ¡°how am i any different? isn¡¯t it still me?¡± fang hong was unsure what had changed.

    ¡°well, when people don¡¯t know you, you seem gentle, generous, yet a bit stern which makes you seem unapproachable. however, when i got to know you, i found you are not only gentle and generous, but also very easy to get along with, and sometimes even childlike.¡± after qin xue explained this, she walked several steps with fang hong before releasing her hand and heading to the bus stop.

    the bus stop isn¡¯t far from them, the only difference is that riding the bus requires a fare, whereas the supply vehicle does not.

    so most people wait for the supply vehicle. but qin xue, running into such peculiar folks, would rather pay the fare than ride with them.

    while they were waiting for the bus and chatting, a jeep suddenly pulled up in front of them. xiao zhao¡¯s face appeared from the rolled-down window:

    ¡°ladies, are you heading to the county town? we¡¯re heading there too, i can give you a ride, so you don¡¯t have to wait for a bus.¡±

    ¡°oh, it¡¯s xiao zhao. that¡¯s kind of you, thank you. but will it delay you?¡± fang hong was pleased with the prospect of hitching a ride.

    concerned about causing them inconvenience. qin knew xiao zhao, as he had given her a ride home when she was discharged from the hospital.

    ¡°xiao zhao, will taking us along delay you? if it does, we can wait for the bus.¡±

    ¡°no, not at all. hop in.¡± xiao zhao didn¡¯t have a choice. as soon as they came out, qin lang had asked him to offer them a ride.

    after qin xue and fang hong got in the car, they noticed another man on the passenger seat, but they couldn¡¯t see his face.

    neither of them spoke after getting in the car, thinking it inappropriate to chat as they didn¡¯t know each other very well, so they just closed their eyes and rested since it was going to be a long ride.

    qin lang was surprised to see qin xue confronting those women while he was waiting for xiao zhao at the security office. he hadn¡¯t expected the woman he saw that day to turn out to be the wife of one of his colleagues.

    he felt a bit uncomfortable seeing others trying to bully her, so when he saw them waiting for the bus later, he asked xiao zhao to give them a ride.

    but he didn¡¯t expect them to sit silently, not speaking and even closing their eyes to rest after they got into the car.

    qin lang checked the rear-view mirror several times, and found qin xue strangely familiar, but he knew for a fact that he did not know this woman.

    in fact, he didn¡¯t even know her name! where does this strange familiarity come from?

    qin xue felt an examining gaze on her, and with discomfort, she turned away, blocking that gaze.

    perceiving her discomfort, qin lang felt a bit rude for scrutinizing her and redirected his gaze to the road ahead.

    he hoped to resolve the frustrating familial issues during this visit home. anyway, no one would judge him for taking leave to go home.

    the people in the jeep remained silent all the way to the county town.

 Chapter 26

    after they arrived in the county town, qin xue and fang hong thanked xiao zhao and got off the car at the entrance of the supply and marketing cooperative.

    they didn¡¯t go into the supply and marketing cooperative after the car left, as the items inside mostly required ration coupons with specified quantities.

    this didn¡¯t suit qin xue and fang hong¡¯s needs, so they went to find a store specialized in providing custom-made clothing.

    qin xue was lucky to find such a place, although the location was a bit remote.

    qin xue and fang hong looked inside the small storefront, which was about twenty square meters. it displayed various fabrics, and next to the fabrics there was an old sewing machine. in the corner of the room, there was a small bed and a curtain hung on the wall.

    it was probably for children to rest and for clients to try on clothes. there were no customers in the store.

    a woman holding a child was breastfeeding. before qin xue and fang hong could say anything, she noticed them.

    ¡°hello, are you here to get clothes made?¡± fang xiu was breastfeeding her child.

    she felt a scrutinizing gaze and looked up to see two elegant women standing at the door, examining the fabrics in the store.

    one of them, who had a somewhat ethereal aura, was looking at her breastfeeding.

    fang xiu felt a bit embarrassed. usually, she would close the curtains to breastfeed, but the child had just started to feel sleepy.

    the child had cried so loudly that fang xiu picked her up and started breastfeeding without covering herself with the curtain. she didn¡¯t expect to be seen by people this time.

    fortunately, they were women. if men saw her like this, she wouldn¡¯t know what to do.

    it was only after being kicked out of her husband¡¯s family home that she discovered she was pregnant.

    fang hong was heartbroken and didn¡¯t go back to her in-laws. luckily, her brother helped her open this tailoring shop. the location was remote, and the styles were not very fashionable.

    she also had a child to take care of, so they could barely make ends meet. she was genuinely surprised to see these two elegant women come in.

    fang xiu blushed as she adjusted her clothes, cradling the baby and soothing it while talking to qin xue and fang hong.

    ¡°madam, you can attend to your child first. we¡¯ll take a look around and talk later.¡±

    qin xue saw that the child was sleepy, with barely open eyes, yawning frequently.

    the little mouth was smacking because the mother stopped breastfeeding. the child seemed to be only three or four months old.

    qin xue didn¡¯t feel good about it and couldn¡¯t help but ask the owner to soothe the child to sleep first, so they could talk more easily later.

    ¡°all right, you can take a look at which fabric you like, and then i¡¯ll measure your size for you.¡±

    fang hong held the child and gently patted its back to put it to sleep.

    she waited until the child was asleep and put it on the small bed before talking to qin xue: ¡°miss, have you decided on a fabric?¡±

    ¡°excuse me, madam, can you make custom clothes here?

    that is, i don¡¯t want your styles, but i will provide the design, and you can make the clothes for me according to the design.¡± qin xue looked at fang xiu.

    ¡°i can do that, but i need to see the design first to see if i can make it.¡± what fang xiu learned from her mother was very popular and generic sewing skills.

    now qin xue wanted her to make clothes based on her design, and fang xiu was really worried that she might not be able to do it.

    ¡°i¡¯ll show you the design, this is what i want the clothes to look like. can you make it?¡± qin xue handed over two design sketches to fang xiu.

    one was a small suit set, and the other a dress.

    ¡°wow, such beautiful clothes. they must look great when made. miss, i¡¯ve never made this kind of clothing.

    so, i don¡¯t know if i can make it?¡± fang xiu thought it was better to be honest.

    ¡°do you have confidence that you can make it? how much would it cost for one set?

    how long would it take to make it?¡± qin xue thought that if fang xiu could make the clothes.

    she could discuss a partnership with her without having to rent another place to make clothes. they could rent a storefront to sell the clothes later.

    ¡°i don¡¯t mean to hide it, miss, i am making clothes on my own while taking care of my child. it might take a week or so.¡±

    ¡°the suit costs us$ 30 and the skirt us$ 20! if you want them, pay a deposit of us$ 10.¡± fang hong had no choice, as there was no one to help take care of the child, so she had to do it herself.

    if qin xue could wait, then they could take this job; if not, they would have to give it up.

    ¡°okay, i¡¯ll come back for it in a week.¡± qin xue took out a us$ 10 note and handed it to fang xiu, then left with fang hong.

    fang hong didn¡¯t say a word during the entire conversation between qin xue and fang xiu. it was not until they had walked some distance away from the shop that she asked qin xue,

    ¡°why are you spending us$ 50 on two sets of clothes? aren¡¯t we here to find a store to make clothes to sell?¡±

    ¡°sister-in-law, did you see the lady boss? she¡¯s running a shop alone with her child. she must have encountered some difficulties.

    but when she faces us, she doesn¡¯t show any fear or inferiority, only smiling. it shows that she loves life and she¡¯s strong.

    though she hasn¡¯t made any clothes she hasn¡¯t seen before, she looked very confident when she saw my blueprints, proving she believes she can make them.

    with such a confident and humble woman, don¡¯t you think she is the one we need?

    if i¡¯m satisfied with the clothes she makes, then we can discuss cooperation with her.

    you can join her directly, and then you¡¯ll have company. don¡¯t you think that¡¯s great?¡±

    ¡°now that you mention it, it does make sense. alright, you make the arrangements, i¡¯ll follow your lead. where are we going now?¡± fang hong felt that what qin xue said made sense, so she stopped worrying and decided to follow qin xue¡¯s decisions.

    ¡°we¡¯re going to look for a storefront that specializes in selling clothes, so when our clothes are done, we can sell them directly.¡±

    qin xue still had more than us$ 70 in her hand. after spending us$ 40 for the clothes, she only had more than us$ 30 left. money, where has the money gone? she felt like crying.

    qin xue had to find a way to make money within a week, or they wouldn¡¯t be able to achieve anything.

    maybe their luck had run out, as the two of them couldn¡¯t find anything suitable after walking for so long, feeling both thirsty and hungry.

    they had no choice but to find a place to eat, as they couldn¡¯t afford to eat in a big restaurant.

    so they found a small restaurant and ordered a portion of hot and sour potato shreds, a portion of braised pork, a seaweed egg soup, and two bowls of rice.

    although the taste was average, the portion was generous, and both of them ate until they were full.

    in the end, half of the soup was left. they spent us$ 1.6, which pained fang hong so much that she said they should have just bought two buns to eat if she had known earlier.

    qin xue laughed as she pulled fang hong out of the restaurant: ¡°sister-in-law, don¡¯t worry, i¡¯ll make sure to help you earn a lot of money in the future.

    you¡¯ll count money until your hands cramp, and i¡¯ll take you to eat the best food. that way, you won¡¯t feel so heartbroken.¡±

    ¡°you, little girl, just be more careful.¡± fang hong was speechless.

    after eating and drinking, the two of them continued searching for a storefront. they eventually gave up and had to return to their dormitory.

    when they got home, qin xue felt as if her feet didn¡¯t belong to her anymore, so sore and painful that she didn¡¯t want to move. she went straight into her space, drank some spiritual spring water, and then felt alive again.

    fortunately, the spiritual spring water had rejuvenating effects, otherwise qin xue wouldn¡¯t know how many days of rest it would take to recover.

    only after coming back to life did qin xue realize that the vegetables she had planted were ready for harvest. this was too fast.

    in just two days, the vegetables in the space were ready for harvest ¨C was it because time flowed faster or the spiritual spring water had a growth acceleration effect?

    no matter what, qin xue was delighted because it meant there would be money coming in.

    qin xue left the space, took a knife, and entered the space again. she cut all the mature green vegetables and cabbage and placed them on one side.

    then she turned the soil, sowed the seeds, sprinkled the spiritual spring water, and moved to the other side to pick the ripe tomatoes and peppers. she placed them together with the greens and cabbage.

    she fetched a bucket of spiritual spring water and took a bath directly in the space before returning to the bamboo house to rest. in this way, qin xue only left the space to eat and take care of her personal needs.

    the rest of the time, she was busy planting vegetables in her space, even sleeping in the bamboo house in the space.

    after spending six consecutive days in the space and harvesting hundreds of kilograms of vegetables, qin xue finally left the space and prepared to sell the vegetables at the black market the next day.

 Chapter 27

    qin xue took a bath, changed into clean clothes, grabbed the little money she had left, and headed out.

    aside from the day she returned from the county town and told fang hong that she would be drawing plans at home, she asked fang hong not to disturb her as long as there was nothing important.

    today, after several days, qin xue went out and came to the town to buy a basket for carrying vegetables on her back.

    she sneaked into an empty alley, went into her space, and took out a few kilograms of vegetables, put them in the basket, covered them with cloth, and then carried them to the black market.

    upon arriving, she looked around, asked about prices, and searched for buyers.

    qin xue was amazed that vegetables costing only 20 or 30 cents a pound outside could be sold for 50 or 60 cents here. the price gap was huge.

    where could she find a big customer? qin xue wondered as she walked along.

    ¡°ah! sorry.¡± qin xue looked up and realized she had bumped into someone because she wasn¡¯t watching where she was going!

    li zhao saw that it was a girl who bumped into him and apologized promptly.

    the girl had a good attitude, and after hearing her apology, he replied, ¡°it¡¯s fine, it doesn¡¯t hurt.¡±

    qin xue couldn¡¯t help but laugh out loud, ¡°sorry, i didn¡¯t mean to laugh, but i just couldn¡¯t help it.¡±

    as she spoke, she couldn¡¯t help but laugh again, amused by the man. he claimed not to be in pain, as if he were made of iron and bronze.

    however, this also showed that he was an educated man.

    qin xue looked up and saw that he was wearing a black suit and shiny leather shoes.

    by his clothes alone, she could tell he was wealthy. he was quite tall and thin, about 180 cm, and had handsome features.

    it was only the scar on the left side of his face that marred his good looks, but his eyes were filled with laughter.

    from his words just now, qin xue knew that he was not a bad person ¨C people say that eyes don¡¯t lie.

    as qin xue was taking measure of li zhao, he was also sizing her up.

    originally, li zhao had come to the black market to find a large supply of vegetables. the southern region had experienced flooding this year and needed a large supply of fruits and vegetables, which could fetch a good profit.

    however, after searching the entire black market, he had only found scattered vegetables which couldn¡¯t meet his needs.

    unexpectedly, he wasn¡¯t paying attention and got bumped into by the woman across from him. although he was always smiling, the scar on his face scared off people who didn¡¯t know him well.

    however, this woman was not scared at all; instead, she seemed amused, which made li zhao find her quite interesting: ¡°miss, aren¡¯t you frightened by my appearance? aren¡¯t you afraid of the scar on my face?¡±

    ¡°no, your scar does look a bit scary, but it¡¯s not like you wanted it.

    moreover, such a long scar could only have been left by a very serious injury.

    you can still live your life with a smile even after having such a big scar, so what is there for me to be afraid of?¡± qin xue was not one to judge people by their looks.

    having seen so many gruesome injuries in her previous life, this scar certainly couldn¡¯t scare her.

    however, she did admire this man. many people would feel inferior because of their disfigurement.

    but he didn¡¯t. instead, he lived his life with a confident smile. that was how people should live ¨C whether they¡¯re crying or laughing all day, why not live with a smile? so, this man left a good impression on qin xue.

    ¡°miss, you¡¯re quite a remarkable person. many people are frightened by my looks and overlook other aspects.

    but you can see beyond that. can we become friends? my name is li zhao, and everyone likes to call me zhaozi.¡± li zhao was very perceptive of people.

    this woman was not ordinary, and befriending her might be very beneficial to him.

    qin xue didn¡¯t expect li zhao to say such things, but it would be good for her to have more friends in this unfamiliar place.

    ¡°hello, my name is qin xue. i¡¯m pleased to meet you.¡±

    ¡°you seem younger than me. can i call you little sister qin xue?¡± li zhao politely asked qin xue.

    ¡°sure, then i¡¯ll call you brother zhao.¡± qin xue wasn¡¯t one to hesitate.

    ¡°so, are you here to buy vegetables, sister?¡± li zhao asked as he looked at qin xue¡¯s basket.

    ¡°well, i just wanted to see what kind of vegetables they have here. what about you? what are you looking to buy?¡± although qin xue had become friends with li zhao, she couldn¡¯t reveal her hand in front of someone she had just met.

    ¡°as for me, i¡¯m also here to check out fruits and vegetables. to be honest, i¡¯m a businessman, and the southern region is in great need of fruits and vegetables due to the flood this year. so, i wanted to see if there were any large quantities available. however, i went through the entire county market and only found a small amount, which wasn¡¯t enough for my needs, so i came to the black market to look.¡±

    ¡°but i only found a few hundred kilograms here, which is far from the 20,000 kilograms i need.¡± li zhao felt frustrated when thinking about the amount of supplies he needed to provide for the southern region.

    at present, there are still no open policies, and many things require vouchers. it¡¯s hard to find the goods they need by sneaking around.

    however, li zhao didn¡¯t want to give up this opportunity, so he had to keep searching.

    ¡°you mean you need a large amount of vegetables?¡± upon hearing this, qin xue felt as if her heart was about to take flight. it was as though heaven was helping her.

    this was like getting a pillow when she was sleepy. if this were really the case, wouldn¡¯t her problem be solved?

    ¡°yes, do you know where i can find them? if you know, please let me know. if you help me solve this problem, i won¡¯t let you go empty-handed.¡± li zhao¡¯s eyes lit up upon hearing this.

    qin xue had indeed made a valuable friend, as he could help her solve her problem.

    ¡°you really need them? you¡¯re not lying to me?¡± qin xue thought it was best to confirm once more.

    ¡°i really need them. if you know where to find them, let me know. no matter the quantity, i¡¯ll take it all. i believe in credibility as a businessman. you can rest assured that i¡¯ll settle the payment and take away the goods without causing any trouble for you.¡± li zhao was not solely engaged in the vegetable business.

    he also traded other goods to earn a profit. since being discharged from the military, li had amassed quite a fortune. although the quantity he needed this time was considerable, he could handle it.

    ¡°the vegetables are of excellent quality. what price will you give?¡± qin xue thought about selling all the vegetables she had so that she could have some money.

    ¡°sister, as for the price, i need to see the quality of the vegetables before i can give you a quote. but i promise that if the quality is good, the price will not be low.¡±

    qin xue knew this, so she led li zhao to a less-crowded area and took out a bundle of green vegetables from her bag.

    ¡°take a look at the quality. all the vegetables are top-notch, so you can¡¯t give me a low price.¡±

    when li zhao saw the vegetables in qin xue¡¯s hand, he was thrilled.

    the vegetables in qin xue¡¯s hand were fresh and lush, plump and delicious, without a single insect hole. they couldn¡¯t find vegetables of this quality throughout the entire county. if they shipped these vegetables to the southern region, wouldn¡¯t they make a fortune?

    li zhao looked at the rest of qin xue¡¯s vegetables: ¡°are all of these of the same quality? i¡¯ll take as many as you have. the market price is 50 cents a pound. since your vegetables are of better quality, i¡¯ll give you 60 cents a pound for bok choy and cabbage, 70 cents for tomatoes, and 80 cents for chili peppers.¡±

    if qin xue knew what li zhao was thinking, she would definitely scoff at him.

    it was certain that these vegetables were grown using spirit spring water. the space had spiritual energy, no insects, and its products couldn¡¯t be inferior, could they?

    li zhao¡¯s offered price was not low. originally, he wanted to offer 60 cents for all, but later, thinking that giving a lower price for such good quality might make qin xue unhappy, he offered a higher price. the serious water damage in the southern region meant that chili peppers could improve the body¡¯s ability to fight off the cold, so he couldn¡¯t lose money on this deal.

    therefore, he offered a higher price, and qin xue knew that getting this price was really good. it was an extra 10 cents a pound higher than the market price. however, the quality of produce from her space couldn¡¯t be inferior.

    ¡°okay, you can find someone to go to the old house outside the city to collect the vegetables. there should be about 10,000 kilograms in total. i¡¯ll meet you there.¡± when qin xue entered the city, she saw an old, vacant house.

    she figured she would move the vegetables there first, otherwise, she would have to find a way to get the vegetables in front of li zhao.

    ¡°all right, sister, i¡¯ll go find some people and vehicles to pick them up.¡± li zhao didn¡¯t want to ask qin xue too many questions.

    it wasn¡¯t necessary to dig into a friend¡¯s secrets while getting to know them. so, upon hearing qin xue¡¯s suggestion, he agreed.

    after going their separate ways, qin xue took her bag and bought a lock before heading out of the city to the old house. luckily, it wasn¡¯t too far from the city.

    qin xue took a look at the old house, which appeared a bit dilapidated. it had two rooms and a living room, and it was empty inside. she didn¡¯t know who it belonged to.

    she thought, ¡®who cares, i¡¯ll borrow it for now.¡¯ qin xue then removed all the vegetables from her space, filling the entire room.

    after moving everything, she locked the door and sat outside, waiting for li zhao and his team. about ten minutes later, li zhao arrived with four small trucks and a large scale.

 Chapter 28

    when li zhao finished moving the scale with others, qin xue unlocked the door, revealing quality vegetables everywhere.

    li zhao immediately instructed people to bag the vegetables, weigh them, and load them into the truck. li zhao and qin xue stood together watching the workers:

    ¡°sister, you¡¯ve helped me a lot this time. if you need any help in the future, just find me in the black market. i¡¯ll definitely solve your problems if i can,¡± li zhao said while looking at qin xue¡¯s side profile.

    he knew this woman was not ordinary; she gave him a surprise shortly after they met, solving his predicament.

    ¡°alright, thank you, li zhao.¡± qin xue thought li zhao was tactful.

    she appreciated how he didn¡¯t ask any questions about the large amount of vegetables, indicating they could continue working together in the future.

    they sold more than 11,000 jin of green vegetables, cabbage, tomatoes, and peppers for us$ 7,654 in total.

    after li zhao and others moved all the vegetables onto the truck, he handed the money to qin xue and left.

    qin xue was happy to have the money. she threw the money and her bag into her space before locking the door and heading back into the city.

    she went to a brewery to buy 200 jin of white wine, ten jars of 20 jin each, as well as empty jars and wine yeast. she asked them to deliver the wine to the old house.

    she collected the wine in her space, locked the door, and hung the original old lock before heading to the station to catch the train.

    after arriving home, qin xue cooked two eggs, drank a bowl of spiritual spring water, took a nap, and then cooked a meal. she cooked white rice, scrambled eggs with chili, and green vegetable egg soup before heading to fang hong¡¯s house.

    ¡°sister-in-law, let¡¯s go to the county town tomorrow. my clothes should be done. we can go get them and talk about business as well,¡± qin xue said, taking a sip of water.

    ¡°okay, i don¡¯t have much to do at home anyway.¡±

    ¡°alright, sister-in-law, you can call me after you get ready in the morning. i¡¯ll go back now.¡± after qin xue had arranged to go to the county town, she wanted to go back and process the wine.

    ¡°alright, take care.¡± fang hong saw qin xue out before heading back inside.

    finally, there was something to do. although mr. xie was a section chief, his allowance wasn¡¯t very high, and they were struggling. it would be great to have some extra money from this business.

    upon returning home, qin xue immediately entered her space, cleaned the empty jars with spring water, and drained them.

    she then washed the peach blossoms, dried them, and soaked them in the purchased wine, sealing the jars. nine jars had peach blossoms, and one was left without for later use.

    qin xue spread the peach blossoms in layers in each of the ten clean jars, added some wine yeast, poured in the spiritual spring water, and then sealed the jars for fermentation.

    for the remaining ten empty jars, she filled them with layers of peach blossoms and spiritual spring water as well.

    then, she poured the white wine into these ten jars, adding a small amount of white sugar for fermentation.

    finally, she labeled which ones had been directly processed with peach blossoms, which ones were fermented with wine yeast, and which ones were fermented with wine and spiritual spring water.

    after marking all the selections, she sealed the jars with soil, divided them into three sections, and buried the jars in the soil. now it was time to wait and see if it would be successful.

    since qin xue had never made peach blossom wine before, she could only use trial and error. if successful, it would make a good profit.

    if not, it would be a waste of wine, wine yeast, and peach blossoms.

    although qin xue couldn¡¯t guarantee the success of the other two methods, she was confident that the first one wouldn¡¯t fail.

    because in her previous life, she had made kiwi fruit wine for her grandfather using the same method.

    the method involved peeling and washing unripe, hard kiwi fruits, draining them, putting them in jars, and pouring white wine in to soak for two months before drinking.

    of course, if the wine tasted too strong, an appropriate amount of rock sugar or white sugar could be added when pouring the white wine, and the concoction could be soaked for two months or even longer to make the wine purer.

    so qin xue was confident in processing the peach blossom forest, hoping that the other two fermentation methods would also be successful.

    after burying the wine, qin xue drank some spiritual spring water, rested for a while, and thought that she wasn¡¯t too tired and could dig the bath now.

    having decided, qin xue found a spot next to the bamboo house, marked out an area two meters wide, and started digging. she didn¡¯t have to dig too deep, just around 1.2 meters. afterward, she thought about finding some cobblestones to pave the bottom and then channel in the spring water.

    when she went back to the county town, she would go to the riverbank, pick up stones, and finish this bath.

    qin xue picked up the hoe and put it away. she carried a bucket of spiritual spring water to take a bath, changed into her pajamas, and went to bed. she slept soundly until dawn.

    qin xue stretched and went to brush her teeth and wash her face. as she ate breakfast, she held a spoon in one hand and rubbed her belly with the other:

    ¡°baby, mommy will be able to make a lot of money very soon. are you happy?¡± soon after qin xue finished her porridge and cleaned up, fang hong arrived.

    they both took the shuttle to the county town, where fang xiu was already opening the tailor shop.

    seeing qin xue and fang hong arrive, fang xiu invited them in and showed them the finished clothes: ¡°miss, do you think i made them correctly?¡±

    ¡°qin xue, are these the clothes you designed? they¡¯re so beautiful.¡± fang hong instantly liked the two sets of clothes.

    but these were made according to qin xue¡¯s size. fang hong was heavier than qin xue, so she definitely couldn¡¯t wear them. she could only admire them.

    ¡°yes, these are my designs. aren¡¯t they beautiful?¡± qin xue said while checking the clothes.

    the clothes were well made. it seemed that she had chosen the right person; fang xiu was someone she could cooperate with.

    ¡°boss lady, you¡¯ve done an excellent job. i¡¯ll go try these clothes on,¡± qin xue said.

    after changing the clothes and tying her hair into a bun, qin xue stunned fang hong and fang xiu, both with their mouths wide open.

    qin xue had gotten much paler after staying indoors for half a month. together with the nourishment from the spiritual spring water, her skin was very tender. when she wore loose clothes, the changes in her appearance were not so obvious.

    after changing the clothes, she looked like a completely different person: fair and beautiful, full on top and bottom, with a flat belly and a thin waist. both women stared with wide eyes, let alone men who would see her.

    who could¡¯ve imagined that qin xue had such a figure under those loose clothes?

    of course, the clothes of this era were dominated by floral and loose designs. there were no waist-tightening clothes.

    qin xue¡¯s design happened to tighten the waist and brought out her own advantages. how could they not look good?

    in an instant, a village girl turned into a rich, pretty lady, and qin xue was very satisfied with this. she cleared the remaining balance before discussing the cooperation with fang xiu.

    ¡°boss lady, what do you think of my clothes? if i sell them, will people want to buy them?¡± qin xue got straight to the point!

    ¡°certainly, people will want them. they¡¯re such beautiful clothes. i¡¯m envious. i didn¡¯t expect to make such beautiful clothes,¡± fang xiu replied. as soon as she finished making the clothes, she knew they were beautiful.

    however, she never considered making the clothes for sale without qin xue¡¯s permission.

    so, let¡¯s talk about it. your shop is a bit out of the way, isn¡¯t it?

    you don¡¯t have many customers, and running a business with a child must be less than ideal. now, you see, my designed clothes are beautiful, right?,

    how about if we cooperate? for each piece of clothing you make, besides the cost, i¡¯ll give you us$ 5.

    alternatively, i¡¯ll pay the rent for this shop, and you just help me make clothes.

    i¡¯ll pay you a monthly salary and commission. what do you think?¡± qin xue was hoping for the second option.

    that way, she could rent the place next door, make clothes on one side, and sell clothes on the other. that would make it easier to run the business.

 Chapter 29

    fang hong still didn¡¯t say anything, just sat quietly beside them.

    waiting for qin xue to talk, fang xiu didn¡¯t expect qin xue to say this.

    indeed, there was usually no business, and besides rent and fabric expenses, there was barely enough money for food each month without any extra.

    it was fine if no one got sick, but if they did, there¡¯d be no money for medical treatment.

    the conditions offered by qin xue were indeed great. if qin xue¡¯s business could be stable, it would be better for her.

    ¡°miss, is this stable?¡± fang hong was still worried about the stability.

    ¡°don¡¯t worry, boss lady. as long as i want to do it, i¡¯ll keep doing it.

    if you have any concerns, feel free to bring them up.¡± qin xue could see that fang xiu was tempted, and that it was hard for a single mother to support her child.

    ¡°i don¡¯t really have any other requirements, but i¡¯m afraid i can¡¯t meet your requirements with me being alone and raising my child.¡±

    fang xiu knew that no workplace would let her bring her child, so she was genuinely anxious.

    ¡°no problem. i proposed those two points because i saw you struggling with raising your child by yourself. you can choose one.¡±

    qin xue did want to help fang xiu. otherwise, either option would be difficult for fang xiu with her child.

    now the child was still young and could be carried or put on a bed, but when the child got older and started crawling and walking around, it would be more difficult to watch them.

    if fang hong came, the two would have company and could help each other.

    ¡°alright, i will tell you my idea and you decide if it¡¯s possible?

    i was originally a bride, but after some things happened, i had to support my child on my own.

    my brother from my mother¡¯s side helped me to set up this store, and i won¡¯t mention anything else.

    i didn¡¯t want to let the store go, but since you mentioned the terms, i have no choice.

    can all the fabric in this shop be used as my investment capital?

    i am not greedy, i just want some guarantee. what do you think?¡± fang xiu asked, thickening her face.

    if she didn¡¯t invest, there would be no way out. it¡¯s better to gamble everything and block her retreat.

    qin xue was genuinely shocked after listening. this fang xiu was something, very far-sighted.

    she even knew about profit-sharing, not an ordinary woman. but for the sake of women in the same difficult situation, she would agree.

    so she could focus on her work in the future, but what about the contract she initially signed with fang hong?

    qin xue was wondering how to split the profits appropriately. she originally said she would provide designs and money for 60 percent, while fang hong didn¡¯t need to contribute capital, only labor.

    now, adding another person who was also contributing fabric, it wouldn¡¯t be fair to give them an even smaller share, right?

    if she hadn¡¯t signed a contract with fang hong at the beginning, it would have been fine. but now, it was indeed a little difficult for qin xue.

    fang hong didn¡¯t expect fang xiu to propose such conditions.

    seeing qin xue not speaking, she must be thinking about the original deal they had agreed on: fang hong would contribute her labor for a 40 percent share.

    now that fang xiu wanted to invest fabric for equity, how to split the profits was indeed a challenge! after thinking it over, she finally said:

    ¡°boss lady, i can agree to that, but i also want to rent the shop next door to turn it into a clothing store.

    from now on, we will make our own clothes to sell. i¡¯ll give you 30% of the profits, what do you think?¡± qin xue uttered this to test fang xiu to see if they could cooperate even more!

    ¡°no need, just give me a monthly salary and ten percent of the profits, that¡¯s enough.

    it¡¯s already inconvenient for me to raise my child alone. no matter what happens, as long as i have a salary, i can support myself and my child.

    the fabric investment was just to provide some security for my child, and i initially made the request with a thick face.¡±

    ¡°i didn¡¯t think you¡¯d agree to my terms.¡± fang xiu wasn¡¯t a greedy person; she just wanted to provide some security for her child since she was all alone without money or influence.

    now that qin xue had agreed, how could she accept so much?

    ¡°in that case, let¡¯s change the offer. i¡¯ll buy all the fabric for the clothes, and i¡¯ll give you a monthly salary plus commission. additionally, i¡¯ll give you 10% bonus at the end of each year. what do you think?¡± qin xue thought about it and felt that it would be better for her to just cover everything herself, as it would be more straightforward.

    ¡°qin xue, your idea is good. i¡¯d like you to do the same for me, and let¡¯s just forget about our previous agreement. this works well.¡± fang hong thought qin xue¡¯s method was good.

    otherwise, if qin xue gave away 30% and paid for the design herself, she would take less than fang hong, which didn¡¯t sit well with her conscience.

    ¡°sis, that¡¯s not right. we need to follow through with our agreement.¡± the main reason qin xue gave the share was to repay fang hong¡¯s kindness and care.

    now that fang hong had said that, qin xue felt that she was going back on her word,

    ¡°no, qin xue, i know you¡¯re trying to help me, but i also know that you¡¯re the one putting in the most. i can¡¯t take advantage of you. please, let¡¯s just divide it like this.¡± fang hong didn¡¯t want to take advantage of the kind qin xue. it was like mr. xie said, one must have a long-term perspective.

    qin xue saw that fang hong was not being insincere and agreed after some thought.

    in the end, fang hong and fang xiu each received a monthly salary of us$ 50. they made us$ 1 in commission for each garment they produced. the more they produced, the more they earned, and they received a 10% bonus at the end of the year!

    after signing the contracts, both parties held on to a copy. qin xue converted the store¡¯s items into money for fang xiu and rented out the store next door.

    she told fang xiu that fang hong would bring her sewing machine to the store tomorrow to work together. after asking where fang xiu sourced her fabrics, she took fang hong to the black market to find li zhao.

    all the way there, qin xue¡¯s head-turning rate was 100%. after all, who had seen anyone wear such fashionable clothes?

    after asking for li zhao¡¯s address, qin xue and fang hong went straight to his house with two bags of fruit.

    it was a beautiful two-story house, surrounded by flowers and plants, with a big iron gate. the environment was so beautiful, and qin xue couldn¡¯t help but appreciate it. she rang the doorbell and waited for someone to open the door.

    ¡°may i know who you¡¯re looking for?¡± the door was opened by a woman dressed in a long skirt, who was very beautiful and had a gentle demeanor. she looked at qin xue and fang hong and asked softly.

    ¡°hello, is this li zhao¡¯s place?¡± qin xue asked with a smile.

    ¡°yes, who are you, and what business do you have with zhaozi?¡±

    an hao looked at qin xue, an absolute beauty, with her perfect curves and enticing waist and hips. she was truly a favorite of the heavens. especially her exceptional aura made her stand out from others. an hao wondered what business such a woman could have with li zhao. could she be his lover? an hao¡¯s expression darkened at the thought.

    qin xue saw the woman¡¯s changing expression and hoped that she didn¡¯t think there was something between her and li zhao.

    she didn¡¯t want that! she really should have asked before coming.

    ¡°hello, i am li zhao¡¯s friend. i just wanted to ask him a few questions.¡± qin xue tried to explain.

    ¡°oh, please come in.¡± an hao invited them inside, poured tea for them, and then went upstairs to call someone.

    qin xue and fang hong placed the fruits on the table and sat upright, not looking around.

    they both looked up when they heard footsteps, and saw li zhao coming down the stairs in casual clothes and slippers, followed by the woman they had just met.

    qin xue stood up and greeted, ¡°hi zhaozi, sorry for disturbing you without notice.¡±

    it was only when qin xue spoke up that li zhao realized who she was. he hadn¡¯t recognized her at first.

    how could she have changed so much in just a few days? she had gone from a village girl to a fashionable lady!

    ¡°oh, it¡¯s you, qin xue! sit down, don¡¯t stand on ceremony. have some tea. what brings you here today? is there something you need help with?¡±

    ¡°zhaozi, i did come here for some help. i wanted to ask if you know of any renovation teams. i rented a storefront on the east side and wanted to find someone to renovate it. but i don¡¯t know anyone, so i thought you might know people in the city and came to ask. i apologize for coming without notice.¡±

    qin xue didn¡¯t want to create misunderstandings, so she explained her intentions directly.

 Chapter 30

    ¡°so that¡¯s the case. i actually know someone who does great interior designs, but his temperament is a bit weird.

    i can introduce you to him, but i can¡¯t guarantee he¡¯ll agree to help with your renovation.¡±

    li zhao thought of xiao qi¡¯s picky habits. after returning from studying abroad, it didn¡¯t take long for him to start his own company.

    but he is very picky and not easy to please.

    at first, he only had a small studio with few employees due to financial difficulties and didn¡¯t pick and choose projects. later, as he grew bigger, he became more selective.

    however, each project was done with great attention to detail. as a result, he gained a reputation for being sought after, and his business continued to grow.

    he would hand the projects over to his employees and only take on challenging ones himself. li zhao thought of qin xue and figured maybe he could persuade xiao qi to take on the project.

    ¡°is it difficult to invite him?¡±

    ¡°it¡¯s not that he¡¯s hard to invite, it¡¯s just that he has too many quirks. let me take you to see him.¡± li zhao didn¡¯t know how to explain xiao qi to qin xue, so he thought it would be better to take her directly to meet him.

    ¡°li zhao, can we go in a couple of days?

    i want to draw blueprints for the renovation team myself, so i can¡¯t go today. are you free in two days?¡± qin xue wanted the clothing store to be designed in a modern style, so she had to go back and draw the blueprint before finding someone to renovate it.

    ¡°sure, let¡¯s do it in two days. you can come find me then, and i¡¯ll take you to him.¡± li zhao thought it was fine to wait for two days.

    ¡°alright, thank you, li zhao! we¡¯ll be going now,¡± qin xue said her goodbyes to li zhao and headed back to the shop with fang hong to change their clothes.

    afterward, they went to the black market to buy a chicken and some meat before heading home.

    upon returning, fang hong took out the original contract in front of qin xue and destroyed it.

    qin xue then destroyed her own copy in front of fang hong before making dinner.

    early the next morning, xie jun had someone load the sewing machines onto a truck and took qin xue and fang hong to fang xiu¡¯s shop.

    it was only then that fang xiu learned about qin xue and her business.

    when xie jun brought them over, qin xue gave them the clothing designs she had drawn and told them to make the clothes in small, medium, and large sizes without further involvement.

    she then spent the day drawing her renovation designs at the table. time flew by when one was busy, and a day passed without her noticing.

    qin xue had only completed one-third of her design when she stretched and cleaned up her drawings before heading home with fang hong.

    ¡°sister-in-law, starting tomorrow, you should come to the shop and make the clothes on your own. i need to finish the design plans for the clothing store at home and find someone to renovate it.

    make only three pieces of each size for each design, and don¡¯t make more than that.¡± qin xue instructed fang hong on the quantity of clothes to make as they walked.

    ¡°why not make more? such beautiful clothes are sure to sell well.¡± fang hong couldn¡¯t understand why they would only make so few beautiful clothes.

    ¡°sister-in-law, we¡¯re aiming for a high-end brand, not quantity.

    isn¡¯t it true that scarcity adds desirability? can you embroider?¡± qin xue was thinking about embroidering a logo onto their clothes in a couple of days before asking li zhao to help her register a brand trademark. otherwise, their designs might be copied and their hard work would be wasted. it was important to protect their interests.

    ¡°i can do simple embroidery, but not complex ones.¡± fang hong had learned basic embroidery from the elders, but she didn¡¯t know what kind of design qin xue wanted.

    ¡°simple embroidery is enough. i¡¯ll let you know when i finalize the design. at first, you can embroider them by hand. later, i¡¯ll find someone to make embroidered patches, and all you have to do is sew them onto the clothes.¡±

    ¡°alright, i understand.¡± after returning home, qin xue stewed the chicken she bought yesterday, adding some red dates that yu xiu had given her.

    she let the chicken stew slowly over the fire.

    qin xue filled a bucket with spirit spring water to take a bath. she was annoyed that she hadn¡¯t had time to pick up pebbles to line the bath but settled for washing first.

    looking at her reflection in the mirror, qin xue¡¯s face had grown slightly plumper and much fairer.

    she couldn¡¯t deny that she now had a beautiful face. she wondered what the biological parents of this body looked like.

    however, qin xue thought that if their daughter turned out so beautiful, her parents must have been good-looking, as genetics are powerful.

    qin xue touched her face with one hand and her belly with the other, wondering if the baby in her stomach would inherit such beauty in the future.

    after taking a bath, qin xue went into space to pick tomatoes to eat. seeing that xue ling was practicing, she didn¡¯t disturb it.

    she came out and scooped some chicken soup before washing the rice and cooking the chicken porridge.

    adding a bit of green onion to the chicken porridge made it fragrant and delicious. qin xue loved it.

    after eating the porridge, qin xue walked around the living room to help digest before taking out the drawings.

    qin xue would drink spirit spring to refresh herself when she was tired in the space. when she was sleepy, she would sleep. it took her a day and night to finish the drawings.

    she planned to go to the river next to the village to pick up goose-egg stones in the afternoon and meet li zhao in the county tomorrow morning.

    leaving the drawing behind, qin xue went straight to bed to sleep, exhausted.

    qin xue fell asleep instantly, sleeping until two in the afternoon. after cooking and eating a bowl of dough drop soup, she changed clothes before heading downstairs with the carrying basket. there were several women gathered chatting down there.

    as soon as qin xue went downstairs, someone called to her, ¡°qin xue, where are you going? i haven¡¯t seen you in a while. no one¡¯s at your house. what have you been up to lately?¡± bai jing hadn¡¯t seen qin xue for many days.

    bai jing finished her business today and came by to check if qin xue was around.

    she had spent all the money and meal tickets qin xue had given her, and the allowance still hadn¡¯t been issued. bai jing could only come to qin xue¡¯s place to get more.

    unexpectedly, she really saw qin xue and couldn¡¯t help but call out to her.

    qin xue still dressed the same, but she had grown fairer and had put on weight, making her look much prettier than before.

    bai jing was even more envious, her face twisted in jealousy.

    qin xue looked at the woman who had stopped her and was sure she had never seen her before. was this an old friend of the original girl? qin xue didn¡¯t like the jealousy in her eyes.

    qin xue raised her foot, planning to leave. she was not going to deal with her.

    ¡°hey, qin xue, wait a minute.¡± bai jing grabbed qin xue¡¯s arm. she couldn¡¯t believe this idiot was ignoring her.

    bai jing was furious but realized it was not the time to make a scene. so, she had to control her temper.

    qin xue freed her arm from bai jing¡¯s grasp and said, ¡°let go, please. what do you want? if there¡¯s nothing to say, i need to go out.¡±

    ¡°qin xue, where are you going? i¡¯ll come with you. it¡¯s been so long since i¡¯ve seen you.¡± bai jing smiled on the surface but was actually disdainful. who wants to see this stupid girl who stole the man she loved and looked more beautiful than her? she wanted to scratch her face.

    qin xue found it amusing that the woman¡¯s words contradicted her heart. she said nice things, but the disdain and jealousy in her eyes were obvious. how blind the original host must have been to be friends with someone like this.

    ¡°no need, i¡¯m just going to the village to buy some eggs. you just do your own things,¡± qin xue said as she walked towards the door, not caring about bai jing¡¯s expression.

    ¡°hey, qin xue, qin xue.¡± bai jing called after her, stomping her foot in anger.

    one of the other women asked, ¡°hey, bai jing, weren¡¯t you and qin xue the best of friends before? did you have a quarrel? she¡¯s not even talking to you now.¡±

    ¡°sister-in-law, we didn¡¯t have a quarrel. i don¡¯t know what¡¯s up with qin xue. i haven¡¯t seen her since she got back from the hospital after her injury. she just ignored me when i saw her today.

    i don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because i didn¡¯t go to the hospital to accompany her. i was busy at that time and didn¡¯t have time, you know.

    i have to go to work now. i¡¯ll come see her again tonight. you all have fun.¡± bai jing didn¡¯t want to stay here watching qin xue ignore her and walk away.

    qin xue listened to the conversation behind her and realized that the name bai jing sounded familiar. she wondered where she had heard it before.

    qin xue scratched her chin while walking and thinking. ah, yes, this bai jing was the one fang hong warned her not to associate with, right?

    at that time, qin xue had no idea why fang hong said that, but today, she understood why.

    bai jing didn¡¯t seem like a good person. from the surface, she was nice to qin xue, but who knew how bad she was inside? in the future, qin xue would need to keep her distance from this woman.

 Chapter 31

    Translator: 549690339

    It took Qin Xue more than twenty minutes to arrive at the nearby village with her back basket, where there was a small river.

    As Qin Xue walked along the riverbank, the sight of the crystal-clear water calmed her. Unconsciously, she had already been here for almost a month, and time had passed quickly.

    Qin Xue untied her back basket and picked up some beautiful stones, gathering goose egg-sized pebbles into the space one by one.

    Seeing small fish in the river, Qin Xue brought her back basket to catch fish, and indeed, she caught more than a dozen fishlings.

    Qin Xue put the fishlings in a small pit with some water beside Spirit Spring, planning to dig a bigger pit later to see if they could be raised bigger.

    If they could grow big, she wouldn¡¯t have to buy fish in the future ¨C she could simply catch them directly from the space. The thought made her happy.

    Qin Xue changed locations to continue catching fishlings until she was tired. She then placed her back basket on the riverbank to dry.

    Qin Xue saw some river sand in front of her and took a hoe and shovel from the space to dig some up for constructing a bathing pool later. She would need to buy some cement, though.

    Using her consciousness, Qin Xue checked the sand and stones in the space, and stopped digging when she saw she had enough. She then packed up her things and returned to the military district.

    Qin Xue felt increasingly capable, but she wondered about her current educational background.

    Should she read some books and take the college entrance exam to become a college student? In those years, college students were highly sought-after, and the government even provided job assignments after graduation.

    Perhaps she should take an exam to become a doctor, in which case she could resume her past career. This would also explain her medical skills if she decided to use them.

    Well, that was a good idea. After the clothing store¡¯s matters were on track, she would review materials and take the college entrance exam. She happily decided on this plan.

    Qin Xue returned home in a good mood and started cooking. She made a sour and spicy shredded potato dish, a tomato and egg soup, and a bowl of white rice on the table.

    Qin Xue untied her apron and sat down, ready to eat, but someone knocked on the door. Who could it be at this time?

    She put down her bowl and opened the door to see Bai Jing, the white lotus she had met earlier in the day!

    ¡°Qin Xue, I¡¯m here,¡± she said, slipping past Qin Xue and squeezing inside.

    Seeing the fragrance wafting from the dishes on the table, Bai Jing wanted to eat as well.

    ¡°Qin Xue, haven¡¯t you eaten yet?¡±

    Qin Xue rolled her eyes ¨C Bai Jing was obviously feigning ignorance. ¡°Yes, do you need anything from me?¡±

    Qin Xue closed the door and sat down to eat, not caring about Bai Jing¡¯s expression. She was already hungry as she had been working earlier.

    ¡°Uh, it¡¯s not a big deal, I just haven¡¯t seen you in a long time, so I came to see you,¡± Bai Jing said, annoyed.

    Didn¡¯t she see herself standing here?

    Qin Xue didn¡¯t even invite her to eat, probably due to her big ego. If Qin Xue knew Bai Jing¡¯s thoughts, she would certainly scoff at her histrionic antics. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m fine, there¡¯s nothing interesting here. You can go back.¡±

    Qin Xue couldn¡¯t be bothered to deal with such a white lotus; she¡¯d rather spend her time drawing some design sketches.

    ¡°Qin Xue, are you mad at me for not visiting you when you were hospitalized? I had to work and couldn¡¯t get time off, so I didn¡¯t come. Please don¡¯t be mad, okay?¡± Actually, Bai Jing had time, but she was scared.

    Though Qin Xue didn¡¯t push herself, Bai Jing witnessed the accident and was afraid that her death would involve her, so she didn¡¯t visit.

    Who knew that Qin Xue would not only survive but also become even more beautiful? Moreover, Bai Jing was almost out of money, so she had to turn to Qin Xue for help.

    She hoped Qin Xue would give her money and tickets as before, as well as let her eat at Qin Xue¡¯s house.

    But Qin Xue seemed different now.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not mad at you. You see, Molin has been on a mission for so long and hasn¡¯t come back. It¡¯s not good for a pregnant woman like me to be upset, so I didn¡¯t even think about it. Don¡¯t worry,¡± Qin Xue said, wondering what other reasons Bai Jing might have to keep chatting.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re not mad. We¡¯re good friends, after all. I know you wouldn¡¯t be mad about such a small thing. Qin Xue, you¡¯re the best. By the way, I heard from other sisters-in-law that you often go to the city lately. What have you been doing?¡± Bai Jing asked, thinking about how she had secretly seen Qin Xue leave several times without being noticed.

    ¡°Actually, there¡¯s not much to it. I¡¯ve been looking for work lately. As you know, Molin is on a mission and I don¡¯t know when he¡¯ll be back. I don¡¯t have a job or income, and I¡¯m pregnant, so I have to find a way to make a living. Can you lend me some money? When I find a job and get paid, or when Molin comes back, I¡¯ll repay you,¡± Qin Xue replied, doubting that Bai Jing would have the nerve to stay any longer..

 Chapter 32

    Translator: 549690339

    Bai Jing felt a bit uneasy staying here since she originally came to take advantage of Qin Xue.

    But now, Qin Xue was asking her for a loan¡ªwhy should she have to?

    Bai Jing seemed to have forgotten that she had already borrowed quite a bit of money from Qin Xue before, without repaying it.

    But it was now impossible for her to deceive Qin Xue¡ªwho even Ruirui couldn¡¯t trick¡ªwho was this confident new person. What a joke.

    Luckily, Qin Xue had no recollection of her past life; otherwise, Bai Jing wouldn¡¯t even be able to stand here rambling on. Qin Xue would have already found a way to teach her a lesson and retrieved the money and tickets she¡¯d scammed from her original self.

    ¡°Um, Qin Xue, it¡¯s not that I won¡¯t lend you money.

    You know I only have a limited amount of allowance. Every time I receive it, I send it straight back home to support my family¡ªthere¡¯s simply no money left for me.

    Bai Jing thought she wouldn¡¯t lend the money to a fool like Qin Xue even if she could.

    She now decided to come back once Chu Molin and the others had returned. At that point, Chu Molin would be sure to abandon Qin Xue once he set eyes on Bai Jing.

    It has to be said that some people just can¡¯t see their own worthlessness.

    Back when Qin Xue and Bai Jing had been good friends, Bai Jing often visited Qin Xue¡¯s home. She¡¯d seen Chu Molin before but he¡¯d barely glanced at her.

    How could Bai Jing think about tempting Chu Molin now that the new Ruirui-like Qin Xue was here? She must have been daydreaming.

    ¡°Oh, is that so? I thought I might be able to borrow a little from you.

    Well, nevermind then. It¡¯s just that Molin didn¡¯t leave me much money, and I don¡¯t know how it was spent- I only have a little left. Could it be that someone¡­¡± Qin Xue spoke half-truths; she was testing Bai Jing¡¯s reaction.

    Qin Xue was trying to gauge Bai Jing¡¯s response. If she could get something out of Bai Jing about her previous relationship, that would have been great.

    ¡°Qin Xue, I have things to do. I¡¯ll leave now. Come find me in my dorm when you¡¯re free.¡± Bai Jing hastily left once she heard this, afraid that Qin Xue would make her pay the money back.

    Looking at Bai Jing¡¯s flustered expression, Qin Xue thought there must be something she didn¡¯t know going on.

    How could she dig up this information? Qin Xue decided to worry about it later ¡ªfor now, she had things to do.

    After finishing the last bite of food and sipping some soup, Qin Xue tidied the table and went into her space. She took a look at the fishlings she¡¯d caught earlier and noticed that they seemed to have grown quite a bit.

    Qin Xue scooped up a fishling and saw that it had indeed grown larger. This space was truly powerful. Soon, she would have fish to eat.

    She dumped the fishlings into a water-filled pond she¡¯d dug out with a hoe¡ªa three-meter-wide and one-meter-deep pond.

    She took a knife to the bamboo grove, cut two rods, removed the middle section, and then guided the Spirit Spring water into the larger pool near it.

    Qin Xue allowed the spring water to flow into the pond. She then scooped up all the fishlings, emptied them into the water, and left them alone.

    She laid out the pebbles she¡¯d collected earlier that day at the bottom of the bath, placing them in a neat row. The mosaic of pebbles came together like a beautiful painting.

    Concrete was still needed for the pool wall and had to be purchased. Once the spring water entered, it would dirty the water, so she planned to find someone to renovate it in the city.

    Qin Xue told Xue Ling to turn off the water flow once the pool was almost full to prevent it from overflowing. After taking a bath, she went to bed and quickly fell asleep.

    The following morning, Qin Xue checked her renovation designs and packed her latest clothing designs before leaving.

    She headed straight for the city, intending to eat breakfast there. Her first order of business was to fill her stomach.

    A meat bun, a cup of soy milk, and a fried breadstick¡ªQin Xue thought this was one of the nation¡¯s best breakfast combinations. Taking her time, she finished her meal before going to find Li Zhao.

    When she arrived, Li Zhao and his family had just finished their breakfast. An Hao set some tea before Qin Xue and started chatting with her.

    ¡°I¡¯m Li Zhao¡¯s wife, An Hao. I heard from Zhaozi how you helped him last time, making sure the vegetables were delivered to the Southern Region on time. You¡¯re really capable and we¡¯re very grateful for the huge favor you did for us.¡±

    Only then did Qin Xue find out that the woman from last time was Li Zhao¡¯s wife. No wonder her expression had been off when Qin Xue had first seen her.

    She was wearing the same outfit as last time.

    But now that An Hao knew Qin Xue had provided the vegetables, her attitude was much warmer. She must have thought Qin Xue and Li Zhao had been involved before, which was why she hadn¡¯t been more uncomfortable with her presence. Now that she knew they were only acquaintances, her attitude changed.

    In any case, any wife who saw a stylishly dressed woman they didn¡¯t recognize coming to see their husband would probably feel some discomfort. Qin Xue decided not to dwell on these things..

 Chapter 33

    Translator: 549690339

    ¡°You¡¯re flattering me, sister-in-law. To be honest, back then, I just wanted to make some money for my family, but I didn¡¯t know what to do.

    So I came up with the idea of collecting vegetables, getting a little bit from here, a little bit from there, hoping to collect a lot and resell them for a profit.

    Luckily, I met Li Zhao; otherwise, with my lack of planning, I would have ended up with too much, and they would have rotted on my hands, right? So it¡¯s me who should be thanking Li Zhao for the great help.¡±

    Qin Xue didn¡¯t want to attract attention; if her space was exposed, it would be bad, so she made up an excuse to get by.

    ¡°Hmm, anyway, I still need to thank you. Li told me that the quality of these vegetables is excellent, and they taste amazing. People in the Southern Region even asked him if there were any left?

    They were interested in getting more to transport there, but Li said there weren¡¯t any left, and this batch was only acquired due to good luck.

    People in the Southern Region were quite disappointed.¡± An Hao felt more positive about Qin Xue after learning that she had no relation to Li Zhao.

    An Hao didn¡¯t have many friends here, so she thought about whether she could make friends with Qin Xue.

    ¡°Qin Xue, can I ask you a question?¡±

    ¡°Sister-in-law, just say it!¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t know what An Hao wanted to ask.

    ¡°I just wanted to ask if you could be friends with me. I don¡¯t have many friends here.

    When Li goes to work, I¡¯m left alone at home, so could you come and visit me when you¡¯re free

    I know this sounds sudden, but I really like you and want to be friends with you. Would you agree?¡± An Hao asked hopefully.

    Well, to be honest, Qin Xue didn¡¯t expect An Hao to ask her this.

    After all, this was only their second meeting, and the first time they hadn¡¯t really talked.

    She didn¡¯t expect such progress in their relationship this time, but seeing An

    Hao¡¯s expression, it seemed as if it would be a sin not to agree to be her friend.

    ¡°Of course, let me formally introduce myself. Hi, my name is Qin Xue, I¡¯m twenty years old, and it¡¯s nice to meet you.¡± Qin Xue stood up and extended her hand.

    ¡°Hello, my name is An Hao, and it¡¯s nice to meet you too.¡± An Hao also stood up, smiling, and shook hands with Qin Xue.

    ¡°Hehe, I finally have a friend now! And now I¡¯m not alone here anymore. I can¡¯t tell you how bored I¡¯ve been since I came here with Li.¡±

    Qin Xue looked at An Hao and found it hard to accept. Was this the same graceful and elegant woman she met for the first time?

    Just moments ago, she was still like that, but what¡¯s going on now?

    ¡°Sister-in-law, have you always been like this?¡± Qin Xue couldn¡¯t help but ask.

    ¡°Hehe, yes, is it a bit hard to accept?

    Actually, Li always says I¡¯m like a little scammer because people who don¡¯t know me think I¡¯m gentle and elegant.

    But actually, I¡¯m easy-going and act differently in front of unfamiliar people compared to friends.

    Now that we¡¯re friends, you don¡¯t need to call me sister-in-law anymore; you can call me An Hao.¡± An Hao casually requested Qin Xue to change the way she addressed her.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine, from now on, I¡¯ll call you An Hao.¡±

    Qin Xue thought this side of An Hao was quite nice, not like their first meeting. Instead, it seemed a bit more innocent.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why are you two so happy?¡± Li Zhao came down from upstairs and saw the two women chatting and laughing.

    And An Hao was no longer acting pretentious but showing her true nature.

    As soon as she saw Li Zhao coming, she ran over and hugged his arm, saying:

    ¡°Li, let me tell you, Qin Xue and I are good friends now. From now on, I¡¯ll have friends too.¡¯

    Li Zhao looked at An Hao holding his arm with a doting look in his eyes: ¡°Alright, my mischievous girl finally has friends. Are you happy now?¡± Li Zhao also knew that An Hao was unhappy here.

    Usually, she would be alone at home when he went to work, and she was a simple girl, so he didn¡¯t really trust her.

    Since their arrival, the lively and adorable girl turned into a fake gentle and elegant lady. But now that she was back to her true nature, Li Zhao was delighted.

    ¡°Of course! Hehe, Li, later I¡¯ll go with you to see Qiqi and tell him I¡¯ve made friends.

    An Hao wanted to see if Xiao Qi would accept Qin Xue¡¯s design drawings, and if not, she wanted to help Qin Xue.

    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll go together. Will you change your clothes?¡± Li Zhao asked, touching An Hao¡¯s head.

    ¡°No need, I¡¯ll just wear this. Let¡¯s go.¡± An Hao pulled Li Zhao to leave.

    Qin Xue looked at Li Zhao¡¯s eyes filled with love and felt like an outsider, being fed dog food by them.

    Seeing Li Zhao and An Hao¡¯s interactions made Qin Xue feel like they were showing off their love to her.. Were they bullying her for being alone?

 Chapter 34

    Translator: 549690339

    Li Zhao stopped when they reached the door, and An Hao didn¡¯t understand why he wasn¡¯t walking: ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°An¡¯an, didn¡¯t you forget about your good friend?¡± Li Zhao removed An Hao¡¯s hand from his arm and held it instead!

    ¡°Oh yeah, I was so excited I completely forgot about Qin Xue.¡± She broke free from Li Zhao¡¯s hand, ran back to hold Qin Xue, and they walked ahead together.

    This time she didn¡¯t remember her husband Li Zhao. Looking at his empty hand and the clueless woman in front, Li Zhao was filled with resentment.

    He locked the door and followed the two women.

    Listening to their chattering voices, he was filled with a sense of happiness.

    An Hao had finally changed back to her old self, not like the lifeless mannequin she¡¯d been before. He felt sorry for her, but there was nothing he could do but try to spend more time with her. This change was really good.

    The three of them arrived at Xiao Qi¡¯s company, and the receptionist recognized Li Zhao:

    ¡°Li Zhao, are you here to see the boss? He¡¯s in his office, just go up.¡± Xiao Qi had greeted the receptionist before, so Li Zhao and Chu Molin could both go straight up without an appointment.

    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll go up, thank you.¡± He led the two women upstairs to find Xiao Qi.

    Qin Xue noticed that there was only one secretary¡¯s office and one executive office on this floor.

    It seemed that everyone here knew Li Zhao. The people in the secretary¡¯s office just looked at him and pointed to the office, without stopping them.

    Li Zhao just smiled back and waved his hand, indicating for them to continue with their work as he entered the office.

    After a few knocks, a voice from inside said, ¡°Please come in.

    Li Zhao and the two women entered and closed the door without saying a word.

    In the office, a man was sitting at the desk writing something without even looking up. After waiting for a few minutes, Xiao Qi raised his head and realized they were not from the company:

    ¡°Zhaozi, what brings you here?¡± The moment he finished speaking, there was a body pressing against his back.

    ¡°Qiqi, I came to see you! I have to tell you, I made a new friend.¡± An Hao said, still looking at Xiao Qi expectantly.

    Xiao Qi tilted his head to look at the person behind him, caressing An Hao¡¯s hair before saying, ¡°An¡¯an is here, and she¡¯s so amazing that she¡¯s made a new friend. When will you introduce them to Qiqi?¡± Qin Xue finally realized why An Hao was so innocent ¨C the people around her treated her like a child and spoiled her.

    ¡°An¡¯an, come here, you should be hugging and kissing me since we¡¯re married.¡± Li Zhao said as he went to try and pull An Hao up.

    Li Zhao was jealous; this was his woman and she should be hugging him, even if Xiao Qi was her cousin.

    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t seen Qiqi in so long and I miss him.¡± An Hao hadn¡¯t seen Xiao Qi since coming to S Province and didn¡¯t want to leave his side.

    ¡°An¡¯an, how about I give you a hug instead? Otherwise, when Qiqi¡¯s girlfriend sees you hugging him, she¡¯ll get mad. She won¡¯t hang out with Qiqi anymore, and he¡¯ll be all alone. Wouldn¡¯t that be pitiful?¡±

    Li Zhao didn¡¯t have a choice ¨C ever since they were little, An Hao had been glued to Xiao Qi. He managed to bring An Hao back home, but there was no way he¡¯d let his young wife become attached to another man now.

    ¡°Is that true, Qiqi?¡± An Hao still wanted to hear what Xiao Qi had to say!

    ¡°No, An¡¯an, don¡¯t listen to Zhaozi ¨C Qiqi doesn¡¯t have a girlfriend, An¡¯an is the best.¡± As an overprotective brother, Xiao Qi wasn¡¯t about to let Li Zhao take her away that easily.

    ¡°Zhaozi, you liar! Qiqi says he doesn¡¯t have a girlfriend. Humph.¡± An Hao had grown up at her grandmother¡¯s house with Xiao Qi around.

    Xiao Qi was her elder cousin and was seven or eight years older than her. Their family had many sons and was typically favored, so it was no surprise that An Hao received all the love in her family.

    Ever since they were little, Li Zhao had suffered a lot from Xiao Qi and the others, but fortunately, An Hao liked him back.

    Although they had received their marriage certificates, they hadn¡¯t held a wedding ceremony yet.

    Li Zhao wanted to wait until Chu Molin could attend their wedding, but he¡¯d been on a mission for three months and still hadn¡¯t returned. They didn¡¯t know when he¡¯d be back.

    So a month ago, Li Zhao brought his young wife to S Province to have some fun while waiting for Chu Molin to come back and attend their wedding in the

    Imperial Capital..

 Chapter 35

    Translator: 549690339

    Li Zhao went over and hugged An Hao before sitting on the sofa and saying to

    Xiao Qi:

    ¡°Old Three, I came here today for two reasons. First, I wanted to bring An¡¯an to see you, and second, I have a friend who would like you to help her renovate a clothing store.

    Let me introduce you, this is Qin Xue, she¡¯s the one who wants to renovate the store.¡±

    An Hao looked up at Xiao Qi and said, ¡°Qiqi, Qin Xue is my good friend, I think she¡¯s very impressive.¡±

    Only after serving tea and listening to Li Zhao and An Hao¡¯s words did Xiao Qi finally notice Qin Xue.

    The tailored suit she was wearing accentuated all the woman¡¯s strengths, and she had a pretty face with her hair tied up neatly.

    What caught Xiao Qi¡¯s attention was not Qin Xue¡¯s beauty, but the outfit she was wearing.

    He had seen plenty of beautiful people abroad, and foreign women were both good-looking and open-minded. Although he didn¡¯t fool around, he was no longer surprised by such beauty after seeing so many.

    But that suit she was wearing was a style not yet available in the country. If it could be used as a company¡¯s uniform, wouldn¡¯t it be even more eye-catching?

    Thinking about this, Xiao Qi¡¯s eyes glinted red, but it quickly faded, and Qin Xue wouldn¡¯t have noticed if she hadn¡¯t been observing him closely.

    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Qin Xue. I came here to ask for your help in renovating my clothing store, but I heard from Li Zhao that you have your own design concept.

    I want you to do the renovation according to the concept I¡¯ve designed. Here¡¯s my design plan, you can take a look first. See if you can do it for me.¡± She handed over the design plan she had brought with her to Xiao Qi.

    Qin Xue wasn¡¯t sure if this man named Xiao Qi would accept her design plan. He seemed like a very unique person. Even as a woman, Qin Xue thought he was more beautiful than herself.

    Xiao Qi took the plan and started looking at it. It was brilliant. The whole store¡¯s layout was simple and elegant.

    After seeing it, he wanted to take the job. Although Xiao Qi was picky, a good design plan could help elevate his own work. Such a novel concept was rare even abroad, and he wondered where this woman got her design plan.

    ¡°May I ask who designed this and if I can meet them?¡±

    ¡°Um, is there a problem with this design?¡± Qin Xue asked carefully. She thought there shouldn¡¯t be any issues since she drew it based on the design of current clothing stores.

    ¡°Ah, no, I just wanted to ask why it was designed this way and what inspired the design.¡±

    Xiao Qi¡¯s success in forming a renovation company from just a few people in a workshop over the past three years since returning to China wasn¡¯t just due to luck, but also his willingness to learn and continuously improve.

    ¡°Oh, I see, you scared me. I drew it.¡± She started discussing the design with

    Xiao Qi.

    On the other side, Li Zhao held An Hao on his lap while watching Qin Xue and the others discuss the design plan. He handed a cup of tea to An Hao.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take the job, but I need to see your store first before deciding how to proceed with the renovation.¡± Although Qin Xue said the design was based on the store layout,

    Xiao Qi still couldn¡¯t commit to the project without seeing the store for himself.

    After discussing, the four of them left Xiao Qi¡¯s company and headed to the store. On the way, An Hao did most of the talking, with Qin Xue occasionally responding.

    Arriving at the store, they saw Fang Hong and Fang Xiu making clothes. Qin Xue greeted them and opened the adjacent storefront with her keys. This space was larger than the one where Fang Xiu was making clothes.

    Xiao Qi looked at the storefront and the design plan and realized that Qin Xue had indeed designed it based on the features of the building.

    After finalizing the schedule and materials, the four of them went out to dinner. After the meal, Qin Xue asked Li Zhao if he knew any carpenters who could make wooden mannequins for her.

    ¡°I know some, but they are a bit expensive.¡± Li Zhao had been living here for many years and was familiar with carpenters¡¯ prices.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, as long as they make it according to my requirements, it¡¯s fine if it¡¯s more expensive.¡± Qin Xue thought that even if it was expensive, she would make the money back once the clothes were on display.

    ¡°Alright, leave it to me, I¡¯ll find someone for you.¡± Li Zhao took the design plan and put it in his pocket..

 Chapter 36

    Translator: 549690339

    Having settled all the matters, Qin Xue was incredibly busy for the following half a month.

    Thankfully, everything went smoothly, the house was renovated, and now all that was left was cleaning up and hanging up the clothes.

    After the house on this side was renovated, a small door was opened between the two houses.

    Qin Xue had someone renovate the original house as well, creating a partition for someone to live in, and made arrangements with the landlord to use the extra room next to the entrance of the house as a kitchen for cooking.

    It took nearly twenty days for Fang Hong and the others to finish making clothes from the original fabric and then acquire another batch of thin fabric to make summer clothes.

    Qin Xue¡¯s belly was nearly four months along and starting to show, and the weather gradually warmed up.

    Fang Hong made two pairs of overalls and two maternity dresses for Qin Xue, all of them designed by her, of course.

    An Hao liked Qin Xue¡¯s overalls, so Qin Xue designed a pair of overalls and a dress for her, which made An Hao extremely happy when they were made.

    April 2nd was set as the trial business day by Qin Xue, and the grand opening would be on the 6th. Before the trial, Qin Xue and An Hao wore the store¡¯s new clothes and distributed promotional leaflets in the streets around the city.

    The leaflets printed with the store¡¯s name ¡°Chenxi Clothing¡± and two sets of clothes also listed a promotion for the first fifty customers who brought the leaflet during the trial period to receive a 50% discount, and those who came after would receive a 20% discount.

    The name ¡°Chenxi¡± symbolized that Qin Xue¡¯s designs would stand out in this era, just like the intoxicating beauty of the rising sun, making everyone unable to let go.

    At first, Qin Xue wanted to go all out and target high-end customers, but then she realized that many people wouldn¡¯t be able to afford it.

    So she divided the clothes into two batches: today¡¯s opening focused on the high-end line, while the more affordable line would be introduced later, once the business was stable.

    That¡¯s why she chose the name ¡°Chenxi,¡± which would allow her designs to enter every household.

    On the trial business day, a few flower baskets were placed at the entrance, and once the firecrackers were set off, a large number of people entered to make purchases.

    An Hao was already pretty and charming, and wearing Chenxi clothing made her even more beautiful. Many people had seen her when she distributed the leaflets, so most customers had seen her before they came to buy clothes.

    Today, An Hao wore a puffy dress designed by Qin Xue, looking like a beautiful princess and attracting even more people.

    Seeing the clothes on the models, everyone¡¯s eyes sparkled with envy.

    After the 50% discount, the clothes were selling for US$ 30 to US$ 40 each, but the consumption level in the city was relatively high, and these clothes were not available elsewhere.

    So everyone was happy to buy one or two to wear.

    Qin Xue, An Hao, and Yu Xiu were so busy greeting customers that they could hardly keep up.

    Yu Xiu was hired by Qin Xue to help, with the idea that she would help sell clothes, and if she did well, she would be given the same treatment as Fang Hong and the others. An Hao volunteered to help on her own initiative.

    What can you do when she simply loves the clothes Qin Xue designs?

    As for Fang Hong and Fang Xiu, after coming over for the trial at the beginning, they went back to making clothes.

    They were all so busy that they didn¡¯t have time to eat, so Li Zhao bought food for them, taking turns eating their meals as his little wife was exhausted.

    It wasn¡¯t until 7 0¡¯clock in the evening that they sent away their last customer and closed the store. An Hao was picked up by Li Zhao.

    Now it was just Yu Xiu, Fang Hong, Fang Xiu, and Qin Xue left in the shop. They had sold hundreds of clothes, and Qin Xue took the money and counted it ¡ª more than US$ 3,000.

    Qin Xue calculated that after deducting the cost, there was more than US$ 1,500 in profit.

    Today¡¯s high sales were mainly due to the discount and the novel styles; there might not be so many customers tomorrow. In a few days, they would find out the stable daily earnings.

    The four of them cooked some noodles after counting the money, and then Mr. Xie came to pick up Fang Hong. Qin Xue and Yu Xiu went back to the base with them by car, while Fang Xiu stayed in the store with her child.

    The tired group returned to the base, each went home, washed up, and went straight to bed. Even Mr. Xie and Xu Fangzhou couldn¡¯t find a chance to ask about the situation today..

 Chapter 37

    Translator: 549690339

    The next day, the three of them had breakfast and took the car to the county town.

    ¡°Sister-in-law, where¡¯s Jiajia? Did you drop her off at the kindergarten?¡± Qin Xue thought about asking Yu Xiu for help in selling clothes, but there would be no one to take care of Jiajia.

    ¡°Her dad will drop her off later. We can just go, she¡¯ll be fine.¡± Yu Xiu was not worried about Xu Fangzhou dropping Jiajia off at kindergarten.

    ¡°That¡¯s good. If things become stable later on, the child can come to the city to study, but the journeys back and forth in the morning and evening are a bit

    inconvenient.¡±

    Qin Xue plans to buy a house in the city when she makes some money in the future.

    It is so inconvenient to travel back and forth like this. Thankfully, she doesn¡¯t get carsick, or just sitting in the car would be very miserable.

    ¡°There¡¯s no other option. When the holiday comes, I will send Jiajia to my parents¡¯ house.

    In the future, she can go to school there, and I can give them living expenses every month. I can also visit her after work.¡±

    It¡¯s not that Yu Xiu does not want to send her daughter to her in-laws¡¯ house, it¡¯s just that her in-laws favor their younger brother, and everything is focused on him. Sending Jiajia back there would not be comfortable, so it is better to send her to her parent¡¯s house.

    ¡°That¡¯s a good choice. Yu Xiu¡¯s in-laws are indeed partial. It¡¯s better to send Jiajia back to her mother¡¯s house.

    Now that you are earning money, give them some living expenses, and save some money for the children¡¯s education and college. That will be a turning point.¡± Fang Hong also knows a bit about Yu Xiu¡¯s in-law¡¯s situation.

    Her in-laws are biased towards Xu Fangzhou¡¯s brothers in their town, and their financial assistance goes to the youngest. From time to time, Xu Fangzhou has to send money back to them. Fortunately, Xu Fangzhou is a good husband.

    Yu Xiu¡¯s parents also live in the city. She and Fang Hong are classmates and also know Xie Jun.

    Xie Jun and Fang Hong had invited Xu Fangzhou and Yu Xiu to their wedding, and they became acquainted, getting married through an introduction.

    Fang Hong¡¯s family is somewhat more difficult than Yu Xiu¡¯s, so Fang Hong only finished middle school, while Yu Xiu completed high school. In this era, having connections after graduating high school could lead to becoming a teacher.

    However, Yu Xiu became pregnant not long after getting married. She then gave birth to her eldest son, Hu Zi, and shortly after that, her second child, Jiajia. She never went back to work, relying on Xu Fangzhou¡¯s salary; their life was tight as a result.

    Now that Qin Xue is helping out, it¡¯s a good thing even though both their husbands have higher positions than Qin Xue¡¯s husband.

    Now that they¡¯re working with Qin Xue to make and sell clothes, Fang Hong and Yu Xiu have no other ideas than gratitude to Qin Xue.

    It is only now that Qin Xue finds out that Yu Xiu also has biased in-laws, and she does not get along well with her mother-in-law. It seems that every family has its difficulties.

    When the three of them arrived at the shop, Fang Xiu had already opened the door and was making breakfast. Her son Jingtao was playing with his fingers by her side and was not crying or making a fuss.

    He is so well-behaved, white and tender, and very cute.

    The three of them opened the door of the clothing store, cleaned up, and Qin Xue played with Jingtao since there were no customers yet.

    ¡°Taotao, come give aunty a kiss.¡± With that, she kissed Jingtao on the cheek.

    Jingtao giggled non-stop, and Qin Xue kissed him again after he finished laughing. She only stopped teasing him when he was about to laugh until he couldn¡¯t breathe.

    ¡°Qin Xue, you love children so much. You and Mr. Chu should have two of your own in the future.¡± Yu Xiu thought Qin Xue liked Jiajia and was now playing with Jingtao.

    ¡°Well, sister-in-law, when my baby is born, it will be enough. How can I bring up so many?

    However, Sister Fang Hong can have another.''¡±¡® Qin Xue knew that soon there would be a planned birth policy of one child per family, emphasizing eugenics, especially for those with stable jobs.

    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t talk about me. Focus on yourself.¡± Fang Hong also wanted to have another baby girl, but she couldn¡¯t get pregnant after having her first child.

    ¡°Haven¡¯t you gotten pregnant yet? What did the doctor say?¡±

    Yu Xiu and Fang Hong were classmates and got along very well. They both married people who lived in the same housing complex.

    The two of them didn¡¯t gossip with the other women; they helped each other out when needed. So, Yu Xiu knew that Fang Hong wanted another child but couldn¡¯t get pregnant.

    ¡°What could they say? Nothing¡¯s wrong with me. They said I have a large deficit, and need to restore my body slowly. I¡¯ve taken so many medicines, but nothing works. I¡¯m not even thinking about it anymore. I¡¯ll just leave it to fate.¡± Fang Hong was very frustrated..

 Chapter 38

    Translator: 549690339

    Well, Qin Xue learned a lot of inside information today.

    Could she perhaps use her medical skills to help Fang Hong?

    As soon as she thought of it, she put Jingtao on the bed and folded a cloth on the table, then called Fang Hong over: ¡°Sister-in-law, come here for a moment and put your hand on this.¡±

    ¡°Qin Xue, are you going to treat my illness?¡± Fang Hong sat in front of Qin Xue and put her hand on the cloth.

    ¡°Well, sister-in-law, I just heard you guys talking and wanted to try, but I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯ll be successful.¡±

    Qin Xue just thought she might as well try and see if it was a condition she could treat.

    Qin Xue placed her hand on Fang Hong¡¯s wrist, quietly feeling her pulse, and recalling the Chinese medicine knowledge her grandfather taught her. Then she switched to her other hand to continue taking her pulse.

    Turns out, Qin Xue really could treat this condition: ¡°Sister-in-law, do you trust me?¡± Qin Xue let go of Fang Hong¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Qin Xue, what do you mean? Can you really treat my illness?¡± Fang Hong asked excitedly.

    ¡°Yes, I can, but do you believe I can cure it?¡± Qin Xue thought it was better to ask clearly first.

    ¡°I believe you. I trust you,¡± said Fang Hong, feeling very lucky today.

    ¡°Sister-in-law, you haven¡¯t seen me treat anyone before. Just because I said I could, you believe me?¡± Qin Xue asked Fang Hong with a smile.

    ¡°Yes, I believe you. Although I haven¡¯t seen you treat anyone and I don¡¯t know how you can treat people, but I just believe you, just like when you said you wanted to make clothes for sale,¡± Fang Hong didn¡¯t know why, but she believed in Qin Xue.

    ¡°Alright, as long as you believe me, I¡¯ll write you a prescription, and you can bring me the herbs after you buy them. I¡¯ll cook the medicine for you, and after three months, you¡¯ll be better.

    But during these three months, there¡¯s one crucial rule: if you break it once, all previous efforts will be wasted, ¡± Qin Xue looked at Fang Hong with wide-open eyes, and a smirk on her lips.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Why are you making that face¡­¡± Fang Hong couldn¡¯t figure out what Qin Xue was trying to express.

    ¡°Well, during the three months of taking the medicine, you and Mr. Xie cannot have¡­you know,¡± Qin Xue explained with a smile, nudging her lips towards Fang Hong.

    With a loud ¡°boom,¡± Fang Hong¡¯s face turned as red as a cooked shrimp, and everyone else laughed. Even more embarrassed, Fang Hong pointed at Qin Xue, ¡°You little girl, are you asking for a beating? You even tease me.¡±

    ¡°Sister-in-law, I¡¯m not teasing you, I¡¯m being serious.

    If you have sex while taking the medicine, it¡¯s like a blown-up balloon losing air, you get it?

    Even the order of cooking the medicine is different, so that¡¯s why I¡¯m telling you to bring the herbs to me, and I¡¯ll cook them for you,¡± Qin Xue wrote a prescription for Fang Hong.

    ¡°Sister-in-law, could you not tell anyone that I¡¯m helping you treat your illness?¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t want to draw too much attention now, she just wanted to focus on designing clothes and making money quietly.

    ¡°Hmm, why?¡± Not only did Fang Hong not understand, but Yu Xiu and Fang Xiu didn¡¯t understand either.

    ¡°Because I don¡¯t want to attract too much attention. As you all know, I¡¯m pregnant and also designing clothes.

    If people find out I can treat illnesses, won¡¯t that be too high-profile?

    What if someone gets jealous and causes trouble?

    So, please sister-in-law, help me keep my secret. Besides, aren¡¯t you afraid it won¡¯t work, and

    what if I can¡¯t cure your illness? It¡¯s not too late to talk about it after you¡¯re really healed, right?¡±

    Qin Xue didn¡¯t want to assume the worst of people, but in these impoverished times, many would get jealous and cause trouble when they saw someone with money, and that¡¯s exactly what she wanted to avoid.

    ¡°Alright, we won¡¯t tell anyone; it¡¯ll be our little secret,¡± the other three thought about it and agreed. Since Qin Xue didn¡¯t want people to know, they wouldn¡¯t say anything.

    ¡°Sister-in-law, take this prescription and get ten sets of herbs for ten days, drink it twice a day. After ten days, I¡¯ll adjust the prescription for you to get more herbs.

    Go and get the herbs at lunchtime when the shop is less busy, and get a medicine pot while you¡¯re at it.

    Cook the medicine at home in the morning, drink it, then come to the shop. Drink it once again when you return home in the evening,¡± Qin Xue thought for a moment and told her.

    She could cook the medicine once in the morning and drink it, then heat it up in the afternoon and drink it again.

    Mainly, Qin Xue wanted to use spiritual spring water as a medicinal guide to cook the medicine, afraid that others would discover her hidden space. Otherwise, Qin Xue would have just let Fang Hong cook the medicine herself instead of doing it on her own.

    Sigh, even if she was helping Fang Hong treat her illness, she couldn¡¯t let them know about her hidden space. No matter how good a person is, in the face of great interests, who knows what they might become..

 Chapter 39

    Translator: 549690339

    As the group chatted and laughed, time passed quickly. After Fang Xiu had finished her breakfast and cleaned the kitchen, she fed Jingtao.

    Fang Hong began making clothes, Yu Xiu looked after the shop, and Qin Xue went to buy rice and food to cook for lunch and dinner at the store.

    She could not buy too little, as Qin Xue could take out vegetables when nobody was looking, but she had to buy meat and rice.

    She thought about when she could buy some rice or wheat seeds to grow her own food; nothing was better than having her own, which put her at ease.

    In the end, Qin Xue bought 20 jin (10 kg) of rice, 20 jin (10 kg) of flour, one chicken, red dates, and codonopsis for stewing soup.

    She also took seven or eight jin (3.5-4 kg) of various vegetables from her space, like bok choy, cabbage, tomatoes, and green peppers. Carrying these items weighed down Oin Xue with more than 50 jin (25 kg).

    Qin Xue had never carried such heavy things before, especially with her big belly now. In the end, she had no choice but to pay someone to help her deliver the items to the store.

    When no one was looking, Qin Xue went to the kitchen and filled a kettle with spiritual spring water. The group, despite their different ages, had similar temperaments and had become close friends after spending so much time together.

    Qin Xue thought that everyone should drink the spiritual spring water, which could improve their health and strengthen their bodies.

    She would take out the vegetables from her space if she could, and buy the ones she couldn¡¯t. As long as they were genuinely good to Qin Xue, she would help them when she could.

    True friends were hard to come by in life, so Qin Xue cherished these friendships.

    After drinking a cup of spiritual spring water, Qin Xue went to the store and found that Yu Xiu had already restocked the clothes that had been sold yesterday.

    When there were no customers, Qin Xue taught Yu Xiu how to keep accounts using modern electronic spreadsheets.

    After learning the method, Yu Xiu continued to study accounting, while Qin Xue sat on the other side of the counter, conceiving drawings and designs, which she intended to promote through a clothing factory.

    Around ten o¡¯clock, some customers came in to buy clothes, so the two ladies put away their things and began attending to the customers.

    They introduced clothes to the customers according to their preferences and needs, ensuring that every customer could find the perfect outfit.

    After Qin Xue and Yu Xiu¡¯s introduction, the customers who came to the store bought satisfactory clothes.

    Some customers even wore the clothes out of the store after trying them on, taking off the tags and leaving directly.

    This, in turn, promoted Qin Xue¡¯s designs. She had decades of experience, so she was adept at introducing fashionable clothing combinations.

    Customers loved the designs, and some even brought their friends to the store the next day. Hearing this made Qin Xue very happy.

    Seeing that some customers had dull complexions, she suggested that they drink more red date tea for energy or use egg whites and honey as a facial mask. After trying on clothes and receiving a new hairstyle from Qin Xue, the customers looked completely different.

    Yu Xiu observed and learned Qin Xue¡¯s business strategies while introducing clothes to the customers, making her more effective than before. She couldn¡¯t help but admire Qin Xue and was determined to learn from her.

    They were both busy until 12:30 PM when they finally had a break. Qin Xue went to the kitchen to pour a large glass of water and noticed that Fang Hong had already cooked the rice and was frying vegetables.

    Qin Xue¡¯s stomach growled at the scent, and Fang Hong looked at her and said, ¡°It looks like our little Xiao Bao is hungry! We¡¯ll be able to eat soon.¡± After saying this, she placed a hand on Qin Xue¡¯s belly.

    Qin Xue took the bowls and chopsticks to the table in the tailoring shop, as the small kitchen could not accommodate everything.

    Even the tailoring shop was a bit crowded with two sewing machines and a table. Therefore, they had to make do with the limited space.

    After Fang Xiu fed Jingtao and put him down for a nap, she helped serve the dishes. The group quickly prepared lunch and sat down to eat..

 Chapter 40

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue served a bowl of chicken soup, ¡°This chicken soup is really good, drink it up everyone, it¡¯ll be good for your health.¡±

    Everyone had a dull complexion due to poverty, resulting in insufficient food and clothing. Each one looked malnourished, their vitality low.

    A customer¡¯s reminder today led Qin Xue to realize she needed to nurture these women to be more appealing, making them living billboards for the store.

    She grinned rather eerily at the other women, contemplating how she would instruct them on self-care after work. She imagined how they¡¯d enthrall their men at home.

    ¡°Qin Xue, why are you grinning at us like that? It¡¯s rather creepy, you know?¡± asked Fang Xiu, a woman about her age, not bothering to contain herself.

    ¡°Hey, hey, hey, Fang Xiu, mind your words ¨C what ¡®creepy¡¯? This is clearly a smile of pure innocence, alright.¡± Qin Xue refused to concede that her grin was frightening.

    ¡°Uh, you¡¯re calling that pure innocence? Stop joking, okay? What are you thinking about that makes you grin like that? It¡¯s giving us goosebumps,¡± Fang Xiu questioned.

    The other two women nodded as well, seemingly curious to know the reason behind Qin Xue¡¯s sinister grin.

    ¡°Actually it¡¯s nothing much. You know how today while selling clothes I noticed many female customers had a poor complexion.

    Some suffer from insufficient blood circulation, others from hormonal imbalance, and still others from dehydration. There are numerous issues. I¡¯ve advised them on self-care, but I haven¡¯t spoken to you three yet.

    So I was just thinking, how would you three go about it? Once you¡¯re well-groomed and look beautiful, it¡¯ll be up to you, Fang Xiu, whether you want to remain single or remarry.

    Xie Jun and Xu Fangzhou will have to stay on guard against other men vying for your attention.

    Just the thought of it amuses me ¨C imagine their faces then,¡± Qin Xue started to laugh again, envisioning the men denying their women the freedom to go out.

    ¡°Um, Qin Xue, you¡¯re getting more and more mischievous, saying such audacious things,¡± Yu Xiu and Fang Hong exchanged glances.

    They were both eager to hear about Qin Xue¡¯s skincare advice, but also felt ticklish being teased by her. Which woman wouldn¡¯t want to be charming?

    ¡°I¡¯m serious. Your beauty will attract more customers and improve our business. We¡¯ll all be dressed in our store¡¯s clothing, looking stunning.

    Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s like a live advertisement? Besides, don¡¯t you want to look beautiful to captivate your men?¡± Qin Xue finished, covering her mouth to stifle a giggle.

    ¡°How do we do this self-care thing then? Will it be expensive?¡± asked Fang Xiu, who was relatively younger but had been living a laborious life.

    Staying with Qin Xue had made her more optimistic, and she increasingly felt that her past life was like serving a prison sentence, damning herself to a confined existence.

    Luckily, she encountered Qin Xue and the two elder sisters, genuine souls that accepted her as one of their own. This felt nice.

    ¡°It¡¯s not hard, and it doesn¡¯t cost much. You¡¯re young but the hardships have caused nutrient deficiencies which lead to low vitality.

    You should drink a mix of red dates and wolfberries sweetened with brown sugar, especially after your periods until your next cycle begins.

    You can continue to drink it occasionally even after that. For your face, applying cucumber slices or grinding them into a fine paste mixed with honey as a facial mask should do.

    Fang Hong also suffers from low vitality and some deficiencies, probably due to improper care during her confinement period.

    I suspect she caught a chill, which is causing health complications. I guess she experiences menstrual cramps each month, without severe symptoms but still enough to prevent her from conceiving her second child.

    The lack of effectiveness in previous treatments is probably due to the absence of tailored therapies based on specific conditions.

    As for Yu Xiu, her problems are mainly caused by worry, leading to lack of sleep and spots on her skin. If she can find milk and roses, that would be the best solution.

    If not, she could make a face mask out of egg whites and honey.

    Everyone can certainly benefit from the red date tea, drink up whenever possible. It¡¯s just that it¡¯s hard to buy without tickets,¡± Qin Xue completed her lecture in one breath.

    Seeing the stunned expressions on the three women¡¯s faces, all gazing at her motionless, Qin Xue waved her hand in front of them, ¡°Hey, snap out of it..¡±

 Chapter 41

    A few people looked at the bewildered Qin Xue and couldn¡¯t help but sigh in amazement, truly miraculous.

    Her words were so accurate that they believed Qin Xue must not only be good at medicine but also quite good at other things, which made them even more convinced.

    ¡°Qin Xue, when can we make the facial masks you mentioned?¡± It was Fang Xiu who asked first, and the other two echoed.

    ¡°You can make them anytime you want, after work in the evening would be best.

    At that time, you can relax and let your skin absorb the mask better after applying it,¡± Qin Xue thought to herself that she used to apply the mask while sleeping in her previous life, and often fell asleep while applying it.

    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll come to do facial masks tomorrow night. I¡¯ll buy the necessary materials after work today. Apart from brown sugar, red dates, honey, and eggs, which are a bit hard to purchase, everything else is easily available.

    We¡¯ll buy as much as we can for now, and get more later when we have more money,¡± Fang Xiu finished, and the other two had no objections.

    It was because Qin Xue gave them such high salaries that they could afford to splurge like this; otherwise, others would scold them for being wasteful.

    ¡°Sure, as long as you bring the materials back, I¡¯ll personally make the facial masks for you,¡± Qin Xue wanted to mix the spiritual spring water into the masks herself.

    As for Spirit Spring, it was an excellent product. It wasn¡¯t Qin Xue boasting, but ever since she drank the spiritual spring water and bathed in it, her skin had become fair and tender, and her complexion rosy and delicate.

    If Chu Molin were to come back now, he might not even recognize her.

    After chatting and laughing, they finished their lunch and tidied up the dishes.

    Other than Qin Xue, who climbed into bed to take a nap with Jingtao due to her pregnancy, Yu Xiu was watching the clothing store next door, while Fang Hong and Fang Xiu were busy making clothes; there was no time to waste.

    Two people making clothes for one store to sell was already quite busy, but once the initial trial period was over, sales would stabilize, and they might not have to rush so much.

    Everyone was focused on their own tasks without complaining about Qin Xue¡¯s naptime, working diligently instead.

    It was precisely because they appreciated and were grateful for Qinxue¡¯s support that she wholeheartedly promoted them, eventually becoming the female ¡°Iron Army¡± of the business world that future generations would praise.

    Even when they grew old and chatted with their grandchildren, they never forgot to mention that they owed their success to Qin Xue. Without her, they would not have achieved what they did today.

    In the afternoon, when Qin Xue woke up, she found that Jingtao was already awake, quietly playing with his little hands and not crying.

    Qin Xue gently pulled his little hand, and he giggled, playing even more enthusiastically.

    After teasing Xiao Jing for a while, Qin Xue looked at the time and realized it was nearly three o¡¯clock. She decided to freshen up and prepare to draw a few more design sketches.

    Once the trial period is over, she needs to find clothing factories to cooperate with in making the clothes. Fang Xiu and Fang Hong alone won¡¯t be able to meet Qin Xue¡¯s demands. After all, Chenxi needs to enter millions of households.

    As people were getting off work and factory workers were about to finish up, business was getting busier.

    Qin Xue was looking forward to booming sales, as it would mean more money.

    As time went on, more and more people entered the store. Fang Hong even stopped working on clothes to help customers with their selections.

    At the very least, anyone who entered the store left with one item. Some bought four or five pieces to share with their sisters back home.

    Qin Xue praised customers¡¯ appearances while collecting money, causing their faces to light up with joy.

    Qin Xue never thought she had a talent for business. In her previous life, she had only ever focused on being a surgeon, never doing anything related to business. Her optimism was just her nature.

    She didn¡¯t fall into self-pity due to her mother¡¯s death and her father¡¯s discontent, but instead embraced her grandparents¡¯ teachings. In this life, Qin Xue wanted to try everything she hadn¡¯t done before.

    Dinner was made by Fang Xiu, with Xiao Jingtao strapped to her back.

    As long as they were busy and couldn¡¯t watch him, Fang Xiu would carry him on her back. Otherwise, with so many customers around, they feared he might be snatched away within a moment¡¯s inattention, and then they would be too late to cry.

    They took turns eating dinner, working nonstop until ten o¡¯clock at night before closing the store, all exhausted.

    Fang Hong managed to find time earlier to make a phone call to the research institute to inform Xie Jun and Xu Fangzhou.

    It was only because Qin Xue had experienced the trial business yesterday that she knew there would be many customers during these days. Since it would be late when they closed the store and there would be no transportation home, they decided to stay over at the store.

    As there wasn¡¯t enough space to sleep, they decided to lay out mats and sleep on the floor. They were grateful that the weather was warm, and the store was filled with fabric, so they wouldn¡¯t get cold. Otherwise, Qin Xue and the others would have to stay in a hotel.

    Out of the three, it didn¡¯t matter whether Qin Xue went home or not. Fang Hong¡¯s child was in a boarding school, but Yu Xiu¡¯s daughter was too young, causing our Xu Fangzhou quite a bit of trouble.

    He had to send her off in the morning and pick her up in the afternoon, then accompany her to sleep at night. Qin Xue wondered if the child would cry and make a fuss.

    Qin Xue noticed that Yu Xiu¡¯s sleep was restless due to her worries about her child, so she thought about letting her go home earlier and take the car back in the morning..

 Chapter 42

    Translator: 549690339

    Time flew by, and after a few days of trial operation, Chenxi finally got on track and sold almost all the clothes made earlier.

    Qin Xue calculated that she had earned nearly US$ 10,000 with her profits included. She spent US$ 2,000 on a new batch of fabric and saved the rest in the bank.

    Today, Qin Xue took out a cheongsam design and a fluffy princess dress design to show Fang Hong and the others, then told them that she would be going out for a while.

    She took a few summer clothing designs with her to find a clothing factory that could quickly produce a batch of summer clothes.

    Although time was tight, if they could catch up, they would still be able to sell during this summer.

    Qin Xue carried a backpack with US$ 1,000, a cup filled with spiritual spring water, and an umbrella, then headed out the door.

    Through her inquiries, Qin Xue learned of two clothing factories in Xijiao: Aiguo Clothing Factory and Liangmei Clothing Factory.

    Now, Qin Xue was standing in front of Liangmei Clothing Factory. Why did she come here first?

    Mainly because Qin Xue thought that the name was fitting and that it should be a pretty good clothing factory.

    So she came over. When Qin Xue arrived at the guardroom, she saw a man in his fifties: ¡°Uncle, hello, my name is Qin Xue. May I ask if your factory manager is here? I¡¯d like to speak to him.¡±

    ¡°Young lady, you have to register first before you can enter.¡± The guard handed the registration book and pen to Qin Xue.

    After registering, the guard led Qin Xue into the factory. In the factory manager¡¯s office, there was a woman in her mid-twenties.

    This woman looked quite pretty with well-defined features. She wore a dress suit with the top being tight around her chest. However, the lower half was loose, making her look older.

    Modern dress suits were not like the waist-accentuating ones in later times.

    Even a good figure would be wasted in ill-fitting clothes. The woman had sprayed a lot of cheap perfume on herself, and the strong scent almost made Qin Xue nauseous.

    However, Qin Xue did not show any discomfort. Her impression was greatly discounted, and if this Liangmei¡¯s factory manager was this woman, there would be no need for cooperation.

    ¡°Mr. Xiao, this young lady is looking for Factory Manager Li. Can you help me call him? I¡¯ll get back to my post.¡± The guard handed Qin Xue over to Xiao Li and returned to his position.

    ¡°Hello, Mr. Xiao, my name is Qin Xue. May I ask if your factory manager is here?¡± Qin Xue was relieved that this woman was not the factory manager, otherwise, she would rather just turn around and leave.

    ¡°Our factory manager is not here. If there¡¯s anything you need, you can speak to me.¡± Xiao Li looked at Qin Xue as though she would eat her up. She thought that this pregnant woman must have come to see Li Dawei. Was she Li Dawei¡¯s new lover, daring to find another woman behind her back?

    Qin Xue saw the look in the woman¡¯s eyes as if she wanted to eat her alive and wondered if she had offended her. What was she getting at with that gaze?

    ¡°Oh, I want to talk to your factory manager about something. Can you make a decision on his behalf?¡±

    ¡°The factory manager is not here. You can talk to me or not.¡± Xiao Li seemed like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. This woman with a huge belly had come looking for Li Dawei, and she must be one of his mistresses.

    Wasn¡¯t it because their home chicken couldn¡¯t lay eggs that she had to be with Li Dawei in the first place?

    It had been a year, and she hadn¡¯t gotten pregnant. Li Dawei must have found someone else behind her back, and now that she was pregnant, she had come knocking.

    ¡°Are you sure he¡¯s not here? Are you sure you don¡¯t want to find your factory manager to talk to me? You won¡¯t regret it?¡± Qin Xue couldn¡¯t help but ask.

    ¡°Regret? I told you he¡¯s not here.¡± How could Xiao Li possibly let Qin Xue see Li Dawei on her own territory?

    ¡°Alright then, I won¡¯t bother you any further. Goodbye.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t want to bother with people¡¯s moods and left the office. She almost bumped into someone as she turned a corner.

    She quickly apologized and walked sideways toward the factory entrance. Li Dawei saw the woman who had almost collided with him and didn¡¯t notice who she was.

    He entered the office to find Xiao Li there again: ¡°Mr. Xiao, what are you doing here? Go back to your office and work.¡±

    ¡°Factory Manager, I need to see you.¡±

    However, Li Dawei knew that it wasn¡¯t the right time and place for such things: ¡°I saw a pregnant woman just now. Who was that and what did she want?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Xiao Li realized that Qin Xue wasn¡¯t Li Dawei¡¯s lover.

    Perhaps she genuinely had something to discuss with Li Dawei?

    ¡°Oh, that woman said her name is Qin Xue and she¡¯s looking for you. She said she wanted to talk about something?

    I told her you weren¡¯t here and asked her to talk to me instead so I could relay the message when you got back. She didn¡¯t say anything and left.¡± Xiao Li spoke seductively due to Li Dawei¡¯s touch.

    ¡°Oh, if it¡¯s nothing, then forget it. You really are a seductress. You¡¯ll be in for something after work.¡± Xiao Li¡¯s teasing left Li Dawei burning with no outlet for release.

    Qin Xue listened to the conversation behind her. So the person she had almost bumped into earlier was Liangmei¡¯s factory manager?

    However, she no longer cared to cooperate with Liangmei Clothing. After all, someone who had illicit relations with subordinates in the office couldn¡¯t be a good person..

 Chapter 43

    Translator: 549690339

    That¡¯s why, no matter how thriving the Liangmei Clothing Factory is, it has been blacklisted by Qin Xue.

    Qin Xue greeted the security guard and headed towards the next factory, the Aiguo Clothing Factory, which was just a few dozen meters away.

    As customary, Qin Xue registered at the security office before she was allowed in. The security guard here was not an uncle but an older man, who introduced himself as Li.

    ¡°Mr. Guo, this young lady is looking for you.¡± Uncle Li accompanied Qin Xue to the director¡¯s office and left.

    ¡°Mr. Guo, nice to meet you, I¡¯m Qin Xue.¡± After Qin Xue introduced herself, she extended her hand.

    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Guo Aiguo. What can I do for you?¡± Guo Aiguo shook her hand, let go, then looked at Qin Xue to inquire.

    ¡°I¡¯ve come to Aiguo Clothing Factory to discuss a business deal. Are you interested?¡±

    Gazing at Mr. Guo¡¯s thick eyebrows, square face, and naive look, Qin Xue directly stated her intention without beating around the bush.

    ¡°A business deal? What kind of deal? Just say it, young lady. I¡¯m planning on shutting down the factory, there¡¯s no business to discuss.¡±

    Guo Aiguo wants to continue, but without new designs, they have no new styles.

    All their clients and orders have been stolen by Liangmei, there¡¯s really no business to discuss anymore.

    He planned to close the factory once the work at hand was finished. Any further delay would only drive them into loss.

    ¡°Closing up? Why? Is it because there¡¯s no new models, or is it because you can¡¯t compete with others?

    If it¡¯s the former, don¡¯t worry, I have a solution.¡± Qin Xue was truly fearless regarding this.

    Even if she herself was unfamiliar with such business affairs, hadn¡¯t she gained knowledge from decades in the future? Copying that should work fine.

    ¡°Well, both contribute to the problem. It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t want to discuss it with you, but recently, without orders, the business is running at a loss.

    If I keep going like this, I won¡¯t be able to hold on anymore. I can¡¯t cheat you with a clear conscience.¡± Guo Aiguo was reluctant, but there was no other choice.

    ¡°Mr. Guo, is this factory yours?¡± If Guo Aiguo was unwilling to continue, perhaps she could rent it and run it herself?

    ¡°Yes, this factory is mine. It has been many years, but now I have no choice but to shut it down.¡± Guo Aiguo looked around, full of sorrow.

    ¡°May I ask, Mr. Guo, what are your plans after closing the factory?¡±

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re asking about that. Well, nothing much. Probably just take a rest after closing, and head south. I don¡¯t know any other work.¡±

    Guo Aiguo had heard that reform and opening up was on the horizon and thought it would be better to try his luck down south since he was out of business.

    Qin Xue stayed silent after hearing this. Heading south was indeed the best course of action during this time. Lots of people had found success by going south in the Eighties.

    However, after meeting Guo Aiguo, Qin Xue really didn¡¯t want to give up on their collaboration.

    But she wouldn¡¯t be able to afford to run a factory on her own. ¡°Mr. Guo, hear my opinion before deciding whether or not to shut down.¡±

    Seeing that Qin Xue was still tenacious, Guo Aiguo figured there¡¯s no harm in listening, so he gestured for Qin Xue to sit on the sofa and prepared to listen.

    ¡°This is the case. I have designed some clothes and wanted your factory to produce them, but since I¡¯ve heard you are closing down,

    I thought maybe I can discuss this in another way. You already have a ready factory along with the machinery and workers.

    What you lack are new design sketches and business strategies. What if I use my designs to invest in your factory?

    Here are the clothes I¡¯ve designed. You can take a look first. I¡¯ll prepare a business plan and send it to you.

    You decide whether you want to collaborate with me after going through it. What do you think?¡±

    Qin Xue took out the design sketches from her bag and handed them to Guo Aiguo. As for the business plan, she had never written one before.

    But she had written academic papers and medical reports before which should help her out here.

    Guo Aiguo was surprised looking at the designs Qin Xue had. A young lady of just about 20 had such skill in designing clothes.

    His face showed hesitation. Indeed, if this Qin Xue had a real solution to change things, it wasn¡¯t a bad idea to try. ¡°Alright, show me the business plan later and we¡¯ll see.¡±

    ¡°Alright, are you available this time tomorrow? We can meet again then.¡± Guo Aiguo had finally relented, and Qin Xue had to seize this opportunity..

 Chapter 44

    Translator: 549690339

    ¡°Alright, come by at this time tomorrow, and we¡¯ll discuss further.¡± Guo Aiguo didn¡¯t want to miss this opportunity; perhaps a miracle could happen.

    ¡°Okay, Mr. Guo, I won¡¯t bother you with your work anymore. See you tomorrow.¡± After bidding farewell to Guo Aiguo, Qin Xue put her design drawings in her bag and left.

    Only then did Qin Xue take the time to look around. Surprisingly, not only were the Aiguo and Liangmei Clothing factories here, but also paint and lumber factories were mixed in this western suburb.

    Now that Qin Xue wasn¡¯t in a hurry, she walked and looked around at a leisurely pace.

    On the way, Qin Xue saw someone selling oranges and bought more than ten pounds. She couldn¡¯t help it.

    Ever since Qin Xue became pregnant, she had been craving sour foods but didn¡¯t have any to eat.

    Usually, fruit at the supply store required not only grocery vouchers but was also in short supply, so she couldn¡¯t buy any. Now that she had finally come across some, she naturally had to buy more.

    She filled one bag with two pounds and the rest in another bag. The orange seller was so generous to give her a few extras because she bought so many, making Qin Xue extremely happy.

    After paying, Qin Xue carried a bag of oranges and walked slowly until she reached a secluded spot and threw the extra bag of oranges into her hidden space before carrying the lighter bag out.

    She held an orange in her hand, slowly peeled it, and ate it. Hmm, it was quite sour, but it tasted great.

    After finishing one, Qin Xue took out another slightly yellowish-orange to peel. Hmm, this one was pretty sweet; it seemed that the riper ones were much sweeter.

    Having eaten two oranges, Qin Xue dusted her hands and stopped eating. She carried the bag and hurried to the marketplace.

    From afar, she saw a large crowd gathered. Qin Xue took a detour around, not interested in joining the commotion. After only two steps, she heard someone shouting:

    ¡°Someone fainted here! Is anyone a doctor? Does anyone know medical skills?¡± Another person yelled, ¡°Someone fainted! Please help to call an ambulance.¡±

    Qin Xue didn¡¯t want to get involved, but her professional habit made her stop in her tracks and walk toward the crowd. She pushed through the people:

    ¡°Let me through, I¡¯m a doctor. Let me see.¡± The crowd automatically made way for Qin Xue when they heard she was a doctor.

    Qin Xue walked in and saw an old woman with white hair lying on the ground. Without further ado, she immediately asked the crowd to clear space:

    ¡°Everyone, please step back and stop crowding around. The patient needs fresh air.¡±

    Most people at this time were still quite simple-hearted. Hearing Qin Xue¡¯s words, they moved away to let the air circulate.

    Qin Xue dropped the oranges and crouched, checking the old woman¡¯s complexion. She lifted her eyelids to see, realizing the elderly woman had a heart condition. She immediately performed artificial respiration and cardiac resuscitation.

    The usually simple task was much more difficult for Qin Xue now that she was pregnant, doing first aid on the ground.

    However, the situation didn¡¯t allow Qin Xue to slack off for even a moment. It took seven or eight minutes of cardiac resuscitation before the old lady¡¯s breathing stabilized.

    Qin Xue found a bottle of cardiotonic pills in the old lady¡¯s pocket, took out two pills, opened her own water bottle, and helped the old lady swallow the pills before closing the cap.

    Just then, the ambulance arrived. As the medical staff lifted the elderly woman into the ambulance, Qin Xue thought about how Spirit Spring water would benefit the old lady and handed her water bottle over.

    The medical staff thought it was the patient¡¯s water bottle and accepted it without hesitation, completely unaware that an old woman would carry such a girlish water bottle.

    Watching the old woman being taken away by the ambulance, Qin Xue picked up the oranges from the ground. The crowd burst into warm applause, and Qin Xue smiled before walking away with her oranges.

    After buying some black sesame and brown sugar at the supply store, she returned to the shop. Luckily, she came back just in time for lunch. Qin Xue had been planning to cook some noodles, but now she didn¡¯t have to and just ate the ready-made meal..

 Chapter 45

    Translator: 549690339

    Fang Hong saw Qin Xue return and asked, ¡°Qin Xue is back, have you eaten yet?¡±

    ¡°Not yet, I didn¡¯t even have time to eat before coming back. I was thinking about making some noodles to eat when I got back.¡±

    Qin Xue put the things she bought on the kitchen table, and when she went to wash her hands, Fang Hong took a pair of bowls and chopsticks, waiting for her to come over and start the meal.

    Qin Xue scooped up a bowl of soup, ¡°Why are you guys eating so late?¡± And then she took a sip of soup.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing, after you left, business was pretty good.

    People came because they heard our clothes were beautiful, and the trial period is over.

    As you said, anyone who spends over US$200 in our store gets a 10% discount, and anyone who spends over US$300 gets a 20% discount, with lifetime validity.

    Most of the customers today got the 10% discount, and a few got the 20% discount. Fang Hong helped me.¡±

    Fang Xiu, with Taotao on her back, cooked the meal, and they were busy until just now.¡± Yu Xiu said while pinching some tofu.

    ¡°Yeah, I didn¡¯t expect business would be so good.

    When I used to run the store here, business was so slow. I never thought it would be so fulfilling and satisfying now.¡± Fang Xiu also sighed.

    ¡°Our good word-of-mouth will continue for a few more days, but then it won¡¯t be as good.

    But once our Chenxi Clothing brand becomes famous, we won¡¯t have to worry about not having business, after all, only our clothes in the entire county are the latest styles.

    But at the same time, people will follow suit, so we need to continually release new designs.

    I went out today and found a clothing factory that I want to collaborate with, but whether it¡¯s successful or not depends on our negotiations tomorrow. If the negotiations are successful, the income from selling clothes these past few days will have to be invested in it. Do you all agree?¡±

    Although Qin Xue had the most investment, she still needed to ask for their opinions. The phenomenon of their partnership now was similar to a shareholder meeting in the future. The biggest taboo for a partnership is unclear accounts.

    ¡°Agreed, we¡¯ll do whatever you say.¡± The three of them said unanimously.

    They were all just contributing effort and not money, so what disagreement could they have?

    Even if Qin Xue didn¡¯t ask, they would have no objections. Not to mention that Qin Xue was openly discussing it with them now.

    ¡°That¡¯s good. After we finish eating, I¡¯ll write a plan proposal. Tomorrow I¡¯m going to negotiate with their factory.¡± After Qin Xue finished speaking, they ate quietly.

    After the meal, Yu Xiu washed the dishes, while Qin Xue wrote the proposal at the counter. Fang Hong made clothes, Fang Xiu fed the child, and each of them did their own thing, quietly and warmly.

    Once Qin Xue got engrossed in something, it was hard for her to be distracted. She didn¡¯t even notice that it had become dark outside until she had written the proposal and felt the soreness in her neck when she looked up.

    The lights were on in the store, but they were the yellowish kind that wasn¡¯t very bright.

    Many places at this time still hadn¡¯t even been electrified and still used oil lamps. Thankfully, this was a county town. If it was the countryside, there wouldn¡¯t even be electricity available.

    At this moment, she could hear children¡¯s voices from next door. Little Jingtao didn¡¯t know how to talk yet, so which child could it be?

    Listening carefully, it seemed to be Jiajia¡¯s voice. Qin Xue finished the last two points of her proposal, put it away in the drawer, and stood up to stretch.

    She walked over to the next-door store and saw that Jiajia and Hu Zi had indeed come, playing with little Jingtao.

    Fang Hong and Yu Xiu were preparing another meal, while Fang Xiu watched the children play.

    ¡°Fang Xiu, how did they get here? Who brought them?¡± Qin Xue asked Fang Xiu, pointing at Jiajia.

    ¡°Oh, you mean them? Mr. Xu sent someone to bring them over. He said that tomorrow is Saturday, so there¡¯s no school, but he has to work and can¡¯t watch the kids at home, so he sent them over.

    If Yu Xiu doesn¡¯t go back on Sunday evening, he¡¯ll send someone to pick them up.¡± Fang Xiu also felt sorry for Mr. Xu.

    Yu Xiu had been staying with them and not going home for the past week, and she couldn¡¯t take care of the children either.

    ¡°Oh, I see. I guess the children must be missing their mom, and tomorrow is Sunday, so that¡¯s why they were sent over.

    That¡¯s one reason, and another is that Mr. Xu misses Yu Xiu but has work to do, so he wants her to go home and see him after he sent the kids over.¡±

    Originally, Qin Xue thought about letting Yu Xiu, who had young children, leave early in the afternoon to return to the research institute. But Yu Xiu insisted on staying with them at the store, which is why the children came to find her now..

 Chapter 46

    Translator: 549690339

    ¡°You have a point there; you don¡¯t know how these two kids immediately stared at Yu Xiu once they got out of the car and said, ¡®Mom, how did you become so pretty?¡¯

    I stared at Yu Xiu¡¯s face at that time and didn¡¯t think there was much of a change. Is there something wrong with my eyes or the kids¡¯ eyes?¡± Fang Xiu chatted with Qin Xue.

    ¡°Actually, neither of you have a problem with your eyes. Isn¡¯t it because you are all using the facial masks I make? They are very effective, aren¡¯t they?

    It¡¯s just that we see each other every day, so we don¡¯t notice a big change. But the kids haven¡¯t seen their Aunt Yu Xiu for a week, and they noticed the difference as soon as they saw her.

    When people who haven¡¯t seen each other for a long time meet again, not only will the kids feel a big change, but others will, too.¡± Qin Xue knew about this kind of visual impact.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. Oh, Qin Xue, there are two more kids tonight. You sleep in bed with me and Taotao tonight, and let the kids sleep with their mom.¡± Previously, Fang Xiu would share a bed with little Jingtao, and the other three would sleep on the floor.

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind; I can do either. Then tonight, I¡¯ll sleep with our Fang Xiu sister ¡± Qin Xue joked.

    ¡°Alright, stop chatting and wash your hands for dinner.¡± Yu Xiu called out while holding a plate of stir-fried pork and cabbage.

    ¡°Oh, time to wash our hands and eat.¡± Jiajia let out a cheer and dragged her brother to the kitchen.

    People gathered around the table for dinner, with a dish of stir-fried pork and cabbage, a cold cucumber salad, and a fish head tofu soup.

    Qin Xue liked to drink some soup before dinner. She scooped up a bowl of fish head tofu soup, took a sip, and found it quite fresh.

    Little Jingtao sat on his mother¡¯s lap, watching everyone eat, and stretched out his hand to grab some food. Fang Xiu didn¡¯t allow it, and he yelled out in protest.

    ¡°Auntie, little brother said he¡¯s hungry; just let him eat. Look, he¡¯s calling out. How pitiful.¡± Jiajia, seeing her little brother¡¯s mother not letting him eat, wants to push her own bowl towards him.

    ¡°Wow, Jiajia knows that little brother is hungry and wants to eat. Can Jiajia tell Auntie what little brother wants to eat?¡±

    Fang Xiu actually had a bowl of cooled fish soup ready to feed Jingtao since he was already five months old and could eat semi-solid food.

    ¡°He said he wants rice and vegetables.¡± Jiajia¡¯s answer came sweetly, in a babyish voice.

    ¡°Well, thank you, Jiajia. I have some cooled fish soup for little brother. When it gets colder, Auntie will feed him. You eat first,

    Little brother is too young and doesn¡¯t have any teeth yet to eat rice and vegetables.

    Tomorrow, mom will make some porridge for little brother to eat, okay?¡± Yu Xiu softly said while giving Jiajia a piece of meat.

    Yu Xiu also gave Xu Hu a piece of meat and put a cold cucumber salad slice on the plate for both kids.

    ¡°Mom, when will little brother grow teeth and be able to eat rice?¡± Jiajia was still full of questions.

    ¡°Jiajia, eat first, and don¡¯t choke. We can talk more after dinner, alright?¡± Yu Xiu patiently took care of the child.

    ¡°Alright, mom, I understand.¡±

    ¡°Yes, our Jiajia is a good girl.¡± Yu Xiu touched Jiajia¡¯s head and praised her. Jiajia¡¯s eyes squinted in a smile.

    Qin Xue watched the interaction between Yu Xiu and her children, wondering how she would get along with her own children in the future?

    After dinner, people finished with laughter. Fang Xiu fed little Jingtao some soup.

    Qin Xue took out the oranges she bought in the afternoon, peeled them, and added some brown sugar in water to make some orange tea, which helps digestion when consumed after meals.

    Since the fresh orange peel is a bit spicy, Qin Xue added brown sugar to make it taste better. She poured a cup for everyone.

    ¡°Auntie, this tea is delicious, sweet.¡± Jiajia took a sip of the sweet tea and enjoyed it.

    ¡°Jiajia, if you like it, drink more, but remember to rinse your mouth afterward, or the sweetness will attract bugs to bite your teeth.¡±

    Qin Xue didn¡¯t forbid Jiajia from drinking more, but she reminded her to rinse her mouth after drinking to avoid getting cavities.

    ¡°I got it. Thank you, Auntie. Brother, drink quickly; it¡¯s delicious.¡± The little girl was taught well, making sure her brother wasn¡¯t left out!

    ¡°Mmm, brother will drink up. Little sister, you drink slowly, or you¡¯ll choke.¡± Xu Hu, being a few years older, knew how to be shy. With several aunts laughing and looking at them, Xu Hu¡¯s face turned red as he called out to his sister.

    Everyone laughed even more when they saw this..

 Chapter 47

    Translator: 549690339

    In the hospital, Miao Qingqing was out of the danger zone after emergency treatment and had moved to a ward. Since waking up, she had been clutching a water cup and refusing to let go:

    ¡°Old man, you must help me find my lifesaver. It¡¯s all your fault for not coming earlier and letting my lifesaver escape without even knowing his name.¡±

    ¡°Wife, you can¡¯t blame me for this, I told you not to leave home alone, but you didn¡¯t listen.

    You sneaked out and then fell sick. If you hadn¡¯t encountered a good Samaritan, what would have happened?¡± Chu Zhan looked at his wife, who was leaning against the hospital bed.

    ¡°How was I to know that I would fall sick suddenly,

    I just wanted to go out and buy some things for our grandson!¡± Miao Qingqing didn¡¯t plan for this.

    ¡°I¡¯ve already said our grandson isn¡¯t home yet. If you buy gifts, he won¡¯t be there to receive them. You insisting on waiting here will only bring him trouble.

    How about I call him and ask him to take a leave and come to see you? Once you¡¯re recovered, we can go home!¡± Chu Zhan was feeling helpless with his stubborn wife.

    Back in the days, Chu Zhan was a soldier, and Miao Qingqing was a war correspondent. After marrying and having a child, they went through war together and have always been loving each other.

    ¡°I can go back to the Imperial Capital with you, but you can¡¯t force my grandson to marry a girl he doesn¡¯t like, or else I won¡¯t go back with you.¡±

    Her grandson was alienated because his grandfather wanted him to marry the granddaughter of his war buddy. This has kept her grandson away from home for many years.

    With no other choice, she sneaked off to S Province to see her grandson, but her husband followed her. Now, not only was she not able to see her grandson, she had to return home due to falling ill. The thought made her feel terribly wronged.

    ¡°Tell me, what¡¯s wrong with Xiao¡¯ai? That boy refuses to marry her. With his foul temper, who else would want him?¡± Chu Zhan got really angry when he heard this.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care, but you all must not force him!¡± Miao Qingqing just wanted to fight for her grandson¡¯s welfare.

    ¡°Alright, alright, as long as you come home with me, I won¡¯t force him to be with Xiao¡¯ai anymore, okay?¡±

    Li Chao watched on as the old commander coaxed his wife, realizing how tactful the old woman is. If not, who knew when the young master would finally return home.

    ¡°Li Chao, did you hear that? The old man has agreed. You¡¯re my witness, in case he goes back on his words when we return to the Imperial Capital!¡± Miao Qingqing was delighted and wanted someone to bear witness.

    ¡°Yes, my lady, I heard.¡± Li Chao replied while shifting his gaze towards the commander¡¯s dark, frustrated face. Chu Zhan grunted angrily and turned his head away.

    The next morning, once everyone had breakfast and finished cleaning up,

    Qin Xue took her business plan, shouldered her bag, and set off early to the Ai Clothing Factory to meet Guo Aiguo. She walked leisurely, taking it as a form of exercise.

    Upon arrival, the same Uncle Li from yesterday was at the entrance. Qin Xue greeted him, ¡°Uncle Li, good morning. I am here to see Mr. Guo. We had an appointment yesterday. Is he in his office?¡±

    ¡°Yes, he is, go on in.¡± Uncle Li glanced at Qin Xue and let her through.

    This young lady didn¡¯t look down on him like others who thought they were too good for the doorman.

    ¡°Thank you, Uncle Li. I¡¯ll be on my way in.¡± Qin Xue thanked Uncle Li and entered the factory, heading straight for the manager¡¯s office.

    ¡°Good morning, Mr. Guo.¡± Qin Xue saw Guo Aiguo in his office and knew he was waiting for her.

    ¡°Good morning, Qin Xue. Please take a seat.¡± Guo Aiguo poured some water and placed it in front of Qin Xue.

    He had thought a lot about it last night, and perhaps Qin Xue could be their factory¡¯s savior. That¡¯s why he was even more polite than yesterday.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t stand on ceremony then. This is the business plan I wrote, take a look. We can talk more after you¡¯ve gone through it.¡± Qin Xue handed over the business plan with both hands and slid the design papers over as well.

    Guo Aiguo carefully read through the plan, line by line, his face revealing immense surprise. This Qin Xue is truly talented.

    She managed to write such a perfect business plan and brought more design sketches than yesterday. He looked at each one carefully.

    Even after going through them all, he found it hard to compose himself.

    ¡°Qin Xue, did you write and draw all these?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I did both. Is there any problem?¡± At the sight of Guo Aiguo¡¯s expression, Qin Xue knew he was satisfied. She was deliberately putting him on the spot with her question..

 Chapter 48

    Translator: 549690339

    ¡°No problem, but we need to change the factory name and the profit-sharing terms as mentioned here.¡± Guo Aiguo pointed to the two points in the plan. ¡°Oh, you mean the Chenxi Clothing that appeared in the county these days?¡±

    Qin Xue knew that businessmen were always well-informed, and she wasn¡¯t worried that he wouldn¡¯t know about it.

    ¡°You mean the Chenxi Clothing that just opened on the East Side? I know about it, so is that you?¡± Of course, Guo Aiguo knew about it.

    His wife and daughter had already bought some clothes from the store, and he had seen their clothes and found them very novel and attractive, which was not yet available in the current county.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the one I opened. In just over a week, Chenxi has built a reputation in the county.

    I¡¯m not saying everyone in the county knows about Chenxi, but I can guarantee that more than half of them do.

    So I want to collaborate with you to expand Chenxi¡¯s reach across the country. Do you think you can do that?

    As for the profit sharing, the factory building, machinery, workers, and fabric materials are all yours. I will provide design drawings, sales ideas, and staff training. So it¡¯s 50/50.

    If I provide designs and plans, and you take care of everything else, then the share is 70/30, me 30, you 70. What do you think?¡±

    Qin Xue¡¯s 50/50 share didn¡¯t put her at a disadvantage. The key was it demanded her time and effort, and Guo Aiguo would not lose out.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a bit high? I still need to pay the workers.¡± Guo Aiguo thought the first option was better, but the sharing was too much.

    ¡°Mr. Guo, you have to think about it this way. I need to come up with ideas, designs, and train salespeople.

    You need to know that my side is doing the most crucial part of a business, and you only need to handle your part well.

    Worker salaries cannot compare to my contribution, so this share is genuinely not too much.

    Moreover, my ideas are the most valuable. If it wasn¡¯t for my financial shortage and pregnancy, I would have done it myself.¡±

    Qin Xue simply wanted to take it easy. Guo Aiguo seemed reliable, and she felt at ease with him in charge. Otherwise, she would wait for her funds to be in place and then buy land and build her factory.

    ¡°Okay, I agree to your terms. We¡¯ll draft and sign the contract based on what you said.¡± Guo Aiguo understood Qin Xue¡¯s point.

    With her intelligence, she could have done well on her own. So after thinking it over, he agreed.

    Qin Xue took out a few more design drawings and handed them to Guo Aiguo:

    ¡°These are some clothes I prepared for advertising.

    Find a skilled person to make them, and then find some young models or women with a good aura to wear our clothes and have their photos taken as advertisements. Broadcast them on TV during prime time.

    Here is $6,000 for you to use for advertising promotion.

    By the way, you need to install a phone line, include the address and phone number in the advertisement. Once our ad is aired, orders will start coming in.

    I believe that as a longtime factory head, this little task won¡¯t give you trouble, right?¡±

    Qin Xue took out $6,000 from her bag and handed it to Guo Aiguo. She took this money out from the bank when she agreed to the partnership yesterday and left some for her working capital.

    Looking at the $6,000, Guo Aiguo felt waves of emotion. At this time, millionaires were scarce, so he couldn¡¯t believe Qin Xue was able to pull out $6, 000 so quickly. He was glad he agreed to collaborate with her.

    Otherwise, he believed that Qin Xue would soon have enough capital to do it herself.

    Or she could even rent his factory to do it; everything was already in place. But she was willing to share half of her profits with him.

    Guo Aiguo quickly drafted the contract, signed it, stamped it, and handed it to Qin Xue. After she confirmed it was okay, she signed her name, pressed her fingerprints, and shook hands with him, ¡°Mr. Guo, I look forward to working together. ¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to cooperate.¡± Guo Aiguo shook hands as well.

    ¡°Mr. Guo, I¡¯ll leave now. Just follow the plan and make the six designs I gave you, and produce 1,000 pieces of each.

    Adjust the production accordingly after the ad is aired. In the future, add two new designs every month.

    Change the factory name to Chenxi Clothing Factory. During the advertisement, the slogan should be: Chenxi Clothing brings you a wonderful mood like the morning sun.

    I¡¯ll select a few more capable people in the next few days, and when I come back, we will start training.¡± Qin Xue reiterated what needed to be done.

    She returned to her store with a great mood, prepared to visit the military region tomorrow. It had been a while since her last visit, and she wondered if her cheap husband had returned..

 Chapter 49

    Translator: 549690339

    The first thing they did when they returned to the store was to have a big drink of water and, seeing no customers were buying clothes, Qing Xue called the three of them to a meeting.

    Qin Xue happily told her sisters the good news and casually asked if any of them wanted to become salespeople, explaining that their monthly salary would not be low if they secured orders:

    ¡°Ladies, I have good news for you. I¡¯ve successfully negotiated with Aiguo Clothing Factory.

    From now on, we don¡¯t need to make clothes ourselves. Once Chenxi Clothing Factory starts operating, you won¡¯t be able to compete with them, so there¡¯s no need to guard these two sewing machines.

    Just sell clothes directly from Aiguo Clothing Factory whenever they¡¯re ready.

    Of course, from today, Aiguo Clothing Factory is now our Chenxi Clothing Factory.

    I just think that having four people here is too many, so I want to redistribute our staff.

    Whoever wants to be a salesperson, let me know. I¡¯ll be going to Chenxi Clothing Factory to train people in a few days, so whoever wants to go can come with me.

    Being a salesperson can be tough, but there are commissions. As long as you secure orders, the commission won¡¯t be low. This is the advantage, while the disadvantage is that you need to go out and visit clients for sales.

    You may have to go on business trips for a few days and neglect your family. Considering this, I suggest Fang Xiu not become a salesperson for the clothing factory, as Taotao is still young and you can¡¯t let go of your responsibilities.

    I lean more towards Fang Hong and Yu Xiu. I prefer Fang Hong as she¡¯s capable and doesn¡¯t need to worry about her family, while Yu Xiu has little Jiajia and I¡¯m not at ease with her focusing on work.

    Of course, this is just my personal opinion. Whether you go or not is up to you. Your previously agreed salary and benefits will not change, so don¡¯t worry about that.

    But when I go there to train staff, it will definitely be an opportunity¡ªa chance to change your lives.

    You have to make decisions based on your own circumstances.

    I know you are older than me and your husbands have higher official positions than mine.

    I didn¡¯t ask you to work with me because I looked down on you or to make you follow my orders.

    On the contrary, ever since I woke up with amnesia after being injured, it¡¯s been you who have taken care of and helped me, so I want to pull you up when I start my business.

    All three of you are literate and have good personalities; you can handle these tasks.

    This situation is only temporary. My goal is to give you the opportunity to study further in schools someday.

    If you love making clothes, then study fashion design; if you love sales, then study sales. Learning in a formal system will undoubtedly be better than what I can teach you.

    Of course, the decision is in your hands. Think about it and let me know in three days what you want to do.

    Oh, and I¡¯m going back to the military district tonight. Are you two going back with me?

    If you are, we can go back together. Also, I have something to do tomorrow and won¡¯t be coming to the store, so I¡¯ll leave the store matters to you sisters.¡± Qin Xue finished speaking and looked at the three baffled women across from her.

    Jiajia and her brother were playing with Xiaojing on the little bed. Qin Xue glanced at them and then turned her attention back to the three sisters who hadn¡¯t yet come to their senses.

    Qin Xue waved her hand to break their deep thoughts.

    ¡°Qin Xue, are you serious? Do we really have to do this? We¡¯re doing just fine here, aren¡¯t we?¡± The one who raised the question was Fang Hong. Being older, she thought about more things and had more concerns.

    ¡°Sister, do you remember what you said when I first told you about selling clothes?

    You said it was a speculative business, but we were lucky to partner with Fang Xiu.

    But it¡¯s impossible for us to grow bigger without national reforms.

    With the partnership with Aiguo Clothing Factory, everything will be different.

    We don¡¯t have to worry or fear anymore, as all matters will be handled by Mr. Guo, and we don¡¯t need to get involved.

    Mr. Guo has experienced the transformation from a state-owned factory to his own factory.

    We just need to wait for the country¡¯s major reforms. Why should we be afraid when our clothing store is linked with Chenxi Clothing Factory, right?¡±

    ¡°Well, you make a good point. We¡¯ll think about it and give you an answer in three days. Let¡¯s get back to work then.¡± The three agreed and started getting back to work, while Qin Xue drew designs with pen and paper..

 Chapter 50

    Translator: 549690339

    Today, Qin Xue made dinner early as she had to go back to the workplace.

    She took the bus back to the military compound with Fang Hong and Yu Xiu, along with their two children. Before leaving, she closed the shop¡¯s door:

    ¡°Fang Xiu, it¡¯s just you and your son tonight, so be careful. Don¡¯t go out if it¡¯s unnecessary, and don¡¯t open the door for strangers at night, alright?¡± Qin Xue was worried as she gave a reminder.

    ¡°I know, when you guys weren¡¯t around before, I took care of Taotao by myself just fine. Don¡¯t worry, nothing will happen.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not the same as before when your sewing shop was small and nobody thought there was much money to be made there.

    But now it¡¯s different; some people might envy our recent success, and they might cause trouble while we¡¯re away.

    So you must be careful, alright? Don¡¯t open the door if there¡¯s something wrong.

    If you really can¡¯t cope, just shout to attract attention.¡± Qin Xue kept nagging.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Qin Xue has a point, Fang Xiu, you and your child must be careful,¡¯

    Yu Xiu and Fang Hong also thought it was inappropriate, and they reminded Fang Xiu together.

    ¡°Alright, I get it, you guys should go back quickly or you might miss the bus.¡±

    Fang Xiu waved goodbye to Qin Xue and the others, her eyes red with emotion. What a blessing it was to have found these true-hearted sisters.

    Even with the unfair treatment she got from her previous family, she had no regrets now that she had these sisters.

    Jing Xin, are you watching from heaven? We, mother and son, are living well now.

    It was already dusk when the five of them returned to the military compound.

    Under the dim light, Qin Xue didn¡¯t forget to remind Fang Hong not to share a room with Mr. Xie tonight. She would prepare the medicine herself the next day. The water in the shop¡¯s tank was spiritual spring water, which could be used without her personally preparing it.

    ¡°I know, you always worry a lot.¡± Fang Hong blushed, opening the door to enter.

    Qin Xue laughed and opened the door to her house. As she turned on the light, she found the room deserted. It seemed like her cheap husband hadn¡¯t returned yet?

    Qin Xue touched the table with her hand and could see the dust patterns on it; it had a thin layer of dust.

    Qin Xue filled a basin with water and wiped the tables and chairs clean. After cleaning the kitchen, she thought for a moment and fetched another basin of water. She went into Chu Molin¡¯s room to clean it before coming out to mop the floor.

    She didn¡¯t usually feel tired when cleaning, but with her big belly now, it felt exhausting.

    Her back ached so much that she could barely straighten up. She put away the mop and dumped out the water before grabbing her clothes and entering the space.

    ¡°Master, you¡¯re here!¡± Xue Ling happily ran over to Qin Xue when she saw her.

    ¡°Yeah, I haven¡¯t been here for just one day, and the space seems different now.¡± Qin Xue looked around at everything in the space.

    She had divided the land in the space into several parts.

    There were fields for rice, corn, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and a piece for various vegetables.

    The fishlings Qin Xue had caught had grown and reproduced, looking plump and delicious. They made her crave fish soup, so she planned to make some after her prenatal checkup at the hospital tomorrow.

    On the peach blossom grove side, she had fenced off an area with bamboo to raise several laying hens and gotten many eggs. She also raised some roosters for meat.

    Li Zhao had helped her find the rice seeds. She had planted all these things secretly in the space when no one was around.

    She had bought the chicks discreetly at the market while handing out flyers and snuck them into the space when no one was looking. These were just some of the things she had accumulated in her space.

    Even if Qin Xue stopped working in the future, the items in the space alone could provide a good life. As they had more and more things in the space, she found out that the land would expand.

    After asking Xue Ling, she learned that it was a labor welfare benefit given by cultivators in the past.

    However, the question remained ¨C how could the rice in the space be turned into edible grains once they were out of the space?

    Qin Xue picked two tomatoes to eat before stripping off her clothes and getting into the pool. It felt so comfortable, with all her pores opening up in relaxation. She sighed contentedly with her eyes closed.

    After soaking for half an hour, she finally got out and put on clothes..

 Chapter 51

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue entered the bamboo house, sat on the bed, and dried her hair, thinking about whether to buy some materials and make soap for herself. She decided to figure it out when she encountered the materials.

    Seeing that Xue Ling was cultivating, she didn¡¯t disturb it and dried her hair out of the space, changed the sheets and pillowcases, washed them with clothes, and hung them up to dry. She looked at the time, it was almost ten o¡¯clock, so she turned off the lights and went to bed.

    Meanwhile, Fang Hong and Xie Jun discussed Qin Xue¡¯s plans for the afternoon.

    Xie Jun told Fang Hong to decide for herself; he respected her opinion.

    Since he learnt how much money their clothes had made since the opening, he didn¡¯t want to interfere in Fang Hong¡¯s choices; he knew it was important to follow the right person.

    After speaking, he hugged Fang Hong and kissed her hard: ¡°Wife, how can you become even more beautiful in such a short time?¡±

    Xie Jun was shocked when he saw Fang Hong tonight; it had been more than a week since he had seen his wife, and he was already feeling anxious. Now that they met, how did she become even more beautiful?

    In his heart, he wanted to hug his wife and kiss her hard, but it was not easy to restrain himself until now.

    Of course, after drinking Qin Xue¡¯s spiritual spring water, applying Qin Xue¡¯s face masks, taking Qin Xue¡¯s medicine, and wearing Qin Xue¡¯s designed clothes, how could she not become more beautiful? It would be illogical if there wasn¡¯t any change at all.

    ¡°Really? Have I become more beautiful?¡± Fang Hong was delighted.

    She could feel the slight change herself, but the feeling was different when her loved one pointed it out.

    ¡°Of course. Would I lie to you? Wife, it¡¯s been so long since I last saw you; let me hold you and kiss you. Let¡¯s go to sleep.¡± After saying that, he kissed Fang Hong¡¯s mouth.

    Fang Hong remembered Qin Xue¡¯s warning and would not let him succeed. Joking aside, it was absolutely impossible. She pushed him away forcefully and said:

    ¡°No, not now. I¡¯m telling you that you can¡¯t touch me for these three months. Otherwise, I¡¯ll stay in a hotel and come back after three months.¡±

    ¡°What nonsense! Three months without touching you? Wife, we¡¯re husband and wife, how can we sleep together for three months without consummating? Please, listen to me.¡± Xie Jun finished speaking and pressed her down.

    ¡°No, when I say no, it means no. I¡¯m taking medicine to adjust my body now, and the doctor said I can¡¯t have sex during treatment. So, please bear with it for three months.

    If you can¡¯t endure it, why don¡¯t I stay in the hotel and come back after I finish taking the medicine?¡± Fang Hong asked tentatively.

    ¡°Why are you taking medicine? Are you unwell?¡± He finished and sat up, looking at Fang Hong.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing; I just want a daughter, so I¡¯m taking medicine to adjust my body.¡± Fang Hong was a little embarrassed when talking about this topic, even though her child was already quite big.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree to let nature take its course? Taking so much medicine before didn¡¯t work, so why don¡¯t we just give up?¡± Xie Jun was also heartbroken; the previous bitter medicines had been of no use.

    ¡°No, this time it must work. The doctor is very reliable, just agree with me.

    If it doesn¡¯t work this time, I won¡¯t bring it up again, okay?¡± No tough man can withstand the coquetry of a woman: once his wife coaxed, he had no choice but to agree.

    Xie Jun hugged his wife and couldn¡¯t do anything more, so he could only sleep with her in frustration. He couldn¡¯t eat meat, so he had to settle for soup and play with his hands.

    On the other hand, things were much simpler for Yu Xiu. Once she told Mr. Xu, they both agreed that she should stay in the city to manage the shop because the child was too young to leave.

    If Yu Xiu went on a business trip, Xu Fangzhou had to work, so who would look after the child? Therefore, there was no other option.

    Back with Qin Xue, she had a dreamless night. When she got up, she took six eggs out of the space and boiled them.

    She cooked some porridge and fried sweet potato leaves for breakfast. After entering the space, she took out some rice and flour from the kitchen.

    She changed into a black jumpsuit embroidered with a cute white kitten on the front.

    Underneath, she wore a white off-shoulder short-sleeved T-shirt with wide suspenders, revealing her fair collarbone and half of her shoulder, both cute and sexy.

    Truthfully, wearing such clothes in this era could be deemed inappropriate, but Qin Xue thought it looked good nevertheless.

    She tied her hair high up in a ponytail, looking simple, elegant, and neat. Qin Xue put on her backpack containing a bottle of spiritual spring water and an umbrella, locked the door with her money and left the house..

 Chapter 52

    Translator: 549690339

    Under the big tree downstairs, a group of women gathered. When Qin Xue

    came down, sne didn¡¯t greet anyone and directly lett.

    As the women chatted, they saw a bold and beautiful pregnant woman walk by, all of them staring at her in a daze.

    Only when Qin Xue walked away did one of the women react and say, ¡°Who is this woman? I don¡¯t seem to have seen her before. Is she a new family member in someone¡¯s home?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, I think that¡¯s Qin Xue from Mr. Chu¡¯s family.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t notice her earlier. I haven¡¯t seen her in a long time, and she¡¯s really changed, hasn¡¯t she?¡± Another military wife had only seen her in profile.

    ¡°What?! That¡¯s Qin Xue? Look at her clothes, they¡¯re so revealing! How long has it been since we last saw her, and she¡¯s completely different now.

    She is beautiful, but she¡¯s too restless. We hardly ever see her around the residential building.¡±

    ¡°Who knows what she¡¯s been doing? Could she have been cheating on Mr. Chu?¡± Zhang Cuihua looked genuinely jealous.

    Slandering Qin Xue seemed to come at no cost.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Qin Xue is probably not that kind of person. She hasn¡¯t been around the residential building lately because she¡¯s been busy with some matters.

    Mr. Chu is such a good man; there¡¯s no way Qin Xue would cheat on him.

    Wasn¡¯t it said that she had set her sights on Mr. Chu before purposely marrying him?¡± Another woman spoke more fairly.

    ¡°What do you know? A shameless woman like her could never stay put, right?

    I wonder if the child in her belly is even Mr. Chu¡¯s?¡± Zhang Cuihua couldn¡¯t stand hearing others speak well of Qin Xue.

    ¡°Zhang Cuihua, don¡¯t go spreading wild rumors. If you say such things without any proof, that¡¯s slander, and you could go to jail for it.¡±

    Su Xiaoyan couldn¡¯t help but rebuke her when she heard Zhang Cuihua¡¯s words getting more and more outrageous.

    Upon hearing she might go to jail, Zhang Cuihua became afraid and stuttered,

    ¡°How am I talking nonsense? Mr. Chu left on a mission, and she became pregnant. Not to mention, she¡¯s always running out and not staying in the residential building. Does her attire look like a proper woman¡¯s to you?

    Her clothes and bags must cost a lot of money, right? If she hasn¡¯t found someone else, where did she get the money to dress up like that?¡±

    The others didn¡¯t join in anymore. Although Zhang Cuihua was foul-mouthed, she wasn¡¯t entirely unreasonable.

    Su Xiaoyan snorted at them and said, ¡°In any case, these are all your guesses. You haven¡¯t seen anything with your own eyes and just gather here to gossip wildly.

    I¡¯m telling you, this is slander and can damage other people¡¯s relationships.

    If word gets out that you¡¯ve been talking nonsense here, it could affect your husbands as well.¡± When Su Xiaoyan finished speaking, everyone kept quiet and found excuses to leave.

    Even Zhang Cuihua, who had heard that it could affect her husband, snorted and left.

    Watching Qin Xue, who had long disappeared from sight, Su Xiaoyan sighed. She was a real troublemaker, and nothing good ever came from seeing her.

    Qin Xue had changed a lot, and her outfit today was bold for this time period.

    Her four-month belly looked like it had a balloon blown up inside it; it was much bigger and rounder than normal.

    Qin Xue had checked her pulse before and had a suspicion. That¡¯s why she wanted to go for a prenatal checkup and a B-ultrasound today.

    Qin Xue didn¡¯t know that she had just passed by and caused a fight. She didn¡¯t know what had happened in the residential building, as she had already arrived at the hospital by then.

    She took a form, filled it out, and queued at the registration desk. After waiting for about ten minutes, she heard her name called.

    ¡°Is it Qin Xue? What do you want to see?¡± Li Rong looked at Qin Xue while holding the registration form.

    ¡°Doctor, hello. I¡¯d like to get a B-ultrasound. You see, my belly is much larger than normal, so I want to examine and see if the baby is healthy.¡±

    In fact, Qin Xue knew her child was well-nourished by the spiritual spring water and shouldn¡¯t have any issues. What she desired was confirmation of her suspicion.

    Li Rong glanced at Qin Xue¡¯s belly, which was indeed much larger than normal. It could even be twins.

    However, an examination was needed to confirm everything: ¡°Well, come with me, and I¡¯ll have a look at you.¡± She then led Qin Xue to a separate room to perform the B-ultrasound..

 Chapter 53

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue followed Li Rong to the B-ultrasound room, unfastened her overalls, and lay on the bed. The B-ultrasound at this time was not like the color ultrasound or four-dimensional color ultrasound of later times; it was just in black and white.

    There wasn¡¯t a dedicated person to perform B-ultrasound. The doctors had to do it as a part-time job.

    After applying coupling gel, Li Rong slowly moved the B-ultrasound probe on Qin Xue¡¯s belly.

    As expected, it was twins. Li Rong smiled and said:

    ¡°Qin Xue, you¡¯re so blessed. You¡¯re carrying twins. They¡¯re developing well and their heartbeats are strong and healthy.¡±

    Li Rong handed the B-ultrasound report to Qin Xue after examining it.

    Qin Xue saw the two babies in her womb¡¯s report, cuddling together. The children had already taken shape, and she could see that they were facing each other with their fists clenched and curving into a semi-circle.

    It was so adorable, and at that moment, Qin Xue¡¯s smile was particularly gentle.

    The temperament she exuded was very touching. Li Rong was happy for Qin Xue and said:

    ¡°Qin Xue, there¡¯s nothing to worry about, the babies are fine. You should drink more fish soup and bone soup after you go home.

    Your twins might be born earlier than their due date, so you should come in for an early check-up when the time comes. There¡¯s nothing else to worry about.¡±

    ¡°Okay, thank you, Doctor.¡± Qin Xue already knew that people pregnant with twins were more likely to give birth prematurely.

    She hoped her cheap husband would be with her when the time came. Why was she thinking of him again? She shook her head and put away the ultrasound report.

    She went around the market and bought 1 kg of tofu for fish soup. She also bought a can of milk to make double skin milk.

    She looked around but didn¡¯t have enough coupons to buy many things.

    She changed her path and went to the black market: no need to buy vegetables, eggs, or fish, but it seemed like other things needed to be bought as well.

    Qin Xue bought three ribs, 1.5 kg of pork belly, 1 kg of lean meat, and a pig¡¯s foot. These things could be bought without coupons in the black market but were more expensive.

    Fortunately, Qin Xue had made some money, otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t be able to afford these items. If she could buy a rice milling machine, she could mill her own rice from the grains.

    However, there might not be any channels to buy such a large machine.

    But it was fine to buy a stone mortar and mill the rice herself. She didn¡¯t eat much, so milling a few pounds at a time would be enough, and it meant she wouldn¡¯t go hungry even without grain coupons.

    Wheat also couldn¡¯t be ground into flour, and there was no way to use the grains in her space since they had not been hulled. It was quite a sad situation.

    It seems better not to grow grains. If she could find ginseng seeds to plant, they would sell for a lot of money. How many ginseng plants could she grow in her space?

    Thinking about it made her happy, but she could only dream about it. Where could she find ginseng seeds for sale?

    Unless she could go deep into the mountains to find them, but that would be an impossible mission for Qin Xue. She should focus on the present.

    Qin Xue bought ten 2.5 kg wine jars. The peach blossom wine should be ready, and she would check the taste and bring some to Li Zhao and An Hao.

    Remembering that there wasn¡¯t much rice and flour left in the morning, she bought 5 kg more rice and 2.5 kg more flour, as well as some condiments.

    There were too many things, so Qin Xue hired someone to help send them to the car before she could breathe a sigh of relief.

    For some reason, there were too many people around today, and she couldn¡¯t find an opportunity to put everything into her space. So she had to carry everything, which was exhausting.

    People on the car looked at pregnant Qin Xue with a variety of expressions some envious, some jealous, and some greedy. Qin Xue pretended not to see them and took a seat.

    Luckily, the wine jars weren¡¯t too big and were packed in a box; otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t know how to carry them home.

    She took out the water bottle from her bag, drank all the water in one breath, and felt a little better. When she got off the car later, she still had to walk four or five minutes before reaching the entrance. How would she carry everything home? Qin Xue was on the verge of tears.

    When she was about to fall asleep with all the swaying, the car finally arrived at the station. Qin Xue unloaded her items and looked around, seeing people everywhere. How could she put everything into her space?

    If she carried some and left some behind, someone might take them. No matter what she thought, it wouldn¡¯t work. If she had known, she wouldn¡¯t have bought so many things.

    With a bitten lip, Qin Xue circled around her items, mumbling to herself..

 Chapter 54

    Translator: 549690339

    After making several circles around the things on the ground, Qin Xue attempted to pick up and carry the items.

    But there was just too much to carry and she felt like she was going to burst into tears. ¡®Oh God, please send someone to help me,¡¯ she thought.

    Just as she was about to try again, one hand picking up the rice flour, the other the wine bottles;

    Suddenly, a strong hand had taken over the task, leaving only a bag of miscellaneous light items on the ground.

    Qin Xue was surprised, she looked up, ¡®Wow, what a handsome man,¡¯ she thought.

    His eyebrows were sharp, his eyelashes long, and his eyes were deep and incredibly striking, like black diamonds. One look was enough to captivate her, even though his gaze was cold and intense. His high nose and thin lips made Qin Xue unconsciously swallow her saliva.

    Such beautiful lips, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder what they tasted like.

    Chu Molin couldn¡¯t quite decipher the emotions stirring within him as he looked at the woman in front of him.

    From a distance, he had seen this woman circling the items on the ground, gesturing with her hands.

    As he got closer, he realized this pregnant woman was trying to pick up so many things. He didn¡¯t know why, but his heart squeezed a bit.

    Seeing her let go, he sighed in relief, but then he saw her preparing to pick up the items again.

    As his car approached, he realized how similar she looked to his wife.

    Although she had changed a lot, he recognized her. This was his wife.

    Looking at her belly, he didn¡¯t react immediately. He thought, ¡®How could she have changed so much in just a few months?¡¯

    He had slept with her once by design, and now she was pregnant, and he was just realizing it. What could anyone possibly know about what he was going through?

    Just as she was about to pick up the things again, he hurriedly asked his driver, Li Dabao, to stop the car. Chu Molin got out immediately.

    By the time he came to his senses, he was already holding the things. He looked at the woman with adoring eyes. He had once been irritated by such affection, but now it didn¡¯t seem inappropriate.

    Being stared at by Qin Xue for a while made Chu Molin a bit uncomfortable, so he coughed lightly.

    Startled by his cough, Qin Xue blushed, ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to stare at you. I¡¯ve been here so long, but I haven¡¯t seen anyone as handsome as you. I got distracted. Please forgive me.¡±

    Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue¡¯s flustered gaze and her rosy face. Something stirred within him. He cracked a smile, not noticing his previously harsh gaze softening significantly.

    Qin Xue noticed he was wearing camouflage clothing, with some mud on it. Seemingly just back from outside, she asked, ¡°Comrade, are you heading back to the research institute too?¡±

    Chu Molin was taken aback. ¡®Comrade? What the hell?¡¯ Why doesn¡¯t this woman seem to remember him?

    ¡°Yeah, back to the institute. Let¡¯s go.¡± He then walked ahead carrying the items.

    Upon seeing this, Qin Xue swiftly picked up the bag on the ground and tried to catch up.

    However, with his tall stature and much longer stride, she struggled to keep up, with one hand holding the items and the other supporting her belly, she ran to make up the distance.

    Only then did Chu Molin slow down, waiting patiently for Qin Xue to catch up.

    Qin Xue, out of breath from the rush, thought, ¡®This guy really knows how to

    help. Shouldn¡¯t he have waited for me?¡¯

    ¡®Running so fast. Even if he knew the way, it¡¯s no use if he doesn¡¯t know where my house is.¡¯

    Chu Molin looked sideways at the woman running towards him, one hand carrying things and the other supporting her belly.

    He furrowed his brows unconsciously. ¡®Why doesn¡¯t she take care of herself? What if she falls over?¡¯ he wondered.

    He hadn¡¯t considered that it was his fast pace which had forced Qin Xue to hurry.

    Once he slowed down, Qin Xue finally caught up with him and walked alongside him. The brisk walk left her slightly out of breath and her belly uncomfortable. She rubbed her stomach gently.

    Suddenly, she felt a movement in her belly, which brought a spark of joy to her eyes, causing her to smile.

    Chu Molin, who had been watching Qin Xue from the corner of his eye, was taken aback by her smiling face..

 Chapter 55

    Translator: 549690339

    In the car, Ding Xi, Deng Kai, Li Dabao, and Wei Shaohui watched as Chu Molin carried things and walked away with a pregnant woman.

    They were left behind just like that, looking at each other in confusion.

    ¡°Dabao, what do you think is going on with Deputy Chief?¡± Wei Shaohui asked, stroking his chin.

    ¡°Wei Shaohui, how would I know? I was out on a mission with you guys and came back together.

    You all saw how Deputy Chief suddenly asked to stop the car and got out. I have no idea what¡¯s going on.¡± Li Dabao was just as baffled.

    Ding Xi: ¡°Isn¡¯t Deputy Chief usually uninterested in getting close to women?

    He doesn¡¯t even get close to his own wife. But look at them walking ahead, so close together. Is that really our Deputy Chief, the one with the title of Cold King?¡±

    Deng Kai: ¡°Enough, stop analyzing for now. Let¡¯s drive back and see what happens later. You¡¯ll be in trouble when the Deputy Chief starts looking for people.¡±

    Hearing this, everyone shut their mouths, their faces looking somewhat ugly. Li Dabao drove back with a mournful expression on his face.

    As for Qin Xue, after carrying the stuff up the stairs and opening the door, she put the stuff on the table and gulped down a glass of water.

    She filled another glass of water and handed it to Chu Molin: ¡°Comrade, have a glass of water. Thank you for helping me bring the stuff back.¡±

    Chu Molin looked at the glass in front of him, and he actually had a cleanliness obsession.

    But looking at the expectant eyes of the woman in front of him, he hesitantly reached out, took the glass, and took a sip. The water tasted surprisingly sweet, so he drank it all in two mouthfuls, still feeling somewhat unsatisfied after finishing.

    He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and returned the glass to Qin Xue.

    Chu Molin was unsure if it was just his imagination, but he felt a warmth in his energy center after drinking the water. The sensation wasn¡¯t very strong, so he didn¡¯t pay much attention to it.

    Looking around the room, he couldn¡¯t help but be surprised. When did this woman start to appreciate cleanliness?

    The room was spotlessly clean. He had never seen such a tidy room in the past, as he had always been the one to clean up.

    But after each clean-up, it would return to a messy state, so eventually, he stopped bothering and let her do what she wanted, which led to her being punished.

    Qin Xue watched the man examining the room without saying anything.

    Wasn¡¯t he supposed to bid farewell and leave after finishing his drink?

    Why was he still standing here? Did she really have to ask him to leave?

    It seemed rude to ask him to leave, but with this man around, she couldn¡¯t do her own thing.

    So, Qin Xue had no choice but to rudely ask him to leave: ¡°Comrade, thank you for helping me bring the stuff back. Shouldn¡¯t you be leaving now?

    My Molin isn¡¯t home yet, and it¡¯s not convenient for me to entertain you as a woman alone. When he comes back from his mission, I¡¯ll have him invite you over for dinner.¡±

    Chu Molin¡¯s face darkened upon hearing her words. What was this woman playing at, pretending not to recognize him?

    This was also his home, and not only was she pretending not to know him, she was also trying to drive him away.

    Qin Xue saw the man¡¯s face darken and stammered an explanation:

    ¡°Comrade, I¡¯m not trying to drive you away. I just have something to do right now and can¡¯t have you here. Please forgive me.¡±

    Chu Molin looked at the woman¡¯s genuine expression and felt even more puzzled. Had she really forgotten about him after just a few months away on a mission? Something was wrong.

    Anyway, he had just returned and needed to report the mission results to the chief first. He would figure out what was wrong when he came back in the evening. He straightened his shirt, turned around, and walked out.

    Qin Xue saw that the man had finally left and closed the door before putting away the things she bought.

    The wine jar was placed directly in her storage space to wash and filter the water. She took a hoe and shovel and dug up a jar of peach blossom wine just like she brewed before, opened it, and took a sniff. It smelled wonderful, but she didn¡¯t know how it would taste yet.

    She scooped a bit with a ladle and took a sip. Hmmm, it was really delicious!

    The wine with added flavors was richer and had a higher alcohol content, and the aroma was amazing. The wine fermented with wine yeast also had a strong taste and was very pure.

    The one fermented with spiritual spring water and sugar had a lighter taste and was less intense, more suitable for women to drink, while the other two types were more suitable for men. The time flow in space was faster, and after being buried for two months, it tasted like a hundred-year-old fine wine.

    Great, I love it! Qin Xue was so happy she wanted to jump in joy. She hadn¡¯t expected the taste to be so mellow and fragrant..

 Chapter 56

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue filled and labeled two jars of each of the three types of wine before taking them out of the space and storing them. Then she went back into the space to seal the rest of the wine and put them under the peach tree.

    Next time, she¡¯ll just need to unseal the jars and pour the wine. After dealing with the wine, she filled the ground back up and picked a basketful of vegetables.

    Pan-seared green chili pepper, tomato scrambled eggs, stir-fried greens, spicy sour cabbage, spicy sour potato shreds, braised eggplant, caramelized sweet potatoes; just thinking of these dishes made her mouth water.

    One person couldn¡¯t finish it all, so she¡¯d make extra to invite them for dinner later.

    She¡¯d give the unneeded vegetables to Fang Hong and Yu Xiu, then catch a few fish to make fish head tofu soup and chopped chili fish head. She¡¯d tell them she bought the fish when the time comes.

    That¡¯s the plan: first eat, then share the leftovers. She was truly so clever.

    Qin Xue took out a full basket of vegetables and caught a few fish in a large basin to store in water. Mission accomplished.

    Qin Xue let the dough rise for the steamed buns she¡¯d have in the afternoon. After washing her face, she lay down on the bed for a nap, exhausted. She fell asleep soon after.

    By the time Qin Xue woke up, it was already after 3 in the afternoon. She chopped and marinated the meat, washed and chopped the vegetables, then started kneading the dough and wrapping the steamed buns.

    She got along well with Xie Jun and Xu Fangzhou now, so to satisfy her cravings, she decided to invite Fang Hong¡¯s and Yu Xiu¡¯s families for a simple meal.

    With two big men in their families, they¡¯d surely be able to eat a lot. She made a total of forty buns and twenty steamed rolls, each the size of a fist.

    Qin Xue figured that they¡¯d only be home around seven, and Mr. Xie and the others would get off work at seven thirty, so she started steaming the buns first.

    Seeing the fish reminded her that she had no pickled vegetables; sour and spicy pickled fish would be so refreshing. Next time, she¡¯d buy a big jar to make pickled vegetables.

    As Chu Molin left his home, he noticed the impatient sound of the door closing behind him. He wondered how much she disliked him now.

    She used to be so fond of him, constantly trying to catch his attention. Had everything changed?

    Now he was being treated like something contagious, something she despised. Was it real, or was she playing hard to get? He¡¯d find out later; for now, he had to focus on completing his work.

    When he saw Li Dabao and the others downstairs, they went together to Mr. Xie¡¯s office:

    ¡°Chief, we¡¯ve returned from completing our mission.¡± Chu Molin and the others reported to Xie Jun.

    ¡°Good, good. How did the mission go? Were any of you injured?¡± Xie Jun looked at the young men in front of him.

    Xie Jun was initially supposed to lead the mission, but due to a meeting at the police bureau, Chu Molin took over.

    Chu Molin had the ability, otherwise Xie Jun wouldn¡¯t have entrusted this complex mission to him.

    ¡°The rest of us are fine and uninjured, but we didn¡¯t manage to capture the suspect,¡± Chu Molin said in a low voice.

    ¡°Was the item stolen?¡± Xie Jun asked, his face turning serious.

    ¡°No, we just got back and still have the items in our possession. The rest were destroyed by us.¡± Chu Molin was slightly injured but didn¡¯t consider it a serious issue, so he didn¡¯t go to the hospital and returned directly to the station.

    ¡°Alright, you guys go back and rest for now. We¡¯ll talk about the other things after you¡¯ve rested,¡± Xie Jun told them, noticing their exhausted faces and dark circles under their eyes.

    ¡°Yes, thank you, Chief.¡± They all saluted and thanked him.

    ¡°Oh, Chu Molin, stay behind. The rest of you, go rest.¡± Xie Jun remembered Qin Xue¡¯s injury and knew he needed to talk to Chu Molin about it.

    ¡°Chief, is there anything else?¡± Chu Molin was originally planning to return to his office.

    ¡°Yes, I just wanted to tell you to come see me after work. There¡¯s something I need to discuss with you. For now, go rest,¡± Xie Jun waved for Chu Molin to leave.

    After Chu Molin left, Xie Jun rubbed his temple, thinking about how to identify what was in the items.

    Instead of resting, Chu Molin returned to his office.

    This time, the criminals were cunning and ruthless, trying to find any loopholes they could exploit.

    They managed to escape, thanks to the criminals not just being part of their organization, but also hiring mercenaries.

    This mission exposed many shortcomings in their own capabilities, so Chu Molin decided to draft a training plan to strengthen their skills..

 Chapter 57

    Translator: 549690339

    After steaming the buns and bread, Qin Xue took one to eat. It was delicious, with a soft skin and a tasty filling.

    Finishing a bun, Qin Xue killed and cleaned a fish, frying it until both sides were slightly yellow before putting it in a pot with tofu to make a slow-cooked soup.

    She decided to steam some rice as well so those who liked rice could eat rice and those who liked bread could have buns. The leftovers could be stored in her space for freshness.

    As time passed, a delicious aroma filled the entire room.

    Even the corridor was filled with the fragrance. People passing by couldn¡¯t help but take a deep breath, wondering which family was cooking such a delectable dish.

    Qin Xue opened the lid, and a mouthwatering aroma rushed into her nostrils, making her smack her lips. The fish soup looked milky white.

    Sure enough, dishes cooked using Spirit Spring water were different ¡ª the aroma was much more intense.

    Looking at the time, Qin Xue stir-fried the dishes one by one, before placing them on plates. They were visually impressive and had everything ¨C color, aroma, and taste.

    From the corridor came the sound of Fang Hong and Yu Xiu chatting. After finishing the last dish of minced meat and eggplants, Qin Xue took off her apron, picked up her keys, and went to knock on Yu Xiu¡¯s door.

    Yu Xiu had just entered her home, changed her shoes, and was washing her hands to prepare dinner when the doorbell rang: ¡°Hu Zi, open the door and see who it is.¡¯

    ¡°Alright, Mom!¡± Xu Hu quickly ran to open the door.

    ¡°Auntie, Mom, it¡¯s Aunt Qin Xue!¡± Xu Hu called out to his mother as he greeted Qin Xue.

    Yu Xiu wiped her hands and came out of the kitchen: ¡°Qin Xue, why are you here? Sit down. Have you eaten? I¡¯m about to cook dinner. If you haven¡¯t eaten, eat with us later.¡±

    ¡°No need, Sister-in-law. I came to tell you not to cook. I¡¯ve already prepared dinner.

    To be honest, I went for a gynecological checkup at the hospital today. I was so happy and craving some food, so I cooked a few dishes and wanted to have you, Fang Hong, and your families over to celebrate.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s great! I don¡¯t have to cook and I get a meal. What¡¯s the occasion that has you so happy? Your eyes are practically dancing.¡±

    Yu Xiu and Qin Xue had become familiar with each other, so the initial coldness was gone. The more they spent time together, the more Yu Xiu found out how enthusiastic a person she could be.

    ¡°Sister-in-law, didn¡¯t you notice that my belly is bigger than other women at the same stage of pregnancy? That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t go to the shop today but instead went for a B-ultrasound.

    Guess what? I¡¯m carrying twins! And today, the babies moved and kicked me several times, which made me so happy. I just wanted to share this joy with all of you.¡±

    ¡°Really? Qin Xue, congratulations! As they say, good people receive good fortune. You¡¯re such a wonderful person, and you¡¯re truly blessed.¡±

    ¡°Alright, sister-in-law, I won¡¯t bother you anymore. When Mr. Xu comes home, you can just come downstairs. I¡¯ll go and tell Fang Hong now, or else it would be awkward if she starts cooking dinner.¡±

    Yu Xiu washed the faces of the two children and told Xu Hu to inform Xu Fangzhou.

    ¡°Understood, Mom.¡± Xu Hu washed his face and quickly went to tell his dad.

    Qin Xue arrived at Fang Hong¡¯s house just in time to find Fang Hong washing a pot.

    ¡°Qin Xue is here! Come on in.¡± Fang Hong picked up the pot and prepared to rinse out the rice.

    Looking at this, Qin Xue hurriedly said, ¡°Sister-in-law, don¡¯t cook dinner tonight. Come to my house instead. I¡¯ve already cooked. When Mr. Xie finishes work, just head over to my place.¡±

    Fang Hong looked at Qin Xue¡¯s happy expression and couldn¡¯t help but tease her.

    ¡°Qin Xue, what¡¯s got you so excited and inviting us over for dinner? Tell your

    sister-in-law about the good news!¡±

    So Qin Xue repeated to Fang Hong what she had told Yu Xiu earlier.

    ¡°Really? That¡¯s great! Qin Xue, congratulations! If Molin knew he was going to have two kids at once, he would be over the moon.

    It¡¯s wonderful. Who would have thought that Mr. Chu would not only have strong work abilities, but also strong sowing ability, haha!¡± Fang Hong laughed heartily, teasing Qin Xue.

    ¡°Sister-in-law, you¡¯re so mean! Is that how you joke with people?

    Maybe when your three months are up, Mr. Xie will plant two in your belly as well. ¡±

    Qin Xue was not going to be outdone. They were all close friends and women, so they could tease each other together..

 Chapter 58

    Translator: 549690339

    ¡°Qin Xue, I see you¡¯re becoming more shameless, able to say absolutely anything. ¡±

    Truth be told, even though Fang Hong was a few years older than Qin Xue, she didn¡¯t have the thick skin of Qin Xue, who could blurt out anything without blushing or being breathless.

    ¡°Sister-in-law, you¡¯re wrong, this is not thick-skinned, it¡¯s natural human behavior.

    Also, what I said wasn¡¯t wrong. Once your body recovers, having twins is not impossible, right?

    It¡¯s just that you two will have to work harder to conceive soon, so your child can have a playmate. Just imagine that picture, it¡¯s beautiful.¡± Qin Xue raised her eyebrows at Fang Hong as she spoke.

    ¡°Yes, yes, you¡¯re always right. I give up, okay?¡± Fang Hong was at a loss with Qin Xue. The more she interacted with her, the more she realized Qin Xue was extraordinary.

    ¡°Hahaha, sister-in-law, your expression seems like you¡¯ve been taken for a spin by me.¡±

    Looking at Fang Hong¡¯s expression, Qin Xue couldn¡¯t help laughing. The hallway was filled with their laughter.

    ¡°What are you two talking about? It seems very funny.¡± Xiao Jun¡¯s voice interrupted as Fang Hong was making a move to pat Qin Xue.

    As a result, she froze in place and turned her head to see Xie Jun and Chu standing at the door, and it was Xie Jun who had spoken.

    What had she done? She was very vocal with Qin Xue even though the door was open, anyone could have heard.

    It was embarrassing being seen by an outsider like Chu Molin and not just Xie Jun.

    Fang Hong felt as though she was about to cry, wishing there was a hole she could crawl into immediately.

    Seeing Fang Hong¡¯s expression, Qin Xue couldn¡¯t stop laughing, she even patted Fang Hong¡¯s shoulder and held onto her stomach as she said:

    ¡°Sister-in-law, you¡¯re killing me with laughter, my stomach hurts from all the laughing.¡± She said it, but she never stopped laughing.

    Her playful appearance made Chu Molin¡¯s eyes darken. He hadn¡¯t expected this side of her.

    ¡°Um, Mr. Xie, are you off work? Chu Molin, are you back from a mission? Are you here to see Qin Xue? Come in and sit.¡± Fang Hong awkwardly invited the two men, as they hadn¡¯t stepped inside the door yet.

    Qin Xue stopped laughing all of sudden, her mind went blank. Chu Molin, a mission, Qin Xue. These few words made her realize something.

    So she asked Fang Hong with a stunned look: ¡°Sister-in-law, what did you just say? Did you say he is Chu Molin?¡±

    ¡°Yes, he is your husband Chu Molin, did you forget him too?¡± Now it was Fang Hong¡¯s turn to be surprised.

    ¡°Um, sister-in-law, I have to go home now, we will come over for dinner later, okay?¡±

    With that, she rushed towards the door, even accidentally bumped into Chu Molin on her way out!

    She left hastily without even pausing to apologize. The heavenly man who turned out to be her husband, her, Qin Xue¡¯s husband. My goodness, what was going on?

    Let alone not recognizing her own husband, she had driven him out while he was helping her fetch things.

    Who drove her husband out of the door like a stranger? It must be a first for Qin Xue.

    Ah, so embarrassing! Why didn¡¯t that man say a word when he was being driven out? Why didn¡¯t he tell her that he was Chu Molin?

    Qin Xue, too ashamed to face anyone, opened the door, slammed it shut, and leaned heavily on it, catching her breath.

    Meanwhile, Fang Hong, Chu Molin, and Xie Jun looked bewildered at the retreating Qin Xue who rushed out after leaving a quick word.

    With all sorts of feelings in his heart, Chu Molin watched the flustered woman. He thought about what Xie Jun had told him in the afternoon:

    ¡°Molin, I¡¯m really sorry, we didn¡¯t take good care of Qin Xue.

    Soon after you left for a mission, she got hurt. It was a head injury. She was found unconscious due to blood loss.

    I heard from your sister-in-law that she remained unconscious for several days before finally waking up, but then she had lost her memory and didn¡¯t recognize anyone.

    Your sister-in-law and Xu Fangzhou¡¯s family have been taking care of her all this time. Fortunately, the child in her belly is okay, otherwise I don¡¯t know how I could face you.

    We failed to take proper care of the families while you were out on mission.

    However, I heard that Qin Xue was invited out by Bai Jing from the department at the time, but they split up afterward.

    What happened after that, you will have to find out for yourself. If there¡¯s anything, we will deal with it together..¡±

 Chapter 59

    Translator: 549690339

    Upon hearing this, Chu Molin fell silent. So she didn¡¯t purposely fail to recognize him today.

    It wasn¡¯t a game of playing hard to get but because she had suffered a head injury and lost her memory. She forgot everything, even his identity, which made her drive him out of the house.

    No matter why he had married her in the first place, she was his wife now. If anyone bullied her, it was as if they were bullying him. No matter who it was, he would find out and teach them a lesson.

    It was incredibly dangerous to have suffered a head injury. Moreover, she was pregnant. Waking up after being unconscious for several days, despite experiencing memory loss, was a significant relief. Chu Molin thought for a while and said,

    ¡°Chief Xie, Sister-in-law, I¡¯ll head back first. Since Xue¡¯er invited you to dinner, why don¡¯t you come over later? I¡¯m going home to check on her.¡±

    ¡°Go ahead, go ahead. Be thoughtful. Qin Xue has changed a lot. Put away your gloomy expression so as not to scare her.¡± Xie Jun advised.

    ¡°Absolutely, my sweet Sister Qin Xue is doing quite well now. You better not frighten her,¡± Fang Hong chimed in.

    ¡°Mm, I understand. Chief Xie, Sister-in-law, I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡± Chu Molin turned around to go home. He took out his keys and attempted to open the door but it was locked. ¡°Xue¡¯er, open the door.¡±

    The deep and pleasant voice from outside the door startled Qin Xue, who was leaning against it. With a reflexive jump, she opened the door.

    Outside and inside the door, the two of them stood in silence, their gazes meeting wordlessly. After a while, it was Chu Molin who broke the silence: ¡°I¡¯m going to take a bath first. I smell bad.¡±

    He strided past Qin Xue into his room. Not a trace of dust was to be seen, indicating that in his absence, Qin Xue had helped clean up.

    Qin Xue stepped aside after Chu Molin finished speaking, watching him enter his room, then followed him slowly, hesitantly saying,

    ¡°Uhm, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to kick you out today.¡±

    ¡°I had a head injury a while ago and lost my memory. I didn¡¯t remember you, so I didn¡¯t know you were Chu Molin. And you didn¡¯t say you were Chu Molin today, so I thought you were just a worker here.¡±

    ¡°Since I didn¡¯t recognize you, I¡­hehe.¡± Qin Xue noticed that Chu Molin just looked at her without speaking. She couldn¡¯t finish her sentence and awkwardly laughed a couple of times.

    ¡°Hmm, we¡¯ll talk about our issues later. I¡¯m going to take a bath first. Didn¡¯t you invite Chief Xie and others to dinner? ¡®

    ¡°I see that you¡¯ve set the table. Don¡¯t let the food get cold. It would be impolite to our guests if I still smell this bad, right?¡± Chu Molin was a man of few words.

    Only Heaven knew why, upon seeing Qin Xue¡¯s effort to explain and her subsequent awkward embarrassment, these words slipped out of his mouth.

    ¡°Ah, oh, okay, then go ahead. I¡¯ll get the water ready for you.¡±

    After saying this, she hurriedly shut the room door and went into the bathroom, drawing two buckets of spiritual spring water.

    Even though it was hot, washing with cold water wasn¡¯t good for your health, and Qin Xue didn¡¯t know Chu Molin would be back, so had not prepared hot water.

    As the spiritual spring water was warm and not cold to touch, without thinking about whether or not her secret storage space would be exposed, she scooped up the water. Noticing the water, Qin Xue berated herself for being so foolish. Why did she bring up spiritual spring water?

    What would she do if that was found out? As she thought about bending down to pour the water and to refill the buckets with tap water, she noticed out of the corner of her eye that Chu Molin was already standing at the door. Standing up, she gave an awkward laugh, ¡°The water is ready. Go take your bath.¡±

    Seeing Qin Xue, Chu Molin¡¯s lips unconsciously curled up a bit. His mood suddenly improved, and the tension he was feeling lifted.

    After putting away his clothes and taking off the dirty ones he was wearing, he saw that the wounds on his body were still covered in gauze, which easily unwrapped with a pull.

    Chu Molin took a towel and began to bathe, his nostrils filled with a pleasant scent. He couldn¡¯t resist taking a deep breath, and his body and mind relaxed.

    When his hand touched the water, Chu Molin paused. He turned the tap on, scooped some water, and felt that it was different.

    The water was warm. There was no way Qin Xue could have prepared hot water at this time, and since she didn¡¯t recognize him and didn¡¯t know he was going to take a bath, she couldn¡¯t have prepared the water in advance.

    So where did this hot water come from? It seemed his little wife had a secret.

    He had felt a difference from the first time he saw her today. Even if a person lost their memory, their personality wouldn¡¯t change that much.. Was she hiding herself before, or did something else happen besides the injury?

 Chapter 60

    Translator: 549690339

    I¡¯ll look into those later and see how many secrets this little wife is hiding from me.

    Chu Molin shook his head and started to wash his hair and take a bath. After the bath, he felt like all the pores in his body were opened.

    Feeling relaxed and comfortable, even the fatigue from not having enough rest in recent days was gone.

    It seems that his little wife¡¯s secrets were not small. Chu Molin had a quick battle bath, which took only a few minutes.

    He grabbed a dry towel, wiped his hair dry, put on a dark green short-sleeved shirt that tightly wrapped around his upper body muscles, and wore a pair of camouflage pants.

    When Qin Xue saw Chu Molin in such attire, the corners of her mouth twitched, as if seeing action hormones.

    ¡°Are you going to work later?¡± Qin Xue looked up and down at Chu Molin.

    ¡°No, why?¡± Chu Molin looked at his little wife¡¯s gaze and looked down at his clothes. There shouldn¡¯t be any problems.

    ¡°Oh, nothing, just that you¡¯re dressed so neatly, I thought I¡¯d ask.¡±

    After saying this, Qin Xue muttered quietly: Why does he wear so many clothes in the evening without going to work or training? Isn¡¯t it hot?

    After that, she shook her head, expressing that she couldn¡¯t understand. Qin Xue thought she had muttered quietly enough, but the man with excellent hearing heard everything.

    Chu Molin moved his lips to say something, but decided not to say anything.

    ¡°Huh, why aren¡¯t they here yet? The dishes will get cold soon, let me go and see.¡± Qin Xue said while walking to the door, and was just about to open it when the doorbell rang.

    Upon opening the door, she saw the two families had arrived together: ¡°Come on in, you guys are so slow that the dishes have gone cold.

    I was just about to go out and call you when you arrived. Please have a seat.

    Ah, I just realized that we might not have enough chairs.¡± Qin Xue was genuinely embarrassed, inviting people for dinner and not having enough chairs, were they supposed to stand and eat?

    Chu Molin was helpless as well, and had to bring out two long benches to barely accommodate everyone.

    Everyone sat together, leaving the spot next to Chu Molin for Qin Xue.

    Qin Xue brought out the fish soup and then sat down in the last empty seat.

    Everyone looked at the dishes on the table, and their mouths were watering just from the aroma. They knew the food would be delicious without even having to taste it.

    ¡°Mom, Auntie¡¯s dishes smell so good, especially those buns. They¡¯re the best!¡± Jiajia saw the buns she¡¯d eaten before and couldn¡¯t forget them since she had them last time.

    ¡°Jiajia, do you like buns? Then let Auntie serve you one.¡± Qin Xue gave Jiajia a bun, and then saw that everyone else hadn¡¯t started eating yet.

    She tapped Chu Molin¡¯s hand: ¡°Welcome Mr. Xie and Mr. Xu to eat. What are you looking at?¡±

    Chu Molin¡¯s body stiffened for a moment, but he quickly reacted: ¡°Mr. Xie, Mr. Xu, please enjoy your meal.¡±

    ¡°Sister-in-law, you guys eat too, don¡¯t be polite. Try the braised fish, it smells great.¡± Qin Xue invited everyone to eat the dishes.

    She took a bowl and helped herself to some fish head and tofu soup.

    ¡°Qin Xue, your cooking skills are quite good, and the dishes are very flavorful.

    Especially this braised fish. If only we had some wine to go with these delicious dishes, it would be a shame otherwise.¡± Xie Jun had a bite of the braised fish.

    ¡°Xiu, don¡¯t we have half a bottle of white wine at home? Go get it, let¡¯s have a few drinks.

    I didn¡¯t expect my sister to be such a good cook, we have to toast properly.¡± Xu Fangzhou recalled the half-empty bottle of white wine at home.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go get it.¡± Yu Xiu stood up, pushed her stool away and was about to leave when she heard Qin Xue say:

    ¡°Um, do you guys want to drink? What kind of wine do you want?¡± She said and tugged on Chu Molin¡¯s clothes, signaling him to lean closer.

    Chu Molin lowered his head slightly, and a warm breath came to his ear:

    ¡°What kind of wine do you guys usually drink, something strong or something mild?¡± A faint peach blossom scent with a hint of warmth entered his nostrils.

    Chu Molin felt a bit uneasy, and his ears turned slightly red.

    Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue: ¡°Do we have any wine at home? We usually drink something stronger.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you want strong wine. Wait a moment then, I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll like the wine I have at home.¡±

    After saying this, she got up from the table and went to the corner where she had prepared some wine for Li Zhao. She took out two jars, one containing the strong peach blossom wine made from white wine, and the other a mild wine fermented with Spirit Spring water.

    Chu Molin saw her and went to help bring the wine. Qin Xue didn¡¯t argue with him.

    When they returned to the table, she handed him the mild wine, saying, ¡°You men drink the strong wine, and we¡¯ll drink this milder one.¡±

    The couple each held a bottle. Chu Molin opened the wine jar first, and a strong aroma of peach blossoms mixed with the scent of alcohol filled the air.

    Chu Molin¡¯s eyes darkened, this mellow fragrance was a hundred years old, and it was actually the hundred-year-old peach blossom wine..

 Chapter 61

    Translator: 549690339

    This little wife was really full of surprises. Chu Molin poured a bowl of wine for Xie Jun and Xu Fangzhou, and then for himself, filling the room with the fragrance of peach blossoms in an instant.

    ¡°Such a strong peach blossom scent, Molin, you¡¯re really not being fair.

    You¡¯ve had such good wine in your house and you didn¡¯t take it out to drink but hid it away. If your sister-in-law hadn¡¯t brought it out today, were you planning to drink it all by yourself?

    But the wine in your house is really too fragrant. Just look at the whole room filled with the scent of peach blossoms. If we didn¡¯t know better, we¡¯d think your whole house was filled with peach blossoms, right?

    When did you pick the peach blossoms and brew the wine? How come we didn¡¯t know about it?¡± As expected of Xu Fangzhou, he said so many words without taking a breath.

    Chu Molin noticed Qin Xue¡¯s panicked expression when Xu Fangzhou said these words.

    Though she quickly recovered, he still caught it. In fact, he wanted to know when his home had acquired these wines too.

    He was very clear that the box had no wine when it was brought back at noon today, but now, half a day had passed and not only was there wine, but it was also a hundred-year-old fine wine. Who could tell him what was going on? But seeing Qin Xue¡¯s helpless look, he could only take over the conversation:

    ¡°It¡¯s not like I picked the peach blossoms and brewed the wine myself. Remember that time I went out for a stroll during vacation, and I ran into an old man selling wine?

    I felt sorry for him and thought he was an old man having a hard time, so I took the money out and bought some.

    At the time, the old man said it was good wine and sold it at a high price. I even thought it was expensive.

    But seeing his pitiful appearance, I gave him all the US$ 100 and some cash I had on me and only bought a little bit.

    After bringing it back and putting it in the house, I forgot all about it. It must have been Xue¡¯er who found it while cleaning, right Xue¡¯er?¡±

    Qin Xue had to nod at her husband¡¯s smooth lie and say it was true. How could she explain to others: No, this was processed in my secret space. Otherwise, they might take her away for dissection and research.

    ¡°Alright, you guys hurry up and drink the wine, let¡¯s eat before it gets cold.¡± Fang Hong saw them all chatting endlessly.

    ¡°Yes, yes, let¡¯s eat, enjoy the dishes.¡± Qin Xue quickly changed the subject. Seeing that Chu Molin had just covered for her, she picked up a piece of sweet and sour ribs and put it in front of him, signaling him to eat.

    Qin Xue touched her earlobe, feeling relieved. She had originally wanted to give Li Zhao and An Hao some wine, but after this incident, she decided not to take it out so easily.

    Just as everyone was eating and drinking merrily, there was a knock on the door.

    Qin Xue wanted to open the door but was stopped by Fang Hong: ¡°Your belly is big, and it¡¯s inconvenient for you. I¡¯ll help you open it.¡±

    ¡°Oh, chief, are you guys having dinner? I didn¡¯t see Deputy Chief having dinner, so I brought you and your sister-in-law some food.¡±

    Li Dabao stood outside the door, smelling the wine and food from inside the house, and longed for it. It had been a long time since he smelled such delicious food.

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s Da Bao. You¡¯re here to bring food to your deputy chief, right? Come on in.¡±

    Fang Hong didn¡¯t think it was strange, because it used to be Li Dabao who brought food to Chu Molin and Qin Xue.

    Now that he had just come back and didn¡¯t know about Qin Xue¡¯s change, he still brought food like he used to.

    Qin Xue stood up: ¡°Da Bao, have you eaten? If not, come and eat with us.¡±

    Seeing the two lunch boxes in his hand, Qin Xue guessed he hadn¡¯t eaten yet and had brought the food to them first.

    ¡°No need, sister-in-law. You guys eat, I¡¯ll eat this. I¡¯ll go ahead.¡± With the three chiefs present, Li Dabao, no matter how greedy, didn¡¯t dare to stay and freeload.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be like that. We just started eating. As long as you don¡¯t mind, just stay and eat with us. There¡¯s not much in the way of good dishes, just some home-cooked food.¡± Qin Xue pulled Chu Molin to make room.

    ¡°Da Bao, don¡¯t dawdle, sit down when you¡¯re told to.¡± Qin Xue picked up her bowl of fish soup and went to sit on the bench in the living room, making room for Li Dabao.

    ¡°Sister-in-law, you sit, I¡¯m fine standing.¡± Li Dabao looked at Qin Xue and realized that the woman his boss had helped this morning was his own wife. No wonder.

    Xie Jun and Xu Fangzhou both kept quiet. They were guests, and Chu Molin and Qin Xue were the hosts. This situation was not suitable for them to speak. ¡°Alright, you guys stop arguing. I¡¯ll go get a chair.¡±

    Fang Hong quickly went back and brought a chair over, inserting it between

    Chu Molin and Mr. Xu. The men sat in one group, while the women and two children sat together..

 Chapter 62

    Translator: 549690339

    Everyone happily enjoyed their meal and drinks.

    Qin Xue poured half a bowl of wine for Fang Hong and Yu Xiu and a little for herself, but Chu Molin took it away as soon as she picked it up.

    Qin Xue blinked and asked why he took her wine.

    Chu Molin looked at her big belly and replied silently with his eyes, you can¡¯t drink when you¡¯re pregnant.

    He tilted his head back and drank the wine in Qin Xue¡¯s bowl in one gulp.

    Qin Xue¡¯s face turned bright red. That was the bowl she had just used for her soup, and now Chu Molin had drunk her wine, it was really embarrassing.

    The others couldn¡¯t help but lower their heads, their shoulders shaking with laughter.

    Qin Xue¡¯s face turned even redder, and she couldn¡¯t help but glare at Chu Molin before taking her bowl, filling it with half a bowl of rice, and eating quietly.

    Chu Molin wanted to laugh at Qin Xue¡¯s reddened face, which looked like a red apple.

    Chu Molin picked up his own bowl of wine: ¡°Two chiefs, Da Bao, let¡¯s drink.¡±

    Qin Xue finished her bowl of rice and wanted to eat some buns, but she was almost full and couldn¡¯t finish one. However, she also craved them.

    She glanced around and eventually decided not to eat one. As she put down her chopsticks and was about to leave the table, a half-eaten bun with meat filling appeared in front of her.

    Qin Xue followed the hand holding the bun to see Chu Molin holding half a bun in one hand and eating the other half with his other hand.

    Since Qin Xue didn¡¯t take it, Chu Molin shook the bun in his hand. Red-faced, she accepted it: this man was full of surprises today, making her think the sun was going to rise from the west.

    Seeing Qin Xue take the bun, Chu Molin was happy, with a hint of a smile on his lips.

    Li Dabao lowered his head and ate his vegetables quickly upon seeing this, while Xie Jun and Xu Fangzhou exchanged knowing glances.

    Fang Hong and Yu Xiu were busy taking care of the kids and didn¡¯t notice.

    After finishing the bun, Qin Xue left the table, and Fang Hong and Yu Xiu also finished eating and waited for the kids to finish.

    Once the kids finished eating, they took them back for their nighttime routine, leaving the men to continue drinking slowly.

    Qin Xue told Chu Molin she was going back to her room and closed the door.

    Qin Xue knew they wouldn¡¯t be done for a while, so she went into the space, took a shower, put on a black lace nightgown, and leaned on the bed to read. Listening to the sound of them drinking and talking outside, Qin Xue¡¯s eyes narrowed, and she soon fell asleep.

    She didn¡¯t know how long she had slept when she woke up with a stiff neck. Glancing at the time, it was past midnight. She rubbed her eyes and half-closed them as she went to the bathroom.

    She completely forgot there was an extra person in the house and wore her nightgown without even putting on a coat. Besides, Qin Xue hadn¡¯t seen anyone wear such clothes in her past life.

    People wore bikinis all the time there, and she didn¡¯t remember the current era where people couldn¡¯t wear revealing clothes. She was used to being alone.

    Qin Xue was fine, but Chu Molin suffered. The men drank until 10:30, and after taking care of the tipsy guests and doing the dishes, he cleaned up everything by 11:00.

    He took a shower to wake himself up and planned to write a training plan, but he had a headache. As he was dozing off, he heard a noise in the next room and sat up to check it out.

    Peeping through the crack of the door, he saw Qin Xue squinting as she walked. Worried, he opened the door to see what was going on. Well, he shouldn¡¯t have come out. What did he see?

    Qin Xue was wearing a black lace nightgown that reached just below her knees, and she was walking towards the bathroom with her eyes still closed.

    Chu Molin felt a rush of heat in his nose and quickly raised his head, pinching his nose as he retreated into his room, slamming the door shut.

    The sound of the door closing startled the sleepwalking Qin Xue, who opened her eyes and glanced back before swearing at the closed door, calling him a pervert or a rogue.

    She rushed into the bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror, whining about her predicament.

    Why did she have to appear in front of Chu Molin like this? Habits can kill people. Being alone at home, she wore whatever she wanted and didn¡¯t even remember this was the 1980s.

    She was used to wearing such clothes and wanted to change into something else after coming out of the space tonight. However, she fell asleep while reading, exhausted from the day.

    Now, how would Chu Molin see her? When would she learn to be more alert?

 Chapter 63

    Translator: 549690339

    Chu Molin couldn¡¯t help but laugh and cry when he heard Qin Xue call him a

    He was really wronged, okay? Who would have thought she¡¯d dress like that.

    Would anyone dress like that if someone knocked on the door to greet them?

    No, he had to tell her tomorrow that she couldn¡¯t wear that when throwing out the garbage. It was truly indecent.

    If Qin Xue knew what Chu Molin was thinking, she would have laughed in his face. Where was the indecency? She had even worn swimwear to swim with her classmates in her past life. He¡¯s so ignorant.

    No matter what the two thought, Qin Xue washed her hands and splashed cold water on her face.

    She opened the door, peeked out, and after not seeing Chu Molin, she sprinted back to her room at full speed, locked the door, and went to bed.

    She was already half asleep earlier. Although scared, she still couldn¡¯t resist her sleepiness. She fell into a deep sleep the moment she lay in bed.

    Poor Chu Molin pinched his nose, tilted his head back, and listened to the outside sounds. Only after everything quieted down did he go out and take a cold shower with cold water.

    When did his self-control become so poor? Although this woman had often tried to seduce him in the past, he had never felt anything.

    But he just got a nosebleed after just one glance.

    Only after the heat dissipated from the cold shower did Chu Molin return to his room. When he reached the door, he heard the snoring sound from inside, and he couldn¡¯t help but sigh at the carefree woman.

    Now Chu Molin didn¡¯t feel like writing the plan, so he went to bed. After an unknown amount of time, a pair of cold eyes opened, cursing the damned woman.

    Chu Molin just couldn¡¯t calm down to sleep. Qin Xue¡¯s appearance earlier kept lingering in his mind, and he felt like hitting someone.

    Since he couldn¡¯t sleep, he decided not to. He better get up and write the work plan.

    The moment the whistle sounded, Chu Molin changed his clothes and washed up.

    As for Qin Xue, she heard the whistle, turned over, pulled the blanket over her head, and continued to sleep.

    When she woke up again, it was already 7:30. She got up and didn¡¯t see Chu Molin. He must still be at work.

    She entered the kitchen and saw that the man had cleaned the bowls, chopsticks, and kitchen, and even thrown out the garbage. Not bad at all. Hehe, it seemed that this man was just an aloof guy with a warm heart.

    Since everything was ready, she started to make breakfast. But what did Chu Molin like and dislike?

    She had no idea. Oh well, she would make a bit of everything.

    Qin Xue soaked rice and cooked some porridge, boiled ten eggs, and made a pot of peach blossom wine-steamed eggs. She also made six scallion pancakes.

    Breakfast was ready.

    For side dishes, she made a plate of pickled cucumbers and a cold eggplant salad. Not bad at all, the color, aroma, and taste were all perfect. Her grandmother¡¯s teachings weren¡¯t lost.

    As Chu Molin entered the house, what he saw was his little wife wearing a loose white skirt that reached her knees, bending over with squinted eyes, smelling the breakfast, looking completely intoxicated and alluring.

    The corner of Chu Molin¡¯s mouth unconsciously curved up. He discovered that since he came back this time, his little wife always smiled, her eyes turning into crescents.

    Chu Molin didn¡¯t even realize that ever since he came back this time, his gaze would unconsciously follow Qin Xue. When he saw her smile, he couldn¡¯t help but smile too.

    When Qin Xue heard the door open, she turned her head and saw that it was indeed that man. She greeted him:

    ¡°You¡¯re back. Wash up and have breakfast.¡± She scooped a bowl of porridge in front of herself, and put an empty one in Chu Molin¡¯s spot.

    By the time Chu Molin came out, Qin Xue was already eating her porridge.

    Chu Molin pulled out a chair and sat down without saying a word. Qin Xue glanced at him without concern and continued to eat her porridge. She still explained:

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you like, so I made a bit of everything.

    There might be a lot of variety, but the portions aren¡¯t large. It should be enough to fill you.¡± After saying that, she took a bite of pickled cucumber, which was very crispy and refreshing.

    Chu Molin looked at the lavish breakfast, didn¡¯t say anything, took a bowl of porridge, and had a sip. The porridge was thick and had a good consistency.

    He took a bite of the scallion pancake. It was really fragrant, filled with meat, and well seasoned..

 Chapter 64

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    Qin Xue saw him enjoying the meal and thought that he probably had a heavy workload. She picked up an egg, peeled off the shell, and handed it to him.

    Chu Molin looked at the egg that appeared in front of him and then at Qin Xue before taking a bite. The egg taste was so delicious, much better than any he had ever tasted before and not the slightest bit fishy. He wondered where this woman got such eggs.

    Seeing him accept it, Qin Xue casually grabbed another egg, peeled the shell, broke it in half, removed the yolk, and began eating the egg white.

    Qin Xue didn¡¯t really like egg yolks because they felt heavy and choking. Chu Molin noticed that Qin Xue had eaten two eggs without touching the yolks.

    ¡°You don¡¯t eat the egg yolk?¡±

    ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t want to eat that. Is it okay if I don¡¯t eat it?¡± Qin Xue asked with a stiff face.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you want to eat it? Xue¡¯er, picky eating habits are not good.¡± Chu Molin looked very helpless. Some people didn¡¯t even have the luxury of choosing, and she was still being picky.

    ¡°I¡¯m not picky. I just think the egg yolk is too heavy and choking, so I don¡¯t want to eat it. Can I save it for lunch?¡±

    As Qin Xue spoke, her voice got smaller and smaller. In reality, she didn¡¯t plan to throw it away, but for some reason, she felt a lack of confidence under Chu Molin¡¯s gaze.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t want to eat it.¡± Chu Molin took the two egg yolks and ate them in one bite each. Sigh.

    Ever since he came back this time, Chu Molin knew he was beyond help. Although it had only been a day, he couldn¡¯t say he loved Qin Xue yet, but he was always emotionally swayed by her.

    Just looking at her pitiful appearance, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to say anything. He couldn¡¯t force her to eat, after all.

    ¡°Actually, you don¡¯t have to eat it. I can mash it up at lunch and use it as stuffing.¡± Qin Xue looked a little embarrassed.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, let¡¯s continue eating breakfast.¡± Chu Molin grabbed another scallion pancake and started eating.

    It wasn¡¯t that Chu Molin ate a lot, but that Qin Xue¡¯s cooking was too small. A scallion pancake only took two or three bites to finish.

    In the end, Qin Xue ate a bowl of porridge, two egg whites, and half a scallion pancake before she was full, even a bit stuffed. She walked around the living room to help digestion.

    The rest all went into Chu Molin¡¯s stomach. Well, as long as he wasn¡¯t picky, it was easy to cook for him.

    ¡°From now on, you don¡¯t have to cook so many different things for breakfast. Whatever you want to make is fine. I¡¯ll eat anything. In the cafeteria, we usually eat porridge and steamed buns for breakfast.¡± Chu Molin thought it would be hard for her to cook so much with such a big belly.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll vary it from now on. You¡¯re not picky. Do you have any dietary restrictions?¡± Qin Xue thought that she would make steamed buns, fried dough sticks, and cook some porridge tomorrow, and then make something different the day after.

    ¡°There are no dietary restrictions. Just make whatever you want. If you don¡¯t feel like cooking, we can eat in the cafeteria.¡±

    In the past, Chu Molin wouldn¡¯t have dared to think that Qin Xue would cook for him. Now that she¡¯s willing to cook, and it tastes so good, how could he complain? Who would want to eat in the cafeteria when there¡¯s delicious food

    at home?

    ¡°Alright, will you come home for lunch?¡± Qin Xue thought she would stay home today and work on her design drawings.

    By the way, she wanted to cook something delicious for this man. Looking at his dark circles, they didn¡¯t disappear even after a night¡¯s sleep. He must have been exhausted before. It would be nice to make something good for him to make up for it.

    ¡°I¡¯ll come back. You don¡¯t have to deliberately cook for me. If you get too tired, we can just go to the cafeteria.¡±

    Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue¡¯s belly and wanted to gently touch it to see if the baby would kick like his comrades said, to interact with others.

    However, although the two of them were a married couple, they were not very close aside from that relationship. The fact that they were able to chat like they did just now was already a great improvement in their relationship.

    ¡°It¡¯s no problem. I have to eat too, cooking for one or two people is the same, it won¡¯t be tiring.¡±

    After she finished speaking, Qin Xue realized that Chu Molin was staring at her stomach. She thought for a moment, went up to him, and asked, ¡°Would you like to touch it?¡±

    ¡°Uh, can I?¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t expect Qin Xue to ask him so directly.

    ¡°Of course, touching it won¡¯t be a problem. You know, when the baby is in the mother¡¯s stomach, they can feel things too.¡± Qin Xue looked so proud of herself..

 Chapter 65

    Translator: 549690339

    Chu Molin hesitated, reaching out his hand and then pulling it back.

    After all, apart from their close contact when taking the herbal medicine, they had been sleeping separately since getting married.

    Although Qin Xue said he could touch her belly, it felt too intimate for him.

    Chu Molin was embarrassed to touch her, and Qin Xue found his hesitation amusing.

    She took his hand and placed it on her belly, looking up at him with a smile.

    The feeling of her belly beneath his palm was very new to Chu Molin.

    So, this is what a pregnant woman¡¯s belly feels like, hard and firm.

    Chu Molin didn¡¯t dare to move, his hand stayed exactly where Qin Xue had placed it, not moving an inch.

    Qin Xue found it amusing that such a seemingly cold-hearted man could be so startled by this.

    His usually cold eyes were now filled with a mix of excitement, emotion, and some other indescribable complex feelings.

    Qin Xue thought it might be because the original marriage had some sort of calculation.

    So now that they have a child, it couldn¡¯t be a heartless celebration, right?

    Suddenly, Qin Xue playfully pressed Chu Molin¡¯s hand onto her belly and held it in place.

    At that moment, she could clearly feel him tense up.

    Qin Xue chuckled, and said, ¡°Are you dumb or what?¡± and then moved his hand a little to the left, still holding it against her belly.

    She looked at Chu Molin, then lowered her gaze to her belly and spoke tenderly:

    ¡°Babies, that was your daddy just now. He¡¯s saying hello to you. Are you happy? Hehe, why do I feel like your daddy is so silly and naive, hahaha.¡±

    At first, Chu Molin was shocked when Qin Xue grabbed his hand.

    The feeling of her soft touch made his heart tremble.

    Before he could react, the movement in his palm made Chu Molin determined in that moment.

    No matter what their relationship had been like before, or how the child came into their lives.

    From now on, he would protect his wife and child with his life.

    As the child moved in his palm, Chu Molin felt overwhelmed with indescribable emotions. This was his child.

    He looked down at his smiling wife, wanting to give her a kiss.

    But then, his wife gently said something that left him bewildered.

    What? Babies? So there¡¯s not just one child in her belly, but two?

    How could he be so capable, just one attempt and two children are created.

    It took a while before he regained his senses, listening to his little wife¡¯s laughter.

    Even though she made a joke about him being foolish, he didn¡¯t mind at all.

    He could only helplessly stroke his wife¡¯s head, unable to hide the affection in his eyes.

    Perhaps, falling in love with someone is easy, and just takes a moment. Yes, Chu Molin just realized that he had fallen in love with Qin Xue.

    He fell in love with this Qin Xue, who could be mischievous and gentle with him.

    As Chu Molin touched her head, Qin Xue froze for a second.

    This, this action feels too intimate, right?

    And what¡¯s with the helpless look on his face, filled with indulgence? And the man is actually smiling.

    Qin Xue stared at Chu Molin¡¯s smile with her heart pounding rapidly.

    Qin Xue covered her chest, feeling like her heart was about to leap out. A man like Chu Molin using his looks to seduce, how could that be fair?

    Chu Molin held Qin Xue¡¯s head and kissed her forehead gently.

    Then, he cradled his dumbfounded wife in his arms and whispered: ¡°Xue¡¯er, I haven¡¯t been good enough to you before. But from now on, can we get along well? I¡¯ll be good to you and the children.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about? You¡¯ve been good enough to me. It¡¯s me who hasn¡¯t been good, I shouldn¡¯t have treated you the way I did. It¡¯s my fault.¡±

    Qin Xue had learned from Fang Hong and Yu Xiu that although Chu Molin didn¡¯t love or even like her, he had married her out of responsibility.

    Chu Molin had given up a lifetime of happiness for her, so there was no need for her to feel mistreated.

    Even if he didn¡¯t love her, he never abused her, provided her with money and food, and even had someone send her prepared meals.. If that wasn¡¯t good enough, what would be?

 Chapter 66

    Translator: 549690339

    Hearing Qin Xue¡¯s muffled voice from his chest, Chu Molin couldn¡¯t help but laugh.

    Qin Xue listened to the vibrations in the man¡¯s chest as he laughed. It was so unusual, wasn¡¯t it?

    Even though she was not familiar with him, she knew from their interactions so far that he wasn¡¯t someone who would laugh wholeheartedly.

    Qin Xue pushed the man away with her hand, looked up at his still-unfaded smile, and touched his mouth with her hand, saying:

    ¡°You look so nice when you laugh.¡± This time it was Chu Molin who was stunned, the warmth from the touch on the corner of his mouth brought him back to his senses.

    He didn¡¯t like physical contact with people, especially women.

    But now, he didn¡¯t dislike Qin Xue¡¯s touch, even to the point where he liked it.

    From the moment he knew of his feelings, he wanted more, but he knew he couldn¡¯t.

    Although they were husband and wife, their relationship was only slightly more familiar than that of strangers.

    He could not scare her, despite her seemingly gentle demeanor these past two days.

    However, the distance in the depths of her eyes could not escape Chu Molin¡¯s sight.

    So, he had to proceed step by step, slowly opening her heart and walking in. Chu Molin grabbed the small hand at the corner of his mouth and held it in his own.

    He realized her hand was really small, only half the size of his, and he could completely wrap his hand around hers.

    Qin Xue freed her hand from Chu Molin¡¯s grasp, blushing and pouting:

    ¡°What are you doing? Hurry up and go to work.¡± Then she handed him a cup filled with spiritual spring water.

    ¡°This is for you!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s inside?¡± Chu Molin asked while holding the cup.

    It wasn¡¯t a transparent cup, so he couldn¡¯t see what was inside, but holding it in his hand, he could feel it was a liquid.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just water. You can take it and drink.¡±

    ¡°No need, there¡¯s water in the office! I won¡¯t go thirsty.¡± Chu Molin twitched the corner of his mouth!

    ¡°This is different, just take it. What¡¯s with all the needless talk?¡± Qin Xue pushed it into his arms.

    She muttered, ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for you being the child¡¯s father, I wouldn¡¯t care about you. What does it have to do with me whether you get hurt or not?¡±

    Ah, so she knew he was injured and that was the reason for giving it to him.

    How did she know he was injured? Was it because of the bandage last night when he took a shower?

    But didn¡¯t he secretly throw it away? When did she see it?

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take it. You go and rest now.¡± Chu Molin called for his wife to rest before going to work with the water.

    ¡°I know, I¡¯m not tired now, I just finished breakfast. I¡¯ll go later.¡± Qin Xue was not a pig; she didn¡¯t sleep right after eating.

    Qin Xue cleaned up the dishes and then took out a pen and paper to start drawing a design.

    Thinking about how Chu Molin softened when talking about the child today, could she design a set of parent-child outfits based on this?

    Yes, this inspiration was good. Parent-child outfits hadn¡¯t appeared in this era, but they were common in the future, so she decided to draw parent-child outfits today.

    Qin Xue looked at the three design drawings on the table.

    One was for a father, mother, and child, another was for a father and child, and another was for a mother and child. In each, there were both boys and girls.

    In the end, Qin Xue decided to add a couple¡¯s version, so she drew four in for today.

    Looking at the time, it was about time to start cooking, so she put down her pen.

    She left the room, started washing the rice, and began cooking. As she recalled the man enjoyed eating sweets yesterday,

    Qin Xue decided to make sweet and sour ribs, sweet and sour fish, tomato and egg soup, and stir-fried vegetables. This was enough for two to eat, so she got to work.

    After Qin Xue was done cooking, there was still some time before they finished work.

    So, she covered the dishes with a plate, lay down on a reclining chair to rest and relax her mind.

    Once she let her mind wander, she immediately entered dreamland.

    In her dream, she went back to the present day, seeing her grandparents¡¯ white hair, sending off her black-haired self, filled with sorrow.

    She saw her father apologizing to her, promising her mother that he would take good care of her and protect her.

    But after marrying her stepmother, he sent her to her grandparents¡¯ side and didn¡¯t fulfill his fatherly duties.

    When her father wanted to say something, her grandmother chased him out, blaming him for not taking good care of Qin Xue, which led to her accident.

    She saw her stepmother fake sympathy and comfort her grandmother, saying: ¡°This is something no one wanted, we can¡¯t just blame Qin Yue, it was an accident.¡±

    But Qin Xue caught a glimpse of her stepmother¡¯s malicious happiness in her eyes, which was so obvious.

    Yeah, without her there to annoy her and compete with her child for the inheritance, wasn¡¯t it a blessing in disguise for her?

 Chapter 67

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    She didn¡¯t see her stepsister and stepbrother, which made sense, because her stepsister always felt that their father favored her, his own daughter, even if they didn¡¯t live together.

    However, whenever they met, they would always belittle her a little.

    Sometimes her stepsister would collude with her stepmother to withhold Qin Xue¡¯s allowance when her father tried to give it to her.

    Fortunately, Qin Xue had her grandparents, who were wealthy and took care of her, so she didn¡¯t have a hard life.

    Later, when Qin Xue started to work, she stopped taking any money from her father and his family.

    Instead, she managed to live a cheerful life with her grandparents despite the way they treated her.

    This was all thanks to her grandmother¡¯s careful guidance while her grandfather would often sit by her side, fiddling with his medicinal herbs.

    Her grandparents would often look at her and smile, and her grandmother¡¯s favorite thing to do was to hold Qin Xue close and say:

    ¡°Our Qin Xue is the most beautiful girl in the world, and the kindest child. They don¡¯t like Qin Xue and belittle her because they¡¯re jealous of her. They¡¯re not as beautiful or as kind as our Qin Xue. Just remember that your mother is a fairy in the sky, watching over you as you grow up. And your grandparents are always behind you, loving you the most.

    So all you need to do is live a happy life and let your father, stepmother, and stepsister regret their actions later on. It¡¯s because your grandmother often says these things to Qin Xue.¡±

    Qin Xue felt that as long as she lived a happy life, her grandparents would be happy.

    As a result, Qin Xue was not only unhurt by her father and stepmother, but she lived an even happier life than before.

    Perhaps it was because of this that her stepsister hated her even more?

    She thought she lived a hard life without her father¡¯s affection, while Qin Xue lived happily without a mother and no father by her side.

    Qin Xue, as a child, didn¡¯t understand that her stepsister was probably just jealous of her.

    Qin Xue was smart and quickly caught on to her stepsister¡¯s bullying, which she told her grandmother about.

    Her grandparents had never approved of her father¡¯s remarriage so soon after Qin Xue¡¯s mother had passed away.

    Furthermore, they resented his new wife for having their beloved granddaughter sent to live with them. So their attitude towards Qin Xue¡¯s stepmother never really changed, even after she gave birth to Qin Jing, their stepbrother.

    One could say that the people Qin Xue was most grateful for in her life were her mother and her grandparents.

    The scene changed to her father¡¯s house. Why was it called her father¡¯s house?

    Because Qin Xue had no place there.

    She didn¡¯t even have her own room. Whenever she visited, she had to sleep in the guest room, which would always be cleaned by the housekeeper immediately after she left.

    Qin Xue¡¯s belongings would always be cleared away. So now, standing here, she wondered why she was here. Was this a dream or an out-of-body experience? If it was a dream, why would she see these things?

    But if it was an out-of-body experience, why would she return here after she died? Was there a reason?

    This was her father¡¯s house, and Qin Xue saw that there were no housekeepers present. In one of the rooms, her stepsister was arguing with her stepbrother about something.

    Qin Xue heard her name mentioned, and she thought that she had never been close to them in life.

    Now that she was dead, she could hear them arguing over her. Curious, she wanted to listen to what they were arguing about.

    ¡°Qin Jing, you ungrateful wretch, I¡¯m your real sister! How dare you fight with me over Qin Xue, that slut!¡±

    That was her stepsister, Qin Huan¡¯s voice. She had changed her last name to Qin after her mother married Mr. Xie.

    ¡°Sister, you really are my sister. But if I had a choice, I¡¯d rather not have such a ruthless sister like you. You may be my sister, but Qin Xue is also my sister. Even though my relationship with her wasn¡¯t particularly good, I didn¡¯t try to hurt her like you did.¡±

    That was her stepbrother, Qin Jing¡¯s voice. What did he mean by that? Did he mean that she had harmed Qin Xue?

    Did he mean that her death was no accident?

 Chapter 68

    Translator: 549690339

    ¡°Qin Jing, how many times do I have to tell you, Qin Xue¡¯s death has nothing to do with me. Yes, I hated her, but I never killed her.¡±

    Qin Huan had indeed thought about killing Qin Xue since Li Yang, the man she loved, was in love with Qin Xue instead. She loved him so much, but what about him?

    She had tried so hard to gain his attention, but Li Yang only had eyes for Qin Xue. Qin Huan hated her and felt terribly envious.

    Now that Qin Xue had died, Li Yang, instead of being with her, still preferred other women.

    ¡°Dare you say you didn¡¯t target her because of Li Yang? Have you not even thought about murdering her?

    Now that my big sister is dead, you finally got what you wanted. I didn¡¯t know before that our mother was the reason for my big sister¡¯s mother¡¯s death.

    If it hadn¡¯t been for our mother¡¯s affair with our father¡­

    She wouldn¡¯t have had depression and wouldn¡¯t have committed suicide.

    Trying to pass it off as an illness-related death was just a lie to deceive my sister.

    And, do you know why our sister¡¯s maternal grandparents don¡¯t come to our house anymore? It¡¯s because our mother caused their daughter¡¯s death.

    Now, you want to harm our sister just for a man! Yes, you didn¡¯t kill her directly.

    But it was only because she died in a car accident before you could do anything!

    Do you want to know why our grandparents don¡¯t like you?

    It¡¯s because they found out from my sister¡¯s mother that you are our father¡¯s daughter.

    My mother wanted to harm her and our sister, so after she developed depression, she sent my sister to our grandparents. Later, she committed suicide.

    Do you think a family that had lost everything because of you and your mother would like you?¡± Qin Jing cried out loud!

    ¡°Qin Jing, how did you find out about all this? Who told you? Tell me!¡± Qin Huan was scared. Who had told her brother all these things?

    ¡°Afraid now? Well, you shouldn¡¯t have done anything if you didn¡¯t want anyone else to know. Did you really think no one would find out? I didn¡¯t expect that my loving mother would turn out to be a home-wrecker. And I thought my sister with a different father was actually my sister with the same father.

    The most pitiful person is my big sister, who has lost both her mother and father¡¯s love yet always treated me well. Even though I ignored her and did her wrong, why was she still so good to me?

    Why was I named the beneficiary? What right did I have?¡± Qin Jing was in great agony.

    He regretted not treating Qin Xue well during her lifetime and leaving her lonely.

    At this point, Qin Xue finally understood the meaning of ¡°beneficiary¡± in Qin Jing¡¯s words.

    It referred to the insurance policy that their grandparents had bought for her out of concern that she would have no one to rely on after they passed away.

    When their grandfather asked who the policy should be left to in case of an accident, Qin Xue didn¡¯t hesitate.

    While she wanted to name her grandparents, she also thought that among her family, the only person who was blood-related to her was her brother.

    So, she told their grandfather to write Qin Jing¡¯s name as the beneficiary. Without knowing, Qin Jing became the recipient of the insurance payout in the event of an accident befalling Qin Xue.

    It was meant to be a safety net from their grandparents. However, Qin Xue tragically passed away before they did.

    A perfect example of fate playing tricks on people.

    ¡°Qin Jing, listen, no matter how you found out about this, you can¡¯t tell a soul. How would people see our mother, and us?

    Our father and mother truly loved each other. He never really loved Qin Xue¡¯s mother.

    Otherwise, why would he have been with our mother after the other woman had a child? It¡¯s because he didn¡¯t love her, and that¡¯s why he married our mother after her death.

    He felt that he owed our mom and me.

    He sent Qin Xue away to live with our grandparents. One reason was because our mother couldn¡¯t stand her, but it was also because Qin Xue resembled her deceased mother.

    Our father didn¡¯t know how to face her, and that¡¯s why he sent her away.

    These past years, I hated that Qin Xue lived with our father, and I couldn¡¯t. I was his daughter too. That¡¯s why I hated her and wished her dead.

    But now, I regret it. I shouldn¡¯t have wanted her dead because of Li Yang. It was all because of Li Yang that I had such thoughts.

    And about Li Yang, I thought he loved Qin Xue so much, never even sparing me a glance.

    But shortly after Qin Xue died, he was with another woman.

    Heh, Qin Xue didn¡¯t get him, and I didn¡¯t either. It was someone else who won his heart.¡¯

    Qin Xue¡¯s heart ached with bitterness upon hearing this. So, this was the truth?

    All the others knew about it, and she was the only one who was kept in the dark..

 Chapter 69

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue¡¯s tears flowed uncontrollably, non-stop.

    She cried for her mother, for herself, because what she had seen at her grandparents¡¯ house was due to her father¡¯s wrongdoings against her mother and herself.

    Was that why she was disliked by her grandparents and had been driven out of their house?

    It turned out that she had been a fool all along.

    Why was she so foolish? She was kept in the dark about things even Qin Jing knew.

    Qin Xue cried in her dream, tears streaming down from the corners of her eyes.

    Chu Molin heard the sobbing as soon as he reached the door.

    Scared, he hurriedly opened the door and entered the room to see the dinner prepared on the table.

    Qin Xue was lying on the bench, curled up and crying. Her cries were so sad, like that of a wounded animal.

    Chu Molin quickly approached Qin Xue and saw her eyes tightly closed, tears streaming down non-stop.

    Occasionally she sobbed, and Chu Molin gently patted her back, calling out,

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, what¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t cry, tell me what happened, okay?¡±

    But no matter how Chu Molin called, Qin Xue didn¡¯t respond; she just kept crying in a ball.

    It was hard for her with such a large belly to curl up on the bench.

    It was uncomfortable for Chu Molin to see this, but he couldn¡¯t put down the keys. He could only hold Qin Xue in his arms.

    Qin Xue in his arms did nothing but cry without moving. It was then that Chu Molin realized something was wrong with her.

    He thought about her sleeping position earlier with her lips tightly pressed together.

    He looked down and thought that her sleeping position was psychologically an indication of extreme insecurity.

    Ever since she came back, Chu Molin noticed that she was different from before.

    Was it because of the injury, or was there something else that happened?

    This time, he was determined to investigate the matter thoroughly and make sure that those who had hurt Qin Xue would be taught a lesson.

    Thus, under the unknown circumstance, the tragic end for Bai Jing and Su Yun was determined by the decision the man made.

    If Qin Xue was awake at this moment, she would definitely tell Chu Molin that it was a misunderstanding.

    Her crying was not because of others, but because she knew how foolish she was in her past life and could not help but cry.

    If she told him this, Chu Molin would undoubtedly want to hit his head against a wall.

    Chu Molin wondered, ¡°Is Xue¡¯er having a nightmare?¡±

    What kind of dream was it that made her cry like this?

    As a grown man, Chu Molin felt heartache seeing Qin Xue in this state, to the point of being unable to breathe and having red eyes.

    He held her in one hand while gently patting her back with the other, saying non-stop:

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯m here for you. You¡¯re not alone, okay? Don¡¯t be scared, I¡¯m right by your side! Don¡¯t you remember? We have a child too. So, Xue¡¯er, you¡¯re not alone. Our family will always be together.¡± He then planted a kiss on her forehead.

    Chu Molin wasn¡¯t sure why he felt that Qin Xue would be lonely.

    She had her parents, a pair of twin brothers, and a younger sister.

    But seeing Qin Xue in this state, the words just came out of his mouth. He repeated these words over and over again.

    After an unknown amount of time, perhaps becoming accustomed to Chu Molin¡¯s scent, Qin Xue gradually stopped crying.

    She even burrowed deeper into his embrace until she found a comfortable position and finally relaxed her tense brow!

    Seeing this, Chu Molin remained silent, relieved that she stopped crying. He touched her brow and eyes, saying, ¡°Sleep well.¡±

    He carried her back to the bed in her room, wanting her to get a good night¡¯s sleep.

    However, as soon as he turned around, he found his shirt corner being grabbed.

    Looking down, he saw her little hand tightly clenching his shirt.

    Chu Molin tried to pry her hand open, but as soon as he moved, she tightened her grip, furrowing her brow.

    Feeling helpless, Chu Molin saw a chair by the table and thought of pulling it over to sit down.

    But as soon as he moved, so did Qin Xue, which scared him into not daring to move.

    He thought about it, took off the keys, and lay down on the bed beside her, accompanying Qin Xue.

    Perhaps feeling secure from Chu Molin holding her earlier,

    She leaned closer to him after he got onto the bed.

    Finally, she let go of his shirt, and her brow relaxed.

    There was even a faint smile playing on the corners of her mouth.

    Before Chu Molin could even breathe a sigh of relief, he froze when Qin Xue placed her hand on his lower abdomen and encircled his waist.

    She seemed unsatisfied and gave a little grunt.

    Chu Molin looked down at her, realizing that she was doing all this unconsciously.

    Hearing her grunt, he slowly slid down and laid flat..

 Chapter 70

    Translator: 549690339

    Chu Molin hadn¡¯t had a good rest last night, and now he was feeling a little sleepy in bed.

    Gazing at the woman who showed dependency on him, he lost all sense of whether it was hot or not outside.

    Chu Molin adjusted her position to make her comfortable, and holding her close, he fell into a satisfying sleep with a smile on his lips.

    At this moment, nobody thought about the untouched lunch on the table.

    Qin Xue watched her younger siblings argue, and tears flowed non- stop.

    Would her brother not feel guilty if he hadn¡¯t been named the beneficiary of the insurance? Would he not have exploded with anger?

    Would she never have learned the truth if it hadn¡¯t been for their argument?

    It turns out that her father not only didn¡¯t love her mother, but also didn¡¯t love her.

    It turns out that her grandparents knew it all along, and she was the only one left in the dark.

    It turns out she was just an extra person; did she come here just to learn the heartbreaking truth?

    Qin Xue would rather not know any of this; it would have allowed her some hope.

    They could call her self-deceiving or an ostrich; but now, she knew it all.

    What could she do now that she knew? Wasn¡¯t she supposed to be dead?

    Could she find her mother now? Yes, she would find her mother and be with her.

    But as Qin Xue was sinking deeper into the darkness and couldn¡¯t help herself, she couldn¡¯t find her mother nor an exit.

    Amidst her desperation, she felt as if she had forgotten something important, and her heart ached so much it was almost unbearable.

    She could hardly breathe from the pain; other than crying, she did not know what else to do.

    At that moment, a comforting voice came from a distance.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯m here. You¡¯re not alone. You have me, and our child.¡± Who was speaking? Who was calling her?

    Such a familiar voice, a child? Whose child was it?

    Qin Xue thought and thought, finally remembering that she had been reborn after her death.

    Xue Ling had brought her back to life, giving her two babies.

    And, the godlike man was her husband. It was his voice, but why did it have a heartbroken undertone?

    Was it because she was leaving to find her mother? No, she didn¡¯t want him to be heartbroken.

    He shouldn¡¯t be like this. Mom, I will not come to find you; he is in pain.

    I¡¯m sad to hear it. Mom, I have babies now and a husband, too.

    Can I come to find you later, instead?

    When Qin Xue finished speaking, a ray of light shone, and the darkness disappeared, leaving a familiar chilly atmosphere surrounding her.

    Qin Xue felt at ease, but so tired, and her heart and mind were too relaxed to know what kind of night it was.

    When Qin Xue opened her eyes, she saw a face so handsome it would make both men and gods jealous.

    His usually cold eyes were replaced by a tender smile on his thin lips.

    It was as if he was inviting her to taste something, and in his sleep, he seemed more gentle without a trace of his usual aloofness.

    Qin Xue was shocked for a moment, realizing that it was this man who had saved her from the darkness.

    She was reassured by the knowledge that he was by her side.

    As she caressed his brows and eyes, she gently kissed his lips and softly said,

    ¡°Chu Molin, thank you for pulling me out of the abyss. If it wasn¡¯t you, I might never have woken up from the darkness. I don¡¯t regret coming here, don¡¯t regret having children, nor becoming your wife. 1 will try to get along with you.

    If I still don¡¯t fall in love with you in the end, I will leave and not hold you back. Because like my mother, I won¡¯t let myself die because of a man, and I won¡¯t let my children live like me. You are a good man; I hope the final outcome is a good one.¡±

    Qin Xue watched him sleep soundly, not even changing his breathing as she talked so much.

    Maybe it was the fatigue from the mission?

    That¡¯s why he could sleep so soundly now, not even disturbed by her talking.

    Or perhaps her voice was too soft, only whispering as if she were speaking to herself.

    It was because Qin Xue had been a doctor in her past life that she knew the difference between the sound of someone awake and sleeping.

    Knowing that Chu Molin was asleep, he wouldn¡¯t hear her words.

    Only then did she dare to speak so much to the sleeping Chu Molin, otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t dare say a single word even at the risk of her life..

 Chapter 71

    Translator: 549690339

    Finally, Qin Xue sighed and said,

    ¡°Whatever, let¡¯s go with the flow. I¡¯m so hungry. Let¡¯s go eat. How did 1 end up falling asleep? I¡¯ve learned so much that I didn¡¯t even eat. My red-braised fish, red-braised pork ribs¡­they¡¯re not as good once reheated. I really missed out.¡±

    After speaking, she gently picked up a piece of clothing and covered Chu Molin¡¯s stomach, then left the room and quietly closed the door behind her to go to the kitchen and begin heating the food.

    Just as Qin Xue closed the bedroom door and headed for the kitchen, The man who was supposedly asleep opened his eyes, which were full of luster, lucid and clear as if he hadn¡¯t been sleeping at all.

    He turned his head towards the door, raised his hand and touched his brows and eyes, which Qin Xue had touched.

    Then he extended his tongue to lick the lips she had just kissed, the corners of his mouth and his eyes filled with amusement. He said,

    ¡®Qin Xue, it doesn¡¯t matter who you are, how you got here. If you¡¯ve come and disturbed my heart, then don¡¯t even think of running away. No matter if you ultimately love me or not, I will never let you escape from me. Don¡¯t even think about it.¡¯

    His eyes revealed his intent to win and immense possessiveness.

    He, Chu Molin, was always highly alert in any situation.

    Otherwise, if he let his guard down during his research missions, he could be caught off guard at any moment.

    But Chu Molin never thought that he would fell asleep so soundly next to a woman.

    Thinking of what she had said to him, if the woman was a spy sent by the enemy, he would be dead already.

    That thought terrified him now, luckily, she wasn¡¯t.

    His alertness had decreased, and he knew he had to be careful in the future.

    If Qin Xue hadn¡¯t touched his brows and his eyes, he would have remained asleep.

    If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that he didn¡¯t want her to be embarrassed, so he pretended to be asleep, he wouldn¡¯t have discovered her secret.

    When Qin Xue kissed him, he almost gave away his act.

    Fortunately, she did not notice his change as she was engrossed in her own emotions.

    Thanks to his previous rigorous training, you could even say it was perverted and cruel training.

    Why was it called perverted and cruel? Because during his service, there was a mission where many undercovers were compromised due to a woman.

    To him, there wasn¡¯t a difference between men and women. He, of course, won that mission.

    The only exception was when he was off duty, and was drugged by Qin Xue when he was recovering at her place.

    So, he almost gave himself away when Qin Xue kissed him earlier.

    The reason Chu Molin fell for Qin Xue was probably due to her eyes.

    He couldn¡¯t explain it, but he felt her eyes were different from other people¡¯s from the moment he first saw her.

    Those clear, almond- shaped eyes were untainted by the mundanity of the world.

    For someone who was used to seeing the dark world, Chu Molin wanted to protect those eyes from being contaminated.

    Hence, he didn¡¯t guard himself when Qin Xue drugged him.

    Her charming voice and her eyes led him into her trap for some reason.

    After marriage, Chu Molin realized Qin Xue was far from innocent. She was a demon, an ungrateful one at that.

    Chu Molin wondered where the previous Qin Xue went?

    He wouldn¡¯t get tangled up in it. The current Qin Xue was good.

    He liked the current Qin Xue and hoped that the previous Qin Xue could find her own place in the world.

    Yes, after yesterday¡¯s interaction and what Qin Xue had just said,

    Chu Molin, who is known as the Cold King, came up with a shocking conclusion: this Qin Xue is not the same Qin Xue.

    Chu Molin, seduced by the smell of the food, sat up, put on his shoes, opened the door, and walked out.

    He saw a woman wearing an apron, holding a plate of red-braised fish coming out of the kitchen. Her eyes were a bit swollen from the crying and the subsequent sleep.

    Her demeanor was back to normal. Unless her eyes gave her away,

    No one would have guessed that she was crying so sorrowfully earlier..

 Chapter 72

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue was just about to walk out of the kitchen with the freshly cooked braised fish when she saw a tall figure in front of her. Looking up, she found a man standing there, smiling at her.

    Both of them tacitly avoided mentioning the incident that had happened before, and Qin Xue didn¡¯t tell Chu Molin about it.

    Chu Molin didn¡¯t ask either, just waiting for her to speak when she was ready. ¡°You¡¯re up. What are you grinning at? Go wash up and eat, aren¡¯t you hungry?¡± Qin Xue put the braised fish on the table and got out two bowls and a pair of chopsticks.

    She served the tomato and egg soup for both of them.

    Qin Xue took a sip of the soup and thought, reheated food never tastes as good as when it¡¯s freshly cooked.

    Luckily, it was made with spiritual spring water, so the difference wasn¡¯t too significant.

    Looks like it¡¯s better to avoid reheated food from now on.

    When Chu Molin came over after washing up, he saw Qin Xue gazing at her bowl of soup: ¡°Xue¡¯er, what¡¯s the matter? Why aren¡¯t you eating?¡±

    After saying this, he also took a sip of the soup¡ªit tasted good. His wife¡¯s culinary skills were truly superb.

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s nothing. I just feel that reheated dishes aren¡¯t as tasty as freshly cooked ones.¡¯

    Qin Xue finished her soup, sipping it little by little.

    ¡°l didn¡¯t notice anything. I think it tastes really good.¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t mind this at all. His research trips often involved much harsher conditions.

    Sometimes he had to hide in deep forests, and when the dry food he brought was gone, there was nothing left to eat.

    He could only catch some wild animals for food, and sometimes he even ate snakes, insects, rats, and ants.

    Since he couldn¡¯t make a fire while hiding, he had to eat them raw.

    Compared to that, the flavorful dishes now were simply a feast for the mortal world.

    There was no comparison, no comparability at all.

    That¡¯s why Chu Molin could never be picky.

    ¡°Then what don¡¯t you like to eat?¡± Qin Xue slowly chewed on a stalk of greens after she finished her soup. As expected of space-grown produce, the taste was excellent.

    ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m not picky about food in general, and so far, there¡¯s nothing I dislike.

    You should know that I often go on missions, so it¡¯s normal for me to often miss meals.

    When there¡¯s nothing to eat, we just catch whatever can be eaten just to get by.

    So as long as it¡¯s not poisonous, I¡¯ll eat anything.¡±

    Chu Molin feared that being overly explicit would upset Qin Xue, so he spoke vaguely.

    Qin Xue wasn¡¯t really afraid anymore, but she couldn¡¯t tell Chu Molin that.

    Qin Xue recalled the dissection class she took at the beginning of medical school. At that time, she was constantly vomiting.

    Qin Xue went a whole month without eating any meat.

    Every time she saw meat, she thought of the bodies in the dissection room being carved up one piece at a time with a scalpel.

    Her lack of protein led to malnutrition, and the professor told them:

    If you can¡¯t overcome this little difficulty, how will you perform surgeries for your patients in the future?

    If you dare not eat meat, how will you have the strength to perform surgeries?

    The patients entrust their lives to you because they trust you, not because they want you to behave like children.

    So you have to overcome your psychological obstacles¡ªyou all go get a piece of meat and eat it in front of this corpse.

    If anyone fails to do this, they will fail the course. Later, everyone had no choice but to bring a piece of cooked meat to eat in front of the corpse every time they had a dissection class.

    As a result, some people vomited as soon as they put the meat in their mouths. In the end, they vomited until they became numb to it and were no longer afraid.

    Thinking back on it now, the professor¡¯s words really made sense.

    The biggest enemy is one¡¯s self. As long as you can overcome your psychological obstacles, you can be invincible.

    ¡°Oh, you should eat more if you like it. Do you want me to serve the rice now?¡±

    After finishing her greens, Qin Xue was about to serve the rice. Seeing that Chu Molin had finished his soup, she asked him.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll do it. Give me your bowl.¡±

    It would be better if I did it myself. With such a big belly, she should be careful not to bump it.

    ¡°Okay, thank you. I just need a regular bowl.¡± Qin Xue handed him her bowl and began eating a piece of fish.

    Although it was reheated, the fish was tender, probably because it was raised in spiritual spring water.

    Now that Qin Xue was accustomed to food produced in the space, she wondered if she could still stomach ordinary produce in the future.

    Chu Molin ladled out two bowls of rice and handed one to Qin Xue.

    ¡°Chu Molin, um, didn¡¯t I say I only wanted a regular bowl? What if I can¡¯t finish all this rice you served me?¡±

    Looking at the overflowing bowl of rice in front of her, Qin Xue complained.

    Yes, she was pregnant and had a high metabolism, but she was supposed to eat small meals frequently. He served her such a big bowl.. Would she still have space for the vegetables?

 Chapter 73

    Translator: 549690339

    Chu Molin glanced at the seemingly distressed woman and helplessly said, ¡°You have to eat more, you¡¯re too thin.¡±

    Considering the weight he¡¯d felt earlier.

    She was carrying twins and yet she barely weighed over 90-95 pounds. Did this woman not eat normally?

    She was so thin, not to mention the child, she couldn¡¯t even keep up with her own nutrition.

    ¡°Where am I thin? I have a standard weight. Besides, I eat small meals frequently, I never let the child go hungry.¡±

    Qin Xue thought, this time will be the last time, never again would she let him serve her food.

    This was too unreliable. Clearly, she had just finished a bowl of soup, yet he had prepared such a large quantity of rice for her.

    Qin Xue picked up the chopsticks to eat, and decided that if she wanted to finish the rice, she couldn¡¯t eat much of the dishes. It is shameful to waste food.

    How tiring is it to eat rice without daring to eat the dishes?

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, why are you only eating rice and not the dishes, don¡¯t they taste good?¡±

    Chu Molin took a bite of the vegetable heart, then a bite of the sweet and sour ribs and fish. It was delicious.

    But why does Xue¡¯er only eat rice and not the dishes? At this moment, Chu Molin was puzzled.

    ¡°It¡¯s all your fault. l t d already had a bowl of soup and half full already. Normally, 1 eat a small bowl of rice and some dishes, and I¡¯m full. You gave me so much rice to eat, I have to finish it, right? Otherwise, it would be wasted. So how could I eat the dishes?¡± Qin Xue was really depressed.

    Chu Molin kept quiet, took over Qin Xue¡¯s bowl, and moved about half of the rice to his bowl.

    He refilled her bowl: ¡°Alright, eat now.¡±

    Qin Xue watched Chu Molin in a daze as he finished his moves and then picked up his bowl to eat.

    Qin Xue flushingly stammered: ¡°Chu Molin, I¡¯ve eaten from that rice already, if you want more, go take some. The rice has my saliva.¡±

    This was as if they were kissing, how awkward was that?

    ¡°Since, you can¡¯t finish it, and are afraid to waste it, thereby, not daring to eat the dishes, I¡¯m helping you by eating some. Don¡¯t worry, I don¡¯t mind your saliva.¡± A hint of mischief flashed in Chu Molin¡¯s eyes.

    Qin Xue blushed like a cooked shrimp. Was this man teasing her?

    ¡°You¡¯re shameless.¡¯

    ¡°Hmm, do you want to see if I¡¯m toothless? Let¡¯s check if I really am toothless.¡± Chu Molin couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    While talking, he closely stared at the woman¡¯s annoyed face. His wife was too cute!

    Her puffing little face looked adorable from every angle.

    ¡°Humph, I¡¯m ignoring you. 1 1 m eating.¡± Qin Xue stated that she would ignore Chu Molin, and indeed finished her meal without uttering a single word to him

    Returning to her room after the meal, she stood in front of the window and watched the people downstairs chatting with each other.

    Rather than saying that Qin Xue was angry with Chu Molin, it was more appropriate to say that she realized their interactions resembled a bickering old couple and became scared.

    No matter before or now, Qin Xue never considered finding a soulmate.

    Her parent¡¯s marriage had scared her from love. She was afraid of getting hurt like her mother.

    She was afraid that once she falls in love, she would not be able to bear the loss. Even the casual chat with Chu Molin earlier about giving love a try, she was afraid to.

    So, Qin Xue shrank. She didn¡¯t dare to take a single step forward and retreated back into her shell.

    Qin Xue suddenly felt cold, unconsciously clenching her arms around herself, staring blankly at the scenery downstairs.

    She completely forgot there was still a man in the living room looking at her.

    This scene was analogous to a popular saying: ¡°You stand there watching the scenery, whilst you become the scenery of others.¡±

    At first, Chu Molin thought Qin Xue was really angry.

    Angry because he teased her, but when he came out of the kitchen and saw her expression, he realized it wasn¡¯t the case.

    He thought about how they were comfortable with each other at dinner, they had gotten along so well. Why did it suddenly become like this?

    After tidying up the dishes without washing them, Chu Molin just sat and watched Qin Xue, wondering what was going through her mind?

    He noted her subconscious self-protective gesture, reflecting back on their mealtime interaction and her first words after waking up.

    Chu Molin thought he probably understood what Qin Xue was thinking..

 Chapter 74

    Translator: 549690339

    Is the little woman afraid? She doesn¡¯t even dare to give it a try.

    It was her who said that she wanted to try it with him, but what is she doing

    now?

    Chu Molin¡¯s heart suddenly filled with anger, and he strode over to stand behind Qin Xue, looking along her line of sight but couldn¡¯t figure out what she was looking at.

    Perhaps she wasn¡¯t looking at anything and had merely emptied her thoughts.

    Her dazed expression seemed to be drifting away, impossible to grasp.

    Chu Molin panicked and didn¡¯t care about being angry anymore, hugging Qin Xue tightly from behind.

    It seemed that only by doing so could he hold onto her and fill the emptiness in his heart.

    Qin Xue jumped in shock when she was suddenly embraced, her body stiffening in an instant.

    Glancing sideways, she relaxed slowly when she saw it was Chu Molin, ¡°Why haven¡¯t you gone to work yet? You¡¯ve been delayed a lot today, haven¡¯t you?¡± Chu Molin initially intended to let go of Qin Xue when she stiffened.

    He knew that she wasn¡¯t used to being intimate with him, but when he thought he might lose her, he didn¡¯t want to let go anymore. Was it because she would only think about leaving once she falls in love with him?

    Thinking about leaving him, since she was scared and unable to move forward, she retreated.

    Then let her wait for him now, and he would complete their journey together.

    ¡°Mmm, I¡¯m already late, but it doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s a little late. I just finished a research project and was supposed to be on vacation. Xue¡¯er, can I accompany you on my vacation tomorrow?¡±

    If the Cold King, who was so gentle and kind to his wife, was seen by others in the bureau, they would surely be scared to death.

    It had always been others who had been gentle and kind to him, Chu Molin. When had he ever seen himself being like this towards others?

    ¡°No need, I don¡¯t need your company. Just focus on your work. I¡¯m fine, and I don¡¯t need company.¡± Qin Xue wasn¡¯t a little girl who needed someone to be with.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, we haven¡¯t been out alone together since we met and got married. How about this, I¡¯ll take you out to have fun tomorrow, and introduce you to some of my friends.¡±

    Chu Molin thought about his childhood friends who were also in S Province. He and Qin Xue had quickly obtained their marriage certificate, without even having a wedding banquet, so no one knew about it yet.

    He had never relaxed and taken a vacation for so many years, so he might as well take advantage of it and accompany Qin Xue while fostering their relationship.

    ¡°Um, no, isn¡¯t this too sudden?¡± Qin Xue really thought it was too sudden. Out of the blue, he asked her to meet his friends.

    She hadn¡¯t even sorted out her emotions towards Chu Molin yet, and meeting his friends now might complicate things even more, right?

    Chu Molin knew what she was thinking just by looking at her face, which was why he was pushing her like this.

    Joking. He used to be a scout, after all. If he couldn¡¯t even read her expressions, he might as well not be one.

    With her like this, if he didn¡¯t push her, when would he ever be able to win her over?

    Qin Xue pried open the man¡¯s hand, turned around to face him, and said seriously:

    ¡°Chu Molin, I think this is too sudden. I¡¯m not mentally prepared for it.¡±

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, what kind of mental preparation do you need? We are husband and wife. Isn¡¯t it natural for me to take you to meet my friends? Or do you not want to live with me at all? So, you don¡¯t want to go, and the so-called mental preparation is just your excuse?¡±

    Chu Molin wouldn¡¯t allow this woman to back down. He had to securely grasp the person he had chosen to feel at ease.

    Qin Xue tensed slightly. How could this man know her thoughts?

    He even knew her excuse. So, what should she do? Should she really go to meet his friends?

    Chu Molin watched her expressions change.

    He couldn¡¯t help but feel happy deep down. How could someone have so many expressions?

    Showing all her thoughts on her face, not knowing how to hide them at all?

    Sometimes she seemed very mature, so mature that it made people¡¯s hearts ache. At other times, she was like an innocent little girl.

    Making people want to protect her and not let her get hurt in the slightest.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, don¡¯t feel pressured. I¡¯m just taking you to meet my friends.

    What are you afraid of? I¡¯m not taking you to meet my family, am l?

    Moreover, we are already husband and wife, and the child has been with us for several months. It¡¯s only natural for me to take you to meet my parents, isn¡¯t it?

    As the saying goes, even an ugly wife has to meet her in-laws! So, don¡¯t think too much about it.

    Just trust yourself to me, and 1 won¡¯t sell you.¡±

    Chu Molin gently rubbed the tip of Qin Xue!s nose with his hand..

 Chapter 75

    Translator: 549690339

    ¡°Ahem, if you are going to talk, just talk. Can we not resort to touching?¡± Why can¡¯t this man simply just speak without making such intimate gestures?

    ¡°My love, I was just being tactile, not taking a step.¡± Chu Molin wanted her to get used to his affection.

    Only when she got used to him could he slowly enter her heart.

    Mr. Chu was slowly making his moves, like slowly boiling a frog in warm water.

    How could Qin Xue, this relationship fool, compete with our big bad wolf, Chu?

    She just requested no touchy-touchy, yet already, sweet terms of endearment had been used, shifting to verbal intimacy.

    ¡°Chu Molin, has anyone ever told you that you¡¯re shameless?¡± Qin Xue was speechless!

    How was it that he always managed to get the upper hand, with an advantage she couldn¡¯t even refute?

    ¡°No, absolutely not. You¡¯re the first, sweetheart.¡±

    Chu Molin was secretly delighted as he noticed Qin Xue relaxed and naturally interacted with him.

    ¡°Alright, if not, then not. You best get back to work. Don¡¯t delay any further, it won¡¯t look good,¡± Qin Xue pushed away the man who still had his arm around her.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, you still haven¡¯t given me an answer. As long as you agree to go meet my friends with me tomorrow, I¡¯ll immediately go to work.¡±

    Chu Molin wouldn¡¯t let Qin Xue off so easily.

    Otherwise, how would he live up to his title of being the Cold King?

    ¡°So, if I refuse today, you won¡¯t go to work, right?¡±

    Qin Xue looked at this shameless man, where was that aloofness he initially portrayed?

    His current behavior was far from the character he initially portrayed. ¡°Darling, you¡¯re truly brilliant, even guessing this right,¡± Chu Molin rarely Joked around.

    ¡°Do you even have a shred of shame left? Is this how you act? Hurry up and get going, I¡¯ve got things to do.¡±

    Damn it, if this guy doesn¡¯t go to work, then he shouldn¡¯t come here to bother her either. She still wanted to sketch out several design drafts.

    ¡°Darling, if you need anything, why don¡¯t I help you?¡± How could a woman have the strength to push him away? He ought to be careful not to exhaust her.

    Qin Xue used all her strength, but the man didn¡¯t budge, instead she was on the verge of panting from exhaustion.

    ¡°l don¡¯t need your help. Fine, I agree. Now go, otherwise, others will accuse me of being a femme fatale,¡± Qin Xue eventually had to give in. Now Chu Molin could finally go to work.

    ¡°Sweetheart, are you sure you don¡¯t need my help? Don¡¯t lift heavy things.

    Whatever you need to get done can wait until I get back, alright?¡± The aloof Cold King transformed into a chatterbox, talking non-stop.

    ¡°Chu Molin, enough is enough. Get out, don¡¯t bother me!¡± Qin Xue yelled out loud.

    Who said Chu Molin doesn¡¯t speak much? Who said he¡¯s cold and aloof, and hard to get close to? Let them come here, she promises not to beat them to death.

    When Qin Xue started yelling, Chu Molin turned around, grabbed his keys, and prepared to go to work.

    Therefore, Qin Xue didn¡¯t see the smile curling on his lips, or the mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

    A lively wife like this brings charm, a vibrant wife like this is just what a normal person needs to feel alive.

    He didn¡¯t want to see the elusive spirit he saw in his wife just awhile ago.

    A wife, like a little kitten with ruffled fur, was what he wanted, it was worth shamelessly pestering her all morning.

    Who else in the research institute, or even in the past, had ever been cajoled by Chu Molin? If Qin Xue claimed to be second, no one would dare claim first.

    Who dares to act so brazenly in front of the tiger, not fearing being led to the execution ground by the cold Yama? Let them try and see if they¡¯ll end up losing their lives!

    Only our Qin Xue has had that honor.

    Finally, after getting the man out the door, Qin Xue directly entered the space to find Xue Ling.

    Qin Xue took off her clothes, closed her eyes, and soaked in the pool, calling

    Xue Ling through her mind: ¡°Xue Ling, where are you? Come and talk to me.¡±

    Xue Ling, who was currently meditating, instantly opened its eyes and ran towards Qin Xue. Had its master encountered some troubles?

    Usually, when its master came in and saw it meditating, she would do her own thing without disturbing its meditation.

    However, this time as soon as her master came in, she started looking for it without caring if it was meditating.

    ¡°Master, you came, You look very troubled, what happened?¡± Xue Ling squatted next to Qin Xue and asked, looking at her..

 Chapter 76

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue opened her eyes and looked at Xue Ling: ¡°Well, how should I put it? Xue Ling, it¡¯s that Chu Moline I think his attitude towards me is quite strange. It¡¯s like he¡¯s interested in me. Do you think I should try to get along with Chu Molin?¡±

    ¡°Master, are you kidding? You two are already married, so isn¡¯t it normal for him to like you? And since you¡¯re married, shouldn¡¯t you be getting along well with him? Or would you rather fight and argue every day, creating chaos?

    What are you fussing over?¡± Xue Ling felt tired looking at Qin Xue¡¯s demeanor.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not really fussing over anything. It¡¯s just that in my previous life, I never thought about getting married and thought I¡¯d be fine staying single.

    But you brought me here and gave me a husband, and 1 don¡¯t know what attitude I should have towards him.¡±

    ¡°Master, I understand now. You¡¯re worried that if you fall in love with him, he might change his heart and hurt you, right?

    Why bother with these thoughts? Just ask your heart, has it been lonely all along? Do you need Chu Molin?

    Do you want him by your side? Just be clear in your heart whether or not you want this man. In a short life of a few decades, even if you fall in love, so what?

    If you fall in love, just love passionately. Why think so much about things that haven¡¯t happened yet? Aren¡¯t you just creating trouble for yourself?

    Your personality shouldn¡¯t worry about things that may or may not happen. Where has your optimism gone? To put it bluntly, Chu Molin has just affected vou.

    In fact, you also want to try what love is, right? Since you didn¡¯t try it in your previous life, why not give it a try in this life?

    Or do you think that your last life was perfect, so you don¡¯t mind missing out this time?¡± After saying this, Xue Ling took a sip of spiritual spring water and looked at Qin Xue.

    Qin Xue thought about what Xue Ling had said for a long time.

    That¡¯s right, life is short, so why not give some things a try?

    You can¡¯t deny everyone just because of your mom and jerk dad¡¯s failure, what?

    That¡¯s not fair to Chu Molin either, is it? He doesn¡¯t even know what happened.

    If I just push him away like this, it would hurt both him and the child, wouldn¡¯t it?

    Since he¡¯s already shown that he wants to have a good life with me,

    then I¡¯ll give it a try. Even if the end isn¡¯t pretty, at least 1 won¡¯t have lived this life in vain.

    Perhaps this new life was meant to meet Chu Molin?

    Besides, the child in her belly is her lifetime blood relative.

    It¡¯s the bloodline of that divine-like man.

    Can I really resist his charm and not fall for him?

    No, I can¡¯t help it, otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t be struggling here. Since I can¡¯t resist, and such an outstanding man is mine, then why should I push him away?

    Am I supposed to give him to another woman? No way! He¡¯s mine, and nobody else¡¯s.

    After a long mental struggle, Qin Xue finally faced her true feelings.

    She was fond of that man and didn¡¯t want to let him go. Since she didn¡¯t want to push him away, she decided to accept him.

    Once she figured it out, Qin Xue finally showed a relieved smile. She grabbed Xue Ling and hugged her happily, saying:

    ¡°Xue Ling, thank you. If it weren¡¯t for you, I would be stuck in a dead end.¡±

    ¡°Master, are you trying to drown me? Look, I¡¯m all wet. Thank goodness I¡¯m a girl, otherwise, you¡¯d be exposing yourself, you know?¡±

    Xue Ling, seeing that Qin Xue had finally figured things out and stopped struggling, spoke to her teasingly.

    ¡°Hey, you little thing, you¡¯re teasing me now. By the way, Xue Ling, every time

    I come in here, you¡¯re cultivating. What do you usually eat?¡±

    Qin Xue had known Xue Ling for so long, but she didn¡¯t know what she ate.

    ¡°Master, you finally remembered me. Look, the fish in the pond, the bamboo rats in the bamboo forest, the spiritual spring. The bamboo is spiritual bamboo, so I sometimes eat the bamboo shoots.¡¯

    Actually, she didn¡¯t want to eat raw food, but her master had forgotten about her, and she had to cultivate spiritual power.

    Everything in the space had been nourished by spiritual energy, and eating it would give one some spiritual power¡ªbut humans didn¡¯t know how to cultivate.

    So, eating it would only cleanse the body of impurities and strengthen it..

 Chapter 77

    Translator: 549690339

    ¡°Wow, so you eat pretty much the same stuff as us humans, huh? The only difference might be that you eat it raw while we eat it cooked.¡±

    Qin Xue never expected that the bamboo forest would be spiritual bamboo, and it even had bamboo rats inside. Thinking of the plump bamboo rats, she wanted to taste them too.

    ¡°Master, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to eat cooked food, but you forgot about me. So, I had to find food on my own. Although I can talk, I haven¡¯t cultivated into a human form and it¡¯s impossible for me to make a fire and cook food.

    So, to avoid starving, I had to eat raw food. Master, when will you cook something delicious for me?¡± Xue Ling started to ask for treats.

    ¡°l can cook for you, but you have to catch a couple of bamboo rats first. Just so you know, I¡¯m not good with live ones, so you need to kill them before bringing them to me.¡±

    Qin Xue was not afraid of dead people, but she was scared to kill things that look like rats.

    Xue Ling took the order, quickly dashed out, and returned with frightening speed.

    Qin Xue put on her clothes and sat on the stone steps to wait for Xue Ling.

    In no time, Xue Ling dragged a bamboo rat in front of Qin Xue and quickly darted away, then returned with another one in tow.

    Qin Xue weighed the dead bamboo rats in her hands; they were not light.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take them outside and cook them, then I¡¯ll give you some to eat. I¡¯ll make braised bamboo rats; I like spicy food, so I won¡¯t put chili in yours. Just wait.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Master.¡± Xue Ling waved its claw at Qin Xue.

    Qin Xue took the bamboo rats out of the space, skinned them, washed them, cut them into pieces, and prepared some peppers.

    Qin Xue washed the pot, heated the oil, fried the ginger and Sichuan pepper, stirred the meat until it changed color, added soy sauce and a bit of sugar, then mixed it with the spiritual spring water to braise the dish.

    When the meat was tender, she turned up the heat to thicken the sauce, and the fragrant braised bamboo rat was done.

    Qin Xue brought a plate of spicy and a plate of non-spicy braised bamboo rats into the space.

    She and Xue Ling sat side by side on the stone steps and enjoyed the meal.

    ¡°Master, the food you made is really delicious.¡± Xue Ling ate adorably, its mouth twitching!

    ¡°Of course, my cooking skills were taught by my grandma, how could they not be good?¡±

    As Qin Xue mentioned this, she went silent. Was her grandma alright?

    ¡°Master, can you cook delicious food for me again next time? Oh, there are some bamboo shoots over there. Do you want to dig them up and eat them? They are tender and crunchy.¡± Xue Ling noticed Qin Xue¡¯s mood and suggested digging up some bamboo shoots.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to, but how do I explain to Chu Molin where these bamboo shoots came from?¡± Qin Xue loved bamboo shoots, but she couldn¡¯t let anyone discover her space.

    Even though she was holding a gold mine, she had to endure the hardship of poverty.

    ¡°Oh, that is a problem,¡± Xue Ling forgot that Chu Molin didn¡¯t know about the space,

    ¡°Well, don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯ll just wait until he¡¯s not at home and eat alone, just like now.¡± Qin Xue wasn¡¯t trying to keep Chu Molin from eating but rather compensate him with other things since she didn¡¯t know how to explain her situation.

    After finishing the meat, Qin Xue and Xue Ling rubbed their bellies. So full!

    There was no need for dinner tonight; she would make a bowl of noodles for Chu Molin instead.

    She had bought some meat yesterday, and it was still in the space, so she decided to make him a bowl of noodles with meat sauce.

    ¡°Xue Ling, I¡¯m going to pick some vegetables to make noodles for Chu Molin, and walking will serve as exercise. Do you want to come along?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go together. Master, I want to eat noodles too. Make some extra, and I¡¯ll have a bowl too.¡¯

    Just thinking of Qin Xue¡¯s cooking made Xue Ling drool.

    ¡°Um, Xue Ling, do foxes eat noodles too?¡± Qin Xue asked the white fox in confusion.

    ¡°Master, I¡¯m not an ordinary fox; I¡¯m a Fox Fairy. It¡¯s just that I was sealed for too long, and my spiritual power has been consumed, so I¡¯m weak. But I¡¯ll become strong and powerful eventually.¡± Xue Ling didn¡¯t want to be this weak either.

    However, after being sealed for who knows how long, it was awakened by Qin Xue¡¯s blood, so it has to cultivate slowly now.

    ¡°Oh, I see. How powerful exactly?¡± Qin Xue looked at Xue Ling doubtingly.

    It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t believe it, but Xue Ling didn¡¯t look like something anyone would believe.

    ¡°Um, I don¡¯t know right now.¡± Xue Ling felt less and less confident.

    Couldn¡¯t the master simply believe in it without doubting it?

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not talk about this anymore. Let¡¯s go pick vegetables.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t want to frustrate Xue Ling further.

    Together, they went to the vegetable field, picked a bunch of leafy greens, four tomatoes, and over a dozen chili peppers.

    Looking at the tree full of peppers, she thought about making some chili sauce to go with meals.

    Spread it on a bun or some bread, and the taste would be superb.

    It would even be great to add a little to noodles; the flavor would make her mouth water.

    She decided to do it, and she would buy some jars tomorrow to start making it..

 Chapter 78

    Translator: 549690339

    After harvesting the vegetables, Qin Xue watered the field with spiritual spring water. She looked at the grains and vegetables growing in the field and started feeling flustered. All of this couldn¡¯t be sold, and there was too much to eat.

    Although the space wouldn¡¯t run out, it was still a waste of land. It seemed like she really needed to find some medicinal seeds to grow instead.

    Hmm, could she ask Chu Molin, who often leaves on missions, for advice?

    Qin Xue took the vegetables out of the space and prepared dough to roll into noodles. This way, as soon as Chu Molin finishes work, she could cook the noodles quickly and efficiently.

    Qin Xue minced the meat and stir-fried it, got three fish weighing about three to four pounds each from the space and made fish balls. Once deboned and minced, the fish meat could be made into chewy, elastic fish balls by adding a little starch and mixing it evenly. After boiling the water, she used a spoon to shape the fish balls. They looked quite lovely, bobbing in the water.

    Later, she could give some to Fang Hong and Yu Xiu. The broth from cooking the fish balls could be used as soup base, which would surely taste really nice.

    After all the fish balls were done, she ladled them into a big bowl.

    She tossed the fish bones into a pot and left them to simmer.

    She checked the time and, remembering that Xue Ling wanted to eat noodles, she cooked a bowl for it first. She added a few fish balls and a spoonful of minced meat, then kept it in the space for Xue Ling to eat. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t be able to feed Xue Ling once Chu Molin comes home.

    Qin Xue took a medical book from the space and sat in her room reading, waiting for Chu Molin to finish work.

    This book was different from usual, and Qin Xue found herself completely engrossed, forgetting about the time.

    So engrossed, in fact, that she didn¡¯t realize Chu Molin had come back. When Chu Molin didn¡¯t spot his little wife, he peeked into her room and noticed she was so absorbed in her book, she didn¡¯t even realize he was home.

    He thought she forgot to cook, prepared to clean the rice to cook when he saw the already rolled noodles and other dishes on the table. He realized she must have been waiting for him to come back before cooking the noodles, and then left the kitchen. Noticing his body smell, he picked his clothes and went to take a shower first.

    Qin Xue heard noises from the bathroom, guessed that Chu Molin was back, and put down her book to start boiling the noodles.

    A large bowl and a small one later, she topped the noodles with a spoon of milk-white fish soup, a spoon of stir-fried minced meat, five or six fish balls, and several green vegetables. Thus, a bowl of fragrant fish ball and minced meat noodles was ready.

    Qin Xue put the bowls on the table, raised her head to call Chu Molin for dinner, but instead saw a man with a towel, drying his hair.

    The man only wore shorts, his muscular, bare chest out in the open. His arm muscles bulged out, signifying a strong physique. On his chest, beads of water dripped down, following the curvature of his muscles.

    Qin Xue¡¯s eyes followed the water beads downwards, landing on his eight-pack abs; quite sexy, especially the lines on the lower abs. Swallowing, Qin Xue couldn¡¯t take her eyes off of him. This body built was even better than that of bodybuilding champions from another era.

    It was like fate had given extreme favor to him, bestowed him that handsome face, broad shoulders, and slim waist in an inverted triangular body shape.

    Qin Xue really wanted to touch and see how it felt. Despite conducting so many surgeries in her previous life, she had never seen such a perfect body before.

    With his head down drying his hair, Chu Molin heard her sharp inhalation. He looked up to see her staring at him, her eyes shining while she licked her lips. It was as if a dog had just seen a bone.

    Chu Molin assumed that Qin Xue was still reading and wouldn¡¯t come out soon, so he just brought shorts when he went to take a shower. Planning to dress up after getting out, who would have thought she would come out so soon?

    Watching her, Chu Molin suddenly felt like teasing her, so he gradually moved closer, step by step. Qin Xue just watched him approach, her heart beating wildly. She swallowed rapidly, really wanting to touch.

    Seeing her eyes shine brighter, Chu Molin suddenly had an idea. ¡°Wifey, what are you thinking about?¡± His voice was deep and intoxicating; it was exactly that voice which could make a woman¡¯s ears pregnant.

    I¡¯m thinking whether it would be good to touch you. It must feel nice.¡± Qin Xue¡¯s body moving faster than her mind, she reached out and touched the man¡¯s abs before she finished talking..

 Chapter 79

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue¡¯s hand slid from the abs down to the mermaid line, and it felt as good as she had imagined.

    ¡°How¡¯s my figure?¡± Chu Molin asked Qin Xue.

    ¡°It¡¯s great, it seems like you exercise regularly.¡± Qin Xue nodded affirmatively.

    Speaking of sticking to exercise, it really takes a lot of perseverance.

    Many people say they want to exercise, but most lose interest quickly.

    Just a little bit of difficulty and they can¡¯t stick to it, so it¡¯s not easy to keep exercising.

    But now, seeing Chu Molin like this, Qin Xue knew how determined he was.

    ¡°That¡¯s for sure.¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t deny Qin Xue¡¯s words, because he had been exercising all along and never stopped.

    ¡°l can see that.¡± Qin Xue nodded, very satisfied with her husband¡¯s wellbuilt physique.

    ¡°Do you want to exercise with me?¡± Chu Molin thought his wife wanted to exercise too.

    ¡°No, just look at my current situation.¡± Qin Xue said and then went back to the kitchen.

    Chu Molin smiled at his little wife¡¯s reaction, went back to their room to get dressed, and then came out and sat at the table, waiting for Qin Xue to come out and eat.

    Qin Xue washed her face with water before bringing out the other bowl of noodles.

    She lowered her head and ate her noodles slowly, without even looking at the man.

    At first, she thought he was quite considerate, but now she saw him as a forgetful Da Ha.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, are you planning to stick your whole face in the bowl?¡± Chu Molin said with a smile, watching Qin Xue.

    At this, Qin Xue raised her head and glared at Chu Molin, then lowered her head again to eat her noodles.

    Chu Molin touched his nose and smiled:

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, this is a very normal conversation, and besides, I didn¡¯t really want you to come to the gym with me. Could you please not be angry? I heard that being angry during pregnancy is not good for the baby. If you want to be angry, you can hit me or scold me, just don¡¯t hurt yourself.¡±

    ¡°Chu Molin, can I ask you a question?¡± Qin Xue couldn¡¯t help herself.

    ¡°Ask away, darling. As long as it¡¯s something I can say, I¡¯ll tell you everything I know without holding back.¡±

    Since his little wife was willing to open up and chat, Chu Molin had to cooperate. He smiled and said,

    ¡°Who told you that you¡¯re cold and reserved? You call this being cold and not talkative ¨C then what¡¯s not being cold and talkative? Tell me and I¡¯ll make sure never to hurt them.¡± Qin Xue is gentle but not a pushover. The man is clearly challenging her boundaries.

    ¡°Uh, honey, this is a misunderstanding. I¡¯m only like this with you, nobody else has this privilege.¡± Would anyone else dare?

    With just one word from Cold King Yama, people would have to follow him around.

    ¡°So you think I¡¯m easy to bully?¡± Qin Xue asked with raised eyebrows. If he dared to say yes, she would definitely slap him.

    ¡°Of course not, you¡¯re my wife, and I treasure you. How could 1 ever bully you, right?¡± Chu Molin took a big bite of noodles, so delicious. He bent down and picked up a fish ball to eat, chewy and tender, so good.

    He wasn¡¯t sure if it was his imagination, but he felt that his little wife¡¯s cooking always had a special taste, and after eating, his body felt warm and relaxed. He had never experienced such a feeling.

    ¡°Only you would know. You should know what our relationship was like before, don¡¯t you think that our relationship has developed a bit too fast now?¡± Qin Xue couldn¡¯t help but bring it up..

 Chapter 80

    Translator: 549690339

    Molin was enjoying his noodles, it was too delicious. He finished the noodles and looked at Qin Xue: ¡°Wife, do you have more noodles?¡±

    Qin Xue: . . .

    ¡°Wife, you are so kind.¡± Molin looked at the snow-white fish balls in the bowl, and the finely chopped red pepper garnishing them looked very good.

    ¡°Molin, are you still a man? I¡¯m discussing a problem with you, don¡¯t change the subject.¡±

    ¡°Wife, you really dare to say anything, huh?

    Have I not proven that I am a man? Or are you saying you want to try now?¡±

    Never question a man¡¯s manhood, because when a man acts like a man, your legs will go weak.

    Qin Xue: This person starts flirting as soon as he opens his mouth.

    ¡°So, can I return the goods?¡± Qin Xue asked carefully.

    ¡°What do you think?¡± the man asked dangerously.

    ¡°Hehe, pretend I never asked.¡± Qin Xue lowered her head to eat the noodles.

    ¡°My dear, don¡¯t even think about returning the goods in this lifetime. It was you who provoked me first, and you must be responsible for me. Do you understand?¡± Molin said coldly.

    ¡°l didn¡¯t provoke you, it was clearly the original body that provoked you. How did it become me provoking you? I have only known you for two days!¡± Qin Xue muttered quietly.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, what are you muttering about? Speak up and let your husband analyze it for you.¡±

    Qin Xue¡¯s voice was very low, thinking that the man wouldn¡¯t hear it.

    But what Qin Xue didn¡¯t know was that the man had excellent hearing, and even though her voice was very low, he still heard every word.

    ¡°No, I wasn¡¯t muttering about anything. I was saying that we should hurry up and eat so we can send some fish balls to Sister Fang Hong and Sister Yu Xiu. Hehe, you eat slowly, I¡¯ll go and send them.¡± She quickly grabbed the bowl and left.

    Molin watched Qin Xue¡¯s retreating figure, feeling like she was fleeing in a rush.

    He pursed his lips, picked up a fish ball and put it in his mouth, chewing slowly.

    He squinted his eyes, looking at the spot where Qin Xue had just sat.

    Woman, do you still want to escape now?

    It seems that I need to speed up. Since I¡¯ve chosen you, how could 1 possibly let you leave me?

    You¡¯re thinking too much, just wait and see.

    ¡°Wife, pack it up and I¡¯ll deliver it. Let¡¯s go for a walk downstairs after I¡¯m back, it¡¯s good for your health.¡±

    Molin said to the woman in the kitchen, quickly finishing the fish balls in the bowl and washing the bowl.

    He took the fish balls packed by Qin Xue and delivered them to the section chief¡¯s house. It almost made the recipient drool when sent.

    When Molin came back, he saw Qin Xue preparing to squat down and pick up her shoes to change them.

    Molin bent down, picked up her shoes, pulled her onto the chair, picked up the shoes, and put them on for her with one hand while holding her foot with the other.

    Qin Xue looked at Molin putting on the shoes for her with complex emotions:

    ¡°Molin, 1 can put them on myself, you don¡¯t need to do this for me.¡±

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, I¡¯ve said before, you¡¯re my wife. I can do anything for you, even if it costs my life.¡±

    If someone had told Molin before that he would fall in love with a woman so quickly that he would even give his life for her,

    Molin would have scoffed and told them to ¡°get lost.¡±

    But now, he had fallen in love with this woman in just two days.

    As long as he could protect her and the child, even if it cost his life, he was willing.

    Of course, this was within the scope of not breaking the law ¨C he didn¡¯t forget that he was still a law-abiding citizen.

    Qin Xue hurriedly covered his mouth with her hand, how could he say such a thing?

    He was a scientific researcher, he might encounter dangers in his work, how could he say anything?

    She wasn¡¯t his real wife; his wife was dead. Was it worth it? Qin Xue thought and asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s worth it. In this life, you¡¯re the only one worth my devotion.

    Xue i er, I love you, I love you now, so you must be a good girl, okay?

    Don¡¯t think about leaving me, or else I won¡¯t know what I¡¯ll do. You must be obedient and stay by my side. Do you understand?¡± Molin looked at Qin Xue seriously as he spoke..

 Chapter 81

    Translator: 549690339

    To be honest, Qin Xue was touched at the moment.

    Chu Molin said these words just to express his importance to her.

    He is a man who values commitment, especially when he says he loves her as she is now.

    Did he sense the difference between them, so he emphasized that he loves this her, not that her?

    How could she not be moved by such a man?

    Qin Xue, with tears in her eyes, looked down at the man putting her shoes on and wanted to tell him that she was not his lover.

    She wanted to tell him everything, but she couldn¡¯t, at least not yet:

    ¡°Chu Molin, what have I done to deserve your love like this?¡±

    A tear fell on the man¡¯s hand, the burning tear wounded his heart.

    The man stood up and gently wiped away the woman¡¯s tears.

    He pressed the woman¡¯s head against his stomach and gently stroked her hair, sighing softly.

    Women really are made of water, moved so easily like this.

    This only proves how insecure and sensitive the original her was.

    Was she always thinking about leaving him because she was afraid that he would find out that she was not the original her?

    He pulled the woman up to face her, facing her red eyes, feeling helpless.

    He cupped her face in his hands and gently kissed her cold forehead.

    Qin Xue stared at him with her wide phoenix eyes, freshly washed by tears, perfectly clear.

    It made Chu Molin feel guilty, like he was taking advantage of an innocent girl. He covered her eyes with his hand and whispered, ¡°Xue¡¯er, close your eyes. ¡±

    Upon hearing this, Qin Xue slowly closed her eyes and gently wrapped her arms around the man¡¯s waist.

    Chu Molin realized that falling in love with someone wasn¡¯t that difficult after all. He held the woman on his lap, his hand on her belly.

    Perhaps the child could also feel the good mood of their parents, and moved under the man¡¯s palm.

    Chu Molin thought this feeling was truly amazing, so he started playing with Qin Xue¡¯s belly.

    His hand moved to the side, and the belly moved again. After a few times, the man became playful, his palm moving all over the surface.

    Eventually, it became too intense for Qin Xue, and she removed his hand to stop him from playing:

    ¡°Are you childish or what, even playing like this.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, does Xue¡¯er think her husband is childish?¡± Chu Molin seized her hand and kneaded it playfully.

    ¡°Hmm, a bit. The baby can feel our presence and sense some of the surrounding atmosphere.

    Your palm has warmth, and as soon as you put it there, the baby can sense it. You¡¯re having fun playing.

    But if the baby moves too frequently, it¡¯s not good for the baby, so you need to be more careful in the future, okay?¡±

    Chu Molin¡¯s eyes lit up at these words. In the future?

    Did that mean he could often hold his wife like this and get away with it?

    And they wouldn¡¯t have to sleep in separate rooms at night anymore.

    This was perfect; he happily decided to start tonight.

    Chu Molin¡¯s inner thoughts were lively, but he didn¡¯t know that Qin Xue didn¡¯t mean to share a bed with him.

    Qin Xue allowed him to hold her like this now because she hoped that he and the child could interact more. It would deepen their bond, whether for the child or for him.

    It was also because Qin Xue had come to terms with her feelings and wanted to try to get along with him. After all, she had already come this far, and it was impossible to go back. Now that she had encountered this love, she didn¡¯t want to have any regrets.

    After all, a good partner is hard to come by..

 Chapter 82

    Translator: 549690339

    Chu Molin gently scratched Qin Xue¡¯s palm by holding her hand.

    He buried his head in her neck, took a deep breath, and rested his chin on her shoulder, feeling the tranquility and full of happiness in his heart.

    Qin Xue looked sideways at the man on her shoulder, thinking that this kind of life wasn¡¯t too bad. She touched his handsome face with her hand:

    ¡°Baby¡¯s daddy, let¡¯s go for a walk. Let¡¯s stroll around.¡± Qin Xue couldn¡¯t help but chuckle after saying this.

    Chu Molin lovingly looked at his playful wife, ¡°As you wish, baby¡¯s mommy.

    Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Chu Molin took his little wife¡¯s hand and walked out the door.

    Qin Xue tried to pull her hand away, but the harder she tried, the tighter he held on.

    Qin Xue simply gave in, letting him hold her hand, knowing she had nothing to be afraid of.

    It¡¯s just that nowadays, holding hands in public isn¡¯t as common as it used to be.

    As long as he doesn¡¯t think it¡¯s a bad influence, she doesn¡¯t mind.

    No one appeared on their way downstairs until they heard footsteps around the corner on the ground floor, and then the man quickly let go of her hand.

    Then he kept his hands neatly at his sides.

    The gentle face turned expressionless and even cold, like a sudden change in a Sichuan Opera performance.

    ¡°Hello, Mr. Chu!¡± Wei Shaohui greeted Mr. Chu with one hand holding clothes and the other waving at him.

    It looked like he had just come out of the bathhouse after taking a shower.

    Qin Xue looked at this tall and big man, who was quite handsome. His muscles bulged in his short sleeves, on par with Chu Molin. This was another good-looking guy who could compete in a bodybuilding competition if he lived in the modern world.

    Are all the men here so manly?

    While Qin Xue looked and pondered, Chu Molin noticed her starry-eyed expression. His face darkened, and he coldly glared at Wei Shaohui:

    ¡°You have too much free time? Go to the playground and run ten laps. Right now.¡± His cold voice could almost freeze someone.

    After saying that, he stretched out his hand to pull the drooling woman away.

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Chu.¡± Wei Shaohui took his clothes to the playground, placed them on the side, and started running laps.

    The confused Wei Shaohui looked at the retreating Mr. Chu while running, and wondered what he had done wrong.

    Why was he being punished to run laps by Mr. Chu? It seemed that his shower was in vain.

    Poor Wei Shaohui didn¡¯t even know why he was being punished and continued running laps.

    Qin Xue was enjoying the view and was suddenly pulled away.

    Qin Xue looked back at the man who had been punished to run laps by Chu Molin.

    ¡°Do you like what you see?¡± The man¡¯s dangerous voice sounded in her ear.

    ¡°Hehe, no, I don¡¯t.¡± Even if she found him attractive, she wouldn¡¯t admit it now. Even someone as dull as Qin Xue could sense something was off with the man.

    Chu Molin looked at the insincere woman and glanced down at his body.

    Who in the whole research institute could compare to him? Yet, this woman didn¡¯t look at him but stared at other men with great interest.

    At this thought, his face darkened even more, and he kept walking, pulling the woman forward.

    Chu Molin walked so fast that Qin Xue couldn¡¯t keep up. Walking too fast made her stomach uncomfortable, so she just stopped.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you walking?¡± Chu Molin looked back at Qin Xue, unable to pull her along.

    ¡°I¡¯m not walking anymore.¡± Qin Xue¡¯s eyes were slightly red as she stared at him.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you uncomfortable somewhere?¡± Chu Molin worriedly looked at Qin Xue.

    ¡°Humph, it¡¯s all your fault. Why are you in such a rush?¡± Qin Xue touched her stomach, glaring at Chu Molin.

    ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s my fault. Where are you uncomfortable? Tell me! Is it your stomach?¡±

    Chu Molin noticed Qin Xue¡¯s movement and placed his hand on her stomach, gently rubbing it.

    He said, ¡°Be good, babies. Don¡¯t bother your mommy anymore.

    Otherwise, when you come out, I¡¯ll spank your little butts!¡±

    Qin Xue laughed when she heard it, thinking how adorable this man could be.

    She was being melodramatic too, but it was all because this man was willing to pamper her. She hadn¡¯t even thought about such things before.

    Qin Xue held the hand that was rubbing her stomach and said with a smile:

    ¡°Alright, what kind of dad are you? You¡¯re already thinking about spanking their butts when they haven¡¯t even been born yet. Aren¡¯t you afraid they won¡¯t be close to you in the future?¡±

    ¡°They dare! Even if they don¡¯t get close to me in the future, they can¡¯t bother you.¡±

    ¡°Chu Molin, why are you treating me so well? Aren¡¯t you afraid you¡¯ll spoil me?¡± Qin Xue intertwined her fingers with his, hand in hand..

 Chapter 83

    Translator: 549690339

    ¡°Again, talking nonsense. You¡¯re my wife. If I don¡¯t treat you well, who should I treat well?

    Moreover, I just want to spoil you and indulge you so much that no one else can treat you better than me. So you won¡¯t be attracted to others, and you won¡¯t be able to leave me ever.¡¯

    Chu Molin said this as he looked at their intertwined fingers.

    Uh-huh, this is a good sign. She is willing to hold hands with him in public now, and her previous unhappiness has completely disappeared.

    Chu Molin walked around the playground with Qin Xue. After the scare just now, he dared not pull her to run faster.

    He remembered that he was a man and should maintain his image, so he let go of his little wife¡¯s hand and slowed down to walk side by side with her.

    Along the way, they bumped into many colleagues who were also out for a walk, and they greeted Chu Molin. Seeing the two walking side by side, they looked as if they had seen a ghost.

    Was this man who occasionally asked Qin Xue if she was tired, uncomfortable or thirsty, their Cold King Mr. Chu?!

    They looked up at the sky but didn¡¯t see the sun rise from the west.

    Chu Molin just glanced at them coldly, and they all looked away in fear, not daring to stare at the couple.

    It wasn¡¯t until tonight that many people found out that Mr. Chu was already married, and his wife was so beautiful and even pregnant.

    The news spread throughout the entire research institute the next day, saying that Chu Molin was very gentle and very much in love with his wife.

    People in the institute didn¡¯t believe it at first because they knew their deputy chief was married but had a bad relationship.

    So when Chu Molin went to work, he received the undivided attention from everyone in his team. As a result, everyone had to work overtime.

    The whole team wailed: Wasn¡¯t it just to see if Mr. Chu was as gentle as others said?

    It turned out he really was ¡°gentle¡±, but this gentleness came with double quotation marks. Of course, that¡¯s another story. Let¡¯s go back to Chu Molin and Qin Xue¡¯s walk.

    ¡°Chu Molin, were you punished for being late to work this afternoon?¡± Qin Xue asked the man beside her as she looked at the two shadows stretched out by the lamplight.

    ¡°No, I am the deputy chief. Apart from the chief and Mr. Xu, I am the highest authority in half of the institute. Who dares to punish me? I¡¯m the one who punishes them.¡±

    He recalled that the first thing he did after going to work in the afternoon was to have Li Dabao investigate Qin Xue¡¯s accident.

    He wanted to see who was bold enough to bully his people during his absence.

    These people needed a lesson, or they would forget who he was and dare to bully his people casually.

    ¡± Yo, our Mr. Chu is so awesome. Nice!¡± Qin Xue teased him.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, speak properly. I am strong, and I won¡¯t punish anyone who can defeat me. Unfortunately, in the entire institute, I am number one, so who dares to punish me?¡±

    In fact, it was because every time they returned from a mission, they had a day or two off. Chu Molin had written a plan this time due to some shortcomings in the mission.

    He also had to investigate the cause of Qin Xue¡¯s injury, so he didn¡¯t take a day off and went to work today. Who would fault him when everyone knew about it?

    Not to mention punishing him. He was just showing off his presence in front of Qin Xue and amusing his wife.

    ¡°All right, so you¡¯re just using your knowledge of our internal workings to tease me.

    No matter how strong you are, can you resist orders from someone with a higher rank than a regular researcher?

    Isn¡¯t it said that everyone who enters this place must obey orders like soldiers, with obedience as their bounden duty? So you¡¯re just humoring me with your words.¡¯

    Qin Xue wasn¡¯t a complete fool. Would she be fooled by his few words? That¡¯s impossible.

    ¡°Wife, can you give me some face?¡± His little wife was quite a surprise, knowing quite a lot indeed.

    ¡°No, face is earned, not asked for.¡± Qin Xue also went along with his nonsense.

    ¡°My wife, you are really naughty.¡± Chu Molin gently scraped her nose with his finger..

 Chapter 84

    Translator: 549690339

    Chu Molin watched the playful and adorable woman, thinking to himself:

    Perhaps the gentleness of Qin Xue is only one side of her, she should be lively in her heart.

    She has been suppressed all along and can¡¯t let it out, but now she was relaxed with him and let it out unintentionally. Isn¡¯t it a good thing? To be able to be true to herself.

    ¡°Do you like it? Do you like me like this?¡± After asking, Qin Xue regretted it. It seemed like a plea for love, she lowered her gaze to the ground, afraid of seeing the man¡¯s displeased expression, and thus missed observing his beguiling smile.

    Chu Molin held Qin Xue¡¯s hand, scribbling words in her palm.

    Astonishingly, Qin Xue looked up at Chu Molin, her eyes narrowed into smiling crescents because Chu Molin had written: I love you.

    After two rounds of walking, Qin Xue didn¡¯t want to walk anymore and pulled the man¡¯s hand to go home: ¡°Chu Molin, 1 1 m tired, let¡¯s go back.¡±

    Of course, Chu Molin had no objection. To him, the little distance they traveled didn¡¯t matter.

    Going back early to rest was a good idea, he could spend more time with his little wife during the upcoming days off.

    ¡°Baby, you sit down and rest a bit. I¡¯ll go heat up some water for you to shower.¡± Chu Molin pulled Qin Xue to a chair to sit down and went off to heat the water.

    Qin Xue wanted to say that he didn¡¯t need to, she could just wash in the space, but she didn¡¯t know how to bring it up, so she remained silent and watched the man hustling.

    ¡°Wifey, the water is ready. I¡¯ll bring it to the bathroom for you, get your clothes ready.¡± Chu Molin heated the water and poured it into a bucket to take over to the bathroom.

    ¡°Okay, add some more water to heat up, you¡¯ll need hot water for your bath too.¡±

    Qin Xue stood up to retrieve her pajamas from the room. This time she took a modest cotton set. She didn¡¯t dare to bring out the black lacey nightgown again.

    Otherwise, considering the current progress of their relationship, her man might not be able to control himself.

    ¡°Wifey, I can just take a cold shower, I don¡¯t need hot water.¡± They had frost resistance training, exercising in snowy fields without any clothes on during the winter.

    If they weren¡¯t afraid then, they certainly wouldn¡¯t be affected by the hot weather now and wouldn¡¯t need hot water.

    ¡°No, you must take a hot shower, now and in the future. You might not care when you¡¯re young, but you¡¯ll understand the implications when you get old.¡± Qin Xue vetoed.

    When he was on duty for research and other tasks, if he didn¡¯t take good care of his body, it might lead to hidden injuries. If he didn¡¯t pay enough attention, he would suffer in the future.

    He was her husband now, and she wouldn¡¯t allow him to treat his body carelessly.

    Hearing his little wife caring about him, Chu Molin felt sweet inside.

    Fine, it wasn¡¯t a big deal, just a hot shower. It¡¯s just that sometimes cold showers were more convenient. If his wife didn¡¯t allow cold showers, then he wouldn¡¯t take them.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll listen to my wife.¡± Chu Molin added more water to the pot to heat.

    Qin Xue hung up her clothes and stood at the door waiting for Chu Molin to bring the water in.

    ¡°Darling, why don¡¯t I help you wash? You see, it¡¯s not convenient with your big belly.¡±

    A gleam flashed in Chu Molin¡¯s eyes as he looked at the woman in front of him.

    ¡°Get out, no one needs your help.¡± Qin Xue pushed him out.

    Then she closed the door, added some spiritual spring water mixed with what seemed like a potion of peach blossoms, and instantly, the bathroom was filled with the fragrance of peach blossoms.

    After that, she tied up her hair, not planning to wash it. Then she began to undress for the shower.

    After months of being nourished by the spiritual spring water, Qin Xue¡¯s skin was white and tender; it felt better than ever.

    After taking a leisurely petal bath, she felt very comfortable. She opened the small window to ventilate the room and then placed the remaining petals and water into a space.

    If it weren¡¯t for the fear of arousing Chu Molin¡¯s suspicion, she would have taken a bath directly in the big bath tub in the home. It was much more convenient than bending over in the bathroom.

    After getting dressed, she brought out another tub of spiritual spring water, saving an empty tub for Chu Molin to put in hot water.

    Now that she had accepted him in her heart, of course, she would want to share such good things with him.

    She would not tell him about the space, but she would not deliberately hide it either. She would just let everything develop naturally.

    Qin Xue checked herself in the mirror before opening the door to leave..

 Chapter 85

    Translator: 549690339

    Chu Molin picked up a book and sat on a bench to read, waiting for his wife.

    After reading for a while, Chu Molin felt agitated and closed the book, putting it on the small table. He leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes and rubbing his temples with his hands.

    Hearing the door open, he took his hands away and opened his eyes to look at the freshly showered woman. Her fair face was flushed pink with the steam, making her look extremely adorable, like a red apple.

    Qin Xue came out of the restroom just in time to see him massaging his temples.

    She walked behind him and gently rubbed his temples with both hands before massaging the rest of his head¡¯s pressure points.

    She continued, massaging his neck¡¯s pressure points for a while before releasing her hands, ¡°How do you feel now? Better?¡±

    She asked but didn¡¯t hear any response from him. Seeing that his eyes were closed, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder if he had fallen asleep.

    He hadn¡¯t taken a shower yet. She walked in front of him and touched his handsome face, ¡°Chu Molin, go take a shower and then go to bed, got it?¡±

    Suddenly feeling a loss of balance, Qin Xue found herself being held by the man and sitting on his lap, her entire face buried in her swan-like neck. ¡°Wife, you smell so good.¡± The hot breath from his nose and mouth tickled her skin.

    Qin Xue couldn¡¯t help but giggle, ¡°Stop messing around and go take your shower. Aren¡¯t you tired after a whole day of work?¡±

    ¡°l don¡¯t feel tired with my wife here.¡± Chu Molin continued to muffle his words in Qin Xue¡¯s neck, his voice sounding suppressed.

    She couldn¡¯t stop laughing and could barely speak, ¡°Stop¡­ stop it, it¡¯s very ticklish, didn¡¯t you hear?¡±

    Hearing this, Chu Molin¡¯s eyes lit up. She was so ticklish; perhaps he had found her Achilles heel:

    ¡°What about this? Is it ticklish?¡± Chu Molin reached out and tickled her.

    ¡°What about this? Ticklish?¡± Feeling the woman in his arms trembling with laughter, a deep chuckle slipped from his lips.

    Qin Xue was annoyed to death. He would always tickle her at every opportunity, and she was so ticklish.

    Feeling frustrated, she tried to wriggle free from his embrace, squirming around on his lap but unable to break free from his iron grip.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, don¡¯t move around.¡± The man warned in a hoarse voice.

    Qin Xue obediently stopped moving, ¡°Go take a shower.¡±

    Chu Molin bit her shoulder hard before silently letting her back down onto the chair. He went to grab his clothes and shower.

    While hanging up his clothes, he discovered the barrel of water with a comfortable scent wafting from it.

    It was just like the water from last night¡¯s bath. He bent down to take a deep breath, feeling the spiritual energy in the air. This must be something his wife had prepared for him.

    With the corners of his lips curling up, he took a glance at his wife in the living room before starting to undress and shower.

    Looking at the wound on his back in the mirror, he noticed that the red and slightly inflamed wound had already started to scab over.

    In just one or two more days, it would probably be fully healed. With such a healing speed, it would undoubtedly cause an uproar if it were discovered by others.

    He had endured similar wounds in the past, and without inflammation, it would take at least half a month to heal to its current state.

    However, this time, after only a day and a night, the wound was no longer red, swollen, or inflamed. It had already scabbed over.

    The only exceptions were the water from last night¡¯s shower and the water Qin Xue had given him to drink.

    Not to mention the peach blossom wine. Now his little wife had given him another barrel of water.

    The message was undeniable, and he would not let his wife¡¯s kindness go to waste.

    But he would not ask her where these things came from.

    He just needed to remember to tell her not to bring them out carelessly and let others discover them.

    After all, like the saying goes, ¡°No guilt lies in the man who bears jade.¡± He didn¡¯t need to think about what would happen if such good things were discovered by others..

 Chapter 86

    Translator: 549690339

    Chu Molin quickly took a combat bath. It was indeed great, making his whole body feel relaxed and comfortable.

    He fetched water to wash his clothes, and when he saw his wife¡¯s clothes also set aside, he casually washed them as well. Being a man, he never considered it inappropriate to wash a woman¡¯s clothes.

    When Chu Molin reached his little wife¡¯s underwear, even his naturally dark face turned red. The underwear was a tiny thong, petite and sexy, not like the wide, large panties women wear nowadays.

    Qin Xue¡¯s bra was not a white tank top like women wear now, but two straps connected to two bowl-shaped items. It was obvious that these semi-circular bowls were meant to cup something.

    If Qin Xue knew this, she would definitely reply, ¡°Bro, that¡¯s called a bra, not a bowl.¡¯

    Poor Chu Molin, blushing while carefully washing his little wife¡¯s underwear, imagining how good she would look wearing it, and wishing he could catch a glimpse.

    Qin Xue had no idea that the man was washing her clothes.

    Qin Xue thought of his wound and filled a pot with spiritual spring water, also pouring a cup for him to drink before going to sleep.

    She picked up the book Chu Molin had just been reading. It was military-themed; she flipped through it but found it uninteresting and put it back on the table. Seeing the time, she shouted towards the bathroom:

    ¡°Chu Molin, after showering, drink the water in the cup on the table before you go to sleep, understand?¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡± Chu Molin replied to his little wife, quickly washed the clothes, rinsed them, wrung them out and placed them in the basin to dry on the small balcony later.

    Qin Xue heard the man¡¯s answer and returned to her room, taking a medical book from her space to read in bed, planning to wash clothes tomorrow.

    Chu Molin found some hangers to hang the clothes, looking at his wife¡¯s clothes hanging next to his, he chuckled.

    He turned around, picked up the cup of water on the table, took a sip, and his eyes lit up.

    Indeed, it was the same as the water he had drunk during the day. He threw his head back and drank the rest of the water in the cup, then picked up the book from the table and entered Qin Xue¡¯s room.

    Chu Molin placed the book on the table and immediately sat down at her desk to start reading.

    Qin Xue watched the man¡¯s actions, her lips twitched as if she wanted to say something, but after glancing at the man she decided to let it go.

    Qin Xue continued with her book! And Chu Molin, seeing that Qin Xue didn¡¯t drive him out, had a triumphant smile where she couldn¡¯t see.

    The couple quietly read their respective books, neither speaking nor disturbing the other.

    Qin Xue read while observing that Chu Molin showed no intention of returning to his own room and just continued reading her medical book.

    Only when her eyes started to sting from tiredness, indicating she wanted to sleep, did she close her book and look at Chu Molin saying:

    ¡°Chu Molin, it¡¯s very late.¡± The implied message being, it¡¯s very late, I want to sleep now, aren¡¯t you supposed to go back to your room to sleep?

    Chu Molin glanced at the time, closed his book and said, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s late. It¡¯s time to sleep.¡±

    Even though he said that, he remained seated and didn¡¯t move.

    Of course, Chu Molin knew what Qin Xue meant; he understood it from the many times she had looked at him but hadn¡¯t spoken.

    However, he didn¡¯t conform to her hint. Since he intended to spend the rest of his life with her, he would seize every opportunity to be with her, so why would he return to his previous state? Hence, Mr. Chu complacently played dumb.

    Either they would sleep together, or he would continue to stay here, preventing both of them from sleeping.

    ¡°Um, aren¡¯t you going back to your room? This is my room,¡± Qin Xue plainly expressed her intention, looking at the man pretending to be oblivious.

    Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue pitifully and said, ¡°Xue¡¯er, we are husband and wife.¡¯

    His meaning was, ¡°We are husband and wife, we should sleep together.¡± His tone was so aggrieved that it made Qin Xue feel guilty, as if she had done something wrong.

    But, according to the way the previous Fang Hong had described her actions and manners, this separate sleeping arrangement was definitely proposed by this man. So, what should they do now?

    ¡°But haven¡¯t we always been sleeping separately?¡±

 Chapter 87

    Translator: 549690339

    ¡°I want to change that, you know, no other couple sleeps in separate rooms,

    And look, your belly is so big now, it must be inconvenient, right? If we sleep together, I can help you if you need to get up at night or need something, right?¡± Chu Molin started to set the trap to see if Qin Xue fell for it.

    Qin Xue thought about what Chu Molin said and it seemed reasonable, so she agreed.

    As soon as the man got the woman¡¯s approval, he took off his clothes, put on some big shorts, and laid down on the bed, looking at Qin Xue, ¡°Wife, come lay down! Aren¡¯t you tired?¡±

    Qin Xue stared in disbelief at the man¡¯s series of actions. Had she made a mistake?

    Why did she feel like a lamb entering a tiger¡¯s mouth? So, our Chu big bad wolf wins again.

    Qin Xue went to the bathroom before returning to the bedroom to sleep. Seeing Chu Molin sleeping on the outer side, she hesitated and then spoke:

    ¡°You go sleep inside, or else I¡¯ll disturb you when I get up at night.¡± As the baby grew, her uterus pressed on her bladder, increasing the frequency of urination. So, she had to go to the restroom one or two times every night.

    Chu Molin had figured it out by the sound last night, but he still chose to sleep outside and let Qin Xue sleep inside, ¡°No need, wife. I¡¯ll still sleep outside, and you sleep inside.¡±

    Qin Xue realized that he wouldn¡¯t sleep inside, so she crawled in, lying down with her body stiff.

    Mainly, Qin Xue wasn¡¯t used to sleeping with someone else. From what she could remember, she always slept alone.

    Later, she lived in a dormitory with several people while studying, but it was still one person per bed. Now having someone nearby, it was natural to feel tense. Qin Xue stared at the ceiling and whispered to herself for a long time before closing her eyes to sleep.

    Chu Molin saw Qin Xue lay down and not moving. He turned his head and saw her with closed eyes but lying stiffly.

    Seeing how tense his little wife was, he wondered how she could sleep like this, and he moved closer to Qin Xue.

    Chu Molin lay on his side, watching her long eyelashes tremble like fluttering butterfly wings.

    He tried to stretch his arm and let her head rest on it, adjusting her into a comfortable sleeping position, while placing his other hand on her belly, feeling the baby¡¯s movements kicking his palm.

    ¡°Wife, are you asleep? Look, the baby kicked me, Are they talking to me or just saying goodnight?

    Do you know? It¡¯s so great to be with you.¡± The man¡¯s palm gently stroked her belly. It¡¯s so wonderful, she¡¯s his wife and they have kids ¨C he has a family now.

    Qin Xue felt the man¡¯s caution and gradually relaxed. She opened her eyes and looked at the handsome face:

    ¡°The babies can feel your interaction with them, and they¡¯re greeting you. If you sing or read to them or tell them stories, they can hear you too.¡± This is prenatal education from later generations.

    ¡°Really? They can understand those things even though they¡¯re so small and still in the belly?¡± Chu Molin thought it was quite unbelievable.

    Chu Molin saw that Qin Xue relaxed and was no longer nervous under his guidance. This is a good sign! It means she¡¯s slowly getting used to him.

    ¡°Hmm, of course it¡¯s true. When have I lied to you?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, wife never lied to me.¡± Chu Molin thought she didn¡¯t lie, but that other Qin Xue did, where did those kids come from!

    ¡°Chu Molin, turn off the light, it¡¯s too bright and dazzles my eyes.¡± She yawned after finishing her sentence.

    ¡°When I¡¯m not home, do you also sleep with the light off?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I sleep with the light off.¡± Qin Xue, with her sleepy eyes, mumbled.

    ¡°It¡¯s so dark, how can you see when you get up at night? What if you bump into something?¡± Chu Molin felt keeping the light off while getting up at night was too inconvenient.

    What if she bumped into something and he wasn¡¯t at home? How would she manage by herself? Instead of hearing a response, he heard a shallow snoring. This woman fell asleep so quickly..

 Chapter 88

    Translator: 549690339

    Looking at the sleeping woman, Chu Molin softly kissed her forehead and whispered, ¡°Goodnight, wife.¡± He wrapped his arm tightly around her and soon fell asleep as well.

    In a drowsy state, he suddenly felt a heavy weight on his stomach and his neck being tightly squeezed, which startled him awake.

    Chu Molin looked down to see the woman lying on her side, her bent leg pressing against his stomach and her arm around his neck, half-sprawling on him like an octopus.

    Frightened, Chu Molin quickly rolled her back and pulled her away from his belly to avoid harming her stomach, then looked at her sleeping peacefully before closing his eyes and going back to sleep.

    But he didn¡¯t sleep for long before waking up again, this time from being kicked in the leg. Thinking he was being attacked, he realized his wife was a very restless sleeper.

    Chu Molin sighed, adjusted his wife¡¯s position, and held her closely, trapping her legs between his own to prevent her from moving. Now, he thought, they should both be able to sleep.

    But Chu Molin had underestimated Qin Xue¡¯s restlessness, unaware if it was due to her pregnancy or just her natural sleeping habits.

    Qin Xue tossed and turned all night and later began to gently touch her belly with her hands.

    Chu Molin sympathetically replaced her hand with his own and gently massaged her belly. Only then did Qin Xue finally fall into a quiet sleep.

    Chu Molin watched Qin Xue fall asleep, wrapped her in his arms, and went back to sleep. Though he didn¡¯t sleep for long that night, he woke up as soon as the whistle blew in the morning.

    Seeing his wife¡¯s furrowed brow, he covered her ears with his hand, and as her brow relaxed, he quickly got up, got dressed, and went out to exercise. Despite being on leave, he didn¡¯t plan to skip his workout.

    When Qin Xue woke up, it was already seven o¡¯clock and the man who had slept beside her was long gone.

    She wore an off-shoulder maternity dress with lace and braided a small strand of hair in front of her forehead, while the rest of her hair was braided in a bun atop her head. It looked refreshing and attractive.

    After washing up, Qin Xue caught a fish from her space and made fish slice porridge, sprinkling some green onion on top. The white porridge adorned with vibrant green onions was a beautiful sight.

    Thinking about Chu Molin¡¯s appetite, she decided to also prepare some scallion pancakes for him.

    As soon as the pancakes were on the table, Chu Molin returned, hanging his clothes on a nearby rack.

    Upon seeing his wife¡¯s outfit, Chu Molin¡¯s eyes lit up. He had never seen anyone dress up like this, and it was truly eye-catching.

    It had to be said that Mr. Chu was very open-minded, at least in Qin Xue¡¯s opinion.

    All she was doing was exposing her shoulders, which were still mostly covered by a wide strap. Was that really so shocking?

    ¡°You¡¯re back. Do you want to shower before having breakfast?¡± Qin Xue noticed that his clothes were soaked with sweat.

    ¡°Mmm, I¡¯ll take a shower. You go ahead and eat.¡± Fearing his sweaty state would repulse his wife, Chu Molin changed into casual clothes and headed for the bathroom.

    Qin Xue proceeded to stir-fry some greens and served two bowls of fish slice porridge just as Chu Molin finished his shower at an incredible speed, making her wonder if he always rushed like this.

    ¡°Why are you wearing casual clothes? Don¡¯t you have to go to work?¡± It seemed like people here never wore casual clothes. Every time she saw them, they were in uniforms.

    Qin Xue considered that she hadn¡¯t seen Chu Molin¡¯s wardrobe yet, so she didn¡¯t even know if he had regular clothes. But now, seeing him wear casual clothes, she knew he did.

    She thought about designing a couple of suits and jackets for him and asking Fang Hong to make them so he could have a change of clothes.

    ¡°Wife, don¡¯t you remember? I told you yesterday that I¡¯m taking you out today to meet my friends.¡± Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue for her response.

    ¡°Ah, I didn¡¯t know you were serious. Are you on leave today?¡± Qin Xue had thought he was joking, but apparently, he wasn¡¯t.

    ¡°Of course I¡¯m serious. Did you think I was playing a joke on you?¡± Chu Molin raised his eyebrows at Qin Xue, who could only respond with an awkward smile..

 Chapter 89

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue slowly chewed on a vegetable stem, considering whether or not to bring a gift for Chu Molin¡¯s friend, as he wasn¡¯t making a joke.

    Vegetables were not the ideal gift, but she still had four small jars of wine left from the batch she originally planned to give to Li Zhao and An Hao.

    But Chu Molin and the others had an over-the-top reaction to that wine, probably best not to offer it to others.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, what are you thinking about? Eat your breakfast quickly. It¡¯s not good for your body if it gets cold,¡± said Chu Molin noticing his wife furrowing her browse over her untouched porridge.

    ¡°Oh, I was just thinking about whether to bring a gift for your friend.

    We don¡¯t seem to have anything at home to give, except for the peach blossom wine you guys drank last time; can that be given to your friend?

    That¡¯s the best thing we have at home, and I can¡¯t buy any gifts since I don¡¯t have any cash,¡± said Qin Xue, feeling it best to ask him.

    ¡°Yes, we can give one jar of that wine to each of them. They are my childhood friends, who grew up together with me. We have a good relationship.¡± Chu Molin thought his two old friends were trustworthy enough that he wouldn¡¯t need to worry about gifting them peach blossom wine.

    ¡°Okay, I will follow your advice. Exclusively do they prefer strong or lite flavors?¡± Qin Xue enquired, she had a selection of three different flavors for the wine.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, do you have many types of this wine?¡±

    ¡°Uh, not really, just three flavors,¡± said Qin Xue, merely mentioning the quantity thereof.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, if you give this out to others, will I still have some left to drink?¡± Chu Molin thought it best to clarify this first.

    Otherwise, if he ended up having nothing to drink after giving away the wine his wife made, those friends could wait!

    He couldn¡¯t let his friends drink all that, while he himself had none left. If his friends knew they got the wine at his expense, they would surely yell at him.

    ¡°Uh, do you want to drink it? How much do you want?¡± Qin Xue asked, sounding a bit timid.

    He hadn¡¯t talked about the wine since the night they drank it. She thought he didn¡¯t like it.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, are you saying that 1 can have as much as I want?¡± Chu Molin¡¯s eyes darkened a bit.

    Was his wife not concerned about revealing her secret in front of him?

    Just like the fish slice porridge. He was well aware that they didn¡¯t have fish at home, but there it was, freshly made, sitting in front of him.

    ¡°Well, yes, there are only three flavors available.

    It¡¯s not much, only 200 to 250 kg. So, not a lot really,¡± Qin Xue considered, she had many peach blossoms in her space and could make as much as she desired.

    The last batch she made was about 200 to 250 kg, that¡¯s all.

    ¡°What? 200 to 250 kg?¡± Even the always composed Chu Molin couldn¡¯t help but gasp. It was a hundred-year-old fine wine and she was talking about it as if it was no big thing.

    Many valuable items hadn¡¯t survived over the turbulent years. For the most part, only wines buried under the ground remain.

    Still, they could only be preserved without being discovered. This was not something to take lightly. Qin Xue¡¯s casual attitude towards all this made him feel like he had stumbled upon a treasure. Can he say that?

    ¡°Right. Is that a lot?¡± Qin Xue couldn¡¯t understand why Chu Molin was so surprised.

    She could make as much as she wanted. She hadn¡¯t made a lot at first because it was just a trial run. But according to Chu Molin, it was a lot?

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, do you know how old this wine is?¡± Chu Molin cautiously asked, as he looked at Qin Xue.

    Qin Xue wanted to say that it was only a month or two old. Where was all this talk about the age coming from? But then, when she considered that time passed differently in her space, she just shook her head.

    As Chu Molin found out her confusion, he explained, ¡°Xue¡¯er, although I haven¡¯t drank a lot of fine wines.

    But the taste and the purity from the last time says it all about this being a hundred-year-old fine wine. Such a fine drink can¡¯t be produced without at least a hundred years.

    So, besides me, you can¡¯t talk about this wine with anyone else, okay?

    Also, you can¡¯t mention the water you gave me to drink to anyone else, and you must never let anyone know you have it, understood?¡± Chu Molin sincerely advised Qin Xue, looking at her seriously..

 Chapter 90

    Translator: 549690339

    Although Chu Molin didn¡¯t know where his little wife got all these things from, or how big her secret was,

    once someone found out about it, there was a possibility that she might be in danger. So Chu Molin had to take precautions and eliminate the danger before it grew.

    Qin Xue looked at the man and nodded seriously, ¡°Alright, if you don¡¯t want me to talk about it, I won¡¯t.¡¯

    She was not really naive, knowing that she couldn¡¯t keep secrets from the man she would be living with every day.

    So, Qin Xue didn¡¯t mind revealing a little clue to him. The result satisfied her the man was not only not prying into her secret but worrying about her safety. Qin Xue now felt relieved.

    Chu Molin patted her on the head with his hand, ¡°Hmm, our Xue¡¯er is so good. ¡±

    Qin Xue grumbled helplessly, was this man addicted to patting her head, doing it from time to time?

    After having a peaceful breakfast, the two cleaned up the place.

    Qin Xue returned to the room and took out six small jars of strong peach blossom wine.

    She filled the jars she had bought last time, and according to Chu Molin, he had two childhood friends here who would each receive two small jars, leaving two jars for Chu Molin.

    There were also four small jars with a lighter taste that would stay at home and be saved for later when giving gifts to An Hao.

    ¡°Chu Molin, how should we carry these?¡± Qin Xue looked at the four small jars of wine without packaging, which didn¡¯t look presentable.

    Could she find a place that made porcelain jars and order some nice-looking ones?

    Chu Molin looked at them, found a few red ribbons, and Qin Xue had an idea when she saw the ribbons. ¡°Do you have more of these ribbons?¡±

    Chu Molin turned around and fetched a handful of them. Qin Xue took them and started braiding them into slipknots, which in the past were woven from bamboo or willow branches. Now Qin Xue was weaving them with red ribbons.

    Surprisingly, the jars looked much better when covered and carried with these red ribbon-woven slipknots.

    Chu Molin watched Qin Xue¡¯s braiding technique and picked up a few red ribbons, squatting next to her and starting to braid as well.

    Qin Xue glanced at her husband and her eyes brightened; if she wasn¡¯t mistaken, Chu Molin had just learned the technique from watching her and his braids looked so good.

    ¡°Wow, Chu Molin, you¡¯re quite talented; your braids look amazing.¡± The man raised his eyebrows and looked at Qin Xue before continuing his work.

    ¡°Chu Molin, I want to ask you something.¡± Qin Xue leaned towards him.

    Seeing the woman coming closer to him, the man was instantly happy, ¡°What is it? Tell me.¡¯

    ¡°Do you know where to buy medicinal seeds?

    Like any kind of medicinal seeds will do, of course, the more precious ones are better, especially ginseng seeds or Tuber fleeceflower seeds; if there are any, I¡¯d like to have as many as possible. Do you know where to find them?¡± The man thought, how could she read his mind like a worm?

    ¡°How did you know 1 have them?¡± Chu Molin actually had ginseng seeds, which were given to him last year when he helped an old man on a research trip in the mountains.

    At that time, there was also a ginseng plant, which he didn¡¯t take because he didn¡¯t know how to grow it and it would be useless to him.

    But the old man insisted, feeling like he didn¡¯t have anything to thank Chu Niolin with, so he had to give him something.

    The old man said he got the seeds while digging for herbs in the mountains, and every time he found seeds, he would collect them and bring them home to plant, saving the rest of the seeds he got. He had some other medicinal seeds, too.

    The old man¡¯s son had planted some of the seeds, and the rest were all given to Chu Molin, who only took the medicinal seeds and didn¡¯t take the ginseng.

    His comrades even teased him at the time, saying he could stop doing research and become a medicine farmer instead, selling medicinal herbs for a living.

    Chu Molin had kept them for over a year and hadn¡¯t touched them; if it weren¡¯t for Qin Xue mentioning it today, he would have forgotten about it.

    ¡°Wow, Chu Molin, you really have them, that¡¯s great!¡± Qin Xue, excited, promptly hugged his neck and leaned in to kiss him on the cheek.

    Chu Molin hurriedly reached back to steady her, turned his head and looked at her helplessly, ¡°Watch it, you¡¯re going to be a mother..¡±

 Chapter 91

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue hurriedly stood up straight, only then realizing what she had done.

    ¡°Chu Molin, how did you get your hands on medicinal plant seeds?¡± Qin Xue asked, curious.

    ¡°Oh, that was a complete accident. Last year, I went to a mountainous area,

    and had a bit of trouble.

    1 saved an old man, his family mainly dug up and sold medicinal plants. As you know, those were hard times, they couldn¡¯t be too bold about it.

    Later on, through some introductions, the medicinal plants they obtained were mainly for the local viscous area.

    Perhaps because I am a researcher, he gave me some medicinal plant seeds as a thank you gift after I saved him. He said that planting them could yield more medicinal plants.¡±

    I remember there was also a ginseng he wanted to give me, but I didn¡¯t accept it. In the end, since I just couldn¡¯t refuse, I only took the seeds for the medicinal plants but did not take the ginseng.

    Originally, I planned to give the seeds to someone else, but after asking around, I found there is no one who knows how to grow medicinal plants.

    So I brought them home and put them away, and it has been over a year already. If you hadn¡¯t mentioned it, I would¡¯ve completely forgotten about them.

    I don¡¯t even know if those seeds are still viable.¡± Chu Molin thought that ginseng was a valuable item, and he didn¡¯t feel right accepting it.

    As for the seeds, the old man had many at home, and he could still produce more medicines, so Chu Molin accepted the medicinal plant seeds.

    ¡°Whether theyre useful or not, just give them to me. What kind of medicinal plant seeds do you have?¡± Qin Xue figured she would give it a try anyway, since she had the space and spiritual spring water, and wasn¡¯t afraid they wouldn¡¯t grow.

    ¡°l really don¡¯t know, I can¡¯t identify them either. The old man had packed them when he gave them to me, I didn¡¯t open them to check after bringing them home, I just intended to give them to someone else.

    But since no one could grow them, I just put them away. I really have no idea what kind of seeds and how many varieties are in there.¡± Chu Molin knotted the fruit pocket in his hand and walked into the room.

    It didn¡¯t take long for him to come out with a package in one hand, a passbook in the other, along with a small handful of US$ 10 bills and a bunch of tickets, all handed over to Qin Xue.

    Qin Xue glanced at Chu Molin and took the package that seemed to contain the medicinal plant seeds, but didn¡¯t take the passbook, money, or tickets.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, take these too.¡± Chu Molin saw that Qin Xue only took the medicinal plant seeds and pushed her hand to add the money and tickets.

    ¡°Chu Molin, I have money on my own. I don¡¯t need these, you keep them.¡± Qin Xue had money to spend now.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, you are my wife, so my money is your money, shouldn¡¯t I hand it over to you for safekeeping?

    The passbook contains my savings from the past few years, it¡¯s not much. Also, these are the allowances, bonuses, and tickets from the past four months.

    When I went on that research trip last time, 1 only left you with four hundred dollars and some tickets, I didn¡¯t know 1 would be on such a long mission. When I came back, I didn¡¯t even ask you if you had enough money or if you borrowed any from others. If you did, use this to pay them back.¡± Chu Molin hadn¡¯t given Qin Xue his savings passbook when they first got married, because of her challenging personality and behavior at the time.

    But after their marriage, he had stopped saving money and had been handing over his monthly allowances to Qin Xue.

    Chu Molin had been reprimanded and went on a research trip directly afterward, leaving only a few hundred dollars and tickets for Qin Xue to use in case of emergencies while he was gone.

    Chu Molin didn¡¯t expect to be gone for four months, and when he returned, he was immediately met with a pleasant surprise. Now that he had acknowledged Qin Xue, he naturally handed over his financial power to her.

    ¡°No, Chu Molin, I really do have money. I¡¯ll just take a few of these tickets to repay Sister Fang Hong. As for the rest of the money, you keep it for yourself.

    A man without any cash isn¡¯t a good thing, right?¡± Qin Xue wasn¡¯t the type to be stingy with her husband¡¯s money.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, you keep it. If I need money, I¡¯ll just ask you.¡± Chu Molin put the money back into Qin Xue¡¯s hand, turned around, and continued to pack the wine into the fruit pocket, paying no further attention to her.

    Qin Xue looked at the money in her hand. Fine, if this man was so willing to hand over the financial reins, it would be too pretentious of her to refuse. She pulled out five US$ 10 bills and handed them to Chu Molin:

    ¡°Keep some for yourself. It wouldn¡¯t be good to have no money to buy anything, right?¡±

    Chu Molin looked at the money in front of him, took it, and put it in his pocket.

    Qin Xue put the medicinal plant seeds and money away in the room, put on her backpack, and then went out with Chu Molin to pack the wine so that it wasn¡¯t visible on the outside. They only carried the wine out the door after that. Otherwise, it would be too conspicuous, especially since this wine was

    extraordinary..

 Chapter 92

    Translator: 549690339

    When Qin Xue and Chu Molin made it downstairs, they again encountered the group of women chatting. It felt as if they would encounter this group every time they stepped outside, didn¡¯t these women have anything else to do?

    ¡°Is Mr. Chu going out?¡± Zhang Cuihua¡¯s eyes lit up as she watched Chu Molin. Regarding Qin Xue, she automatically ignored her.

    Chu Molin just nodded in response without saying anything. His face always had the same neutral expression, cold as ice, towards everyone except Qin

    Xue.

    Zhang Cuihua was slightly embarrassed. Mr. Chu was as cold as ever, but handsome nonetheless. Even with his icy demeanor, she found him attractive. It was just a pity that she was already married.

    Qin Xue caught a glimpse of Zhang Cuihua¡¯s expression then glanced at Chu Molin. It seemed like Zhang Cuihua had a thing for Chu Molin, no wonder she targeted her every time they crossed paths.

    Perhaps Zhang Cuihua felt that she couldn¡¯t openly express her affection for Chu Molin since she was married, thus choosing to target Qin Xue. But, unfortunately for her, Chu Molin was with Qin Xue.

    ¡°Qin Xue, where are you two going? Why are you carrying stuff?¡± Another woman proceeded to ask Qin Xue directly, completely bypassing Chu Molin. This way, she avoided attracting gossip. The question was more a matter of whether Qin Xue was willing to cooperate.

    ¡°Hmm, just going out for a bit,¡± Qin Xue smiled in response before following Chu Molin away.

    ¡°Zhang Cuihua, didn¡¯t you say last time that the child in Qin Xue¡¯s stomach isn¡¯t Mr. Chu¡¯s? But it seems Mr. Chu isn¡¯t angry about this, and their home seems peaceful. 1 haven¡¯t seen any issues pop up. You see, they are even going out together now,¡± remarked a woman who had overheard their conversation last time.

    ¡°In my opinion, it should be Mr. Chu¡¯s child. Otherwise, why would someone like Mr. Chu willingly raise someone else¡¯s child? Don¡¯t you all think so?¡± another woman chimed in.

    Hearing the conversation behind him, Chu Molin¡¯s expression turned icy.

    Were these the kinds of rumors people spread about his woman all the time? Were these baseless rumors allowed to propagate?

    And was there any doubt about the parentage of their child? Did he not know whose child it was? Chu Molin glance over at Qin Xue, but her face remained calm. Had she not heard their conversation? He found that hard to believe.

    Qin Xue looked at Chu Molin¡¯s stern face, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, is this how people talk about you all the time!¡± Chu Molin asked in a cold tone. He was indifferent if gossips were spread about him, but not when they involved Qin Xue.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know about at other times, but every time I go out, they seem to be there, and their words are more or less the same. Initially, I would retaliate, but later, I stopped caring. They can say whatever they want. As long as they don¡¯t say it to my face, I act as if I¡¯ve not heard it. Besides, some issues need a fatal finishing blow to silence them properly, don¡¯t you agree? So there¡¯s absolutely no need for you to be upset about this,¡± Qin Xue replied with a

    smile.

    Watching his smiling wife, Chu Molin¡¯s expression softened considerably. However, he was thinking about these gossipmongers ¨C they had obviously failed to control their womenfolk, and let them bully his woman. So, he wouldn¡¯t feel too bad about being harsh on them. If they couldn¡¯t even manage their own women, how could they manage others?

    So, while they were unaware, they were undermined by their own women. Ascending to higher positions was now impossible. Anticipating early retirement was perhaps more realistic.

    The dark and manipulative Chu Molin wouldn¡¯t let anyone harm his darling. The rest could just wait to face the consequences.

    ¡°Good day, Mr. Chu.¡± The security guard at the entrance recognized Chu Molin and greeted him enthusiastically even though he wasn¡¯t in his uniform. ¡°Hello to you too.¡± Chu Molin responded, before heading off to wait for a car with Qin Xue..

 Chapter 93

    Translator: 549690339

    While waiting for the bus at the institute, other people were also heading to the county town. However, Qin Xue did not know any of them, so she did not greet them.

    Some women¡¯s men worked under Chu Moline Seeing him, they would greet him too, and even if they didn¡¯t know him, they would follow suit.

    However, Chu Molin, with his stern face, would just slightly nod back, embodying the concept of ¡®silence is golden¡¯. Those who didn¡¯t know Qin Xue turned to look at her more because of Chu Molin, yet even out of curiosity, they dared not say anything in front of him, allowing Qin Xue and the others to wait for the bus in peace.

    When the bus arrived, Chu Molin and Qin Xue did not rush on. Instead, they waited for everyone else to board before getting on the bus from behind. Chu Molin, with one hand carrying alcohol and the other supporting Qin Xue, got on the bus. The seats at the front were all taken, so the two headed towards the back to find seats.

    Fortunately, there were seats available; otherwise, they would have had to stand during the long journey, which would be really inconvenient for Qin Xue who was pregnant.

    Chu Molin had Qin Xue sit on the inside seat while he sat on the outside to shield her from any possible encounters with others in the aisle.

    Some women who had boarded the bus earlier were also sitting in the back. Looking at Chu Molin¡¯s actions, they felt envious. It was so considerate! They just gazed and kept their thoughts to themselves, careful not to utter a word.

    The jolting ride made Qin Xue rather sleepy. Her head leaned against the window, occasionally knocking against it. Noticing this, Chu Molin shifted closer to her, gently guided her head to rest on his shoulder, and wrapped his arm around her to secure her head, preventing it from uncomfortably moving about in her sleep.

    Qin Xue cracked her eyes open slightly and, upon realizing it was Chu Molin, relaxed and resumed her sleep on his shoulder.

    She didn¡¯t know how long she had slept before being woken up by Molin saying: ¡°Xue¡¯er, wake up, we¡¯ve arrived, we need to get off.¡±

    Qin Xue opened her almond-shaped eyes. The sight of her groggy charms made Chu Molin¡¯s heart flutter. If they weren¡¯t on the bus, he would have definitely planted a kiss on her. She was simply too adorable.

    Qin Xue glanced around, noticed the bus was pulling into the station, and yawned while stretching her back. The sleep was satisfying but left her a bit stiff.

    Normally, when Qin Xue was riding the bus alone, she would never dare to sleep for fear of thieves. But now with Chu Molin by her side, she finally felt safe enough to do so.

    Qin Xue was among the last to exit the bus, waiting until everyone else had disembarked before slowly getting off. Chu Molin, one hand carrying the alcohol and the other holding Qin Xue¡¯s hand, led the way towards the black market. The more they walked, the more familiar the route seemed to Qin

    Xue.

    It wasn¡¯t until they stood before a large iron gate that Qin Xue couldn¡¯t resist turning to Chu Molin in surprise, her mouth agape.

    Noticing Qin Xue¡¯s startled expression, Chu Molin raised her chin to close her open mouth, asking, ¡°Xue¡¯er, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Uh, nothing.¡± In her mind, a thousand horses were running wild. What could she say? What an incredible coincidence!

    After ringing the bell, they silently waited for someone to open the door. Qin Xue quietly stepped back behind Chu Molin. He noticed her movement but assumed that she was merely nervous, and did not comment, letting her be.

    As soon as An Hao emerged, she was shocked to see Chu Molin standing at the entrance with items in hand. She let out such a loud exclamation that it could practically burst eardrums.

    The moment the door opened, An Hao threw herself at Chu Molin, but he easily sidestepped her. Remembering that his wife was still behind him, Chu Molin grabbed Qin Xue¡¯s arm and pulled her into his arms, both of them neatly evading An Hao¡¯s body in the process.

    After missing the intended target of her hug, An Hao managed to stabilize herself. With teary eyes, she looked at Chu Molin accusingly, ¡°Molin, why haven¡¯t you changed at all? Letting me hug you won¡¯t kill you.¡±

    Then her gaze landed on Qin Xue in Chu Molin¡¯s arms, leaving her stunned and speechless as she pointed at them..

 Chapter 94

    Translator: 549690339

    Li Zhao heard An Hao¡¯s scream and thought that something had happened. He was so scared that he came down from the upstairs and saw An Hao with a surprised look on her face, pointing at Chu Molin and Qin Xue.

    Li Zhao went over, closed An Hao¡¯s mouth, and took her hand. He was also very surprised to see Chu Molin because he hadn¡¯t seen this old friend for a

    long time.

    ¡°Boss, how did you come here? How come Qin Xue has time to visit today? How did the two of you come together? Come in and sit down, why are you standing at the door? An¡¯an, did you act recklessly again? Boss, you¡¯d better let go of Qin Xue, be careful her husband comes to fight you!¡± Li Zhao knew that this guy didn¡¯t like people touching him since childhood, especially women.

    Now, the reason he could hold Qin Xue must be because of An Hao¡¯s impulsive attempt to hug Qin Xue. Would Qin Xue be held securely in his arms if it weren¡¯t for her being pregnant?

    Li Zhao pulled An Hao into the house, followed by Chu Molin and Qin Xue. ¡°Zhaozi, I wasn¡¯t reckless. I was just too excited to see Molin, so I wanted to give him a hug. But he still wouldn¡¯t let me hug him. Fine, whatever. He stepped aside, and I saw Qin Xue. I thought at least let me hug Qin Xue, but he pulled her away and wouldn¡¯t let me hug her either. Instead, he ended up holding her. Do you think this person is still Molin? Or is it an imposter? ¡°An Hao, while walking with Li Zhao, couldn¡¯t help but look back at Qin Xue, feeling that something was off.

    ¡°Boss, it¡¯s been a long time since you came here. What have you been busy with recently? And Qin Xue, do you have any business coming to my place today?¡± After Li Zhao led the two to sit on the living room sofa, he poured each of them a glass of water and then looked at them inquiringly.

    ¡°l have nothing to do. I originally planned to visit the store today, but someone dragged me over here.¡± Qin Xue had intended to go to the store and start training tomorrow, but Chu Molin had disrupted her plans.

    ¡°Dragged here? Who brought you here? Why didn¡¯t I see them? Did they leave?¡± Li Zhao didn¡¯t forget to put the blame on Chu Molin, accusing him of keeping women away his whole life.

    ¡°He¡¯s not far away, but right in front of you.¡± Qin Xue pointed to Chu Molin.

    ¡°What? The boss brought you here? Do you two know each other? Or are you two¡­?¡± Now it was Li Zhao¡¯s turn to be startled. What was the relationship between these two?

    Could they be a married couple? But he hadn¡¯t heard of the boss getting married. If they were married, it¡¯s impossible for there to be no news about it at home.

    ¡°Alright, don¡¯t be so shocked. It¡¯s just as you think. I brought her here to meet you guys. Judging by your reactions, did you guys know each other before?¡± Chu Molin had already made up his mind that they knew each other in his heart, but was it just too much of a coincidence?

    ¡°Boss, when did you get married? How come we¡¯ve never heard about it before? No Xuvay, I have to call Old Three to come over. Isn¡¯t this too shocking?¡± Li Zhao couldn¡¯t finish his sentence before he was already dialing the phone. Qin Xue glanced at him and pursed her lips. She was still struggling for a living while Li Zhao already had a telephone to use. Even though it was an old-fashioned rotary dial telephone from the period of the Republic of China, it was still better than not having one.

    ¡°Hello, this is Xiao Qi.¡± Xiao Qi was discussing with his secretary about the upcoming meeting when the phone rang in his office. He picked it up, as only a few people could directly call his office.

    ¡°Old Three, come over to my place quickly. The boss is here and he brought his wife. Hurry up.¡± As soon as Li Zhao heard Xiao Qi¡¯s voice on the other end, he blurted out everything before hanging up, without waiting for a response.

    ¡°Boss, that¡¯s really not fair. Not only did you not tell us about your marriage, you didn¡¯t even tell my family.¡± Li Zhao recalled that he hadn¡¯t heard anything when he took An Hao back home.

    Now that Qin Xue¡¯s belly was so big, it was obvious that she was six or seven months pregnant. This meant that the boss had been married for almost a year, and there was not even a hint of news at home.. Could it be a shotgun wedding? He had met Qin Xue before but had never heard her mention her husband¡ªwho would have thought that they were a couple?

 Chapter 95

    Translator: 549690339

    Xiao Qi held the phone, listening to the busy signal, feeling like cursing. If his second brother were in front of him, he would definitely punch him.

    However, thinking about the fact that his eldest brother had just gotten married and brought his sister-in-law along, this issue was more important. So, he postponed the meeting he initially planned to hold and decided to go see them first.

    On the side, An Hao was whispering to Qin Xue: ¡°Qin Xue, tell me, how did you meet Brother Molin? You don¡¯t know, but Brother Molin is so annoying. He never allows me to touch him, even just a little bit.

    I remember when 1 first arrived at my grandmothers house as a child, there were several people with Brother Qi, and the most handsome one was Brother Molin. 1 thought such a handsome brother, I will marry him when I grow up.

    Who knew that upon hearing this, he just left without even looking at me. Later, when I was too persistent, he directly told Brother Qi that if Brother Qi continued to have me around in his presence, then Brother Qi wouldn¡¯t need to appear in front of him either.

    From then on, Brother Qi refused to take me out to play together. Not until later, when Xiao¡¯ai confronted me at school, hit me and warned me not to like Brother Molin, did Brother Qi bring me out to play again after a while.

    By that time, we had grown up a lot. I realized that my feelings for Brother Molin were like how I felt about Brother Qi, which Brother Qi told me was not liking but brotherly affection.

    1 didn¡¯t quite understand, but later, when Brother Molin left and I grew up and got married, he still refused to let me get close to him, not even a hug. Tell me, isn¡¯t he stingy?¡± An Hao finished talking and complained to Qin Xue.Advertisement

    Qin Xue couldn¡¯t help but smile. Uh, what should she sav about this? Her husband doesn¡¯t allow other women to get close to him, of course she is happy, but An Hao¡¯s personality is perhaps a bit too naive.

    How exactly should she respond? And by the sound of it, that person named Xiao¡¯ai was possibly not easy to deal with.

    ¡°Aryan, there¡¯s nothing I can do about Brother Molin not letting you hug him. He wouldn¡¯t let you, even when I didn¡¯t know him. Now that he¡¯s my husband, you still want to hug him? Aren¡¯t you afraid of me getting upset? On the other hand, would you be happy if another woman hugged Zhaozi?¡± Qin Xue thought it was best to make her understand by using role reversal.

    Otherwise, like last time she met Xiao Qi, she just threw herself at him. Seeing Chu Molin just now was the same, but Chu Molin simply didn¡¯t let her. This behavior was not right. She couldn¡¯t just throw herself at someone she liked. Thinking about it, Qin Xue looked at Li Zhao, who must be very troubled as a husband.

    ¡°Ah, it doesn¡¯t matter, there¡¯s nothing wrong with a hug, as long as they don¡¯t like Zhaozi.¡± An Hao felt that as long as they didn¡¯t compete with her for Li Zhao, it would be fine.

    ¡°An¡¯an, you¡¯re really generous. What if they seduce Zhaozi while hugging him?

    Aren¡¯t you afraid of them taking advantage of Zhaozi? Or do you not really love Zhaozi at all, and that¡¯s why you don¡¯t care if other women hug him?¡± Qin Xue believed that when you fall in love with someone, you would want to possess them and not be indifferent.

    ¡°Hmm, is that so? Will they really seduce Zhaozi after hugging him?¡± An Hao asked doubtfully.

    ¡°Definitely. If they didn¡¯t have any intentions, why would they hug him? Have you ever seen unrelated men and women hugging each other when they first meet?¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t tell her that in foreign countries, friendly etiquette consists of hugging and kissing each other¡¯s cheeks upon meeting.

    ¡°So, in the future, I won¡¯t allow other women to hug Zhaozi. Does that mean I can¡¯t hug Brother Qi anymore?¡± An Hao felt that if she couldn¡¯t hug Brother Qi, she would stop hugging him.

    ¡°Um, as long as Brother Qi¡¯s girlfriend or wife doesn¡¯t mind you hugging him, it should be fine.¡± As far as Qin Xue knew, Xiao Qi was her cousin. Although they were cousins, they grew up together and had a relationship like real siblings. So, even though hugging might be fine as long as his significant other didn¡¯t object..

 Chapter 96

    Translator: 549690339

    An Hao thought about it and decided not to hug him anymore, so as not to upset others.

    ¡°Then I won¡¯t hug Qiqi when I see him in the future. Qin Xue, why does Molin let you hug him?¡± An Hao couldn¡¯t understand.

    ¡°An¡¯an, I don¡¯t know why Chu Molin is willing to hug me either. You can¡¯t discuss this with others, okay?¡±

    Qin Xue had no idea how An Hao¡¯s family raised her.

    After getting to know her, An Hao was a completely different person from the first time they met. The first time they met, An Hao was very deceptive.

    Qin Xue didn¡¯t know how Li Zhao got along with An Hao normally. This person was just like a child who didn¡¯t understand anything at all.

    On the one side, An Hao was whispering to Qin Xue, while on the other side, the two men were also chatting.

    ¡°Big bro, can you tell me how you and Qin Xue got together?

    I never heard Qin Xue mention you, otherwise, An t an and I wouldn¡¯t have failed to recognize her when we saw her.¡±

    Li Zhao remembered that he and Qin Xue met when she sold him vegetables at the black market.

    ¡°Something happened, and then we got to know each other and got married. There¡¯s not much to say.¡± Chu Molin remembered how Qin Xue didn¡¯t recognize him when he came back.

    ¡°How come your family didn¡¯t know about your marriage?¡±

    ¡°Because so far no one except you knows that 1 1 m married, so there¡¯s no news for them to inform.¡¯

    At first, Chu Molin¡¯s relationship with Qin Xue wasn¡¯t good, and he hadn¡¯t plan to tell his family since he hadn¡¯t been home for so many years.

    If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that his relationship with Qin Xue had improved, he wouldn¡¯t have brought her to meet Li Zhao and the others.

    ¡°Ah, no way, big bro. My sister-in-law¡¯s belly is already so big. She¡¯s due in two or three months, and your family still doesn¡¯t know you¡¯re married.

    What are you doing? If your sister-in-law gives birth, don¡¯t you plan to tell them?¡± Li Zhao could guess why he didn¡¯t say anything, but some things had already been so long, and it¡¯s time to let go.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to say. 1 can handle my own business, and if you still consider me as your brother, don¡¯t tell anyone else.¡±

    Some things are not easy to forget, and Chu Molin couldn¡¯t get over his inner barrier¡¯

    ¡°Big bro, have you thought about what to do after your wife gives birth? Who will take care of her?¡± Li Zhao really hoped that Chu Molin could let go of his grudge. He had left home for so many years, and it should be enough.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of her myself, and I don¡¯t need anyone else.¡± Chu Molin lowered his head, his voice cold as ice.

    ¡°What if you¡¯re not at home for research?¡± Li Zhao said.

    ¡°Hmm, I¡¯ll ask my mother-in-law to take care of her then. I won¡¯t let the Chus take care of Xue¡¯er.¡± Chu Molin had thought about this, and he didn¡¯t feel at ease leaving Qin Xue alone.

    ¡°Alright, as long as you¡¯ve made arrangements for everything, just follow your plan.¡± Li Zhao had no choice but to hope that Chu Molin would come to his senses later.

    ¡°Zhaozi, one of the reasons I brought Xue¡¯er today was to introduce her to you. Second, if I¡¯m not at home someday and Xue¡¯er needs help, I hope you can help her as much as you can.¡± Chu Molin¡¯s work requires going out, and there are too many uncertainties. He can¡¯t always be with Qin Xue.

    Qin Xue¡¯s belly was getting bigger, and he was afraid of any dangers if she wasn¡¯t careful.

    Maybe it¡¯s time for Qin Xue to visit her mother-in-law and the others.

    ¡°Big bro, what are you talking about? Do we need to be so formal with each other? Just one word, if my sister-in-law needs me, I¡¯ll be there right away.¡± Did their childhood friendship need to be so formal?

    ¡°Alright, thank you in advance.¡± Chu Molin glanced at Li Zhao.

    This brother was not only his childhood friend but also his comrade in the past. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have told him right away that he was married..

 Chapter 97

    Translator: 549690339

    The doorbell rang, and Li Zhao stood up and said, ¡°It must be Lao San coming, I¡¯ll go open the door.¡±

    Before long, Li Zhao and Xiao Qi came in from outside.

    Chu Molin stood up and spread his arms, and Li Zhao and Xiao Qi came over for a group hug before letting go.

    Handing over two jars of peach blossom wine per person, he said, ¡°Good stuff, try it.¡±

    Li Zhao opened the jar, and the fragrance of peach blossoms mixed with the strong aroma of wine filled the air.

    Li Zhao poured a little into a cup, and the whole living room was filled with the aroma. Taking a sniff, he felt refreshed. He took a small sip, and his body felt warm, indeed, it was something very good.

    ¡°Lao Da, where did you get such good wine? It¡¯s even a hundred-year-old fine wine.¡± Li Zhao poured a little for Xiao Qi too after he finished his drink.

    Xiao Qi took a sip and looked at Chu Molin with bright eyes.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. It was just something I happened to come across, and I don¡¯t have much left.

    Sharing with you guys is purely based on our friendship from growing up together.

    I hope you guys can keep this a secret if you have it. If there¡¯s any left in the future, I¡¯ll reserve it for you. If not, this is all I have. You know what I mean.¡± It¡¯s not that Chu Molin is stingy, but anything threatening to Qin Xue must be nipped in the bud.

    ¡°Lao Da, you¡¯re too kind. By the way, where¡¯s your wife? Didn¡¯t you say you brought her along? And where¡¯s An¡¯an? Usually, she¡¯d run straight into my arms the moment she saw us?¡± Xiao Qi looked around and didn¡¯t see his supposed sister-in-law or An Hao.

    ¡°Uh, they were just here. Maybe they went upstairs?¡± Li Zhao glanced around and didn¡¯t see them. He hadn¡¯t heard that they were going out, so they must be upstairs.

    ¡°Lao Da, you really got married?¡± Xiao Qi still found it hard to believe.

    This guy had a serious cleanliness obsession which didn¡¯t just apply to dirtiness but also women.

    From childhood to adulthood, he¡¯d never seen any women get close to him, except for his sister Chu Xiaoqiao. Isn¡¯t it shocking that he suddenly got married?

    ¡°Mm, I did,¡± Chu Molin replied indifferently, his face expressionless.

    ¡°What kind of woman is she to actually get close to you?¡±

    Xiao Qi thought back to when An Hao once said that she would marry Lao Da; he nearly scared her to death, looking murderous.

    Could you imagine a ten-year-old child with a constant cold and murderous expression? It would be strange not to scare people.

    ¡°You¡¯ll find out soon enough. As it turns out, only a gentle woman like her can tame a lone wolf like Lao Da.¡¯

    Li Zhao thought about how Qin Xue was always gentle and smiling, while Lao

    Da was the lone wolf.

    ¡°Someone I know? Could it be Qin Xue?¡± Xiao Qi thought about who Li Zhao knew and who he knew too.

    Seemingly the only person who could gain An Hao¡¯s approval that fast was Qin

    Xue.

    Despite An Hao looking simple, she has a keen sense of people. Most people couldn¡¯t enter her heart.

    As for Xiao Qi, there were two reasons he remembered Qin Xue: her design drawing and An Hao¡¯s approval.

    ¡°Lao San, you¡¯re really amazing, guessed it in one.¡± Li Zhao gave Xiao Qi a thumbs up, having been startled at the time.

    Chu Molin lazily leaned on the sofa, watching them guess.

    At this moment, Chu Molin exuded a cold, noble aura, like that of a well-bred aristocrat.

    When Qin Xue and An Hao came downstairs, they saw Chu Molin¡¯s noble and charming expression.

    ¡®Qiqi, you¡¯re here.¡± An Hao saw Xiao Qi and really wanted to throw herself at him.

    But just now, Qin Xue told her she couldn¡¯t throw herself into his arms.

    So she walked over to Li Zhao and greeted Xiao Qi, surprising not only him but also Li Zhao.

    Li Zhao was even more shocked. An Hao usually didn¡¯t listen to him no matter how many times he told her not to throw herself at Xiao Qi.

    He eventually gave up disuading her, as Xiao Qi was her older cousin and his friend, so jealousy could be tolerated.

    But today, An Hao actually didn¡¯t throw herself at Xiao Qi, and Li Zhao¡¯s mood instantly bubbled with joy..

 Chapter 98

    Translator: 549690339

    ¡°An¡¯an, come here. Let Qiqi take a look at you,¡± Xiao Qi told An Hao. His cousin grew up with him after being sent to their house by his aunt.

    She was the only girl among all the boys in the family, and everyone spoiled her like she was their precious gem.

    If it were not for the fact that Li Zhao was his childhood friend, he would never have let her marry Li Zhao.

    ¡°But Qiqi, Qin Xue told me I can¡¯t hug you, because your girlfriend or wife would get angry. I don¡¯t want to upset you because of me,¡± An Hao said shyly. She hoped that Qiqi would be happy and didn¡¯t want to upset him.

    ¡°Ah, that won¡¯t happen, An¡¯an. Come here, let me see whether you¡¯ve gained or lost weight. Don¡¯t worry about it. Nobody else matters more to me than my little sister, understood?¡±

    Xiao Qi reassured her confidently. It was only after he met the special person in his life that he realized there could be someone more important to him than his sister.

    ¡°Really? Then can I have a hug, Qiqi?¡± An Hao¡¯s eyes lit up, and her smile was dazzling. Qiqi said she was most important to him.

    Qin Xue pouted at the sight of it, and Li Zhao clenched his teeth in jealousy, just when he thought An Hao was behaving well.

    Before he could fully appreciate her good behavior, this happened. He felt like giving Xiao Qi a punch, but he didn¡¯t have the courage to.

    Despite being the third in the pecking order, he was still An Hao¡¯s cousin and by custom, he should call Xiao Qi ¡°big brother¡±.

    So all he could do was suppress the resentment in his heart and keep smiling at everybody else.

    Chu Molin was enjoying the scene from the sidelines. Seeing Qin Xue approaching, he beckoned to her and patted the seat next to him, inviting her to sit down.

    Qin Xue came over and sat down next to Chu Molin and joined him in watching the drama unfold.

    Qin Xue picked up a glass of water from the table, took a sip and then put it back down.

    The water was not as good as spiritual spring water, but now that she couldn¡¯t get any spiritual spring water, she would just wet her throat with a sip of it.

    She found herself getting picky; when there was no spiritual spring water, she should be grateful for any water to drink. Now, she didn¡¯t even want to drink this water.

    Chu Molin noticed her behavior, thought about the water they drank at home and understood. He gently stroked his little wife¡¯s head, his lips curling into a smile.

    He placed his arms around his little wife sitting on his lap, his hands on Qin Xue¡¯s pregnant belly, gently rubbing it.

    Chu Molin found that he was now quite obsessed with this action. He would act more relaxed in front of his childhood friends.

    He didn¡¯t care about the others¡¯ potential mockery at all; he just did whatever he felt like.

    But Qin Xue didn¡¯t have the same thick skin. Her face turned as red as blood.

    The moment Chu Molin pulled her onto his lap, she wanted to resist, but she wasn¡¯t as strong as he was. Tears were running down her face.

    This man was getting bolder and bolder. In this day and age, who dared to be as blatant as he was?

    Upon seeing the couple¡¯s public display of affection, the other three turned their heads to look at them with raised eyebrows.

    Qin Xue was absolutely mortified. She reached behind her back to pinch Chu

    Molin¡¯s arm, but his muscles were too hard. Instead, she hurt her own hand.

    Feeling the pressure of his little wife¡¯s hand, Chu Molin chuckled. It tickled him. He grabbed her hand to find it red from the effort.

    He began stroking her hand from palm to fingertips with his thumb. His little wife¡¯s hand was soft and smooth to the touch, it was an absolute delight.

    Qin Xue, on the other hand, felt the roughness of Chu Molin¡¯s palm scratching her delicate hand. She couldn¡¯t help but pull her hand back.

    But why would Chu Molin let her? He didn¡¯t get hold her hand enough yet.

    Qin Xue shot him a glare! Chu Molin laughed, and unapologetically bit her finger.

    A jolt of electricity seemed to shock Qin Xue¡¯s body. She was furious; this man was just too despicable, always bullying her.

    Feeling the slight shudder of the person in his arms, Chu Molin couldn¡¯t contain his laughter. His laughter drew the others¡¯ attention, none of them understood what he was laughing about.

    ¡°Qin Xue, you¡¯re truly amazing to have Chu Molin hold you like this,¡± An Hao gave Qin Xue a thumbs-up..

 Chapter 99

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue was already feeling embarrassed, but then the silly and sweet An Hao said something like this. Her face turned even redder.

    ¡°What? Do you have a problem with that?¡± A cold voice asked.

    ¡°No, no, how could I have a problem? Molin, if you like to hug her, then hug more, haha.¡±

    An Hao was scared and quickly denied any objection. She was afraid that Molin might get angry with her.

    ¡°An¡¯an, come let Li Zhao hug you.¡± Li Zhao embraced An Hao and sat down on the sofa with her.

    Xiao Qi glanced at them, the corners of his mouth twitching. Was this bullying him for being single?

    ¡°Hey, hey, can you guys be mindful of your behavior? There¡¯s a single man here, do you really want to torture me like this?¡± Xiao Qi stared resentfully at the four of them, who were having too much fun tormenting him.

    ¡°Qin Xue, I never thought that you¡¯d be my boss¡¯s wife.

    Last time we met, you didn¡¯t say a single word about it, not even mentioning your name so we could have put two and two together.¡± Xiao Qi had spent over two weeks with Qin Xue helping to renovate her store and she never let it slip.

    ¡°Haha, well, that was unexpected for me too. If I had known that you guys were close friends and brothers, I would have asked you for a discount last time, I really missed out.¡±

    Qin Xue laughed about missing out, but her smile didn¡¯t show any signs of regret, while the others just laughed at the two of them.

    ¡°Sorry about that, I didn¡¯t know you were the sister-in-law. Otherwise, I would have done the renovation for free. If you need any more work done in the future, I¡¯ll do it for free, what do you say?¡±

    Xiao Qi thought to himself that Chu Molin also had a share in this, so even if it were free, it would be Chu Molin¡¯s part.

    Upon hearing this, Chu Molin raised an eyebrow. He¡¯d heard this renovation topic several times today.

    His little wife had so many secrets, and another one was discovered today.

    ¡°No need for that, a discount will suffice. There¡¯s no need to offer it for free.¡¯ Qin Xue didn¡¯t dare to let someone offer her store renovation for free, regardless of the size.

    In the future, the renovation cost would be at least US$ 100,000, and they were doing it as a business.

    Qin Xue wouldn¡¯t let someone run a losing business just for her.

    ¡°Sister-in-law, you don¡¯t need to be so polite. My boss has a share in my company as well. Even if I offered it to you for free, it would be mostly his share, so there¡¯s no need to be polite.¡± Xiao Qi sold Chu Molin out.

    ¡°Oh, you have a share too? I thought you guys aren¡¯t allowed to run a business? How come you have a share in it?¡± Qin Xue turned to Chu Molin and asked.

    Chu Molin thought for a moment, ¡°Hmm, we just can¡¯t work in the business directly. When our third brother came back from abroad and was asked to join the military, he refused because he wanted to run a business. Our family didn¡¯t agree.

    They said if he didn¡¯t go, they¡¯d cut him off financially. He still refused to go and wanted to do business but lacked funds, so the three of us formed a partnership.

    Li Zhao and I provided money without doing any work, while Xiao Qi worked without providing any money and got the largest share. Because of my job, no one here knows that I have a share in his company.

    At that time, we only had enough money to start a workshop. The third brother had only about ten people working with him, but over the years, he¡¯s built it into a company.

    The dividends I received have always been with the third brother, so when you have time, just ask him to transfer the money and shares to you.¡± Initially, Chu Molin had invested with the third brother simply because he needed support. But he also needed a backup plan since he left his family and didn¡¯t plan to go back, he had to prepare for the future.

    Back then, he thought it was simple ¨C he¡¯d eventually get married and have kids, so he¡¯d have to provide for them.

    He wasn¡¯t the kind of old-fashioned person who can¡¯t adapt.

    As an official, he wasn¡¯t allowed to run a business, which is why he invested money without getting personally involved and was just a silent partner collecting dividends.

    Now, it appears that his decision was correct..

 Chapter 100

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue could tell that Chu Molin wasn¡¯t joking, but she didn¡¯t want to monopolize his career while pursuing her own. She decided to put the matter aside for now.

    ¡°Chu Molin, let¡¯s go eat, and after we eat, I¡¯ll take you to my shop and then to the factory to talk to Mr. Guo about tomorrow¡¯s training.¡± Qin Xue hadn¡¯t been to her shop for two days and wondered how everyone was doing there.

    ¡°Are you hungry? Let¡¯s go eat then. Nothing¡¯s more important than keeping my wife and child fed.¡± Chu Molin said, rubbing Qin Xue¡¯s stomach.

    ¡°Yeah, boss, let¡¯s go to Guo Ying Restaurant. They have some great dishes there. An¡¯an, do you want to change your clothes?¡± Li Zhao asked, looking at An Hao in his arms.

    ¡°No need to change, I¡¯ll just grab my bag, and let¡¯s go.¡± An Hao urged, grabbing her bag.

    ¡°What about my wine? Should I bring it or not?¡± Xiao Qi was reluctant to part with his hundred-year-old fine wine.

    ¡°If you want to bring it, go ahead. We can share it there, and then we won¡¯t have to order any.¡± Chu Molin¡¯s words felt like a knife scraping Xiao Qi¡¯s heart.

    One of his hobbies was interior design, and another was wine.

    He loved all kinds of good wine, and he was reluctant to part with the rare wine he had recently acquired.

    ¡°Boss, can I not bring it? You¡¯ve only given me so little. If I bring it to drink, I¡¯ll have none left.¡± Xiao Qi made a sad face.

    Qin Xue found that these three men acted differently when they were together than when they were out in public.

    In the presence of others, they all looked cold and distant, each with their own distinct personality. But in the company of friends, they became a group of arrogant and annoying guys.

    ¡°Fine, you miser. You¡¯re really something, considering you¡¯re the boss of a company.¡± Chu Molin thought about the 200 to 250 kg of wine that Qin Xue had mentioned, and decided he wasn¡¯t really tempted by it.

    ¡°Third brother, just leave it with me. Don¡¯t worry. I promise I won¡¯t touch your wine.¡± Li Zhao liked good wine, but he seemed to have the same tastes as most men.

    However, no matter how much he liked it, he would never touch his brother¡¯s wine. That was a basic principle he followed.

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll leave it with you, and come back later to get it. If you touch my wine, I¡¯ll take An¡¯an back home and live with her for a year or maybe longer.¡± Xiao Qi directly threatened him using An Hao.

    Li Zhao didn¡¯t have much of a choice since Xiao Qi was his cousin who grew up with An¡¯an.

    Moreover, An Hao listened to Xiao Qi very obediently. If he asked her to go back with him for a year or two, she might actually do it.

    That was what made Li Zhao crazy. His own wife listened more to Xiao Qi¡¯s words than his own.

    Could any husband bear that? But he loved An Hao so much that he couldn¡¯t stand making her upset.

    Three handsome men and two beautiful women made up the group, drawing plenty of attention.

    An Hao and Qin Xue walked hand in hand in front, while Chu Molin, Li Zhao, and Xiao Qi followed behind.

    As long as An Hao didn¡¯t speak, she looked like a dignified, refined lady. But as soon as she opened her mouth, she became a complete bumbling sweetheart. Qin Xue couldn¡¯t understand how both of these extremes could appear in An

    Hao.

    What kind of family could raise a child like this?

    Chu Molin watched his little wife walking hand-in-hand with An Hao and discussed future developments with the other two men.

    ¡°Second brother, how¡¯s your development in the black market?¡± Chu Molin knew about the black market but hadn¡¯t participated in it.

    ¡°Things are going well in all aspects. but it¡¯s been said that the wind is changing, and the black market may not last much longer.¡± It wasn¡¯t surprising that they knew this since all of their families were well-connected in high places.

    ¡°Have you ever thought about what you¡¯re going to do after this? You¡¯ve been around here since you were discharged from the military. Why don¡¯t you want to go back to the Imperial Capital? And third brother, isn¡¯t your family against you joining the military?

    They want you to come back, but you won¡¯t? Have you put down roots here?¡± Chu Molin felt that the development in the Imperial Capital was much faster than anywhere else.

    If they wanted to create a successful career, they needed to move towards the Imperial Capital, after all, their connections were there..

 Chapter 101

    Translator: 549690339

    If Qin Xue heard what they were discussing, she would definitely admire Chu Molin¡¯s foresight and keen intuition.

    If he didn¡¯t want to do research, he would definitely be a successful businessman.

    Chu Molin was right, no matter the era, the capital of a country is always the place with the fastest and best development.

    ¡°Boss, I have my own business now, and if I leave, no one will take care of it.¡± Xiao Qi had gotten used to it and had not found a suitable person to help manage the company, so he could not simply leave it.

    ¡°Boss, do you have any good suggestions? Let us know, and we¡¯ll include you in the plan.¡± Li Zhao didn¡¯t have any particular expertise either; he only knew about the things in the army.

    But he couldn¡¯t just teach those skills to anyone. He could teach fighting and combat, or perhaps he could develop in that direction.

    Chu Molin looked at the two women standing at the entrance of the restaurant:

    ¡°Let¡¯s put that aside for now. I¡¯ll think about it when I get back, and I¡¯ll let you guys know.¡± He glanced at the others after finishing his sentence.

    ¡°Alright, Boss, you make the call. Since we were kids, most of us have always followed Chu Molin¡¯s advice.¡± Who else could they turn to with his abilities?

    ¡°Ugh, can you guys hurry up? How can several grown men be so indecisive?¡± Qin Xue couldn¡¯t stand it any longer, and after speaking, she pulled An Hao into the restaurant.

    There were quite a few people inside the restaurant, as it was currently the lunch rush.

    ¡°Hello, are there just the two of you?¡± The waiter asked Qin Xue and An Hao.

    ¡°No, hold on for a moment. We have more people coming.¡± Qin Xue glanced at the waiter and responded.

    ¡°Qin Xue, look, this is the best restaurant in the entire county. I¡¯ve only been here two or three times.¡± An Hao laughed as she spoke to Qin Xue.

    The waiter nearby felt quite honored to hear An Hao¡¯s words.

    At that time, people with a bit of status or wealth took pride in being able to enter Guo Ying Restaurant. It represented a certain social status.

    This state-owned restaurant was the best of its time.

    But in Qin Xue¡¯s opinion, it was only slightly better than other places.

    She had been to five-star hotels in the future, and it was impossible to compare this place with those in the future. So she just glanced briefly before disregarding it.

    The waiter¡¯s eyes lit up when he saw the men at the entrance, thinking how handsome they were.

    Moreover, they dressed like either wealthy or noble people.

    If she could marry one of them, she would wake up laughing even in her dreams.

    Her face turned red with excitement, and she shyly looked at the approaching men: ¡°Gentlemen, please come in. How many of you are there?¡±

    ¡°Do you have private rooms?¡± Li Zhao took a look at the main hall.

    ¡°Yes, please follow me.¡± The waiter led the way with a smile, thinking how wealthy the men must be since they asked for a private room right away.

    Qin Xue and An Hao weren¡¯t annoyed that they were ignored by the waiter. They didn¡¯t follow the group and just stood there with smiles on their faces and their arms crossed, watching the scene unfold.

    Chu Molin looked at them helplessly. These women who loved watching dramas¡­

    So the waiter and Xiao Qi walked in front, while Chu Molin and Li Zhao followed behind, each leading one of the women to the private room.

    It wasn¡¯t until they reached the private room that the waiter realized her mistake, looking at Qin Xue and An Hao whom Chu Molin and Li Zhao had brought along.

    Only then did she understand how big her mistake was and said to Qin Xue and

    An Hao, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t know you were together.¡±

    ¡°You have nothing to apologize for. Who can blame us for not being handsome?¡± Qin Xue looked at the waiter and hmphed.

    Hmph, if a simple apology could solve a mistake, what would be the need for the police?

    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have judged you by your appearance. I won¡¯t do it again.¡± The waiter realized she had essentially ignored the men¡¯s wives while keeping an eye on the men. This was definitely her fault.

    ¡°Alright. just be more careful next time. Don¡¯t do this again. You never know when you might offend someone you shouldn¡¯t. And they might not be as nice as we are.¡± Qin Xue saw that the waiter understood her mistake and decided not to press the issue any further.

    ¡°Thank you, customers. I will never do this again.¡±

    ¡°Alright, where¡¯s your menu? Let¡¯s order some dishes.¡± Chu Molin spoke coldly once everyone had taken their seats..

 Chapter 102

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    ¡°Alright.¡± The server brought the menu to Chu Molin on the low table, poured a pot of tea for everyone, and then stood by, waiting for them to order.

    Chu Molin handed the menu to Qin Xue and An Hao, ¡°Xue¡¯er, An¡¯an, you two order. Choose whatever dishes you¡¯d like.¡±

    Qin Xue looked through the menu and finally ordered a cold pork stomach salad and sweet and sour pork ribs before handing it back to Chu Molin.

    Chu Molin didn¡¯t order and handed the menu to Xiao Qi. Xiao Qi ordered a red-cooked fish and stir-fried pork kidney. Li Zhao and An Hao ordered a braised chicken with mushrooms and a stir-fried cabbage. With five people and six dishes, Qin Xue finally ordered a stir-fried vegetable heart before stopping.

    The server closed the menu, took their order, and left the private room, closing the door. Qin Xue nodded, thinking that the server was doing a decent job.

    Qin Xue picked up the cup to drink but saw it was tea and set it back down without drinking. Chu Molin noticed and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is there something wrong with the tea?¡±

    When Qin Xue noticed Chu Molin¡¯s gaze, she said, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. I just can¡¯t drink tea because I¡¯m pregnant.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see. Let me get a server to bring you a cup of plain water.¡± Chu Molin stood up and headed to the door.

    ¡°Wait, could you change An Hao¡¯s tea to plain water too?¡± Qin Xue thought of when she had held An Hao¡¯s wrist and checked her pulse earlier.

    Chu Molin glanced at An Hao and then at Li Zhao, raising his eyebrows.

    The others hadn¡¯t heard what Qin Xue had said earlier, so they didn¡¯t think anything of Qin Xue¡¯s request for An Hao¡¯s drink change.

    But Chu Molin had heard just now that Qin Xue couldn¡¯t drink tea because she was pregnant and had wanted to get her plain water instead.

    Now that Qin Xue asked for An Hao¡¯s tea to be changed as well, it was getting interesting. It seemed like his brother was going to be a father too.

    But it seemed like they didn¡¯t know about it yet. So, how did his little wife find out? The more they were together, the more he found his little wife to be like a mystery, and he wanted to peel off the layers of her mysterious veil.

    Chu Molin opened the door and went out. The other four people inside were chatting.

    ¡°Qin Xue, how¡¯s your clothing store business? I¡¯ve only been there when you had your opening trial, and I haven¡¯t visited since.¡± An Hao leaned towards Qin Xue, her elbow resting on the table, and her chin on her palm, looking at Qin Xue.

    Qin Xue looked at An Hao and thought that such a carefree person would actually ask her about her business. What a surprise.

    ¡°It¡¯s been great for the first few days. I haven¡¯t been to the store since Chu

    Molin came back. I¡¯m planning to go after dinner. Do you want to come along?¡± Not only did Qin Xue want to check on the store, but she also wanted to see how well Guo Aiguo had prepared at the factory and whether they could start training tomorrow.

    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll go. I¡¯ve got nothing to do at home, and it¡¯s nice to be with you.¡± Chu Molin walked in with two cups of water and heard An Hao¡¯s words.

    He thought to himself: But I don¡¯t want you to come! If you come, Li Zhao will come too, and it looks like Xiao Qi is coming today as well. How am I going to develop my relationship with Xue¡¯er then?

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, here, drink it slowly. The water is a bit hot. Don¡¯t scald yourself. And here¡¯s yours.¡± He placed one cup in front of Qin Xue and the other cup in front of An Hao.

    ¡°Wow, thanks, Molin! Hehe, I never thought I¡¯d get to drink water poured by Molin himself. This is incredible! I¡¯ll definitely finish it.¡± An Hao grinned at Chu Molin.

    Chu Molin coldly looked at Li Zhao and gave him an eye signal: ¡°Control your wife, she¡¯s too clueless.

    ¡°Boss, she¡¯s just like that. Don¡¯t mind her. I just love her this way.¡± Li Zhao smiled at An Hao and gave Chu Molin a glance back.

    ¡°You¡¯re hopeless. It¡¯s like you¡¯re the only one with a wife and I don¡¯t have one.¡± Chu Molin arrogantly glared at Li Zhao..

 Chapter 103

    Translator: 549690339

    ¡°Boss, aren¡¯t you the same? Don¡¯t you like Qin Xue?¡± Li Zhao gave his boss a look before glancing at Qin Xue.

    If Chu Molin and he were not separated by seats, Li Zhao would have liked to kick him. Is this how you treat your boss?

    ¡°Zhaozi, do you like Molin?¡± An Hao blurted out a shocking statement.

    *snort* Qin Xue sprayed out the drink she had just taken before she could swallow it.

    *cough cough cough* Xiao Qi was choked by the tea.

    Chu Molin heard this and his face darkened like ink. He coldly stared at An Hao: ¡°If you don¡¯t know how to speak, don¡¯t.¡± After glaring at An Hao, his gaze turned icy cold and landed on Li Zhao.

    ¡°Um, Molin, I didn¡¯t mean it. Who asked you guys to keep making eye contact?¡± An Hao complained.

    ¡°An¡¯an, I don¡¯t like the boss, I only like you. Just drink water and stop talking.¡± Li Zhao was afraid that if An Hao kept talking, the boss would beat him up.

    The boss wouldn¡¯t beat up An Hao, but he would beat him. Wasn¡¯t his life hard enough?

    ¡°Oh.¡± An Hao looked embarrassed.

    ¡°An¡¯an, you¡¯re really something! When you open your mouth, it¡¯s always shocking. I was almost choked to death by you.¡± Xiao Qi looked helplessly at his sister.

    ¡°An¡¯an, come over, I have a secret to tell you.¡± Qin Xue looked at everyone¡¯s expressions and suddenly spoke loudly to An Hao.

    ¡°Qin Xue, what are you going to tell me?¡± An Hao¡¯s expression suddenly changed from uneasy to curious.

    Qin Xue had completely forgotten that even in her previous life, she was only a few years older than An Hao.

    ¡°Come closer, it¡¯s a secret, of course they can¡¯t hear it.¡± Qin Xue glanced at the others.

    ¡°Oh oh, okay.¡± An Hao dragged her chair closer to Qin Xue.

    Qin Xue whispered into An Hao¡¯s ear, and suddenly An Hao jumped up with a

    scream, startling Qin Xue: ¡°An¡¯an, be careful, you can¡¯t jump!¡±

    ¡°Qin Xue, haha, I¡¯m so happy, wow.¡± An Hao hugged Qin Xue and kissed her face, causing Chu Molin and Li Zhao¡¯s faces to turn black with jealousy.

    ¡°Zhaozi, I love you, haha, I love you to death.¡± An Hao rushed over to hug Li Zhao¡¯s arm, laughing and calling out.

    Except for Qin Xue who knew the situation, Chu Molin also guessed why An Hao had such a big reaction, so he watched calmly. Only Li Zhao and Xiao Qi were confused and didn¡¯t know what had happened.

    ¡°An¡¯an, what¡¯s the matter? Why are you so happy?¡± Li Zhao looked at An Hao hugging his arm, and Xiao Qi nodded in agreement.

    ¡°Hehe, Qin Xue said there¡¯s a baby in my belly. Zhaozi, you¡¯re going to be a dad, Xiao Qi¡¯s going to be an uncle. Aren¡¯t you excited?¡± An Hao touched her flat belly and laughed with her eyes squinting, a picture of happiness.

    Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue. Was his little wife also this happy and blissful when she found out she was pregnant?

    Chu Molin regretted not being there for his little wife from the beginning. He stretched out his hand to hold Qin Xue¡¯s hand in his palm and looked at her tenderly. He completely ignored the presence of the other three, who were too busy to pay attention to the two of them.

    Qin Xue felt very uncomfortable under Chu Molin¡¯s gaze and glared at him: ¡°Dummy, what are you looking at?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m looking at you.¡± Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue and found her more and more beautiful.

    ¡°What¡¯s so good about me? You¡¯ve seen me before.¡± Qin Xue¡¯s hand felt ticklish.

    ¡°Anyway, you¡¯re just beautiful. My wife is the most beautiful.¡± Chu Molin shamelessly made people cover their faces.

    ¡°Keep talking, you¡¯re really shameless.¡± Qin Xue felt embarrassed when she heard this, although she did look quite good in this life, but she wasn¡¯t the most beautiful.

    ¡°Who says? It¡¯s not my business whether other women are beautiful or not. In my heart and my eyes, my wife is the most beautiful. How is that shameless?¡± Chu Molin chuckled as he looked at Qin Xue.

    His wife¡¯s face was really too thin. She felt embarrassed just by him praising her for being beautiful..

 Chapter 104

    Translator: 549690339

    While the couple was flirting, the other three, except for one naive one, were stunned.

    ¡°Really, An¡¯an, I¡¯m going to be a dad, right?¡± Li Zhao picked An Hao up and spun her around, shouting loudly.

    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re going to be a dad, are you happy?¡± An Hao hugged Li Zhao¡¯s head and said looking at him.

    ¡°I¡¯m so happy, An¡¯an, thank you.¡± Li Zhao kissed An Hao gently on the forehead, his eyes were red.

    This is the fruit of love between him and the woman he loves, the continuation of their love.

    ¡°An¡¯an, after we finish our meal, I¡¯ll call our grandparents. They¡¯ll be excited when they hear. Your wedding should also proceed soon, otherwise you¡¯ll have a big belly and it¡¯ll be inconvenient.¡± said Xiao Qi, he was also very happy, he was going to be an uncle.

    ¡°Okay, Qiqi, you guys take care of it.¡± replied An Hao, taking a laissez-faire approach with just one sentence.

    ¡°¡®l¡¯mra Drotner, 1 neea to call our parents later to set aDOut preparmg ror tne wedding. Originally we were waiting for our eldest brother to return before having the wedding, but now that he¡¯s back, and An¡¯an is pregnant, the wedding can proceed.¡± Li Zhao also said.

    ¡°Eldest brother, An¡¯an and I just got our marriage certificate and haven¡¯t held a wedding ceremony yet. We did this so you could attend our wedding. Now that you¡¯re back, shouldn¡¯t you go to the Imperial Capital to attend our wedding?¡± Li Zhao asked, looking at Chu Molin.

    ¡°Zhaozi, I¡¯m not going back to the Imperial Capital for now. Xue¡¯er and I can¡¯t attend your wedding. We¡¯ll send our blessings from here, wishing you a hundred years of happiness, and a lifetime of togetherness.¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t want to go back at the moment.

    ¡°Eldest brother, you¡¯re really letting me down. You¡¯re not even going to attend my wedding? We hadn¡¯t held it waiting for you, now that you¡¯re back, why can¡¯t you participate in my wedding? It¡¯s been so long since we brothers have gathered together.¡± Li Zhao said with a low mood.

    ¡°Zhaozi, I¡¯m really sorry. Xue¡¯er is heavily pregnant and it¡¯s inconvenient to travel. I don¡¯t want her to suffer. Besides, she¡¯s carrying twins which is riskier than carrying one. So I don¡¯t want to take that risk. There are things that I¡¯ll face and solve, but not now. I hope you understand.¡± Chu Molin looked at his brother; he was regretful that he couldn¡¯t attend his wedding, but now was not the time to return.

    ¡°Second brother, don¡¯t push our eldest brother anymore. If he doesn¡¯t want to return, let him be. We¡¯re together now, you can just hold the wedding with his blessings when the time comes. As long as you guys are happy, that¡¯s stronger than anything else, right?¡± said Xiao Qi, glancing at Chu Molin and then at Li Zhao.

    Our eldest brother left when he was sixteen and hasn¡¯t returned even once in the past ten years; wasn¡¯t it all due to his promise to his mother? He¡¯d not return until he¡¯s successful in his career. The eldest brother served in the military when he was young, then retired and started researching. He¡¯s been making contributions for years, waiting for a chance to rise.

    Xiao Qi could understand Chu Molin¡¯s circumstances, but because Li Zhao came to the manor after him, he didn¡¯t know about these things.

    Therefore, he couldn¡¯t understand why the eldest brother couldn¡¯t forgive Zhao Xuezhi, couldn¡¯t forgive Chu Yeting, why he hadn¡¯t returned home for such a long time.

    ¡°Hey, shouldn¡¯t all of you go to the hospital to check and confirm it? Aren¡¯t you afraid that I might be tricking you all? After all, I¡¯m not a doctor.¡± Qin Xue reminded them to pay attention to the key point.

    She could check their pulse, but for early pregnancies, she felt it was better to go to a hospital and confirm.

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right. After we finish our meal, let¡¯s go to the hospital for a checkup. Let¡¯s confirm it before we phone home, in case it turns out to be a false alarm.¡± An Hao felt that what Qin Xue said made sense.

    ¡°Alright, you go to the hospital to check after eating, we¡¯ll go to my shop to arrange some things.¡± Qin Xue had already checked a few days before, so she wasn¡¯t going to go with them this time..

 Chapter 105

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    ¡°Qin Xue, aren¡¯t you going? I want you to come with me,¡± An Hao shook Qin Xue¡¯s arm.

    ¡°Stop shaking, even if you do, I won¡¯t go. I have things to do later. How about this, I¡¯ll come and hang out with you another day, and you just be good and obedient.

    Also, I just had a check-up a few days ago, and they said I¡¯m carrying twins. Besides, there are lots of germs in the hospital, and it¡¯s best not to go there when pregnant women have weaker immune systems.

    Remember not to get sick, as many medicines can¡¯t be taken during pregnancy, or they might cause miscarriage or fetal deformity.

    So, be careful in your daily life. Later, you can go to People¡¯s Hospital for a check-up. Dr. Li Rong is quite good and very responsible.¡± Qin Xue thought about the doctor who had examined her and felt she was genuinely good.

    ¡°Really? Zhaozi, let¡¯s go to People¡¯s Hospital and find Dr. Li Rong for a check-up, okay?¡± An Hao trusted Qin Xue 100%.

    ¡°Alright, as long as you¡¯re happy, let¡¯s go to People¡¯s Hospital and find Dr. Li Rong for a check-up.¡± Li Zhao unconditionally pampered his wife.

    An Hao looked at Li Zhao, ¡°Zhaozi, you are so good.¡±

    Xiao Qi: .

    People are torturing the singles around them without considering the situation, taking every chance to show off their relationships.

    Dishes were served one after another. Everyone was happy about An Hao¡¯s pregnancy. They wanted to order some wine to celebrate, but in consideration of the two pregnant women, they didn¡¯t.

    Instead, they toasted with water. Since they had already talked a lot earlier, there wasn¡¯t much conversation during the meal.

    An Hao hadn¡¯t experienced morning sickness yet and had a good appetite, and Qin Xue, cared for by Chu Molin, also ate quite a bit.

    Finally, she couldn¡¯t eat anymore and refused the food Chu Molin handed over. She was too full.

    Seeing that Qin Xue was really full, Chu Molin finally started eating his meal properly.

    In the end, the group finished all the dishes without wasting any, which was quite rare.

    However, it conformed to the quality of not wasting food in this era, as there were still many people who couldn¡¯t even get enough to eat, let alone afford to waste.

    After finishing the meal, they drank a cup of water, paid the bill, and left. Chu Molin, the eldest brother who hadn¡¯t seen them for a long time, should have treated them to a meal.

    But since An Hao was pregnant, Li Zhao was happy and insisted on paying the bill himself.

    That¡¯s fine; after all, they are brothers in the same place, and there will be plenty of opportunities to get together in the future.

    So, it didn¡¯t matter who paid this time. In Qin Xue¡¯s view, friends were many, but it was rare to find friends who stayed through thick and thin, so a trivial amount of money for a meal didn¡¯t matter.

    The five of them left the restaurant, and Li Zhao¡¯s group went to People¡¯s Hospital.

    Qin Xue and Chu Molin headed for the clothing store, taking each other¡¯s hand, walking slowly, quietly, and warmly.

    Qin Xue glanced at the man, her little hand changed from being held to interlocking fingers, looked at their hands clasped together, then looked up at the man and gave a gentle smile.

    Chu Molin felt Qin Xue¡¯s movement and his heart was full of warmth. Now that he had his little wife and the children in her belly, he was no longer alone in this life.

    The two walked hand in hand through the market, recalling how they had saved an old person here not long ago and wondered if she was alright now, whether she had recovered.

    Such an old person with a heart condition, having family members allowing her to go out alone.

    Yes, Qin Xue was sure she had family and wasn¡¯t alone.

    Although Qin Xue was anxious to save the old woman at the time, she had noticed that the old woman was not poorly dressed. On the contrary, she seemed to be well-off. She just didn¡¯t know why the old woman was out alone and had a relapse..

 Chapter 106

    Translator: 549690339

    Chu Molin noticed that Oin Xue¡¯s expression changed after they arrived at the market. He looked around but didn¡¯t find anything unusual. ¡°Xue¡¯er, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Qin Xue didn¡¯t expect this man to notice her momentary distraction. His keenness and alertness were truly astonishing, no wonder he was already a deputy section chief at such a young age.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. I just remembered that not long ago, I saved a patient with a heart condition at this market. I wonder how she is now, whether she¡¯s better or not.¡±

    ¡°Whether she¡¯s better or not, you did your best to save her at the time. It was her luck to have met you when she had an attack. If it¡¯s meant to be, you¡¯ll meet her again in the future.¡± Chu Molin patted his wife¡¯s head.

    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. I did my best to save her from a life-threatening situation anyway. As long as she takes care of herself in the future, it¡¯ll be fine. I was just overthinking it.¡± Qin Xue looked at the man beside her.

    Qin Xue: ¡°Chu Molin.¡±

    Chu Molin: ¡°Hmm?¡±

    ¡°Having you is really nice.¡± Qin Xue looked at the man and gave him a gentle smile.

    Seeing the man¡¯s warm smile, her heart moved, and she chuckled: Xue¡¯er, it¡¯s really nice to have you too. Thank you for coming into my life.

    ¡°Chu Molin, let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll take you to see our clothing store.¡± Qin Xue took the man¡¯s hand and took the lead in walking forward.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Chu Molin followed with his long legs.

    Not long after they started walking, they saw oranges being sold ahead. Qin Xue looked at the green and yellow-orange peels and couldn¡¯t help but swallow her saliva.

    ¡°Chu Molin, I want to eat that.¡± Qin Xue pointed to the place selling oranges. ¡°Hmm, you wait here, I¡¯ll go buy some for you.¡± Chu Molin looked in the direction Qin Xue pointed at and laughed as he saw her eager eyes.

    Leading his little wife over, he squatted down to help her choose oranges.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, do you want sour ones or sweet ones?¡± Chu Molin, holding a green-peel orange in one hand and a yellow-peel orange in the other, looked up at the woman and asked.

    ¡°Pick some of both, I want to eat both kinds. Do you want the sweet ones or the sour ones?

    Just pick more of the kind you like.¡± Qin Xue recalled her previous mention of planting orange seeds in her space but then forgot to do it, so she needed to remember this time.

    Chu Molin thought about it and picked half of each kind. He didn¡¯t really like eating these things.

    Since his little wife liked them, he would pick more for her to eat slowly later on.

    Qin Xue took a yellow-peel orange, peeled off a segment, and put it in her mouth. It was so sweet, and her eyes became crescent-shaped. She peeled another one:

    ¡°Chu Molin, lower your head, open your mouth.¡± As soon as Chu Molin lowered his head, the orange piece was placed inside his mouth.

    ¡°Chu Molin, is it sweet?¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t forget to ask the man while eating by herself.

    ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s very sweet.¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t want to eat at first, but seeing the woman enjoying it so much, he decided to taste it and share her happiness.

    Qin Xue placed one segment after another into her mouth, occasionally feeding one to the man. In just a few bites, an orange was finished.

    ¡°Chu Molin, I want to eat more.¡± Chu Molin opened the bag he was carrying and handed it to Qin Xue.

    Qin Xue took a green-peel orange in one hand and a yellow-peel orange in the other. She had just eaten a yellow-peel one, so now it was time to try the green-peel orange to see if it was sour.

    Breaking it open, she put a segment in her mouth. Hiss, as expected of a green-peel orange, it wasn¡¯t ripe, and it was truly sour.

    But why did it taste so refreshing? Hehe, she peeled another piece and called Chu Molin to lower his head before putting it in his mouth.

    She watched Chu Molin laugh and wanted to see his expression when he tasted the sourness.

    Chu Molin saw the woman¡¯s mischievous smile and chewed the orange in his mouth. Hiss, it was really sour, like his teeth were being ground down, but there was no expression on his cold face.

    Qin Xue looked and saw that there was no expression. Was it not sour?

    She peeled another piece and put it in her mouth. Hiss, it was very sour. She thought about it and realized that the man was not expressionless because he didn¡¯t feel sour, but because he was used to hiding his emotions, so she couldn¡¯t see any reaction. That was no fun at all..

 Chapter 107

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    Expressionless, huh? Qin Xue peeled another segment and stuffed it in the man¡¯s mouth.

    This time, Chu Molin didn¡¯t chew and just held it in his mouth until Qin Xue was not paying attention, then swallowed it whole.

    It seemed like Qin Xue was determined to feed Chu Molin, so she peeled another segment. This time, Chu Molin refused to open his mouth: ¡°Xue¡¯er, you eat it yourself, it¡¯s too sour, my teeth will fall out.¡±

    ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t find it sour. So, you do have a sense of taste after all,¡± Qin Xue teased him.

    Then she put the segments in her mouth one by one without feeding him anymore.

    She herself had a craving for sour food during pregnancy, but he didn¡¯t like it, so there was no need for him to eat it with her.

    ¡°What are you talking about, Xue¡¯er? How could I not have a sense of taste?¡± Chu Molin said helplessly.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it? You can keep a straight face even when it¡¯s so sour, how can you do that if you have a sense of taste?¡± Qin Xue asked curiously.

    ¡°What are you thinking? I have a sense of taste, it¡¯s just that we¡¯ve never had anything bitter before, so what¡¯s a bit of sourness?¡± Qin Xue felt bad upon hearing this.

    According to Li Zhao and the others, this man had left home long ago. How much bitterness had he endured?

    She reached out and actively pulled up the man¡¯s hand, scratching his palm to comfort him.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, I¡¯m fine, I just need to get used to it,¡± Chu Molin clutched the little hand in his palm.

    ¡°Mmm, you have me. Haha, let¡¯s go and see how Fang Hong and the others are doing,¡± Qin Xue changed the subject to lighten the gloomy mood.

    The two of them chatted and laughed as they walked towards East Street.

    ¡°Chu Molin, look, that¡¯s our clothing store. What do you think?¡± Qin Xue watched the customers going in and out, buying clothes.

    The business was good, it seemed that the trial run in those days had a great effect. The whole town should know about Chenxi Clothing Store by now, right?

    Were Fang Hong and the others too busy to handle the workload?

    It seemed necessary to speed up the cooperation with Guo Aiguo and quickly make the clothes.

    Qin Xue looked at the busy people and felt they didn¡¯t have time to make a meal, so she sent Chu Molin to prepare dough for them to cook noodles.

    Qin Xue rolled out the dough and cut it into noodles, while Chu Molin boiled water and put the noodles in.

    Qin Xue saw some eggs, so she steamed an egg custard for little Jingtao, and fried three eggs, one for each person.

    She put some scallions and greens on the noodles and topped it with the fried egg. The three bowls of plain noodles were ready, and she and Chu Molin took over for Fang Hong and the others to eat.

    Qin Xue looked at Chu Molin, who was attractive even when he had a cold expression on his face. It couldn¡¯t hide his charm, and this cold face even added a dominant CEO vibe.

    Chu Molin was not used to being surrounded by so many women and didn¡¯t know the prices, so he went to the counter to handle the payments.

    Qin Xue took care of greeting customers and introducing the clothes.

    Maybe they wanted to talk to the handsome guy, but several customers didn¡¯t need Qin Xue to introduce them and just took their sizes to the counter to pay.

    ¡°Handsome guy, what¡¯s your name? Are you the boss of this store? I¡¯ve never seen you before. My name is Gu Xuelin. Can we be friends?¡± Gu Xuelin looked at Chu Molin with a shy face, but her words were direct and bold.

    Chu Molin really disliked the way this woman looked at him, as if he was a piece of meat being eyed by someone.

    She looked decent, but why were her words so shameless?

    So his already cold face became even colder, and the cold air seeped out like it was free, chilling the people around the counter.

    Qin Xue saw it but didn¡¯t go forward, wanting to see how he would handle the woman leaning forward.

    If he couldn¡¯t handle it, she wouldn¡¯t mind kicking him out.

    Only if his attitude was strong enough and he wouldn¡¯t provoke women could she tire herself out and spend more effort to chase away the flies sticking to him. Otherwise, kick them away and that¡¯s it, peace..

 Chapter 108

    Translator: 549690339

    Chu Molin happened to see Qin Xue¡¯s meaningful glance and thought to himself, was his wife suspecting something between him and this woman?

    Feeling anxious, his cold voice slipped out, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t want to be friends with you. I¡¯m already married and have a wife. Are you paying for your purchase? If so, bring your clothes here and I¡¯ll calculate the price for you. If not, please step aside and let the customers behind you pay.¡±

    Those who wanted to flirt with Chu Molin lost interest, but Gu Xuelin thought he was exactly the type of man she was looking for ¨C handsome and with a nice voice.

    Gu Xuelin came to the store because a friend told her about a clothing store called Chenxi in the county, which sold trendy and good-looking clothes.

    So she decided to take a look, and hadn¡¯t expected to meet such a high-quality man. It was a nice surprise.

    Before, men would flock to her just to get a glimpse from her. She disdained them all.

    But now, the man she was interested in was dismissive and cold towards her. This sparked her competitive spirit.

    She didn¡¯t care at all that this man said he was married.

    ¡°Of course I¡¯m paying,¡± Gu Xuelin said as she handed over the clothes to Chu Molin.

    Chu Molin took the clothes and shouted at Qin Xue, ¡°Wife, how much does this cost?¡±

    Upon hearing this, everyone turned their attention to Qin Xue, realizing that this man was truly married.

    They couldn¡¯t help but feel disappointed, knowing that such an attractive man was already taken.

    They had to suppress their budding affections, while Gu Xuelin thought to herself:

    This woman is quite beautiful, and she¡¯s even pregnant. How many men can resist temptation, especially such a good-looking man who p s also the store owner?

    It¡¯s even more impossible for him to be loyal to this woman since he¡¯s wealthy.

    With her skills and looks, she refused to believe she couldn¡¯t win this man over.

    Qin Xue looked at the princess dress in Chu Molin¡¯s hand, walked over and

    picked it up to take a look, ¡°It¡¯s US$ 88. Should I pack it up?¡±

    After asking, she pushed Chu Molin back and quietly jabbed him in the stomach with her elbow when no one was looking. She muttered under her breath that he was a flirt.

    ¡°So expensive?¡± Gu Xuelin didn¡¯t lack money, but she hadn¡¯t expected a single piece of clothing to cost US$ 88, almost equal to a month¡¯s salary for an ordinary worker.

    ¡°Expensive? I don¡¯t think it is expensive at all. Look at the style, material, and workmanship. Where can you find clothes like these in the entire county? By selling at this price, we hardly make any profit. Our business strategy is about low margins and high sales volumes, so it¡¯s not expensive at all,¡± Qin Xue huffed inwardly. If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that you had been staring at her man, she might have even given you a discount. Now, it¡¯s already good enough that she¡¯s not ripping you off.

    Chu Molin, standing behind Qin Xue, felt bitter in his heart. His wife was angry, what should he do?

    This woman messed everything up. He and his wife didn¡¯t have a deep connection in the first place.

    It had taken him so much effort to get his wife to slowly accept him. Now, this woman ruined everything and made his wife angry. He really wanted to throw this woman out and refuse to sell her the clothes.

    ¡°Pack it up then.¡± Gu Xuelin slapped two US$ 50 bills on the counter and said arrogantly.

    ¡°Sure, please wait a moment. I¡¯ll pack it up for you,¡± Qin Xue spoke gently, not showing any sign of anger.

    ¡°Here¡¯s the change and your clothes. Please take them.¡± Qin Xue handed over US$ 12 and the clothes to Gu Xuelin.

    ¡°Handsome guy, remember my name is Gu Xuelin. You are the man l, Gu Xuelin, must have. I will come back for you,¡± Gu Xuelin told Chu Molin before leaving with her money and clothes, leaving the onlookers speechless.

    ¡°Alright, stop staring. If you want to pick clothes, go ahead. If you want to pay, pay,¡± Qin Xue said, smiling at the other customers in the store.

    Someone openly declared their intentions towards her husband Chu Molin, proving his excellence. This was Qin Xue i s pride, knowing that such a remarkable man belonged to her.

    After busying for a while and finally sending these customers away, they could find time to catch their breath..

 Chapter 109

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue checked today¡¯s sales and found that more than ten items had been sold in just half a day, bringing in a few hundred dollars.

    Looking at the remaining clothes on the shelves, the small-sized ones were selling the fastest, and the medium-sized ones were also doing well.

    Qin Xue noted down the best- selling items and marked the sizes that needed to be restocked.

    While going about her tasks, she didn¡¯t even glance at Chu Molin who was following her around.

    This guy needed to be taught a lesson, otherwise, he would think she¡¯s easy to deal with.

    Chu Molin followed Qin Xue with a grievance: ¡°Wife.¡±

    Qin Xue looked at him and continued her work without saying a word.

    ¡°Wife, you can¡¯t blame me, I didn¡¯t give her a good face,¡± Chu Molin said with a fawning expression.

    What could Qin Xue say? She took the record-keeping notebook and went to find the others for a small meeting.

    ¡°Girls, have you had enough to eat? If so, let¡¯s have a little meeting,¡± Qin Xue said, looking at the three still sitting and eating by the table.

    ¡°Qin Xue, we¡¯re just about done. Give us a minute,¡± Fang Hong replied, glancing at her bowl and the others¡¯.

    ¡°Take your time, there are no customers here now, and I¡¯m not in a hurry. Don¡¯t rush,¡± Qin Xue gently said as she walked over with the egg soup and took Xiao Jingtao into her arms. She sat down beside the table and fed him a spoonful of the soup.

    Chu Molin saw this and took Jingtao from Qin Xue, making it easier for her to feed him.

    Qin Xue glanced at the man, and continued feeding the child egg soup. ¡°Taotao, is the egggy good? Let Auntie feed you, open your mouth, good boy.¡±

    Recently, business had been thriving, and Jingtao wasn¡¯t afraid of seeing so many people. Besides, he recognized Qin Xue and thought she was playing with him.

    He giggled happily, not afraid even though he met Chu Molin for the first time. He wasn¡¯t scared of his cold face, what a brave kid.

    Looking from Qin Xue to Chu Molin, Jingtao laughed like a Buddha.

    Qin Xue¡¯s heart softened, and she planted a kiss on his little face. This made even more excited, and he waved his hands and feet, wanting Qin Xue to hold him.

    Chu Molin wouldn¡¯t let this little guy get to his wife. He had just been kissed by his little wife, and now the boy wanted to be held by her too? Not a chance. Chu Molin held the child with one hand and clumsily fed him a spoonful of the egg soup with the other.

    Qin Xue saw that he was clumsy, but his feeding technique looked fine, so she didn¡¯t interfere. She let him continue feeding and went to discuss matters with the other three women.

    ¡°Ladies, there are three main reasons for my visit today:

    First, I want to see how you have done with the clothes from those new design sketches;

    Second, I want to see if you have gotten the hang of things during these two days I have been away;

    Third, I plan to start training staff at the factory tomorrow, and I want to ask how you have been thinking about it.

    Has anyone decided to join me for the training? As you know, my belly keeps getting bigger, and it¡¯s not very convenient for me to commute back and forth every day.

    So, after finishing the training and arranging the work, I will focus on the design sketches.

    I will come here and the factory every few days to check on things and solve any problems that arise. Of course, having no problems would be best.

    So, no matter what you think, you must give me an answer today so that I can make arrangements. Do you all understand?¡± Qin Xue looked at them.

    Fang Xiu replied, ¡°I¡¯ll stay here. It¡¯s not convenient for me to go to the factory with Taotao, so I won¡¯t go and cause you trouble. I don¡¯t have any other issues.¡±

    Fang Hong said, ¡°Qin Xue, I¡¯ll go with you. My son is in a boarding school, so he doesn¡¯t usually come back, and I don¡¯t need to worry about him. Even if 1 have to go on a business trip, I feel confident. The only issue is that I have never been out of town, and I feel a little scared and unsure.¡¯

    Yu Xiu added, ¡°I¡¯ll stay here too. On weekends, I have to take care of my child, so I won¡¯t go to the factory and it¡¯s not convenient for me to go on business trips. ¡±

    Qin Xue looked at them, ¡°Since you¡¯ve all made up your minds, I won¡¯t say anything else.

    From the beginning, I thought about your decisions, but I wanted you to listen to your family¡¯s opinions before making a choice.

    That¡¯s why I gave you time. Now that you¡¯ve made your decisions, let me tell you mv plans. If you have any thoughts, you can share them later during our discussion..

 Chapter 110

    Translator: 549690339

    ¡°From now on, the clothing store will be handed over to Yu Xiu and Fang Xiu; one of you will work the morning shift, and the other will work the midday shift.

    If you have any concerns in the future, just let me know. Once the store and factory are stable, we won¡¯t need to make clothes here anymore.

    So after this batch of fabric is made into clothes, we won¡¯t get any more fabric, and all the clothes in the store will come from our factory.

    Your salaries will be as we agreed before, so the more clothes you sell, the more bonus you get. Do you understand what I mean?

    If you have any questions or anything unclear, just ask.¡± Qin Xue looked at Yu Xiu and Fang Xiu.

    Fang Xiu: ¡°So you mean in the future, we won¡¯t be making clothes here, and I¡¯ll be selling clothes along with Yu Xiu, and the clothes we need will come directly from the factory. It will be much easier for us; all we have to do is sell clothes.¡¯

    Qin Xue: ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right; everything in the clothing store is related to your interests.

    Your monthly salaries will be paid as agreed before, with bonuses given at the end of the year according to 10% of the earnings.

    Your future salaries will be adjusted according to market and national policy development. However, there won¡¯t be any bonuses from the factory for you two, but if you do a good job, I will give you a bonus.¡±

    ¡°We have no objections.¡± Yu Xiu and Fang Hong said in unison. They understood that they wouldn¡¯t be getting a share of the factory bonus since it was not part of the original agreement, so they had no objections.

    ¡°As for Fang Hong, your salary will still be paid as before, but the store bonus will not be shared with you. I will give you 10% of my factory bonus.

    But your performance is tied with the factory; the more you sell, the more commission you¡¯ll get.

    It¡¯s like you¡¯ll be getting three streams of income, but how much depends on how much effort you put in. Fang Hong, do you have confidence in yourself?¡± From the start, Qin Xue had high hopes for Fang Hong.

    ¡°Qin Xue, don¡¯t worry, I will study hard and do everything well; I won¡¯t let you down.¡± Fang Hong knew that Qin Xue was helping her, so she would work hard and learn from Qin Xue.

    ¡°Alright, then you¡¯ll come with me to the factory tomorrow morning. Do you have any other questions?¡± Qin Xue concluded in the end.

    ¡°No more questions.¡± The three said in unison.

    ¡°Well then, Fang Hong, will you cook the medicine in the store or take it back to the military area?¡± As for the spiritual spring water, Qin Xue only needed to keep some aside, so it didn¡¯t matter where it was prepared.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it in the store; I can come early every day to cook it and drink it.¡± Fang Hong thought it was more convenient to do it in the store.

    ¡°Alright, from now on it will be prepared in the store.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t mind. ¡°You two, make sure you keep track of the daily accounts and record any missing stock or sizes. When you need to get more stock from the factory, let me know. Now I need to go to the factory and talk to Mr. Guo about the training. I¡¯ll leave the store to you.¡± Qin Xue stood up and looked at them.

    ¡°Chu Molin, are you coming with me or waiting for me here?¡± Qin Xue looked at the man and asked.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Molin joked; why would he stay here when his wife was leaving?

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go. Taotao, say goodbye to your aunt.¡± Qin Xue waved at Jingtao.

    Chu Molin handed the child to his mother and then led Qin Xue out.

    Qin Xue looked at her hand being held, but ultimately did not shake it off.

    Chu Molin noticed Qin Xue¡¯s gaze and her moment of hesitation but was glad that his wife had chosen to let him hold her hand.

    ¡°Chu Molin, don¡¯t you have any questions for me?¡± Eventually, Qin Xue broke the silence.

    ¡°No, as long as my wife is happy, that¡¯s all that matters. Just don¡¯t work too hard or get too tired.¡± Chu Molin knew that a person needed to have goals to live happily and that there was no need to tie his young wife down to his side..

 Chapter 111

    Qin Xue looked at the man¡¯s profile. ¡°What if I insist on telling you?¡±

    Chu Molin lifted the corner of his lips in a smile. ¡°Then go ahead, I¡¯m all ears.¡±

    Qin Xue was almost blinded by his smile.

    Oh my gosh! This man is unfairly handsome. It¡¯s too much.

    ¡°But I suddenly don¡¯t feel like saying it anymore.¡± Qin Xue answered with a gentle and playful smile.

    Chu Molin sighed with a helpless smile. His wife was becoming cheekier by the day.

    ¡°Alright, if our Xue¡¯er doesn¡¯t want to say it, then she doesn¡¯t have to.¡± He then patted her on the head.

    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s your deal? Why do you always like to stroke my head? You¡¯re messing up my hair!¡± Qin Xue complained with a pout.

    Chu Molin¡¯s gaze lingered on her rosy lips, looked around quickly, bent down and stole a quick kiss from her attractive lips, then straightened up again. ¡°You, you, you¡­¡± Qin Xue widened her eyes, stuttering with no words coming out.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Xue¡¯er?¡± The man smirked while looking at Qin Xue. He didn¡¯t believe she would come up with any complaints.

    ¡°You¡¯re shameless. We¡¯re in the middle of the street!¡±

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, how am I shameless? Would you like to investigate it further? From your perspective, does it mean that as long as we¡¯re not in the street, I can do whatever I want?¡± Chu Molin twisted Qin Xue¡¯s words.

    Tears welled up in Qin Xue!s eyes. She clearly didn¡¯t mean it that way.

    This man has no shame anymore. Why is he so cold to others but increasingly shameless towards her?

    If Chu Molin knew about Qin Xue¡¯s thoughts, he would certainly be furious.

    Doesn¡¯t this woman realize that they are husband and wife? He must be cunning to gain some sweetness, right?

    Why bother to be straightforward and gain nothing? Why not be a bit crafty? There¡¯s no reason for him to be shameless towards people who don¡¯t matter to him, right?

    Speaking of shameless, Qin Xue knew she couldn¡¯t win this man.

    He usually acts so serious, but he is all over the place when in front of her. Qin Xue had a hard time figuring him out.

    ¡°Hmph, sophistry.¡± Qin Xue gave Chu Molin a pissed off look, but she felt happy inside. This man treats her differently. She could feel his affection for her.

    ¡°Yes, whatever Xue¡¯er says is right.¡± As long as this woman is happy, let it be sophistry, then.

    ¡°Chu Molin, it¡¯s too hot. I don¡¯t feel like walking. Let¡¯s take a car.¡± Qin Xue looked at the sweltering sun, really not wanting to walk anymore.

    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll take a car.¡± Chu Molin, the devoted husband-to-be, agreed without a second thought.

    The two arrived by car at the western suburb, got off, and walked hand in hand to the factory gates.

    The signboard of the previous Aiguo Clothing Factory was covered with a red cloth. It seemed that Guo Aiguo had changed the sign and was waiting for a lucky day to reopen.

    Well, this Guo Aiguo was quick to act. He had made the signboard in just two days.

    ¡°Uncle Li, hello. I¡¯m here to see Mr. Guo.¡± Qin Xue saw that the security guard was still Uncle Li and greeted him with a smile.

    ¡°Oh dear, it¡¯s you. Go right in. Mr. Guo said you can go directly to see him when you come.¡± Uncle Li also greeted back with a smile seeing it was Qin Xue.

    Uncle Li had a good impression of Qin Xue. Plus, Mr. Guo had told him before that the girl could go in direct without signing when she comes.

    Although it was the first time for Chu Molin, as he saw them holding hands, he didn¡¯t stop him to sign-in and let him go in with her.

    ¡°Then, we¡¯ll go in. Thank you, Uncle Li.¡± Qin Xue waved her hand with a smile.

    Chu Molin softly looked at the woman full of smiles. He realized his wife really loved to smile.

    Her eyes would curve beautifully with a bright sparkling glow whenever she laughed. Her smile was contagious, even in times of trouble, her smile would unconsciously lighten the mood..

 Chapter 112

    Translator: 549690339

    The two entered Guo Aiguo¡¯s office and found no one there.

    They asked someone and found out that Mr. Guo would soon be back from the workshop, so they waited outside the office door instead of going inside.

    After all, the office is an important place for work, and it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate for Qin Xue and Molin to stay inside.

    Qin Xue and Chu Molin didn¡¯t have to wait long, as Guo Aiguo quickly returned to his office, just as they were informed.

    ¡°Hello, Mr. Guo. I am Qin Xue. Do you remember me?¡± Qin Xue greeted Guo Aiguo with a smile.

    ¡°Haha, of course, I remember. How could I forget? After all, you are now one of the shareholders. I can¡¯t forget anyone, especially you.¡± Guo Aiguo also smiled as he replied to Qin Xue.

    ¡°It¡¯s good that you remember. I came over today to ask if you have arranged the people who need training?

    If you have, 1 plan to start training tomorrow. After all, the sooner we train them, the sooner they can get to work, right?¡± Qin Xue said with a smile.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do it your way, start the training tomorrow. I¡¯ll have the people ready. Can I ask who this gentleman is?¡± Guo Aiguo looked at the man next to Qin Xue, whose presence was quite imposing.

    Even though he had been a factory director for so many years and had a strong presence, he had never met anyone with as imposing a presence as Chu Molin.

    Seeing all sorts of people throughout the years, Guo Aiguo had never come across someone with an aura as large as Chu Molin, his own aura completely subdued by this man, simply commanding respect.

    ¡°Oh, him? He is my husband, Chu Molin. Molin, this is Guo Aiguo, Mr. Guo, my business partner.¡± Qin Xue introduced them to each other.

    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Guo Aiguo.¡± Guo Aiguo extended his right hand and introduced himself first.

    ¡°Hello, Chu Molin.¡± Chu Molin shook his hand in return.

    ¡°Mr. Guo, those who participate in the training must sign a contract for at least five years in order to attend, so you¡¯ll need to prepare several five-year contracts.

    Otherwise, if I train them and they go elsewhere, we¡¯ll be the ones at a loss.

    As for the content of the contract, having been a factory director for so many years, I believe you know how to draft it.¡± Qin Xue simply didn¡¯t want her hard work to benefit others.

    ¡°l understand, and I know what you mean.¡± Guo Aiguo also understood Qin Xue¡¯s concerns! If it were truly the case, no one would be happy about it.

    ¡°Well, Mr. Guo, if there¡¯s nothing else, we¡¯ll be going.¡± Qin Xue needed to go back and prepare for tomorrow¡¯s training.

    ¡°Alright, take it easy. See you tomorrow morning. I¡¯ll have everything arranged and ready for you.¡± Guo Aiguo eagerly anticipated the upcoming development.

    ¡°Okay, see you tomorrow.¡± Qin Xue took Chu Molin¡¯s hand and said goodbye.

    Chu Molin nodded to Guo Aiguo and followed Qin Xue out without engaging in any conversation throughout the exchange.

    When the two left the factory, Qin Xue felt a bit thirsty.

    She took out her umbrella and water bottle from her bag, drank a few sips, and casually handed the bottle to Chu Molin.

    Chu Molin glanced at Qin Xue, took a sip and returned the bottle to her.

    ¡°You can finish the water.¡± Qin Xue did not take the bottle back.

    Chu Molin silently drank the remaining water and then handed the empty bottle back to Qin Xue.

    ¡°That¡¯s a good husband.¡± Qin Xue smiled and patted Chu Molin¡¯s handsome face.

    Chu Molin shuddered, shocked by the words ¡°husband¡± coming from Qin Xue¡¯s mouth, followed by a wave of emotion. Had this woman completely accepted him?

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Why the dazed look?¡± Qin Xue looked at the man, who had a blank expression on his face and wasn¡¯t moving.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, I love you.¡± Chu Molin had once thought this kind of talk was pretentious, but at this moment, he just wanted this woman to know that he, Chu Molin, loved her, Qin Xue.

    Qin Xue didn¡¯t expect him to suddenly say those words, and she stared at him dumbfounded, tears welling up in her eyes, on the verge of falling, giving her a pitiful and touching look..

 Chapter 113

    Translator: 549690339

    Chu Molin felt helpless looking at the pitiful appearance of his wife.

    Qin Xue: ¡°Chu Molin, I¡¯m not sure if I love you right nmv, but I¡¯m trying to accept you. Can you give me some time?¡±

    Seeing the sincerity in Qin Xue¡¯s eyes, Chu Molin gently touched her head: ¡°Xue¡¯er, I love you, and I¡¯m willing to wait for the day you accept me. Don¡¯t feel burdened, just take one step forward and I¡¯ll handle the rest.¡±

    ¡°Chu Molin, you¡¯re so annoying. Look, you¡¯ve made me cry.¡± Qin Xue hugged his waist, tears rolling down her cheeks.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er.¡± Chu Molin hugged her back.

    Fortunately, no one was around at this time, otherwise, people would gossip about them hugging in the middle of the street.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go. Don¡¯t stand here hugging me.¡± Qin Xue let go of him and pushed Chu Molin away.

    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go buy groceries.¡± Chu Molin wiped the tears off his wife¡¯s face with his thumb.

    ¡°Fine, don¡¯t be such a cheapskate. Let¡¯s buy some groceries and go home.¡± In fact, Qin Xue didn¡¯t really want to buy groceries.

    She wondered how much Chu Molin had gathered from her intentional or unintentional hints, and whether he could accept it.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, don¡¯t worry about vegetables, we have enough at home. Let¡¯s buy some meat instead, you¡¯re too skinny.¡± How could someone be so thin while pregnant?

    ¡°Chu Molin, is there something wrong with your eyes? Everyone says I¡¯m not thin, and my weight is perfectly normal.¡± With the nourishment of spiritual spring water, it was impossible to be above a normal weight.

    Regardless, she wouldn¡¯t allow herself to become overweight.

    ¡°Okay, okay, you have a normal weight. But since you¡¯re eating for three, let¡¯s buy some meat. Xue¡¯er, I want to eat meat.¡± Chu Molin had to resort to this in order to convince his wife to buy meat.

    ¡°Fine, do you want pork, chicken, or duck meat? I brought vouchers with me, so we can buy whatever you want.¡± Qin Xue had meat vouchers, so buying meat was possible.

    Chu Molin whispered in Qin Xue!s ear and kissed her: ¡°Any kind.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not in the mood for meat at all, you¡¯re just teasing me. Let¡¯s buy a chicken and make white cut chicken.¡± Qin Xue really loved white cut chicken.

    White cut chicken is a famous Cantonese cuisine dish. In her previous life, she and her best friend would go to Cantonese restaurants and always order this dish.

    ¡°White cut chicken? How is it made? Is it delicious?¡± Chu Molin wasn¡¯t a foodie, but after tasting his wife¡¯s cooking for two days, other dishes seemed tasteless.

    ¡°It¡¯s delicious. 1 really like this dish. I¡¯ll make it for you when we get home.¡± Qin Xue knew how to make many other dishes, and she would cook them for Chu Molin one by one in the future.

    ¡°Thank you, wife.¡± The couple headed towards the market, where there wasn¡¯t much left in the afternoon.

    Qin Xue looked around to see what was available, and the vegetables left were mostly shriveled up and unwanted.

    There were still chickens, so Qin Xue asked for the price of a young chicken, let the vendor kill it for her, and Chu Molin carried it.

    Actually, Qin Xue wanted to buy a castrated chicken, but after walking through the entire market, she couldn¡¯t find any. In the end, she had no choice but to settle for a young chicken.

    After strolling through the entire market, the couple finished shopping and headed to the bus stop to go back to the research institute.

    ¡°Chu Molin, you¡¯re really not bad. Not only did you accompany me all day, but you were also willing to go to the market with me.¡± In modern times, how many men would be willing to go to a market? Don¡¯t even think about it.

    Moreover, Chu Molin hadn¡¯t uttered a single complaint after accompanying her for so long, which was truly exceptional.

    Qin Xue glanced at the groceries Chu Molin was holding and considered him a genuinely good man, the kind who loved and cared for his wife..

 Chapter 114

    Translator: 549690339

    Many men don¡¯t enjoy shopping, let alone going to the market to buy groceries.

    ¡°Dear wife, isn¡¯t it expected that I accompany you? Normally, I don¡¯t have time because of my work commitments. Isn¡¯t it good to spend more time with you when I¡¯m off-duty?¡± Chu Molin thought, how else could they strengthen their bond?

    ¡°Okay, why shouldn¡¯t I take advantage of having free labor,¡± Qin Xue chuckled, looking at Chu Molin.

    ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s right. Now that you have me, your humble laborer, here, why don¡¯t you buy whatever else you need so 1 can carry it for you. Otherwise, when I¡¯m not available to accompany you later, you might find it hard to carry your purchases.¡± Chu Molin looked at his wife¡¯s slender arms and legs.

    ¡°Nah, no need to buy anything now. There¡¯s nothing much I need to buy for the time being. We can come back when necessary,¡± Qin Xue said after some thought.

    ¡°Alright then, let¡¯s wait for our ride home without worry.¡± Chu Molin glanced at his wristwatch. It was already four o¡¯clock.

    They could start cooking dinner as soon as they got home. Looking at his

    wife¡¯s bare, slender wrist, he made a mental note to buy her a watch.

    When their bus arrived, the couple found seats at the back. Chu Molin scanned the bus and its passengers as though he had X-ray vision.

    Looking over at his wife sitting calmly beside him, one could scarcely imagine their harmonious interactions in these moments.

    ¡°l wonder how An Hao¡¯s doing?¡± Qin Xue muttered, her gaze following the scenery fluttering past outside the window.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Zhaozi may seem unreliable on the surface, but he¡¯s a good guy. Otherwise, do you think Xiao Qi, who dotes on An Hao so much, would let his sister marry him?¡± Chu Molin reassured her, pondering their seemingly rogue-ish group of friends.

    While they might look tough, but underneath they were all, softies. After all, no one raised in a big family was straightforward.

    ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s true. It¡¯s clear they all dote on An Hao. How nice it is to be cherished like that,¡± Qin Xue murmured wistfully, her thoughts drifting off somewhere as she stared blankly out the window.

    Chu Molin panicked slightly. There it was again, that distant air about his wife.

    His hand immediately clasped her smaller one, only letting out a sigh of relief after feeling the warmth in his palm. She was still present, thank goodness.

    The sudden handholding startled Qin Xue, and she turned to find a panicky Chu Molin. Her expression was one of confusion.

    What happened? His reaction puzzled her. ¡°Chu Molin, what¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Xue¡¯er, please don¡¯t leave me,¡± Chu Molin pleaded, gazing at his wife,

    ¡°Chu Molin, have you gone mad? When did I ever say I was going to leave you?¡± Qin Xue chuckled, finding the man amusing.

    ¡°l don¡¯t care! No matter when, no matter what happens, you can¡¯t leave me!¡± The fear in the man¡¯s eyes left Qin Xue frazzled.

    ¡°Okay, I promise you. I will never leave you,¡± Qin Xue agreed as she thought about the accolades others showered on this man.

    He was said to be highly talented, an outstanding researcher every year, a decisive problem-solver who untangled numerous difficult matters.

    It was said that there hadn¡¯t been a single failure among the tasks he¡¯d undertaken so far, which spoke volumes about his capabilities.

    However, hearing this only evoked sympathy in Qin Xue. Behind his strength and achievements were untold efforts and hardships.

    And now, this strong man was gripping her hand, asking her not to leave him.

    The fear was so evident in his eyes, and in that moment, Qin Xue realized that this man wasn¡¯t as tough as he appeared to be.

    At the very least, he was afraid of her leaving him. Perhaps everyone has something they fear losing. Just like how she didn¡¯t want her mother to leave her.

    Qin Xue felt lucky that such an outstanding man had fallen in love with her in such a short time.

    Qin Xue felt blessed. She was loved by her mother and grandparents in the past, cherished by Chu Molin now, and they would have their children to love in the future. She was content..

 Chapter 115

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue placed her other hand on top of his, her resolve strengthening as she solemnly spoke to the man:

    ¡°Chu Molin, as long as you treat me well and don¡¯t do anything to betray me, I, Qin Xue, promise never to leave you. Anyone who tries to make me leave must do so over my dead body.¡±

    With her vow uttered, the man covered Qin Xue¡¯s mouth with one hand: ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense, I won¡¯t allow it.¡¯

    ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t speak carelessly.¡± Fortunately, Qin Xue and Molin were sitting in the back, and the noise in the car drowned out their quiet conversation, otherwise everyone would have heard what they said.

    The two sat in silence, their fingers intertwined, on the way back to the research institute.

    Meanwhile, after An Hao and friends had finished their lunch, the three of them went to the People¡¯s Hospital.

    They queued up to register for the obstetrics and gynecology department, and only after finding Li Rong did they realize that the Li Rong they had imagined was actually a much older doctor.

    Instead, the actual Li Rong was a young doctor, about their age, who had a gentle and pretty appearance.

    After An Hao and her friends explained their situation, Li Rong asked a few routine questions and quickly had an idea of what the answer might be.

    Li Rong took An Hao for a B-ultrasound, confirming her pregnancy.

    Li Rong looked at An Hao and congratulated her on becoming a mom. Hao laughed and thanked her.

    Meanwhile, Li Zhao and Xiao Qi anxiously awaited the results of her check-up in the doctor¡¯s office.

    Li Rong and An Hao returned to the office with smiles all over their faces.

    Li Rong looked at Li Zhao and Xiao Qi, who were so nervous they didn¡¯t know what to do with their hands and feet.

    Unable to contain herself, she laughed lightly, ¡®Gentlemen, you¡¯re too nervous. Congratulations, this lady is indeed two months pregnant.

    It¡¯s just that she might be too young to understand these things, as she said her menstrual cycle has always been irregular, so she didn¡¯t know she was pregnant.¡±

    After the examination, we found that the baby¡¯s development is normal. I also asked her about her usual diet and some other issues.

    She mentioned no consumption of any forbidden foods or engagement in dangerous activities, so there¡¯s no need to worry; both the baby and mother are healthy.¡±

    ¡°Really? That¡¯s wonderful! Bro, I¡¯m going to be a dad and you¡¯re going to be an uncle, hehe.¡± Li Zhao excitedly laughed, clearly thrilled.

    Li Rong shook her head, initially thinking that someone with a facial scar like his might be a fierce and evil individual. But appearances can be deceiving, as Li Zhao was the type who could actually be brought to silly laughter from the news of his wife¡¯s pregnancy.

    Li Rong felt envious; she was 25 years old, an age considered quite advanced for marriage and childbirth both in this time and in the future. A few more years and she¡¯d be considered a leftover woman.

    Li Rong didn¡¯t know when she would find her other half, marry, and have children.

    Thinking of her parents¡¯ anxiety, she felt helpless. She had tried blind dates and even tried dating, but she just couldn¡¯t seem to like anyone and didn¡¯t want to settle, so everything always led to a dead end eventually.

    Every day, she watched her pregnant patients with a mix of envy and happiness on their behalf.

    ¡°Thank you, Dr. Li. You¡¯re as beautiful and gentle as Qin Xue said.¡± An Hao beamed at Li Rong, clearly liking her.

    ¡°Qin Xue?¡± Li Rong thought a moment before remembering who Qin Xue was.

    ¡°Oh, you mean the girl who came for a check-up a few days ago and is expecting twins?¡±

    Li Rong had a deep impression of Qin Xue not because of her gentle beauty, but because of the emotion that radiated from her heart when she found out she was carrying twins ¡ª it had deeply touched Li Rongs heart.

    Qin Xue had come to the hospital with an unhurried air, seeming completely familiar with the process and every aspect of the facility.

    At first, Li Rong thought she was a doctor from their hospital. However, after thinking through all the hospital staff members, she realized there was no one named Qin Xue, and she didn¡¯t recognize her.

    At that time, Li Rong felt a sense of kinship and couldn¡¯t help but empathize. The feeling was quite baffling to her..

 Chapter 116

    Translator: 549690339

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s her who asked me to come get checked by you. She said you¡¯re a very good person, so we came.¡± An Hao cheerfully told Li Rong how she ended up there.

    When it came to people An Hao liked, she naturally revealed her true self.

    ¡°Oh, then I really should thank her for trusting me, and thank you for trusting me too.¡± Li Rong looked at An Hao, realizing that this girl was so innocent. The gentle and dignified impression she had at first glance was just a surface level. Li Rong shook her head and chuckled, this was very deceptive.

    ¡°No need to thank us. You have no idea how amazing Qin Xue is. If she says you¡¯re good, then you¡¯re good.¡± An Hao didn¡¯t know why, but she inexplicably trusted Qin Xue since the day she got to know her.

    Qin Xue didn¡¯t do anything this time, just informed her that she was pregnant. So now An Hao looked up to Qin Xue even more.

    ¡°Then I should thank you for trusting me. You¡¯re fine, just make sure you don¡¯t fall ill or catch a cold when you go home. Pregnant women can¡¯t take many medicines, so you need to take care of that yourself.

    There¡¯s nothing else, uh, I¡¯ll prescribe you some folic acid for you to take when you get home.

    This folic acid can prevent congenital neural tube defects in fetuses and is a preventive medicine for pregnant and lactating women.¡± Li Rong picked up a prescription pad and Wff0te a prescription of folic acid for An Hao.

    Li Zhao took the prescription, asked for other precautions and contraindications, and then all three left the doctor¡¯s office.

    ¡°Now we can call grandparents.¡± Xiao Qi said happily!

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll call my parents later, and let them prepare for the wedding banquet.¡± Holding An Hao¡¯s hand, Li Zhao was quite happy.

    ¡°Um, then let¡¯s grab the medication quickly and call grandma, and let uncle and auntie know, as well as second brother, and third brother, and fourth brother¡­¡± An Hao wanted all the people who loved her to know.

    When An Hao mentioned her uncles and aunts, she was referring to Xiao Qi¡¯s parents, and also his uncles and aunts. Among the brothers, only An Hao¡¯s mother gave birth to a girl. Therefore, An Hao was absolutely cherished in the Xiao family.

    Xiao Qi and the third Xiao Cheng are from the same parents, while the second hub Xiao Teng and the fourth Xiao Shan are the two sons of his younger uncle.

    After picking up the folic acid at the pharmacy, the three of them left the military hospital and found a phone to call back home to share the good news.

    Li Zhao made the first call. When the call was answered, he knew that it was his grandfather by the sound of the voice: ¡°Grandpa, why did you answer the phone? Are you not taking your afternoon nap?¡±

    ¡°You little scoundrel, you still remember to call back home?¡± Grandfather Li Changshan retorted with an angry glare.

    ¡°Grandpa, what are you talking about? Haven¡¯t I been busy?¡± Li Zhao did not dare to make his grandfather angry.

    ¡°Busy doing what? You insisted on retiring from the army to start a business, and now you can¡¯t even come home from doing business.

    You took away my granddaughter-in-law, even though you guys are legally married, you still need to have a wedding banquet. When are you coming back to have a wedding banquet?¡± Li Changshan argued with his grandson.

    ¡°Grandpa, the main reason I called home is to tell mom and dad to prepare for the wedding, and then we¡¯ll come back to give a wedding banquet.¡± Li Zhao did not expect that his grandfather would mention the wedding as soon as he answered the phone.

    Luckily, the purpose of the phone call was indeed to discuss the wedding, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t know what to say, right?

    ¡°So, you boy finally realized that you should hold a wedding banquet regardless of Chu¡¯s boy? Listen, you can¡¯t treat An Hao unfairly since she is with you.

    Isn¡¯t it good now? After having a wedding banquet, you two will officially be man and wife.¡± Li Changshan, from an older generation, believed that only after the wedding banquet and informing all friends and relatives, and being recognized by everyone, could you be considered a husband and wife. Even the marriage certificate was not as important as the wedding banquet.

    ¡°l know, grandpa. 1 have some good news for you, but you should calm down.

    An Hao is pregnant. You¡¯re going to be a great- grandfather. Are you happy? Li Zhao was afraid that if his grandfather got too excited, his blood pressure would rise, and that wouldn¡¯t be good..

 Chapter 117

    Translator: 549690339

    Li Changshan was indeed very happy, a bit emotional, as he finally had a great-grandchild. The Chu, Xiao, Li, and Qin families were all important presences in the courtyard.

    The elderly from all four families had been through the war period, and now they were all retired at home. The younger generations in the four families had gotten along well, and now he was the first to become a great-grandfather. How could he not be excited?

    Later, he would go and share the news with others, so they could be envious and jealous, especially that old rascal Chu Zhan.

    ¡°That¡¯s nice. If your grandmother were still around, she would be very happy after hearing it.¡± Li Changshan thought that the old lady would have been the happiest to know.

    After all, her favorite grandson was Li Zhao, as well as the eldest grandson of the Chu family. Unfortunately, the old man didn¡¯t wait for Zhaozi to get married and have children.

    ¡°Grandpa, it¡¯s something to be happy about, so don¡¯t be sad. I believe that if my grandmother knew this, she would also be very happy,¡± Li Zhao thought of the loving old woman and felt heartbroken too. She was the grandmother who loved him the most.

    ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t say more. When your parents come back, I¡¯ll talk to them, and then I¡¯ll call you.

    You guys should come back early. Now I¡¯m going to find my old comrades to play chess.¡± Li Changshan hung up the phone with a glowing face, put his hands behind his back, and went to brag to his old friends.

    Li Zhao listened to the busy tone on the phone, and couldn¡¯t help but laugh and cry. His grandfather was going to show off in the courtyard.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Xiao Qi looked at Li Zhao¡¯s expression, which seemed a bit helpless.

    ¡°Nothing, you better make your call quickly, or your grandpa is going to chase and scold you later.¡± Li Zhao handed the phone to Xiao Qi.

    ¡°Why would he chase and scold me?¡± Xiao Qi felt that the words were a bit inexplicable.

    ¡°Because just now my grandpa hung up the phone saying he would play chess with his old friends. Now imagine, letting your grandpa know that An t an is pregnant later than my grandpa would definitely make him unhappy. And knowing it from my grandpa? Well, I think you can imagine the consequences.¡± Li Zhao thought about the scene, and felt a sense of schadenfreude.

    ¡°You¡¯re so sinister,¡± Xiao Qi shuddered, just imagining the scene. He had to make a quick call to his grandparents to tell them about An¡¯an!s pregnancy.

    He absolutely couldn¡¯t let them find out from Grandpa Li; otherwise, he would have to watch out for his own hide. Wasn¡¯t that terrifying?

    ¡°Hello, is that Uncle Cai? I¡¯m Xiao Qi. Is my grandpa there?¡± Xiao Qi heard the voice on the phone, which was his family¡¯s security officer Cai Quan.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Qiqi. Yes, he¡¯s here. Wait a second, I¡¯ll call him to the phone.¡± Cai Quan put the phone on the table and went to call someone.

    After waiting for a short while, the footsteps came from the receiver, and Xiao Qi thought it must be his grandpa.

    ¡°Grandson, why did it take you so long to call back? How¡¯s that girl An¡¯an?¡± Xiao Qi thought it was his grandpa, but it turned out to be his grandma who picked up the phone.

    ¡°Grandma, An¡¯an is doing quite well here, so please don¡¯t worry.¡±

    ¡°As long as she¡¯s okay. That girl really followed Zhaozi all the way to S Province, making me worry so much.

    She¡¯s never been far from my side since she was young. But now, she¡¯s gone so far away and doesn¡¯t call more often.¡± Grandma Xiao grumbled.

    Ever since An Hao left, she had been so worried that she couldn¡¯t eat or sleep well. Now that she heard Xiao Qi say everythings alright, she finally felt a bit relieved.

    ¡°Grandma, you don¡¯t need to worry. That girl An t an is going to be a mom, and Zhao wants to take her back for the wedding banquet.¡± Xiao Qi said with a smile.

    ¡°Ah, really? That¡¯s great! It¡¯s not all in vain that she went so far away. You should tell them to come back early, and we can take care of her. We don¡¯t feel at ease with her by herself knowing nothing over there.¡± Grandma Xiao, who had just let down her guard, now began to worry again.

    ¡°Grandma, An t an is also next to me, I¡¯ll let her talk to you.¡± Xiao Qi felt it¡¯s better if the people involved could hear directly from each other..

 Chapter 118

    Translator: 549690339

    Xiao Qi looked at An Hao and handed her the phone: ¡°Grandma wants to talk to you.¡±

    An Hao took the phone: ¡°Hello, Grandma, this is An¡¯an, how are you feeling?¡±

    ¡°An¡¯an, you little girl, why didn¡¯t you call Grandma when you got there? Don¡¯t you know Grandma is worried about you?¡± Grandma Xiao¡¯s complaining words were full of concern.

    ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m fine, Zhaozi is treating me well here, and Qiqi is also nice to me, you don¡¯t have to worry about me. You have to take care of yourself, okay?¡± Ann Hao felt a lump in her throat when she heard her Grandma¡¯s voice, as she had never been this far away from her before.

    ¡°Alright, Grandma won¡¯t worry, Grandma still wants to see our little An¡¯s baby. I heard from your Qiqi brother that you¡¯re pregnant, when are you guys coming back? It¡¯s better for you to be taken care of by the family here, we¡¯re not at ease with you there.¡± Grandma Xiao still wanted her granddaughter to come back sooner.

    ¡°Grandma, we¡¯ll be back as soon as Zhaozi arranges his work, very soon.¡± An Hao knew that they had to go back and have the wedding banquet before her belly started showing, so it wouldn¡¯t take too long.

    ¡°Very well, anyway, we have been preparing everything for your wedding, so whenever you come back, everything will be ready and can be done right away. But I don¡¯t know if your parents can get time off from work?¡± Grandma Xiao thought about how busy An Hao¡¯s parents¡¯ jobs were.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Grandma, I know. You can tell my mom that, and I won¡¯t call her.¡± An Hao had spent little time with her parents, so her feelings for them were not as deep as for her grandma.

    ¡°An¡¯an, Grandma will inform your parents. You have to take care of yourself, alright?¡± Grandma Xiao knew that her daughter and granddaughter hadn¡¯t spent much time together, and understood why An Hao didn¡¯t want to notify her parents herself, so she didn¡¯t force her.

    ¡°Mm-hmm, thank you, Grandma. And where¡¯s Grandpa? Has he gone to play chess?¡± An Hao thought of her grandpa, who was very strict but always kind to her.

    ¡°Your Grandpa? He¡¯s here. Do you want to talk to him?¡± Grandma Xiao looked at the old man who was staring intently at the phone.

    ¡°Grandma, please give the phone to Grandpa, I want to talk to him.¡± An Hao knew that if she talked to Grandma and not Grandpa, he would be unhappy.

    ¡°Old man, little An wants to talk to you.¡± Grandma Xiao finally handed the phone to Xiao Jingfeng.

    ¡°An¡¯an, this is Grandpa.¡± Xiao Jingfengs serious voice reached An Hao¡¯s ears.

    ¡°Grandpa, I miss you and Grandma.¡± An Hao didn¡¯t dare to tell Grandma that she missed her, fearing that she might cry.

    ¡°An¡¯an, has Zhaozi not been treating you well? Is he bullying you? You tell Grandpa, and Grandpa will beat him up for you.¡± Xiao Jingfengs heart tightened, worried that the girl might have been mistreated.

    ¡°No, I just really miss you and Grandma. Grandpa, you¡¯re going to be a great-grandfather soon! A little one will be calling you Great-Grandpa soon. Are you happy?¡± An Hao¡¯s voice was cheerful as she talked about the baby.

    ¡°Really? Then when are you guys coming back? Do you want me to send someone to pick you up?¡± Xiao Jingfeng thought it would be more reliable to send someone to meet them.

    ¡°Grandpa, this is Zhaozi, you don¡¯t need to send anyone, we¡¯ll bring An Hao back as soon as I arrange my work. Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re fine.¡± Li Zhao heard that Xiao Jingfeng wanted to send someone to pick them up, and knew that it was unnecessary.

    So he took the phone from An Hao to talk to Xiao Jingfeng, otherwise Xiao Jingfeng might make other decisions.

    ¡°Alright, as long as you have arrangements, come back soon.¡± Xiao Jingfeng wouldn¡¯t waste too many words on these boys.

    ¡°Okay, I know. Grandpa, do you want to talk to Qiqi?¡± Li Zhao thought Xiao Jingfeng hadn¡¯t talked to Xiao Qi yet.

    ¡°No need, just tell that brat to come back for little An¡¯s wedding.¡± Xiao Jingfeng was mad at this grandson for not joining the army and instead running off to learn interior design and do business..

 Chapter 119

    Translator: 549690339

    Back then, he was so angry that he cut off his allowance and financial support, but surprisingly, he turned out to have some capabilities. He has now reportedly established a decoration company and is doing quite well.

    Xiao Jingfeng had high hopes for this grandson, or else he wouldn¡¯t have been so angry when he didn¡¯t listen and refused to join the army.

    He has since come around, and since his other three grandsons have joined the army, it¡¯s okay if he doesn¡¯t. But he can¡¯t swallow his pride and make amends, so he can only continue to play the villain.

    ¡°Grandpa, you¡¯re really too cruel. I¡¯ve been here all along and you won¡¯t even talk to me.¡± Xiao Qi took the microphone.

    When Xiao Jingfeng heard his grandson¡¯s voice, he was very emotional. It had been so long since he had heard his voice or seen him in person.

    ¡°You little brat, do you even remember that I¡¯m your grandpa?¡± Xiao Jingfengs excitement showed on his face, but his stern voice didn¡¯t reveal it.

    ¡°Of course, if you¡¯re not my grandpa, then who is? Grandpa, I know you¡¯re angry because I didn¡¯t follow your arrangement, but I really don¡¯t like it. Moreover, my brothers have all listened to you and joined the army, so can you please stop being angry with me? It¡¯s not worth damaging your health.¡± Since starting his business, Xiao Qi had learned when to say the right thing.

    Anyway, this was his grandpa, and being strict with him was for his own good. They were family, so it wasn¡¯t right to be angry forever. It was better for him, as the younger generation, to show humility.

    Xiao Jingfeng was touched when he heard this. This kid had grown up.

    ¡°Your grandpa understands. When An Hao has her banquet, come back home. Your grandma and your parents miss you.¡± Xiao Jingfeng took the hint his grandson provided.

    ¡°Mhm, I know, grandpa. I will go back.¡± Xiao Qi also missed his family. It had been years since he had gone back home. At that time, his grandpa wanted him to join the army and not start a business.

    He ordered the family to not give him money or help him financially. At the time, young and impulsive, he swore not to return until he had achieved something. Now that he had slowly grown up, seen more, and thought more, and his company had also entered a stable trajectory, it was time to return home.

    ¡°Alright, let the family know when you come back. Goodbye.¡± Xiao Jingfeng didn¡¯t know how to talk to his grandson and just sternly said a few sentences before hanging up.

    Xiao Qi laughed when he heard the busy signal from the microphone. It turned out that grandpa could also be so cute.

    Xiao Qi put the phone down, paid the bill, and the three of them headed home.

    ¡°Second brother, when do you plan to go back? Grandpa and grandma want you to go back soon.¡± Xiao Qi looked at Li Zhao.

    ¡°l will arrange my work as soon as possible and take An t an back with me. Anyway, the eldest brother isn¡¯t going back, so it doesn¡¯t matter whether it¡¯s sooner or later.¡± To say that Li Zhao wasn¡¯t regretful would be a lie.

    But Chu Molin had his own ideas, and he couldn¡¯t force him.

    ¡°Second brother. don¡¯t let your guard down when you talk about the elder brother after you go back. The elder brother has his own knots. If he doesn¡¯t want to say anything, it means he hasn¡¯t let go of the knot yet. Once he figures it out, he¡¯ll go back and solve the problem.

    As his brothers, we must stand with him, understand?¡± Xiao Qi reminded him a few times. The second brother was good in every way, but he didn¡¯t know much about what had happened to the eldest brother, so Xiao Qi was not at ease.

    Especially now that sister-in-law Qin Xue was pregnant, if something unexpected happened, what would the eldest brother do?

    ¡°l know, I won¡¯t let it slip.¡± Li Zhao thought about it and decided to respect the wishes of Chu Molin by not mentioning it.

    ¡°An Hao, did you hear what Qiqi said? When you go back, don¡¯t mention your Chu brother¡¯s affairs to anyone, understand?¡± After Xiao Qi finished reminding Li Zhao, he came to remind An Hao.

    ¡°Qiqi, I can¡¯t talk about Chu brother, can I talk about Qin Xue?¡± An Hao still wanted to tell her grandma about the good friend she met here.

    ¡°You can talk about Qin Xue, but don¡¯t mention her relationship with your Chu brother. As for their relationship, Chu brother will tell in person, understand?

    Otherwise, if it causes trouble for Qin Xue later, it would be bad, right?¡± Xiao Qi handed the problem back to An Hao and let her think for herself.

    ¡°l know, I won¡¯t say anything. I¡¯ll listen to Qiqi.¡± An Hao thought about it and found that Qiqi made sense.

    ¡°Mhm, our An Hao is really well-behaved.¡± Xiao Qi patted An Hao on the head and praised.

    Li Zhao smiled as he watched the interaction between the siblings..

 Chapter 120

    Translator: 549690339

    After Chu Molin and Qin Xue got out of the car, Chu Molin, holding the things they had bought in one hand and holding Qin Xue¡¯s hand in the other, headed towards the research institute.

    ¡°Chu Molin, why did you not attend Li Zhao¡¯s wedding after he invited you today, and don¡¯t you belong from S Province?¡± Qin Xue, not having the memories of her original self, didn¡¯t know where Chu Molin was from, and who was in his family.

    They had only been together for two to three days, so if he didn¡¯t talk and Qin Xue didn¡¯t ask, she wouldn¡¯t question him. She didn¡¯t want to see him unhappy, nor did she affiliate one bit with Chu Molin¡¯s resistance when she saw Li Zhao today.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, I don¡¯t know how to tell you this. Some things about my family aren¡¯t clear with just a few words. When we have time, can I sit down and tell you everything?¡± Chu Molin was not going to withhold from her, especially when she showed an interest in getting to know about his life.

    But at the moment, they were on the road, and his family matters were too complicated to be condensed into a few sentences. They would have to sit and talk about them when they found more time.

    ¡°Chu Molin, it¡¯s okay. Everyone has secrets, and things they don¡¯t want to talk about, just like me.

    I am not trying to pry into your privacy. When you¡¯re ready to tell me, do it then at your own pace. No need to force yourself.¡± Qin Xue had secrets she couldn¡¯t tell anyone, so how could she require him to disclose everything about himself?

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, there¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t tell you. It¡¯s just that some things about my family are a bit complicated.¡± After all, his wife was the person he was going to spend the rest of his life with ¨C what could he possibly not tell her?

    ¡°Alright then, when we have time, we¡¯ll talk about it at length. For now, let¡¯s go home. I want to eat white cut chicken.¡± Qin Xue quickened her pace, pulling the man along.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, slow down, be careful not to trip,¡± Chu Molin lovingly watched his woman acting cute.

    ¡°Chu Molin, do you like listening to songs? Should I sing a song for you?¡± Qin Xue felt like singing as she was in a good mood.

    ¡°What song does Xue¡¯er want to sing?¡± Chu Molin was also curious as to what song Qin Xue would sing.

    ¡°Chu Molin, should 1 sing a song with a lot of feelings for you?¡± Qin Xue felt embarrassed about singing a love song, so she decided to sing that particular song.

    Qin Xue remembered singing military songs during her military training in college.

    ¡°Alright, if Xue¡¯er wants to sing, then sing. I want to listen to you sing,¡± Chu Molin felt that he should support his wife¡¯s sudden spark of singing.

    ¡°Then I am going to start singing, you listen carefully okay.¡± Qin Xue turned around and playfully smiled at Chu Molin.

    Chu Molin, looking at his energetic wife, honestly felt content.

    A voice as sweet as a skylark¡¯s sounded in Chu Molin¡¯s ears, as the song ¡°Green Flower of the Army¡± flowed from Qin Xue¡¯s lips:

    ¡°Cold winds blow, leaves fall,

    The military is a green flower,

    Dear comrades don¡¯t yearn for home,

    Don¡¯t think about mom,

    I call out day and night,

    How many inner thoughts unspoken,

    No tears in your eyes when we part,

    The military camp is our warm home,

    Don¡¯t worry, dear mother,

    Your child has already grown up,

    Standing guard is protecting our country,

    Not afraid of rain or wind,

    Sincere blessings to mother,

    Wishing mother good health and longevity!

    When the victory celebration comes, I¡¯ll return home,

    To see mom again,

    There¡¯s a good hometown girl, Who often appears in my dreams,

    Men in love in the heart,

    Willing to accompany you to the ends of the earth,

    But due to the weight of responsibility,

    I have to put love aside for now,

    Drifting white clouds carry my love,

    Green flower of the army, I send to her.¡±

    The original intent of Xiao Zengs ¡°Green Flower of the Army¡± was simple and pure love towards the army and feelings of reluctance to leave.

    Yet, Qin Xue was able to sing it with such complex romantic nuances.

    This song was one of Qin Xue¡¯s favorites because she once dreamed of being in the army.

    However, her dream was shattered by her crappy dad. And to say she had no regrets would be a lie. If given the chance to choose again, Qin Xue would certainly choose to be a military doctor in a war zone. She would fulfill her dream and live without regrets..

 Chapter 121

    Translator: 549690339

    Chu Molin was deeply moved by this song, feeling that it truly resonated with his heart.

    He had never heard this song before,

    But his young wife had mentioned that it was a military song, perfectly echoing the sentiments within the barracks. Though, was it her own composition, or someone else¡¯s?

    ¡°So, Chu Molin, do you like this song?¡± Qin Xue turned her head nervously to look at Chu Molin.

    She sang beautifully in her previous life. As for her voice in this one, she had no idea, since this was her first time singing in several months since her arrival. Moreover, she was singing for this man, hence she was entirely uncertain of her performance.

    Just as Qin Xue finished posing her question to Chu Molin, a thunderous applause erupted beside her, startling her.

    As it turned out, their co-workers who were passing by had heard Qin Xue¡¯s song and found themselves irresistibly drawn to stick around and listen to its end.

    They were normally very afraid of Chu Molin, however, Qin Xue¡¯s mesmerizing voice overpowered their fear.

    Consequently, a crowd soon began to gather around them, all wanting to hear more from Qin Xue.

    Indeed, Qin Xue sang beautifully, brilliantly expressing homesickness and longing for a lover.

    Upon inspection, Qin Xue realized that they had already stepped into the research institute, with crowds passing the training grounds, which was why so many people were around.

    Groups of researchers were hanging around, deeply captivated by Qin Xue¡¯s singing.

    ¡°Could you please sing another for us?¡± inquired one individual.

    Upon hearing this, Chu Molin¡¯s already stern face turned even colder. He stared daringly at them, ¡°Is everyone really that idle? If so, perhaps it¡¯s time to run laps, or maybe go back and consider how to improve your work.¡±

    The gathered crowd fell immediately silent, sacred. Merciful heavens! He truly deserved his moniker¡ªthe ¡®Cold King;

    His face could scare the living daylights out of anyone, brimming with a biting cold air. It was no wonder that his colleagues had titled him so, he did precisely resemble the legendary figure, didn¡¯t he? Stoic, icy-cold.

    Everyone else fled after Chu Molin intervened. Qin Xue looked joyfully at the man with the dark face.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, do you find joy in my anger? Hmm?¡± He elongated the ending of his sentence, imbuing it with a sense of danger.

    Qin Xue distanced herself a bit from him with a dazzling smile, ¡°No.¡± Yet she felt incredibly endeared by this domineering man and his antics.

    Chu Molin swiftly clutched her hand, pulling her close to him. How dare his woman run from him without even consoling him a bit first? Was she itching for a lesson?

    ¡°Come here, who told you that you can stray far from me?¡±

    ¡°Chu Molin, you¡¯ll scare our baby by acting this way.¡± Qin Xue pretended to look terrified, fondling her stomach. Yet, inside, she was practically rolling on the floor laughing.

    How could Chu Molin not see through her pretense? He found himself utterly helpless.

    He really had no cure for this woman. When he didn¡¯t love her, nothing she did fazed him. However, ever since he fell for her, her every glance could trigger an intense turmoil within his heart.

    Chu Molin entertained the thought, ¡°Perhaps this is what it means by a treasure is only precious when you¡¯re in love, yet it¡¯s just grass if it¡¯s unattended.¡¯

    While it might not be suitable to compare a person in this way, it was his genuine interpretation. In the past, he only felt responsible towards Qin Xue. Now, he only wished to accompany her.

    If he couldn¡¯t be beside her, he might just collapse.

    Chu Molin noticed that he was starting to fret over trivial things. He felt extremely insecure about Qin Xue.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, stop using our baby to scare me. Both you and the baby need to be fine, alright?¡± Chu Molin gently squeezed her hand.

    ¡°Absolutely! Even if someone dares to harm me, I swear that I¡¯ll make them regret it. Hmm, let¡¯s see who¡¯s brave enough to test me.¡± Qin Xue intentionally huffed twice to show that she was not to be messed with. Chu Molin laughed, ¡°Yes, my Xue¡¯er is the strongest..¡±

 Chapter 122

    Translator: 549690339

    The sight that greeted Su Yun as she stood under the residential building was one that tore her heart apart.

    She had heard that Chu Molin had returned yesterday and was thrilled by it. But, because she had to work, she didn¡¯t come over.

    She finally found the time to come over today, only to find out that Chu Molin was on leave. She ran over to his home to knock on his door, but there was no answer. She heard from the other neighbours that he was out with Qin Xue.

    Not willing to give up, she came over again in the afternoon. To her surprise, she saw a scene from afar.

    That man, who always wore a cold expression, was also capable of such tenderness.

    The coldness in his eyes was gone, replaced by helplessness, indulgence, and a tenderness that filled his gaze.

    Yet all of these were not directed at her, but at Qin Xue.

    Heartbroken, Su Yun took a step back. It was impossible. How could he fall in love with Qin Xue? His tender glance stabbed her heart.

    She had known him longer and had waited for him for many years. Yet in the end, not only did he marry someone else, but he also fell in love with that woman. Why did he fall in love with Qin Xue? Why?

    Why isn¡¯t Qin Xue dead? After being severely injured last time and being in a coma for several days, why did she wake up? Why didn¡¯t she stay unconscious?

    These questions repeatedly echoed in Su Yun¡¯s mind.

    Yet, Qin Xue stood right before her, standing alongside the man she could not attain, looking inseparable.

    She hated it. Why doesn¡¯t this man love her?

    She was attracted by his appearance the first time she saw him, and later drawn in by his competence and demeanor.

    She had always tried to capture his attention, and finally got to talk to him through her grandfather¡¯s introduction. She was so happy back then.

    She deliberately stirred up rumors in the office, inciting misunderstandings about their relationship.

    Their colleagues didn¡¯t disappoint her. There were even rumors of their impending marriage. But all this was ruined by Qin Xue.

    And that useless Bai Jing, who managed to get close to Qin Xue, did not manage to sow discord between the couple, but instead, strengthened their bond.

    Grinding her teeth in rage, Su Yun felt helpless. Their relationship was indeed getting stronger.

    As she saw the couple approaching, Su Yun quickly adjusted her expression and greeted them with a smile, ¡°Mr. Chu, you¡¯re back. You¡¯ve worked hard.¡± Once again, Qin Xue was blatantly ignored.

    Chu Molin looked at the woman who suddenly appeared before him, acting familiarly. Who was this woman? Did he know her?

    Chu Molin, holding his wife¡¯s hand, felt helpless.

    An inexplicable woman tried to engage him in conversation. His wife didn¡¯t even try to help, instead, she stood by, amused by the scene. No one was as unfortunate as him.

    If Qin Xue knew Chu Molin¡¯s thoughts at this time, she would surely laugh and say, ¡°Is it my fault? Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m being ignored? What else should I do if not enjoy the show at a time like this?¡±

    Chu Molin glanced at his wife and the woman in front of him. He realized he had to solve this problem himself.

    ¡°Comrade, may I ask who you are? Do you need something?¡±

    Qin Xue burst into laughter upon hearing this. Chu Molin was too funny.

    The woman had greeted him in such a familiar tone that even she could tell she was an admirer of his.

    Yet he responded with: ¡°Comrade, may I ask who you are?¡± She guessed this woman must be on the verge of spitting blood in anger.

    Qin Xue was right. Su Yun was indeed furious enough to spit blood, but she had to maintain a good image in front of the man she loved.

    ¡°Mr. Chu, how could you say something like that? You don¡¯t recognize me? I¡¯m Su Yun.¡± Su Yun was heartbroken.

    ¡°Su Yun? I don¡¯t know you?¡± Chu Molin thought the name Su Yun sounded somewhat familiar, but he genuinely did not recognize her..

 Chapter 123

    Translator: 549690339

    Su Yun was already heartbroken by Chu Molin¡¯s words, and Qin Xue¡¯s laughter had only added fuel to the fire.

    Now, Chu Molin¡¯s words of not knowing her had completely crushed her emotional defenses. Her slightly twisted expression couldn¡¯t be maintained any longer.

    Tears overflowed from her eyes and streamed down her cheeks. Her pitiful expression was heart-wrenching and made people reluctant to look away.

    But Chu Molin, on the contrary, felt more annoyed than touched by her tears.

    What was wrong with this woman? She had come up to him uninvited and now started crying. He hadn¡¯t said anything wrong; he genuinely didn¡¯t know her. Chu Molin was on the verge of losing his temper.

    If it were not for his good manners, an onlooker might have thought he was bullying her. Chu Molin¡¯s naturally cold face grew even colder; if it were a man, he would¡¯ve definitely punched him.

    Seeing the sudden turnaround, Qin Xue scoffed, ¡°Pathetic. I thought I would need to intervene,¡¯

    It seemed Chu Molin had everything under control, and since it had nothing to do with her, she decided to head home and cook.

    ¡°You two can continue chatting. I¡¯m going home.¡± Qin Xue tried to shake off Chu Molin¡¯s hand and head upstairs.

    Chu Molin gritted his teeth, wanting to spank this woman. Couldn¡¯t she see that he disliked this woman? And now she wanted to leave him alone with

    He quickly pulled Qin Xue into his arms and held her tight, not allowing her to escape,

    ¡°Chu Molin, what are you doing? Let go!¡± Qin Xue glared at him.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, be good, don¡¯t make a fuss. We¡¯ll go home together later.¡± Chu Molin was no fool; he wouldn¡¯t let go.

    He only wanted to be with his wife; other women, whoever they were, could only stand on the sidelines. He didn¡¯t care to know them.

    ¡°Comrade, do you have any other business? If not, we¡¯d like to leave.¡± Chu Molin was already fed up with the situation.

    However, his upbringing didn¡¯t allow him to be impolite, so he asked with great patience.

    ¡°Mr. Chu, I¡¯m Su Yun, the granddaughter of the old director. You even visited our house and had a great time chatting with me. Have you forgotten?¡± Su Yun said tearfully.

    At this point, Qin Xue became infuriated. So, there was a backstory behind this whole situation. She decided not to wait any longer and just leave.

    Since she couldn¡¯t break free, she stomped on Chu Molin¡¯s foot, taking advantage of the moment when he loosened his grip due to pain. She ran upstairs.

    ¡°Comrade, I genuinely don¡¯t know you. If there¡¯s nothing else, please leave. We need to go home too.¡± Chu Molin hastily followed his wife right after saying this.

    Even now that he knew Su Yun¡¯s identity, he couldn¡¯t afford to pay her any attention. Catching up with his wife was more important. Besides, he genuinely didn¡¯t know Su Yun that well. Who knew where on earth she had come from?

    Issue: When does the plot about breaking up and catching up with Xue¡¯er start?

    Seeing Qin Xue leave and Chu Molin chasing after her, Su Yun was left standing there all by herself. Even when Su Yun revealed her identity as the old political commissar¡¯s granddaughter who had spoken to him before, Chu Molin still only said he didn¡¯t know her before chasing after Qin Xue.

    Su Yun¡¯s heart felt like it was bleeding; tears streamed down her face as she fled, covering her mouth with her hands.

    Fortunately, at this time, the men in the residential building hadn¡¯t returned from work, and the women were busy cooking at home, so no one was around. Otherwise, Su Yun would¡¯ve been utterly humiliated.

    As she ran, Su Yun thought, ¡°After such an embarrassing incident today, how will I live in the future? It was all Qin Xue¡¯s fault for interfering. Otherwise,

    Chu Molin would have fallen in love with me.¡¯

    Su Yun never considered that she had met Chu Molin before. If he were to fall in love with her, it would¡¯ve happened by now, and Qin Xue wouldn¡¯t have been involved at all. It was truly pitiful for someone not to have self-awareness..

 Chapter 124

    Translator: 549690339

    Before Qin Xue could even reach the second floor, Chu Molin caught up with her.

    Qin Xue was climbing the stairs ahead, with the man following behind her.

    She didn¡¯t make eve contact or speak to him and iust continued going up her

    floor.

    ¡°Wifey¡­¡± Chu observed that his little wife¡¯s face seemed quite calm, but he couldn¡¯t tell if she was angry or not.

    He called out to her, but she didn¡¯t respond. Chu Molin started to panic, worried that she might be truly angry.

    Chu Molin wanted to reach out to grab her hand but feared that he might accidentally make her fall on the stairs. Instead, he followed behind her like an obedient little wife.

    As they turned the corner, Qin Xue saw the nervous expression on Chu Molin e s face and almost burst into laughter.

    Fearing that Chu Molin might see her non-angry expression, she hurriedly turned her head, barely holding back her laughter.

    Qin Xue quickened her pace, worried that she might start laughing on the spot.

    Seeing this, Chu Molin thought he was in trouble. He assumed his wife must be extremely angry, as she didn¡¯t even want to glance at him. Desperate, he sped up his pace.

    With his long legs, it took him only two or three steps to catch up with Qin Xue. In reality, he had deliberately followed slowly behind her, concerned about any accidents.

    As she took out her key to unlock the door, a large hand grabbed it first.

    Before she had a chance to react, Qin Xue was pulled into the room and pinned against the wall.

    Qin Xue blinked as she saw Chu Molin trap her between the wall and himself while closing the door with his other hand.

    ¡°Chu Molin, what are you doing?¡± Qin Xue asked him, puzzled.

    ¡°Wifey, are you not angry?¡± Chu Molin then noticed there was no sign of anger on his little wife¡¯s face. She merely appeared confused.

    ¡°Why? Do you want me to be angry?¡± Qin Xue said with a smirk, looking at the man who lowered his head to see her.

    ¡°Of course not, why would I want you to be angry?¡± Chu Molin wasn¡¯t certain whether he wanted his little wife to be mad or not.

    If she didn¡¯t get angry, it could mean she didn¡¯t care about him, right? That¡¯s why she wouldn¡¯t be upset¡­

    But if she got angry, he would become anxious, not knowing how to appease her. Chu Molin was unsure of his own feelings about the situation.

    However, Chu Molin knew very well that he didn¡¯t want to see his little wife unhappy.

    As long as she was content, he was satisfied. If she didn¡¯t love him enough yet, it just meant he needed to put in more effort. Hadn¡¯t she promised not to leave him?

    Chu      thought they could take their time developing their feelings for each other, so he didn¡¯t feel disheartened.

    ¡°Who says I¡¯m not angry? You¡¯re quite the player, attracting women everywhere you go.

    You even went to her house and had a conversation together. Looks like you didn¡¯t talk enough, so she came here! Why did you even come back?

    Just go talk with Su Yun and don¡¯t come back. What¡¯s the point?

    Shall I make way for her? That way, you two can chat even more happily.¡± In a torrent of words, Qin Xue vented her frustration at Chu Molin.

    Just a moment ago, he thought they had time to develop their feelings, and now she was talking about making way for another woman.

    How could this sweet and sour-mouthed little woman say such unpleasant things?

    Chu Molin didn¡¯t want to hear such words, especially her talking about leaving him for another.

    Annoyed, Chu Molin lowered his head and kissed her contentious mouth.

    Qin Xue slapped the man in front of her in protest. How could he just kiss her like that?

    Qin Xue¡¯s slaps felt like tickles to Chu Molin, not painful, but rather exciting him further.

    With one swift move, he grabbed Qin Xue¡¯s little hand..

 Chapter 125

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue didn¡¯t know how much time had passed before she was finally released.

    She stared with her big, misty eyes, and her mesmerized gaze almost made Chu Molin take her right away.

    Chu Molin effortlessly scooped her up in a princess carry, holding her in his arms.

    Frightened, Qin Xue quickly wrapped her arms around his neck for support.

    Chu Molin looked down at his beloved and broke into a soft chuckle, his eyes full of tenderness.

    Qin Xue couldn¡¯t help but get lost in his smile; this man was truly handsome when he smiled.

    Even the pretty boys from her past life on TV couldn¡¯t compare to him.

    Qin Xue wasn¡¯t someone who cared much about looks, but she was captivated by this man¡¯s handsome appearance.

    Chu Molin watched as Qin Xue became entranced and couldn¡¯t help but burst into laughter, which startled her. Her face immediately turned red hot, blushing uncontrollably.

    She felt so embarrassed; how could she be so captivated by a man¡¯s gaze?

    Feeling too shy to face him, she quickly turned her head away, but his laughter only made her blush even more.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, if you keep turning, you¡¯ll get dizzy.¡± Chu Molin said with an amused smile.

    Even if she felt dizzy, she still couldn¡¯t bear to turn her head back towards him.

    So, she pinched his shoulder, but it didn¡¯t seem to have any effect.

    Feeling the pinch on his shoulder, Chu Molin raised an eyebrow and carried his little wife to the chair, forcing her to look back at him.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, I¡¯m really happy. Thank you for not being angry with me and not rejecting me.¡± Chu Molin  gently kissed his little wife¡¯s forehead and smiled at her.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I say I would get along with you? Since I¡¯m learning to accept you, of course, I won¡¯t reject you. What are you so afraid of?¡± Qin Xue could sense his uneasiness, but she didn¡¯t know why he was feeling that way.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know either. Sometimes when I look at you, it feels like you¡¯re slipping away. It¡¯s like you¡¯ll leave me any moment.¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t want to be like this, but that was the feeling Qin Xue gave him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I really won¡¯t leave.¡± Qin Xue thought that since Xue Ling sent her into this body, it meant that her original self was already dead.

    She could only be in this body because the previous owner had passed, and she needed to maintain the life of the baby in her stomach. That¡¯s why she wouldn¡¯t leave for no reason.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, remember that you promised me, and don¡¯t go back on your word.

    Otherwise, I¡¯ll follow you wherever you go, even if it¡¯s to the ends of the earth.¡± Chu Molin had waited so long for someone like Qin Xue that he would follow her anywhere.

    No matter where she went, he would be there with her, even if it cost him his life. All he wanted was her.

    Qin Xue covered his mouth with her hand: ¡°Are you silly? Is that something

    you should be saying?¡±

    Qin Xue didn¡¯t believe in reincarnation before, but after being brought here by Xue Ling following her car accident, she had no choice but to believe.

    She didn¡¯t want this capable man, who was so young and had already become a deputy section chief, to be influenced by any negative thoughts because of her. She believed that there must be another reason why Xue Ling brought her here.

    Qin Xue couldn¡¯t figure it out yet and could only wait for time to reveal the reason to her.

    What she needed to do now was to cultivate a good relationship with Chu Molin..

 Chapter 126

    Translator: 549690339

    Chu Molin opened his mouth and gently bit down on Qin Xue¡¯s finger with his teeth.

    He pulled her hand away from covering his mouth, lightly kissed her palm, and then said:

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, before I met you, 1 used to live only for my mother. After meeting you, I want to live for myself. I want to hold your hand and grow old together with you, and I only want to be with you until we¡¯re white-haired.¡± Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue and earnestly told her what he wanted.

    Qin Xue¡¯s tears flowed down her cheeks and dripped onto the man¡¯s hand. Her tears fell one by one on his hand, but it was his heart that felt the burning pain.

    Chu Molin wiped away her tears with his finger, but more tears fell. He sighed, cupped her face and wiped away her tears one by one.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, don¡¯t cry. I want to see you smile, not cry. It hurts to see you unhappy,¡± Chu Molin said, pressing his forehead against Qin Xue¡¯s.

    ¡°I¡¯m not crying. I¡¯m just crying tears of joy, okay?¡± Qin Xue sniffled and spoke with a nasal voice.

    ¡°Mm, my Xue¡¯er isn¡¯t crying. She¡¯s just been blinded by the wind.¡± Chu Molin said with a slight smile on his lips.

    ¡°Pfft, Chu Molin , are you really like this?¡± Qin Xue¡¯s eyes were red, but she squinted and laughed.

    ¡°Yes, am I not?¡± Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue with a doting gaze, realizing that he unconsciously began to talk more whenever he faced her.

    ¡°Hehe, why are you so different from the rumors? They say you¡¯re the Cold King, frightening people to death. But I don¡¯t find you scary at all, and I think you¡¯re quite easy to talk to, and you talk a lot too. I really don¡¯t know why they gave you that nickname.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t think he had any flaws, but maybe she just hadn¡¯t fully understood him yet.

    Chu Molin chuckled inwardly: Such a naive girl. That¡¯s because you don¡¯t know I¡¯m acting differently towards you than with others. You¡¯d never feel that way.

    If I treated you like I treated everyone else, you¡¯d probably be scared off by me. I would never do such a stupid thing.

    Would anyone else dare to treat me the way you do? If I didn¡¯t make them suffer, I wouldn¡¯t live up to the title of Cold King they gave me.

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯ve been too harsh and strict when dealing with them?¡± Chu Molin thought that if he tried harder, they¡¯d find the answers more quickly.

    He knew that if he didn¡¯t work hard, learn relentlessly, and be strict, he might fall behind at work. So he had to toughen his heart and push them to their limits, which was his way of being responsible for their attitude towards life.

    Even if they hated him, it didn¡¯t matter. They wouldn¡¯t have to participate in any missions, and he wouldn¡¯t have to train them anymore.

    ¡°Mm, maybe that¡¯s why. But you¡¯re doing it for their own good. Otherwise, they might not achieve anything.¡± Qin Xue had seen TV dramas before.

    Although some content in the TV dramas was different from reality, the purpose they conveyed was the same. So Qin Xue could understand Chu Molin¡¯s painstaking efforts.

    This was why he fell in love with her in just two or three days.

    His Xue¡¯er understood his heart so well. How could he not love her?

    ¡°Chu Molin, I¡¯m hungry.¡± Qin Xue pulled his hand to her belly, and as soon as he placed it there, the baby moved.

    ¡°Chu Molin, do you prefer a boy or a girl?¡± Qin Xue thought this was a question that every pregnant woman liked to ask.

    ¡°A boy, I guess. That way, the three of us can protect you, so you won¡¯t have to work too hard.

    But if it¡¯s a girl, I¡¯ll protect the three of you.¡± Chu Molin felt that it didn¡¯t matter whether it was a boy or girl since it was their child. A girl would be even better, as she would be as beautiful and lovely as her! His princess..

 Chapter 127

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue touched his handsome face with her hand: ¡°Is that how you men always answer when a pregnant woman asks you?¡±

    Even now, there¡¯s still a preference for boys over girls, especially in rural areas. After all, it isn¡¯t like the future world, where men and women are equal.

    Chu Molin raised his eyebrows. What did this woman mean?

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, 1 don¡¯t know what others think, but 1 like both boys and girls.

    As long as it¡¯s a child you give birth to, I¡¯m fine. In fact, I¡¯d be even happier if we had a girl like you.¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t care what others thought.

    As long as it was his child, it was enough. He had never thought about having children before, and now that he had one, it was an unexpected joy.

    ¡°Hmm, as long as you say that, I won¡¯t feel any pressure.¡± Actually, it didn¡¯t matter if he liked the child or not. Qin Xue had the ability to raise a child alone and do it well. It would just be better if he liked the child too.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, don¡¯t put any pressure on yourself. This child was out of my expectations. I never even thought that you¡¯d get pregnant and that I would become a father. So it¡¯s a gift from Heaven for us.¡± Chu Molin tightened his arms around the treasure in his embrace.

    ¡°Chu Molin, I heard that my marriage to you was a scheme of mine. Was that true? Now that I have amnesia, I can¡¯t remember anything. Can you tell me about it?¡± Qin Xue needed to know some things about the past.

    Qin Xue was afraid that if she encountered the original body¡¯s family in the future, she wouldn¡¯t know anything, and they might doubt her. How should she handle that?

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, you don¡¯t need to know those things. Let the past be the past. All I know is that I love you.¡± Chu Molin thought it was better for Qin Xue not to have those memories.

    ¡°No, just tell me.¡± Well, Qin Xue even began to act coquettishly to learn about the original body¡¯s past.

    ¡°You really are a handful. Give me a favor first, then I¡¯ll tell you.¡± Chu Molin brought his face closer.

    ¡°Oh wow.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t hesitate and just gave in.

    Such a rare moment of Qin Xue¡¯s straightforwardness ¨C how could Chu Molin miss this chance?

    ¡°Hmm, hmm!¡± Qin Xue patted the man¡¯s shoulder with her hand, almost out of breath. She regretted provoking him ¨C he appeared gentle on the surface, but deep down he was a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing.

    Chu Molin rested his head against hers, looking at her swollen lips with a smile on his face.

    ¡°Chu Molin, you went too far. You said a favor, I gave you one ¨C but how could you push it even further?¡± Qin Xue¡¯s tear-filled phoenix eyes accused the man.

    ¡°My wife, how is this me going too far? I asked for a favor, and you were so willing. How could I not appreciate your kindness? Isn¡¯t it right?¡± Chu Molin lifted her small chin with his hand, laughing at her huffing face.

    He even mischievously swept her face with her hair.

    Meanwhile, his other hand held her waist so she couldn¡¯t move.

    Chu Molin would teach her a lesson and see if she dared to flirt with him so casually again. Didn¡¯t she know he was a man? Didn¡¯t she know men couldn¡¯t be flirted with?

    If it weren¡¯t for his strong self-control, he would want to teach her a proper lesson right now.

    Nien are wolves ¨C they won¡¯t be docile and follow your instructions. But this woman wasn¡¯t afraid of death. So, he would give her a good ¡°treatment¡± and see if she dared to do it again.

    Chu Molin was a man of his word. He said he would give her treatment, and that¡¯s exactly what he did until Qin Xue begged for mercy and said she wouldn¡¯t dare anymore. Only then did he spare her..

 Chapter 128

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue was really on the verge of tears. This man was too bullying. How could he tease her like this? She might not have experienced this kind of deep affection before, but that didn¡¯t mean she didn¡¯t understand it.

    After one kiss, both of them were panting. It was truly a sweet torture.

    ¡°Let go, I¡¯ll go cook,¡± Qin Xue thought that she needed to find something else to do to avoid the awkward situation.

    Otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t be the man who would eat her, but she herself who wouldn¡¯t be able to resist his charm and pounce on him. It was crucial to

    separate themselves quickly and not let things go on like this, as things might really get out of hand.

    Just that she didn¡¯t expect her voice to be so tender that it frightened her and made her quickly cover her mouth and not dare to speak.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, don¡¯t move, let me hold you a bit longer,¡± Chu Molin hadn¡¯t come to his senses yet.

    Chu Molin found it very comfortable holding his soft wife, and her voice was very pleasing to his ears as well.

    Her soft, tender voice was like a feather brushing against Chu Molin ¡®s heart. This voice, full of emotion, was like poppies ¨C it could make one addicted.

    ¡°Chu Molin, are you done yet? We need to cook, the babies say they¡¯re hungry,¡± Qin Xue stiffened and didn¡¯t dare to move, feeling very uncomfortable.

    ¡°Wife, you sit down and rest, I¡¯ll go cook,¡± Chu Molin still wanted to hold his soft wife, but he couldn¡¯t bear to let her go hungry.

    ¡°Uh, you cook? Chu Molin, can you cook?¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t doubt him, but she hadn¡¯t seen any cooking utensils at home before. She only bought them after she arrived.

    So when Chu Molin said he would cook, Qin Xue looked at him suspiciously.

    ¡°Why are you looking at me like that, girl? Isn¡¯t it a good thing that I¡¯m going to cook for you?¡± Chu Molin might not be very good at cooking, but he could at least cook noodles.

    ¡°Chu Molin, I¡¯m not doubting you, but are you sure you can cook and won¡¯t burn the food?¡± Qin Xue¡¯s suspicious tone and gaze really struck Chu Molin.

    ¡°Wife, don¡¯t underestimate your man. I¡¯ll go cook for you,¡± Chu Molin really wanted to show off his skills and not let his young wife look down on him.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m underestimating you, but you said you could cook, and I didn¡¯t see you do it before, and there weren¡¯t even any pots and pans at home. How can you blame me for not believing you?¡± Qin Xue looked at her husband with a wronged expression.

    ¡°Well, Xue¡¯er isn¡¯t underestimating me, it¡¯s all because I¡¯ve been too busy. I never cooked for my Xue¡¯er before, so it¡¯s normal that you don¡¯t know. Besides, I can only cook noodles,¡± Chu Molin admitted a bit sheepishly.

    Okay, the man who just confidently claimed he could cook now had an unnatural expression on his usually cold face.

    ¡°Pfft, Chu Molin, you¡¯re so cute,¡± Qin Xue held his handsome face and kissed him.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, we¡¯ll cook together. Didn¡¯t we buy chicken? I want to eat white cut chicken. I¡¯ll teach you how to cook this dish,¡± Qin Xue slid off his leg, stood up, and pulled his big hand towards the kitchen.

    You remove the seal on the stove and add coal inside. I¡¯ll wash the pot, and then you clean the whole chicken and put it in the pot with water to boil.

    Qin Xue took the pot and added spiritual spring water while Chu Molin went to light the fire. She didn¡¯t bring it over but instead put it on the ground, waiting for Chu Molin to come and pick it up.

    She couldn¡¯t do everything for him. Otherwise, the man would think the woman was spoiled.

    Qin Xue didn¡¯t want to do that. She had to give him chances to show off every so often so their feelings would become stronger and more harmonious.

    Qin Xue took advantage of this time to clean the dipping sauce ingredients, set them aside, took out the leftover fish balls from last time, and prepared to make a soup with them and some vegetables. A pan-seared green chili pepper dish would be enough for the two of them..

 Chapter 129

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    Qin Xue saw Chu Molin  place the washed chicken in the pot to cook it.

    She ordered, ¡°Chu Molin, wash the rice and steam it later.¡¯

    Being able to boss around the Cold King, Qin Xue felt a great sense of accomplishment.

    Chu Molin washed the rice and steamed it on another small stove, then walked over to Qin Xue and asked, ¡°Xue¡¯er, what else do you want me to do?¡±

    Qin Xue looked and handed him the prepared ingredients, asking him to chop them finely, the finer the better.

    After the chicken soup in the pot began to boil, she continued cooking it for about ten more minutes. Qin Xue tried to use chopsticks to lift the chicken to let it cook more evenly, but accidentally scalded her hand in the process.

    The pain made her shiver and cry out, her fair skin instantly turning red. Hearing his wife¡¯s cry, Chu Molin dropped the knife and rushed to her side, examining her hand which was turning red, and then quickly led her to a faucet. He knew he needed to use cold water to soothe the burn immediately, or blisters would form.

    ¡°How could you be so careless? Look how red it is, does it hurt a lot?¡± His reproachful words carried a tender tone that made Qin Xue¡¯s eyes redden.

    She didn¡¯t think it was a big deal, as anyone who cooked in the kitchen had been burned a few times.

    In the past, she had been burned to the point of forming blisters and didn¡¯t cry over it,

    But today, his concern and care were enough to bring tears to her eyes.

    Qin Xue felt she was becoming increasingly delicate, feeling weak when someone loved and cherished her.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s just a little burn, it¡¯ll be fine soon.¡± Qin Xue tried to pull her hand back, but couldn¡¯t resist the man¡¯s strength.

    ¡°Don¡¯t move it, continue rinsing it. It won¡¯t hurt as much, and it won¡¯t blister either,¡± Chu Molin scolded.

    ¡°Chu Molin, it doesn¡¯t hurt anymore. I can rinse it myself. You go and lift the chicken, it should be cooked by now. The white cut chicken can¡¯t be cooked for too long, or it won¡¯t taste good and won¡¯t be sweet.¡± The best time to eat white cut chicken is when it¡¯s slightly bloody.

    However, since Qin Xue didn¡¯t like the taste of undercooked chicken, she waited a bit longer before instructing Chu Molin to remove it from the pot.

    ¡°Chu Molin, lift the chicken by the head with chopsticks, let it cool for a while, then place it on the cutting board, chop it, and plate it. I¡¯ll handle the rest.¡± Qin Xue thought that a man like him should be good at chopping chicken.

    ¡°Alright, I got it.¡± Chu Molin looked at the chicken in his hand as it drained.

    Qin Xue mixed the prepared ingredients that Chu Molin chopped, served the cooked dishes on the table, and ladled out two bowls of chicken soup.

    Chu Molin placed the chicken in the middle of the table, admiring the dishes and his young wife sitting beside him.

    Chu Molin¡¯s smile lit up like a warm breeze blowing across Qin Xue¡¯s heart, entrancing her.

    ¡°Sit down and eat. There should be enough food for the two of us today. You should drink some soup before eating, it¡¯s good for your stomach.¡± Qin Xue picked up a bowl and drank a mouthful of the golden chicken soup, which tasted delicious.

    When serving the soup, she had thought it was too oily, so she skimmed the oil off the top with a spoon, making it more palatable.

    After sipping, she closed her eyes contentedly, savoring the delicious soup.

    She thought about saving a bowl for Xue Ling, knowing it would be thrilled. That little thing was quite the foodie, she recalled its joy the last time it ate bamboo rat.

    A faint smile spread across her lips. Chu Molin looked at her, puzzled. Was the chicken soup really that good? It could make his wife so happy.

    Chu Molin took a sip from his own bowl. The soup was indeed very delicious, much better than usual, but it didn¡¯t seem as exaggerated as his wife¡¯s expression suggested.

    Chu Molin privately pondered Qin Xue¡¯s expression, not realizing that it was because of her thoughts about Xue Ling that made her so happy.

    ¡°Wife, come and eat a chicken leg.¡± Chu Molin dipped the chicken leg into the sauce and handed it to Qin Xue..

 Chapter 130

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    Qin Xue looked at the soup in her bowl, then at the chicken leg Chu Molin was holding. She thought for a moment, put the bowl on the table, and picked up the chicken leg with her hand.

    Qin Xue loved chicken legs, as well as chicken wings.

    Especially when they were grilled, that was her favorite. Back in college, she often went out for barbecue with her roommates, and those were her fondest memories.

    Qin Xue felt melancholic and lonely as she thought of her friends and classmates from her past life.

    Chu Molin didn¡¯t understand why his young wife had been so happy just a while ago, but now seemed to become so melancholic while eating a chicken leg.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue.

    Qin Xue glanced at Chu Molin: ¡°l miss my family and friends.¡±

    Chu Molin thought about it. He hadn¡¯t taken much time off work in recent years, so he decided to take some time off after completing his current job and take her back to H Province to see her in-laws.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, after I finish this job, I will take you back to H Province to see your in-laws.¡± Chu Molin also thought about it.

    After marrying him, Qin Xue had followed him to S Province. It was normal for a wife who had never left her parents¡¯ side to miss her family, having not seen them for more than half a year.

    At this time, Chu Molin completely failed to grasp that the families and friends Qin Xue spoke of were different from her past life, and there was a distinction between them.

    Qin Xue looked at Chu Molin and moved her mouth as if wanting to say something, but eventually did not tell him that she was thinking of her family and friends from her past lite.

    Now that she had come here, weren¡¯t Qin Xue¡¯s family and friends her ovvn family and friends too? So, what Chu Molin was saying was not wrong.

    ¡°Alright, tell me about the people at home,¡± she said. He had clearly said earlier that he would tell her after giving her the reward.

    Qin Xue thought about it, but she had forgotten about it because of his fuss. It was a good time to bring it up now, so he could tell her.

    ¡°Well, I know you have parents, a twin brother, and a younger sister. Your family¡¯s financial conditions aren¡¯t great, but the people in your family all pamper you.

    So, you are quite willful at home, and sometimes even unreasonable.¡± Chu Molin chose his words carefully and glanced at Qin Xue¡¯s expression.

    Qin Xue watched Chu Molin¡¯s cautious movements, her mouth twitching violently twice. Was she really that scary?

    ¡°What else?¡± Is that all? Qin Xue thought this man couldn¡¯t possibly know just that little.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know much more, but I do know that I once went to H Province for a research trip and got injured.

    Your father found me in the mountains. Because of my work, I had once investigated the terrain and people in the area, so I knew your father was an honest and kind man.

    So I told your father I was injured while hunting in the mountains and asked if I could give your family some money to stay at your place and recover?

    Your father said he couldn¡¯t accept any money, and it wasn¡¯t a big deal for me to stay for a few days.

    I was quite surprised at the time. Why was your father so friendly to a stranger like me?

    Later, I found out that he wanted me to be with you. He didn¡¯t bring it up again because I didn¡¯t agree at the time.

    But I never expected that on the surface, you seemed so pure and innocent, but you would drug me. Ordinary people would not be able to tempt me, but in the end, you succeeded. Do you know why?

    There are two reasons you could tempt me. First, 1 was injured and weak, both physically and mentally.

    If it were someone else, it still wouldn¡¯t be possible. But because I had investigated your father before, I trusted him and ate the soup medicine you gave me. As a result, I was drugged. Second, your eyes were so clear and innocent, I didn¡¯t expect you would do such a thing.

    At that time, I was very angry and wanted to push you away, but your eyes were so innocent and scared.

    So, my heart softened, and you succeeded. Back then, I didn¡¯t understand

    why, even though I had been drugged and seduced before, I let you succeed?

    Now that I think about it, I¡¯m glad I let you succeed, otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have married me, and I feel very fortunate.

    Xue i er, I don¡¯t regret being manipulated. It was a responsibility before, but now it is love. I love you, I love our child, and I just want to be with you, life after life.¡± Chu Molin reached out and took Qin Xue¡¯s hand and gently stroked it..

 Chapter 131

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue didn¡¯t expect this, as Chu Molin continued, ¡°After we slept together, your younger brother was the first to find out. He almost started a fight with me.¡±

    Your brother has always struck me as calm and composed, but he was incredibly furious at that time. I later found out that he was angry because of you.¡±

    Because you were attracted to my looks the first time you saw me, and were often fantasizing about marrying me.¡±

    You caused quite a commotion in front of your family due to this, turning our home into a chaotic mess. However, your family loved you too much to chastise you.. let alone blame you.¡±

    As a result of this, you actually had the courage to drug me.¡±

    This was what infuriated him the most, thinking you shouldn¡¯t have degraded yourself in this way.¡±

    However, despite you drugging me, you still got your way. Unable to vent his anger, he decided to take it out on me. He believed that if not for me, you wouldn¡¯t have done this.¡¯

    From my perspective, they were the ones in the wrong. If they hadn¡¯t spoiled you so much, you wouldn¡¯t have developed such a reckless personality.¡±

    If they hadn¡¯t protected you so much, you wouldn¡¯t have been used so easily by others.¡± Molin said, picking up some food with his chopsticks to feed his little wife.

    As Qin Xue listened to all this, she wasn¡¯t paying attention and opened her mouth to eat whenever he fed her.

    Molin saw that Qin Xue ate naturally, so he continued to feed her and talk about these past incidents, completely neglecting the fact that he himself hadn¡¯t eaten yet.

    It wasn¡¯t until Qin Xue was full and the conversation had come to an end that Molin finally started to eat.

    Only then did Qin Xue realize that it had been Molin feeding her all along. She blushed, feeling sheepish.

    ¡°Molin, you mentioned that I was being used? By whom was I used?¡± Qin Xue asked curiously.

    ¡°Yes, you were being used. At that time, there was also a girl from your village who had her eyes on me. I heard she was your good friend, and you would tell her everything.¡±

    So she knew about your feelings for me, and it was through you that she managed to see me.¡±

    She believed that you did not deserve me, but she did, so she used you as a stepping stone to get closer to me. The drug was given to you by her.¡±

    She initially intended to have you drug me so she could sleep with me and fulfill her own desires. But to her surprise, l, out of a moment of soft-heartedness, let you have your way.¡±

    Of course, all of these facts were pieced together afterwards. Your brother also found out because he knew that although his sister was spoilt, she was very naive and incapable of doing all of these things.¡±

    So the two of us teamed up and ended up marrying that woman off to someone you would never have expected.¡± Molin wore a sinister smile, full of malice.

    He never took calculating moves against him lightly; he would always return them tenfold.

    Although it was a village girl this time, it was simply because he couldn¡¯t bring himself to hurt Qin Xue, so that woman had to bear the brunt of his anger instead.

    Qin Xue was startled to see his sudden display of ruthlessness.

    Yet she wasn¡¯t afraid, because she knew this man wouldn¡¯t hurt her and found herself inexplicably trusting him.

    ¡°Oh, so there were so many hidden details.¡± Qin Xue gave a bashful smile. What on earth had her predecessor gotten herself into?

    Molin curved his lips into a smile, ¡°Xue¡¯er, do you know? You have broken a lot of my rules, our connection is fated.¡±

    Qin Xue thought, isn¡¯t this connection predestined? She, who should have died in a car accident.

    Who had come here from decades later in another world to become his wife. Wasn¡¯t that predestined?

    ¡°Yeah, I also think it¡¯s fate, otherwise how could l, who was supposed to be dead, come here,¡¯

    And how would I end up in this body as your wife?¡± Qin Xue thought she was thinking to herself, but it turned out she was muttering out loud unknowingly.

    When Molin heard her muttering, his heart clenched painfully. So his original love was a deceased person?

    Who was so cruel as to hurt such a kind and gentle person?

 Chapter 132

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    Chu Molin didn¡¯t realize how hard he was gripping.

    Qin Xue cried out in pain, ¡°Chu Molin, be gentle, you¡¯re hurting me.¡±

    Upon hearing Qin Xue¡¯s cry of pain, Chu Molin quickly let go, noticing he had gripped her pale hand so tightly it had turned red.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to.¡± Chu Molin tenderly caressed her reddened hand, remorseful for his negligence.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, you didn¡¯t do it on purpose¡­¡± Qin Xue glanced at her reddened hand impassively. It was just a squeeze; it was nothing serious.

    Witnessing Qin Xue¡¯s nonchalant attitude, Chu Molin felt even more regret. Any other girl would have burst into tears; it was like she just didn¡¯t care.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, it just hurt a bit when you were squeezing my hand. It doesn¡¯t hurt anymore after you let go.¡± After saying that, Qin Xue picked up a piece of chicken and put it into Chu Molin¡¯s mouth.

    With a mouth full of chicken, Chu Molin didn¡¯t continue with the matter.

    Seriously concentrating on his food, Chu Molin was watched attentively by Qin Xue, who propped her chin on her crossed hands.

    How unfair it was! This man was not only handsome but also seemed so appealing when he was just eating.

    Chu Molin was eating his food voraciously, his movements swift yet elegant, a clear indication of his excellent upbringing.

    Ordinary people wouldn¡¯t have such manners. Qin Xue could infer that Chu Molin came from an extraordinary background, yet she wouldn¡¯t pressure him to reveal it.

    She would wait until he was ready to talk about it. After all, she had already made up her mind about him. If he ever wanted to go back, she¡¯d accompany him.

    Chu Molin felt no anxiety with Qin Xue staring at him while eating. He kept eating at his usual pace and after he finished his meal, Qin Xue poured him half a bowl of soup.

    Once Chu Molin finished the soup, he tidied up the dishes without letting Qin Xue lift a finger.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, do you want to go for a walk?¡± Having washed the dishes, Chu Molin noticed Qin Xue still sitting there in the same position.

    ¡°Sure, going for a walk should help with digestion.¡± Qin Xue stood up and stretched her body.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go, wife.¡± He reached out and took his little wife¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go babies, let¡¯s go for a walk with daddy and mommy.¡± Qin Xue walked alongside Chu Molin¡¯s steps, gently rubbing her stomach.

    ¡°Yes, babies, let¡¯s go for a walk with daddy and mommy.¡± Chu Molin wrapped one arm around his wife¡¯s waist and gently touched her swollen belly with his other hand.

    Once outside, he switched from hugging his wife¡¯s waist to holding her little hand as they slowly descended the stairs.

    People have already seen the couple¡¯s loving interactions the previous night.

    So tonight, when they saw the couple taking a walk, although they were curious, they didn¡¯t crowd around them. They just watched from a distance, whispering among themselves.

    Neither Chu Molin nor Qin Xue minded though. Qin Xue, being from the future, was used to it, and Chu Molin simply cared more about his wife. As long as they were not saying anything, they were not bothered either.

    As the couple strolled leisurely, more and more people began to walk around them.

    ¡°Chu Molin, what was the deal with that woman this afternoon?¡± Qin Xue brought up the topic of Su Yun, who had come looking for Chu Molin in the afternoon.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, I swear there¡¯s nothing between us, I don¡¯t even know her. If she hadn¡¯t mentioned she was the granddaughter of the old director, who would have known she was such a lunatic.¡± As Chu Molin remembered it, he became annoyed. It was her fault his wife nearly got angry with him.

    Thinking about this afternoon when Qin Xue ignored him, he wished he could give that woman a good beating. Fortunately, his wife didn¡¯t stay mad for long and even let him sip some soup, making up for his earlier shortcomings.

    If she dares to provoke him again, he will not show mercy, regardless of her gender. He vowed not to let anyone who upset his wife get away with it..

 Chapter 133

    Translator: 549690339

    ¡°No relationship? Then why did that person come to look for you, and speak as if she was very familiar with you?¡±

    Qin Xue also believed that Chu Molin had nothing to do with the woman named Su Yun.

    But if she didn¡¯t put some pressure on him, this kind of thing would happen more and more, and it would be impossible to prevent them. He could only reject them himself.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, you have to believe me, I really didn¡¯t lie to you.

    At that time, when I had just left the military and entered the Research Institute, the old director helped to guide me, so I occasionally visited him at his house.

    I remember once there seemed to be a woman who spoke to me there.

    I only replied out of courtesy and can¡¯t remember what was said at that time.

    Anyway, it wasn¡¯t something that would cause misunderstandings. I don¡¯t even know what she looks like, so how could I know who she is?¡± Chu Molin felt wronged.

    He had just started to have a good relationship with his little wife, and now these troublemakers were coming out one after another. Chu Molin really wanted to get rid of them.

    ¡°Humph, it¡¯s because you have a face that brings disaster to the country and the people, always attracting peach blossoms.

    I remember last time, Bai Jing, who claimed to be my good friend, came to you.

    There was also the woman named Zhang Cuihua who targeted me all the time because of you.

    And there¡¯s this Su Yun, and the Miss Gu Xuelin in the clothing store the other day.

    Do you have many more peach blossoms that I don¡¯t know about? Why are there so many problems?¡±

    Actually, what Qin Xue wanted to say more was, can I not have you? Then there won¡¯t be so many problems.

    But Qin Xue knew that saying such words occasionally was fine, but saying them too many times would ruin even the best relationship.

    Moreover, her feelings for Chu Molin were not deep, so she couldn¡¯t say it.

    Chu Molin heard the other meaning in Qin Xue¡¯s words, but he was glad that the woman had a conscience and didn¡¯t say it out loud, or else he was afraid he would not be able to resist strangling her.

    Indeed, anyone who made their intentions clear over and over again, only to be rejected and kept away, would not feel good.

    ¡°l never showed a good face to anyone. Who knows what¡¯s wrong with these women?¡± Chu Molin had never even given Qin Xue a good face before, let alone anyone else.

    ¡°Yes, our handsome Chu has such great charm.

    He looks like someone owes him millions with that cold face every day, but still has so many flies sticking to him.

    Of course, we can¡¯t blame our handsome Chu. We can only blame me for finding such a handsome husband, don¡¯t you think, Handsome Chu?¡± Qin Xue leaned in and said to Chu Molin coldly.

    ¡°How could we blame Xue¡¯er? My Xue¡¯er has good taste. Didn¡¯t you see that I didn¡¯t like anyone else and only married you?¡± Chu Molin quickly agreed, not daring to make her angry.

    Haha, who would have thought our Cold King would have a day like this?

    If other people saw this, they would definitely wake up laughing in their sleep because not everyone can make the Cold King bow down.

    ¡°Oh, really? Weren¡¯t you the one I drugged and slept with?¡± Qin Xue looked at Chu Molin with a teasing smile.

    ¡°Yes, it was you who drugged me and slept with me. Although I was drugged at that time, it was a very refreshing feeling. Xue¡¯er, when will you drug me and sleep with me again?¡± Chu Molin shamelessly said.

    ¡°Shameless, Mr. Chu, where is your face? Did a dog eat it?¡± Qin Xue looked at this man who sometimes went crazy.

    ¡°What¡¯s the use of having a face in front of my own wife? Can it be eaten as a meal, or can it get meat? It¡¯s only by being shameless that I can get meat.¡± Mr. Chu, do you know that you might scare people like this?

    With her hands covering her face, Qin Xue was speechless. When it came to being shameless, she really couldn¡¯t compare with Chu Molin.

    Qin Xue glared at him and walked forward. She didn¡¯t want to engage in such a shameless conversation with him..

 Chapter 134

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    Chu Molin felt very pleased watching Qin Xue stammer, unable to speak.

    Teasing his wife felt so good, no wonder his colleagues always said how great their wives were,

    It was really great, even though he couldn¡¯t ¡®eat meat¡¯ yet, there would be a day when he could.

    Chu Molin happily followed his wife¡¯s footsteps with a good mood.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, I originally wanted to take a day off tomorrow to accompany you.

    But I want to finish my work plan quickly so I can take a half-month vacation to bring you back to H Province to see your parents, so I have to go to work tomorrow and can¡¯t accompany you.¡± Chu Molin said reluctantly.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to accompany me especially, 1 1 m not as delicate as you think, I can do it. Weren¡¯t those months when you were on a mission just me alone? Nothing happened then, besides, we¡¯re in the institute now, right?¡± Qin Xue was alone in college, and still alone while working. Even now she was still alone.

    Hearing Qin Xue say this made Chu Molin feel even more distressed, as he hadn¡¯t accompanied her while she was hospitalized and injured.

    Now that she was pregnant, he still couldn¡¯t accompany her. But he was a researcher, and she was his wife, obeying orders was their duty. And who knows how Li Dabao¡¯s investigation was going?

    Chu Molin held the small hand in his palm tightly, his heart aching as he looked at her beautiful side profile, and they walked quietly together.

    Watching soldiers training in twos and threes, Qin Xue felt that no matter where she was, she must work very hard, otherqise, she would be eliminated or killed by enemies.

    She thought about planting medicinal seeds in her space as soon as she had time, and then make some life-saving medicines for Chu Molin to protect himself. She didn¡¯t want to be a widow so young.

    ¡°Chu Molin, is it always dangerous for you guys when you go for research?¡± Qin Xue thought that probably the hemostatic medicine would be the most in demand.

    ¡°Not really.¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t want to scare her, so he thought for a moment

    and replied with this sentence.

    Qin Xue looked at him, ¡°Even you don¡¯t believe what you¡¯re saying, do you think I would?¡±

    Chu Molin knew that Qin Xue was smart and couldn¡¯t be deceived by him, so that¡¯s why he said that.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, some things are confidential, and I can¡¯t disclose them. But I promise you, I will be careful not to get hurt and will definitely come back alive.¡± Chu Molin knew that he couldn¡¯t simply say he would come back alive, and it would happen.

    But if he didn¡¯t say this, Qin Xue would worry, and he was also telling himself that he still had responsibilities.

    His responsibility lay with his wife and child. If he couldn¡¯t protect himself, who would protect them?

    So no matter what, he had to stay alive. Only by being alive could he be with his wife and child, he couldn¡¯t have any accidents.

    ¡°Fine, that¡¯s what you¡¯ve said. If you dare to get hurt or have accidents, I¡¯ll remarry and let your child call someone else ¡®Dad e .¡± Qin Xue said fiercely.

    Qin Xue knew that some jobs were special, and once people entered this field, they couldn¡¯t decide for themselves how to proceed.

    They were duty-bound to obey orders, and they had to go wherever they were needed.

    So Qin Xue would not believe he would disobey orders and refuse to carry them out.

    But saying this at least made him aware of the crisis, and this sense was his possessiveness for her.

    Although Qin Xue had spent only a few days with Chu Molin, she could feel that his possessiveness toward her was very strong.

    He would never give her up easily. As long as he had that sense, Qin Xue knew he would always protect himself.

    It must be said that Qin Xue understood Chu Molin¡¯s thoughts very well.

    Chu Molin would never let go of Qin Xue, not even in death.

    Only when someone¡¯s love goes deep will they think of absolute possession, unwilling to let go, and not wanting Qin Xue to lie in someone else¡¯s arms..

 Chapter 135

    Translator: 549690339

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, I won¡¯t let myself get hurt, and I definitely won¡¯t let you marry someone else. In this lifetime, you can only be my wife, Chu Molin¡¯s.¡± Chu Molin¡¯s domineering words rang in Qin Xue¡¯s ears.

    Qin Xue couldn¡¯t help but smile at the man¡¯s seriousness.

    ¡°Just because you say you won¡¯t get hurt doesn¡¯t mean you won¡¯t. Are accidents at work something that can be avoided just by saying they won¡¯t happen? I really want to crack open your head and see how It¡¯s constructed.¡± Qin Xue thought.

    How could he assume that everything would go according to his plan?

    Chu Molin reached out and touched Qin Xue¡¯s belly, feeling the fetal movement beneath his hand.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, even if I don¡¯t live for myself, I will live for you and our child. So you have to believe in me, okay?¡± When had Chu Molin ever spoken so humbly?

    Now, in order to make his little wife believe in him, he had lowered himself.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll believe you this time. Speaking of injuries, how is your wound?¡± Qin Xue remembered that he was still injured.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, It¡¯s mostly healed already. It¡¯s really strange, isn¡¯t it? In the past, when I got hurt like this, it would take about a month to fully recover.

    But now, it¡¯s only been a few days and the wound has already scabbed over. Isn¡¯t that strange?¡± Chu Molin said this deliberately to get Qin Xue¡¯s mind off the topic.

    Qin Xue¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Oh no! Could this man be trying to dig up her secrets?

    She forced an awkward laugh: ¡°Hehe, really? Maybe your constitution has improved, so you recover faster?¡±

    Chu Molin looked at his little wife¡¯s unnatural expression but didn¡¯t expose her lame excuse.

    It was clearly her doing, yet she still tried to fob him off with such an excuse. Nobody but Qin Xue would dare to do this.

    ¡°Mhm, if Xue¡¯er says so, then it must be.¡± Chu Molin said, holding her hand and walking slowly.

    Time passed peacefully, and the two walked countless circles. Only when Qin Xue grew tired and wanted to return did Chu Molin accompany her back.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, sit down and I¡¯ll fetch hot water for you to shower.¡± Chu Molin had already been heating water while preparing the chicken soup, so it was hot when they returned.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go get my clothes.¡± Qin Xue went back to the room to fetch her pajamas.

    Just like the night before, Qin Xue mixed some spiritual spring water and sprinkled peach blossoms into it for her bath, filling the room with the fragrance of flowers.

    After her shower, she collected the peach blossoms into her space and fetched a bucket of spirit spring water for Chu Molin¡¯s shower.

    Maybe she could refine some floral essential oil from the peach blossoms. That way, she could just add a few drops instead of having to put out peach blossoms every time they showered.

    Perfect, she would look for refining tools in the county town tomorrow.

    ¡°Chu Molin, I¡¯m done. You can shower now.¡± Qin Xue wore black pajamas tonight.

    Chu Molin had been resting with his eyes closed. Upon hearing Qin Xue¡¯s voice, he opened his eyes and saw a beautiful scene before him.

    Just one glimpse of her like this last night had kept him awake all night. Now, with his little wife appearing before him dressed like this, wasn¡¯t it just asking for his life?

    Chu Molin¡¯s breathing grew heavier, and he could feel his body respond. He rushed into the bathroom, fearing that any hesitation would lead to something untoward happening on the spot.

    As he passed by Qin Xue, the strong scent of peach blossoms entered his nostrils.

    A hot stream flowed out. Damn it, he was actually having a nosebleed.

    Chu Molin ran even faster, taking two steps at a time into the bathroom. With a bang, the door was forcefully closed, scaring Qin Xue with its strength..

 Chapter 136

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue raised her brows and smiled, ¡®This time he won¡¯t come out so soon,¡¯ she thought.

    Indeed, Qin Xue purposely dressed this way- -all to gain access to the space dimension.

    Glancing towards the direction of the restroom, Qin Xue walked into the kitchen, fetched the chicken soup, and brought it into the space dimension.

    As soon she entered, Xue Ling appeared before her.

    ¡°Master, you¡¯re here. What food did you bring me? It smells delicious.¡± Xue Ling licked his lips, vaguely human-like.

    But wasn¡¯t Xue Ling human-like already?

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve brought you chicken soup. Go ahead, drink up.¡± Qin Xue placed the soup in the same bowl Xue Ling had used to eat the bamboo rat.

    ¡°Drink this while I plant some herbs,¡± Qin Xue told Xue Ling, leaving him to enjoy the soup alone. She then got to work planting herbs, and also seeds from the oranges she¡¯d saved from earlier.

    It was late in the day before she finished. Qin Xue smiled with satisfaction, her long-known task finally complete.

    ¡°Oh no, I lost track of time! How long has it passed? What if Chu Molin comes out and can¡¯t find me?¡± Qin Xue thought in panic.

    How would she explain her sudden absence and reappearance? She must hurry and exit the space dimension.

    ¡°Xue Ling, I have to go now. You behave and keep practicing. When you can leave this space, I¡¯ll take you out to play,¡± Qin Xue said quickly, then vanished from the space dimension.

    Before Xue Ling could reply, Qin Xue was gone. Xue Ling stared blankly at the space where Qin Xue had been, disappointed. He had wanted to tell her for the longest time that he wished to eat meat, not just soup.

    Initially, he didn¡¯t want to bother her while she was busy, but no sooner did she finish, she vanished after leaving him a brief message.

    ¡®Ah, I want to eat meat, I must eat meat! Roasted, stewed, I long for delicious meat,¡¯ Xue Ling wailed inwardly, a plea Qin Xue will never know.

    Upon exiting the dimension, Qin Xue didn¡¯t see Chu Molin. It appears the door hadn¡¯t been opened. She sighed in relief. How would she have explained her sudden disappearance otherwise?

    Rushing, Qin Xue found a more modest nightgown and changed into it swiftly. She didn¡¯t dare to dress so revealingly amid a wolf in human clothing.

    After changing, Qin Xue picked up her medical book and began reading on the bed.

    Qin Xue thought Chu Molin must have returned to his room, thus she concentrated on her reading without distractions.

    Meanwhile, Chu Molin washed away the nosebleed he had when he stormed into the bathroom.

    Gazing at his reflection in the mirror, his face covered in droplets of water, Chu Molin¡¯s icy eyes flashed a hint of helplessness. Where had his self-control gone? When had he been so embarrassed?

    Chu Molin washed his face, turned on the tap, and took a cold shower. However, the heat within his body refused to dissipate.

    Thinking of that woman, anger gnawed at him. Did she think he wouldn¡¯t dare touch her? Just wait until she had fully accepted him, then where would she run?

    With no other choice, Chu Molin took matters into his own hands to alleviate his physical needs.

    In his mind, Chu Molin held Qin Xue accountable for his condition.

    When Chu Molin finished his bath and came out, he found the door to his room closed. Surely, that woman hasn¡¯t locked him out?

    Chu Molin walked over and tried the doorknob. To his surprise, it was unlocked. ¡®At least she had the decency not to lock me out,¡¯ he mused.

    Upon entering the room, he saw the woman already changed into a different outfit, quietly reading a book in bed.

    Chu Molin arched an eyebrow. ¡®Is she afraid I might do something to her?¡¯ he wondered..

 Chapter 137

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue heard the door open and looked up, thinking that the man had already returned to his room to rest.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, why aren¡¯t you resting yet?¡± Chu Molin noticed that it was already past nine o¡¯clock.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s too early. I can¡¯t sleep, so I¡¯m reading a book before bed.¡± Qin Xue rarely went to bed this early.

    ¡°So you can¡¯t sleep. I thought you were waiting for me.¡± Chu Molin picked up a military book from the table and continued reading from where he left off yesterday.

    Qin Xue didn¡¯t respond, thinking it was better to read more than to chit-chat with him.

    Qin Xue read until half-past ten before she put the book down on the table, washed up in the restroom, and returned to her room to see him still sitting and reading.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to rest now. Don¡¯t stay up too late either.¡± Qin Xue thought about it and decided to remind him.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll sleep too. My wife has spoken. I¡¯ll join her in bed.¡± Chu Molin closed the book and undressed to get into bed.

    He had already brushed his teeth while showering earlier, so he didn¡¯t need to wash up again before going to bed.

    ¡°You¡¯re really hopeless.¡± Qin Xue looked at his shameless demeanor and scooted over for him.

    ¡°Mmm, I¡¯ve already been poisoned by my wife. Only my wife can save me.¡± Chu Molin stretched out his arm and pulled his little wife into his embrace.

    Without being polite, Qin Xue found a comfortable position and went to sleep.

    After a while, Chu Molin noticed that Qin Xue was still tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, what¡¯s wrong? Can¡¯t sleep?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that I can¡¯t sleep, but my stomach feels a bit uncomfortable.¡± Qin Xue felt restless no matter how she positioned herself.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your stomach? Are the babies too restless?¡± Chu Molin gently caressed Qin Xue¡¯s pregnant belly with his hand.

    ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re moving too much.¡± The larger the babies grew, the more they moved. She had two, so it was quite a commotion.

    Chu Molin felt very distressed. At only five or six months, the babies were already causing his little wife to lose sleep. What would they do when they grow even bigger?

    ¡°Babies, please be good and don¡¯t disturb your mom when she¡¯s sleeping, alright?¡± His cold voice, softened by tenderness, didn¡¯t feel out of place at all. ¡°Chu Molin, can you sing a song for me?¡± Qin Xue suddenly wanted to hear what he sounded like singing.

    Uh, he could only sing military songs.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, I can¡¯t sing.¡± Chu Molin thought about it and then spoke.

    ¡°Is it that you can¡¯t sing, or that you don¡¯t know what song to sing?¡± Qin Xue looked up at him.

    ¡°I can sing military songs, but do you really want to hear them?¡± Chu Molin tried to find a way out, but had never sung a song except when necessary.

    ¡°I want to listen. What an honor to hear our Mr. Chu singing.¡± Qin Xue smiled.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, you¡¯re being mischievous again.¡± Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue.

    A mellow and deep voice poured out from his thin lips, singing ¡°I¡¯m a Soldier¡± above Qin Xue¡¯s head.

    His voice was really good. It was so enticing that it could make one¡¯s ears pregnant.

    Qin Xue slowly drifted to sleep amidst the singing.

    Mr. Chu finished singing the song, looked down to see no reaction from the person in his arms, and chuckled. She had fallen asleep. He shook his head and placed a kiss on her forehead.

    He adjusted his position, held his little wife, and went to sleep as well.

    Qin Xue woke up twice that night, each time Chu Molin turned on the light for her.

    Seeing that Qin Xue didn¡¯t sleep much that night, he thought it would be best for her just to give birth to this set of babies and not have any more in the future.

    Our handsome Chu Molin didn¡¯t even know that family planning was starting. They could only have one child, and even if he wanted another, they couldn¡¯t have more.

    Unless they had one this year and another next year. But even if Qin Xue were willing to give birth, she wouldn¡¯t have them so close together. So, it was fortunate that they would have two in one pregnancy..

 Chapter 138

    Translator: 549690339

    When the morning bugle sounded the next day, Chu Molin woke up, but he didn¡¯t get up right away.

    Instead, he gently released Qin Xue after the bugle stopped and quickly got dressed and washed up before heading out for training.

    Meanwhile, he didn¡¯t make any noise during this time, fearing that he might disturb his little wife, who had barely fallen asleep.

    When Qin Xue woke up, it was already past seven o¡¯clock. She glanced at the time and realized there was no time to make breakfast.

    Qin Xue cooked up some fish porridge and then fried a few scallion pancakes for Chu Molin, leaving a note for him.

    She packed a couple of scallion pancakes for herself, grabbed her bag, and headed out the door.

    Sigh, she had to attend training at the factory today. Why had she woken up so late?

    Perhaps she didn¡¯t sleep well the night before, as she had been up several times. She didn¡¯t hear the wake-up bugle this morning and was quite distressed.

    She hadn¡¯t written a training plan yesterday either. Fortunately, she had a draft in mind; otherwise, she might have broken her promise today.

    Qin Xue went to wait for the bus to the county seat; she planned to find Fang Hong at the store. She took out and ate the pancakes on the bus, their scent filling the entire carriage.

    The passengers in the carriage couldn¡¯t help but look over at Qin Xue and swallow their saliva.

    In this era, when people could barely get enough to eat, there weren¡¯t many opportunities to enjoy such delicious scallion pancakes.

    Feeling embarrassed by all the attention she was receiving, Qin Xue just smiled at the onlookers and quickly finished the pancakes, almost choking in the process.

    It wasn¡¯t until she took a sip of water from her bottle that she felt better.

    Upon returning home and opening the door, Chu Molin didn¡¯t see his little wife but instead smelled the fragrance from the pancakes and porridge throughout the house.

    Putting the key on the shelf and washing his hands and face, he went to the bedroom but still didn¡¯t see her.

    Chu Molin then went to the living room and saw the note in the kitchen, which said that she had gone to the store.

    There was fish porridge simmering on the stove, and scallion pancakes as well. Chu Molin smiled, ladled some porridge into a bowl, and brought the pancakes to the table to eat leisurely.

    After taking his time to finish breakfast, he washed the dishes and dried his hands before leaving the kitchen.

    He fastened his belt, checked his reflection in the mirror to make sure it wasn¡¯t crooked, took the water Qin Xue had prepared for him, locked the door, and went to work.

    As soon as Chu Molin arrived at his office, Li Dabao came with a stack of materials for him.

    ¡°Deputy Section Chief, here are the investigations you asked me to do regarding the incidents involving your sister-in-law these last few months. They¡¯re all here,¡± Li Dabao placed the materials on Chu Molin¡¯s desk.

    He had gone through a lot of trouble to investigate these matters involving Qin Xue, and his progress had been quite fast.

    But then again, how could someone who had been handpicked to work with the Cold King lack ability?

    Chu Molin glanced at Li Dabao and began reading through the materials. However, the more he read, the darker his expression became.

    The air in the office grew colder, and Li Dabao shivered. He wanted to escape, but what could he do?

    He had conducted the investigation, so he knew why Chu Molin was angry.

    Even Li himself was furious upon reading the information. How much angrier must the Deputy Section Chief be?

    Bai Jing not only cheated Qin Xue out of her money and tickets but also tarnished her reputation.

    And that wasn¡¯t all; she had even lured Qin Xue out and let others hurt her.

    Knowing what the Deputy Section Chief was like, Bai Jing was in for a world of trouble.

    As for Su Yun, who had hurt Qin Xue, even though she was the granddaughter of the old director, the Deputy Section Chief wouldn¡¯t let her off the hook either.

    Most people thought that the Camp Leader was called the Cold King merely for his cold exterior and ruthlessness. Only those who spent significant time with him knew how truly terrifying he could be.

    Chu Molin slammed the materials onto the desk.

    ¡°Very well. These people dared to bully my wife while l, Chu Molin, was away,¡± He said, growing increasingly calm despite his anger. His calm was the chilling kind that sent shivers down others¡¯ spines.

    Whenever Chu Molin took on a task, he would always complete it with great speed..

 Chapter 139

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue almost ended up in a vegetative state, and that was what enraged Chu

    Molin the most.

    His Xue¡¯er had suffered so much, and he hadn¡¯t been by her side.

    Chu Molin¡¯s fists clenched with a crunching sound, feeling suppressed as his mother had been bullied in his childhood and now Qin Xue was being bullied as well.

    ¡°Li Dabao, get Bai Jing and Su Yun to find something to do. They seem too idle.

    And let Bai Jing return the money and tickets she took from Qin Xue. Who can believe that such a staff member could do such a thing?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Chu, I will arrange it immediately.¡± Li Dabao replied and left.

    Chu Molin locked the file in his drawer, picked up his work schedule, and went to find the section head to inform the other colleagues about the meeting.

    Qin Lang was on leave two days ago and hadn¡¯t seen them when they came back.

    Yesterday he went to work, but Chu Molin was on leave, and again they didn¡¯t meet. Early today, he received a notification from the section head for a meeting.

    ¡°Section Head.¡± Qin Lang looked around at everyone sitting in the conference room and realized that he was the last one to arrive.

    His eyes locked on the man who stood out among the others.

    Still as cold as before, more handsome, and more mature.

    After so many years, he still had the charm to attract attention to himself in just one glance.

    Qin Lang walked to his seat, and Xie Jun started the meeting once everyone arrived.

    ¡°The purpose of this meeting is to address the shortcomings of our recent scientific research.

    Those who participated in this mission are aware that there were criminals involved.

    It took our comrades a whole four months to settle the matter.

    It shows that many items can be exploited, and criminals will not follow their usual patterns, coming up with various ways to achieve their goals.

    So, we must not stagnate, we need to work harder to improve.

    Mr. Chu has developed a work schedule to address our shortcomings and areas that need improvement.

    Now let¡¯s listen to Mr. Chu¡¯s plan, and if you have any questions, bring them up for discussion. If there are no issues, we will proceed according to the plan.¡± Xie Jun stated the purpose of the meeting and handed the floor over to Chu Molin.

    ¡°Those who participated in this research mission should be aware of our shortcomings, so I won¡¯t say much more about them here.

    As you all know, our work is usually very tense and busy, but we still can¡¯t get immediate results.

    Therefore, we need to complete our tasks and ensure our safety at the same time.

    Beyond being citizens of Hua Country, we are also children of our parents, and the pillars supporting our wives and children.

    So, how can we achieve this? By strengthening our efforts beyond our work and learning more to become stronger.

    Now, please take a look at the plan I have prepared. If you don¡¯t understand anything or have any suggestions, feel free to bring them up for discussion.

    Otherwise, once we start implementing the plan, there won¡¯t be any room for interruption. Has everyone understood?¡± Chu Molin, as the team leader, felt the most stifled by this experience.

    So to avoid further unnecessary problems, he had to be tough on his team.

    After everyone carefully read the plan, they found that it was quite demanding and some tasks they had never done before.

    ¡°Mr. Chu, isn¡¯t this training plan too heavy? Can they endure it?¡± The majority of the people felt it was too strict.

    And with such difficult tasks, would they really be able to meet Mr. Chu¡¯s requirements?

    Let alone the others, not even themselves dared to claim they could achieve it..

 Chapter 140

    Translator: 549690339

    ¡°Exactly, Mr. Chu, isn¡¯t this too difficult? We have to increase the workload and conduct outdoor exercises at the same time. Is this even doable?¡± Those who didn¡¯t participate in the research this time raised objections.

    Only Wei Shaohui and a few others were involved in the mission this time.

    He had personally experienced outdoor research while encountering strong and fierce enemies at the same time.

    If Chu Molin hadn¡¯t decisively canceled the original plan at that moment, their entire team would have been annihilated, with no chance of survival.

    That¡¯s why, when he saw the plan, he had no doubts or objections.

    ¡°Is this the only disagreement you all have?¡± Chu Molin knew that the workload in the plan was much more challenging than before, but it wasn¡¯t impossible to accomplish.

    Even Qin Lang felt it was too difficult and impossible to complete.

    ¡°Mr. Chu, this is really too hard. If we carry on like this, it will exhaust them. What if something goes wrong?¡± As a newcomer, Qin Lang had to consider their well-being.

    ¡°If this is your only objection and there is no other issue, then let¡¯s decide on this. Is it doable? One can only find out after trying, right?

    Besides, I believe they can do it. They are not cowards.¡± Chu Molin knew that human potential was immeasurable.

    Only by trying would they know the extent of their potential.

    ¡°Mr. Xie, I think you can request to bring in new blood to our research institute.¡± Chu Molin knew that refreshing their team constantly would make those who had stopped progressing and become somewhat arrogant realize that they could be eliminated and replaced if they didn¡¯t advance.

    Without pressure, there is no motivation. It¡¯s time to push them harder.

    ¡°l have already requested that, but the higher-ups want to see the outcome of your arrangements before deciding whether to provide new people or not.

    So whether the people you want can come or not depends on whether your plan is worth fighting for.¡± Xie Jun had already applied for additional staff since Chu Molin suggested changes in the work arrangements.

    ¡°Let¡¯s wait and see then. Now, everyone should go to work.

    Work half a day, rest in the afternoon, and start outdoor exercises in the

    evening.

    1 will personally demonstrate for you all whether this is doable or not.¡± Chu Molin was determined to show everyone if the plan was indeed feasible.

    Since the plan had been determined by the head and deputy head, and even the higher-ups were awaiting the outcome, they could do nothing but abide by the plan, despite their objections.

    After everyone left, only Xie Jun, Xu Fangzhou, Chu Molin, and Qin Lang remained. Xie Jun then said to Chu Molin:

    ¡°Molin, this is the new research staff member, Qin Lang, who was transferred while you were away on the research trip. You two should get to know each other and discuss any issues with each other in the future.¡± Xie Jun thought that two unfamiliar people working together would need an adjustment period.

    Since the moment Qin Lang appeared in the conference room, Chu Molin had recognized him, but he didn¡¯t understand why Qin Lang had come here.

    ¡°Molin, long time no see.¡± Qin Lang smiled and reached out his fist to greet him.

    ¡°Long time no see.¡± Chu Molin also extended his fist to bump Qin Langs.

    ¡°Ah, so you two know each other already?¡± Xie Jun and Xu Fangzhou both exclaimed in surprise.

    ¡°Yes, we know each other, but we haven¡¯t seen each other for many years. I didn¡¯t expect to meet him here.¡± When Qin Lang initially applied to be transferred here, he didn¡¯t know Chu Molin was here already.

    He only found out after receiving the transfer order and arriving here that the notorious Cold King of the research institute was his childhood friend, Chu Moline At first, he thought it was just a coincidence of names.

    ¡°It¡¯s even better if you two know each other. This way, your teamwork will be more in sync.¡± Xu Fangzhou saw that they not only knew each other, it seemed that they also had a good relationship, which would benefit their work, which was a good thing..

 Chapter 141

    Translator: 549690339

    ¡°Section Chief, if there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll head back to the office first.¡± Chu

    Molin still needed to go check on their research results from the past few months.

    ¡°Sure, off you go.¡± Xie Jun knew he was busy. He waved him off with a hand gesture.

    ¡°Then Chief, I¡¯m also taking off.¡± Qin Lang left since Chu Molin had, after their many years apart, he still had to have a chat with Chu Molin.

    ¡°Off you go, not sure why none of you can stand to stay here a moment longer?¡± Xie Jun felt like punching someone.

    ¡°Mr. Xie, have you noticed how acquainted Qin Lang seems to be with Molin? It seems like Chu Molin¡¯s family background isn¡¯t simple either.¡± Xu Fangzhou knew that Qin Lang was from Imperial Capital.

    Nobody had mentioned before that he knew Chu Molin, who got selected into the research institute right after retiring from service.

    One could say that he¡¯s been in the institute for plenty of years now, and he hadn¡¯t heard Molin mention anything about his past during this time.

    But looking at them now, it seemed they were more than just acquaintances, so they must have known each other way back.

    ¡°Mr. Xu, I won¡¯t hide it from you, the higher-ups are really optimistic about this reform.

    They¡¯ve made it clear that if things go well, Chu Molin might be transferred, and I¡¯d truly miss such a promising talent.¡± As Xie Jun contemplated, he had been with Chu Molin for many years.

    Their relationship, built through mutual support and growth, was solid.

    But he wouldn¡¯t want to hold back Chu Molin from a promising future, no matter how reluctant he was to let go, he would inevitably have to let go when the time came.

    ¡°That was bound to happen sooner or later, Molin¡¯s achievements are already enough for a promotion.

    It¡¯s only because of his age. If the results of this research and training are good, it would be a chance for him to get promoted.

    Isn¡¯t there a spot in the academy this time? You should tell Molin to go. Once he graduates, he¡¯ll be a leader, which would benefit him. Given Molin¡¯s achievements, his potential is limitless.¡± Xu Fangzhou sighed at the vast gap between people.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s what I was thinking too, I¡¯ll find a chance to ask him.¡± Xie Jun originally planned to recommend Chu Molin to study at the academy, it was an opportunity not everyone was given.

    ¡°That¡¯s good, but I wonder if Qin Xue might be an issue?¡± Xu Fangzhou thought of Qin Xue¡¯s big belly, Chu Molin might not want to leave while she was pregnant.

    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate Qin Xue, can you see any other woman as formidable as

    her? Have you noticed the changes in Fang Hong and Yu Xiu?

    Do you think Qin Xue will become an obstacle for Chu Molin? I don¡¯t think so, Chu Molin will only work harder, as his wife is no ordinary woman, don¡¯t you agree?¡± Xie Jun didn¡¯t think Qin Xue would slow Chu Molin down, in fact, she might even be his motivation.

    With a wife so accomplished, would Chu Molin, as her husband, willingly stagnate here?

    No, he wouldn¡¯t, he would only work harder so he could be on par with Qin Xue, or even surpass her.

    ¡°You¡¯re right, my thoughts were misguided.¡± Xu Fangzhou thought of how his own wife had changed over the days.

    His wife was getting increasingly younger and beautiful, and he was afraid that one day he wouldn¡¯t be able to keep up with her.

    He often wondered if his wife had suitors in the city? He even feared that someone might trick her into leaving him.

    ¡°It¡¯s good you understand, I think Fang Hong is becoming more and more confident, she¡¯s like a whole new person.¡± Xie Jun was proud of his wife¡¯s changes.

    However, his wife said he couldn¡¯t touch her for the coming three months, so out of fear of not being able to resist, he often spent nights at the inn instead of coming home, afraid that his wife might be tricked into leaving him..

 Chapter 142

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    Qin Lang caught up with Chu Molin and walked back to the office side by side with him.

    Qin Lang was new, so he was assigned to share an office with Chu Molin.

    ¡°Molin, it¡¯s been a while, have you been at the research institute all along?¡± As soon as he returned to the office, Qin Lang couldn¡¯t help asking Chu Molin.

    ¡°Why did you transfer to S Province?¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t answer Qin Langs question right away.

    ¡°l just didn¡¯t want to stay in the Imperial Capital anymore, so I came to experience the local life here.¡± Qin Lang said nonchalantly.

    ¡°Speak normally.¡± Did Chu Molin believe him? Not likely.

    ¡°In normal terms, my father drove me nuts with his insistence on arranging a marriage for me, so I requested a transfer.¡± Knowing Chu Molin¡¯s temper, Qin Lang didn¡¯t dare to joke any further.

    ¡°Your father could get you to request a transfer?¡± Chu Molin looked at him dubiously.

    ¡°Heh, of course not. I did it without telling him. Only my parents knew after the paperwork had come through. He can¡¯t interfere anyway, he¡¯s not my boss.

    By the time my father found out, I had already left with the papers in my hand.¡± Qin Lang was not stupid enough to let others decide everything for him.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to come to the research institute, though. As you¡¯ve seen, conditions here are pretty tough.¡± Now that Qin Lang had come all the way to S Province, he could understand why Li Zhao had served and then retired here,

    He could also understand that Xiao Qi, his partner, had set up shop here. But what was Qin Langs story?

    ¡°Molin, don¡¯t get me wrong, I didn¡¯t know you were here beforehand, so I didn¡¯t come here for you.

    In fact, it was after my transfer here that 1 learned that Chu Molin was also here. I thought it was a coincidence of names and surnames. Once we finally met, I was surprised it was you. We haven¡¯t seen each other in so many years. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s fate that we meet here?¡± Qin Lang said with a smirk.

    ¡°Fate, my foot. Just do your job well now that you¡¯re here, and don¡¯t let others know about my whereabouts. Got it?¡± Chu Molin couldn¡¯t care less about whether it was fate or not ¨C he just wanted to avoid trouble.

    ¡°Molin, you haven¡¯t been home for so many years, did something happen?¡± Qin Lang and Chu Molin had gotten to know each other later, they hadn¡¯t known each other before.

    ¡°Nothing happened. I just didn¡¯t feel like going back, so I didn¡¯t.¡± Chu Molin replied coldly to his college friend and classmate.

    ¡°Hmph, you¡¯re still the same, nothing has changed.¡± Qin Lang looked at Chu Niolin and couldn¡¯t comprehend.

    ¡°Change? Go work now, we can talk later.¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t want to squabble over meaningless topics.

    ¡°Alright, alright, you¡¯re the boss. You call the shots.¡± Seeing that Chu Molin was getting a bit impatient, Qin Lang didn¡¯t continue the chat. There will be plenty of opportunities in the future anyway.

    ¡°Molin, honestly speaking, can you really achieve the goals in this plan? Aren¡¯t you afraid they can¡¯t handle it physically?¡± Qin Lang wasn¡¯t doubting Chu Molin¡¯s capabilities, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t have just asked this one question in the meeting room earlier on.

    ¡°No, I want the elites among the elites. If they can¡¯t achieve what I assign to them, there will be others who can. Those who can¡¯t will be eliminated, those who can will replace them.

    I want a survival of the fittest kind of situation. Only in this way will they realize there is always someone better. If they stop progressing, they will be surpassed. At that point, they can¡¯t blame anyone but themselves. I am being responsible for their lives, understand?

    Otherwise, if they encounter a situation like this one, there can be only one outcome ¨C death. Which is something no one wants to see.

    So, I¡¯d rather they dislike me now than lose their lives later.¡± Chu Molin thought of how vital their work was, the enemies definitely wouldn¡¯t show mercy.

    After listening to him, Qin Lang nodded quietly: ¡°l see, I¡¯ll cooperate with your plan..¡±

 Chapter 143

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    Chu Molin and Qin Lang arrived at the field and saw their colleagues enthusiastically lining up and gesturing to form teams.

    After seeing Chu Molin¡¯s instructions, the captain of the 123rd Company blew the whistle for assembly.

    ¡°Vice-Chief, the team is assembled.¡± Captain Sun Wenbin stood in front of Chu

    Molin.

    ¡°Line up,¡± Chu Molin responded.

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    ¡°Now listen carefully to what I¡¯m about to say,¡± Chu Molin looked at the several dozen people in front of him.

    ¡°Yes!¡± The several dozen people shouted in unison, their voices echoing in the sky.

    ¡°l want to tell you that I will select some of you to form a small team, with a total of twenty people.¡±

    But these twenty people are not only you, but also personnel selected from various other places.

    Of course, if you cannot fulfill the requirements, you can choose to quit directly. Those who cannot persevere or feel they cannot finish can also quit directly.¡± Chu Molin concluded with a chilling remark.

    ¡°You are all veterans of the research institute, handpicked from other places as exemplary personnel Tith stronger capabilities than others.

    But what 1 want are the elites among the elites. Whether or not you can become the final winner depends on your abilities.

    There is no distinction in rank for this field training. Everyone is equal, all newcomers. I know that many people have weak physical fitness.

    So I will select two outstanding individuals from among you to serve as your team leaders directly.¡±

    If you want to be the one who doesn¡¯t get managed, you have to give it your all. Do you understand?¡± Chu Molin shouted loudly.

    ¡°We understand.¡± The few hundred people were excited. This might be their chance.

    ¡°Good. Those who want to sign up, go to Qin Lang.¡± Chu Molin left this sentence and turned around to leave.

    ¡°Qin Lang, I want to sign up.¡±

    ¡°Me too.¡±

    ¡°And me.¡¯

    Chu Molin listened to the voices behind him, the corners of his mouth curling up. He hoped they would enjoy themselves in the coming month.

    The purpose of this selection was merely to prepare for the fresh blood that will be introduced later.

    For those who will be needed, whether the higher-ups can send the best talents from other places to this location, it all depends on you.

    Chu Molin still had preparations to make, so tonight he would give them a taste of what¡¯s to come.

    ¡°Chief,¡± Chu Molin stood in Xie Jun¡¯s office.

    ¡°What? Did you explain it to them?¡± Xie Jun looked up at Chu Molin as he put down his pen.

    ¡°I¡¯ve explained it. We can start preparing now.¡± Chu Molin smirked slightly.

    ¡°Alright, go ahead. Whether we can succeed depends on you.

    By the way, there¡¯s a spot from the Imperial Capital now. I hope you can take it.¡± Xie Jun pointed to the table with his fingers.

    ¡°Chief, I¡¯ll pass this time. I¡¯ll go next time. You know that Qin Xue¡¯s belly is so big now.

    If 1 go to the Imperial Capital, I won¡¯t be at ease leaving her alone at home.¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t not want to go, but he couldn¡¯t rest easy leaving Qin Xue.

    ¡°We both thought about this issue, and Mr. Xu and I have considered that you should still go to the Imperial Capital. We can help you look after Qin Xue and take care of her here. The incident last time won¡¯t happen again, and this opportunity is rare.

    You know how difficult it is to secure such a chance, and your promotion is only missing this one opportunity. Although Mr. Xu and 1 are reluctant to let you go,

    we can¡¯t keep you here and prevent your promotion, right?¡± Xie Jun also knew that they had not been careful enough last time.

    As a result, Qin Xue was hurt, but they would be more careful in the future.

    Chu Molin also understood the two chiefs¡¯ concerns, but he¡­

    ¡°How about this? I¡¯ll reserve the spot for you first. You can go back and discuss it with Qin Xue before making a decision. If in the end she still doesn¡¯t agree, I¡¯ll give the spot to someone else. What do you think?¡± Xie Jun really didn¡¯t want Chu Molin to miss this opportunity..

 Chapter 144

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    ¡°Well then, Chief, let me think about it.¡± Chu Molin knew about the chief¡¯s appreciation and care for him.

    Over so many years, without Xie Jun¡¯s help, it would have been difficult for him to have come this far so smoothly.

    Of course, Chu Molin¡¯s efforts also contributed to Xie Jun¡¯s promotion to section chief, so their relationship had always been very good.

    ¡°Alright, go and prepare!¡¯

    After leaving the section chief¡¯s office, Chu Molin looked up at the sky, wondering about something. After a good while, he finally started walking.

    When Qin Xue got off the car and came into the store, the three women were already         working

    Little Jingtao was lying on a mat on the floor, playing with his toys and looking very happy.

    Qin Xue watched him turning over from time to time and thought of the baby walkers from her previous life. Maybe she could draw one and find someone to make it for Jingtao.

    ¡®Qin Xue, you¡¯re here. Have you had breakfast?¡± Fang Hong stayed at the store last night and didn¡¯t go back to the research institute. Seeing Qin Xue come in, she asked.

    ¡°Yeah, if you haven¡¯t eaten, I can cook some noodles for you.¡± Yu Xiu left early in the morning and didn¡¯t call Qin Xue.

    ¡°Sisters, I¡¯ve already eaten. I just came over to see if Fang Hong is ready to go to the factory.¡± Qin Xue came over to take Fang Hong to the factory.

    ¡°I¡¯m ready. Let¡¯s go.¡± Fang Hong didn¡¯t have much to prepare, just brought a notebook and a pen.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go. Yu Xiu, Fang Xiu, we¡¯re leaving.¡± Qin Xue greeted the other two before leaving for the factory with Fang Hong.

    ¡°Taotao, say goodbye to Auntie.¡± Fang Xiu picked up Jingtao and taught him to say goodbye to Qin Xue, who waved with a smile.

    When the two arrived at the factory, it was almost nine o¡¯clock. Qin Xue was a bit embarrassed that she had almost caused a delay on the first day.

    ¡°Mr. Guo, I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m late.¡± Qin Xue was very apologetic.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright. I told them to start at nine ten. It¡¯s only eight fifty-five now, so there¡¯s still fifteen minutes left.¡± Guo Aiguo originally wanted to set it for nine o¡¯clock, but he was afraid that Qin Xue wouldn¡¯t have enough time, so he set it ten minutes later.

    ¡°Mr. Guo, have you prepared the contract?¡± Qin Xue smiled.

    ¡°It¡¯s ready, here. Take a look and see if there are any issues.¡± Guo Aiguo handed the prepared contract to Qin Xue.

    After reading it carefully, Qin Xue couldn¡¯t help but sigh. It was no wonder people said that those who became bosses were really good at handling contracts. The content of the contract was almost impeccable. Qin Xue was very satisfied with it.

    ¡°There¡¯s no problem, Mr. Guo. This is the person I brought with me for training, her name is Fang Hong. She will also be serving the factory in the future.

    I want her to focus on the sales side of the business.¡± Qin Xue just thought that she wouldn¡¯t be at the factory very often, so having Fang Hong there to help would be more reassuring.

    Guo Aiguo seemed to guess Qin Xue¡¯s thoughts, so he didn¡¯t object and agreed to her decision.

    ¡°Mr. Guo, I¡¯ll start training them now. Would you like to come and have a look?¡± Qin Xue offered.

    In the future, Guo Aiguo would be in charge of her finances, so how much profit sharing she could get would depend on his management.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go together.¡± Guo Aiguo did not refuse. He wanted to see Qin

    Xue¡¯s ability, so the three of them headed for the conference room together.

    ¡®Qin Xue, in the future, you don¡¯t need to call me Mr. Guo. If you don¡¯t mind, just call me Uncle Guo or Big Brother Guo.¡± Guo Aiguo felt that since they were already working together, there was no need to be so distant.

    Qin Xue didn¡¯t expect Guo Aiguo to say that. After thinking for a while, she smiled and said, ¡°Then from now on I¡¯ll call you Uncle Guo. Calling you Big Brother seems like I¡¯m taking advantage of you.¡±

    There was about a twenty-year age difference between Qin Xue and Guo Aiguo. Indeed, calling him brother would be taking advantage of him. Qin Xue thought it would be better to call him Uncle Guo.

    ¡°You girl, I was hoping to hear the title of big brother, but I didn¡¯t expect you to not even grant me this little wish. Fine, I¡¯ll settle for Uncle Guo. With my age, I can handle being called uncle.¡± Guo Aiguo laughed heartily.

    The people watching the three of them from afar were curious about why the factory manager was so happy.

    Qin Xue just smiled and didn¡¯t say anything, while Guo Aiguo didn¡¯t say anything either. His daughter was even older than Qin Xue, so he was just teasing Qin Xue earlier..

 Chapter 145

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    The three of them arrived at the conference room, and the people that Guo Aiguo called for training were all present.

    Guo Aiguo walked in front, Qin Xue and Fang Hong followed behind.

    When the three entered the conference room, the originally somewhat noisy room suddenly fell silent.

    Guo Aiguo looked at everyone: ¡°Hello, everyone, 1 called you here today mainly to help you take a step further in your career.

    So, how can you go further? Today, 1 have invited a professional to provide training for you.

    She is the lady next to me. Her name is Qin Xue, please welcome her.¡± Guo Aiguo started by applauding. Qin Xue looked at everyone and gestured with her hand.

    When the applause quieted down, Qin Xue began to speak.

    ¡°Hello, everyone, I am Qin Xue. Today, I am here to give you some professional training.

    The content of the training is mainly about sales. Before the training, let me tell you something.

    Before the training, I want to make it clear to you.

    I have a contract here, a five-year contract.

    First of all, those who want to participate in this training must sign this contract.

    You can take a look at the content of the contract first, and if you have any questions, we can discuss them together.¡±

    Qin Xue picked up a copy herself, and then let Fang Hong distribute the contracts to everyone present.

    In the end, the last copy in Fang Hongs hand was her own.

    ¡°Now everyone has the contract. I hope you will read the content carefully. Then consider whether or not to sign this contract to attend the training.

    Of course, if you sign this contract, we won¡¯t let you down.

    However, for these five years, you may have your own considerations, so I won¡¯t force you.

    It all depends on your own wishes, to sign or not to sign? This is not important to me, but it is very important to you. So 1 hope you think it over carefully.¡± Qin Xue said slowly, looking at everyone.

    ¡°At first, Mr. Guo called us for training without mentioning signing a contract. Why do we need to sign a contract now to attend the training?¡± Luu Jun was originally from the sales department, and she knew the situation in the factory very well.

    ¡°Exactly, Mr. Guo originally called us for training without mentioning signing a contract, and five years is too long, isn¡¯t it?¡± Luo Yi was also from the sales department.

    ¡°Yes, it also says that if we quit or change jobs after training, we¡¯ll be fined.

    Isn¡¯t this a bit unreasonable?¡± Li Xiaohong was brought in for training from the workshop.

    Qin Xue looked at the others: ¡°Do you all feel the same way?¡±

    Some people thought that what Xiaohong said made sense. while others did not speak.

    After reading the contents of the contract, Fang Hong signed her name without hesitation.

    The people around her saw it and looked at her with surprise.

    Seeing Fang Hongs actions, Qin Xue was very happy in her heart. The person she choose was indeed worth it.

    ¡°Now, let me tell you why we require signing this contract before training.

    Because, once 1 train you, and you quit or find another job after training, will my effort be meaningless?

    Or am I training talent for others? In this case, do you think it¡¯s fair to me or to Mr. Guo?

    Regarding the issue of compensation. You see, if the designs I create, or the clothes that haven¡¯t been made yet, have already been leaked by you, who will bear the loss?

    This compensation and the signing of a five-year contract mainly serve as a constraint.

    If you don¡¯t leak the companys secrets and documents,

    you don¡¯t have to worry about this issue at all because you won¡¯t be liable for compensation.

    However, if you leak information, we will definitely seek compensation, and we¡¯ll report it to the police.

    Of course, under these conditions, if you can complete the five years, each of you will receive a 1% profit-sharing bonus.¡± Qin Xue said with a smile, and it must be said that Guo Aiguo really knows how to do business.

    Because in the contract, both Guo Aiguo and Qin Xue put out a 5% share.

    The shares were for the future development of the factory¡¯s talent, and they hoped to make Chenxi a big company.

    So, they couldn¡¯t do without shareholders. Of course, before becoming a company, what they had to do was to link these people¡¯s interests with the factory.

    In this way, they would work together and put their hearts into doing things right..

 Chapter 146

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    Today, the people called for training looked at each other, unsure whether or not to sign.

    Qin Xue didn¡¯t rush them, but sat at the head of the conference room watching them discuss.

    In the end, Luu Jun, Li Xiaohong and Luo Yi, the three who had raised questions, all signed the contracts.

    Out of the seven remaining, two more signed, while the others didn¡¯t because the contract period was too long.

    Left with no choice, Qin Xue asked them to leave the conference room.

    Looking at the six contracts collected, she smiled at them and said, ¡°Signing this won¡¯t leave you at a loss. I will show you where your value lies.¡±

    Fang Hong took the lead in applauding, creating a round of applause in the conference room.

    Qin Xue was still pleased looking at the few remaining people.

    ¡°Alright, now let¡¯s start the training. Those who have brought their notebooks, make sure to take down notes.

    A good brain is no better than a bad pen, as the old saying goes. So, it certainly has its reasons.

    After all, the memory of the human brain is limited, and it may forget things after a long time.

    But if you¡¯ve taken notes, you can refer back to them when you forget.

    That way, you can continuously refresh your memory and learn, so you never forget.

    So, we should always take notes, no matter when.

    After your learning, when you go out for sales, remember to carry your notes with you.

    If there are customer or client needs, you can note them down.

    When you come back, you can sort out who are interested in reselling our clothes, or want to stock our products directly. All of this is very important.

    If you don¡¯t note it down, or you¡¯ve forgotten it, then you have lost your performance! It¡¯s equivalent to you having lost your money. Do you think note-taking is important now?¡± Qin Xue asked the six.

    ¡°Important, very important,¡± the six of them answered unanimously.

    ¡°Now, let¡¯s talk about what basic knowledge we need for sales training?

    First: If we can¡¯t understand the customer¡¯s real intentions, we should get the customer to talk more.

    Why should we let the customer talk more? Because only by doing so can we find out more.

    We must be inquisitive, let the customer vent and chatter, this way we can understand what the customer really needs. This is the first point I want to make.

    So what¡¯s the second point of sales?

    The second point is that after the customer has finished talking, we should not directly answer their question.

    We need to selectively evade it, say something emotional, for instance, ¡®I empathise with you¡¯.

    Saying this can lower the customer¡¯s guard against us.

    Making the customer feel that we are on the same side can increase our chances of success.

    This is the second key sales point I want to share.

    Moving on to the third point: we have to grasp the key issue. Allow the customer to explain the issue they need to understand.

    So how do we get the customer to explain the issue they need to understand?

    First of all, we need to ¡°repeat¡± the question the customer just asked.

    Then ask if they have any other objections? After thoroughly understanding the customers¡¯ needs, let them explain the key issues in detail.

    Only by doing this can we understand what the customer wants?

    Once you understand this, can you solve their problem according to their needs?

    And at this point, don¡¯t you have half the assurance that you will get this customer?

    In sales, we must always remember to listen more, observe, talk less and ask questions.

    You can say speak according to the person, but you must be honest.

    Because if a business person or salesperson is not honest, who will do business with you if you lose your credibility?

    Then you might as well go back to farming, although you might not even succeed at that,¡±

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    Qin Xue looked at them one by one and asked, ¡°Do you agree with what I said?¡±

    ¡°Yes, without credibility, no one will want to be with those who lack honesty.¡± The six people responded in unison.

    ¡°Great, let¡¯s continue with the fourth point of sales.

    After identifying the customers problem, we need to repeat our answer to their concerns.

    What you need to do is repeat what you¡¯ve heard, this is called following. We can only identify the path to finalizing the transaction by understanding and following the parts that the customer and us mutually agree upon.

    Only like this can we promote the advantages of our products. What are the good aspects of our products?

    Of course, our product is clothing, so we need to make the customers understand. What makes our clothes good?

    What material are our clothes made of? Where does the material come from? What are the benefits of this material? Is the style new or unique? What are our selling points?

    Only by sincerely expressing our intentions and advantages can we eliminate customers¡¯ doubts and build genuine trust.

    These are the fifth points of sales. (Some parts of this sales section are referenced, while others are based on my own training).¡± After Qin Xue finished discussing the key points of sales, she picked up her water bottle, took a few sips, and quietly watched them take notes.

    After listening to Qin Xue¡¯s words, Guo Aiguo was deeply moved.

    Perhaps Qin Xue would genuinely surprise him.

    Feeling reassured after hearing Qin Xue¡¯s words, Guo Aiguo returned to his office.

    After all, the workshop had already begun producing clothes and he had plenty of work to do.

    ¡°Has everyone taken notes?¡± Qin Xue waited until the majority had finished before she asked.

    ¡°We did.¡¯

    ¡°Great, then let¡¯s move on to the training course for sales representatives.¡± Qin Xue began discussing the second training topic.

    ¡°The training content for sales representatives includes the following points:

    The first point is the basic requirements for sales representatives. We must be honest and have outstanding character.

    Why do we need these two qualities? Because they are the least a company expects from its employees.

    No matter when, whether we are members of society or employees of a company.

    We must always abide by social morality and behavior norms. Only after possessing public morality and behavior norms can we follow company rules better.

    This ties in with the saying, every family has its rules. Every country has its laws! And we are a factory, a company. We must have our company¡¯s procedures.

    Second point: Being a sales representative is tough, so we need to have a strong sense of responsibility and the ability to endure hardship.

    Why? Because as sales representatives, we need to promote our products.

    So, as sales representatives, we may often need to travel and visit various places.

    There might also be times when we have to endure harsh conditions, exposed to wind and sun.

    Therefore, in the face of these hardships, if our hearts are not strong enough, how can we endure?

    This is when our sense of responsibility and ability to endure hardship come into action.

    There may even be occasions when we encounter particularly demanding or difficult customers.

    If we lack a sense of responsibility, our will may be worn down.

    Scorned by customers, would we then consider giving up?

    Hence, responsibility is crucial.

    Third point for sales representatives: As sales representatives, we must be good at communicating and must be quick-witted.

    Because sales representatives are expected to communicate with customers.

    If you¡¯re not good at communication, how can you illustrate the advantages of the products you¡¯re trying to sell?

    If customers don¡¯t understand, would they buy your product?

    But, if you are persuasive and capable of captivating the customer¡¯s heart in a few words,

    If they want to buy your product, isn¡¯t your communication ability important at that time?¡±

 Chapter 148

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    Qin Xue looked at the six people who were all fervently absorbing the knowledge and taking notes. She stood up and stretched.

    She checked their notes and saw that they had basically recorded all the key points she mentioned.

    Qin Xue nodded approvingly, affirming the capability of these six individuals.

    ¡°Next, let¡¯s talk about why it¡¯s essential for us to have agile abilities.

    As salespeople, we might encounter some clients who want to give us a hard time.

    These clients might be interested in our product. However, they might also raise all sorts of issues, criticizing our product here and there.

    When a client raises issues, what they might want to express is that they don¡¯t want to purchase.

    At that moment, we need to find a way to convince the client to willingly part with their money in order to conclude the transaction.

    The fourth key point for us as salespeople is: be confident and resilient, never admitting defeat.

    As salespeople, we cannot always expect success without failure.

    Of course, we¡¯d be ecstatic when we succeed, right?

    But what if we fail? Would you still be happy then?

    Definitely not. And in such circumstances, our self-confidence will be hit.

    We might even start questioning our resilience, wondering if we¡¯re able to continue this journey.

    If we can¡¯t handle the pressure at this point, it means our psychological grip is not strong enough, and we would not be able to persevere.

    So, we must have the mentality of never admitting defeat, saying to ourselves ¡®l can do it! I will surely make it!¡¯ Only by possessing this confidence and strength, can we journey far¡­¡±

    Qin Xue kept on training them until it was time for lunch, when Guo Aiguo came and gathered them to the factory cafeteria.

    Qin Xue noted the quality of the meals in the canteen was quite satisfactory, considering it was impressive the foods they offered at this time.

    Qin Xue ordered sour and spicy cabbage and scrambled eggs with tomatoes.

    Fang Hong ordered shredded potato and braised tofu.

    By the time they had their meals and were about to sit down, the rest of the group had already done so at the table, waiting for them.

    ¡°Qin Xue, Fang Hong, sit here.¡± Luo Yi waved them over.

    Qin Xue and Fang Hong looked at each other, smiled, and brought their meals over.

    Two tables combined to form a long one, where seven people sat together to eat, attracting attention.

    Other factory workers, who had come to have meals and hadn¡¯t seen Qin Xue and Fang Hong before, couldn¡¯t help but take a second look at them.

    Both Qing Xue and Fang Hong were used to being stared at, so they calmly sat down and began to eat.

    ¡°Qin Xue, you¡¯re incredible. I only realized today that there¡¯s so much to learn about being a salesperson or a business representative.¡± Luu Jun had worked as a salesperson before but hadn¡¯t done well. Today he finally realized that he had been doing it all wrong.

    ¡°Yeah, exactly! I only found out today how short-sighted I was.

    Luckily I signed the contract and joined the training today. 1 believe I can certainly do this job well.¡± Li Xiaohong was thankful that she didn¡¯t leave but instead joined the training.

    ¡°Yeah, we feel the same way!¡± Chen Xiao and Chen Xiang agreed in unison. They were siblings.

    Smiling, Fang Hong told them, ¡°Qin Xue knows a lot more than you think.

    There¡¯s a lot more for you all to learn, so just keep at it.¡±

    ¡°Fang Hong, did you know Qin Xue before this?¡± Li Xiaohong asked curiously.

    ¡°Yes, we came here together. Why, is there something wrong?¡± Qin Xue looked at her with amusement.

    ¡°No, I just noticed that you two seem familiar with each other; that¡¯s why I asked.¡± Li Xiaohong laughed awkwardly.

    Fang Hong smiled and said, ¡°Qin Xue is always like this when she talks. You¡¯ll get used to it once you get to know her better..¡±

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    Guo Aiguo watched them chatting and laughing, thinking how nice it was to be young.

    ¡°Manager, it¡¯s a good thing you asked us to come for training this time. Otherwise, we would have missed out on such a fantastic opportunity, which would have been a real pity.¡± Chen Xiao was a team leader in the workshop.

    Since Guo Aiguo often went to the workshop, he knew that Chen Xiao was a girl with a strong sense of responsibility and quite capable.

    He thought she would fit Qin Xue¡¯s requirements, so he called her over for the training this time.

    It seemed that his decision was indeed right. Judging from their expressions, they all seemed to enjoy learning.

    ¡°Qin Xue, I really want to thank you.¡± Guo Aiguo expressed his gratitude to Qin Xue!

    ¡°Uncle Guo, why are you thanking me?¡± Qin Xue playfully blinked her eyes.

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s for you training them and allowing them to acquire more knowledge.¡± Guo Aiguo found that once he was acquainted with Qin Xue, he could see that she was quite mischievous at times, but she was able to control it and not go overboard, which made her likable.

    ¡°Uncle Guo, isn¡¯t that too formal? I own shares in this factory now, so isn¡¯t training them just helping myself?

    I want them to learn more knowledge and make more money, so I can get a bigger cut too.¡± Qin Xue looked at the others while smiling.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, we want to make more money so that our bosses can make more too, and then our dividends can also get a bigger share.¡± Luo Yi agreed with Qin Xue¡¯s words.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s learn more knowledge, visit more places to find clients and sell our clothes, and make a lot of money.¡± Chen Xiang, younger than the others, was more energetic.

    ¡°Yeah, by then you¡¯ll count your money until your hands cramp up.¡± Chen Xiao happily patted Chen Xiangs shoulder.

    It was a happy development since both siblings could work together to make money. Who could blame them for feeling happy?

    ¡°That¡¯s great. This way, our parents won¡¯t have to work so hard, and our younger siblings can go to school without having to drop out.¡± Chen Xiang was also delighted.

    Qin Xue watched them and was moved at heart, thinking that anyone could live happily as long as they had goals and hope in their hearts.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, if you want to live the life you desire, you have to strive and make money. You are all young now, which is the perfect time for you to fight for your dreams. It is also the best time to make money, so I have faith in you.¡± Qin Xue tapped on the table while talking slowly.

    Qin Xue knew that Hua Country was at the prime for making money and getting rich.

    But she couldn¡¯t tell others directly, so she had to encourage them instead, hoping that everyone would seize the opportunity.

    ¡°Alright, thank you, Qin Xue.¡± The others clenched their fists and made a ¡°fighting¡± gesture.

    Qin Xue looked at them and chuckled with laughter, thinking that interacting with them made for quite a nice and easy- going time.

    After lunch, they agreed to start the training at 2 pm.

    Qin Xue and Fang Hong left the factory area to rest in the store and then returned to the factory in the afternoon.

    Qin Xue was a bit tired. After returning to the store, she washed her face and went to sleep, while Fang Hong helped them with the cooking.

    There was no other choice since only the two of them were there, and the fabric in the store was not yet made into clothes. Fang Xiu was sewing clothes with Jingtao, and Yu Xiu was managing the store, selling clothes. There were quite a few customers today, and the store couldn¡¯t be left without staff.

    So, it wasn¡¯t until now that they could have lunch. Fang Xiu was about to get Jingtao ready for lunch when she saw Qin Xue and Fang Hong return.

    Fang Hong went to cook. Qin Xue wanted to help, but seeing her look tired, Fang Hong told her to rest instead.

    Fang Xiu then picked up Jingtao to breastfeed and put him to sleep.

    After Jingtao fell asleep, Fang Xiu placed him next to Qin Xue.

    When she entered the kitchen, Fang Hong had already prepared the meal. She washed her hands and brought the meal to the table.

    ¡°Thank you, sister Hong. Without you, I don¡¯t know when Yu Xiu and I would be able to eat.¡± Fang Xiu was truly grateful to Fang Hong.

    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. It¡¯s fate that we got to know each other, and since you call me sister, I see you as my real sister.

    Since we¡¯re all sisters, let¡¯s not be so formal.¡± Fang Hong also treated these girls with sincerity.

    ¡°Alright, with your words, from now on, you¡¯ll be my real sister.¡± Fang Xiu had brothers and sisters, but no older sister, so her words warmed Fang Xiu¡¯s heart.

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    Fang Hong went to look after the store while Yu Xiu came for dinner. She found her days getting happier and her mood much more relaxed, believing that things would only get better.

    After Yu Xiu finished eating and came to take her place, Fang Hong finally went to rest at the table.

    As for the bed, it was too small and already occupied by Qin Xue and Jingtao, so she didn¡¯t want to squeeze in.

    Lying on the floor wasn¡¯t convenient during the day, so she could only take a quick rest. After all, she had to go to the factory for training later, and there wasn¡¯t much time for her to sleep anyway.

    It wasn¡¯t until 1:30 p.m. that Fang Xiu woke up Qin Xue and Fang Hong. After all, there was still quite a long distance to the factory in the western suburbs.

    ¡°Qin Xue, Hong, it¡¯s 1:30 p.m. Aren¡¯t you going to the factory for training? You¡¯ll be late if you don¡¯t get up.¡± Fang Xiu wanted them to get more rest, but time didn¡¯t allow it.

    Qin Xue sat up and rubbed her eyes. She was really fast asleep; she must have been very tired.

    She went to the kitchen to wash her face and wake up, while Fang Hong just squinted and didn¡¯t fall asleep.

    The two looked at the sun and found it too hot to walk, so they decided to take a taxi together, too lazy to walk all the way there.

    When they arrived at the factory, no one else was there yet; they were early.

    So they sat in the conference room waiting for others to arrive.

    ¡°Qin Xue, are you going back to the dormitory tonight?¡± Fang Hong hadn¡¯t been back for several days and was staying with Fang Xiu at the store.

    ¡°I will, Chu Molin is there. I¡¯ll go back to cook for him. Sister, are you going back? We can go together,¡± Qin Xue thought that Fang Hongs return could keep them company.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go back too. It¡¯s been a few days since I¡¯ve been home, and Mr. Xie has been eating at the cafeteria all this time. I should go back and cook something for him.

    I need to buy some meat later. I haven¡¯t been home for so long, and I guess the

    vegetables at home should be ready to pick now.¡± When Fang Hong left, there were vegetables in her home¡¯s garden, just no meat.

    ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll go together later. I¡¯m also going to buy some meat,¡± Qin Xue learned that Chu Molin was a meat lover, the type who won¡¯t settle without meat.

    ¡°Good. We¡¯ll go together tomorrow morning.¡± Fang Hong got up early in the morning, but she didn¡¯t know if Qin Xue would get up that early.

    ¡°Okay, call me at 6:50 tomorrow morning and we¡¯ll come over together.¡± Qin Xue thought about being almost late today and would have to set her alarm clock well at night.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll call you at that time.¡± Fang Hong had no objections.

    ¡°What were you two talking about? You look very happy,¡± Luo Yi entered the conference room and saw Qin Xue and Fang Hong chatting and laughing.

    ¡°Nothing much, just talking about going to buy some meat later. Our homes haven¡¯t seen meat for a long time,¡± Fang Hong didn¡¯t think it was wrong what she said. They didn¡¯t tell others their identity, so they didn¡¯t tell Luo Yi too much either.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good. You should buy meat from time to time, otherwise, it gets too tempting,¡± Luo Yi also wanted to eat meat.

    Her family lived in the city, but their financial situation didn¡¯t allow for eating meat often. However, they occasionally got to eat it at the factory.

    So she could satisfy her craving, but her younger siblings at home couldn¡¯t, which made her a little sad.

    ¡°Wow, you guys arrived so early! Didn¡¯t you get any rest?¡± Li Xiaohong asked when she saw the three of them.

    ¡°We did get some rest,¡± although Luo Yi¡¯s home was close, she didn¡¯t want to go back, so she stayed in the dormitory.

    Others arrived one after another. The training class was supposed to start at 2

    p.m., but at least no one was late.

    Qin Xue nodded silently in her heart, knowing that time management was important.

    She was almost late in the morning, and she needed to discuss with Chu Molin that night about not being able to go back to the store to sleep for the next few days, as it was too inconvenient to travel back and forth by car.

    Qin Xue stood up and said to everyone, ¡°Now that everyone is here, let¡¯s begin the class.

    What we¡¯re going to talk about now is how to make someone remember you at first sight.

    First, we need to smile. Smiles are a universal language.

    Because smiles can resolve conflicts and express praise and admiration

    through their magical power.

    Of course, before we can win over others with our smiles, we should start by smiling ourselves.¡±

    Qin Xue once read in a book that American financial tycoon Charles R. Schwab said: ¡°My smile is worth a million dollars.¡±

    Indeed, a smile can reflect a person¡¯s inner world. Smiling creates a harmonious atmosphere and eliminates any negative emotions from the listeners.

    So, Qin Xue thought that smiling was one of the best ways to express oneself..

 Chapter 151

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    That¡¯s why Qin Xue liked to smile. She believed that a genuine smile was a reflection of one¡¯s beautiful soul, and it showed that the person was kind-hearted and friendly.

    ¡°Because when we meet someone for the first time, the first thing we see is their face, right?

    Then a person¡¯s smile, if it¡¯s comforting when they smile, doesn¡¯t that give you a good first impression and make it easy to remember them?

    So, no matter when, we should always express our smiles and not be stingy with them.

    Of course, if you can¡¯t do it, like smiling sincerely or freely,

    You can go home and practice in front of a mirror. Smile more at yourself in the mirror.

    We must remember to express positive energy with our first impression. Because positive energy can give others a good mindset. It can give people confidence and strength. And no one can resist a person who radiates positive energy all over.

    And negative energy? It often affects others and makes them pessimistic.

    So, we should keep a good mindset every day, bringing positive energy to others instead of negative energy.¡±

    ¡°Can you guys understand what I¡¯m saying?¡± Qin Xue asked the six people who were scribbling notes.

    ¡°Yes, we can. Please continue, just speak a little slower.¡± The six of them said they could understand, but the speaking pace was a bit fast.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll speak slower,¡± Qin Xue nodded, signalling that she would slow down her lecture.

    For the rest of the lesson, Qin Xue slowed down considerably. After all, the purpose of her lecture was for them to understand and learn, so adjusting her speed wasn¡¯t a problem.

    It wasn¡¯t until 4 p.m. that Qin Xue announced the end of today¡¯s class.

    She couldn¡¯t help it, as she had to take a car back to the Institute today and there wouldn¡¯t be any vehicles if it was too late.

    Qin Xue and Fang Hong went to Guo Aiguo¡¯s office to say goodbye:

    ¡°Uncle Guo, today¡¯s class is over. I have to catch a car back. If it¡¯s too late, there won¡¯t be any cars.

    Tonight, I will let my husband know that I will be staying at the store for the next couple of days. So, 1 will start class later for the next two days and try to help them absorb as much knowledge as possible.¡±

    ¡°Alright, I got it. You guys can go, just be careful.¡± Guo Aiguo thought of that man from the other day.

    He guessed it was too late, and he wouldn¡¯t feel comfortable letting Qin Xue go back alone. So, he might as well let people leave early out of leniency.

    ¡°Thank you, Uncle Guo. Goodbye, Uncle Guo.¡± Qin Xue waved at Guo Aiguo with a farewell.

    ¡°Mm, goodbye, you two be careful,¡± Guo Aiguo reminded them.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Qin Xue waved her hand, indicating that she understood.

    ¡®Qin Xue, let¡¯s go to the market and see if there¡¯s any meat left. If there is, let¡¯s buy some.

    Now it¡¯s the afternoon, even if there¡¯s meat, it¡¯s not fresh anymore, so let¡¯s buy less when the time comes.¡± Fang Hong thought of her husband and wanted to cook something good for him.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go. If the meat¡¯s good, I¡¯ll buy some too.¡± Qin Xue said this, but she didn¡¯t hold much hope. The weather was hot and there was no refrigerator. Even if there was meat, it would probably be smelly and rotten by now.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s hurry up, buy it early, and go back to the Institute.¡± The two sped up toward the market.

    At this time, most people were at home cooking, so there weren¡¯t many people in the market. Qin Xue and Fang Hong headed straight for the meat stall, but not only was there no meat, there wasn¡¯t even any minced meat.

    Well, they were late. Qin Xue bought some sesame seeds to go home and make fried sesame cakes.

    She also bought some peanuts and dried walnuts. which were scarce goods.

    If it weren¡¯t for the coupons Chu Molin gave her, Qin Xue wouldn¡¯t have been able to buy them even if she wanted to.

    Qin Xue, holding the things she bought, handed the coupons she borrowed from Fang Hong and the money from her hospital stay back to her.

    ¡°Sister-in-law, this is the money and coupons 1 borrowed from you last time.

    I¡¯m giving them back to you now. I¡¯m sorry for borrowing them for so long.¡±

    Fang Hong knew that these were given to Qin Xue by Chu Molin, so she didn¡¯t hesitate to take them.

    ¡°Qin Xue, you¡¯re too polite. It¡¯s just borrowing some coupons. Who doesn¡¯t have a difficult time?

    As long as I have what you need, I can lend it to you.¡± Fang Hong smiled and put the money away because they were still on the street..

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    ¡°Anyway, I really appreciate it,¡± Qin Xue said with a smile.

    ¡°Well, in that case, make me a meal sometime. I¡¯ve found that your cooking tastes better than most,¡± Fang Hong said, genuinely impressed with Qin Xue¡¯s culinary skills.

    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll cook for you once the training is over,¡± Qin Xue said, not planning to go to the factory every day after she finished her training.

    As long as she worked on her design drawings every day, she wouldn¡¯t have to wea_r herself out traveling back and forth.

    ¡°Really? That¡¯s great, I can¡¯t wait,¡± Fang Hong laughed and looked at Qin Xue.

    ¡°Yes, look forward to it. I¡¯ll definitely have you over for dinner. Let¡¯s see how much you can eat,¡± Qin Xue had plenty of vegetables and fish in her space.

    Since they couldn¡¯t finish it all, it was perfectly fine to invite them over for a meal.

    ¡°All I know is I can eat a lot,¡± Fang Hong admitted. In those days, people hardly ever got to eat their fill or to enjoy truly satisfying meals; they were simply embarrassed to eat their fill when dining at someone else¡¯s home.

    ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll make plenty of food, so just eat your heart out. You can have as much as you want,¡± Qin Xue also understood that people in this era had a hard time eating enough or enjoying good food.

    ¡°If you say so, I won¡¯t be shy,¡± Fang Hong laughed. No matter what Qin Xue said, she wouldn¡¯t really gorge herself when the time came.

    ¡°Yes, I mean it. Also, let¡¯s invite Mr. Xie and Yu Xiu¡¯s family to join us for dinner,¡± Qin Xue wanted to have a lively gathering.

    ¡°Alright, if I come back early that day, I¡¯ll help you cook,¡± Fang Hong wasn¡¯t sure if she would return early or late.

    ¡°Sounds good. Let¡¯s hurry up and buy what we need, then catch the bus back,¡± Qin Xue thought about what else they needed to purchase.

    Fang Hong: ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡±

    After the two finished their shopping, they headed to the bus station to wait for a bus.

    When the bus arrived, they boarded it and headed to the research institute.

    By the time they got home, it was almost dark. Qin Xue hurriedly started cooking, her stomach growling with hunger.

    She picked some vegetables from her space, steamed a pot of rice, made a dish of braised fish, another of stir-fried Chinese greens, and a pan-seared green chili pepper dish, as well as a tomato and egg soup. Three dishes and one soup were enough to fill them.

    Qin Xue carried the rice and dishes to the table, but Chu Molin hadn¡¯t returned yet.

    After thinking about it for a moment, she decided to take a bath in her space. She felt like she hadn¡¯t taken a bath in quite a while.

    Qin Xue grabbed some clothes and entered the bathroom, then went into her space.

    Once inside, she saw Xue Ling practicing and didn¡¯t disturb her. Qin Xue undressed and got into the pool.

    Ah, taking a bath was so relaxing; it removed all the days exhaustion, opening up her pores and leaving her feeling refreshed.

    After she finished her bath, she came out with two buckets of spiritual spring water and placed them in the bathroom.

    She also turned on the faucet to wet the floor, then used a towel to dry her hair as she walked out.

    She bumped into Chu Molin, who had just arrived home.

    ¡°You¡¯re back. Go take a shower and then we can eat. The food must be getting cold by now,¡± Qin Xue said, glancing at the cooling dishes covered by plates on the table.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go wash up. You should dry your hair quickly so you don¡¯t catch cold,¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t hesitate.

    He grabbed some clothes and went to take a shower. He had been setting up a wilderness training ground all day, and was covered in dirt.

    Qin Xue sat in a chair, slowly drying her hair, wishing that it would dry faster. Washing her hair without a hairdryer was really inconvenient.

    Once Qin Xue had used the towel to soak up most of the moisture from her hair, she wrapped it in a dry towel.

    Just as she finished, Chu Molin came out of the bathroom, all freshened up.

    Qin Xue brought the rice over, scooped soup into two empty bowls, and set the table. Drinking soup before the meal was good for digestion.

    Qin Xue picked up her bowl and began to drink her soup, savoring the slightly sour taste that whetted her appetite,

    ¡°Why did you come home so late today? Were you really busy?¡± Qin Xue asked, noticing that it was already well past their normal off-work time.

    ¡°Yes, we¡¯re starting wilderness training soon, so I¡¯ll be quite busy for a while,¡± Chu Molin said, taking a sip of his soup.

    ¡°l see,¡± Qin Xue nodded in acknowledgment.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, 1 have to lead the team in the training exercise, so I¡¯ll be very busy and won¡¯t have time to be with you,¡± Chu Molin said, explaining the situation as soon as he got home.

    ¡°Really? That¡¯s great, actually. I¡¯ve been wanting to talk to you about something too. I¡¯ll be training at the factory for the next few days, and it¡¯s just so inconvenient to have to commute back and forth. I¡¯ve been thinking about staying at the store for a few days.

    This works out perfectly since I won¡¯t have to come back and cook for you. I can just stay there,¡± Qin Xue was relieved by the arrangement..

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    Chu Molin didn¡¯t expect Qin Xue to bring up this matter. But this was good, as he was quite busy lately and didn¡¯t have time to accompany her.

    At least she would have people looking after her while staying at the store.

    ¡°Alright, I understand. Take care of yourself and be safe while you¡¯re at the store.

    I¡¯ll make time to accompany you once I finish my work.¡± Chu Molin was thinking about bringing Qin Xue back to H Province when the time came.

    ¡°Chu Molin, you¡¯re so kind. I¡¯ll be busy for at most three days.

    All I need to do is teach them this knowledge, then I can work on my drawings at home.

    I¡¯ve already talked to Fang Hong. If they have any problems or encounter any issues, she can come find me.¡± Qin Xue wouldn¡¯t let herself be as busy as she was in her previous life.

    In this life, she wanted to live happily and freely. She definitely wouldn¡¯t let herself be buried in work without any leisure time.

    ¡°Yeah, just manage your time and your work as you see fit.

    As long as you don¡¯t exhaust yourself and harm your health, I won¡¯t restrict what you want to do.

    Actually, you don¡¯t need to work. I can support you and our child.

    So, you really don¡¯t need to work so hard.¡± Chu Molin finished his soup and rice, then got a bowl for Qin Xue as well.

    ¡°Chu Molin, I work because I don¡¯t want to be bored at home.

    A woman must have her own career.

    That way she won¡¯t have idle thoughts and she¡¯ll have a spiritual sustenance.

    Not every woman has to rely on a man for support. In fact, women can support themselves.

    Of course, I¡¯m not talking about you. I just personally think that a woman can have nothing, but she cannot lack ambition.

    Without ambition, her life has no meaning.¡± Qin Xue wouldn¡¯t only rely on a man to live.

    She had her own dreams and goals, so the Qin Xue that grew up in this new era wouldn¡¯t rely solely on a man.

    Chu Molin nodded, feeling that Qin Xue¡¯s words made sense.

    Not like the other spouses of his colleagues who lived in the residential building, idling away their days, gossiping and discussing other people¡¯s business.

    ¡°Alright, as long as you¡¯re happy. Just don¡¯t tire yourself or harm your health, and feel free to do whatever you want.¡± Chu Molin wasn¡¯t a rigid, inflexible person.

    He wasn¡¯t a chauvinist either. In his heart, as long as his wife was happy, that¡¯s what mattered.

    It had to be said that Qin Xue was really lucky to find such an outstanding man.

    In this day and age, how many men could be like Chu Molin?

    So, it wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that Qin Xue¡¯s luck was off the charts.

    ¡°Starting tomorrow, I¡¯m going to stay at the store and come back once I finish the training. You can eat at the cafeteria during these days.¡±

    Qin Xue recalled Chu Molin saying that he could only cook noodles last time, so she reminded him worriedly.

    She was afraid that he wouldn¡¯t take good care of himself.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, just relax. I know what to do. On the other hand, I¡¯m more concerned about you.

    Your belly is already quite big. It really makes me worried.

    I¡¯ll finish my work as soon as possible and come back to be with you.

    During these days, you need to be careful and avoid falling.¡± Chu Molin led the team first, demonstrating the procedure to them.

    So, he was truly unable to spare any time. All he wished for was for his wife and child to be safe and sound.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, hubby, I know how to take care of myself.¡± Qin Xue joked with a smile.

    ¡°What are you up to now, you cheeky girl? What hubby? I¡¯m just worried about you, alright?¡± Chu Molin shook his head helplessly. She was just like a child who never completely grew up.

    It seemed that he would have to raise three children in the future: one big kid and two little ones.

    ¡°What do you mean cheeky? I¡¯m just telling the truth, okay?¡± Qin Xue playfully stuck out her pink tongue.

    ¡°Yes, my Xue¡¯er isn¡¯t cheeky, she just enjoys teasing me sometimes.¡± Chu Molin gazed at his lively and cheerful wife, his happiness evident and the coldness in his eyes replaced with a smile..

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    ¡°Hmph, it was supposed to be like that.¡± Qin Xue said in a delicate voice. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s eat quickly before the dishes get cold.¡± Chu Molin carefully picked out a piece of fish meat for Qin Xue and removed all the fishbones from it.

    Qin Xue happily ate her food, thinking that although Chu Molin appears to be a cold-hearted person on the surface, he is actually a warm and caring man inside.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, I have to lead a team tonight and won¡¯t be home, so you have to take care of yourself.¡± Chu Molin had to leave at midnight to train outside.

    ¡°Ah, why at night?¡± Qin Xue wondered if outdoor training had to be done in the evening.

    ¡°Training at night can enhance their willpower, and we can also catch them off guard to see how they react during regular times.¡± Chu Molin had specific objectives for their training.

    ¡°Oh, I see. So are you not going to be home these few days?¡± Qin Xue considered whether she should prepare some food for him.

    ¡°Yes, I won¡¯t be home.¡± Chu Molin planned to take the team to train in the mountains, which meant he couldn¡¯t come back.

    ¡°Should I cook something for you to bring along?¡± Qin Xue asked, then regretted it. She remembered that in TV dramas, it seemed that they couldn¡¯t take anything with them.

    ¡°No need, we have our supplies.¡± Chu Molin had bought high-calorie dry rations, like compressed biscuits.

    ¡°Oh, okay then. Just make sure to be careful.¡± Qin Xue thought to herself that next time she could buy some meat and make jerky for him to take along.

    When the herbal plants were grown, she could also make some medicinal pills, specifically the kind that can stop bleeding and save lives. This way, even if he encountered danger, there would be some seconds of rescue time.

    Qin Xue thought this was indeed an excellent idea.

    ¡°Fine, 1 won¡¯t bother preparing anything for you. Just give me your water bottle, and I¡¯ll fill it with water for you to drink when you¡¯re thirsty.¡± Qin Xue figured that since she didn¡¯t have anything else to provide for him now, she could at least give him some spiritual spring water.

    Chu Molin remembered that Qin Xue¡¯s water was indeed a good thing and nodded.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll give it to you after we finish eating.¡±

    ¡°Okay, good.¡± Qin Xue carefully picked out the fishbones while eating the fish meat.

    Qin Xue enjoyed eating fish, but there were too many bones.

    Each time she ate fish, she would have to be careful not to accidentally choke on the bones, so she always ate fish very slowly.

    After discussing their plans, they both quietly ate their dinner.

    Chu Molin put the de-boned fish meat into Qin Xue¡¯s bowl.

    Qin Xue looked at Chu Molin with a sweet smile, put the fish meat into her mouth, and enjoyed the delicious taste.

    In fact, they were all the same dishes, so the difference in taste was mainly due to Qin Xue¡¯s mood. That¡¯s why she found it especially delicious.

    Perhaps this was the power of love, making even the food taste better.

    Chu Molin saw Qin Xue enjoy her food, and his thin lips curved into a smile.

    ¡°Hmm, Chu Molin, I don¡¯t want any more, I¡¯m full. You stop picking out the fish for me and eat yourself.¡± Qin Xue had already eaten almost half the fish, as Chu Molin was about to add more fish to her bowl, she hurriedly stopped him.

    There was still half a bowl of rice left, and once she finished it, she would be full, so she insisted on not taking any more fish.

    Chu Molin saw that Qin Xue had already consumed half the fish, so he agreed with her and stopped picking fish for her.

    Qin Xue took an empty bowl and scooped all the eggs from the persimmon red egg soup into it, then handed it to Chu Molin.

    Chu Molin looked at the bowl of eggs: ¡°Xue¡¯er, you eat it yourself. There are other dishes here, I have enough to eat.¡±

    ¡°No need, I¡¯m full. You work hard in training, so you should eat more.¡± Qin Xue was already full, and if she ate more, she would be stuffed, so she couldn¡¯t eat any more.

    Otherwise, she would have to walk for a long time to digest the food before she could sleep.

    Chu Molin saw that Qin Xue had already put down her chopsticks, so he took the bowl and quickly ate the eggs.

    Once he finished, he promptly cleared the table and brought the dishes into the kitchen to wash them, not allowing Qin Xue to help.

    Qin Xue just sat in her chair, watching Chu Molin¡¯s movements, without any intention of helping him..

 Chapter 155

    Translator: 549690339

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, do you want to go for a walk?¡± Chu Molin asked after washing the dishes.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were going for special training?¡± Qin Xue asked in confusion.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m going for it at midnight. I¡¯ve prepared everything I need for today.

    So I can still accompany you for a few hours. Do you want to go? If you do, I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Chu Molin really liked going for a walk with Qin Xue.

    Every time the two of them held hands and walked slowly, it truly realized the saying ¡®holding hands with one¡¯s partner.¡¯

    So Chu Molin was very enthusiastic about walking with Qin Xue.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go then.¡± Qin Xue also liked to go for a walk after dinner.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡± Chu Molin walked over, took Qin Xue¡¯s hand, and slowly walked towards the playground.

    Since everyone in the department was going for special training, they were given the afternoon off, so there were many people on the playground right now.

    Everyone saw Chu Molin and Qin Xue coming and greeted them one after another.

    ¡°Deputy Director, sister-in-law, hello!¡± Ding Xi was the first to greet Chu Molin and his wife after seeing them.

    ¡°Hello.¡± Qin Xue saw that the man beside her did not speak. To avoid embarrassment for the others, she could only reply.

    Ding Xi chuckled and scratched his head.

    Chu Molin looked at his silly appearance and said, ¡°Get lost.¡±

    Ding Xi saw Chu Molin¡¯s face suddenly darken, realizing that he had disturbed the deputy director and his sister-in-law¡¯s walk, and made the deputy director angry. He was frightened and quickly ran off.

    Qin Xue looked speechless and pursed her lips. This man really didn¡¯t even make a sound when others greeted him and just told them to get lost.

    ¡°Chu Molin, aren¡¯t you being a little too much?¡± Qin Xue looked sideways at him.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, how am I being too much?¡± Chu Molin asked, puzzled.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t excessive? When people greet you, you don¡¯t even say a word. Instead, you tell them to get lost.

    There probably isn¡¯t anyone more excessive than you, right?¡± Qin Xue really didn¡¯t understand this man¡¯s thinking. Didn¡¯t the other person just greet him? Why did he tell them to get lost?

    ¡°Not telling him to get lost with that stupid appearance, what do we keep him around for?¡± Chu Molin was already being kind to not kick him.

    How could he possibly let Ding Xi stay here and interrupt him and Qin Xue¡¯s bonding time?

    ¡°Ah, why are you like this? Where is that person stupid? I didn¡¯t notice it at all.¡± Although the person did look a bit silly, Qin Xue was sure he wasn¡¯t actually stupid.

    ¡°How is he not stupid? If he wasn¡¯t, he wouldn¡¯t come and disturb our walk. Clearly he¡¯s reached peak stupidity.¡± Chu Molin pursed his lips and said.

    Well, Qin Xue was at a loss for words. Just because of this, the man became unhappy and told others to get lost.

    That man obediently listened too. This really shows that authority crushes people, doesn¡¯t it?

    ¡°Alright, you¡¯re right, whatever you say goes.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t want to continue arguing with him about this issue. It¡¯s better to continue her own walk.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, miser.¡± Qin Xue joked with him.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, wife.¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t mind being called a miser, because to him, it was just their couple¡¯s flirting.

    So no matter what Qin Xue said, he wouldn¡¯t get angry.

    ¡°Chu Molin, if you¡¯re too busy, we don¡¯t have to go back to H Province first.

    That way, you won¡¯t be pressed for time, and your body won¡¯t suffer.¡± Qin Xue suddenly felt a little scared to face the original body¡¯s family when they returned.

    She was afraid that they would find out that she wasn¡¯t the original Qin Xue. And she was also afraid that they wouldn¡¯t like her.

    In short, her heart was very uneasy! Although in her previous life she had no parents, but in this life, she has parents, which is why she¡¯s even more afraid.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, don¡¯t worry, if I really don¡¯t have time to accompany you back, then I¡¯ll send a telegram to ask your mother to come and help take care of you.

    Otherwise, I won¡¯t feel secure not being by your side, especially since you¡¯re carrying twins.¡± Chu Molin was genuinely worried.

    Qin Xue¡¯s belly was already much larger than others¡¯ at five months pregnant, and she had to get up to go to the bathroom two or three times a night.

    With people around to watch her, how could he feel at ease? So if he doesn¡¯t have time to accompany her back, calling her mother-in-law to come would be necessary.

    Seeing that he was genuinely worried, Qin Xue fell silent and didn¡¯t speak..

 Chapter 156

    Translator: 549690339

    ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll talk about it when the time comes.¡± Qin Xue also knew what he was worried about.

    As a doctor, Qin Xue knew that the risks of carrying twins were greater than carrying just one baby.

    Moreover, in this backward era, not to mention Chu Molin, even she herself was a bit worried, afraid of premature delivery.

    If Chu Molin was not by her side at that time, what would she do alone? So let him call if he wants to.

    This man was also doing it for her best interest, so Qin Xue agreed.

    At worst, she could just get along well with her mother-in-law.

    She would definitely not let them discover that she was not the original Qin Xue. If she could interact with Qin Xue¡¯s family as naturally as she interacted with her own family, everything would be fine.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, don¡¯t worry, your family treats you very well.

    If your mother-in-law knew you were pregnant they would be thrilled.

    How about I give you their address and you write them a letter first?

    By doing so, they won¡¯t find it too sudden when the time comes, don¡¯t you think?¡± Chu Molin thought it would be a good idea to write a letter in advance, informing them about the situation and allowing them to be mentally prepared.

    After all, Xue¡¯er¡¯s entire family spoiled her.

    And he had just returned from a mission, so he had been a bit busy these days and didn¡¯t have time to inform his in-laws.

    Letting Xue¡¯er write a letter and send it to them now seemed like a great decision.

    ¡°Alright, give me their address. I¡¯ll find time to write a letter tomorrow and send it to them first.¡± Qin Xue thought this was a good suggestion.

    This way, both Qin Xue¡¯s parents and she herself would have a buffer period.

    Since Qin Xue decided to treat Xue¡¯er¡¯s parents as her own, she would definitely take good care of them, show them filial piety, and support them in their old age. This was the only thing Qin Xue could do for her original self.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, you¡¯re really great.¡± Chu Molin thought Qin Xue was truly an understanding woman.

    ¡°Of course, that¡¯s a must. Do you think there¡¯s anyone better than me?¡± Qin Xue said arrogantly.

    ¡°No, in my eyes, my Xue¡¯er is the best, no one can compare to you.¡± It¡¯s not like Chu Molin would ever say that anyone was better than Qin Xue in front of her.

    Perhaps this was the rarely seen doting husband mode of the Cold King.

    No matter if it¡¯s good or not, as long as his little wife is the best.

    Qin Xue giggled and said, ¡°Hmm, Chu Molin, you¡¯re really not bad.¡± After saying this, she patted his shoulder.

    Then she hummed a little tune as she walked ahead. All her movements showed she was in a particularly good mood.

    Chu Molin looked at her indulgently, keeping pace with her, walking side by side!

    Listening to Qin Xue humming a little tune, looking ahead, and savoring this warmth.

    Qin Xue hummed Chen Shanni¡¯s ¡°Happy Little Tune¡±:

    Disheartened lovers fill the streets,

    Singing heartbreakingly sad love songs. As life becomes more popular and painful, Don¡¯t let me shed high-pitched tears.

    The streets are filled with the revenge of youth, Singing even sadder elegies. Forcing laughter through all this joy and sadness, Is there really someone worth it? At this very moment, I just want to hum for you,

    I¡¯m singing a happy little tune.

    Chu Molin listened to this little tune that he had never heard before and thought Qin Xue was really amazing.

    He didn¡¯t know what her life had been like before, but she somehow knew so many things that others didn¡¯t.

    His little wife was like a treasure, the more he understood her, the more he wanted to explore and uncover more of what was inside.

    Chu Molin looked at her beautiful side profile, the light shining on her body, casting a warm glow.

    Her pregnant belly emitting a gentle radiance.

    ¡°What are you staring at, dummy?¡± Qin Xue asked as Chu Molin stared at her unblinkingly.

    Chu Molin helplessly touched Qin Xue¡¯s head. This little wife always liked to tease him with nicknames.

    ¡°Just thought my wife was very beautiful, so I got lost in it.¡± Chu Molin smiled.

    Who said this man was cold and couldn¡¯t speak sweet words?

    Qin Xue would beat anyone who said that. This man clearly took every chance he could get to say sweet nothings, sweet enough to drown someone..

 Chapter 157

    Translator: 549690339

    ¡°Chu Molin, have you been eating candy?¡± Qin Xue suddenly blurted out a question that left Chu Molin dumbfounded.

    ¡°What?¡± Chu Molin asked stupidly.

    ¡°You just speak so sweetly, so I¡¯m asking if you¡¯ve been eating candy.¡± Qin Xue found that this man could be quite cute sometimes, like right now.

    ¡°Do I need to eat candy when I¡¯m with my wife? A sincere heart is enough.¡± Chu Molin had always been sincere towards Qin Xue. So his heartfelt words were the best sweet nothings.

    ¡°You can make people sick from being too sweet even without eating candy. If you ate candy, it would be unbearable.¡± Qin Xue finished her sentence and started giggling.

    This was on the playground, and he was teasing her here! If others heard, would she lose face?

    By then, she would have lost all her face. Qin Xue pinched the man¡¯s waist hard, but unfortunately, his muscles were too hard, and she couldn¡¯t.

    Instead of being pinched painfully, Chu Molin felt ticklish due to Qin Xue¡¯s touch.

    Chu Molin thought that if it wasn¡¯t on the playground, he would definitely catch this woman and kiss her passionately.

    Didn¡¯t this woman know? Besides being a sensitive spot for women, the waist could also be a sensitive point for men.

    It wasn¡¯t something to be pinched casually. Because the way Qin Xue pinched it, instead of punishing him, it felt like flirting.

    If Qin Xue knew Chu Molin¡¯s thoughts, she would definitely scoff at him. How could this man think of such things at any time?

    But Qin Xue never considered that Chu Molin was a normal man.

    Several months had passed, and he was still living like a monk.

    Moreover, now his mind was full of Qin Xue. It was impossible for him not to have anv thoughts about her.

    So it is said that when a man shows his true feelings, sometimes he is more intense than a woman.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, are you trying to tickle me?¡± Chu Molin raised his eyebrows at her.

    ¡°Hmph, your muscles are so hard they hurt my hand.¡± Qin Xue looked at her own hand. How could it not twist?

    ¡°You haven¡¯t learned your lesson after pinching me so many times. Your hand hurts now, right?¡± Chu Molin looked at this woman who never learned her lessons.

    Qin Xue glared at the man, snorted, grabbed his hand, and bit it down hard. Now let¡¯s see if you¡¯re in pain or not?

    Chu Molin let out a muffled moan. His little wife was angry and biting him hard.

    Chu Molin didn¡¯t struggle, afraid of hurting her, and waited for her to let go when she had bitten enough.

    Qin Xue had really bitten down hard. She also heard the man¡¯s muffled moan. So, it hurt, right? If my hand can¡¯t pinch you, I can use my mouth.

    Haha, see how powerful I am, Qin Xue thought smugly.

    Chu Molin watched his little wife bite him so intently that he just stood there and let her bite. Everyone else stood far away, dumbfounded.

    Was this their Cold King? It scared them so much that they looked up at the sky. There was no blood rain, and the sun wasn¡¯t rising from the west. The Cold King was just standing there, letting his wife bite him, not speaking, and not even moving. This was pampering his wife too much, right? Who would have thought that the icy Cold King would be such a loving husband?

    It seemed that appearances could be deceiving. Since even the Cold King could love his wife so much, maybe they should love their wives more, too?

    Perhaps they should learn not only physical strength from the Cold King but also how to be a loving husband.

    Who used to say that the Cold King and his wife didn¡¯t get along? This was called not getting along? Then what was considered getting along?

    Rumors could really be harmful. Fortunately, they just listened and didn¡¯t gossip. Otherwise, they would surely be severely taught a lesson by the Cold King..

 Chapter 158

    Translator: 549690339

    Chu Molin noticed the onlookers around them.

    He reminded Qin Xue: ¡°Xue¡¯er, look, they¡¯re all staring at us.¡±

    Qin Xue was startled and looked blankly around, hurriedly letting go of her grip.

    What was happening? What had she done?

    Why did she let this man provoke her into such behavior in public?

    ¡°It¡¯s all your fault, I¡¯m completely embarrassed now.¡± Qin Xue pulled Chu Molin along with a flushed face, too embarrassed to continue.

    Chu Molin laughed heartily, feeling very good.

    But others were frightened by his laughter, quickly turning away and not daring to look at them again. They had never seen the Cold King laugh. It was truly terrifying.

    Would the Cold King take revenge on them later? They hoped not.

    When Chu Molin was in a good mood, he didn¡¯t challenge them during their special training, which made them cry.

    Chu Molin looked back at them, the corner of his mouth hooked, thinking to himself, was his excitement amusing to watch?

    If they didn¡¯t know better, they wouldn¡¯t understand why flowers were so red.

    That¡¯s why one should never offend a small-minded man. Or else they might kick you at any moment when you¡¯re not expecting it.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, walk slower. Don¡¯t rush, be careful of tripping.¡± Chu Molin watched his little wife as if she were running away.

    Wasn¡¯t Qin Xue just running away? But she had fled in panic.

    ¡°Can¡¯t I walk faster? We¡¯ve been laughed at! Wooo, it¡¯s all your fault.¡± Qin Xue complained.

    ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s my fault. It¡¯s all my fault for annoying Xue¡¯er. That¡¯s why Xue¡¯er bit me.¡± The man went into pampering wife mode, and the dog food being thrown around was enough to feed everyone.

    ¡°Actually, I can¡¯t blame you entirely. I was the one who didn¡¯t consider the situation and embarrassed you in front of your subordinates. Chu Molin, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t think too much at the time.

    Only now did she recall that it was wffong for her to act like that in front of so many people.

    Because it made him lose face, how could he convince others in the future!

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, why are you apologizing? There¡¯s nothing to be sorry for.

    It was my choice to let you bite me. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t even be able to touch me, let alone bite me.¡± If Chu Molin hadn¡¯t willingly let her bite him, Qin Xue couldn¡¯t have touched him at all.

    ¡°l know you voluntarily let me do it; otherwise, how could someone like me with a big belly even bite the King of Soldiers, the Cold King?

    But indeed, I caused you to lose face in an inappropriate situation. It¡¯s my fault, and I must apologize to you.¡± Qin Xue was not an unreasonable woman. ¡°Xue¡¯er, it¡¯s okay. Believe it or not, they won¡¯t speak ill of me; on the contrary, they may think I love my wife dearly.

    Maybe they¡¯ll treat their wives better in the future.¡± Chu Molin knew his colleagues well, and they tended to be male chauvinists.

    Tonight, seeing him pampering his wife, he believed that they would change their attitudes slightly after returning home.

    ¡°Really? Can it be like that?¡± Qin Xue asked Chu Molin doubtfully.

    ¡°Of course. You should be able to see that many men here are chauvinistic.

    I pampered my wife in public. If they don¡¯t change a little, it won¡¯t be possible.¡± Chu Molin knew his colleagues well.

    ¡°Alright, you¡¯re a man, and you understand men¡¯s thoughts better. If you say it¡¯s possible, then it is.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t want to continue discussing the matter.

    Because male chauvinism sometimes hurts women.

    Qin Xue couldn¡¯t tolerate an overly chauvinistic man. Fortunately, Chu Molin wasn¡¯t like that, or she wouldn¡¯t know how to live with him.

    Chu Molin saw that Qin Xue didn¡¯t want to continue the topic, so he didn¡¯t say anything more.

    He held his little wife¡¯s hand and walked slowly back, not meeting anyone along the way, which saved Qin Xue a lot of trouble.

    Although Qin Xue had been living here for several months, she didn¡¯t really know many people and didn¡¯t know what to call them when they met. So not seeing anyone was actually what she preferred..

 Chapter 159

    Translator: 549690339

    As Chu Molin was pulling Qin Xue up the stairs, she suddenly remembered that she had promised Fang Hong to invite her for dinner.

    ¡°Chu Molin, I have to tell you something. I didn¡¯t know you were going to special training tonight.

    During the day, I promised Sister Fang Hong to invite them over to our house for dinner, and I was thinking of setting it for three days later.

    Can you come back and join us then? If not, I¡¯ll talk to Sister Fang Hong and reschedule.¡¯

    Chu Molin thought it through. Their plan was to walk out of the woods in three days, take a day off to rest, and then continue with other training sessions.

    ¡°Set it for the fourth day. We¡¯ll have a day off to rest then, and we¡¯ll both have time.¡±

    ¡°Alright, got it. We¡¯ll set it for that day, then. I don¡¯t have to provide staff training then.¡± Qin Xue only needed to train for two more days before letting go.

    They could take care of themselves and come back to ask her if they had any questions.

    ¡°Okay, just make some small arrangements, don¡¯t do too much. Don¡¯t tire yourself out,¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t want his wife to get too tired.

    If it weren¡¯t for Qin Xue¡¯s promise to Fang Hong, he wouldn¡¯t let her work so hard.

    Although they¡¯re only inviting two families, there are seven or eight people¡¯s meals to make. It will still take some time and effort!

    ¡°Alright, I got it. Don¡¯t worry, I will do things within my abilities, and I won¡¯t tire myself out.¡± Qin Xue wouldn¡¯t make too much either.

    Even though their relationship had grown closer, it was not suitable to do too much due to the limitations of this era.

    ¡°As long as you¡¯re aware of it, that¡¯s good. Let¡¯s go back.¡± Chu Molin pulled Qin Xue and opened the door to their home!

    Both of them skillfully filled the bucket with water for a shower. By the time they finished washing up, it was already late.

    The couple read for a while before turning off the lights and going to sleep. Chu Molin wasn¡¯t leaving until midnight, so he still had some time to accompany Qin Xue.

    After a few previous adjustments, Qin Xue now naturally rested her head on

    Chu Molin¡¯s arm when she laid down and adjusted to a comfortable position.

    Chu Molin was happy to see her becoming more and more comfortable with him.

    However, thinking about not being able to hold his soft wife for many days made Chu Molin feel upset.

    But there was no other way ¨C he had his own job to do.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to hold me so tight.¡± Qin Xue was speechless.

    Chu Molin loosened his grip slightly upon hearing that but still held her tightly.

    Chu Molin not only wanted to hold her but also wanted to merge her into his body so that they would never separate.

    If others knew that their Mr. Chu had this side, they would be terrified.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, I just want to be with you forever and never let go.¡± Chu Molin loved this feeling so much.

    Fine, he could do whatever he wanted. Qin Xue was so sleepy that her eyes could barely stay open.

    She didn¡¯t want to argue with him any longer. She needed to rest instead.

    Qin Xue shifted her body and adjusted her sleeping position. Before long, she fell asleep.

    Chu Molin felt her move in his arms and then go silent. Soon, he heard her steady breathing.

    Chu Molin looked down to see the woman in his arms peacefully experiencing sweet dreams.

    Chu Molin laughed helplessly, ¡°You heartless woman. You only care about yourself; don¡¯t you care about your husband?¡±

    She just fell asleep in an instant, but what about him?

    Chu Molin turned his body without waking Qin Xue up, slowly adjusted his emotions, and eventually closed his eyes for a while..

 Chapter 160

    Translator: 549690339

    Though he had intended to take just a small nap, it was already time to get up and set off.

    Chu Molin gently laid Qin Xue down and got up to change his clothes, not even turning on the light, in fear of waking Qin Xue.

    After arriving at the sports field, it didn¡¯t take long for Qin Lang and Wei

    Shaohui to join him.

    Seeing that all the leaders were present, Chu Molin signaled them to go to the dormitories and surprise everyone awake.

    The three leaders blew their whistles at the dormitories to call for an emergency gathering.

    ¡°Hurry up, hurry up! Three minutes to pack your bags, and gather at the sports field in five minutes!¡± Wei Shaohui¡¯s shout awakened everyone who was still drowsy.

    ¡°Damn, three minutes to pack and five minutes to get to the sports field? That¡¯s too tight!¡± One of the colleagues wailed.

    ¡°Move faster and stop complaining!¡± Ding Xi kicked him and kept working at an even quicker pace.

    ¡°Hurry up, everyone! Whoever doesn¡¯t make it in five minutes is out!¡± Wei Shaohui left these words and ran towards the sports field, followed closely by Ding Xi.

    Hearing this, others hurriedly got dressed and packed their gear without any more complaining.

    Finally, all the trainees managed to gather in the formation just in time.

    ¡°Deputy Chief, the team is assembled,¡± Sun Wenbin told Chu Molin.

    ¡°Good, join in,¡± Chu Molin nodded.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Sun Wenbin turned and jogged back to the formation.

    ¡°From now on, there are no ranks between you. If you want to join the Special Research Squad, you must work hard.

    But let me warn you in advance; it will be very tough. If you can¡¯t handle it, it¡¯s best to quit early,¡± Chu Molin looked at everyone.

    ¡°We can do it, we will endure!¡± The crowd shouted loudly.

    ¡°Alright then, I have a map here for you to form teams of five. We¡¯ll go for a ride, rest a bit, and then enter the woods.

    If you can bring back the item shown on the map, you pass. Let¡¯s go!¡± Chu Molin waved his hand.

    Everyone quickly swarmed into the cars, their movements swift and orderly.

    Once everyone was on the vehicles, they headed towards the destination.

    Li Dabao drove, Chu Molin sat in the front passenger seat, while Deng Kai and Liang Shaohui sat in the back.

    ¡°When you enter the woods later, be careful,¡± Chu Molin reminded them after a moment of silence.

    ¡°Yes, Deputy Chief, we understand,¡± Deng Kai and Wei Shaohui replied in unison.

    The two often carried out missions with Chu Molin.

    As a result, their relationship was much better than Sun Wenbin and Li Bings.

    Moved by Chu Molin¡¯s reminder, the pair knew that only true friends could understand this feeling.

    ¡°Alright, once you all join the research squad, I¡¯ll treat you to drinks,¡± Chu Molin closed his eyes and leaned against the car seat.

    It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t like Sun Wenbin and Li Bing.

    It was just that his bond with his brothers who had completed many missions together was much deeper.

    Considering this, there was no need to invite so many people for drinks.

    ¡°Really? Thank you, Deputy Chief,¡± Deng Kai and Wei Shaohui were delighted.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s true. But the condition is that you must make it into the Special Research Squad; otherwise, you¡¯re not invited,¡± Chu Molin glanced at them.

    Chu Molin knew that with their skills, they could make it.

    However, nothing was ever guaranteed, so he wanted to motivate them this way.

    ¡°Yes, Deputy Chief, we will do our best to join the squad and not disappoint you,¡± Deng Kai and Wei Shaohui exchanged glances and replied in unison.

    ¡°Don¡¯t overpromise. Do your best and try not to get hurt. This is just the appetizer; the main show is yet to come.¡±

    This was only a selection for team leaders, but his ultimate goal was to recruit top students from all over the country.

    The other three people in the car were very excited ¨C was this just the appetizer?

    Regardless of whether it was the main event, they were ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

    No matter how many challenges came, bring it on; they were not afraid..

 Chapter 161

    Translator: 549690339

    ¡°Li Dabao wondered why the vice section chief didn¡¯t invite him when he¡¯d already invited the others?

    Therefore, Li Dabao anxiously asked, ¡°Vice section chief, you¡¯re inviting them to dinner, what about me?¡±

    Chu Molin turned to look at him coolly without uttering a word, causing Li Dabao¡¯s heart to race in fear.

    Just when Li Dabao was about to cry mercy, Chu Molin finally spoke up, ¡°Considering that you have thoroughly gathered the investigation material, you can come along too.¡±

    ¡°Great! Thank you, vice section chief. I¡¯ve been yearning to try sister-in-law¡¯s cooking. You have no idea, ever since I had dinner at your place, I can¡¯t stop thinking about how delectable the food was. Now I get to enjoy her cooking again, this is wonderful.¡± Li Dabao shouted with excitement, truly in awe of Qin Xue¡¯s culinary skills.

    Li Dabao had never eaten such delicious food in his life.

    Ever since then, he felt the food in the cafeteria tasted bland and wax-like.

    It really felt like heaven and hell.

    The saying goes, ¡°Without comparison, there is no harm,¡± and indeed it was so.

    Now that the camp leader had agreed to let him eat Qin Xue¡¯s homemade meal again, how could he not be thrilled?

    What¡¯s more, after his last meal there, he felt much lighter.

    He always thought it was because Qin Xue¡¯s food was so abundant and delicious.

    And he ate so much that he assumed it was the hearty meal that had caused him to feel so energized, so he didn¡¯t think much about it.

    ¡°What? Da Bao, you¡¯ve been to the vice section chief¡¯s house already?

    You¡¯re darn inconsiderate, for not inviting us. Vice section chief, you mustn¡¯t let him go this time.¡± shouted Deng Kai.

    ¡°Yeah, vice section chief. This guy has already been there and tasted sister-in-law¡¯s cooking. Please don¡¯t let him go this time.

    We haven¡¯t been there yet. Plus, you initially invited Deng and me for drinks, so let¡¯s leave Da Bao out of it?¡± Deng Kai and Wei Shaohui exchanged a glance, a smirk flickered in their eyes as they kept a straight face.

    ¡°Don¡¯t! Vice section chief, you mustn¡¯t listen to them, please don¡¯t leave me behind.¡± Li Dabao pleaded, pulling a long face.

    Chu Molin caught their antics in the rearview mirror.

    Knowing they were just teasing and didn¡¯t mean any malice towards Li Dabao, he stayed silent.

    However, Deng Kai and Wei Shaohui shook off the goosebumps that Li Dabao¡¯s expression had given them, bloody hell, it was spine-chilling!

    Seeing a grown man like Li Dabao making such an expression, it was damn hard to swallow, wasn¡¯t it?

    ¡°Da Bao, what¡¯s with that expression? Do you think it¡¯s appropriate for a grown man? It¡¯s such a waste of your masculine face!¡± Deng Kai felt like giving him a slap.

    ¡°Exactly, Da Bao. Stop scaring Deng and me. Look, even the vice section chief is alarmed by you.¡± Wei Shaohui pointed out.

    Li Dabao glanced at Chu Molin, who had his eyes closed, taking a break.

    Realizing Deng and Wei Shaohui were just messing around, he didn¡¯t provide any feedback.

    Not to mention that their camaraderie had always been strong and was not fragile enough to be affected by those jokes.

    They had shared grave dangers, and they had worked together since their inceptions.

    They always had each other¡¯s back, no way they¡¯d get upset over something like this.

    ¡°Da Bao, is the sister-in-law¡¯s cooking really that good?¡± Deng Kai asked with a curious look.

    ¡°It¡¯s tremendously good; I¡¯m not lying to you. If you don¡¯t believe me then, you can ask the vice section chief.

    He eats her cooking every day, is there a reason to doubt?¡± Li Dabao retorted, as if he was the one whipping up the dishes.

    Wei Shaohui remembered when he first met Qin Xue, she was out for a walk with their vice section chief.

    At that time, he¡¯d been punished to run laps and still didn¡¯t understand why he was punished.

    If he remembered correctly, Qin Xue seemed to be a pregnant woman.

    Wouldn¡¯t inviting them over for dinner cause her unnecessary trouble?

    But getting an invitation from the section chief, and furthermore getting to taste his sister-in-law¡¯s food.

    It was undoubtedly a stroke of immense luck.

    Therefore, he dared not mention this to the section chief, in fear of losing an exquisite meal.

    At worst, they could all help. As long as sister-in-law had to cook.

    Wei Shaohui deemed it beneficial, Qin Xue wouldn¡¯t be overworked, and they would not miss out on a chance to enjoy her food.

    He thought he was quite clever..¡±

 Chapter 162

    Translator: 549690339

    Initially, Deng Kai didn¡¯t have high expectations, but after hearing Li Dabao¡¯s words, he became quite excited for the upcoming meal.

    This is because the deputy director seldom invited them to his home for dinner, and this was the first time.

    How could they not feel excited? So, Deng Kai¡¯s anticipation grew.

    ¡°Enough, you two should close your eyes and get some rest.

    Otherwise, you won¡¯t have time to rest later.¡± Chu Molin, fearing the ongoing discussion about the meal, interrupted their conversation.

    Once they entered the mountain, everyone knew it would be challenging and potentially dangerous.

    So, while they had time, he wanted them to rest.

    ¡°Yes, deputy director, we understand.¡± Shi Kai and Wei Shaohui said and closed their eyes to restore their energy.

    Li Dabao also started to drive, focused on the road ahead.

    Suddenly, the car was quiet, with only the sound of wheels on the road.

    Half an hour later, they arrived at their destination. Everyone got out of the car and lined up, waiting for Chu Molin¡¯s command.

    Chu Molin walked in front of the team, looking at them.

    ¡°We have arrived at our destination.

    Now, I will distribute rations to you. Remember, if you don¡¯t achieve your goal within 72 hours, you will be eliminated. Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°We understand.¡± The voices of the crowd were loud, echoing through the mountains and forests.

    It was good that there was no one living nearby; otherwise, their shouting would have disturbed others¡¯ rest at night.

    ¡°Li Dabao, distribute their rations.¡± Chu Molin glanced at Li Dabao and ordered him.

    ¡°Yes, deputy director!¡± Li Dabao responded, walked to the front of the team, and handed out rations to his colleagues one by one.

    As the colleagues participating in the training received their three pieces of rations, they wondered how it would be enough for three days.

    ¡°This is all the food you have. Your maps have food storage points.

    But whether you find them or not depends on your abilities.

    Now, rest here for half an hour. In half an hour, there will be surprise attacks along the way.

    You need to find a place to hide, so you don¡¯t get eliminated right from the

    start.

    Of course, you¡¯ll also get a signal flare. If anyone can¡¯t go on, or if they want to quit¡­

    release your signal flare, and someone will assist you. Does everyone understand?¡± Chu Molin¡¯s icy gaze swept the team as he asked loudly.

    ¡°Understood?¡± Their powerful voices echoed through the forests.

    Usually, people from the research institute are more reserved, but they were displaying intense energy now, showing the need for training.

    ¡°Good, now rest.¡± Chu Molin entered the tent set up for resting.

    ¡°Li Dabao, hand out the signal flares later.¡± Chu Molin turned to look at Li Dabao.

    ¡°Yes, deputy director.¡± Li Dabao checked the prepared signal flares to make sure they were all in good condition before handing them out to his colleagues.

    Chu Molin studied the map in front of him, planning the next training. Li Dabao entered the tent after he had finished distributing the signal flares, ¡°Deputy director, how many of them do you think will pass the first challenge?¡±

    ¡°No matter how many, it¡¯s all beneficial for them.¡± Chu Molin glanced at him and continued studying the map.

    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Li Dabao also thought it made sense.

    ¡°Molin, are you trying to train them to death?¡± Qin Lang walked in from outside.

    He was the last to arrive and saw that they had to go into the mountain at midnight, which seemed unreasonable.

    ¡°Hmm, how can I get the elites I want without training them hard? I need quality, not quantity.

    So whether they¡¯re mules or horses, I¡¯ll only know after taking them out for a spin.¡± Chu Molin put his pen on the map, leaned on his chair, and looked at Qin Lang.

    ¡°How did you get here?¡± Chu Molin recalled that he hadn¡¯t counted Qin Lang in.

    ¡°Hmph, everyone else is here. What am I supposed to do back there?

    There are still two directors in the team, anyway.¡± Qin Lang wanted to see how Chu Molin trained them.

    Upon hearing this, Chu Molin nodded..

 Chapter 163

    Participate in Special Training

    There were indeed section chiefs in the team, so there wouldn¡¯t be any big problems.

    Furthermore, since they were all here, it would be a bit inappropriate for him, a newcomer, to stay behind.

    ¡°Molin, why don¡¯t you give me a map too, and I¡¯ll go participate in the training?¡± Qin Lang wanted to give it a try as well.

    ¡°No way.¡± Chu Molin rejected him without even thinking about it.

    ¡°Why not?¡± Qin Lang couldn¡¯t understand.

    ¡°Because you¡¯re not familiar with the terrain, and there¡¯s no one left to team up with you.¡± Chu Molin had his own plan and didn¡¯t want Qin Lang to mess it up.

    ¡°Even if I¡¯m not familiar with the terrain, you guys have a map, right? Just give me one, and that¡¯s it.¡± Qin Lang felt that he was just making excuses not to let him go.

    ¡°Even if I have one, I won¡¯t give it to you. I said no means no.¡± Chu Molin hadn¡¯t seen him in so many years.

    Who would have thought that this guy would come here just like that?

    He didn¡¯t know what abilities this guy had, and he couldn¡¯t possibly let him into the complex forest.

    Even if there were checkpoints and people stationed along the way, it still wouldn¡¯t work. He couldn¡¯t allow any accidents to happen during this special training.

    ¡°Even if you¡¯re the deputy-section chief and rank higher than me, you can¡¯t be like this, right?¡± Qin Lang was a bit unconvinced.

    Whether it was in academics or personal relationships, both of them were evenly matched.

    But Chu Molin always seemed to be just a little bit better than him, which made him feel frustrated.

    ¡°Qin Lang, you¡¯re a civil servant; just do your job well. What are you doing here?¡± Chu Molin glanced sideways at him.

    ¡°Molin, that¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong. I want to participate in the training to improve myself.¡± Qin Lang argued with reason and logic.

    ¡°But they¡¯ve already teamed up this time, leaving you alone doesn¡¯t make any sense. So stop getting in the way.¡± Chu Molin couldn¡¯t let him go no matter what.

    ¡°Fine, I won¡¯t go. But I heard you¡¯re going to invite the section chiefs to dinner, so count me in too.¡± Qin Lang said in a rascal-like manner.

    No matter how you looked at it, he seemed like a rogue, completely different from the face he presented in front of others.

    Chu Molin stared at him coldly, ¡°Where did you hear that from?¡± It was only tonight that Qin Xue told him.

    He hadn¡¯t told anyone, and Qin Xue couldn¡¯t have told others.

    ¡°Hehe, that¡¯s a secret. I can¡¯t tell you.¡± Qin Lang laughed and replied with such a sentence.

    Chu Molin really wanted to punch him to see if he could still pretend to be mysterious.

    ¡°Really not telling? Weren¡¯t you asking me to invite you to dinner? So now you don¡¯t want to go?¡± Chu Molin threatened!

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll tell you. I used to hear the section chiefs praise my sister-in-law¡¯s cooking. I never thought that the sister-in-law they were talking about was your wife. So, I just want to have a taste. Now, are you inviting me or not?¡± Qin Lang sat in a nearby chair and looked at him.

    Looking at him like this, Chu Molin found it more and more annoying.

    Chu Molin really wanted to slap him; what should he do?

    But he hadn¡¯t seen this classmate and friend for a long time. They were now colleagues, so it was not unreasonable to invite him to dinner.

    Originally, Qin Xue only planned to invite Fang Hong and Yu Xiu¡¯s families.

    That was already tiring enough, but now he asked to invite Wei Shaohui, Deng Kai, and Li Dabao too.

    Now, adding Qin Lang would make his wife even more tired, right?

    That¡¯s not what he wanted to see, but he couldn¡¯t refuse his friend¡¯s request.

    Never mind, he¡¯ll just go home early to help his wife at that time.

    ¡°It¡¯s not impossible. I¡¯ll inform you when the time comes, and you can come over. But you have to come early to help out. My wife will be very tired; she has to cook for so many people all by herself.¡± Chu Molin wouldn¡¯t let him just sit there and wait to eat.

    ¡°No problem, I¡¯ll be there early.¡± Qin Lang happily responded once he got the answer he wanted.

    ¡°Why did you even come to this place? Wasn¡¯t it good staying in the Imperial Capital? Why are you just causing trouble?¡± Chu Molin was quite annoyed.

    ¡°Ah, Chu Molin, that¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong. Why can¡¯t I be where you are?¡± If it weren¡¯t for escaping the marriage, Qin Lang wouldn¡¯t have run so far away to this place.

    But he didn¡¯t regret coming here because he ran into Chu Molin..

 Chapter 164

    Translator: 549690339

    At first, when Qin Lang came here, he felt a little uncomfortable since he had always lived in the Imperial Capital.

    But now he truly had no regrets, as many years later, he accidentally met Chu Molin here.

    It proved that their friendship still had not come to an end, even though Chu Molin was already married.

    He wondered which woman could deserve such an excellent Chu Molin.

    At this time, Qin Lang had no idea that the woman he thought of was the one he saw at the supply and marketing cooperative when he first arrived.

    So when he went to Chu Molin¡¯s house, he was surprised when he saw Qin Xue.

    It turned out that Chu Molin¡¯s wife was the woman who had made his heart open wide at first sight.

    ¡°Li Da Bao, time is up. Tell them to set off,¡± Chu Molin looked at his wristwatch.

    ¡°Yes, deputy chief,¡± Li Da Bao ran out of the tent to convey the order.

    Those who participated in the special training received the order and took their equipment to their designated routes.

    Wei Shaohui and Deng Kai were in the back. Their group also included Ding Xi and two others who were relatively weak. That was good, as it allowed them to complement each other.

    He hoped they could all join the squad, which would make them the strongest in the training.

    As the final group entered the woods, Chu Molin and his two companions followed their original plan and went into the woods to ambush the others.

    Qin Lang¡¯s presence was not initially planned for, but since he was here, he could be a hunter even if he wasn¡¯t participating in the training.

    The dishes had been served, and they should enjoy them. The three of them went to their designated positions.

    After sending Qin Lang to the other ambushers, Chu Molin went towards the other destination.

    Li Da Bao took his equipment and went into the woods to join the other hunters. The special training had officially begun.

    Qin Xue woke up in the middle of the night and found her man was gone. She figured he must have gone to the special training.

    So, she didn¡¯t worry about it and went back to sleep, falling asleep in a short time.

    She had a dreamless night and got up as soon as the morning trumpet sounded. She was afraid of being late again like yesterday.

    She didn¡¯t dare to stay in bed for fear that she would sleep through the wake-up call.

    Qin Xue didn¡¯t want anything complicated for breakfast, so she cooked two bowls of egg noodles: one for herself and one for Xue Ling. Noodles were the most convenient and simple meal.

    Since it was still early, she brought the noodles into her space.

    She handed a bowl of noodles to Xue Ling: ¡°Xue Ling, this bowl of noodles is for you. Come and have breakfast with me.¡±

    These days, Qin Xue had gotten used to Chu Molin¡¯s company and felt a bit uncomfortable having breakfast alone all of a sudden.

    So, she also prepared a bowl of noodles for Xue Ling while cooking.

    ¡°Master, you¡¯re here,¡± Xue Ling said excitedly.

    Because it was too boring to be alone in the space, Xue Ling spent all her time cultivating.

    She wished she could cultivate into a human form as soon as possible so Qin Xue could take her out of the space.

    ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s been a long time since I made something for you. So, I made noodles for you this morning.¡±

    Qin Xue recalled that Xue Ling had mentioned she could eat cooked food like humans and enjoy the same food as them.

    So, Qin Xue cooked a portion of noodles for her as well.

    ¡°Wow, it smells delicious! Thank you, Master,¡± Xue Ling sniffed at the aroma of the noodles, almost drooling.

    Cooked food was indeed more fragrant. Xue Ling finished her noodles in just a few bites.

    After eating, she licked her lips, thinking that her master¡¯s cooking was really good.

    If only she could enjoy her master¡¯s cooking more often.

    Unfortunately, her master didn¡¯t cook for her that often, so she could only dream of it.

    After finishing her noodles, Qin Xue saw that there was still some time left.

    She picked a basket and collected all the ripe red chili peppers.

    She planned to make chili sauce when she had time. Qin Xue enjoyed eating chili sauce with a bit of sweet and sour taste.

    She especially loved mixing it with noodles.

    It was so delicious that the mere thought of it made her mouth water.

    She also picked many ripe tomatoes, which could be used to make tomato sauce later.

    When it was done, she could enjoy some homemade fries dipped in tomato sauce.

    After collecting red chilies and tomatoes, Qin Xue saw that the time was just about right.

    She then took a bath in the pond in the space before leaving, getting dressed outside..

 Chapter 165

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue was afraid that when Fang Hong comes over and knocks on the door, she wouldn¡¯t be able to hear it.

    So she didn¡¯t dare to delay, and as soon as she left her space, she hurriedly looked for clothes to wear. Qin Xue combed her hair and looked in the mirror to make sure everything was in order.

    She then took her medical book and sat in the living room, waiting for Fang Hong to knock on the door.

    She wanted to go find Fang Hong, but she didn¡¯t know if they had eaten breakfast yet.

    So she decided to wait at home. Fang Hong would come get her when she was ready.

    As Qin Xue read the contents of the medical book, she found that her memory was excellent, and she could remember everything she read. Now when she reads a book, she skims ten lines at a glance.

    She was almost finished with this thick medical book.

    Every time Qin Xue did something, she would be fully engaged, which made her an excellent learner.

    There were seven volumes in this set of medical books. Qin Xue wanted to finish reading one volume and then read it again.

    Finally, she would slowly practice the content inside one by one.

    Only when she had mastered all the content in the book could she claim to have learned the art of medicine.

    Even if she didn¡¯t become a doctor, she would still have a skill to rely on.

    Moreover, her original profession was a doctor, so learning more would only make her more knowledgeable, and that would be her ability.

    A knock on the door sounded, and it should be Fang Hong.

    Qin Xue put down her book, opened the door, and saw Fang Hong standing outside.

    ¡°Sister-in-law is here, have you had breakfast yet?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve eaten, Qin Xue, have you eaten yet?¡± Fang Hong saw that Qin Xue was already dressed neatly. She must have eaten already. ¡°Yes, I have. Let¡¯s go.¡± Qin Xue put on her prepared backpack.

    After locking the door, Qin Xue and Fang Hong left together.

    They left too early, and at this time, the women were still making breakfast.

    They were waiting for their husbands to return from work to eat. So at this time, there were few people on the road from the Housing Institute to the bus station.

    ¡°Sister-in-law, I can see that your energy is much better. The medicine you¡¯re taking should be working.

    After the training, let me have a look at you, and I¡¯ll adjust your prescription.

    Then you can continue taking the medicine to recuperate.¡± Qin Xue thought she could adjust the prescription since Fang Hong had been taking it for so many days.

    ¡°Well, whether I can have a second child or not, I won¡¯t have any complaints.

    Ever since I started taking the medicine you prescribed, I feel much lighter.

    I don¡¯t have that oppressive feeling in my chest anymore, and look at my face. Haven¡¯t I become much fairer, and the spots on my face have faded too. My whole demeanor is different, so as long as you make my body healthy, I¡¯ll consider myself lucky.

    Qin Xue, thank you, sister-in-law. If it weren¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t have my current life. It feels like I¡¯ve come back to life.¡¯

    Fang Hong truly felt as if she had been reborn. Her previous life was so lifeless, without any vitality.

    Her current life filled her with confidence, making her believe that this was the life she wanted, and she believed that the future would be even better.

    ¡°What¡¯s there to thank, we¡¯re friends, aren¡¯t we? Sister-in-law, I have to tell you, if you hadn¡¯t reached out to me with kindness first and taken care of me while I was injured and hospitalized, I wouldn¡¯t have treated you even if I could.¡± Qin Xue was not the Virgin Mary.

    Although she was a doctor in her previous life and had a doctor¡¯s duties, she might have felt guilty if she could treat Fang Hong but didn¡¯t.

    But here, she wasn¡¯t a doctor! She wouldn¡¯t expose her life-saving skills in unclear situations.

    And now she did this because Fang Hong treated her sincerely.

    She felt that Fang Hong was a person she could trust not to betray her, so she took the risk and treated her.

    This was like repaying her kindness in caring for her.

    She was a person who repaid kindness and sought revenge. She remembered those who treated her well.

    So it was all thanks to Fang Hong¡¯s kindness towards Qin Xue that she benefited.

    As the saying goes, good people get good rewards, which was most appropriate for Fang Hong.

    Not only did Qin Xue cure her illness, but she also took her in her career.

    In a person¡¯s life, how many people like Qin Xue can they meet? Very few, right?..

 Chapter 166

    Translator: 549690339

    Fang Hong knew Qin Xue was telling the truth, after all, the old Qin Xue was willful and capricious.

    She had been nice to her before, but Qin Xue didn¡¯t appreciate it, which proved that the old Qin Xue didn¡¯t like her.

    But she was very good to the friends she recognized, otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t be so good to Bai Jing.

    Now she¡¯s not confused anymore and can see things clearly! But the alienation in her eyes was still very obvious.

    If you were not someone she acknowledged, she wouldn¡¯t care about you, let alone treat you well.

    So, Fang Hong was grateful and appreciated Qin Xue very much.

    ¡°Mmm, sister-in-law understands, my personality is quite similar to yours.

    To be honest, if you were still like your old self, I wouldn¡¯t care for you no matter what my situation was.

    But now you¡¯ve changed, so I¡¯m willing to get along with you. That way, our men won¡¯t have to worry and fret about us.

    You may not know it, but my husband Mr. Xie treats your husband Chu Molin like his own brother.

    If we couldn¡¯t get along, they would definitely be in a difficult position.

    Fortunately, we get along quite well now.

    So, Qin Xue, sister-in-law really wants to thank you.

    Whether it¡¯s with treatment, career, or our relationship, I¡¯m very grateful to you.¡± Fang Hong looked at Qin Xue and expressed her gratitude.

    When Qin Xue heard Fang Hong say this, she felt ashamed, because she felt that she was really awful in the past.

    ¡°Sister-in-law, let¡¯s not keep saying thank you to each other, as long as we get along well in the future, that¡¯s enough, right?¡± Qin Xue said as she held Fang Hongs hand.

    ¡°Mmm, you¡¯re right. From now on, let¡¯s get along well. For our friendship, and also for the brotherly bond between our men. Let¡¯s never put them in a difficult situation.¡± After saying this, Fang Hong and Qin Xue looked at each other and smiled.

    ¡°Yes, for our friendship. Let¡¯s do our best.¡± Qin Xue made a fist as if to cheer.

    After saying this, she couldn¡¯t help but laugh first.

    She felt that such a friendship was also very good, a bit like the friendship she had with her roommates in the past.

    ¡°By the way, Qin Xue, have you thought about where you will give birth, whether to go back to your hometown or stay here?¡± Fang Hong looked at Qin Xue¡¯s big belly and asked.

    ¡°l haven¡¯t decided yet, let¡¯s see when the time comes.¡± Qin Xue thought about writing a letter to Mr. and Mrs. Qin during her lunch break today.

    She had brought the address in her backpack.

    ¡°But your belly is so big already, what will you do if you don¡¯t plan ahead?

    You know, Chu Molin and the others are soldiers, and they often have to go on missions and can¡¯t be with you.

    Your belly is so big that it will be very inconvenient and dangerous for you to be alone.

    If you don¡¯t want to go back, just ask your mom or your mother-in-law to accompany you.¡± Fang Hong didn¡¯t know Chu Molin¡¯s family situation.

    So all she could do was say this to Qin Xue.

    After all, it¡¯s hard for a woman to be pregnant and give birth without her husband by her side.

    Fang Hong had gone through this herself; when she gave birth to her son,

    her husband Mr. Xie was on a mission and wasn¡¯t with her. It wasn¡¯t until after she gave birth that Mr. Xie came back.

    So she could understand that feeling very well.

    ¡°Mmm, sister-in-law, I understand. I¡¯ll write a letter to my parents today and tell them I¡¯m pregnant.

    Maybe they¡¯ll come over as soon as they get the letter.¡± Qin Xue thought that since they doted on Qin Xue so much, this was entirely possible.

    ¡°Mmm, you¡¯re right. Parents always worry about their children.

    If they knew, they¡¯d definitely come to see you.¡± Fang Hong¡¯s mother had also come to take care of her for a while at that time.

    It wasn¡¯t until she was about to give birth that her mother-in-law came to take care of her during the confinement period.

    ¡°Mmm, I¡¯ll write a letter to them and see what they say.

    See if they¡¯ll come here or if I¡¯ll go back.¡± Qin Xue thought this would have to depend on Chu Molin¡¯s schedule.

    She believed that Chu Molin would absolutely not allow her to go back alone.

    So even if she wanted to go back herself, it would be impossible.

    In that case, it¡¯s better to see what Mr. and Mrs. Qin decide.

    ¡°Mmm, that¡¯s fine. My husband mentioned that Chu Molin has been quite busy recently, so he probably won¡¯t be able to accompany you back.

    I think with Chu Molin¡¯s personality, if he can¡¯t accompany you, he¡¯ll definitely ask your mother to take care of you.¡± Why did she mention Qin Xue¡¯s mother?

    Because Fang Hong had never heard Chu Molin mention his own family.

    So Fang Hong thought that the possibility of Qin Xue¡¯s mother-in-law coming to take care of her was quite small..

 Chapter 167

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    Qin Xue also thought it might be the case, based on what Chu Molin had said last time.

    It was impossible for her to have Chu Molin¡¯s mother take care of her, Qin Xue thought.

    ¡°Mmm, sister-in-law, what you said makes sense.¡± Qin Xue agreed.

    When the bus arrived, the two of them stopped chatting, got on, and found seats.

    After sitting down, Qin Xue thought of the content she had talked about yesterday.

    She wondered if Fang Hong could understand and how much she had absorbed.

    So Qin Xue asked Fang Hong, who was sitting next to her, ¡°Sister-in-law, could you understand the content of my training yesterday? If there¡¯s anything you don¡¯t understand, feel free to ask me, don¡¯t be shy. You know?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I know. I won¡¯t be polite with you. I won¡¯t waste this rare learning opportunity.¡± Fang Hong thought it was a great opportunity to learn.

    In these difficult times, having such a learning opportunity to gain this knowledge was enviable to many and couldn¡¯t be bought with money.

    Fang Hong cherished it since once learned, it would become hers.

    Only by learning it herself could it be transformed into wealth.

    Moreover, it was wealth that others couldn¡¯t steal.

    Fang Hong had never seen someone like Qin Xue, who could selflessly teach such rich content to others.

    ¡°Mmm, it¡¯s good you know. Only when you fully understand it can you know how to do it.

    Only in this way can this knowledge become your wealth.

    After you understand it completely and know its meaning, you can store it in your head.

    Once it¡¯s transformed into your wealth, you can utilize it rationally and do what you want.

    In this way, you can maximize its use and get what you want.¡± Qin Xue explained earnestly to Fang Hong.

    ¡°Mmm, I understand.¡± Fang Hong nodded, absorbing Qin Xue¡¯s teachings like a sponge.

    Sometimes, Fang Hong even felt like Qin Xue was more like her elder sister, and she was Qin Xue i s younger sister.

    ¡°Great, sister-in-law. I believe in you.¡± Qin Xue teased Fang Hong, raising her eyebrows and grinning.

    Fang Hong felt a little embarrassed by Qin Xue¡¯s look.

    Qin Xue laughed at the expression on Fang Hongs face, thinking how simple and honest people in this era were.

    Fang Hong was actually embarrassed just by her teasing words.

    How interesting! Qin Xue and Fang Hong came to the factory in a good mood. They arrived earlier than yesterday, avoiding the awkwardness of the morning rush.

    Qin Xue asked Fang Hong to wait for her in the conference room, while she went to inquire about the progress of the clothing made from the designs she had given to Guo Aiguo.

    When Qin Xue arrived at Guo Aiguo¡¯s office, she saw the door was open and Guo Aiguo was sitting at his desk.

    So, Qin Xue knocked on the door, even though the owner was present, she felt it wasn¡¯t right to just walk in.

    Guo Aiguo looked up and saw Qin Xue at the door; he smiled and said:

    ¡°Qin Xue, you¡¯re here. You came quite early today. Did they not arrive yet?¡± Qin Xue waved her hand: ¡°No, Uncle Guo.

    I just wanted to ask how the clothes from the designs I gave you a few days ago are coming along?¡±

    ¡°Oh, those? They¡¯re almost done. We just haven¡¯t found the right model yet.¡±

    Guo Aiguo was out of options.

    At this time, people didn¡¯t specifically advertise or hire models.

    So many were scared, thinking it was a scam

    ¡°Is there any problem?¡± Qin Xue thought that given Guo Aiguo¡¯s ability, this should not have been a difficult issue.

    ¡°Yes, there¡¯s a problem,¡± Guo Aiguo thought he should discuss this with Qin

    Xue.

    Maybe once he talked to her, she could solve it.

    ¡°What¡¯s the problem? Tell me, let¡¯s see if there¡¯s a good way to solve it.¡± Qin Xue thought the issue shouldn¡¯t be too big.

    ¡°It¡¯s the TV commercial you mentioned because many people haven¡¯t seen it before, and some haven¡¯t even seen a TV, they don¡¯t know what to do.

    So, when finding a model, many people don¡¯t believe in us,

    thinking we¡¯re scamming them or trying to deceive them for other purposes.¡± Guo Aiguo was really helpless.

    No matter how he explained, those people still didn¡¯t believe him..

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    ¡°Uncle Guo, haven¡¯t you ever thought about bringing them to our factory to see how we work?

    Once they have seen our factory, they will know that we are serious business)

    They wouldn¡¯t think of us as con artists anymore.

    And once they see our beautiful clothes, won¡¯t they be moved?

    And there is income after shooting ads.

    The clothes for the advertisements are tailor-made to fit the models.

    And since the sizes are only suitable for them, we can give them the clothes for free.

    However, there¡¯s one condition, they would have to be our living advertisement.

    You know what living advertisement means right? When they wear our clothes out.

    When people ask where these clothes were bought from?

    We ask them to tell others that these clothes were made by our Chenxi

    Clothing Factory.

    In this way, even if people don¡¯t watch tv, they can still know about our Chenxi Clothing Factory, right?

    Chenxi¡¯s clothes are beautiful right?¡± Qin Xue thought of this as modern promotion methods.

    ¡°What a great idea.¡± Guo Aiguo was all smiles after hearing this.

    Qin Xue smiled, these methods were common sense in later generations.

    ¡°Luckily I talked to you, otherwise I wouldn¡¯t know when I¡¯d finally figure it out.

    Look, after discussing with you, the problem is solved.¡± Guo Aiguo said with a smile.

    ¡°Uncle Guo, now that this is settled, do you have any other problems?¡±

    If there are any problems Qin Xue thought, just say them and we can think of a solution.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing else, really.¡± Guo Aiguo realized he didn¡¯t have any other issues.

    ¡°Uncle Guo, how do you manage the clothing production in your workshop?

    Does one person make one piece of clothing or each person makes a part of it?¡± Qin Xue remembered forgetting to ask Guo Aiguo this question earlier.

    ¡°One person makes one piece of clothing, how could people divide the work?¡± Guo Aiguo didn¡¯t understand why Qin Xue said that.

    ¡°Uncle Guo, you can¡¯t be serious? You allow one person to make a whole piece of clothing. Aren¡¯t you afraid that they will leak the clothing designs?¡± Qin Xue thought Guo Aiguo didn¡¯t seem to be the type who would fail to consider this.

    ¡°Ah, is that so? I never thought of this. Because we have always done it this way.¡± Guo Aiguo believed that there has never been a problem with this approach.

    ¡°Uncle Guo, starting from today, you should arrange for this to be changed.

    Divide the clothing into different parts, one group of people can focus on making collars, another group can focus on sleeves, another on the torso.

    In other words, divide the sections and make the clothes in an assembly-line style. This can increase speed and production.

    Secondly, it can prevent the sketches from being leaked, so that others can¡¯t copy our designs.

    This is to protect our factory¡¯s confidential files, which are our assets. Do you understand now?¡± Qin Xue thought she had explained it clearly, and he should understand.

    ¡°Hmm, I understand. I¡¯ll arrange for this right away.¡± After saying this, Guo Aiguo went to the workshop without minding Qin Xue was still here.

    Qin Xue chuckled and shook her head before leaving, heading towards the conference room to prepare for their training.

    When Qin Xue arrived at the conference room she saw that everyone had arrived!

    So she stood at the head of the conference room and greeted them: ¡°Good morning, everyone.¡±

    Everyone waved in response: ¡°Good morning, Qin Xue.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, may I ask if everyone understood the lesson yesterday?

    If you didn¡¯t understand something, please raise it.¡± Qin Xue asked everyone the same question she had asked Hong earlier.

    ¡°Hmm, we understood, Qin Xue. We¡¯ll ask you if we don¡¯t know something.¡± Luo Yi was the first to raise his hand and respond.

    ¡°Exactly, you explained very clearly yesterday. We understood everything.

    Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll definitely ask if we don¡¯t know something.¡± The others chimed in.

    ¡°That¡¯s good, only when you firmly understand can you turn it into your own knowledge.

    Only then can it become your wealth. Everyone understood, right? ¡®

    Qin Xue looked at them seriously, she didn¡¯t want her hard work to be repaid with perfunctory efforts.

    ¡°Hmm, we understand, thank you, Qin Xue.¡± The six people simultaneously and loudly responded!

    ¡°That¡¯s good, let¡¯s continue with the training for the other courses.¡± Qin Xue thought of continuing the course..

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    ¡°Now, let me tell you a case I have heard before.

    This case is from Mr. Chen Anzhi¡¯s ¡®Sell Yourself Rather Than the Product¡¯.

    It means no matter what industry you are in, you can see this in successful salespeople.

    You will find that they all follow the successful rule of ¡®Sell Yourself Rather

    Than the Product¡¯ taught by Mr. Chen Anzhi.

    What does it mean to sell yourself rather than the product?

    That is to say, before you become a salesperson, you must first package yourself well.

    Make people¡¯s first impression of you is acceptance, not rejection.

    Mr. Chen Anzhi once said that before a customer buys a product, they must first buy the sales representative.

    Once they like and trust you, they will then choose the product. This is the first lesson for a salesperson.

    The second lesson for a salesperson is how to make the other party happy to pay you.

    It means to make the other party trust you wholeheartedly. Only in this way will they happily purchase your product.

    Then they will be happy to pay.

    Because customers don¡¯t just want to buy your product.

    What they want to buy more is your service spirit and attitude. If a person is really serious and sincere in doing this,

    Once trusted by others, they can sign any contract.

    Do you think trust is a powerful sales tool?

    But remember, we can only go further unimpeded if we have integrity!

    Of course, when I say unimpeded, I don¡¯t mean there won¡¯t be difficulties in achieving success!

    What I mean is that if a person has integrity, they will receive help wherever they go.

    On the contrary, if a person lacks integrity, their reputation will spread, and everyone will know about them.

    Who would trust this person then, and think they won¡¯t be deceived too? And do you still think such a person will be successful?

    I don¡¯t think so, do you?¡± Qin Xue said with a smile to them.

    ¡°Yes, Qin Xue is right. We can¡¯t be dishonest people.¡± Six mouths spoke loudly.

    Qin Xue nodded and said, ¡°So, what¡¯s the next point about sales rules?

    That is, we should pay attention to other people¡¯s successful results, and often think about how they succeed.

    We need to keep learning and reading.

    This reading can be about others¡¯ success, as well as reading more books, gaining more knowledge!

    Of course, we need to absorb the secrets of others¡¯ success,

    But also read more books because maybe after reading one more book, you could succeed just because of it.

    Why do I say that? Because if the customer you¡¯re going to visit likes this book,

    And you just happened to have read it, wouldn¡¯t you two have something to talk about?

    If you get along well, there might be a chance to sign a contract, right?

    So, reading more books will only benefit us, not harm us.

    Our factory will soon install a telephone. Once it¡¯s installed, you should remember the phone number.

    Why ask you to remember it? There must be a use for it.

    What is the use? That is, you can make business cards later.

    Write the phone number on the business card, and when you go out to promote,

    Whether they can become your customer or not, the first thing you should do is to give them a business card.

    Let them know who you are and what you do. Even if they don¡¯t become your customers after talking, they will still remember you.

    One day when they see the business card, they will think of you.

    By then, they might suddenly call you,

    And tell you they want to do business with your product.

    At that time, does your business card play a significant role?¡± Qin Xue thought about how in the future, most people would have a business card.

    Why not use the Golden Finger as a reborn person, right?

    ¡°Business card? What is a business card, Qin Yue?¡± Fang Hong asked first, not understanding.

    ¡°A business card, as the name suggests, is a relatively firm piece of paper.

    Write your name, position, and our factory address and phone number on it, and that¡¯s it.

    Remember to make more business cards when you do. Give one to everyone you think might become your customer.

    These are potential customers! And maybe one day, they will become your prospective customers! ¡°

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    While Qin Xue was focusing on training, Chu Molin was also undergoing intensive special training.

    Deng Kai and the others came to a small river, and the water was quite clear, with small fish swimming around. There should be some bigger fish, right?

    ¡°You guys see there should be fish in this river, right?¡± Deng Kai looked around.

    Ding Xi also came over and took a look: ¡°I see fish. You guys keep an eye on the surroundings, and I¡¯ll go find a tree branch to catch the fish.¡± ¡°l think it¡¯s a good idea, or we can¡¯t survive on just our dry rations.

    So I think when they set the route for us,

    they must have planned for us to get food from the fish in the river and the water, as well as wild chickens and rabbits in the mountains.

    So we must replenish as much as possible when we find food supplies.

    We don¡¯t need a lot, but we have to make it through these three days, right? What do you guys think?¡± Wei Shaohui seemed to know Chu Molin well.

    Because the food Chu Molin had set up was exactly what Wei Shaohui said!

    ¡°l think so too. You guys keep watch. I¡¯ll go find a tree branch,¡± Ding Xi said with a smile.

    ¡°Xi, I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Deng Kai followed Ding Xi and left.

    The remaining three people filled their water bottles before sitting down to rest. They had been through quite a ordeal that night.

    It was already difficult to walk in the woods, let alone at night, and they were afraid of snakes, so they had to carry sticks to knock and beat around, making them very tired.

    After resting for a bit, the three of them gathered some firewood, ready to cook the fish once they caught it!

    ¡°We¡¯re back.¡± Ding Xi and Deng Kai each had a long, sharpened branch in their hands.

    ¡°We¡¯ve collected firewood.¡± Cheng Hu gestured at the firewood.

    Ding Xi and Deng Kai looked in the direction Cheng Hu pointed out, and indeed, there was a pile of firewood. Cheng Hu was one of the two people who collected it.

    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll go catch fish now. You guys get ready to grill them,¡± Ding Xi said, waving the stick in his hand.

    The two of them walked into the river about knee-deep and began looking for

    fish, silently waiting for fish to swim by.

    Surprisingly, the two of them didn¡¯t have to wait too long before they caught fish. Although the fish were only three or four fingers wide, they were quite satisfied.

    Deng Kai removed the fish from the branch and threw it onshore.

    Soon after, Ding Xi also caught a fish and threw it onshore once removed from the branch.

    The three people onshore picked up the fish and used the dagger they carried with them to scale them, open their bellies, and remove their gills.

    Once the fish were cleaned, they skewered them on the prepared sticks and started a fire to grill them.

    Seeing that they were already grilling the fish, Deng Kai and Ding Xi didn¡¯t go ashore but continued to catch fish in the water.

    That¡¯s because they not only wanted to eat their fill but also have one fish per person to keep with them in case of need.

    Other than the grilled ones, the rest were cleaned and put into their backpacks.

    Only a few hours had passed in the 72, and if they weren¡¯t prepared, it would be difficult for them to make it through the remaining journey.

    So they couldn¡¯t eat their dry rations and had to collect as much food as possible now.

    After they finished eating the grilled fish, they stomped on the fire to put it out.

    Only after they made sure the fire was extinguished did they pick up their backpacks and continue on the next stretch of the journey.

    After they left, Chu Molin jumped down from the tree.

    Watching their retreating figures, Chu Molin picked up the stick they had used to catch fish and entered the water!

    The fish in this river were really abundant! They had just caught more than ten fish.

    And now Chu Molin caught another fish in no time.

    Chu Molin thought the fish on the stick was big enough for him to eat half full, so he didn¡¯t plan to catch more.

    He took out his dagger and cleaned the fish effortlessly.

    He then started a fire with the remaining firewood left by Ding Xi and the others and grilled the fish.

    The water quality at this time was not polluted, and the fish was very delicious. In no time, the fish began to release a fragrant aroma.

    It was just a pity that there were no seasonings or salt, but this was very normal for them who often carried out missions.

    Having something to eat was already good enough, and no one would be picky, so Chu Molin wouldn¡¯t be either.

    After finishing the fish, Chu Molin put out the fire, then discarded the stick for catching fish and the firewood.

    As for those who come after him, they¡¯ll have to find and make their own.

    Chu Molin would not let them pick up easy meals, which would not be in line with his intentions. Therefore, the people who came later could only rely on their own skills to find and make food..

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    Chu Molin made sure all the things were packed up and thrown away, then clapped his hands and headed towards the finish line.

    Half an hour later, another group arrived at the riverbank, looking around.

    When they saw that there was a black spot on the ground, they crouched down to take a closer look.

    They found out that it was charcoal left by a fire, so they understood what was going on and followed the same steps.

    They also looked for sticks to spear fish and dry firewood to roast the fish.

    In this way, everyone who traveled along this route by the river prepared their food supply in the same way.

    As for the first and second company commanders who did not follow the river, they went nearby to look for wild rabbits, pheasants, and snakes. Both Sun Wenbin¡¯s group and Li Bings group had good luck as well.

    Sun Wenbin and his team caught a wild rabbit and a snake.

    Li Bing and his team caught a pheasant and two snakes.

    Although the food was not plentiful, it was enough to last them for a while.

    So they were all very satisfied, considering the limited time they had to hunt.

    Their luck in finding these food resources was indeed good.

    They each went to look for water sources, filled their canteens, and cleaned up the food before roasting it.

    After they finished eating and put out the fire, they moved on to the next location.

    After all, they didn¡¯t know what kind of challenges awaited them along the journey.

    They were not wrong in their guess, as the road ahead was not as smooth as the first part.

    This is all for later; let¡¯s not mention it now.

    After Qin Xue finished training them and had lunch,

    She told Fang Hong that she would not be going back to the shop in the afternoon, as she wanted to write a letter to send back home.

    Fang Hong, seeing that Qin Xue didn¡¯t go back, decided not to return to the shop either and stayed to accompany Qin Xue.

    Qin Xue asked Guo Aiguo for some writing paper and a pen, then took the paper and pen back to the conference room and sat down to write the letter.

    Fang Hong didn¡¯t disturb Qin Xue while she was writing and just sat on a chair on the other side of the conference room, resting her head on the table.

    Qin Xue looked at the paper and pen in her hand and didn¡¯t know how to start writing the letter.

    After thinking for a while, she finally wrote on the paper:

    Dear Mom and Dad,

    How are you? How is your health? Is everything alright at home?

    Don¡¯t overwork yourselves and ruin your health.

    If you want to eat something and have the ration coupons for it, go buy and eat it, don¡¯t be too thrifty.

    If you run out of money, just tell me, and I will send you some.

    Don¡¯t worry about me not having money, so don¡¯t hesitate to ask me if you need any.

    I¡¯m doing well in the army, please don¡¯t worry about me.

    I¡¯m really sorry for not writing you a letter for such a long time; please forgive my mistake.

    In these past months, Chu Molin went on a mission.

    And because I had some things to deal with, I didn¡¯t write you a letter either.

    I have some good news for you; I¡¯m pregnant, expecting twins!

    Chu Molin and 1 are both very happy; are you happy as well?

    By the way, how are my younger siblings? What do they usually do?

    Chu Molin originally planned to take leave and accompany me back home to see you.

    But he just returned from a months-long mission a few days ago, and then he received a special training task.

    So he went on the special training mission and might not have time to take me back home.

    Therefore, I can only write to let you know; I hope you understand.

    I can¡¯t go back to take care of you and fulfill my filial duties.

    Please use the money I sent to buy something delicious, and don¡¯t hesitate to spend it if you need anything.

    I can make money now, so don¡¯t worry about us; my husband and I are doing well here, please rest assured.

    I won¡¯t say much more, but I wish you good health and smooth sailing in everything you do.

    With respect, your daughter,

    Qin Xue

    xxYear x.xMonth xxDay

    Looking at the letter she wrote, Qin Xue was unsure of what else to say.

    She only put down the pen after rambling on about various things.

    She took out some ration coupons and *300 from her backpack, put them into the envelope, and planned to take them to the post office for mailing.

    Qin Xue thought about drawing and making some sets of men¡¯s clothes for her father, Chu Molin, and her siblings to wear.

    As for her mother and sister, her mother could wear a cheongsam, while her sister could wear a dress or a princess-style tutu.

    When the clothes are ready, she would send them together. If she sent them now for her mom and sister without anything for her dad and brother, that would not be very nice!

    So she decided to wait until next time. Qin Xue sealed the envelope, wrote down the address, placed it carefully in her backpack, and planned to buy postage stamps and mail the letter in the afternoon..

 Chapter 172

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    Qin Xue saw that there was still some time before the afternoon training session.

    She took out a pencil and white paper from her backpack, thinking about what kind of clothes would look good?

    Qin Xue thought over and over again in her head, finally deciding to make suits and sportswear for Chu Molin and her younger brother, and Zhongshan suits and casual wear for her father!

    Following this idea, Qin Xue drew the patterns that appeared in her mind!

    The styles were the latest in fashion and luxury. She wondered if Fang Xiu could make them!

    Yes, Qin Xue wanted Fang Xiu to do it because there were fabrics in the store.

    Although those fabrics were not top-notch, they were very comfortable to wear!

    Since the store would no longer stock fabrics for clothes in the future, it was a great idea for Qin Xue to use them to make clothes!

    Qin Xue drew all the clothing styles that appeared in her mind in an instant. There were women¡¯s, men¡¯s, and children¡¯s clothes!

    After finishing the letter, Qin Xue drew until the others arrived for training before putting the stack of drawings in her backpack.

    She stood up and stretched lazily, then took out her water bottle and drank some water to moisten her throat!

    ¡°Good afternoon, everyone. The course we have prepared for this afternoon is:

    persistence equals success, and those who give up will never succeed.

    Why do I say this? It¡¯s because I know someone who once participated in a competition.

    They were given only three chances, but they made mistakes in the first two. With only one chance left, her heart was already filled with anxiety, worry, and tension.

    She was even anxious to the point of tears, terrified of failure and not succeeding.

    Thinking whether she would really fail, whether she would succeed, or whether she should give up?

    At this time, she might have already thought about giving up in her heart.

    But then a woman came to her and said, ¡®Will you fail your third chance? Will you give up?''¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Six people said in unison.

    Although the six people said ¡°no,¡± their hearts were thinking otherwise, that they might fail!

    At this time, the woman said, ¡°You are already very amazing. I once had a friend who was also great, but he was not qualified to participate in this competition.

    Being able to stand here means you are exceptional and remarkable!

    So you don¡¯t have to put too much pressure on yourself. Whether you succeed in this last chance or not, you are still the best!

    You must believe in yourself, you are the best!

    Will you do your best to complete your competition?¡±

    At that moment, she told the woman: ¡®Yes. I will try my best to complete the last competition. (This paragraph is based on a segment from a show called ¡°Incredible Kids¡± where a Taiwanese child tries to break a Guinness World Record stacking cups. I changed it a bit!)

    As a result, the outcome was quite surprising. Do you know what the result was?¡± Qin Xue asked with a smile.

    Six people excitedly replied, ¡°She succeeded!¡±

    Qin Xue nodded: ¡°Yes, she succeeded. And she achieved it with the best results.

    So always persevere, never give up.

    If she had given up after the initial two mistakes.

    If she hadn¡¯t listened to the woman¡¯s advice and persistently completed the third match, would she still have succeeded?¡±

    Qin Xue asked the six people.

    ¡°So when you go out to sell our clothes and are repeatedly postponed or rejected by others, will you give up? Will you persevere?¡± Qin Xue looked at them seriously.

    ¡°We won¡¯t give up; we will keep going. We will definitely succeed!¡± The six people felt a surge of passion in their hearts.

    ¡°Good, remember what you said. Persevere and never give up. Only in this way will there be hope for success.

    To succeed, you must hold on to these two beliefs.¡± Qin Xue knew that success was not easy to achieve.

    But only by doing these two things can you get one step closer to success. Qin Xue looked at their excited expressions and thought that they would definitely succeed.

    Because only with passion can one have the energy to strive..

 Chapter 173

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue looked at the excited group, not wanting to interrupt their continued learning.

    But time was tight, with only three days. If they couldn¡¯t finish their training, her entire plan would be disrupted.

    So Qin Xue had no choice but to interrupt their enthusiasm.

    ¡°Next, let¡¯s discuss what needs to be done for success?

    Firstly, we must set clear objectives,

    The second step is to have a detailed plan,

    Thirdly, immediate action is required,

    Fourth, we need to modify your actions,

    Fifthly, never give up.

    Only when you have a clear goal will you start thinking about and planning how to proceed and implement it,

    Which is when you¡¯ll start making a detailed plan.

    Once you¡¯ve made a detailed plan, you need to take action immediately,

    If you wait for your enthusiasm cool down, you may no longer want to do it! This is the typical three-minute passion,

    If your actions deviate from your initial objective,

    Then you have to timely revise your original goal,

    And keep going till the end. After doing this, success is not far.

    Do you think I¡¯m right?¡± Qin Xue quietly stood there, emanating an air of elegance.

    ¡°Yes.

    ¡°Good, then 1 look forward to your success,¡± said Qin Xue with a smile.

    ¡°Everyone, do you know? I once attended a lecture given by Mr. Chen called

    ¡®visualize your dream of success to deepen the impression.¡¯

    What does this imply? Mr. Chen created a dream board,

    He put his set goal on the top-right of the dream board,

    He said doing this was just to deepen the impression. The aim is just to deepen the impression, not to say that the goal will be achieved once sticking on it,

    Because by doing so, he will see the goal he set everyday,

    This will create an impression in your brain,

    The impression would deepen each day. It was so profound that it would appear in your mind at any time,

    The human brain is a very mysterious palace! It possesses various nervous systems!

    Once you set a goal, it will track your goal like a missile until you achieve it,

    Mr. Chen said he was able to repeatedly achieve his goals precisely by visualizing his dreams and deepening their impressions,

    So, when we feel lost, we might as well set a goal board too,

    Let¡¯s strive for the goals we set, and achieve them!¡± Qin Xue enthusiastically quoted the content of Mr. Chen¡¯s lecture.

    Don¡¯t ask why Qin Xue knows so much about sales.

    It was largely thanks to her two close friends,

    One loves doing business, and the other loves Chinese medicine,

    An Xiaochen and Chu Beiying were her high school classmates. They became best friends due to a shared love for Taekwondo.

    Qin Xue clearly remembered when she returned to her father¡¯s side to attend high school from her grandparents¡¯, she was always teased and bullied because was raised in the country,

    Even the cheerful Qin Xue couldn¡¯t help wanting to fight back,

    But Qin Xue lacked martial power, so she chose Taekwondo when she joined a club in high school.

    It was really hard at first, but as she got to know more, Qin Xue started to enjoy it more and more,

    Later, she discovered that there were two other girls in the club who loved

    Taekwondo just as much as she did,

    After several encounters, they slowly became acquainted,

    Through deeper understanding, they realized that they had a lot in common during their chats,

    The common points were Taekwondo and they were all foodies!

    However, during college application, An Xiaochen, who loves business, chose to study Economics,

    Beiying, who loves Chinese medicine, chose to study Chinese Medicine! Qin Xue likes Western medicine, so she chose to study it.

    Since they all applied to universities in the same city, their campuses weren¡¯t far apart,

    Whenever An Xiaochen was free, she would find Qin Xue to join her in reading Mr. Chen¡¯s books and tapes,

    That¡¯s why Qin Xue knows so much about sales! She didn¡¯t expect that these knowledge would come in handy here..

 Chapter 174

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue thought of her best friend An Xiaochen, who was already the vice president of a listed company at such a young age!

    And Chu Beiying, who always liked to go into the mountains to collect herbs. Qin Xue really missed them!

    Did they get sad when they found out she had died? Would they miss her?

    Qin Xue shook her head to bring her drifting thoughts back.

    Qin Xue then went on to talk about some other sales methods and techniques.

    They continued training until five-thirty in the afternoon, which was dinner time.

    Qin Xue figured she had to go send the letter later, so she couldn¡¯t delay for too long.

    But Qin Xue completely forgot that the post office was already closed at this time.

    So she thought it was impossible for her to send the letter today.

    Because in the future, electronic products were widespread, and all contacts were through mobile phones, WeChat, and emails.

    Who would still write letters by hand? So Qin Xue didn¡¯t know the post office¡¯s working and closing hours.

    It wasn¡¯t until they walked out of the factory and she told Fang Hong she was going to mail a letter that Qin Xue realized how wrong she was.

    She wondered how she could forget this important situation!

    But you couldn¡¯t really blame her, who told Qin Xue to be born in a peaceful and prosperous era?

    Even when writing essays about letters, Qin Xue only wrote them in her book and never actually mailed them.

    So she really didn¡¯t understand these details.

    ¡°Sister-in-law, what time does the post office usually open and close?¡± Qin Xue thought she could only mail the letter tomorrow morning.

    ¡°This postage stamp is eight cents per piece, and the working hours are from eight in the morning to five in the afternoon.¡± Fang Hong often went to mail letters, so she knew very well.

    ¡°Actually, you don¡¯t have to go to the post office to mail a letter.

    After writing the letter and attaching the postage stamp, you can give it to the mailman when you meet him.

    He will then help you send the letter out.¡± Fang Hong thought of the times when she saw mailmen delivering letters and gave them her letters directly.

    ¡°Can it really be done like this? Don¡¯t you have to put it in the mailbox to mail it?¡± Qin Xue remembered that there were many places where letters had to be sent.

    Firstly, the post office staff had to sort them out and distribute them accordingly.

    ¡°You don¡¯t necessarily have to put it in the mailbox. The mailman also has to go back to the post office to get letters, right?

    When you give it to him, he will bring it back, and they will mail it for you at that time.

    You must have misunderstood my meaning. I didn¡¯t mean the mailman could directly send the letter to the person you wanted to mail it to.

    Instead, if you give the letter to him, you don¡¯t have to specifically make a trip to the post office to mail it.¡±

    Fang Hong smiled as she explained to Qin Xue.

    ¡°Oh, 1 get it.¡± Qin Xue was really embarrassed.

    It was really inconvenient in this backward era without mobile phones, WeChat, or email.

    Fang Hong looked at the embarrassment on Qin Xue¡¯s face and laughed out loud.

    Qin Xue felt increasingly embarrassed, and said to Fang Hong, ¡°Sister-in-law, don¡¯t laugh at me. Am 1 really that stupid?¡±

    ¡°No, not at all. Where are you stupid? 1 just never thought that there would be something you didn¡¯t know how to do, Qin Xue. It¡¯s just a bit surprising.¡±

    Fang Hong really didn¡¯t expect that the smart and knowledgeable Qin Xue would not know such a small detail.

    ¡°Hehe, I¡¯ve never traveled far from home since I was a child, and I¡¯ve never written a letter to anyone! What I know is what the teachers taught me, and what I learned from books.

    Before I got married, I loved reading. People at home spoiled me, so they would collect some books for me to read.

    Because I read a lot, I know a lot.¡± Qin Xue couldn¡¯t let anyone other than Chu Molin know about her secret that was different from ordinary people.

    Why did she say that? Because Qin Xue was sure that Molin loved her and wouldn¡¯t do anything to hurt her.

    But she couldn¡¯t guarantee that for other people.

    Because you never knew what people would do when faced with interests!

    Therefore, Qin Xue could only attribute her knowledge to her extensive reading, and that¡¯s how she knew so much.

    With this explanation, no one could find any fault with it. It was a very safe explanation..

 Chapter 175

    Translator: 549690339

    Hong nodded, realizing that was the case. No wonder she always felt that Qin Xue was different from ordinary people in some aspects!

    It¡¯s true that reading more books and understanding more about various things do make a difference.

    Qin Xue¡¯s temperament was indeed much better than theirs.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, aren¡¯t we coming for training again tomorrow?

    By then, we can just mail the letter first and then come here.¡± Hong thought it was just a small matter.

    ¡°Mm, thank you, sister-in-law. You¡¯re so kind.¡± Qin Xue said playfully with a coquettish tone.

    ¡°You, sometimes I really think you¡¯re just a kid who never grows up.

    But sometimes you¡¯re so sensible that it¡¯s heartwarming.¡± Hong shook her head as she looked at Qin Xue.

    ¡°It depends on who¡¯s in front of me. There¡¯s no need for me to be uptight around you guys who truly care about me, right?

    But if I were like this in front of people I¡¯m not familiar with, wouldn¡¯t that be bad?

    So, sister-in-law, I really do like you a lot.

    How about you forget about Mr. Xie and throw yourself into my arms instead?¡± Qin Xue winked at Hong and ran away giggling!

    Hong was dumbfounded, what was that supposed to mean? Looking at Qin Xue who was a few steps away, she laughed and scolded:

    ¡°You really dare say anything. Aren¡¯t you afraid my husband, Mr. Xie, will wipe you out?

    And aren¡¯t you afraid your husband, Chu Molin, will do the same?

    You are really disrespectful, joking about me like that.¡±

    ¡°Sister-in-law, smile, and live ten years longer. So, people should really smile more when they are alive, right?¡± Qin Xue believed that since we all have to cry and laugh, why not choose to laugh?

    ¡°Right, whatever you say makes sense, I can¡¯t argue with you, alright?¡± When it came to a war of words, Hong couldn¡¯t outsmart Qin Xue.

    Qin Xue could always make sense of everything. The kind of logic that left you no room to argue!

    ¡°Sister-in-law, it feels like you¡¯re implying I¡¯m forcing you or something.

    Isn¡¯t being with me good? I can give you everything except¡­¡±

    ¡°Hehe! Haha!¡± Qin Xue whispered something into Hong¡¯s ear.

    After saying that, Qin Xue watched Hongs face turn from white to completely red like a cooked shrimp and laughed heartily, looking at Hongs shy expression. Wow, so pure!

    Just a joking comment made her embarrassed to that extent! Although Hong looked a bit cute like this.

    Despite the fact that using the word ¡°cute¡± for a woman in her early thirties may seem a bit juvenile.

    But looking at Hongs current expression, it¡¯s quite fitting!

    ¡°Qin Xue, you¡¯re becoming more and more outrageous, you dare to say that to Chu Molin.¡±, Hong was truly embarrassed by Qin Xue¡¯s words!

    ¡°Sister-in-law, you¡¯re overthinking it, that¡¯s impossible.¡± Qin Xue waved her hand and told Hong!

    Some things can be jokingly discussed with Hong, but some things should not be said casually.

    Especially in front of a man like Chu Molin. If she said it to him, wouldn¡¯t Qin Xue be digging her own grave?

    Hehe, how could the smart Qin Xue make such a mistake?

    So, Hong is just overthinking.

    ¡°You only dare to treat me like this.

    Typically bullying the weak and fearing the strong, it¡¯s just like you.¡± Hong wasn¡¯t angry with Qin Xue, but she really didn¡¯t know what to say.

    ¡°Yes, sister-in-law, you¡¯re right, I¡¯m definitely a ¡®bully the weak and fear the strong person.

    Because I just ¡®bully¡¯ you.¡± Who knew Hong would be so easily shy?

    To be honest, Qin Xue really didn¡¯t expect that a wife of a commander could become shy just because of a simple sentence.

    They should have experienced various kinds of situations, right?

    But why did Qin Xue always feel like when she was with Hong that she was the older sister and Hong was the younger one? It¡¯s really strange. But Qin Xue loved this feeling because it¡¯s was so fun to tease Hong!

    ¡°You dare to bully me? Let¡¯s see how I get back at you.¡± Hong lengthened her claws to go and tickle Qin Xue!

    Of course, she wouldn¡¯t really tickle Qin Xue since she was pregnant.

    But Qin Xue didn¡¯t know that, and she was most afraid of being tickled.

    So when she saw Hong stretch her hand out to tickle her, she screamed and ran away!

 Chapter 176

    There¡¯s No Meat

    Translator: 549690339

    Fang Hong watched as Qin Xue ran away and followed her.

    The two of them came back to the clothing store, chatting and laughing.

    Inside the store, Fang Xiu was making clothes while little Jingtao was playing with his fingers on a mat on the ground.

    Yu Xiu must be watching the shop at the other side!

    Qin Xue greeted Fang Xiu and then squatted down to pick up little Jingtao!

    ¡°Fang Xiu, have you guys eaten yet?¡± Qin Xue hurried back to mail a letter and hadn¡¯t eaten in the factory. Now, she was getting a little hungry.

    ¡°Not yet, we haven¡¯t cooked. I was just about to finish this little bit of work and then carry Taotao to go cook.

    Did you guys come back so quickly because you haven¡¯t eaten yet?

    Wait a moment, I¡¯ll finish this bit and then go cook.¡± Fang Xiu thought that Qin Xue, a pregnant woman with a big belly, must be getting hungrier quickly. It was almost six o¡¯clock now, and she hadn¡¯t eaten yet.

    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t eaten. I was going to mail a letter, but I didn¡¯t know when the post office opened and closed.

    As a result, I left the factory without eating and only found out from Fang Hong that I was late.

    So, I didn¡¯t get to mail the letter or eat. I¡¯m really hungry now.

    You go on making clothes. I¡¯ll put Taotao on the mat. Just keep an eye on him!¡± Qin Xue put little Jingtao on the mat.

    She touched his face with her finger and smiled, saying: ¡°Taotao, wait for your auntie! I¡¯ll go steam an egg for you.¡±

    Little Jingtao also seemed to know that Qin Xue was talking to him, waving his arms and legs while babbling. Unfortunately, Qin Xue couldn¡¯t understand his language!

    Qin Xue put her backpack on the bed. When she came to the kitchen, Fang Hong was already cooking.

    Qin Xue looked at the simple dishes: only cabbage, celery, and two white radishes.

    Qin Xue picked the celery leaves to keep for later, planning to make a celery leaf and egg soup.

    There wasn¡¯t even any meat. Did they usually eat like this?

    How could they not eat any meat or greasy food when they have a child?

    ¡°Hong, why don¡¯t you cook an egg for Jingtao? Do you guys eat like this when I¡¯m not here?

    There isn¡¯t even any meat. How do you all manage?¡± Qin Xue, a doctor, knew that a balanced diet was the key to a healthy body.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m steaming one now! We get busy sometimes and just don¡¯t buy meat.

    We just make do with what we have.¡± Fang Hong thought, where could they afford to eat meat every day?

    Not to mention the issue of money, even getting the ration coupons isn¡¯t easy.

    Only people like Qin Xue who don¡¯t understand the hardships of the mortal world would think of eating meat every day.

    However, Fang Hong could understand that with Qin Xue¡¯s ability, she could afford to eat meat daily, even in every meal.

    ¡°Is it really like that? Or did you just not buy it because you didn¡¯t want to spend the money?¡± Qin Xue looked at Fang Hong suspiciously!

    ¡°It¡¯s just that. I¡¯m not lying to you. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask Yu Xiu and the others later.

    See if I¡¯m lying to you!¡± Fang Hong thought that even if they asked the others, they would all have the same opinion!

    Everyone had suffered hardships, and they couldn¡¯t bear to spend so much money on meat. They only bought a little every now and then as a treat! Qin Xue decided to believe Fang Hong since she said it so earnestly.

    The meal was prepared with laughter and chatter!

    After the dishes were brought to the table, Yu Xiu was called over to eat.

    Little Jingtao sat on his mother¡¯s lam holding onto her legs. Nowadays, he always liked to grab chopsticks while eating.

    Qin Xue thought she should find someone to make a walker for him, otherwise, it would be difficult to manage him.

    Qin Xue filled a bowl of celery leaf and egg soup for everyone.

    She scooped some egg into each bowl, knowing this era was scarce in clothing and food!

    Clothes could be patched and worn, but if nutrition couldn¡¯t keep up, the body would collapse.

    So, during cooking, Qin Xue asked Fang Hong to beat a couple more eggs since there was no meat!

    Eggs in this age were also a valuable item; it was almost impossible to eat as much as one desired.

    Because buying eggs also required ration coupons, it seemed that she might need to go to the black market later.

    She was saving the eggs in her space for Chu Molin to nourish his body. She would only take them out occasionally and not often.

    So, they should still buy eggs at the market..

 Chapter 177

    Translator: 549690339

    Yu Xiu and Fang Xiu felt a bit shocked seeing how many eggs were in their bowls. How many eggs did Qin Xue put in?

    ¡°Qin Xue, you put too many eggs!¡± Yu Xiu hesitated to speak up.

    ¡°Exactly! We¡¯re supposed to eat these eggs slowly!

    You didn¡¯t use up all the eggs at home in one go, did you?¡± Fang Xiu also felt bad.

    Even though they were the ones eating the eggs, it was such a waste to put so many in at once!

    ¡°Is it really too many? Why do you all look so upset ?¡± Qin Xue truly didn¡¯t understand. They were just six eggs. Why were they all making such long faces?

    ¡°Qin Xue, you really used up all the eggs, didn¡¯t you?¡± Fang Xiu was younger and more candid with his words since they were close to each other.

    ¡°Of course not! I left two for Jingtao to eat tomorrow. How could I have used them all?¡± Qin Xue wasn¡¯t one to be greedy and deny the kids their food!

    ¡°Six eggs last us two days, and you ate them all in one meal?

    You¡¯re really something! This really shows that you don¡¯t know how expensive it is to run a household!¡± Yu Xiu felt heartbroken.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s just six eggs, and it¡¯s not like we can¡¯t afford it! Why are you all looking so angry ?¡± Qin Xue looked confused at the three of them.

    Hong wasn¡¯t as upset since she had already experienced this once in the kitchen, so she had mentally prepared herself, and she felt much better now.

    ¡°Miss, it¡¯s not about whether we can afford it or not, but that we can¡¯t buy them without a ration coupon.¡± Fang Xiu rolled her eyes at her.

    ¡°Then just buy them on the black market. Don¡¯t you just need money instead of ration coupons over there?¡± Qin Xue thought it wasn¡¯t a big deal.

    ¡°But it¡¯s much more expensive on the black market! With the money spent on two eggs there, you could buy three outside.¡± Yu Xiu had also bought things from the black market and knew how much more expensive items were there.

    ¡°Sigh, I thought it was something serious. From now on, I¡¯ll allocate 50 yuan from this money every month for your living expenses.

    As long as you keep the accounts clear and transparent, it¡¯s fine.

    Don¡¯t hesitate to eat and use what you need.

    You must understand that each of you is the backbone of your family.

    If you don¡¯t nourish your body properly, it¡¯ll break and it¡¯ll cost even more later on.

    Medical bills and medicines will hurt even more.

    So spend some small money for the greater good and rest assured. I won¡¯t take advantage of you.

    Didn¡¯t you forget? I can treat illnesses, and I know what a person¡¯s body needs.

    If you don¡¯t maintain proper nutrition and become imbalanced, there will be hidden dangers to your health.

    your body will quickly develop issues, and at that point, you¡¯ll have no choice but to seek medical help. Will there still be time for regret then ?

    So, don¡¯t hesitate to spend a little money now. If you can, everyone should eat an egg every morning.¡±

    Seeing them all silent and not speaking, Qin Xue knew what they were thinking.

    But eggs can be bought again.

    If their health fails them, there¡¯s nothing they can do. So people shouldn¡¯t lose the bigger picture over small things.

    Besides, isn¡¯t money meant to be spent? Why not eat if you can afford it?

    If you don¡¯t eat now and fall ill later, you won¡¯t be able to enjoy food when you want to.

    ¡°We understand now. We were too narrow-minded and didn¡¯t see the bigger picture.¡± Hong was the quickest to accept.

    Yu Xiu nodded in agreement, and Fang Xiu also nodded.

    Qin Xue was right; they weren¡¯t thinking far enough ahead, only focusing on the immediate gains and not the long-term benefits!

    Just like Qin Xue said, money could be earned, but without good health, you couldn¡¯t earn anything even if you wanted to.

    ¡®Qin Xue, you¡¯re right. You make a lot of sense.

    It¡¯s just that we¡¯re too used to frugality after experiencing hard times!

    We hesitate to eat even the smallest amount of food, leaving it for the men or the children instead.

    We forget that we¡¯re part of the family, and we too should be the pillars of the family.

    So we won¡¯t do that again.

    Don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t treat ourselves poorly anymore.

    We¡¯ll use our good health to earn more money, eat better, and have a better life.

    Qin Xue, thank you. If it weren¡¯t for you, we¡¯d still be the simple women who only know how to do household chores.¡±

    Hong had interacted the most with Qin Xue and felt the deepest gratitude towards her..

 Chapter 178

    Translator: 549690339

    Yu Xiu thought what Fang Hong said was right, and nodded in agreement:

    ¡°Qin Xue, your sister-in-law Fang Hong is right. We sisters-in-law didn¡¯t think it through.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, Qin Xue, I also agree with you. We were short-sighted. You were looking out for us, and we still talked about you like that.

    Qin Xue, sorry.¡± Fang Xiu apologized to Qin Xue. That¡¯s just her nature,

    admitting when she¡¯s right and wrong!

    Since she was wrong, she had to apologize. She was not the kind of person who would not admit her mistakes!

    ¡°Qin Xue, I¡¯m sorry. I wrongly blamed you.¡± Yu Xiu also said sorry!

    ¡°Alright, alright, what are you all doing?

    Hurry up and eat, the food is getting cold.

    1 know you are all used to living in difficult times.

    It¡¯s hard for you to change all at once. You won¡¯t be used to it.

    Take it slow! Don¡¯t push yourselves too hard.

    You¡¯ll get used to it later. Besides, I didn¡¯t blame you.

    I just think that we, as women, already have it tough.

    Whether it¡¯s doing things or considering matters, we have to worry about too many things.

    We often put ourselves last. So we only have to love and cherish ourselves, that¡¯s the best thing for us.

    If we don¡¯t even cherish ourselves, who else will?

    Do you think I¡¯m right?¡± Qin Xue looked at the three women and asked!

    ¡°Yes.¡± The three women thought about Qin Xue¡¯s words and felt that it was indeed the case.

    That¡¯s true, if you don¡¯t cherish yourself, who else will?

    ¡°Sisters, actually I just want to tell you that we women can support ourselves too.

    We women can also hold up half the sky. Apart from being less physically strong than men, we women can do everything men can do.

    The reason I¡¯m saying this is not that your men are not good.

    But I want to tell you that we women can have our own careers; we don¡¯t have to rely on men to survive.

    On the contrary, without us women, men would be the ones who can¡¯t live properly.

    So, we women should live confidently and comfortably. We should have our own careers.

    Earning money for ourselves, not asking men for money.

    Whether you want to buy clothes, bags, or food, you can spend whatever you want, give money to your parents if you want to.

    If you don¡¯t want to, don¡¯t do it, but I don¡¯t agree with this point-of-view. Unless your parents are extremely terrible and have done unforgivable things, otherwise, we should be filial to them. After all, they raised us, and it¡¯s not easy.

    So, there are many benefits for women to earn money. At the very least, you don¡¯t have to rely on others to spend it.

    Children need money for school, for medical care when they¡¯re sick. At those times, if you don¡¯t have money, what will you do?

    But if you have your own career and salary,

    you won¡¯t have to ask for help from anyone and can afford it when you need it urgently.

    Do you think that¡¯s a better option or asking others for every penny spent?¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t want to corrupt them.

    It¡¯s just that having experienced a new education, Qin Xue didn¡¯t want to rely on men to live.

    ¡°It¡¯s good for women to have careers and earn money.¡± Fang Xiu shouted loudly.

    Because she had experienced this kind of suffering, she was driven out by her in-laws just because her husband had sacrificed.

    She didn¡¯t have the ability to make money, so she was driven out by her husband¡¯s family.

    If it weren¡¯t for her brother¡¯s occasional support, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to survive!

    Now she has Jingtao, and is working with Qin Xue, living a very fulfilling life.

    Fang Xiu is very satisfied with this life, and she believes that even if she was driven away by her husband¡¯s family, she will do better in the future.

    She will reach a height that even those who looked down on her would be in awe.

    ¡°Hmm, Fang Xiu is right.¡± Although Xie Jun was good to Fang Hong, there will always be some problems in every family.

    Fang Hongs family was no exception, so Qin Xue¡¯s words really touched her heart.

    ¡°Mhm, 1 agree too!¡± Yu Xiu deeply felt the days of looking at people¡¯s faces and getting money.

    Because that¡¯s how she spent these years, often splitting a penny into two!

 Chapter 179

    Translator: 549690339

    Fang Hong, Yu Xiu, and Fang Xiu, these three women were slowly brainwashed by Qin Xue.

    After they realized it, their whole body exuded dazzling confidence.

    They felt as if they had changed, and Qin Xue was so relieved to see it.

    These three people had finally understood so quickly and did not waste her earnest efforts. She did not speak in vain until her mouth was parched!

    Qin Xue picked up the soup and took a sip, the faint fragrance filling her mouth.

    Qin Xue was full of pride in her heart.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you all figured it out. Let¡¯s eat. The food is getting cold. We can talk after dinner.¡± Qin Xue picked up a chopstickful of vinegar-flavored cabbage and ate it!

    It was delicious. These sour and sweet dishes were Qin Xue¡¯s favorite right now.

    Ever since becoming pregnant, Qin Xue¡¯s taste buds have changed.

    Previously, she didn¡¯t like certain foods, but now she wanted to try them to see what they taste like.

    Fang Hong and the others also picked up their chopsticks to eat. Maybe because their mood had changed, they found this most ordinary meal to be so delicious!

    If Xie Jun and Xu Fangzhou knew that Fang Hong and Yu Xiu had been brainwashed by Qin Xue today, would they want to kill Qin Xue?

    After hearing Qin Xue¡¯s words, the three women began working hard to change themselves and their current situation.

    This laid the foundation for the future Iron Maiden legion in the business world.

    Jingtao saw that they were only talking, and no one was paying attention to him.

    He called out and reached out to grab the chopsticks and bowl, but Fang Xiu held him farther away.

    After they had eaten and drunk enough, Fang Xiu brought the lukewarm egg custard to feed Jingtao.

    Jingtao saw that someone was finally feeding him and giggled with his eyes squinted.

    Qin Xue watched his adorable appearance and couldn¡¯t help but pinch his cheeks.

    This made Jingtao laugh louder. He thought Qin Xue was playing with him. After eating a mouthful of egg custard, he played with Qin Xue instead of eating the egg custard.

    Fang Xiu laughed and scolded, ¡°What an ungrateful kid! I¡¯ve been taking care of you every day, but I¡¯ve never seen you this fond of me.¡±

    Qin Xue looked at Fang Xiu¡¯s appearance and laughed, ¡°Aren¡¯t you ashamed?

    You¡¯re so grown-up, and you¡¯re competing for affection with a baby.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not ashamed. He¡¯s my son after all, what¡¯s there to be ashamed of?

    Why does he seem to like you so much?¡± Fang Xiu looked Qin Xue up and down.

    Qin Xue was pretty and gentle, but Taotao was so young¡ªdid he know the difference between beauty and ugliness yet?

    If not, how could one explain his preference for Qin Yue?

    ¡°It must be because I¡¯m pretty, right, little Jingtao?

    This little guy knows how to appreciate beautiful women at such a young age. He¡¯s going to be trouble as he grows up.

    He might even try to bring other girls home!¡± Qin Xue couldn¡¯t help but laugh out loud.

    ¡®Qin Xue, how can you say that? He¡¯s still so young, and you¡¯re talking about him bringing wives home? You¡¯re not afraid of teaching him bad habits!

    Little Taotao, we won¡¯t listen to your auntie, okay? We¡¯ll be good, right?

    But speaking of it, among the three of us, he likes Qin Xue the most!¡± Fang Hong teased Taotao after mentioning Qin Xue.

    Little Jingtao watched his aunties talk to him and became even more excited.

    In fact, he wanted to express that being with pretty Auntie Qin Xue came with delicious food.

    She was beautiful and gentle and made him egg custard. Why wouldn¡¯t he like her? So there was a reason Little Jingtao liked Qin Xue!

    ¡°Sister-in-law, you¡¯re talking about me like that? You do the same too.¡± Qin Xue pretended to be angry after listening to Fang Hongs words.

    ¡°Haha, I think so too. He¡¯s already into beautiful women at such a young age. So he doesn¡¯t like us, huh?

    That¡¯s really heartbreaking.¡± Fang Xiu pretended to hold her chest in pain.

    ¡°Haha, stop fooling around, you guys. Feed him quickly before the egg custard gets cold,¡± said Yu Xiu, shaking her head, speechless.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Our little Jingtao¡¯s egg custard is getting cold.

    Little Jingtao is still hungry, right? Taotao!¡± Qin Xue scooped up a spoonful of egg custard and fed it to little Taotao.

    Fang Xiu watched the three women genuinely love her child and was deeply moved.

    It was her luck that she met these three friends in her life!

    Perhaps this was Jingxin blessing them from Heaven, which was why she was brought these three good friends..

 Chapter 180

    Translator: 549690339

    After everyone finished eating and cleaning up the table, they saw that there were no customers left in the shop.

    So they closed and locked the doors, took turns washing up, and then lay in bed chatting.

    Qin Xue remembered the drawings she had done today, and realized she had forgotten to tell Fang Xiu about them.

    She grabbed her backpack and took out the drawings she had made for her family.

    Then she handed them to Fang Xiu: ¡°Fang Xiu, these are the drawings I made today, can you see if you can make these clothes?¡±

    Fang Xiu looked at the drawings and saw beautiful clothes in styles she had never seen before.

    However, she figured that Qin Xue¡¯s designed clothes were all styles that had never appeared in this county town before.

    Whether they existed in other big cities or not, Fang Xiu was not sure, but she was certain they were not here.

    ¡°Qin Xue, are you planning to make these clothes for sale or for¡­¡± Fang Xiu was a bit unsure about Qin Xue¡¯s intentions.

    That¡¯s because just a few days ago, Qin Xue had said that they would not be making clothes in the store anymore.

    But now Qing Xue brought out the drawings and asked if she could make them.

    ¡°Oh, you mean this? This is what 1 plan to design for my man and my family.

    We still have some fabric in the store, right? I think it would be very comfortable to wear these clothes.

    So I just wanted to ask if you can make them.

    If you can, please help me make them, and I will pay you extra for your work.

    I will definitely not treat you unfairly, what do you think?¡± Qin Xue thought that making these suits might be a bit difficult.

    That¡¯s because the requirements for a suit are quite high, and it might be a bit difficult for Fang Xiu, who has not had systematic training, to make them well.

    So Qin Xue wanted to ask Fang Xiu¡¯s opinion first. If she could make it, that would be great, but if she couldn¡¯t.

    Then she would have to go find Guo Aiguo to see if he knew anyone who could make them.

    ¡°l think I can do it, but I¡¯ve never made this kind of clothing before, so I don¡¯t know if it will look good once it¡¯s made?¡± Fang Xiu held the new design, feeling itchy to try it.

    For someone who loves making clothes, having a new design to work on is undoubtedly a new challenge.

    But without new designs, she wouldn¡¯t be able to improve her skills! So Fang Xiu wanted to give it a try and see if she could make it!

    ¡°Alright, you can study it and see if you can make it!

    No rush, just take your time!¡± Qin Xue waved her hand and said!

    Suddenly, Qin Xue thought of two formal dresses: a tailcoat for men and a fishtail dress for women!

    Qin Xue hurriedly grabbed paper and pen and started drawing, not caring if it would be useful or not.

    Now that she had thought of it, she would first draw them out! Whether it was useful or not, they would deal with it later!

    The three of them stared at Qin Xue in astonishment, just having a good conversation, and suddenly she started drawing.

    Then, the three of them opened their eyes wider and wider, full of shock.

    Qin Xue had never drawn her designs in front of them before, but today these two drawings were made right under their noses.

    Fang Hong and Fang Xiu each took a drawing and looked at it over and over again.

    ¡®Qin Xue, you are so amazing. How did you manage to do this?¡± Fang Xiu really liked this dress!

    ¡°These two drawings of Qin Xue¡¯s clothes are very beautiful, but they seem to be different from the clothes we usually wear, right?¡± Fang Hong also loved

    making c10tnes!

    So looking at this new design made her excited too!

    ¡°Oh, you mean this? These two are formal dresses, specifically for attending banquets.¡± _ Qin Xue thought of her past life when she attended banquets, and the various formal dresses people wore there,

    So after saying that, she picked up her pen again. Under the dim light, she began to draw once more.

    The three of them didn¡¯t say anything to interrupt Qin Xue.

    They all knew that when someone is concentrating, they shouldn¡¯t be disturbed!

    Especially someone like Qin Xue who draws designs, as she needs inspiration.

    If she is disturbed, her inspiration will be gone.

    So the three of them watched her draw in silence without making a sound!

    Little Jingtao was being held by Fang Xiu as she lulled him to sleep!

    They didn¡¯t know how much time had passed, but they saw Qin Xue still drawing non-stop.

    So they all chose to go to sleep, afraid to make a noise and disturb Qin Xue.

    The three of them went to bed quietly and gently, without really bothering Qin Xue at all!

    It was around ten o¡¯clock when Qin Xue finally finished drawing all the formal dresses that had appeared in her mind!

 Chapter 181

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    Qin Xue moved her somewhat sore neck and stretched lazily.

    By the time she had finished tidying up her design drawings and looked up, everyone else had already fallen asleep.

    After quickly packing up, Qin Xue also went to bed.

    Chu Molin arrived alone at the finish point earlier and waited for the training participants to arrive,

    He observed several groups of people secretly along the way.

    Overall, he was quite satisfied with the results of his observations.

    But he wondered how many of them would be able to reach the designated location on time in three days?

    Ding Xi and his team of five followed the route marked on the map.

    As a result, their trek led them deeper into the woods, where thick trees surrounded them.

    They had been walking all day, only to find themselves in such a place.

    They didn¡¯t know if wild animals or snakes would creep out during the night.

    Finally, they decided to roast the fish they had caught, then climb a tree to rest and recover their strength before continuing their journey.

    The weather was so hot that the raw fish they carried had begun to smell, but they had no choice but to roast and eat it under such circumstances.

    After eating, they each found a big tree and quickly climbed up to rest.

    Half an hour into their break, they were about to climb down and set off when they suddenly heard a shout.

    The rest of them were startled, thinking a wild beast was approaching.

    They looked at each other nervously, each of them in a defensive position. Cheng Hu was dumbfounded, staring at their actions, unable to react! ¡°What are you guys doing? Are you preparing for a fight?¡±

    The others really wanted to slap Cheng Hu, wasn¡¯t it his own shout?

    Ding Xi walked over and slapped Cheng Hu on the head.

    ¡°What are you screaming for, boy? You scared us, thinking it was a wolf or a tiger!¡¯

    Cheng Hu muttered, ¡°I didn¡¯t shout for no reason. Look, what is that?¡±

    It turned out that when they were about to set off, Cheng Hu happened to look up and saw what looked like a small package in another tree, which prompted him to shout!

    Everyone followed Cheng Hu t s pointing finger and saw that it really was a small package.

    The package was hidden rather well, had it not been for Cheng Hu t s inadvertent action, they might not have discovered it!

    Deng Kai immediately assumed a sniper position, observing the surroundings.

    Wei Shaohui went over, untied the package, and found weapons inside.

    They didn¡¯t look like they were set up for the special training either.

    They exchanged glances, all thinking the same thing ¨C this couldn¡¯t have been hidden here by someone else, could it?

    Deng Kai and Chen Yi, backed up against the other three, carefully observed every direction for any hidden dangers.

    The other three inspected the items and found that these were real weapons.

    Now they realized the gravity of the situation.

    This couldn¡¯t have been hidden by ordinary people; it was possible that criminals had infiltrated the area.

    They had to report this to their superiors. Wei Shaohui, the team leader, decided to send a signal flare.

    About half an hour after the flare was sent, a response team arrived.

    Among those who came to respond was Li Dabao.

    ¡°Da Bao, where is the deputy director? Where is he? We have important information to report to him,¡± Wei Shaohui asked seriously after seeing Da Bao!

    ¡°What happened? The deputy director has already gone to the finish point,¡± Li Dabao replied, his expression turning serious upon seeing their solemn expressions.

    ¡°We found weapons. Take me to the deputy director quickly,¡± Wei Shaohui said, raising the package in his hand.

    ¡°What? Weapons? We didn¡¯t prepare anything like that,¡± Li Dabao answered in surprise. Being a research institute, they had no means to access such items. ¡°These are real weapons. 1 don¡¯t think they were prepared for our training.

    That¡¯s why I said it¡¯s serious. Stop dawdling and take me to the deputy director,¡± Wei Shaohui urged impatiently.

    Upon hearing this, Li Dabao realized the seriousness of the situation, and after instructing the other four to be careful, he escorted Wei Shaohui to find Chu Molin.

    The other four continued along the route after Li Dabao and Wei Shaohui left.

    During their walk, they remained highly alert and didn¡¯t dare to be the slightest bit careless.

    Because they all knew what the appearance of these weapons meant, didn¡¯t they?

 Chapter 182

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    Li Dabao and Wei Shaohui took half a day to reach their destination, discovering that there was a shortcut.

    ¡°Deputy Director,¡± Li Dabao shouted outside the tent, waiting for Chu Molin¡¯s permission to enter.

    Chu Molin recognized Li Dabao¡¯s voice, Raising his eyebrows, he wondered why he was here at this time?

    ¡°Come in, you shouldn¡¯t be here at this time, should you?¡±

    Chu Molin asked as he looked at Li Dabao.

    ¡°Deputy Director, I had no choice. Wei Shaohui said he had urgent information to report to you,¡± Li Dabao side-glanced at Wei Shaohui standing next to him.

    Chu Molin¡¯s heart skipped a beat; he knew Wei Shaohui¡¯s temperament. If it weren¡¯t for genuinely important matters, he wouldn¡¯t have interrupted the special training.

    Chu Molin looked at Wei Shaohui and gestured for him to speak: ¡°Wei

    Shaohui, what do you have to say?¡±

    ¡°Deputy Chief, we found these when passing through the xx area¡¯s forest, and they are all genuine.¡±

    Wei Shaohui placed the package he was carrying on the makeshift table and opened it.

    Chu Molin looked at the weapons in front of him, and the usually serious and cold expression on his face grew even colder.

    Everyone knew that private possession of such items was forbidden in Hua Country.

    ¡°Where exactly did you find these items? Is there anything peculiar about the area you found them?¡± Chu Molin looked at the items, all of which were the latest weapons.

    Even when they were in service, they didn¡¯t have weapons like these. To the best of his knowledge, there were only a few such weapon models in the entire

    Hua Country.

    This demonstrated the severity of the situation.

    Wei Shaohui then recounted how they arrived at that place, what they did, and how Cheng Hu discovered these items.

    After Wei Shaohui finished speaking, Chu Molin immediately issued orders.

    ¡°Li Dabao, you and Wei Shaohui go back to the training site and tell them that the special training has been suspended temporarily.

    Have them pay attention to their surroundings to see if there¡¯s anything special nearby?

    Especially, be alert for any unusual people or unfamiliar faces.

    If anything is found, report back immediately. Do not act on your own. Do you understand?

    Tell them to be careful.¡± Chu Molin spoke as he quickly repacked the parcel and prepared to report to his superiors.

    The appearance of these weapons was not something a low-ranking Deputy Director could decide to handle.

    He had to report to his superiors before deciding what to do next.

    ¡°Yes, Deputy Director. We understand.¡± Li Dabao and Wei Shaohui responded loudly.

    Li Dabao and Wei Shaohui quickly headed toward the training forest. They had to convey Chu Molin¡¯s orders as soon as possible.

    This was to prevent any accidents or danger.

    Though the outdoor researchers occasionally faced danger during missions, now that they were scattered throughout such a vast forest.

    So many dangerous weapons had appeared, and they did not know who had hidden them there.

    Therefore, they had to nip the danger in the bud.

    Any preventable threats must be stopped. Absolutely nothing that endangers life can occur.

    After they left, Chu Molin picked up the package and quickly headed to where the car was parked.

    After removing the branches disguising the car, a vehicle suddenly appeared in front of him.

    Chu Molin opened the car door, inserted the key, started the engine, and quickly drove towards the research institute.

    All the way, Chu Molin was wondering who hid these weapons here?

    Who could it be? Such high-grade weapons couldn¡¯t be easily obtained by ordinary people.

    So it¡¯s very likely that a criminal gang had indeed infiltrated their country.

    If this was true, the severity of the situation was immense.

    Chu Molin couldn¡¯t imagine what kind of criminal gang would have such advanced weapons. Why had they infiltrated their country and what were their objectives?

    All along the way, these questions filled Chu Molin¡¯s mind, but his eyes stared unblinkingly ahead as he sped forward.

    Chu Molin was thinking about how to proceed next.

    As Chu Molin headed to the research institute, Li Dabao and Wei Shaohui hurried towards their respective training locations without hesitation, not daring to stop and rest along the way.

    There were quite a few people in their team. Still, not many had entered the research institute, and even fewer had been on missions.

    Chu Molin never took those with insufficient capabilities on tasks. So, both Chu Molin and the two were very worried about the others..

 Chapter 183

    Translator: 549690339

    Upon arriving at the office, Chu Molin didn¡¯t dare to delay and went straight to the section chief¡¯s office.

    ¡°Section Chief,¡± Chu Molin called.

    ¡°Come in,¡± Xie Jun looked at Chu Molin who was reporting.

    ¡°Molin, aren¡¯t you in special training? Why are you back?¡± When Xie Jun and Chu Molin were alone, he usually called him by his first name.

    ¡°Section Chief, our colleague Cheng Hu, who is participating in the special training, discovered this!¡± Chu Molin put the package he was carrying on the desk and opened it.

    As soon as the package was opened, the contents inside were exposed.

    Xie Jun looked up suddenly and stood up, his expression serious as he looked at Chu Molin.

    ¡°Was this discovered during the special training?¡± Xie Jun asked seriously.

    ¡°Yes, Section Chief, what should we do next? Please instruct.¡± Chu Molin¡¯s expressionless face was filled with seriousness.

    ¡°You wait a moment, I¡¯ll make a phone call to report to the leader.¡± Xie Jun picked up the phone and dialed as he spoke.

    As soon as the call was connected, a voice came through:

    ¡°Hello, this is the xx Research Institute headquarters, how can I help you?¡±

    ¡°Hello, I am the section chief Xie Jun from xx department, I have important intelligence for xx leader, please help me relay it! Thank you!¡¯

    ¡°Alright, please hold on! I¡¯ll transfer you right away!¡¯

    After the call was connected: ¡°Leader, this is Xie Jun, section chief of the S Province Research Institute.

    Our colleague discovered a small batch of weapons during the special training.

    They are all the latest types of weapons, what should we do next? Please instruct.¡± Xie Jun didn¡¯t waste any words when the call was connected, and

    directly explained the situation.

    There was no other way, it was like this in their place. Important intelligence had to be reported up level by level.

    Otherwise, Chu Molin would have acted according to his own ideas when he received these weapons.

    As a legal citizen, he could not violate discipline.

    Upon hearing this, Qin Huaihe¡¯s face immediately turned serious: ¡°What did you say? You found weapons, and a small batch at that? Tell me the details, what exactly happened?¡±

    ¡°Reporting to the leader, this is how it happened¡­ The process of the incident is like this, please instruct!¡± Then Xie Jun explained how they arranged the special training.

    How they entered the forest, and how they discovered the weapons, he told every detail one by one!

    ¡°You immediately send someone to check the place where the weapons were discovered carefully for any findings.

    Also, send someone to the surrounding villages to see if there are any special incidents happening?

    Or possible suspicious individuals appearing. Report any findings immediately. Also, be cautious about safety!¡± Qin Huaihe decisively gave instructions!

    ¡°Received, I will carry out the order immediately! Leader, if there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll hang up.¡±

    Xie Jun replied through the handset, indicating that he had understood and would immediately execute the instructions of the higher leader.

    ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s all.¡± Qin Huaihe finished and hung up the phone.

    Xie Jun, listening to the busy tone from the phone, hung up and turned to Chu Molin, ¡°You heard the leader¡¯s instructions, right? Follow the leader¡¯s instructions.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Section Chief, I understand, I¡¯ll go and execute it now.¡± Chu Molin replied and left the office.

    Xie Jun looked at the weapons on the table and pinched his forehead.

    Then he put the things away, waiting for the further investigation results.

    After leaving the section chief¡¯s office, Chu Molin didn¡¯t even have time to go home and immediately drove back to the training site.

    Chu Molin thought that the leader¡¯s instructions were the same as what he had told Da Bao and Wei Shaohui to do.

    Probably, he also realized how tricky this matter was.

    The criminal who hid the weapons there must have thought that no one would go there.

    However, he would never have expected that Chu Molin had arranged for the research institute members to participate in training there.

    Chu Molin didn¡¯t know whether to say that the person who hid the weapons was outsmarted by his own cleverness, or if he was like a thief trying to steal a chicken but losing his own rice.

    Anyway, now that these weapons were in their hands, they hadn¡¯t fallen into the wrong hands.

    Otherwise, who knows what kind of chaos they could have caused.

    Chu Molin was truly grateful in his heart right now. Grateful that this batch of weapons was discovered by them before someone else took them away..

 Chapter 184

    Translator: 549690339

    Li Dabao and Wei Shaohui informed everyone else one by one about Chu Molin¡¯s orders and then plopped down on the ground.

    It was so damn tiring, even more so than during training.

    ¡°Dabao, do you think the deputy director will come here in person later?¡± Wei Shaohui looked around and asked Li Dabao.

    ¡°He definitely will, and he¡¯ll check everything himself!¡± Li Dabao knew Chu Molin well!

    ¡°You¡¯re right, the deputy director will definitely come and check himself! ¡± How could Wei Shaohui forget that Chu Molin was a terrifying Cold King to others?

    ¡°Hmm, let¡¯s just rest here and wait for the deputy director to come!¡± Li Dabao suggested!

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s wait here for the deputy director.¡± Wei Shaohui agreed with Li Dabao¡¯s suggestion!

    On this side, people were nervously arranging and inspecting weapons.

    On the other hand, Qin Xue had a dreamless night until dawn.

    Fang Hong got up very early in the morning, planning to wash up and make some buns. The dough had already been prepared last night after dinner.

    Old dough takes a long time to rise, so it¡¯s fine if left overnight.

    As Fang Hong continued kneading the dough, the others gradually got up as

    well.

    Qin Xue wanted to eat scallion pancakes, so she took some dough and chopped green onions from Fang Hong and started kneading it herself.

    Fang Hong rolled the dough into small portions, cut them into the shape of steamed buns, and steamed them.

    After putting the buns in the steamer, she started to rinse rice for porridge.

    Meanwhile, Qin Xue proceeded to make scallion pancakes

    Fang Xiu was busy dressing Jingtao, washing his face, and breastfeeding him. Jingtao was not yet weaned and still needed breastmilk every morning.

    Yu Xiu was picking vegetables with a basin at the door, although there really wasn¡¯t much left from last night, just a bit of celery.

    Yu Xiu thought the celery leaf soup made last night tasted quite good.

    So this morning, she picked the celery leaves and saved them to make soup later.

    After picking the celery leaves, Yu Xiu washed the remaining stalks to be fried with the steamed buns later on.

    Qin Xue kneaded the pancake dough into small balls of equal size, and then used a rolling pin to flatten them into thin pancakes.

    When all the dough balls were rolled into thin pancakes, Qin Xue finally washed the pan and heated up oil to fry the pancakes.

    As the oil heated up, Qin Xue placed the rolled pancakes one by one into the pan to fry.

    Not until they were golden brown on both sides did Qin Xue remove the pancakes from the pan and put them in a basin.

    The delicious smell filled the kitchen as she repeated this a few times until all the scallion pancakes were fried.

    Actually, there weren¡¯t that many pancakes; the pan was small, so she could only fry a few at a time.

    Qin Xue saw the washed celery leaves and thought about how adding them to the porridge would make it fragrant. So she grabbed a handful and put it into the already-cooked porridge, stirring it with a spoon. The aroma of celery emerged instantly.

    Qin Xue also added a bit of salt to enhance the flavor, otherwise, the bland buns and porridge wouldn¡¯t taste very good.

    Yu Xiu originally wanted to make soup with the celery leaves, but seeing Qin Xue putting them into the porridge, she decided to save the rest for noon.

    Many hands make light work, so in just a short time, these few people had the simple and fragrant breakfast ready.

    Looking at this simple yet mouthwatering breakfast, the gluttons in their stomachs were tempted.

    After the breakfast was placed on the table, little Jingtao was attracted by the delicious smell.

    His mouth was constantly making noises. Qin Xue saw this, fetched a bowl, scooped half a bowl of porridge, and let it cool down to feed him later.

    Everyone had a bowl of celery leaf porridge in front of them and a scallion pancake in their hands.

    Biting down, the fragrant scallion pancake enticed their taste buds.

    Seeing that there was none for him, little Jingtao tried to reach out and grab some. Qin Xue thought for a moment, tore off a piece of steamed bun, and gave it to him to chew on.

    From time to time, she also fed him a little porridge!

    Fang Hong saw that Qin Xue was taking care of Jingtao and didn¡¯t bother to help, focusing on her own breakfast instead!

    ¡°Qin Xue, these scallion pancakes are so delicious. How did you make them?¡± Fang Xiu, the food lover, ate with a satisfied expression on her face!

    ¡°l just knead the dough, then roll it out into pancakes and fry them!¡± Qin Xue thought that they liked it because they didn¡¯t eat it often!

    Under normal circumstances, they wouldn¡¯t have the conditions to eat scallion pancakes! It was already good enough to have something to eat.

    That¡¯s why Qin Xue could understand Fang Xiu¡¯s feelings when she said it was delicious!

    Fang Hong and Yu Xiu had both eaten at Qin Xue¡¯s house before and knew her cooking was delicious, but they never expected her scallion pancakes to be so tasty as well!

    Having a bite of scallion pancake and then sipping the porridge, the celery leaf porridge was refreshing and not greasy at all, and they were more than satisfied with their breakfast!

 Chapter 185

    Translator: 549690339

    After Qin Xue and the others finished breakfast, Fang Xiu cleaned up the bowls and chopsticks while Yu Xiu and Fang Hong cleaned up the store. Qin Xue then spent her time with Xiao Jingtao!

    Only after the other three finished their tasks.

    Qin Xue took a few of her design sketches and packed them in her bag.

    She wanted to show a few of her designs to Guo Aiguo to see the results first.

    If the sales were good, she would then ask him to make more.

    At that time, she could talk with Guo Aiguo about setting up a small team to specialize in making formal wear.

    It was too early to discuss this now. They should wait and see the results first.

    ¡°Sister-in-law, are you ready? We¡¯re leaving.¡± Qin Xue remembered that they still needed to mail a letter!

    ¡°All right, let¡¯s go!¡± Fang Hong had just gone to wash her hands and came over upon hearing Qin Xue¡¯s call.

    ¡°Okay, Sister Yu Xiu, Sister Fang Xiu, we are going to the factory.¡± Qin Xue said goodbye to the two of them.

    ¡°All right, go ahead and take care.¡± Yu Xiu waved with a smile!

    ¡°Jingtao, say goodbye to Auntie.¡± Qin Xue waved goodbye to Xiao Jingtao!

    Looking at Qin Xue¡¯s gesture, Xiao Jingtao giggled and waved his hands to mimic the goodbye gesture!

    Children are very smart. Although he couldn¡¯t speak yet, as long as he was taught a few times, he knew what to do.

    After Qin Xue and Fang Hong left, Yu Xiu went to watch the store.

    Meanwhile, Fang Xiu stayed with Jingtao and worked on the suit designs that Qin Xue had given her!

    In fact, Fang Xiu was quite nervous because she didn¡¯t know if she could make them.

    With her best efforts, Fang Xiu found all the fabrics Qin Xue had requested.

    Fang Xiu put the fabric aside and cut it according to the sizes needed on the sketches.

    It must be said that Xiao Jingtao was really well-behaved; six or seven months old is usually a time for babies to start crawling.

    But he just lay quietly on the mat, playing with his fingers or grabbing a small toy, watching his mother work busily.

    He didn¡¯t cry or make a fuss, perhaps he knew that his mother had her hands

    Qin Xue and Fang Hong walked out of the store and saw people busy going to work or buying breakfast.

    Qin Xue felt peace and calm, after all, this era wasn¡¯t as noisy as it would become later!

    ¡°Sister-in-law, do you know where we can find a carpenter?¡± Qin Xue still wanted to have a walker made for Xiao Jingtao.

    ¡°There¡¯s one in the village near our military district.¡± Fang Hong remembered that she had asked him to make a small table before.

    That man¡¯s craftsmanship was good, and Fang Hong was quite satisfied with what he made.

    ¡°Really? I¡¯ll go see him tomorrow to have something made.¡± Qin Xue thought this was great.

    If there was a walker, Jingtao wouldn¡¯t have to lie on the ground all the time.

    Qin Xue always felt heartache when she saw him lying on the floor.

    By six or seven months, babies usually start learning to sit, but Fang Xiu worried that he¡¯d fall and hit his head, so she always kept him lying on the mat instead.

    Qin Xue knew Fang Xiu had no choice and decided to find a way to make a walker for Jingtao!

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s true. It¡¯s near the western river.

    When you go, if you can¡¯t find it, just ask someone. It¡¯s easy to find.¡± Fang Hong had been there herself and taken others too!

    ¡°Okay, thank you, sister-in-law.¡± Qin Xue understood Fang Hongs meaning.

    ¡°All right, let¡¯s hurry up. You still need to mail that letter, right?¡± Fang Hong thought the post office should be open by now.

    ¡°Yes! Let¡¯s go quickly then.¡± Qin Xue spoke and both of them quickened their pace.

    After Qin Xue bought stamps and mailed the letter, they both went to the factory.

    Upon arriving at the factory, Fang Hong went straight to the meeting room, while Qin Xue took her design sketches to see Guo Aiguo.

    ¡°Good morning, Uncle Guo.¡± Qin Xue greeted Guo Aiguo with a smile.

    ¡°Good morning, Qin Xue.¡± Guo Aiguo responded with a smile.

    ¡°Uncle Guo, I have some design sketches here. Can you take a look?¡± Qin Xue handed over the formal wear sketches she had drawn.

    After examining the sketches, Guo Aiguo was amazed. He wondered what kind of family could produce someone like Qin Xue.

    ¡®Qin Xue, is this formal wear?¡± Guo Aiguo had attended banquets and seen formal wear before, but none were as good looking as the ones Qin Xue drew..

 Chapter 186

    Translator: 549690339

    In the past, Guo Aiguo thought that the formal dresses other people wore were very beautiful.

    But now that he saw the formal dresses designed by Qin Xue.

    He finally realized that formal dresses could be like this, too.

    If these design sketches were made into dresses, those elites would surely love them.

    After all, who doesn¡¯t want to be the unique scenery when attending banquets?

    It¡¯s just that they don¡¯t have anyone who can make such beautiful dresses now.

    It seems that later on, he will have to go to the workshop to ask those old masters if they can make them.

    ¡°Well, these are formal dresses. Do you think they are beautiful? If they are made, will there be a market for them?¡± In fact, Qin Xue deliberately said this. Having stayed in the county town for so many years, Guo Aiguo must have come into contact with high-level people in terms of his wealth and vision.

    So Guo Aiguo must understand the value of these formal dresses.

    ¡°Beautiful, there will definitely be a market for these. I have seen so many people at banquets wearing formal dresses, none of which are as trendy and beautiful as these.

    Of course, there are those old-fashioned cheongsams made by old masters, which are truly beautiful.

    But the designs you drew are different from theirs. The elements of the clothes are distinct and unique.¡± Guo Aiguo knew that people like to accept new things.

    So once these formal dresses hit the market, they will definitely attract the attention of those rich people, and there will be no worries about sales at that time.

    ¡°That¡¯s great. Please see if you can find someone who can make them. Each sketch can only be made into three formal dresses, in large, medium, and small sizes. That means only one dress per size. No more than that, understand?¡± Qin Xue thought about how people don¡¯t usually like to wear the same clothes.

    Not to mention going to a banquet! Wearing the same clothes at a banquet would be so embarrassing.

    Qin Xue thought that making three dresses in three sizes in such a big county tovvn wouldn¡¯t cause people to run into each other wearing the same clothes.

    ¡°Ok, I understand your meaning.¡± Guo Aiguo knew that those rich people care about face.

    They all like uniqueness, so Guo Aiguo understood as soon as Qin Xue said it.

    ¡°Well, you can go to the workshop first to ask if those old masters can make these.

    If they can make these formal dresses well, you can find a few people to specialize in making formal dresses, and also accept custom orders at that time.

    But the price for custom-made dresses will be relatively higher.

    At that time, if someone wants to order a formal dress, you can explain it to her clearly.

    If they are willing to order, we will accommodate them. If they are not willing, we won¡¯t force it.

    After all, business is voluntary, right?¡± Qin Xue said with a smile.

    ¡°Ok, good. I¡¯ll find someone to make it later.¡± Although Guo Aiguo is older than

    Qin Xue,

    He¡¯s not as good as her in designing clothes.

    So he¡¯s willing to listen and do what she instructs without any resistance in his heart.

    It¡¯s because Guo Aiguo is willing to listen and do that his factory later becomes a large company, even an international one.

    ¡°Alright, Uncle Guo, you can get back to your work. I will give them their last day of training.¡± Qin Xue stood up and said.

    ¡°Ok, thank you for your hard work.¡± Guo Aiguo thought that Qin Xue was a very responsible girl.

    Teaching the staff with a big belly, and also taking the time to draw design sketches, is not easy.

    ¡°It¡¯s not hard. I just give them lectures. But Uncle Guo is the one working hard, having to run around to take care of things.

    So you¡¯re the one who¡¯s working hard. Thank you for being willing to listen to me and do as I say. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let you down.¡± Qin Xue knew that what she was saying and doing now was the foundation for becoming successful decades later, so she wouldn¡¯t disappoint Guo Aiguo.

    ¡°Um, I believe you won¡¯t let me down.¡± If Guo Aiguo didn¡¯t trust Qin Xue, he wouldn¡¯t have come this far.

    Now Guo Aiguo basically does whatever Qin Xue says.

    ¡°Thank you for trusting me, Uncle Guo. By the way, after 1 finish training

    today, I won¡¯t be coming tomorrow.

    Please take care of Fang Hong for me. I¡¯ll leave everything in the factory to you from now on.

    I¡¯ll just stay at home to draw sketches and think of ideas.

    If you need to find me for anything, you can let Fang Hong tell me.

    You can also go to the Chenxi Clothing Store in the East Side and leave a message for Yu Xiu or Fang Xiu.

    I¡¯ll reply to you as soon as I receive the message.¡± It¡¯s not that Qin Xue doesn¡¯t want to give him her phone number.

    But Qin Xue doesn¡¯t know the number of the research institute..

 Chapter 187

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue wasn¡¯t sure if the institute¡¯s phone number should be so casually given out to others.

    She decided to ask Chu Molin when she got back.

    ¡°Alright, I understand.¡± Guo Aiguo also knew that back when there were no telephones, all matters were handled either by passing messages or by writing letters.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to the training now.¡± After saying this, Qin Xue left for the meeting room.

    Guo Aiguo watched Qin Xue¡¯s retreating figure, then looked at the design drawing in his hand.

    His emotions surged with excitement, he took the design drawing and headed towards the workshop.

    Upon arriving at the meeting room, Qin Xue saw that all the participants had arrived.

    She cleared her throat and said: ¡°Good morning everyone, today is our last day of the course. Once it¡¯s over, you¡¯ll have to make your way on your own merits.

    How much money you can make will fully depend on your abilities. Now, let us begin.¡±

    Qin Xue took her place at the head of the room to start today¡¯s training session.

    The day passed in the midst of Qin Xue¡¯s lectures.

    Qin Xue packed up her things into her backpack.

    In her hand, she held a design drawing. During her lunch break, she had taken out a piece of white paper and a pen and drawn a sketch of a walker for toddlers.

    Having completed the drawing, she planned to find a carpenter the next day to bring her design to life.

    Qin Xue packed up her belongings, preparing to go home with Fang Hong.

    However, just as she reached the door to the meeting room, she was stopped by the five trainees.

    ¡®Qin Xue, come have dinner with us.¡±

    ¡°l can¡¯t today, you guys go ahead.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t want to dine inside the factory, and planned to return to the institute that evening.

    If she left too late, there would be no buses left.

    ¡°Come on, you¡¯ve worked hard to train us; we¡¯d like to treat you to dinner. Please give us the honor.¡± Luo Yi, who was the most cheerful of them, urged.

    ¡°Listen, everyone, I have to go home today. If it gets too late, there won¡¯t be any buses left for me to get home.

    So, about the dinner, how about this ¨C we¡¯ll definitely have other opportunities in the future, okay?¡± For some reason, Qin Xue simply felt an urge to return home that day.

    In the afternoon, she had sensed a vague unease ¨C as if she might regret it if she didn¡¯t go home,

    No matter what, Qin Xue was not willing to stay. She had no choice but to decline their kind offer.

    Everyone else understood her position after hearing her explanation, and didn¡¯t insist on her joining them for dinner.

    ¡°Alright then, take care.¡± Luo Yi didn¡¯t like to make things difficult for people either.

    ¡°Thank you all for understanding. 1 wish you all the best.

    If there¡¯s anything you don¡¯t understand, feel free to write me a letter.

    1 promise to reply as soon as I receive it.¡± She had come to regard these people as friends over the course of these few days.

    In the limited time they had spent together, they had all gotten along quite pleasantly.

    ¡°Okay, thank you, Teacher Qin.¡± All six people said in unison, including Fang Hong. This was the first time they had addressed Qin Xue as ¡®Teacher.¡¯

    ¡°Mm, and thank you all too for taking my course seriously.¡± Qin Xue smiled and left with Fang Hong after saying this.

    ¡°Sister-in-law, I¡¯m thinking ot returning to the institute tonight, are you coming?¡± Qin Xue hadn¡¯t discussed her plan to return with Fang Hong earlier, so she wasn¡¯t sure if Fang Hong would be coming too.

    ¡°Sure, it¡¯s good to have company. Shall we ask Yu Xiu if she¡¯s coming too?¡± Fang Hong thought it would be better if three of them were together.

    ¡°Yeah, ever since Yu Xiu started working at the clothing store, she¡¯s hardly ever at home. I wonder how Hu Zi and Jiajia are doing without their mother.¡± Qin Xue still had the two adorable children on her mind.

    ¡°Yeah, when you have kids, things like these can happen. There¡¯s really no other way.

    The kids must go to school, we don¡¯t all have Fang Xiu¡¯s luxury to keep Jingtao with her.

    And without the money to buy a house in town, there¡¯s no other option.¡± Fang Hong understood that Yu Xiu must be worried about her children.

    But there¡¯s nothing she can do, so she would ask her later if she would like to return home.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. Once we have some money, let¡¯s all buy houses in the county town. That way, we¡¯ll still be neighbors. Just thinking about it makes me happy.¡±

    Qin Xue thought about how nice it would be if the four of them could all buy houses in the county town, considering they were already getting along so well.

    ¡°You make it sound so easy, but buying a house is not a simple matter.¡± Fang Hong reminded her, as a house would cost at least seven or eight thousand, if not more.

    ¡°Sister-in-law, you have to believe in me. I will definitely help you all make a lot of money. ¡± Qin Xue said confidently.

    ¡°Mm, I believe in you. You¡¯d better lead us to make a lot of money then.¡± Fang Hong said to Qin Xue, her tone tinged with a bit of indulgence..

 Chapter 188

    Translator: 549690339

    Fang Hong really saw Qin Xue as her own younger sister now.

    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m even thinking of buying a house and living next door to you,¡± Qin Xue replied with a grin.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go. We shouldn¡¯t delay too long or there might be no cars left,¡± Fang Hong shook her head and laughed.

    Actually, they were talking and walking at the same time.

    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s hurry!¡± Qin Xue looked cheerful on the surface, but she was actually quite anxious inside.

    Because that feeling of unease had not disappeared, she was afraid that something might have happened to Chu Molin.

    But she remembered that Chu Molin had told her they were only going for special training, and there shouldn¡¯t be any danger.

    When they returned to the shop, Fang Xiu was washing pots, preparing to cook.

    ¡°Fang Xiu, wait a moment to wash the rice, we are going back to the Institute tonight, and I¡¯ll go ask Yu Xiu if she¡¯s going as well.

    If she¡¯s going back too, then cook a little less. I don¡¯t want to make too much, since the weather is hot and we might not be able to finish. I¡¯m afraid it¡¯ll go bad,¡± Fang Hong said hastily!

    ¡°l got it, Hong. You can go ask her,¡± Fang Xiu thought that what Fang Hong said made sense.

    It was too hot today, and if they made too much and couldn¡¯t finish, it would spoil.

    ¡°Yu Xiu, Fang Hong and I are going back to the Institute, are you going?¡± Qin Xue saw that Fang Hong was talking to Fang Xiu, so she came to ask Yu Xiu!

    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go together.¡± Yu Xiu saw that there were no customers in the shop, so it was time to close up and go back.

    ¡°Alright, then close the shop door. We need to hurry to catch a ride back, otherwise there may be no cars left,¡± Qin Xue helped tidy up everything!

    After Yu Xiu closed the shop door, she and Qin Xue came over to greet Fang Xiu, and the three of them hurried off to catch a ride back.

    When they returned to the Institute, they each went home to cook.

    Qin Xue opened the door, and the house was quiet. It seemed that Chu Molin hadn¡¯t returned yet.

    Qin Xue took two pieces of honeycomb briquette to Fang Hongs house to exchange firewood.

    She had no choice, since she couldn¡¯t get the stove fire going by herself.

    After exchanging firewood and returning, Qin Xue washed the pot, washed the rice, and started boiling it.

    The moment she entered the space, Qin Xue was a little scared by the changes Because the medicinal seeds she had planted had all sprouted.

    Only the area where she had planted ginseng had not yet sprouted.

    Qin Xue saw that there were quite a few varieties of medicinal herbs! Among them were American ginseng, Xiasangju, honeysuckle, Panax notoginseng, Gastrodia elata, and even Tuber fleeceflower.

    My goodness, if only the Panax notoginseng, ginseng, and Tuber fleeceflower grow well, Qin Xue would be rich.

    In the future, when she gets the chance, Qin Xue will definitely try to find Cordyceps.

    With the spiritual energy in the space that helps plants grow faster, it should be able to support Cordyceps.

    By then, it would be hard for Qin Xue not to become wealthy!

    Thinking about this, bubbles of happiness filled Qin Xue¡¯s heart.

    ¡°Master, what are you giggling about by yourself?¡± Xue Ling wondered why Qin Xue had been standing there grinning since she entered.

    ¡°I¡¯m thinking about how rich I¡¯ll be if these herbs grow well.¡±

    Qin Xue held Xue Ling in her arms, stroking its head and smoothing its fur with her hand.

    ¡°Of course they will grow well. There is spiritual energy in this space.

    You don¡¯t even need to manage them much. Just water them occasionally with spiritual spring water,¡± Xue Ling said proudly.

    Qin Xue nodded, as she had never managed the grains and vegetables she had planted, and they had still grown well.

    Qin Xue saw that most of the peppers had turned red, so she decided to pick the red ones and make chili sauce after dinner.

    Also, the string beans, mustard greens, cabbage, and radishes could be made into pickles. The cucumbers could be made into pickled cucumbers!

    She hadn¡¯t expected that when she bought the vegetable seeds, she would end up with so many different varieties of vegetables.

    And since the plants grew well in the space, Qin Xue couldn¡¯t even eat them all.

    Fortunately, the vegetables in the space wouldn¡¯t go bad if they weren¡¯t picked. Otherwise, Qin Xue would be heartbroken!

    Qin Xue caught a fish, plucked a few scallions, picked a small handful of cabbage hearts and two red peppers, and prepared to leave the space to make dinner.

    However, her skirt was caught by Xue Ling. She looked at Xue Ling, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Master, I want to eat fish too.¡± Xue Ling wanted to eat the fragrant boiled fish as well!

    Qin Xue thought about it and caught another bigger fish before leaving the space!

    Anyway, the fish in the space were always reproducing and could never be consumed completely. If Xue Ling likes it, she might as well cook it for her too..

 Chapter 189

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue cleaned the fish, made some cuts in it, and marinated it with a little starch, salt, and soy sauce before setting it aside.

    She then washed the vegetables, peppers, and the onion, ginger, and garlic, and prepared a bowl of thickening sauce.

    After chopping the onion, ginger, and garlic, Qin Xue washed the wok to stir-fry the vegetables.

    She glanced at the dwindling supply of spices and wondered if she should take the seeds from the spices and plant them in her space.

    Thinking leads to action, which is Qin Xue¡¯s guiding principle!

    She picked out the seeds from the Sichuan pepper, tsao-ko, and star anise, and set them aside to plant later. She also took some fennel seeds.

    Now, Qin Xue was not sure what else she needed.

    As long as the seeds can be planted, she would think about taking them into her space to plant.

    Qin Xue now treated her space as a versatile one.

    Once the oil was hot, she placed the fish in the wok to fry both sides golden, then transferred it to a plate.

    She then stir-fried the prepared spices, discarded the residue, and added onion, ginger, garlic, and pepper to the wok to bring out the flavor.

    She added a small bowl of water to the wok and brought it to a boil, then added the seasoning.

    Qin Xue placed the fried fish in the sauce, covered the wok, and simmered it for about three minutes on each side.

    Finally. she poured in the slurry and cooked it on high heat for a minute. The fragrant red-braised fish was ready.

    Qin Xue placed the two fishes onto two plates, one for her and one for Xue Ling.

    She washed the wok and heated some oil to stir-fry the greens!

    Stir-frying greens is the fastest. She heated the oil in the wok and added the garlic to bring out the aroma.

    She added the greens and tossed them for a bit. Once they changed color, she seasoned them with salt and removed them from the wok.

    The resulting dish was vibrant green, crisp, and delicious stir-fried greens!

    Qin Xue took the fish into the space, and also brought in the seeds of the spices.

    ¡°Xue Ling, this is your red-braised fish. Enjoy!

    And these are the spice seeds. I¡¯ll plant them in the field after we eat!¡±

    Qin Xue put the fish and seeds on the table for Xue Ling.

    After stepping out of the space, she grabbed a bowl and was about to get some rice when she suddenly felt anxious, and the bowl fell to the ground and shattered!

    ¡°Tsk!¡± Qin Xue squatted down to pick up the fragments and throw them in the trash.

    But as she was picking up the second piece, she cut her finger. Seeing her bleeding finger, Qin Xue felt extremely flustered!

    Ever since the afternoon, she had been feeling uneasy.

    Had something happened to Chu Molin? Otherwise, she couldn¡¯t think of any reason for her anxiety.

    Qin Xue rinsed her bleeding finger under the faucet!

    Then she entered the space, took a bit more wine to disinfect the wound, and prevented inflammation.

    ¡°Master, how did you hurt yourself?¡± Xue Ling looked at the wound on Qin Xue¡¯s finger!

    ¡°Xue Ling, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on. Since this afternoon, I¡¯ve been feeling very anxious.

    I have a feeling something bad is going to happen. Xue Ling, do you think something has happened to Chu Molin?¡± Qin Xue was truly worried.

    But she didn¡¯t have any ideas. Should she go and ask Xie Jun?

    However, if something had happened to Chu Molin, they would definitely inform her.

    ¡°Master, it probably won¡¯t, right? Are you overthinking?¡± Xue Lings spiritual power was too low, and it couldn¡¯t sense anything!

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m overthinking, but I¡¯m very uneasy.¡± Qin Xue had no appetite for food!

    ¡°Master, you must be overthinking. He will definitely be fine.¡± Xue Ling wondered when he should ask Qin Xue for some of Chu Molin¡¯s blood.

    If he got some blood, then next time it could sense if Chu Molin was in danger?

    That way, Qin Xue wouldn¡¯t have to worry here.

    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. He must be fine.

    He told me he¡¯s only leading a special training team and not going on a mission, so how could there be danger?¡±

    Qin Xue said this, not knowing if she was comforting herself?

    At any rate, she would rather think that it was her own overthinking! She didn¡¯t want to believe that Chu Molin was in trouble.

    ¡°Yes, everything will be fine, so don¡¯t overthink it!

    Quickly find something to wrap up your hand, and then go eat!¡±

    Xue Ling thought that Qin Xue had just brought the fish in for it, and now she had come back in without eating.

    Qin Xue nodded. Even if she had no appetite, she had to eat.. She had to think of the baby in her stomach who would be hungry, too!

 Chapter 190

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue found a clean cloth, tore a small strip to bandage her injured finger, and then went back to the kitchen.

    She swept up the broken pieces with a broom and filled another bowl with rice!

    Qin Xue placed the rice on the table and looked at the prepared braised fish and vegetables.

    Initially, she was in a good mood when cooking, thinking that it would taste delicious.

    But now, even if it was delicious, she was not in the mood to taste it.

    Qin Xue added a pair of chopsticks and a few bites of green vegetables and quickly finished the bowl of rice.

    The braised fish remained motionless, untouched by the chopsticks.

    When Qin Xue finished tidying up the tableware and was preparing to grab her clothes for a shower, there was a knock at the door.

    When she opened the door, she saw Fang Hong standing outside, looking at her with a worried expression.

    Seeing Fang Hongs worried face, Qin Xue¡¯s heart lurched, fearing that Chu Molin might have run into trouble.

    ¡°Sister-in-law, what brings you here at this time?¡± Qin Xue pretended not to notice Fang Hongs concern and asked with a smile!

    ¡®Qin Xue, my husband, Mr. Xie, just came back and said Chu Molin is injured.

    I heard he¡¯s in critical condition, and he¡¯s being rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment. He asked me to tell you.

    You need to go to the hospital.¡± Fang Hong thought that this couple¡¯s misfortunes never seemed to end.

    Just a few months ago, Qin Xue was injured and hospitalized in a coma, barely recovering.

    Now their lives were finally getting better, and the couple¡¯s relationship was improving.

    But Chu Molin was injured again, and this time his life was in danger.

    Upon hearing this, Qin Xue swayed and took a step back.

    Chu Molin was really in trouble, and her anxiety this afternoon was a premonition!

    Without realizing it, Chu Molin had found a place in her heart ¨C did she already love him so deeply?

    ¡°Sister-in-law, is Chu Molin¡¯s injury very serious?¡± Qin Xue thought of Fang Hongs mention of rescue efforts earlier.

    She guessed it must be extremely severe; otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t use the word ¡®rescue,¡¯

    ¡°Qin Xue, listen to me, go and pack a couple of changes of clothes right now.

    I¡¯ll go to the hospital with you.¡± Fang Hong looked at Qin Xue¡¯s anxious face.

    Thinking about Qin Xue¡¯s insistence on going home this afternoon instead of eating at the factory, she was sure this was a couple¡¯s telepathy.

    ¡°Okay, sister-in-law, wait for me. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± In an instant, Qin Xue regained her usual calmness.

    She¡¯s a doctor; she couldn¡¯t panic! She had to stay calm!

    Qin Xue quickly packed two sets of clothes and prepared to leave with Fang Hong.

    She suddenly remembered the fish she had just cooked. Going to the hospital, she didn¡¯t know when she could return.

    By the time they returned, the fish would probably be spoiled and stinky.

    Handing her clothes to Fang Hong, she said, ¡°Sister-in-law, can you hold these for a moment? I need to grab a few more things.¡±

    After saying this, Qin Xue went into the kitchen, and all the fish and leftover dishes were placed into the empty space inside.

    She then grabbed a water cup, locked the door and went to the hospital with Fang Hong!

    When the two arrived at the hospital, they were led to the entrance of the emergency room!

    Qin Xue saw several people standing outside the door.

    Everyone greeted the two of them, calling them sister-in-law.

    Qin Xue nodded to everyone but didn¡¯t say anything!

    She realized that she only recognized Li Dabao from among the people present; she didn¡¯t know the others.

    Qin Xue approached Li Dabao and asked, ¡®Da Bao, right? Please tell me, how is Chu Molin?¡±

    Li Dabao¡¯s eyes reddened as he looked at Qin Xue!

    ¡°Sister-in-law, I¡¯m sorry. I failed to protect Deputy Director Chu.

    I¡¯m truly sorry.¡± At that time, he was there, but his actions were not as fast as Chu Molin¡¯s.

    ¡°l don¡¯t need your apologies; I just want to know how Chu Molin is doing,¡± Qin Xue said coldly, looking at Li Dabao.

    ¡°He¡¯s still in the emergency room. The doctors say there¡¯s a risk to his life, and there are many doctors in there now.¡± Li Dabao was full of remorse, thinking why he was so far away from Deputy Director Chu at that time.

    If he had been closer, such a thing might never have happened.

    ¡°How could it be so serious? Wasn¡¯t he leading a special training mission?

    Or was he lying to me?¡± Qin Xue couldn¡¯t understand how a simple special training could turn into a life-threatening injury.

    ¡°Sister-in-law, we accidentally discovered weapons during our training.

    So Deputy Director Chu reported the matter to his superiors! They ordered us to investigate the origin of the weapons.

    At first, everything went smoothly, but when we passed through a village!

    We discovered something suspicious¡­.¡± Li Dabao slowly recounted what had

    happened!

 Chapter 191

    Translator: 549690339

    After listening quietly to Li Dabao¡¯s explanation, Qin Xue asked:

    ¡°So Chu Molin was injured because he was covering someone else from a gunshot, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Li Dabao nodded.

    ¡°Why did Chu Molin cover that person?¡± Qin Xue thought about the key point of the incident.

    ¡°Because that person is one of ours, sent by the higher-ups to be an undercover agent.

    The reason we could find out about the weapon case so quickly was because of the information he provided.¡±

    Li Dabao recalled the order they received before going to the village:

    They must protect a person named Jing Xin, who was hidden within the enemy ranks.

    Li Dabao was beside Chu Molin at the time, and as he was not a member of the research institute before, he did not know Jing Xin.

    However, the deputy director knew him and was even surprised to learn that Jing Xin was alive.

    So when they found out that Jing Xin was in danger, the deputy director used his body to block the bullet.

    Qin Xue nodded in understanding, ¡°What about that Qin Lang person?¡±

    ¡°Qin Lang is a newly transferred researcher. He¡¯s unfamiliar with the area, which is what alerted the enemies.¡± Li Dabao was helpless.

    As they were talking, the operation room door opened, and the doctors walked out, shaking their heads in regret.

    Qin Xue hurriedly went over, ¡°Doctor, how¡¯s the patient inside?¡±

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s you. Are you the patient¡¯s family?

    None of us can perform the surgery here, so you should send him to the provincial hospital. There might still be hope.¡±

    The doctor that Qin Xue stopped was the one who had treated her during her hospitalization.

    Dr. Chen Hao didn¡¯t want to say these words, but there was really no one in their hospital with the medical skill to do it.

    Chu Molin¡¯s injury was too close to the heart, right in a life-threatening spot.

    Any movement there would cause massive bleeding, and even the Greatest Immortal couldn¡¯t save him if his heart stopped.

    ¡°You can¡¯t save him, and you wasted so much time? Isn¡¯t there anyone in the entire hospital who can save him?¡± Qin Xue shouted angrily.

    The others standing outside the door were also furious, almost rushing up to beat these people up.

    ¡°We truly don¡¯t have anyone who can perform the surgery right now. Perhaps someone in a larger hospital can do it.¡±

    Dr. Chen didn¡¯t get angry at Qin Xue¡¯s questioning, as he understood the feelings of family members.

    Moreover, Chu Molin was a hero; this was not the first time he had treated him for injuries.

    But none of the other times had come with a critical illness notice.

    Dr. Chen was the best surgeon in the hospital.

    If even he couldn¡¯t perform the surgery, who could?

    So in order to give Chu Molin a slim chance, he hoped that Qin Xue could transfer him to the provincial city and try for a miracle.

    Upon hearing this, Qin Xue¡¯s vision darkened, and she took two steps back.

    Fang Hong quickly supported her to prevent her from fainting.

    ¡°Sister-in-law, I¡¯m fine.¡± Qin Xue waved her hand to show she was okay.

    Suddenly, Qin Xue thought of something: ¡°Where are the test results you did? Hand them over to me. You must have X-ray films, give them to me too.¡±

    Dr. Chen Hao looked at Qin Xue in surprise, unsure of what she wanted these for.

    She wasn¡¯t a doctor¡ªcould she understand these?

    ¡°Hurry up, why are you still standing here? Do you not know that an emergency situation is involved?!¡± Qin Xue roared in anger.

    Dr. Chen Hao was taken aback by Qin Xue¡¯s yelling, not entirely grasping what was happening.

    At that moment, Fang Hong also remembered that Qin Xue could treat illnesses, perhaps she had a way to save Chu Molin.

    ¡°Dr. Chen, please give Qin Xue what she asked for.

    Qin Xue will definitely have a way to save the deputy director.¡± Fang Hong pleaded with Dr. Chen¡¯s sleeve.

    ¡°Oh, alright.¡± Dr. Chen Hao snapped back to reality and took the report that Li Lan, who was behind him, was holding.

    As soon as Dr. Chen Hao picked it up, Qin Xue snatched it away.

    Qin Xue looked carefully at the location of the bullet on the X-ray film and quickly scanned through the other reports, her mind racing.

    She was thinking of ways to save Chu Molin.

    ¡°You¡¯re Dr. Chen, right? What¡¯s your position in the hospital?¡± Qin Xue thought that since he could enter the operation room, even if he wasn¡¯t the primary surgeon, he should at least be someone capable of assisting..

 Chapter 192

    Translator: 549690339

    Chen Hao looked at Qin Xue¡¯s expressions and actions while checking the report, and a thought crossed his mind: did she really understand all this?

    While he was lost in thought, he heard Qin Xue¡¯s question.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m a surgeon,¡± Chen Hao couldn¡¯t figure out why Qin Xue would ask him such a question.

    He had already made it clear earlier.

    ¡°Great, you, and you, come with me to the operating room,¡± Qin Xue pointed at Chen Hao and then pointed at Li Lan behind him.

    ¡°What? Go to the operating room with you?¡± The two people she pointed at exclaimed in surprise.

    ¡°Yes, you heard me correctly. What are you waiting for? Hurry up and get ready.

    And where are your sterile uniforms? Go get them for me to put on.

    I need to go to the restroom first! I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± Qin Xue thought of the surgical instruments she used to use in her past life.

    When she arrived here, Xue Ling also brought them. At that time, she had no place to put them, so she gave the surgical instruments back to Xue Ling. Now that she needed to perform surgery, she would definitely use them. After all, the craftsmanship of the instruments from the future was much more delicate than the instruments available now, which would give her more confidence in the surgery.

    After Qin Xue finished speaking, she didn¡¯t care about what others thought.

    She quickly went to the restroom, locked the door, and entered her personal space as soon as she stepped in.

    ¡°Xue Ling, give me the surgical instruments you brought. I need them now,¡± Qin Xue eagerly asked Xue Ling for the surgical instruments.

    ¡°Master, I¡¯ll fetch them for you right away,¡± Xue Ling didn¡¯t dare to delay seeing how anxious Qin Xue was.

    When Xue Ling handed over the surgical instruments to Qin Xue, she immediately threw them into a small wine jar and soaked them in alcohol.

    Then she quickly undressed and jumped into the pool for a quick rinse as a substitute for disinfection.

    Calling it a bath was actually just letting the spiritual spring water soak her entire body.

    After changing into her clothes, Qin Xue took the surgical instruments out and put them in her backpack, left her space, and rushed to the operating room.

    By the time Qin Xue arrived, everything she needed was prepared.

    Qin Xue took off her backpack and handed the surgical instruments inside to Chen Hao.

    She took the sterile uniform from Li Lan, put it on, and the moment the uniform was on her body, her temperament suddenly changed. Qin Xue led the way to the operating room.

    Her expressionless face was full of confidence and seriousness.

    She looked as if she was a real doctor, and the operating room was her domain.

    Chen Hao and Li Lan couldn¡¯t help but believe her and followed her into the operating room.

    After the door to the operating room closed again, Li Da Bao looked at Fang Hong who was standing next to him.

    ¡°Sister-in-law, why did she go in there? Didn¡¯t she say there was no hope here and that they had to transfer to the provincial hospital to save Chief Chu¡¯s life?

    ¡°To save Mr. Chu,¡± Fang Hong smilingly responded to Li Da Bao.

    Others couldn¡¯t help but feel relieved when they saw Fang Hongs smile at this moment, as if there was really hope.

    Everyone stopped talking after listening to Fang Hong, and patiently waited for a miracle to happen.

    After they entered the operation room, Qin Xue looked at Chu MO Lin lying on the operating table.

    Her eyes were sore and wanted to cry! He was once so energetic and full of life.

    Now, he lay lifeless with an oxygen mask on his face, having been pronounced ¡°dead¡¯! by the doctors.

    Qin Xue touched his cold face with her hand, and her words came out from behind the surgical mask.

    ¡°Chu MO Lin, you liar. Didn¡¯t you promise me that you would be careful not to get injured?

    Look at yourself now, what¡¯s going on with you lying here?¡±

    Qin Xue¡¯s questioning echoed through the operating room.

    ¡®Qin Xue, what are you doing?¡± Li Lan, who was responsible for Qin Xue at that time, of course, recognized her.

    Qin Xue ignored Li Lan and continued, ¡°Have you forgotten? I told you, if you get hurt, I¡¯ll remarry.

    Another man will be the father of your child and sleep with your wife!¡±

    As she spoke, Qin Xue noticed Chu MO Lin¡¯s fingers twitched slightly.

    Although the movement was subtle, Qin Xue who was paying close attention noticed it.

    Qin Xue smiled happily, as long as there was a reaction, it was good. She deliberately said those words to stimulate him.

    Only by arousing his will to live could he have a chance to be saved..

 Chapter 193

    Translator: 549690339

    Chen Hao also noticed Chu Molin¡¯s subtle movement, he didn¡¯t know why Qin Xue said that just now either.

    But after noticing Chu Molin¡¯s movement, he understood.

    So a person¡¯s jealousy and possessiveness could stir up the will to live in someone on the verge of death? He learned a trick.

    Qin Xue took Chu Molin¡¯s hand and placed it on her belly, saying:

    ¡°Do you feel it? If you really die, then your wife and child will belong to someone else.

    Now I will perform the surgery for you personally, giving you a chance to repay me for the things you promised.

    If you don¡¯t cherish this opportunity, I will never forgive you.

    It¡¯s up to you whether you want it or not.¡± Qin Xue said and let go of his hand.

    She turned to Dr. Chen and Li Lan: ¡°Dr. Chen, you will be my assistant, Ms. Li, you monitor his vitals, let¡¯s start now.¡±

    Qin Xue looked at Chu Molin¡¯s wiped body and began the operation with a scalpel in her hand.

    Chen Hao saw Qin Xue¡¯s orderly and practiced movements.

    She dared to do the surgery that even he did not dare to perform.

    ¡°Wipe my sweat.¡± Qin Xue¡¯s eyes were fixed on her hands as she called out.

    Usually, an operation would require several doctors together.

    But she didn¡¯t want any of the doctors she saw outside the door just now.

    That¡¯s why she only chose Chen Hao and Li Lan, she even administered the anesthetic herself.

    Chen Hao came very close to Qin Xue as he wiped her sweat, looking at her fair face.

    Her skin was so delicate that the pores couldn¡¯t be seen, and her expression was so serious.

    Suddenly, Chen Hao¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and he panicked.

    His fingers accidentally touched Qin Xue¡¯s face, and the soft touch scared him into taking a step back quickly.

    Qin Xue, who was serious about her work, didn¡¯t notice anything. She just looked at Chen Hao¡¯s action and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Nothing, just my foot went numb.¡± Chen Hao lied.

    ¡°Hmm, it¡¯ll be over soon, just bear with it for a while.¡± Qin Xue listened without suspicion.

    They had been performing surgery for several hours already, and it was normal for their feet to be numb from standing for so long.

    However, the main surgeon must endure even if they are tired, or else a shaky hand could cost the patient¡¯s life!

    Chen Hao nodded and did not dare to approach Qin Xue again.

    Li Lan, on the other hand, sensed something different, but she didn¡¯t think much of it.

    In fact, both Chen Hao and Li Lan had heard what Qin Xue said just now, but Chen Hao simply acted faster.

    Chen Hao cooperated with Qin Xue throughout the surgery and suddenly thought of what she had just said to Chu Molin.

    He thought about how she said to let another man sleep with Chu Molin¡¯s wife and be the father of the child.

    His heart raced like thunder, and Chen Hao quickly stopped his thoughts and suppressed his racing heart. He knew he couldn¡¯t think wildly, especially at this time!

    As a doctor, it was extremely irresponsible to think like that, so Chen Hao didn¡¯t let his thoughts wander.

    He and Li Lan worked together with Qin Xue to complete the whole operation.

    ¡°Finally finished, needle and thread.¡± Qin Xue extended her right hand.

    Seeing her tired face, Chen Hao¡¯s heart ached as he handed her the needle and thread.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the rest, you should rest.¡±

    Qin Xue thought about it, looked at him, and agreed.

    A surgeon could manage sewing up, and it was good for him to take over since Qin Xue was really exhausted.

    She didn¡¯t feel tired while focusing on the surgery, but now that she relaxed, she realized how exhausted she was.

    When Chen Hao finished his work and Qin Xue pushed Chu Molin out of the operating room, Li Lan took care of the clean-up.

    As soon as the operating room door opened, Fang Hong and the others came over.

    ¡°Qin Xue, how did it go?¡± Fang Hong looked at Qin Xue¡¯s weary face, supporting her with her hand and asked.

    Her question was what Li Dabao and the others wanted to ask as well!

    Four or five pairs of eyes stared at Qin Xue expectantly.

    Qin Xue looked at them and said with a smile, ¡°The surgery was very successful; when he wakes up depends on his willpower.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s great. I knew Vice Director Chu would be fine.¡± Ding Xi finally showed a smile, and the others happily echoed.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s take Chu Molin to his ward! You all have been waiting here for so long, you should go back too! I¡¯ll stay here.¡± Qin Xue looked at their tired faces.

    They must be exhausted from the past few days of training without rest and worrying for so long. Staying here all this time must have been extremely tiring..

 Chapter 194

    Translator: 549690339

    After sending Chu Molin back to the ward, Qin Xue kicked everyone else out! Even Fang Hong was sent away by Qin Xue, and she was worried when she

    ¡°Qin Xue, let me take care of Mr. Chu with you!

    You have such a big belly, and it¡¯s late at night. Can you handle it?¡± Fang Hong tried to persuade Qin Xue earnestly!

    ¡°No need, sister-in-law, look at that bed, I can sleep there and rest at night. As long as Chu Molin doesn¡¯t have a fever tonight, there¡¯s no big problem!

    Don¡¯t worry, just go back with them! Look, it¡¯s already the middle of the night. Go home and have a good rest.

    If you can¡¯t go to work tomorrow, just ask Uncle Guo for a leave! Don¡¯t force yourself! ¡±

    Qin Xue didn¡¯t think it would be much use for her to stay, so she didn¡¯t want

    Fang Hong to tire herself out!

    ¡°Fine, 1 got it, then you should also take a break!¡± Fang Hong couldn¡¯t persuade her, so she conceded!

    ¡°Yes, I know! Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let myself fall down, otherwise, who will take care of him?¡± Qin Xue pointed at Chu Molin and said to Fang Hong.

    Qin Xue sent Fang Hong out of the ward and said to Li Dabao and others, ¡°Da Bao, can you help me send my sister-in-law home?¡±

    ¡°Yes, sister-in-law, we will definitely send Fang Hong safely home!

    Don¡¯t worry!¡± Li Dabao and the others still need to report Chu Molin¡¯s situation to their leader!

    After sending Fang Hong and the others away, Qin Xue happened to see Dr. Chen Hao and Li Lan who came to check on Chu Molin!

    ¡°Dr. Chen, Ms. Li! t¡¯

    ¡°Qin Xue, what¡¯s up?¡± Li Lan now admired Qin Xue very much.

    In the hospital, no one could perform the surgery, but Qin Xue not only did it, but also succeeded.

    It proved that her medical skills were higher than any other surgeon in the hospital!

    How could she underestimate Qin Xue when she thought of her skilled movements and exquisite techniques when she picked up the scalpel?

    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s something, let¡¯s go in and talk!¡± Qin Xue looked at the people passing by in the corridor from time to time!

    The two looked at each other and nodded, following Qin Xue into the ward.

    First, Chen Hao checked Chu Molin e s various indicators and everything seemed stable.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Chen Hao asked after checking the situation!

    ¡°It¡¯s about the surgery tonight. I hope you can help me keep it a secret.

    If someone asks, can you say that Dr. Chen did it?¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t want others to know she had performed the surgery!

    ¡°Why?¡± Li Lan was confused!

    ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll keep it a secret for you!¡± Li Lan didn¡¯t understand, but Chen Hao

    ¡°Thank you so much!¡± Qin Xue said with a smile!

    Qin Xue¡¯s smile caught Chen Hao¡¯s eyes, and his heart thumped a few times! ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, we¡¯ll go now. If there¡¯s any special situation, you can find the on-duty nurse.

    Or you can come to my office!¡± After saying that, Chen Hao rushed out!

    Li Lan followed. Qin Xue didn¡¯t understand why they suddenly left when everything was just fine!

    If she couldn¡¯t figure it out, she wouldn¡¯t think too much about it. This was Qin Xue¡¯s usual style.

    Unless it was an illness, she wouldn¡¯t dig into it. She wouldn¡¯t dwell on other matters.

    Sitting in front of the bed, Qin Xue grabbed Chu Molin¡¯s hand and felt that it was warm, which eased her worry!

    No one knew she¡¯d been holding on since learning of Chu Molin e s severe injuries.

    It wasn¡¯t until this moment that she let her heart rest.

    ¡°Chu Molin, do you know? I¡¯m really scared! Wake up soon, okay?¡± ()?n Xue held his hand to her face and murmured!

    Qin Xue had never been so scared in her life, afraid that Chu Molin would just die and leave her alone in this strange world!

    ¡°Chu Molin, I miss you! You probably don¡¯t know how much I¡¯ve missed you these few days.

    Even I don¡¯t know when your effect on me became so deep?

    You clearly promised you¡¯d protect yourself and not get hurt, but you broke your promise. You liar!

    What if you die and leave me and the child behind?

    I¡¯m not familiar with this era, there¡¯s no familiar people or things, everything here is strange to me!

    I even thought that if you were gone, I wouldn¡¯t want to stay in this place anymore!

    If I die again, can I go back to where 1 was, and everything here will just be a dream?¡±

    Qin Xue¡¯s tears flowed down her cheeks, into Chu Molin¡¯s palm as she talked!

 Chapter 195

    Translator: 549690339

    At one point, Qin Xue really entertained such a thought!

    Qin Xue¡¯s tears filled Chu Molin¡¯s heart with pain; her words frightened him even more. Xue¡¯er, you mustn¡¯t do anything foolish!

    He was actually conscious! He just felt so tired that he couldn¡¯t wake up!

    Chu Molin only remembered that after leaving Mr. Chu¡¯s office, he had been driving to the forest for special training!

    Upon arriving, he saw Li Dabao and Wei Shaohui!

    ¡°Mr. Chu, you¡¯re here!¡± Both men stood up and shouted in unison!

    ¡°Hmm, have you found anything?¡± Chu Molin swept the area!

    In the pitch-black darkness, it was difficult to find anything!

    ¡°No, it¡¯s too dark!¡± Both men shook their heads!

    Indeed, if it weren¡¯t for the nighttime reflection, they might not have found the package!

    They decided to search again tomorrow morning and see if there are any new discoveries!

    ¡°Now you two find a place to rest, and we¡¯ll search more carefully when the day breaks!¡± Although Chu Molin was cold, he also sympathized with these soldiers!

    ¡°Alright, Mr. Chu, you should rest too!¡± Wei Shaohui knew that Chu Molin hadn¡¯t had any rest for two days either!

    ¡°Hmm!¡± Chu Molin only replied with one word!

    After dawn, they meticulously checked everything within 200 meters of the area but found nothing unusual!

    Just as they were about to give up, they received an order saying that there was a situation in the village on the other side of the mountain!

    They were instructed to move quickly! The three of them hurried over.

    As they approached the edge of the village, they met Xiao Zhao, the guard of the leader!

    ¡°Mr. Chu, per the orders from higher-ups, protect the person inside called

    Mountain Rat! ¡±

    ¡°Mountain Rat, who is that? What does he look like? Do you have a photo?¡± Chu Molin figured he had to at least know what he looked like!

    ¡°You know this person; his name is Jing Xin.¡± Xiao Zhao knew Chu Molin was familiar with Jing Xin!

    ¡°What? He¡¯s actually still alive? Wasn¡¯t he already sacrificed?¡± Was Jing Xin not dead but instead working undercover?

    What kind of mission was this that even he, as Mr. Chu, wasn¡¯t aware of the details?

    ¡°l don¡¯t know what the specific content is.¡± Xiao Zhao was also unclear about the mission Jing Xin was sent to execute.

    Only Mr. Chu and the leader knew about it.

    ¡°Alright, I got it,¡± Chu Molin thought they were here to investigate those weapons.

    Now that Jing Xin had appeared, it might be related.

    After completing the mission, Xiao Zhao returned to the regiment!

    Chu Molin and his team cautiously approached the suspicious location!

    Qin Lang and Ding Xi had also been notified and were converging on the area.

    ¡°Mountain Rat, once we pull this off, we¡¯ll be rich!¡± Coyote slapped Mountain Rat¡¯s shoulder happily and laughed!

    ¡°Yeah, indeed!¡± Mountain Rat, also known as Jing Xin, smiled and nodded!

    But there wasn¡¯t a single trace of amusement in his eyes. It had taken him nearly two years to infiltrate their inner circle!

    This time, they dared to smuggle a large amount of drugs into Hua Country, not to mention numerous new weapons.

    Mountain Rat wouldn¡¯t let them get away with it, but he didn¡¯t expect the connections to be so cunning, changing the trading locations several times!

    As a result, his identity was nearly exposed. This time the meeting point was set by the connection.

    So Mountain Rat found a way to leak the information to get them caught.

    ¡°Do you think Snakehead is playing us again this time?

    Damn, if it wasn¡¯t for the fact that he has a big appetite, I really would¡¯ve wanted to go back and not sell to him anymore.¡± Coyote said viciously!

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you keep the goods then? But will Leopard agree?¡± Snakehead walked in from outside the door.

    Snakehead actually looked handsome, but he had a snake tattoo running from his chest to his back.

    Especially on his chest was a massive snakehead.

    What people feared most were those snake eyes, which seemed alive, staring coldly at you, with the snake¡¯s tongue stretching long!

    It was as if it was waiting to attack, delivering the heaviest blow to its prey!

    Thus, Snakehead got his name. Of course, he was also a ruthless character; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have become the boss of this area!

    ¡°Hehe, do I dare? Who doesn¡¯t know you, Snakehead, are the boss around here!¡± Coyote gave a thumbs up!

    ¡°Knowing our Snakehead¡¯s prowess, you still have so much nonsense!¡± one of Snakehead¡¯s lackeys said fiercely!

    ¡°Why are you holding me back!¡± Coyote wanted to step forward but was held back by Mountain Rat.

    ¡°Don¡¯t make things worse; when Leopard blames us later, nobody can bear that responsibility!¡± Mountain Rat thought who cares if you fight or not, as long as it doesn¡¯t ruin things!

 Chapter 196

    Translator: 549690339

    Snakehead¡¯s little brother looked at Coyote provocatively, making Coyote¡¯s teeth itch with anger, but there was nothing he could do.

    Snakehead glared at his little brother, and Coyote didn¡¯t dare to mess with Snakehead.

    Of course, Snakehead didn¡¯t dare to do anything to Coyote either, because he still had to follow Leopard and get the goods.

    If he messed with Coyote, it would mean disrespecting Leopard, and then who would he go to for supplies?

    So even if they didn¡¯t see eye to eye, they couldn¡¯t fight each other.

    ¡°Where¡¯s the stuff I want?¡± Snakehead had changed the trade location several times.

    He was afraid of being followed, and this place was not easy for him to find.

    ¡°Where¡¯s the money?¡± Coyote asked as well.

    Snakehead nodded at his little brother to open the money box for them to see.

    Coyote was all smiles when he saw the money in the box.

    However, Mountain Rat was furious when he saw the money in the box.

    Because the money had been exchanged for dangerous goods that had harmed so many people.

    No matter what, he had to destroy the dangerous goods and not let them harm people.

    ¡°As usual, pay first, then deliver,¡± Snakehead gestured for his little brother to hand over the money.

    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s quick,¡± Coyote thought, finally able to take the money and settle the matter.

    As the two were preparing to trade money and goods.

    They were startled by a noise outside; it turned out Qin Lang and his group had arrived.

    Since they didn¡¯t know they were trading inside, they didn¡¯t pay attention and accidentally stepped on a dry branch.

    The noise alerted the people inside, and Chu Molin knew that the people coming to support them could only start capturing them now.

    Snakehead glared at Coyote and Mountain Rat: ¡°You guys have an ambush, are you trying to swindle us?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean I have no ambush? 1 thought it was your people who came,¡± Coyote was not happy at all.

    ¡°If it¡¯s not your people and not our people, then who are they?¡± Snakehead finished speaking and suddenly realized something?

    Several people took out their guns and stared at the entrance.

    But Mountain Rat¡¯s attention was on the people inside the house.

    Mountain Rat knew who was coming outside, and he couldn¡¯t reveal his identity yet.

    But he had to keep an eye on their movements. If anything unexpected happened, he would have to ensure the safety of his comrades.

    ¡°People inside, listen up. You are surrounded. Come out and surrender quickly,¡± Chu Molin heard the people from the bureau shouting at the people inside.

    But how could Snakehead and his group surrender easily?

    In their line of work, being caught would mean either the death penalty or spending their lives in jail.

    So they would not surrender easily unless they were out of options.

    After a long standoff between the two sides, Snakehead¡¯s side started to worry.

    Snakehead couldn¡¯t figure out how there could be cops here?

    He had thoroughly investigated the place before choosing it for the trade.

    But who could tell him what¡¯s going on now?

    Or was there a mole among them? Snakehead suddenly looked up at Coyote and Mountain Rat:

    ¡°You guys informed on us. You are the moles.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not the moles. You chose the trading location, you obviously led them here,¡± Coyote said angrily.

    ¡°Am I that stupid? Would I lead people to catch myself?¡± Snakehead glared at Coyote fiercely.

    ¡°Maybe you are the mole?¡± Coyote was a more impulsive person.

    He didn¡¯t think about what would happen after saying that?

    He didn¡¯t think that Snakehead was a big shot in this area and how could he possibly be the mole.

    But Mountain Rat wanted Coyote¡¯s impulsive reaction.

    Because only then could he clear his name.

    ¡°Do you have a brain? If I were the mole, could I have made it so big in this area?¡± Snakehead was about to explode from anger.

    No matter who was the mole now, he would not let these two go.

    But they had to deal with the people outside first, and then talk about it later.

    ¡°Humph, maybe it¡¯s your goal to lure us into the trap,¡± Coyote snorted. As they were arguing fiercely, something unexpected happened.

    Snakehead¡¯s little brother fired at Coyote and Mountain Rat.

    Anyway, they had been unhappy with them for a long time, so they killed them and blamed it on the people outside. This was called ¡°killing with a borrowed knife.¡¯

    When they came to survey the terrain, they thought that such a situation might accidentally happen.

    So when they were looking for a place, they thought about the retreat route..

 Chapter 197

    Translator: 549690339

    As long as they killed these two people, who cared who was the mole?

    Or perhaps both of them were moles? In any case, only their own people would remain.

    Then they could escape however they wanted, and no one would reveal their whereabouts.

    With the terrain being so complicated in this area, escape wouldn¡¯t be difficult, would it?

    So they had no choice but to take the initiative!

    ¡°You guys are really despicable, it turns out you brought the spy.¡± Mountain Rat deliberately led the conversation towards Snakehead and his group.

    Since they had already started shooting, there was no reason for him to be polite!

    Outside, Chu Molin¡¯s group listened to the chaos inside and couldn¡¯t help but sigh.

    There hadn¡¯t even been any gunfire between them yet, and the people inside were already fighting amongst themselves.

    However, they still had people to protect inside and couldn¡¯t just ignore the fighting.

    So Chu Molin ordered them to find the best positions for an ambush.

    Mountain Rat had no choice but to drag Coyote towards the door, retreating slowly.

    He had to lure the people inside out gradually, as he also had a mission and couldn¡¯t reveal his identity.

    He could only pretend to be captured by them and let Chu Molin take care of those behind him.

    Originally, when Chu Molin discovered that someone was approaching from the outside, he was slowly moving out.

    Just as he was about to aim and shoot, he found out that one of them was Jing

    Xin.

    Moreover, Jing Xin¡¯s hand was secretly signaling their code to him.

    Chu Molin silently watched and responded with the hand gestures as well!

    But they were doing it so covertly that no one noticed that they were passing messages to each other.

    However, at this moment, a bullet suddenly shot towards Jing Xin¡¯s heart, coming from an unknown direction!

    Chu Molin didn¡¯t have time to think and immediately blocked it with his body. The bullet that was meant to hit Jing Xin¡¯s heart hit Chu Molin¡¯s chest instead.

    As he fell, Li Dabao caught his body!

    He only had time to tell Da Bao not to expose Jing Xin¡¯s identity before passing out.

    He didn¡¯t know what happened after that.

    He was trapped in darkness and couldn¡¯t get out of it, feeling extremely tired!

    He even saw his mother, who smiled at him and told him to live on.

    She said she was doing well in another world, and that he shouldn¡¯t dwell on the past, as she had already let go!

    His mother told him to let go of the past and live a good life with his wife and children.

    After saying her piece, his mother left, and Chu Molin¡¯s heart ached terribly.

    Mother, are you leaving me all alone again?

    Mother, don¡¯t go. But no matter how much he called out, his mother¡¯s figure moved farther and farther away until she disappeared.

    Chu Molin found himself trapped in darkness again, unable to find an exit.

    At this moment, he heard Qin Xue i s voice, but what she said infuriated him.

    Wanting to remarry, wanting his child to call another man ¡°dad¡±? Dream on!

    He hadn¡¯t even died yet, and this woman was already thinking of such things.

    In fact, Chu Molin knew that Qin Xue was just trying to provoke him by saying those things.

    But it was because of Qin Xue¡¯s voice that he knew where the exit was.

    Chu Molin thus left the darkness that had trapped him by following Qin Xue¡¯s voice.

    He kept on listening to what Qin Xue was saying to him.

    Yet, his little wife¡¯s tears deeply hurt his heart.

    So that was how insecure she felt inside.

    He thought that after spending so much time together recently, the situation should have improved? But that wasn¡¯t the case!

    He discovered that his little wife would only speak her heart to him when he was asleep or unconscious.

    The more Chu Molin understood Qin Xue, the more heartbroken he became! What had his little wife been through?!

    Chu Molin didn¡¯t know what he could do to completely open Qin Xue¡¯s heart.

    But he believed that he would eventually succeed one day.

    Just like how his little wife was slowly accepting him now, right?

    He was waiting for the day when Qin Xue would open up to him completely.

    Lost in thought, Chu Molin unconsciously fell asleep!

 Chapter 198

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue was taking care of Chu Molin, watching him not waking up.

    She touched his forehead with her hand, and he wasn¡¯t running a fever. His body temperature was normal.

    After covering him with a thin blanket, she went to lie down on the accompanying bed to rest.

    Qin Xue was really exhausted, and she fell asleep not long after lying down.

    When Qin Xue woke up, she was woken up by the nurse checking the room.

    It turned out that the nurse came to check if Chu Molin had a fever.

    When the nurse saw Qin Xue wake up, she smiled and said, ¡°His constitution is good, he doesn¡¯t have a fever.¡±

    ¡°Okay, thank you, Miss Nurse.¡± Qin Xue replied with gratitude.

    ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s not yet dawn; you can sleep a little more.¡± The nurse could see that she was really tired.

    Taking care of a patient with such a big belly, and this woman¡¯s attitude was good, leaving a great impression on her.

    ¡°Well, thank you!¡± Qin Xue noticed this nurse¡¯s attitude was very good.

    ¡°Then you sleep. I¡¯ll go check the other wards.¡± The nurse nodded and left.

    Qin Xue got off the bed and personally checked Chu Molin again, making sure he was indeed as the nurse said before she relaxed.

    After adjusting the thin blanket for him, she went back to the accompanying bed to sleep.

    When Chu Molin woke up, he saw his little wife¡¯s peaceful sleeping face.

    She really had a hard time, being pregnant and uncomfortable.

    She couldn¡¯t even sleep well at home, and now she had to take care of him here.

    Qin Xue was woken up by a hot gaze.

    When Qin Xue opened her eyes, she was met with a pair of cold eyes.

    There was tenderness in them, and when she woke up, there was a gentle warmth in his eyes.

    ¡°Wifey, you¡¯re awake, you¡¯ve really worked hard.¡± Chu Molin¡¯s hoarse voice sounded in the ward.

    Qin Xue sat up in a hurry, the sound startling Chu Molin¡¯s heart.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, take it easy. Don¡¯t rush.¡± Chu Molin¡¯s hoarse voice sounded again.

    Only then did Qin Xue make sure that Chu Molin was truly awake.

    At that moment, tears flowed from Qin Xue¡¯s eyes.

    Chu Molin panicked when he saw Qin Xue¡¯s tears, struggling to sit up.

    ¡°Hiss.¡± The arc was too big, pulling on the wound, causing him to cry out in pain.

    Qin Xue didn¡¯t care about anything anymore, putting on her shoes and running to his side.

    She held his arm and scolded angrily, ¡°What are you doing? Don¡¯t you know you¡¯re injured? If you move around like this, what if your wound gets split open? You¡¯re making people worry while you¡¯re injured.¡±

    ¡°Hehe, I¡¯m fine.¡± Chu Molin said as he raised his other hand to wipe the tears on Qin Xue¡¯s face.

    Qin Xue raised her hand to grab his and pressed it against her face, gently brushing it.

    Feeling his warmth, it was great that he had finally woken up.

    Qin Xue thought about it and let go of his hand with a disgruntled snort, distancing herself from him.

    Chu Molin knew his little wife was really angry this time.

    But he didn¡¯t have time to think at that moment and just stepped in to protect her.

    ¡°Wifey, don¡¯t be angry, okay? It¡¯s not worth getting angry and hurting yourself.

    When I¡¯m better, let you beat me up to vent, okay?¡± Chu Molin coaxed his wife in a pleasing manner.

    ¡°Hmph, you still know I¡¯ll be angry? You tell me, what did you promise me? But how did you do it?¡± Qin Xue knew he had his mission.

    But before he tried his hardest, could he think of her and the child in her belly?

    Qin Xue didn¡¯t want to make a fuss, but when she thought of how she almost lost Chu Molin, she couldn¡¯t help but feel fear.

    Now, she knew that she had fallen in love with Chu Molin and wanted to spend her life with him.

    So she didn¡¯t want Chu Molin to get hurt. After all, it¡¯s easy to find someone who likes her.

    But finding someone she likes and who likes her is not so easy.

    Qin Xue had found this in her life, so she didn¡¯t want to lose it.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, I was wrong. Please forgive me this time, okay? I won¡¯t be like this again.

    From now on, I will be good and stop making you worry about me. Will you stop being angry?¡± Chu Molin said such words.

    But if it happened again, he would still block her without hesitation because he is a man.

    Qin Xue also knew that his words were not trustworthy, and she didn¡¯t want to be difficult with him.

    However, if she easily forgave him this time,

    Then next time he would still not cherish his life..

 Chapter 199

    Translator: 549690339

    Thinking of this, Qin Xue turned her face away and refused to look at him.

    Seeing that Qin Xue was ignoring him, a sly grin flashed through Chu Molin¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Ouch, my wound hurts. I think I accidentally tore the wound just now.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Qin Xue became anxious and immediately pulled back the thin quilt to check the bandage on his chest.

    Chu Molin grabbed her small hand on his chest and held it in his palm, feeling satisfied as he breathed a sigh of relief.

    So his little wife cared about him so much. How wonderful.

    ¡°What are you doing? Let go of my hand, I need to check your wound.¡± Qin Xue tried to pull her hand away.

    But Chu Molin was holding on too tightly, and she was afraid of using too much force and aggravating his injury.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, do you know? At the moment I fell, the people I couldn¡¯t bear to leave the most were you and our child.¡± Chu Molin took Qin Xue¡¯s hand and gently kissed it.

    ¡°If you can¡¯t bear to leave us, why do you do such life-threatening things?

    Have you ever thought about how our child and I would cope if you died?¡± Qin Xue knew that deep down, he actually loved his job.

    Since he loved it, she didn¡¯t want to take it away from him.

    But she didn¡¯t oppose him doing what he liked.

    However, couldn¡¯t he think a little bit about the consequences when he did what he liked?

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, I know I was wrong. I promise it won¡¯t happen again.¡± Chu Molin truly realized that he had terrified his little wife this time.

    ¡°Promise my ass. You made the same promise before, but did you keep it?¡± Qin Xue couldn¡¯t help but curse out of anger.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, don¡¯t use bad language. If you don¡¯t trust me, would it be better if I swear? l, Chu Molin, hereby promise Qin Xue that from now on, I¡¯ll cherish my life dearly.

    I will never allow myself to get hurt and make Qin Xue worry again. If 1 break this oath, may heaven strike me down¡­¡± Chu Molin was interrupted before he could finish speaking.

    ¡°Are you trying to piss me off? How can you say such things?¡± Qin Xue glared at him in anger.

    Chu Molin opened his mouth to bite one of her fingers and laughed with amusement.

    ¡°You still dare to laugh?¡± Qin Xue felt like she was about to be infuriated by him.

    ¡°Hmm, I won¡¯t laugh anymore. Xue¡¯er, I¡¯m thirsty and want some water.¡± Chu Molin had been unconscious for a long time without drinking any water.

    After waking up and talking so much, his throat was now aching badly.

    Upon hearing this, Qin Xue suddenly remembered that he hadn¡¯t had any water since waking up, and his voice was hoarse.

    She had been so focused on being angry with him that she had forgotten to pour him a glass of water.

    Qin Xue picked up a cup, poured a glass of water from the kettle, and handed it to Chu Molin.

    The water in the kettle was the spirit spring water she had taken out from her space.

    Spiritual spring water had the effect of speeding up wound healing. It would be beneficial for Chu Molin¡¯s recovery if he drank more of it now.

    ¡°Here, drink some water to moisten your throat. Why didn¡¯t you mention it when you woke up?

    Instead, you kept talking. Hurting your throat, aren¡¯t you?¡± Qin Xue looked at him reproachfully.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt. How could it hurt to talk to my wife?¡± Even if Chu Molin¡¯s throat ached badly now, he would never admit it.

    ¡°Alright, keep being stubborn then. If it doesn¡¯t hurt, don¡¯t drink the water.¡± Qin Xue said and tried to take back the cup.

    ¡°No, my throat hurts, I¡¯ll drink it.¡± Chu Molin quickly put the water to his lips and drank it.

    A smile flashed in Qin Xue¡¯s eyes. Hmph, as if she couldn¡¯t handle him.

    As soon as the water entered Chu Molin¡¯s mouth, he knew it was the same water from their home.

    It seemed that his little wife had given him plenty of this water while he was unconscious; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have the energy to talk to her.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, thank you.¡± Chu Molin wanted to thank her for staying by his side and never giving up on him.

    ¡°Chu Molin, we¡¯re husband and wife.¡± Qin Xue stared at him seriously.

    ¡°Yes, husband and wife.¡± That¡¯s right, husband and wife. These two words were worth a thousand words.

    ¡°Chu Molin, promise me that you¡¯ll take good care of yourself from now on.¡± Qin Xue looked at him worriedly.

    ¡°Yes, I promise you.¡± Chu Molin nodded, gazing tenderly at her..

 Chapter 200

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue knew in her heart that no matter what he promised her now, it would be useless. As long as he needed this job, he would be proud of his identity.

    His identity doesn¡¯t allow him to do as he pleases.

    ¡°How are you feeling now? Is there any discomfort?¡± Qin Xue changed the subject, as it didn¡¯t make sense to continue the previous topic.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I don¡¯t feel any discomfort.¡± Chu Molin was fine apart from the pain at the wound.

    ¡°Please be more careful. Do you know how dangerous this time was? You almost lost your life.

    So if you feel uncomfortable anywhere, let me know. Alright?¡± Qin Xue had to put in a lot of effort to bring him back from the brink of death this time.

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± Chu Molin smiled and looked at Qin Xue.

    ¡°Well, you wait here. I¡¯ll call the doctor to come and have a look at you.¡± Qin Xue stood up and wanted to leave the room.

    ¡°No! Xue¡¯er, please stay with me.¡± Chu Molin just wanted to spend some more time with his wife.

    ¡°But your injury has to be checked by a doctor, right?¡± Why did Qin Xue think this man was acting like a child now?

    ¡°l don¡¯t care, I just want my Xue¡¯er to spend more time with me.¡± Chu Molin said with a bit of persistence.

    ¡°Alright then, let go of me, and I¡¯ll sit here with you.¡± Qin Xue couldn¡¯t bear to refuse him.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, are you still sleepy? Do you want to sleep a little longer?¡± Chu Molin looked at the dark circles under her eyes and asked with concern.

    ¡°No need, I¡¯m not sleepy now.¡± Qin Xue really wasn¡¯t sleepy.

    Upon hearing her response, Chu Molin didn¡¯t continue to ask her to sleep.

    Chu Molin touched the dark circles around her eyes and held her hand, feeling it in his own palm.

    The soft touch was very comfortable, and he felt good being with his wife.

    ¡°Chu Molin, are you hungry? What do you want to eat? I¡¯ll go and buy it for you.¡± Qin Xue¡¯s stomach growled after sitting for a while.

    She didn¡¯t eat well last night, and then she performed a challenging surgery. By now, she was starving.

    ¡°Wife, whatever you eat, I¡¯ll eat.¡± Chu Molin was not picky about food.

    It was just that eating the dishes his wife made for a few days had spoiled his appetite.

    He knew his wife had been working hard to take care of him, and he couldn¡¯t ask her to go back to cook.

    ¡°Fine, you wait here, and I¡¯ll go wash my face and then go out to buy breakfast.¡± Qin Xue hadn¡¯t freshened up yet.

    ¡°Okay, go ahead.¡± Chu Molin let her go obediently when he heard that his wife was hungry.

    ¡°Mm, so well-behaved.¡± Qin Xue gently praised him, touching his somewhat pale, handsome face.

    ¡°Wife, I¡¯m not a child anymore. Instead of praising me verbally, just give me a kiss.¡± Chu Molin hadn¡¯t seen his wife for a few days and missed her sweet taste.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Once Qin Xue finished speaking, she quickly gave him a light peck on his thin lips and hurriedly ran away.

    Chu Molin didn¡¯t expect Qin Xue to answer so succinctly.

    And her actions were so quick. He only heard her say ¡°okay,¡± and then he felt the soft touch on his lips.

    Before he could react, he saw his little wife¡¯s fleeing figure enter the bathroom.

    Chu Molin chuckled. His little wife was still so shy.

    But she¡¯s made significant progress! She dared to sneak attack him now!

    Qin Xue listened to the man¡¯s laughter, her face hot and flushed.

    She was getting bolder and bolder. Qin Xue slapped her reddened face.

    Picking up her toothbrush and toothpaste, she began to freshen up. These were all things she brought last night.

    After Qin Xue finished freshening up and her face had cooled down a bit, she walked out of the bathroom with her natural complexion restored.

    She poured a cup of water and put it on the small table next to the hospital bed.

    ¡°The water is here; if you¡¯re thirsty, you can drink it. I¡¯m going out to buy breakfast.¡± Qin Xue opened the door and left, only to push it open again shortly after.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Did you forget something?¡± Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue, who had just left but returned immediately.

    ¡°Uh, Chu Molin, do you need to use the bathroom?¡± Qin Xue walked to his bedside with a flushed face, closed her eyes, and shouted..

 Chapter 201

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue was a doctor in her previous life, but besides making rounds, she never had this kind of experience taking care of a patient.

    So she completely forgot that this man was incapacitated and couldn¡¯t move around readily. After waking up and chatting with her for so long, she forgot to ask whether he needed to use the bathroom.

    Chu Molin didn¡¯t expect Qin Xue would directly ask him something like this, his handsome face turned a faint red!

    Even though they were husband and wife, they never had such a straightforward conversation about this topic before.

    ¡°Um, yes, a little bit!¡± Chu Molin blushed and responded after thinking for a moment.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go then! I¡¯ll help you!¡± Qin Xue stepped forward, putting her hand on his arm.

    ¡°Okay, thank you!¡± Chu Molin slowly rose from the bed with Qin Xue¡¯s support.

    ¡°Be careful not to disturb your wounds!¡± Qin Xue carefully helped him to the restroom.

    ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you outside. When you are done, call me!¡± Qin Xue blushed as she moved outside the door to wait after finishing her words.

    After Chu Molin was done, he slowly moved to the tap to wash his hands.

    Seeing the toothbrush and towel that Qin Xue brought, he rinsed his mouth and washed his face before calling her.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, I¡¯m done!¡± Chu Molin called for Qin Xue after he was done.

    ¡°l am opening the door!¡± Qin Xue warned him.

    ¡°Yes. Go ahead!¡± Chu Molin wasn¡¯t standing behind the door.

    Qin Xue opened the door and noticed that Chu Molin had just finished washing his face.

    ¡°Why are you moving around recklessly? What happens if it affects your wound?¡± Qin Xue was expecting to bring the water to him later.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m fine!¡± Chu Molin felt that Qin Xue was overreacting a bit.

    Qin Xue helped him get onto the hospital bed and lie down.

    ¡°Do you promise not to move about? I¡¯m going to get breakfast!¡± This time, Qin Xue was really going to buy breakfast.

    ¡°Yes, I understand!¡± Chu Molin obediently responded.

    Qin Xue left, shutting the door behind her! Chu Molin watched as Qin Xue left and he made sure that she wouldn¡¯t be coming back before slightly moving his body.

    Lying down made his bones ache all over, but he didn¡¯t dare to move around when Qin Xue was here for fear that she would worry.

    Chu Molin wondered what happened next after he was injured and hospitalized?

    Did Snakehead and his group get caught? Was Jing Xin okay? His identity surely hadn¡¯t been exposed, right?

    Now that he was hospitalized because of his injury, the leaders must have taken charge of the operations, right?

    Chu Molin kept contemplating various possibilities they were in.

    After leaving the hospital, Qin Xue looked around, noticing a breakfast shop not far away.

    Qin Xue felt that she might as well grab something to eat there, so she walked towards the shop.

    Perhaps because it was near the hospital, the shop was quite crowded.

    Qin Xue looked at the menu and ordered four meat buns and two servings of lean meat porridge to go.

    Qin Xue originally planned to eat first then bring something back for Chu Molin.

    But then she thought about it and felt uneasy leaving him alone, and eating alone wasn¡¯t as enjoyable, so she decided to take the food back and eat together.

    Qin Xue carried the breakfast she¡¯d packed back to the hospital.

    When she opened the door to the ward, she saw that Chu Molin was still lying obediently, not moving about.

    Good, an obedient patient. As a doctor, she liked patients who cooperated and listened.

    ¡°Well done! You¡¯ve been obedient.¡± Qin Xue said while smiling.

    ¡°Yes, one must listen to their wife! I dare not disobey my wife¡¯s orders.¡± Chu Molin joked as soon as he saw Qin Xue come in.

    ¡°Good, keep listening like this in the future,¡± Qin Xue said, still smiling.

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    ¡°Come, let¡¯s have breakfast.¡± Qin Xue took out the breakfast, got water for Chu Molin to wash his hands, then handed him a bun.

    Chu Molin took the bun and immediately took a bite.

    He wasn¡¯t feeling hungry until he smelt the food, then he realized he was starving.

    ¡°Here, drink some porridge first.¡± Qin Xue scooped up a spoonful and held it to his mouth.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, let me do it. You should go eat breakfast.¡± Chu Molin noticed that the breakfast she brought was for two.

    This showed that she hadn¡¯t eaten yet and was probably hungry, so he tried to take the bowl and feed himself.

    ¡°Let me feed you. After you¡¯re done, I¡¯ll eat.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t hand over the bowl.

    Chu Molin saw her sincere expression and opened his mouth to consume the spoonful of porridge.

    Instead of wasting time arguing with her, it was better to simply consume the porridge quickly so she could eat..

 Chapter 202

    Translator: 549690339

    Chu Molin ate three buns and a bowl of meat porridge.

    He originally only wanted to eat two, leaving two for Qin Xue.

    But Qin Xue said that she only needed one, and that these were specially bought for him to eat.

    Thinking about Qin Xue¡¯s usual appetite, Chu Molin knew she was serious.

    So, Chu Molin ate the third bun!

    After Chu Molin finished his breakfast, Qin Xue began to eat her own.

    Chu Molin leaned on the head of the bed and watched Qin Xue eat her breakfast.

    Qin Xue ate very elegantly, taking small bites.

    You could tell that she was well-cultured; only strict and well-disciplined families could teach someone to be like this.

    ¡°Why are you looking at me? Are you still hungry?¡± Qin Xue looked at Chu Molin who was staring at her without blinking.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m full. I just realized that my wife is so beautiful, so I can¡¯t help but want to keep looking.¡± Chu Molin truly thought Qin Xue was very beautiful.

    It was especially her inner and outer charm that made people want to get closer.

    ¡°You have a way with words. Tell me, who did you learn this from?¡± The more Qin Xue interacted with Chu Molin, the more she discovered the unknown side of him!

    ¡°l didn¡¯t learn it from anyone. Being with you just makes me unable to help but say what¡¯s on my mind.¡± Chu Molin truly felt comfortable around Qin Xue.

    There was no need to worry or guard against anything! This feeling was really nice!

    They often could understand each other¡¯s feelings just from a glance or a gesture.

    It was as if they were born for it; sometimes Chu Molin even wondered if they had been husband and wife in a past life, that¡¯s how in tune they were.

    ¡°Yo! Our Mr. Chu can now speak sweet nothings so easily!¡±

    Before Qin Xue could say anything, a cheeky male voice came from the doorway.

    When Chu Molin heard the voice, his face darkened.

    Qin Lang really lacked tact¡ªdidn¡¯t he see that he was having quality time with his wife?

    What did this guy want by coming out and disturbing them?

    ¡°How come? Are you very free?¡± Chu Molin looked at the incoming Qin Lang and asked coldly!

    ¡°No, I¡¯m swamped, okay?¡± As soon as Qin Lang stepped in, he saw the woman he first saw at the supply and marketing cooperative.

    The one who gave him a special sense of familiarity; the more he saw her, the stronger that feeling became.

    ¡°If you¡¯re busy, then why are you here?¡± Chu Molin was just short of ordering him out!

    ¡°Boss, have a little conscience, will you? You got injured, I came to check on you, and you still treat me like this.¡± Qin Lang made a sad face.

    ¡°Alright, alright, what did you come here for so early?¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t believe that he specifically came to see him, did he?

    ¡°Boss, 1 really came to see how you¡¯re doing.¡± Qin Lang entered and sat on the caretaker¡¯s bed.

    ¡°Hi, beautiful lady! My name is Qin Lang. May I know your name?¡± Qin Lang greeted Qin Xue with a smile!

    ¡°Qin Lang? Are you that reckless new guy?¡± Qin Xue asked, recalling that the whole incident was caused by Qin Langs impulsiveness, wasn¡¯t it?

    ¡°Reckless? How was 1 reckless?¡± Qin Lang looked at Qin Xue, confused!

    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you being careless and alerting the enemy, would Chu Molin have been injured with his plan?

    Can you really say that it wasn¡¯t because of your recklessness?¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t care who he was!

    Well, talking about this matter, Qin Lang couldn¡¯t help but feel embarrassed because it was indeed his fault.

    ¡°Beautiful lady, I¡¯m sorry, it was my fault. I¡¯ll be more careful in the future.¡± Qin Lang thought that it was just an accident.

    But after being scolded by Qin Xue, it seemed like everything was his fault, so he couldn¡¯t help but apologize to her!

    ¡°Fine, it¡¯s not your fault. Just be more careful next time.¡± Qin Xue thought, since he had already apologized,

    it wasn¡¯t nice to keep talking about this matter because she also knew it was an accident!

 Chapter 203

    Translator: 549690339

    Chu Molin was upset listening to Qin Lang call Qin Xue a beauty over and over again, but not once call her sister-in-law.

    He couldn¡¯t help but feel uncomfortable.

    ¡°What are you calling her, beauty? Have some respect. She¡¯s your sister-in-law, call her sister-in-law,¡± Chu Molin said to Qin Lang.

    But why did his tone sound so sour?

    Qin Lang looked at this awkward man, was this really his cold-hearted classmate and boss?

    ¡°Yes, boss, I got it,¡± Qin Lang didn¡¯t want to anger the injured man and simply agreed.

    ¡°Sister-in-law, nice to meet you. My name is Qin Lang.¡± Qin Lang stood up, reached out earnestly and wanted to formally meet Qin Xue!

    ¡°Cough, cough!¡± Before Qin Xue could reach out and introduce herself, a cough was heard.

    Frightened, Qin Xue hurried to the side of the hospital bed, ¡°Are you okay? How could you choke like that?¡±

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, I¡¯m fine. Eat your breakfast quickly, it¡¯s getting cold!¡± Chu Molin was disturbed by Qin Langs knowing look and quickly changed the subject!

    ¡°Are you really okay?¡± Qin Xue eyed him suspiciously.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine! Finish your breakfast quickly.

    The doctor will be doing morning rounds soon!¡± Chu Molin felt even more uneasy under her suspicious gaze!

    If it was just him and Qin Xue, he wouldn¡¯t feel this way,

    But now there was an outsider present, right?

    ¡°Alright then!¡± Qin Xue finished her breakfast and took the plate away to be washed!

    Waiting until Qin Xue left the area, Chu Molin asked Qin Lang, ¡°Can we talk now?¡±

    Qin Lang nodded solemnly, ¡°Snakehead got away, the person you took the bullet for might be in danger!¡¯

    ¡°What? What happened?¡± Snakehead escaped, did Jing Xin¡¯s identity get exposed?

    Chu Molin couldn¡¯t believe that they had all those people surrounding Snakehead, but he still managed to escape!

    ¡°Actually. there were gunmen hiding that day. aiming at the ones called

    Coyote and Mountain Rat.

    It¡¯s clear that they wanted to kill them. Snakehead escaped during that chaos.¡±

    Qin Lang thought back to the bullets fired after Chu Molin had fallen that day!

    It was clearly intended to kill and cover the tracks, a typical case of black on black crime!

    ¡°What about Jing Xin?¡± Chu Molin suddenly remembered something.

    Wasn¡¯t the woman named Fang Xiu, who had opened a clothing store with Qing Xue, Jing Xin¡¯s wife?

    And the child named Jingtao, why hadn¡¯t he thought about them before?

    ¡°He got away when I took advantage of the chaos.

    But I had to shoot him and injure him before letting him go.¡±

    At that moment, when he was about to capture him, Li Dabao told Qin Lang that Jing Xin was one of their own, and he couldn¡¯t expose his mission.

    So, Qin Lang let him go amidst the chaos, but Chu Molin had taken a bullet for him.

    This might have attracted the attention of those hiding in the dark.

    So, Qin Lang couldn¡¯t allow Jing Xin to leave unscathed.

    Or else, even if the mission hadn¡¯t been compromised, it would have been exposed.

    ¡°Nice job!¡± Chu Molin understood the situation and thought that Qin Langs decision was right, although pointing a gun at his own teammate was cruel!

    But in order to protect his life, he had no choice but to shoot!

    Chu Molin could understand this, if it were him, he would do the same!

    ¡°Well, boss, if there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll go back to the base. 1 1 m really busy.

    There¡¯s still a lot of work left undone.¡± Qin Lang was worried that Snakehead might retaliate against Chu Molin, so he came to give him a heads up!

    ¡°Yes, get back to work!¡± Chu Molin knew that with Snakehead¡¯s escape, they had to figure out how to catch him!

    ¡°Yes, boss, you need to take care of yourself.. And be especially careful of Snakehead, especially when it comes to protecting my sister-in-law!¡± For some unknown reason, Qin Lang didn¡¯t want Qin Xue to get hurt!

 Chapter 204

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    Chu Molin knew that if Snakehead became desperate, he might really do something to take revenge!

    ¡°Mm, I will protect her.¡± Chu Molin would rather let something happen to himself than let Qin Xue be hurt.

    ¡°That¡¯s good, I¡¯m leaving now.¡± Qin Lang opened the door and went out.

    As soon as Qin Lang opened the door, he saw Qin Xue standing at the other end of the corridor with her bowl and chopsticks! She only approached after she saw him come out.

    ¡°Are you leaving?¡± Qin Xue knew that they had something to talk about, so she deliberately took her bowl and chopsticks to wash them at the outdoor tap.

    It was just to give them space to talk.

    ¡°Hmm, after visiting the boss, 1 have to go back to the office to work.¡± Qin Lang thought Qin Xue was really considerate.

    She knew that some things were not for her to know, so she stepped out to let them talk.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m going in then.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t know what to say to Qin Lang.

    ¡°Hmm, go ahead.¡± Qin Lang looked at her big belly, not expecting that Chu Molin had not only secretly married but also had a child already.

    It would be quite lively if the Chu family found out.

    Of course, Qin Lang also knew some things about Chu Molin.

    Qin Xue nodded and pushed the door in, and Qin Lang went back to the office with a raised foot.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, I¡¯m thirsty.¡± Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue returning, not wanting her to worry, so he said he was thirsty.

    Qin Xue poured him a glass of water and placed it in his hand, watching him drink the whole glass in one breath.

    ¡°Are you really that thirsty?¡± Qin Xue looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

    ¡°Um.¡± Chu Molin choked!

    Qin Xue laughed with a ¡°pfft¡± sound.

    ¡°Chu Molin, you don¡¯t have to do this.¡± How could Qin Xue not understand his intentions?

    ¡°Wife, Qin Lang just told me something confidential, so¡­¡±

    ¡°l know, that¡¯s why I went out to leave space for you two.¡± Qin Xue interrupted Chu Molin before he could finish speaking.

    Chu Molin sat down next to the bed and looked at her: ¡°Xue¡¯er, besides the things I can¡¯t talk about. I don¡¯t want to hide anything from you.¡±

    ¡°Mm, okay.¡± Qin Xue smiled and agreed.

    Chu Molin felt very good seeing her bright smile.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, how¡¯s your training been going these days?¡± Chu Molin thought about his little wife¡¯s work!

    ¡°Mm, it¡¯s going very smoothly. From now on, I¡¯ll just draw plans at home.

    I just need to go to the factory and the store from time to time. I just need to wait to collect the money.¡± This life, Qin Xue just wanted to be a figurehead shopkeeper, only collecting dividends!

    ¡°As long as you¡¯re happy, that¡¯s all that matters. I¡¯m here for everything.¡± Even if Qin Xue didn¡¯t work, he wouldn¡¯t mind. After all, he married her to spoil her.

    If she didn¡¯t work, it would be better, so she wouldn¡¯t get tired.

    ¡°Mm, when I don¡¯t want to work anymore, I¡¯ll rely on you, okay?¡± Qin Xue smiled with narrowed eyes, sweetly saying.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Chu Molin raised his hand and touched her hair.

    Her hair was black, shiny, and smooth. He didn¡¯t know how she took care of it, but the touch was irresistible.

    ¡°Chu Molin, I sent a letter back to H Province.¡± Qin Xue thought about the letter she had sent.

    She didn¡¯t know how long it would take for a letter to reach its destination in this era.

    ¡°What did you write?¡± Chu Molin asked casually.

    ¡°Just that you were on a mission before you came back, and I¡¯m pregnant. The rest was just asking about their health and things like that.¡± Qin Xue wasn¡¯t the original person, and she didn¡¯t have her memories. She didn¡¯t know what to write.

    ¡°That¡¯s good, you said everything you needed to.¡± Chu Molin thought as long as she said everything about the issue, that was fine.

    After all, writing a letter was about writing whatever came to mind.

    ¡°Actually, I didn¡¯t know what else to write, so I just scribbled a few sentences.¡± Qin Xue stuck out her tongue. Her mischievous appearance made Chu Molin laugh.

    Where was there any resemblance to a person about to become a mother? She was just like a big child!

    ¡°As long as you¡¯re happy, say whatever you want. My mother-in-law and the others won¡¯t blame you.¡± Chu Molin thought about the extent to which Qin Xue was doted upon at the Qin family!

    The only thing that was missing was plucking the stars from the sky for her..

 Chapter 205

    Translator: 549690339

    As the two talked and laughed, the doctor came for rounds. Chen Hao and Li Lan arrived.

    Chen Hao checked Chu Molin¡¯s wound and found it healing well.

    It was no wonder he had been a soldier; his body was strong and recovered remarkably quickly.

    ¡°You¡¯re recovering nicely. Just be careful not to strain the wound, and you should be fine. There shouldn¡¯t be any issues with Misty Xue here,¡± Chen Hao thought there would be no problems for Qin Xue.

    Qin Xue¡¯s medical skills were much better than his; he didn¡¯t need to say much more.

    ¡°Thank you, Dr. Chen,¡± Qin Xue thanked Chen Hao with a smile.

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome; this is our duty as doctors.¡± Chen Hao couldn¡¯t help but think of the serious look on Qin Xue¡¯s face when she was operating the night before.

    He had never experienced this before, a married woman constantly appearing in his mind.

    He knew it was wrong, but he couldn¡¯t control himself.

    This was just a woman he had only met a few times. He had no such feelings for her before, so why did his feelings change so drastically this time? Chen Hao couldn¡¯t figure it out, and this problem troubled him all night.

    Now, seeing Qin Xue, he couldn¡¯t help but feel happy.

    Qin Xue smiled at Chen Hao¡¯s words, but said nothing.

    ¡°Let him eat something and hang the infusion after he¡¯s done,¡± Chen Hao didn¡¯t even notice how gentle his tone was.

    Even his eyes were filled with affection. Perhaps he didn¡¯t know that after one operation, he had fallen in love with this woman.

    A hint of obscure darkness flashed in Chu Molin¡¯s eyes.

    Did Dr. Chen like Qin Xue? But Qin Xue didn¡¯t seem to know that this man named Chen Hao liked her.

    Chu Molin had been silent since Chen Hao and Li Lan came in.

    He had been watching from the side. As a man, he knew exactly what the

    ¡°I¡¯ve eaten. Let¡¯s get started,¡± Chu Molin interrupted Chen Hao and Qin Xue¡¯s conversation with a brief statement.

    He, the person involved, was still here, so why did they keep talking to Qin xue?

    It must be said that our Mr. Chu is jealous.

    ¡°Oh, then Nurse Li, could you please give him an injection?

    I¡¯ll go back to my office first.¡± Chen Hao was suddenly reminded of Chu Molin¡¯s presence by his voice.

    As he turned to look at Chu Molin, he saw the warning in his eyes.

    This left Chen Hao feeling a bit embarrassed, and he hurriedly left after leaving a sentence.

    Qin Xue watched his slightly staggering steps, puzzled.

    She didn¡¯t understand what was going on since everything was fine just a moment ago.

    Not wanting to dwell on the mystery, Qin Xue looked at Li Lan, indicating that she could begin.

    Qin Xue didn¡¯t know why Chen Hao acted like this, but Li Lan knew why.

    It was because she had secretly liked Chen Hao all this time, so her family had been anxious about her marriage. She just didn¡¯t want to talk about it or get married.

    Li Lan thought about this and lowered her eyes sadly.

    She knew that one shouldn¡¯t force matters of the heart, so she kept her love for Chen Hao a secret in her heart!

    After giving Chu Molin the injection, Li Lan said to Qin Xue: ¡®Qin Xue, I¡¯ve finished the injection.

    If the IV runs out, go out and call the nurse to change it for you.

    Our shift is over, so I need to leave now.¡±

    ¡°Okay, thank you, Nurse Li,¡± Qin Xue smiled and said to Li Lan.

    After Li Lan left, Qin Xue smiled and said, ¡°Nurse Li is really nice.¡±

    ¡°Yes, her attitude is quite good,¡± Chu Molin nodded in agreement with Qin Xue¡¯s words.

    ¡°Yeah, her attitude is good, and she¡¯s very nice. She was also in charge of me when I was injured last time,¡± Qin Xue recalled that Li Lan had been in charge of her bed last time.

    In the hospital, each nurse had specific patients they were responsible for taking care of and managing.

    Speaking of which, Chu Molin felt worried. He had asked Li Dabao to find something for Bai Jing to do last time, but he didn¡¯t know how that turned out..

 Chapter 206

    Translator: 549690339

    Chu Molin wondered if Qin Xue knew how she had been injured that time?

    Maybe she didn¡¯t know. Otherwise, with her personality, she would have sought revenge! Should he ask her about it?

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, how did you get injured last time?¡±

    ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t know either. When I woke up, I was already in the hospital.¡± Qin Xue thought about it and then told Chu Molin the truth!

    ¡°How did you end up in the grove? You must know that, right?¡± Bai Jing must have called her there, didn¡¯t she?

    ¡°Hehe, well¡­ Oh, Chu Molin, are you thirsty? Want some water?¡±

    Qin Xue was so embarrassed, as she didn¡¯t have any clue what to say to Chu Molin!

    Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue¡¯s lame excuse, so it was true!

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m kind of thirsty. Pour me a glass of water, please.¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t want to make her uncomfortable!

    ¡°Sure, just wait a moment! I¡¯ll pour it for you right away.¡± Qin Xue was so happy she almost jumped for joy!

    This man was too cooperative, Whatever, as long as she could avoid this question, it was fine.

    Damn it, why didn¡¯t the former owner¡¯s memory leave her any clue?

    Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t be so embarrassed now!

    ¡°Mmm, thank you, Xue¡¯er.¡± Chu Molin looked at her delighted expression, thinking, how scared was she of the question he just asked?

    Qin Xue poured a glass of water for Chu Molin and then touched his forehead.

    Good, no fever. This man¡¯s body was really good.

    He wasn¡¯t even feverish despite such a severe injury. Maybe it was related to the spiritual spring water she gave him!

    ¡°How do you feel? Do you feel any better?¡± Qin Xue looked at him, and despite his pale face, his spirits seemed high.

    ¡°Not bad, except for the pain in my wound, there¡¯s nothing else wrong.¡± Chu Molin was a bit dizzy and wanted to sleep.

    But he wanted to spend more time with his little wife, so he tried to stay awake.

    Qin Xue also noticed that although he seemed to be in high spirits, his underlying exhaustion couldn¡¯t be hidden.

    ¡°Chu Molin, close your eyes and take a nap.

    I¡¯ll watch the IV, so you can rest assured and sleep.¡± Qin Xue pulled the thin blanket for him!

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll sleep for a while.¡± Chu Molin felt dizzy from blood loss.

    ¡°Mmm, go to sleep! Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m here.¡± Qin Xue smiled.

    After Chu Molin fell asleep, Qin Xue closed the door of the ward and took out her medical book from the space to read!

    Sitting there like a fool was really boring.

    Qin Xue now had a photogenic memory, so she read books very quickly.

    She finished reading almost half of the book, looked up, and saw Chu Molin¡¯s IV wasn¡¯t done yet!

    So she continued reading her medical book. It was quite thick, and there were many diseases and medications she hadn¡¯t seen before!

    So for Qin Xue to fully understand this book, she needed to put in more effort to read and comprehend it.

    Qin Xue studied the book more carefully and noticed Chu Molin¡¯s IV was almost finished.

    She threw the book into the space, went out to find a nurse to change Chu Molin¡¯s IV.

    Having a cheating space was great, as she could take things out and throw them back in whenever she wanted.

    After the IV was changed, Qin Xue closed the ward door again.

    She took out the medical book she had thrown into the space!

    After Chu Molin¡¯s IV was finished, Qin Xue removed the needle for him.

    Stretching herself, she looked at Chu Molin sleeping soundly.

    She also went to the accompanying bed to rest, since she had slept too little last night and got up too early today, making her quite sleepy.

    Perhaps because she was a doctor in her previous life and familiar with hospitals, she didn¡¯t have any trouble sleeping.

    As a result, she fell asleep after lying down for a while, even snoring slightly!

    The couple slept sweetly..

 Chapter 207

    Translator: 549690339

    When Qin Xue woke up, she saw Chu Molin still asleep.

    So she went to the restroom to wash her face and refresh herself! After tying her hair up, she left the ward!

    Qin Xue wanted to go out and buy some food to bring back, and to buy some delicious food to help Chu Molin recover his strength.

    She had plenty of fish in her space but couldn¡¯t take it out right now!

    So she could only go and see if she could buy something else.

    Take it to the cafeteria later and ask them to help with the processing.

    As for the rest, they¡¯d have to wait until they left the hospital.

    Qin Xue thought about it, took out some paper and a pen from her backpack, and left Chu Molin a note.

    She told him that she was going out to buy food and that he shouldn¡¯t move around, just wait for her to come back!

    After finishing the note, Qin Xue put it on the small table, tidied up the paper and pen, then put on her backpack and went out to buy food.

    When Chu Molin woke up, he looked around and didn¡¯t see his little wife.

    He didn¡¯t know where she had gone, but just then, his eyes caught the note on the table.

    He reached for it and saw that she had gone out to buy food!

    Chu Molin glanced at the sun outside the window and realized that it was already past noon.

    How long had he slept? It seems that he was really tired this time.

    Sleeping from morning until noon, he rarely had such leisurely moments!

    If Qin Xue knew Chu Molin¡¯s thoughts at this time.

    She would definitely give him a slap and a fish to eat! No one should be hoping for injuries.

    Qin Xue strolled around and found nothing she wanted to buy, so she bought some dried dates.

    She also bought some wolfberries and such! Hiding in an alley with no people, she caught a chicken from her space.

    Taking these things to the cafeteria and paying some fees, would they help her to process and cook it?

    Qin Xue took the items and went to a restaurant to buy some food!

    Although there wasn¡¯t much, the chicken was still alive!

    Qin Xue couldn¡¯t disturb others while they were eating. She was foolish enough not to put the items back in her space and bring them out after eating!

    Now she could only carry the food with her. It was true that people could be smart for a lifetime, but foolish for a moment.

    Qin Xue couldn¡¯t eat before carrying a live chicken, so she had to take it back and eat with Chu Molin.

    When she returned to the hospital, Qin Xue took the chicken and the dried dates to the cafeteria first.

    Fortunately, the peak time for eating had passed, and there were only a few people in the cafeteria.

    Qin Xue walked to the food serving area and saw Master Zhu.

    ¡°Hello, Master Zhu, can I ask you for a favor?¡± Qin Xue asked with a smile!

    ¡°Little sister, what can I do for you?¡± Master Zhu¡¯s chubby face was full of smiles!

    As the saying goes, don¡¯t hit someone who smiles at you. When you smile at someone, they¡¯ll smile back at you.

    ¡°Well, my husband is injured and in the hospital.

    I have to take care of him and so it¡¯s not convenient for me to go home and cook.

    I bought a chicken thinking of nourishing him. Can you help me stew it?

    Let me know how much you charge for processing, and I¡¯ll pay you. Is that OK?¡± Qin Xue explained her purpose.

    ¡°Hey, I thought it was something complicated. Sure, just give it to me.

    Come and pick it up around five in the afternoon.¡± Master Zhu agreed without hesitation.

    Because people in the past had done this too, everyone was dealing with inconveniences in their lives, so they all tried to lend a helping hand when they could.

    ¡°How much do you charge for processing? I¡¯ll give it to you!¡± Qin Xue took off her backpack, ready to pay the money.

    ¡°Just give me US$ 1!¡± Master Zhu thought about it and said!

    ¡°Master Zhu, here you go, thank you very much.¡± Although Qin Xue felt that charging US$ 1 was a bit much in this era, but the chicken was still alive, and Master Zhu had to kill it, so she decisively took out the money and handed it to him.

    ¡°Alright, you are such a straightforward girl. Next time you bring something here, I won¡¯t charge you any money!¡± Master Zhu was a straightforward person as well. Since Qin Xue was straightforward, so was he!

    ¡°That¡¯s so nice, thank you, Master Zhu.¡± Qin Xue thought, this US$ 1 had such an effect, not bad at all!

    ¡°Thank you, Master Zhu, I have to go now, my husband hasn¡¯t eaten yet, and I have to take the food to him.¡± Oin Xue lifted up the food in her hand!

    ¡°Alright! Come and pick up the soup early in the afternoon! Don¡¯t come during the mealtime!¡± Master Zhu waved his hand and said!

    ¡°Alright, thank you!¡± Having expressed her gratitude, Qin Xue carried the food back to the ward!

 Chapter 208

    Translator: 549690339

    Qing Xue opened the door to see Chu Molin awake, looking out the window, who knows what he was thinking about?

    Chu Molin heard the sound of the door opening and saw Qin Xue coming back with food!

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, you¡¯re back!¡± Chu Molin smiled!

    ¡°Yeah, you must be hungry?¡± Qin Xue saw that it was already afternoon.

    ¡°Actually, I am a bit hungry.¡± Chu Molin¡¯s appetite was quite big.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be ready soon.¡± Qin Xue quickly took out the food and put it in a lunchbox.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten yet?¡± Chu Molin saw Qin Xue packing two portions.

    ¡°Oh, not yet. I bought a chicken to make soup for you.

    It wasn¡¯t convenient to eat at the restaurant, so I didn¡¯t eat and brought it back together.¡± Qin Xue said while arranging the food.

    ¡°Don¡¯t do this next time! Eat first when you¡¯re hungry, then do other things.

    Got it?¡± Chu Molin thought about how it was like this in the morning and now again.

    ¡°l got it. Let¡¯s eat.¡± Qin Xue handed him a portion of the food, and then started eating her

    ¡°This food isn¡¯t as good as what you make.¡± Chu Molin¡¯s taste buds had been spoiled by Qin Xue.

    ¡°Uh, I think it¡¯s alright.¡± Qin Xue felt that it was more or less the same.

    ¡°The difference is huge. It¡¯s not even half as good as your cooking!¡± Chu Molin was picky!

    He wasn¡¯t usually picky, but now that he tasted this food, he realized he was picky after all.

    Now Qin Xue didn¡¯t know how to respond. Chu Molin thought her cooking was delicious, probably because the ingredients were from her space.

    Since they were out of the ordinary, the resulting dishes were also extraordinary.

    Of course, their taste would be different.

    ¡°You¡¯re exaggerating a bit.

    If you like it, I¡¯ll cook for you after you¡¯re discharged from the hospital.¡± Qin Xue thought about the many types of vegetables in her space!

    ¡°Sounds good, I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± Chu Molin started to eat seriously.

    Qin Xue didn¡¯t buy much, and the two ate the simple meal together.

    After tidying up the bowls and chopsticks, Qin Xue felt really bored.

    She thought about it and took out the medical book from her backpack.

    Then, she saw Chu Molin staring at her expectantly.

    ¡°Um, do you want to read a book?¡± Qin Xue asked after thinking about it.

    She didn¡¯t have other books, but there were array books in her space.

    ¡°Yes, I want to read. Do you have any books with you?¡± Chu Molin wondered if Qin Xue would have prepared a book for him in advance?

    Otherwise, why would she ask him if he wanted to read, and where would she find a book at this time?

    ¡°Do you really want to read?¡± Qin Xue wondered if she should take out the books from her space and let him see them?

    Would he think she was a monster?

    ¡°Yeah, I want to read. You took out the book to read because you¡¯re bored, right?¡± Chu Molin pointed at the book in her hand!

    He noticed that Qin Xue used to read this book at home.

    However, he had never paid attention to what exactly she was reading.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll get it for you. But, let me make it clear first.

    You can read but not ask any questions, alright?¡± Qin Xue was afraid that she wouldn¡¯t know how to answer if he asked her anything.

    ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t ask!¡± Chu Molin had said before that he would wait for her to confess on her own, so he wouldn¡¯t ask!

    ¡°That¡¯s good. Here, whether you can understand it or not is up to you.

    Anyway, I¡¯m not that interested in this.. My interest is right here!¡± After giving Chu Molin the array book, Qin Xue shook the medical book in her hand!

 Chapter 209

    Translator: 549690339

    When Chu Molin took the book and looked at it, he was astounded. The paper of the book was not of this era, it was written on yellowed paper!

    The cover bore three traditional Chinese characters, Array Diagram.

    Unable to curb his curiosity, Chu Molin opened the book and began to read. The more he read, the more fascinated he became!

    Watching Chu Molin¡¯s interest in the book, Qin Xue was pleased. It turns out the book could be useful!

    Qin Xue decided to leave him to his discovery and just focus on her own book. Both of them seemed to be spellbound by the books in their hands.

    As she read, Qin Xue started practicing in her mind. Figuring out which medication works best for different ailments, and how to use them!

    Interestingly, Qin Xue was trained in Western medicine, especially in surgery.

    However, ever since she arrived here, she hadn¡¯t carried out any surgeries.

    The books about medicine in the space sparked her interest, and now, she¡¯s also interested in Chinese medicine.

    Luckily, her grandfather in her previous life had taught her some basics of Chinese medicine!

    Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t know anything about Chinese medicine now!

    Similar to Qin Xue, Chu Molin was also studying and practicing what he read in his mind.

    Gradually he felt as if his consciousness was being drawn into the array.

    Repeatedly practicing, he experienced the strangeness of the array over and over again.

    All of the sudden, Chu Molin clasped his chest and began to pant heavily.

    Caught off guard, Qin Xue looked up to see him looking extremely pale and sweaty, and gasping for breath!

    ¡°Chu Molin, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± She was genuinely alarmed by his state!

    However, Chu Molin¡¯s mind was still trapped within the array, unable to respond.

    Qin Xue quickly grabbed his wrist to feel his pulse, which was palpably racing.

    But she had no idea why this was happening to him?

    All of a sudden, an idea struck her. Could his condition be related to the Array Book in his hand?

    ¡°Xue Ling, can you figure out what¡¯s wrong with Chu Molin? Is it because of this Array Book?¡± Qin Xue asked. The Array Book was from the space, so Xue Ling should know the reason, right?

    Xue Ling was currently cultivating, but she heard Qin Xue¡¯s mental call.

    Seeing Chu Molin¡¯s condition through Qin Xue, Xue Ling realized that he was trapped within the array and couldn¡¯t pull himself out.

    She was amazed. How amazing is his understanding ability that he could immerse himself in the array just by reading about it?

    ¡°Mistress, yes, he¡¯s currently trapped inside the Array. He¡¯s suffering because he lacks the capacity to handle it at this moment.

    We do have spiritual spring water in the space, right? Just feeding him some should work.¡¯

    Xue Ling found it astonishing this man had the ability to penetrate into the array.

    So his situation wasn¡¯t as grave as it seemed. The Spiritual Spring Water contains spiritual energy.

    Feeding him the Spiritual Spring Water would allow him to use its energy to resist the pressure from the array!

    Hearing this, Qin Xue hurriedly poured some Spiritual Spring Water into a glass and spoon-fed it to him.

    A few minutes later, Qin Xue noticed Chu Molin¡¯s face gradually regaining color.

    His breathing was not as rapid anymore, her worried mind began to ease.

    While Chu Molin was struggling with the pain caused by the array, he suddenly noticed a refreshing sensation in his mouth.

    Subconsciously, he wanted more. Gradually, the discomfort brought about by the array began to dissipate!

    Soon, he felt he was able to handle it effortlessly! Upon fully understanding the array, he came back to his senses.

    Chu Molin found this book truly magical. He felt warmth in his energy center!

    His body felt light, even the pain from his injuries seemed to vanish!

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, I feel different somehow.¡± Chu Molin excitedly told Qin Xue!

    Upon hearing his words, Qin Xue observed him attentively and indeed, noticed a difference.

    ¡°Hmm, you seem much healthier, and more energetic. You don¡¯t look like an injured man at all,¡± said Qin Xue as she nodded in agreement..

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    ¡°Is that all?¡± Chu Molin thought there should be more changes than that!

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s all I saw. Is there anything wrong?¡± Qin Xue looked at him

    seriously again, but he still looked the same.

    ¡°Oh, never mind.¡± Chu Molin recalled after listening to Qin Xue¡¯s words.

    The energy center is inside the body and can¡¯t be seen from the outside.

    Moreover, those were changes inside his body. How could Qin Xue notice them?

    ¡°Are you feeling uncomfortable somewhere?¡± Qin Xue looked at him suspiciously.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not uncomfortable. It¡¯s just after I finished looking at this array, my energy center feels warm and my body feels very light.

    It¡¯s like I¡¯m floating in mid-air, not standing on the ground. Isn¡¯t it amazing?¡± Chu Molin was very excited!

    Qin Xue looked at the excited man and found him funny. So, he had this side too!

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s amazing. I¡¯m glad you like it. I have some other books, do you want them?¡±

    Qin Xue thought that there were so many books on arrays, not to mention that she had other books too!

    ¡°Really? Great! But you must not tell anyone about this, understood?¡±

    Chu Molin thought that such magical books must not be known to others. Otherwise, it would be detrimental to Qin Xue!

    ¡°Yeah, I got it. I¡¯m not stupid. Who do you think I¡¯d give them to?¡± Qin Xue thought that only Chu Molin had this privilege!

    ¡°Good girl!¡± Chu Molin patted her on the head!

    *Slap! * Qin Xue slapped his hand away, resenting being called a good girl. Who did he think she was!

    Chu Molin raised his eyebrows and a smile flashed in his eyes. My little wife doesn¡¯t like me calling her a child?

    But, whether she likes it or not, she will always be the good girl in his heart!

    ¡°Mmm!¡± Suddenly, Qin Xue groaned!

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Chu Molin asked anxiously!

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, the little bear in my belly kicked me hard, and it hurts a bit!¡± Qin Xue wondered, was the baby helping their dad?

    ¡°Ha-ha, so that¡¯s why! Not bad! Who told you to slap me? See, even our child isn¡¯t happy!¡± Chu Molin said proudly!

    Qin Xue glared at the smug man, wishing she could bite him!

    Thinking about it, she really grabbed his hand and bit his arm!

    Wow, it really hurt, she bit so hard! Chu Molin endured the pain and let her bite!

    Qin Xue bit for a while and felt a strange feeling!

    When she opened her mouth, she saw that his arm was purple from her bite!

    Actually, she just wanted to bite lightly out of anger. How could she bite so hard?

    Qin Xue was a bit at a loss: ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry. I just wanted to bite lightly.

    I didn¡¯t mean to bite so hard. I don¡¯t know how I ended up biting so hard!¡± Qin Xue touched the bite mark with her hand!

    She hurriedly apologized, her eyes turning red. What was wrong with her?

    Chu Molin didn¡¯t expect Qin Xue to react so strongly!

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t worry!¡± Chu Molin was startled by Qin Xue¡¯s appearance!

    ¡°Wuu wuu, I didn¡¯t do it on purpose. I don¡¯t know why it happened like this!¡± Qin Xue was lost in her memories!

    ¡°Qin Xue, you¡¯re an ungrateful child.

    Who let you bite my Qiuqiu? Look, you bit him until he¡¯s turning blue.

    I¡¯ll let you bite, let you bite!¡± Fat Auntie from next door grabbed Qin Xue¡¯s hair with her fat hand and yanked it hard!

    ¡°Ah! It hurts, stop it, don¡¯t pull anymore, wuu wuu, 1 didn¡¯t mean it!

    Qiuqiu hit me first!¡± As Qin Xue cried out, she held her head, desperately protecting her hair.

    In Qin Xue¡¯s mind, there was only the scene of Fat Auntie pulling her hair!

    Her wuu wuu cries sounded like a wounded little animal! It was enough to break anyone¡¯s heart!

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    ¡°Xue¡¯er, Xue¡¯er, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Chu Molin tried to hold Qin Xue¡¯s hand.

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t mean to, it hurts, Grandma, save me.

    Save Xue¡¯er, I didn¡¯t mean to bite Qiuqiu.

    It was Qiuqiu who scolded me for not having a mother, and said I was a wild child abandoned by my father. She also beat me, so I bit her.

    Yes, it was all Qiuqiu¡¯s fault, she went too far.

    Fat Auntie, don¡¯t pull my hair, it hurts, I won¡¯t do it again.

    Wuuwuu, Grandpa, where are you? Save Xue¡¯er, Grandma, where are you all?¡± Qin Xue thought Chu Molin was going to pull her hand and yank her hair.

    She couldn¡¯t tell if this was reality or a deeply buried memory in her mind.

    Chu Molin saw that she was struggling even harder. Why did just one black and blue bite mark make her like this?

    What has she gone through? If he didn¡¯t misunderstand, Qin Xue¡¯s movement was to protect her head, right?

    Who has done something to her head before?

    And she shouted not to pull her hair because it hurt. Was her hair pulled by the Fat Auntie in her mouth?

    Chu Molin saw that Qin Xue couldn¡¯t even recognize him.

    It was imaginable how much psychological damage this incident caused her at the time.

    Chu Molin had no choice but to get out of bed, fearing she might hurt herself inadvertently, he directly embraced Qin Xue in his arms.

    No matter how she struggled, he wouldn¡¯t let go, just holding her tightly.

    Even when Qin Xue¡¯s struggle touched his wound, he didn¡¯t make a sound. ¡°Xue¡¯er, look carefully, see who I am?¡± Chu Molin coaxed her gently by her ear.

    ¡°Ah, it hurts so much.¡± Qin Xue screamed out and fainted.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, Xue¡¯er, wake up, don¡¯t scare me. I¡¯m not blaming you. Will you please get up?¡± Chu Molin laid Qin Xue down on the bed.

    Chu Molin saw that she didn¡¯t respond at all, so he had no choice but to call a doctor.

    ¡°Doctor, what¡¯s wrong with my wife? Why does she keep crying out in pain?¡± Chu Molin¡¯s already cold face became even colder, making people shiver.

    Chu Molin was a perfect Cold King to everyone except when he was with Qin Xue, always smiling.

    ¡°Well, Mr. Chu, now that you mention it, it might be that she was injured when she was a child.

    And those injuries are buried deep in her mind.

    When she comes into contact with similar situations, it triggers some memories she doesn¡¯t want to remember hidden in her mind.

    This needs to be seen by a psychologist, as it¡¯s considered a psychological trauma.¡±

    This doctor also knew Chu Molin.

    He also knew what kind of person Chu Molin was.

    So he didn¡¯t beat around the bush and directly told him his thoughts.

    ¡°Psychological trauma? Can we know what kind of psychological trauma it is?¡±

    Chu Molin was thinking about what could have caused Qin Xue, at this age, to be so resistant to it.

    The harm to her at that time must have been significant.

    Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have had such a strong reaction after all these years, just because she saw the bite mark she made.

    Now she even fainted from excessive emotions. Chu Molin even had the urge to kill someone.

    ¡°A psychologist should be able to find out.¡±

    This doctor also knew a little bit about psychology.

    But psychology is not yet popularized in Hua Country.

    Many people have a strong resistance to the idea of seeing a psychologist, feeling that it would expose their privacy to others.

    Therefore, there are very few psychologists in Hua Country.

    However, people with severe psychological trauma often need to see a psychologist to have a chance of recovery.

    ¡°Do you know where I can find a psychologist?¡± Chu Molin knew about psychologists.

    Because some people at the research institute needed psychologists when they first came in.

    Of course, there were psychologists at the research institute.

    But Qin Xue was not a member of the research institute.

    Besides, Qin Xue had a secret, and he couldn¡¯t trust anyone to treat her, even the people he loved most in the institute..

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    No matter who it was, Chu Molin didn¡¯t want them to know Qin Xue¡¯s secret.

    ¡°Mr. Chu, psychologists are not yet very common in Hua Country.

    I can ask my colleagues and friends to help you find one.¡± The doctor¡¯s words

    made Chu Molin both happy and worried.

    He was happy because if they couldn¡¯t find a psychologist, Qin Xue¡¯ s secret would not be exposed.

    But without a psychologist, Qin Xue¡¯s psychological trauma would not be treated, and she couldn¡¯t recover.

    ¡°Alright, thank you. If you find one, please send a message to the Institute for me. I appreciate your help.¡± Chu Molin¡¯s cold face softened a bit.

    ¡°Mr. Chu, you¡¯re being too polite.¡± The doctor didn¡¯t expect the Cold King to thank him.

    If Chu Molin knew the doctor¡¯s thoughts, he would surely say that this is the basic courtesy between people.

    ¡°Is there anything else wrong with my wife right now?¡±

    ¡°Nothing else, she¡¯ll be fine once she wakes up.

    If possible, try not to touch upon the things she doesn¡¯t want to remember.¡± After thinking for a moment, the doctor cautiously said.

    Chu Molin nodded without saying more, and quietly looked at Qin Xue lying on the bed.

    Her usually cheerful face was now overtaken by fear.

    Chu Molin had never felt as helpless as he did now.

    And his heart ached, feeling great pain for Qin Xue.

    After the doctors left, Chu Molin held Qin Xue¡¯s hand against his face.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, what on earth have you been through?

    When will you be willing to confess your secrets to me?

    Can you please wake up soon?¡±

    Chu Molin thought for a while, took off his shoes, and climbed onto the sickbed, lying on his side embracing Qin Xue.

    The two adults lay together on the narrow bed.

    Qin Xue remained trapped in her childhood memories.

    It was something that happened not long after her grandparents took her in.

    Jia Qiu was a child from the village, and their ages were only one or two years apart.

    Fat Auntie was Jia Qiu¡¯s mother, and at that time, Qin Xue had just arrived in the village and didn¡¯t have any friends.

    But Jia Qiu soon became her first friend in the village.

    Qin Xue, who was around five years old, could naturally play with Jia Qiu, who was about seven.

    Having a child of the same age to play with made her grandparents very happy.

    And the two of them got along well until one day.

    On Qin Xue¡¯s birthday, her grandmother gave her a beautiful doll, saying it was a gift from her mother!

    Of course, Qin Xue was overjoyed to receive a birthday gift from her mother.

    It had been a long time since she had seen her mother, and she missed her dearly.

    So she held onto the doll and wouldn¡¯t let go, carrying it everywhere she went, even during meals and while sleeping.

    Later, when Jia Qiu returned from her grandmother¡¯s house, she saw Qin Xue¡¯s doll.

    Jia Qiu also liked it and wanted it, so she asked Qin Xue for it.

    Qin Xue, of course, couldn¡¯t give it to her, and the two friends, who had always gotten along well, started to quarrel.

    ¡°You¡¯re just a wild child born with no mother to raise you, even your father doesn¡¯t want you.

    Your father has married a stepmother, and that¡¯s why he threw you away.

    You¡¯re just a pitiful, unwanted bug.¡± Young Jia Qiu¡¯s words deeply hurt little Qin Xue.

    ¡°l do have a mother, see, this is the birthday gift my mother gave me.

    She¡¯s just gone to a very, very far away place, and she said she¡¯ll come back to see me.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t have a very strong impression of her father.

    So, even if Jia Qiu said he had remarried, Qin Xue didn¡¯t know what it meant.

    But Qin Xue did understand when Jia Qiu said she had no mother.

    After all, every child¡¯s closest and most reliable person is their mother.

    Jia Qiu¡¯s words opened up Qin Xue¡¯s longing for her mother..

 Chapter 213

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    Jia Qu heard the gossip when she was visiting her grandmother¡¯s house.

    She took in everything they said and stored it in her memory.

    Now, after the fallout with  Qin Xue she threw all the gossip she had heard at

    Qin Xue!

    Though she is slightly older than Qin Xue, she didn¡¯t understand the meaning behind the words.

    She just knew that Qin Xue¡¯s mother was dead, and her dad had married a stepmother.

    Jia Qiu understood the meaning of a stepmother, because when she was disobedient, her mother would say:

    ¡°Qiuqiu, you naughty girl! Are you trying to make me die from anger?

    If I die, your dad will marry a stepmother for you.

    She will make you do lots of chores and not even feed you.

    If you are disobedient, she will hit you with a stick.

    She will lock you in a dark little room where you can¡¯t see any light.

    Then you will know what it means to have a real mom!

    You will know how good I am to you, and see if you still dare to provoke me.¡± Every time Jia Qiu¡¯s mother said these words, she was scared to death!

    So to Jia Qiu, the word ¡®stepmother¡¯ was no less terrifying than lions and tigers!

    ¡°Hmph, your mother¡¯s dead, who¡¯s going to care for you?¡±

    The words Jia Qiu blurted out completely broke the young Qing Xue.

    ¡°No, you¡¯re lying. My mom isn¡¯t dead, she promised me, she wouldn¡¯t break her promise!¡± Qin Xue cried and screamed.

    ¡°She is dead, everyone said your mother is dead.

    That¡¯s why your dad married a new mom, they don¡¯t want you anymore.

    That¡¯s why they dumped you on your grandparents.

    1 also heard that your new mom brought a very pretty sister here.

    They even live in your big, beautiful house.¡± Jia Qiu¡¯s words became crueler sentence by sentence.

    Qin Xue wanted to go back and ask her grandparents if what Jia Qiu said was true?

    Qin Xue held her doll and wanted to leave, but how could Jia Qiu let her leave without getting the doll she wanted?

    ¡°Qin Xue, give me your doll, after all, you¡¯re an unwanted wild child.

    What do you need such a beautiful doll for?¡± Jia Qiu reached out and blocked Qin Xue.

    Qin Xue hid her doll behind her back, no matter how Jia Qiu tried to snatch it, she refused to give up her doll.

    Jia Qiu got anxious and pulled Qin Xue¡¯s arm.

    She wanted to pull the doll out, but ended up knocking Qin Xue down by

    accident.

    Qin Xue protected her birthday gift from her mother with all her might!

    When Jia Qiu pulled her arm forcefully, Qin Xue bit her hard!

    Perhaps because Qin Xue bit too hard, Jia Qiu started crying hysterically.

    Fat Auntie heard Jia Qiu¡¯s cries and ran over.

    She saw that Qin Xue was biting Jia Qiu¡¯s arm and not letting go!

    Fat Auntie walked over and forcefully pulled Qin Xue¡¯s hair.

    Under such pain, Qin Xue was forced to let go, and the marks on Jia Qiu¡¯s arm were turning black and blue, there was even blood seeping out!

    ¡°Qin Xue, you naughty girl. Who allowed you to bite my Qiuqiu!

    Look how hard you bit, it¡¯s all bruised.¡± Fat Auntie¡¯s grip on Qin Xue relaxed a little.

    But seeing the bite marks on Jia Qiu¡¯s arm, she yanked Qin Xue¡¯s hair even harder.

    The pain made Qin Xue¡¯s scalp numb, and she cried out loud.

    ¡°You have the nerve to cry? Look at what you¡¯ve done to my Qiuqiu!¡± Fat Auntie scolded Qin Xue angrily.

    ¡°Qiuqiu was the one trying to take my doll, she was the one who started hitting me!

    This doll is my birthday gift from my mom.

    I refuse to give it to Qiuqiu!¡± Qin Xue cuddled her doll and tearfully defended herself.

    ¡°Ha, you naughty girl, still talking back.¡± Fat Auntie, in her anger, gave Qin Xue¡¯s arm a hard twist.

    ¡°Ah! It hurts! Let go!¡± Qin Xue cried and screamed in pain.

    Her cries made Fat Auntie twist her arm even harder.

    ¡°You¡¯re just a child who was born but not raised by your mother, still dare to confront Qiuqiu in our village.

    If I don¡¯t make you understand, you wouldn¡¯t know not to mess with my Qiuqiu.¡± Fat Auntie was already jealous of Qin Xue¡¯s mother.

    They both had feelings for Qin Xue¡¯s dad, but why did Qin Xue¡¯s dad choose her mother?

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    Was it just because Qin Xue¡¯s mother was prettier than her?

    So Qin Xue¡¯s mother could marry her father, while she had to marry in the village.

    Now fine, her mother is dead! And that beloved man is married to another woman.

    The anger that Fat Auntie had been harboring all along had no place to vent.

    The conflict between Qin Xue and Qiuqiu now allowed Fat Auntie to vent her anger on Qin Xue.

    The yelling and crying of several people attracted others.

    The people who arrived upon seeing this hurriedly pulled Qin Xue away.

    Not to let Fat Auntie hit Qin Xue anymore, and Fat Auntie, seeing that people were coming, didn¡¯t dare to vent her anger on Qin Xue any more!

    ¡°Fat Auntie, aren¡¯t you going too far?

    Qin Xue is still just a child, how can you, as an adult, bully her?¡± Next-door Grandma Li couldn¡¯t stand it and said!

    ¡°Aunt Li, what do you mean by me bullying her? Look at what my Qiuqiu¡¯s arm looks like after being bitten by her! ¡±

    Fat Auntie pulled Qiuqiu¡¯s arm over to show everyone, unconvinced.

    Everyone saw that the bite was indeed a bit fierce.

    The originally angry people gradually quieted down.

    But there were still some who couldn¡¯t stand it: ¡®Even if Qiuqiu was bitten by Qin Xue, you should find out the reason, right?

    Hasn¡¯t this child Qin Xue always been well-behaved and sensible since she came to our village?

    Aren¡¯t your Qiuqiu and her usually playing well together?

    Since they normally get along so well as playmates.

    Now that there¡¯s such a big dispute, there must be a reason for it, right?¡± This was Aunt Cheng Yun from the family next door to Qin Xue¡¯s grandfather!

    ¡°What other reason could there be, with her being such a wild child.

    My Qiuqiu is willing to play with her, she should be laughing in her sleep at night!¡± Fat Auntie muttered under her breath!

    But her muttering was still heard by Aunt Cheng Yun.

    ¡°Fat Auntie, I never thought you were such a person.

    Qin Xue is so young, just a little girl, what does she know?

    Not only do you, an adult, bully her, but you also talk about her like this!

    Do you feel that your conscience can bear it?¡± Aunt Cheng Yun really didn¡¯t know that Fat Auntie was such a person.

    It seems that their children can¡¯t be allowed to play with Qiuqiu from Fat Auntie¡¯s family anymore!

    ¡°Cheng Yun, what kind of person I am, what does it have to do with you?

    Don¡¯t be a meddlesome dog trying to catch mice.¡± Fat Auntie¡¯s unvented anger suddenly turned towards Cheng Yun, who defended Qin Xue!

    ¡°Fat Auntie, you claim to be from the city, don¡¯t you?

    No wonder you¡¯ve never measured up to Qin Xue¡¯s mother!¡± With one sentence, Cheng Yun hit Fat Auntie¡¯s sore spot.

    ¡°Cheng Yun, are you trying to fight?¡± Fat Auntie rolled up her sleeves.

    Over the years, Fat Auntie had changed from a delicate city girl into a full-fledged shrew.

    ¡°Yunyun, who wants to fight you?¡± Fat Auntie¡¯s words had just fallen when a vigorous male voice came through.

    ¡°Da Gang, how did you get here?¡± It was Aunt Cheng Yun¡¯s husband, Qin Gang!

    ¡°Yunyun, I heard someone wanted to fight you just now?

    Where are they? Tell me, who dares to bully my Qin Gangs woman?¡± Qin Gang was burly and tall.

    Most importantly, he was a real man, but he never claimed not to hit women.

    Cheng Yun was his beloved woman, and everyone in the village knew that he loved her the most.

    If anyone dared to bully Cheng Yun, he would not hesitate to challenge them one on one.

    Unfortunately, he was so strong that no one in the village could beat him.

    So Fat Auntie didn¡¯t dare to speak up anymore after hearing Qin Gangs words.

    How could Fat Auntie forget about the scourge of Qin Gang?

    Luckily Cheng Yun didn¡¯t just agree with her just now, otherwise she really wouldn¡¯t have had a way to fight!

 Chapter 215

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    ¡°I¡¯m fine, but Qin Xue was beaten by Fat Auntie.

    I don¡¯t know what she looks like now, I just sent someone to find Uncle Qin and Aunt Qin.

    But they haven¡¯t come yet, look at how Qin Xue is crying.

    You can¡¯t know how hard she was hit.¡± Cheng Yun also felt sorry for Qin Xue.

    At such a young age, she lost her mother, and her father refused to raise her, leaving her with her grandparents in the countryside.

    Now, in a moment of carelessness, she has been bullied; after all, Qin Xue is her cousin!

    ¡°What? Qin Xue was bullied? Who bullied her?¡± Qin Gang only then noticed that the crying just now was Qin Xue¡¯s!

    ¡°Qin Xue, tell Uncle Gang. Who bullied you?¡± Qin Gangs parents had both fallen ill and passed away when he was young.

    He had always depended on the help and care of his elder cousin and cousin-in-law.

    That is, Qin Xue¡¯s grandparents, so Qin Gang has always respected them!

    Now that their beloved granddaughter has been bullied, how could Cousin Qin Gang not be angry!

    ¡°Uncle Gang, it was Qiuqiu who tried to snatch my doll first!

    It¡¯s the birthday present my mom gave me.

    When I refused to give it to her, she tried to take it by force and hit me!

    She also said that my mom is dead and will never come back to see me again.

    She even said that my dad married a new mom and is living with my new sister in a big house without me.

    She said I am a wild child they don¡¯t want, so that¡¯s why they gave me to grandma and grandpa.

    Uncle Gang, Qiuqiu is lying, right?

    My mom is not dead; she will come back to see me, right?

    Look, this doll was given to me by my mom, grandma said it¡¯s my birthday present from her.

    So Qiuqiu must be lying, right?

    And dad didn¡¯t give up on me either, right?

    Dad clearly said that grandma and grandpa miss me, and they want me to come and stay with them.

    But why did Qiuqiu say dad doesn¡¯t want me anymore?

    She also said that everyone knows it and that¡¯s what they all say.

    Uncle Gang, are they all lying?¡± In fact, at such a young age, Qin Xue already had a feeling that what Jia Qiu said could be true.

    However, it was difficult for her to accept such a result at her age.

    ¡°Qin Xue, don¡¯t listen to their nonsense, you have a mother.

    It¡¯s just that your mother has gone to a very, very faraway place in the sky to become a fairy!

    At night, when you look at the brightest star in the sky, that star is your mother transformed.

    She¡¯s watching you from the sky! Your dad didn¡¯t give up on you either.

    It¡¯s your grandparents who miss you and want you to come and stay with them.

    Our familys Qin Xue is so cute; how could no one want her?¡±

    When Grandma Qin came, she heard the words Qin Xue had just said, and her eyes were red as she spoke to her granddaughter.

    Grandma Qin was at home making delicious peach blossom cakes for her granddaughter.

    However, she heard a child come to tell her that Qin Xue had been beaten by Fat Auntie!

    She hurriedly put out the fire and rushed over.

    She didn¡¯t expect to hear little Qin Xue say such things from afar!

    Her heart ached when she heard it. Her young daughter-in-law had chosen to end her life.

    But the little girl left behind thought of her mother every day.

    Meanwhile, her unfilial son had chosen the woman he favored, and even abandoned his daughter, leaving her to them.

    Old couple indeed wanted their granddaughter to be with them.

    They had no objections, but how could they not know the thoughts of a child?

    However, with her son making such a choice, they had no other options.

    The old couple were angry that they had to take care of their granddaughter, but that didn¡¯t stop the gossip of the villagers.

    Originally, they thought Jia Qiu was a good girl, but they never would have guessed she¡¯d be like this, one way in front of others and another way behind their backs.

    If they had known from the beginning, they would have never let their granddaughter play with her!

    And that Fat Auntie was way too much. She thought they didn¡¯t know that Fat Auntie liked her unfilial son!

    It¡¯s just that they had turned a blind eye to her all the time and ignored her!

    But they never expected Fat Auntie to vent her anger on little Qin Xue..

 Chapter 216

    Translator: 549690339

    Grandma Qin felt deeply sorry for her granddaughter.

    Her mother abandoned her when she was a child, her father remarried, so she had to live with her elderly grandparents.

    She thought that her granddaughter lived a good life here, but it turned out that it was all on the surface!

    Only today, did she find out that this poor little girl had been bullied so badly.

    ¡°Cui Lan, what on earth have you done to my little Qin Xue? It¡¯s wrong for you, as an adult, to bully her like this,¡± Grandma Qin was really angry! Usually, when their daughter Qiuqiu comes over to play with Qin Xue.

    They always bring out the best food and toys for her!

    But now, they not only hit Qin Xue, but also cruelly hurt her feelings!

    What wrong did this little one do to deserve such treatment?

    ¡°Auntie, if not for Qin Xue biting my daughter Qiuqiu, I wouldn¡¯t have interfered!

    I couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch her keep biting, could I?¡±

    Fat Auntie was fond of Qin Xue¡¯s father and often tried to please Grandma Qin.

    But since they¡¯re both already married with no hope for the future; Why does she still have to please them? It¡¯s totally impossible.

    ¡°A little squabbling among the kids is normal. It is a common thing.

    But for you, an adult, to meddle in it, that¡¯s not right, is it?¡± said Grandma Qin, holding Qin Xue¡¯s hand.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that? Even though she¡¯s a child,

    if she is biting my Qiuqiu, do you expect me, as a parent, to just stand by and watch?

    Should I let her continue to bite?¡± said Fat Auntie, sounding neither just nor assertive.

    Seeing her grandma come, Qin Xue cried even harder

    ¡°Grandma, it hurts,¡± Qin Xue erupted in sobs.

    ¡°Where does it hurt, Qin Xue? Show it to Grandma,¡± Grandma Qin wanted to check Qin Xue¡¯s injuries.

    Considering that they were outside, and Qin Xue, though still a child, was now over five years old, so she gradually needed to learn about personal privacy.

    ¡°Cui Lan, you better cross your fingers hoping that my Qin Xue is alright.

    Otherwise, don¡¯t blame this old lady for not giving you face.¡± Grandma Qin just wanted to check Qin Xue¡¯s injuries now, and see how badly she was hurt. Grandma Qin quickly led Qin Xue home.

    They left behind a crowd of people looking at each other.

    ¡°Cui Lan went too far this time!¡± said someone in the crowd.

    ¡°Yes, we should better watch our own children from now on, so they don¡¯t get mistreated. What if we can¡¯t make our case clear when it happens?¡± The others responded in echoes.

    As they walked away arguing, Fat Auntie and Jia Qiu were left standing there, staring at each other.

    ¡°Qin Xue, come, show grandma where you¡¯re hurt,¡± said Grandma Qin after she brought Qin Xue home and directly entered the bedroom.

    ¡°Grandma, many parts of my body hurt.¡± Qin Xue rolled up her sleeve to reveal her arm, purple and black in places.

    Then she touched her hair and pointed to her head, saying, ¡°Grandma, it hurts here too.¡± This broke Grandma Qin¡¯s heart!

    Damn this Cui Lan, for being so rough with a child just over five years old, isn¡¯t she afraid of retribution?

    ¡°Be a good girl, Qin Xue. Stay here and wait. Grandma will go get some ointment for you,¡± cooed Grandma Qin soothingly.

    ¡°Okay, Grandma. I got it!¡± The sensible little Qin Xue nodded obediently and waited for her grandma.

    After Grandma Qin had applied medication to all the wounds, Qin Xue, exhausted from crying, had fallen asleep.

    Grandma Qin carried Qin Xue to the bed and gently stroked her face, saying

    ¡°Qin Xue, there are people who love you. Your grandpa and grandma love you. Sleep well darling.¡±

    After tucking Qin Xue in, Grandma Qin headed to the kitchen to make Qin Xue i s favorite peach pastries.

    After preparing the pastries, she wanted to check if Qin Xue had awoken?

    Upon entering the bedroom, she found that the little Qin Xue lying on the bed had a very unusual complexion.

    She touched her forehead and found out that she was running a fever..

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    And little Qin Xue was still talking nonsense in her mouth: ¡°It hurts so much! Grandma, hurry up and save me.

    Fat Auntie, stop pulling, it hurts! Grandpa and Grandma, where are you? Hurry up and save Qin Xue!

    Woo, Qin Xue is in so much pain!¡±

    Grandma Qin¡¯s heart shattered when she heard this! She hurried to find antipyretic for little Qin Xue to take.

    After feeding her the medicine, she took a cloth soaked in cold water to help cool down Qin Xue¡¯s forehead.

    However, Qin Xue¡¯s high fever persisted, and Grandma Qin had no choice but to send her to the hospital.

    Qin Xue¡¯s fever kept coming back, and she even lapsed into a coma at one point.

    This frightened Grandpa Qin and Grandma Qin. If something happened to little Qin Xue, how could they explain to her deceased mother!

    When little Qin Xue was in a coma, Qin Gang went to Fat Auntie¡¯s house to create a scene and beat her up!

    A few days later, when little Qin Xue woke up, she never mentioned Jia Qiu again.

    Grandpa Qin and Grandma Qin found that it seemed like Qin Xue had forgotten that part of her memory.

    It was just that, when she later encountered Fat Auntie and Jia Qiu, she would always unconsciously resist and feel scared!

    Later, Grandpa Qin and Grandma Qin decided to leave their house and land to Qin Gang and his wife to look after.

    The old couple then moved to the town with Qin Xue.

    Grandpa Qin also relocated his small clinic to the town.

    After Qin Xue began attending kindergarten, she met her first best friend, An Xiaochen.

    As Qin Xue thought of An Xiaochen, she suddenly remembered that she had died in a car accident.

    How could she see An Xiaochen again now?

    Moreover, it was the An Xiaochen from her childhood. Suddenly, Qin Xue seemed to hear Chu Molin¡¯s call.

    She tried hard to open her eyes, but she always felt like something was holding her back!

    Qin Xue wanted to break free from the restraints. As she struggled to open her eyes, she saw a handsome face with divine fury.

    And her face was very close to his! Qin Xue looked at those cold eyes, the deep light in them disappeared, replaced by a peaceful time.

    Qin Xue saw Chu Molin sleeping soundly, and she didn¡¯t move or disturb him.

    Instead, she thought about what had just happened in her dream.

    Qin Xue realized that she had lost a part of her memory from her childhood!

    She finally understood why she lost control of her emotions when she saw the bruise Chu Molin had from her bite mark!

    It turned out that this was a deep-seated memory from her childhood that she was unwilling to think about!

    She also finally understood why she always felt like she had forgotten something.

    Now she felt complete, with a full memory.

    Qin Xue looked at the man close to her and thought that no matter what happened in the future, this man would be there with her. It felt so good.

    Qin Xue saw that his thick eyebrows were furrowed. She didn¡¯t know what he was dreaming about that made him restless even in his sleep.

    Qin Xue smoothed his furrowed eyebrows with her hand, snuggled into his arms, adjusted to a comfortable position, and closed her eyes to sleep!

    Qin Xue wasn¡¯t actually sleeping but was using her consciousness to review her knowledge from medical books in her mind.

    Chu Molin seemed to sense that Qin Xue had woken up. He opened his eyes and saw that Qin Xue was still asleep and hadn¡¯t woken up. Had he sensed it wrong? Chu Molin sighed in his heart.

    He didn¡¯t know when Qin Xue would wake up.

    But looking at Qin Xue, it seemed like she had moved even closer to him.

    So, Chu Molin tightened his arms around Qin Xue, closed his eyes and rested.

    With his eyes closed, Chu Molin couldn¡¯t help but go over the array diagrams in his mind.

    He found that the more he understood the array diagram, the more energetic his body seemed to become..

 Chapter 218

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    Both husband and wife thought the other was asleep, but in reality, both of them were analyzing the knowledge they had seen during the day in their consciousness.

    Qin Xue seemed to have discovered something amazing.

    Every time she fully understood a medical condition, she felt her body becoming more flexible!

    The agility of her fingers seemed to have increased a lot!

    She had noticed this when she performed surgery on Chu Molin.

    But at that time, she thought she was just anxious!

    So she didn¡¯t pay attention to it then, but now she clearly realized that she had this ability!

    This discovery made Qin Xue extremely excited! She couldn¡¯t wait to communicate with Xue Ling using her consciousness.

    ¡°Xue Ling, why do I feel like every time I fully understand a medical condition, my abilities increase by one level?¡± Qin Xue asked excitedly and puzzled!

    ¡°Of course! Have you forgotten whose space this is?¡± Xue Ling said with a proud air.

    ¡°Are you talking about the cultivator¡¯s abilities?¡± Qin Xue tentatively asked!

    ¡°Yes! Although ordinary people can¡¯t cultivate immortality, the abilities left by cultivators can be used by you all.¡±

    Xue Ling had said at that time that the effects of the space inside had to be discovered by Qin Xue herself.

    ¡°So what kind of abilities are there inside?¡± Qin Xue excitedly asked Xue Ling!

    ¡°That¡¯s for you to find out! I also discovered a problem.

    When I, a fox, cultivate by myself, my progress is much slower.

    But when I¡¯m cultivating, and you¡¯re studying medical theories, my cultivation speed will increase and improve faster. So, Master, please read more books in the space!

    Even if it¡¯s not for yourself, think about me!

    That way, I can transform into a human form sooner. You don¡¯t know how bored a fox is in this space.

    Just help me out, and when I become human,

    I can help you look after Xiao Bao.¡± Xue Ling said, trying to please Qin Xue!

    Was it easy for her? She never thought that she, a dignified Fox Fairy, would have such a humbling day!

    It¡¯s really destiny playing with her, or rather, destiny playing with a fox.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m interested in these medical books anyway.¡± Qin Xue thought of Xue Lings offer to take care of her baby.

    It made her heart race, with Xue Ling as her free nanny she could get busy in the future.

    ¡°Then, Master, let¡¯s study and cultivate together and make progress together.¡± Xue Ling became excited.

    ¡°Sure! Because I find myself more and more interested in these medical books.

    Many of them are about diseases and pharmacology that I have never encountered before.

    Plus, learning this has so many benefits for me, of course, I have to study hard!

    By the way, Xue Ling, how much longer do you think it will take for you to cultivate into human form?¡±

    Qin Xue¡¯s voice carried a scheming tone that she herself hadn¡¯t noticed as she asked Xue Ling.

    ¡°What do you want to do?¡± Xue Ling looked at Qin Xue alertly.

    Of course, this was Qin Xue communicating with her through consciousness, so she couldn¡¯t actually see Qin Xue.

    ¡°I¡¯m not planning anything! I just think that if you can cultivate into human form, then wouldn¡¯t the matters in the space be taken care of by you, so I can do whatever I like without worrying about it?

    With you handling things in the space, I won¡¯t have to bother with it, it¡¯s a win-win situation, isn¡¯t that great?¡±

    Qin Xue thought she was so clever to come up with such a plan!

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s fine, after all, I¡¯m in the space too.¡±

    Xue Ling thought it was something serious. Wasn¡¯t the matters in the space her territory?

    When her cultivation level was higher after she transformed into a human, she could solve any issues with just a wave of her hand!

    It wouldn¡¯t be troublesome, right?

    So Qin Xue really had no need to worry about this issue..

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    ¡°Really? That¡¯s great!¡± Qin Xue was utterly delighted.

    ¡°Yeah, would I lie to you about such a small thing?

    Plus, you¡¯re my master, I can¡¯t lie to you!¡± Xue Ling spoke, curling its fox lips.

    ¡°Right, master. Find an opportunity to get some of Chu Molin¡¯s blood for me.¡± Xue Ling almost forgot about this matter.

    ¡°Why do you need Chu Molin¡¯s blood?¡± Qin Xue asked curiously.

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s to sense if there would be any danger around him. Like this time, if I could feel it, you wouldn¡¯t have to worry so much.¡± Xue Ling suddenly thought that Qin Xue was rather dim-witted.

    If Qin Xue knew its thoughts, Xue Ling would never get to eat Qin Xue¡¯s cooking again!

    ¡°Uh, is there such a divine operation?¡± Qin Xue thought this was too advanced.

    ¡°Of course, you didn¡¯t think about who this Fox Fairy is?¡± Xue Ling arrogantly flicked its tail.

    Oh dear, Xue Ling, you¡¯re a fox, not a dog, why are you wagging your tail?

    ¡°Alright, alright, 1 know you¡¯re powerful, is that enough?¡± Qin Xue felt this divine operation was especially good.

    But how should she obtain Chu Molin¡¯s blood?

    If Xue Ling had told her before the surgery, that would have been fine.

    In that case, she could have directly collected Chu Molin¡¯s blood during the surgery, not needing to draw more blood.

    How should she ask Chu Molin for blood now?

    Could she directly tell him: Chu Molin, make a cut on yourself and give me some blood?

    If she said that, Chu Molin might think she¡¯s crazy!

    Right, she could ask Dr. Chen for help!

    Just say it¡¯s for a blood test, hehe, this reason is great.

    ¡°Mhm, 1 understand, I will definitely get his blood for you.¡± Qin Xue thought, with such a benefit, why not take it?

    ¡°Mhm, good! Oh right, master, the medicinal seedlings you planted are growing well.

    Some can already be harvested. If you could find more seedlings to plant, that would be great.¡±

    Xue Ling thought that Qin Xue was somewhat wasteful.

    She had such a good space but didn¡¯t know how to make good use of it.

    ¡°I know, I will try to find more medicinal seeds to plant.¡±

    Qin Xue thought that Xue Lings eagerness to have her plant more medicinal herbs might be related to its cultivation!

    However, in this era, finding these things is not easy.

    A lot of things can¡¯t be bought with money.

    Last time, she was lucky to get so many medicinal seeds.

    If there was really no way, she would wait for this batch of herbs to bear flowers and fruits and produce seeds.

    Wouldn¡¯t this allow her to continue planting more medicinal herbs?

    This should work, although they would all be the same type of medicinal herbs, but they will not be ordinary once they come from the space.

    ¡°Then master, if there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll go cultivate!

    You should hurry up too!¡± Xue Ling reminded her worriedly!

    ¡°l know, go ahead.¡± Qin Xue ended her communication with Xue Ling.

    When she opened her big beautiful eyes, she saw a pair of deep eyes staring at her.

    Upon opening her eyes and seeing this scene, Qin Xue was startled!

    Qin Xue hurriedly patted her heart which had jumped in fright.

    She glared at Chu Molin: ¡°Don¡¯t you know it¡¯s dangerous to scare people like that?¡±

    ¡°When did you wake up?¡± Qin Xue thought that when she woke up, he was still asleep.

    Not that much time had passed, right? Or did she get too engrossed in communicating with Xue Ling!

    So she didn¡¯t notice that Chu Molin had woken up.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been awake for a while, Xue¡¯er, do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?¡± Chu Molin tucked the stray hair on her face behind her ear.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m feeling great. What¡¯s going on?¡± Qin Xue asked with confusion..

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    Chu Molin couldn¡¯t tell if anything was different about her, could it be she¡¯d forgotten what happened earlier?

    She didn¡¯t even know how much pain she had caused Chu Molin.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, as long as you¡¯re fine.¡± Chu Molin thought it¡¯s better if she doesn¡¯t remember.

    It wasn¡¯t that Qin Xue didn¡¯t remember, but she didn¡¯t know how to talk to Chu Molin about it!

    So, she simply changed the subject to something else.

    Qin Xue looked out the window and suddenly realized something. She had forgotten about it!

    ¡°Oh no! Master Zhu asked me to get the soup in the afternoon. I completely forgot about it.¡±

    Qin Xue quickly sat up, put on her shoes, and prepared to run out.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, don¡¯t worry. Take it slow, the soup won¡¯t run away.

    You should at least freshen up first.¡± Chu Molin looked at her messy hair. ¡°Ah, right, I just woke up and haven¡¯t even groomed myself yet.¡±

    Qin Xue lowered her head to look at her wrinkled clothes, feeling more and more confused.

    They say one becomes foolish during pregnancy; could it be she was already starting to get foolish?

    ¡°Go ahead, take it slow, don¡¯t worry.¡± Chu Molin said gently to Qin Xue.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll tidy up myself and go get the soup and food for you.¡± Qin Xue walked towards the bathroom.

    Qin Xue looked at the disheveled woman in the mirror. Was this woman her?

    Her hair was messy like a bird¡¯s nest, and her face was rosy red.

    Her clothes were wrinkled and ugly; such an unattractive woman couldn¡¯t possibly be her!

    Qin Xue, who always liked to be clean and tidy, found this slovenly appearance quite disgusting.

    Qin Xue went to the ward and opened her bundle, taking out a white maternity dress.

    She took the dress back to the bathroom and quickly changed her clothes.

    She picked up a comb to tidy her hair and braided it into a ponytail.

    Qin Xue looked at the clean and tidy person in the mirror, smiled, and thought, ¡°Yes, this is me.¡±

    Qin Xue washed her face to wake herself up before leaving the bathroom: ¡°Chu Molin, do you want to use the bathroom?¡±

    Qin Xue¡¯s inquiries were much more relaxed than they were in the morning.

    ¡°No need, you go get the food and soup.¡± Chu Molin could now move freely and get out of bed without assistance.

    All thanks to that array!

    However, Qin Xue didn¡¯t know he could move around freely now.

    Upon hearing him say he didn¡¯t need to, she assumed he just didn¡¯t want to go to the bathroom.

    So she nodded and left without saying anything, heading for the cafeteria.

    It was peak mealtime in the cafeteria, with doctors, nurses, and patients¡¯ families all getting food to eat.

    There seemed to be a lot of people, and Qin Xue saw Master Zhu and his team busy, so she didn¡¯t go over right away.

    Instead, she found an empty table to sit and wait.

    ¡°Qin Xue, why are you sitting here instead of eating?¡± Li Lan sat down in front of Qin Xue with a tray of food.

    Qin Xue had been lost in thought and looked up when she heard someone call her.

    ¡°It¡¯s Ms. Li! Sorry, I was just thinking about something and didn¡¯t hear clearly what you just said.¡±

    Qin Xue awkwardly smiled at Li Lan. When Qin Xue was deep in thought, she would be fully immersed.

    She wouldn¡¯t be affected by anything around her!

    So what did Li Lan just say? Qin Xue really didn¡¯t know!

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s okay. I was asking why you¡¯re sitting here, why not eat?¡± Li Lan didn¡¯t seem to blame Qin Xue.

    After all, she had come over uninvited to greet Qin Xue,

    ¡°Oh, I am going to get food, but there are too many people right now. So I¡¯ll just wait a bit and go get food later.¡± Qin Xue was here to get the soup.

    But there were too many people now, and Master Zhu didn¡¯t have any spare time.

    The kitchen was also off-limits, so other people couldn¡¯t enter casually. Qin Xue knew this, so she just waited here.

    She would wait for Master Zhu to finish up before getting the soup!

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    ¡°So, can I sit here?¡± Li Lan asked Qin Xue.

    ¡°Sure, feel free to sit anywhere,¡± Qin Xue generously replied.

    This is a public place after all, not just hers alone.

    The other party was only asking for her opinion, merely showing her respect!

    ¡°Thank you!¡± Li Lan said with a smile as she placed her meal on the table.

    ¡°Qin Xue, were you a doctor before?¡± Li Lan asked, recalling her exquisite surgical skills.

    ¡°Well, don¡¯t laugh. I never worked as a doctor in a hospital before.

    Everything I know, I learned from an old man when I was young.

    The set of tools I have was given to me by that old man when he passed away.¡±

    Qin Xue made up an imaginary old man. Otherwise, how would she explain where she got her medical skills from!

    ¡°Oh, I see. That¡¯s lucky. What a wonderful encounter.

    You must have had a tough time learning all these skills.¡±

    Li Lan thought that having such remarkable skills must have required going through a lot of hardships.

    ¡°Yes, it was indeed tough,¡± she reminiscing about her years learning medicine.

    Were they not full of hardships? Any free moment was spent buried in medical books.

    Every anatomy class made her throw up from the stress.

    Every day, she had to memorize a lot of prescriptions, and the Chinese herb prescriptions in verse that her grandpa required her to learn!

    Thinking about that period almost brings her to tears! But all the hard work has led to her current achievements.

    ¡°Hmm, learning medicine is indeed hard. I respect you for that,¡± Li Lan smiled and told Qin Xue.

    ¡°Actually, a lot of medical studies involves rote memorization. As long as you have a good grasp on how to do it, it¡¯s manageable,¡± said Qin Xue.

    Qin Xue believed it was crucial to have interest in the subject of medicine.

    If there was no interest, learning it would be in vain.

    People are strange. They seem to pick up interesting things effortlessly.

    Conversely, if it¡¯s not interesting, they could put in all the effort in the world

    and still not get it.

    ¡°What you said is very true, indeed.¡±

    Chen Hao, who happened to pass by and heard Qin Xue¡¯s reply, immediately chimed in.

    Qin Xue smiled and nodded to Chen Hao, but Li Lan greeted him, ¡°Dr. Chen, aren¡¯t you eating yet?¡±

    Li Lan and Chen Hao had been on night shift the day before.

    ¡°Um, may I sit here?¡± Chen Hao asked, noticing the two empty seats.

    ¡°Please do!¡± Qin Xue said, noticing Li Lan¡¯s glance in her direction.

    ¡°Thanks!¡± Chen Hao voiced his gratitude, placing his meal on the table before sitting down.

    ¡°Er, have you eaten yet, Qin Xue?¡± Chen Hao asked, observing Qin Xue¡¯s empty table.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m just here to get soup for my husband. Master Zhu is busy right now.

    So, I¡¯m waiting here for a bit while he gets it.¡± she explained.

    Qin Xue didn¡¯t realize how odd it looked to be in the cafeteria without eating anything.

    ¡°Oh, I see! Your husband is really lucky,¡± Chen Hao said in a low voice, dejectedly.

    Qin Xue smiled but did not respond, and the atmosphere suddenly became awkward.

    Li Lan glanced at Qin Xue and then at Chen Hao and pursed her lips.

    ¡®Qin Xue, are you eight months pregnant?¡± Li Lan asked, breaking the silence.

    ¡°Not yet, just over six months,¡± Qin Xue said with a smile!

    It¡¯s the result of her and Chu Molin¡¯s luck from last time!

    She had heard that it happened in the twelfth month of the lunar calendar last year, and now it was the end of May.

    Indeed, she is over six months, almost seven months, pregnant.

    ¡°Wow, I thought you were eight months along with that big belly,¡± Li Lan said, surprised.

    ¡°Hehe, that¡¯s what people who don¡¯t know think!

    Because I¡¯m carrying twins, my belly looks much bigger than others¡¯ Qin Xue said, caressing her belly with a look of bliss on her face.

    ¡°Qin Xue, you are so lucky.. Everyone else gets just one, but you got two on your first try,¡± Li Lan expressed her envy of Qin Xue¡¯s good fortune!

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    Li Lan could tell that Qin Xue¡¯s husband really loved her.

    Most people would only have one child, but Qin Xue was pregnant with twins.

    It had to be said that all the luck seemed to be with Qin Xue!

    Even her medical skills were so superb, it wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say she was heaven¡¯s favored one!

    ¡°l also think I have great luck,¡± Qin Xue laughed and echoed Li Lan¡¯s words!

    The content of the conversation between the two women left Chen Hao lost for words, but the content only made him feel even more sad.

    He had lived for nearly 30 years and finally met a woman who made his heart skip a beat.

    But this woman was already married and had children, killing his yet-to-blossom love in its tracks!

    Well, as long as she was happy, that was enough. Who knew when he would meet another woman who made his heart race like this. Thinking of this, Chen Hao¡¯s mood improved a lot.

    But he gave Li Lan a meaningful look.

    Li Lan¡¯s heart trembled under his gaze. Did he figure out her intentions?!

    Yes, Li Lan had deliberately asked Qin Xue these questions.

    Because she could see that Qin Xue and her husband were very much in love, and if Dr. Chen stepped in, he would only be the one getting hurt.

    So, she decided it was better to help him let go of his thoughts now, even if he didn¡¯t end up liking her.

    Even if she couldn¡¯t have him, she would bear the pain alone ¨C there was no need for several people to be troubled by it.

    She would wait for one more year, and if Chen Hao still didn¡¯t like her, she would find someone else to marry and stop waiting.

    ¡°You two enjoy your meal; I¡¯m going to get some food.¡± Qin Xue looked at the gradually dwindling crowd and spoke.

    ¡°Oh, alright. Go ahead!¡± Li Lan looked up, smiling at Qin Xue!

    When Qin Xue stood up and pulled her chair back, she remembered that she had something else to tell them.

    ¡°Dr. Chen, Ms. Li, could I ask you for a favor?¡± Qin Xue spoke cautiously.

    ¡°What is it? Just tell us.¡± Chen Hao was curious about what favor Qin Xue wanted from them!

    ¡°Well, when you examine Molin¡¯s condition and draw his blood, could you please draw a little extra?

    Please leave the blood you need for testing and then give the remaining blood to me, would that be okay?¡± Qin Xue said all she wanted in one breath.

    ¡°What do you want his blood for?¡± Chen Hao asked!

    Li Lan felt that Qin Xue¡¯s husband loved her so much that

    Not only would he likely give her a little of his blood if she asked, but he might even give her his life if she wanted it, right?

    ¡°Uh, well, I have my reasons.¡± Qin Xue couldn¡¯t tell them that it was for Xue Ling, could she?

    ¡°Why not just ask him for some blood directly?

    Why do you want us to do it?¡± Li Lan didn¡¯t understand why Qin Xue wanted it done this way!

    ¡°If I ask for it directly, I would have to cut him with a knife to get his blood.

    But you guys are different; you can use a syringe to draw the blood. This way, he won¡¯t get hurt.¡± Qin Xue thought that this reason should suffice, right?

    ¡°Oh, alright, no problem.¡± Chen Hao accepted Qin Xue!s reasoning.

    No matter what Qin Xue wanted her husband¡¯s blood for,

    It was their business as a couple. Since Qin Xue was reluctant even to cut him for a little blood, it meant they truly loved each other and couldn¡¯t bear to see the other hurt, even a little bit.

    If that was the case, he would just help her out with this favor!

    Regardless of the outcome, just seeing her smiling face was better than anything else.

    ¡°Thank you so much! I¡¯m going to get some food now, see you later!¡± Qin Xue waved her hand and walked towards the food counter.

    ¡°You were doing that on purpose just now, weren¡¯t you?¡± Chen Hao took a bite of his food!

    ¡°Cough, cough!¡± Li Lan choked in surprise, realizing that he had indeed figured her out..

 Chapter 223

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    Chen Hao handed the untouched bowl of soup beside him to Li Lan!

    Li Lan glanced at the bowl of soup, didn¡¯t take it, and looked down at the food on her plate.

    ¡°Some things, when we know they are impossible, we should not fall into them.¡±

    These words were spoken not only for Chen Hao to hear but also for herself. After saying this, Li Lan put down her chopsticks, picked up her plate, and left!

    Leaving Chen Hao alone, he looked at the bowl of soup in his hand, then at the retreating figure of Li Lan.

    So if you know it¡¯s impossible, don¡¯t get involved?

    Wasn¡¯t she doing the same? Chen Hao wasn¡¯t unaware of Li Lan¡¯s fondness for him.

    He knew that Li Lan had liked him ever since they first met.

    But he didn¡¯t know whether it was because they were too familiar or something else.

    Anyway, he just didn¡¯t have that heart-pounding feeling for Li Lan.

    So all he could do for Li Lan was being friends besides being colleagues.

    Chen Hao now felt very determined in his heart, only wanting to be friends with Li Lan.

    But he didn¡¯t realize that Li Lan had already entered his heart.

    One day, he saw a scene that made him realize love had already taken root and sprouted in his heart without his knowledge.

    ¡°Master, give me two servings of rice,¡± Qin Xue handed an empty lunch box to Master Zhu.

    ¡°Sister, it¡¯s you! I thought you had forgotten,¡± Master Zhu¡¯s chubby face was full of smiles!

    ¡°Well, actually, I almost did forget.

    I¡¯m even late for the time I promised you.¡± Qin Xue returned Master Zhu¡¯s smile.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s not too late anyway.

    I¡¯ll serve you rice first, then I¡¯ll get you soup,¡± Master Zhu waved his hand.

    ¡°Okay, thank you, Master Zhu! I don¡¯t have a container for the soup.

    Can you lend me one? I¡¯ll return it to you after I finish eating,¡± Qin Xue recalled that she didn¡¯t buy a soup bowl.

    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s that? Of course!¡± Master Zhu was already used to this kind of situation.

    Lending a soup bowl was not a big deal, as other people sometimes also forgot to bring one.

    As long as they borrowed one and returned it later, everything was fine.

    ¡°Thank you!¡± Qin Xue planned to buy a soup bowl when she had time.

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Master Zhu handed over the prepared rice to Qin Xue!

    He found a container for the soup, washed it, and filled it with the chicken soup.

    ¡°Sister, here it is. Take this!¡± Master Zhu handed the filled bucket to Qin Xue!

    ¡°Alright, thank you.¡± Qin Xue brought the prepared rice and soup back to the hospital room.

    ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± Chu Molin looked up at Qin Xue, then put away the array diagram and sat up.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m back. Did you wait long?¡± Qin Xue asked with a smile.

    ¡°No, I feel like you just went out,¡± Chu Molin had lost track of time while looking at the array.

    How could he feel that a lot of time had passed?

    ¡°Here, have some soup before you eat,¡± Qin Xue ladled a bowl of soup for Chu Moline

    ¡°This soup is well-cooked, simmered for a long time, and has a very rich flavor,¡± Chu Molin commented after taking a sip.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s really good. It seems that Master Zhu from the cafeteria has some good culinary skills,¡± Qin Xue agreed after a sip.

    Qin Xue only scooped a small amount of rice, giving the rest to Chu Molin.

    ¡°Can you get full with such a little amount of rice?¡± Chu Molin looked at the tiny amount of rice on her plate.

    ¡°It¡¯s enough, I didn¡¯t do much this afternoon, so I¡¯m not very hungry.¡±

    Didn¡¯t she still have some tomatoes in her space to eat?

    If she got hungry later, she could eat a few tomatoes in her space, which could also replenish her vitamins..

 Chapter 224

    Translator: 549690339

    Chu Molin looked at her thin little face, others would eat a lot during pregnancy.

    Why was it that his little wife seemed to eat less and less?

    ¡°Can you keep up with the nutrition by eating so little?¡±

    ¡°Sure, I¡¯m not picky.¡± Qin Xue was the kind of person who ate less rice and more vegetables!

    Chu Molin nodded and handed Qin Xue a chicken leg.

    In that case, he would make it up to her in his own way!

    ¡°You eat it! The injured person is you, not me!¡± Qin Xue tried to give the chicken leg back to Chu Molin.

    ¡°You eat it! I can nourish my body just as well with other things!¡¯

    As if Chu Molin would ever fight with his little wife over a chicken leg!

    Qin Xue thought it was reasonable, so she didn¡¯t insist and ate the chicken leg herself.

    Master Zhu cooked the chicken legs soft and tender, easy to pick the meat off with chopsticks!

    ¡°Chu Molin, I think you¡¯re recovering quite well! You can even get up and move around by yourself!¡± Qin Xue hadn¡¯t noticed just now!

    Now she realized that she hadn¡¯t even helped him earlier, and he was already up and eating!

    ¡°Yes, all thanks to my wife¡¯s good care!¡±

    Chu Molin thought, for a person who was almost dead to be able to get up and walk the next day is really incredible.

    If he hadn¡¯t experienced it himself, he wouldn¡¯t believe it either.

    Now he was wondering how to deal with this question if the doctor asked about it.

    After all, this kind of thing is beyond the understanding of ordinary people.

    ¡°Haha, I didn¡¯t really do anything.¡± Where would Qin Xue dare to claim credit for it!

    She only performed surgery on him and then bought him a couple of meals.

    As for taking care of him, she didn¡¯t really feel like she did much for Chu Molin.

    ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s all thanks to you.¡± Chu Molin knew what Qin Xue meant! ¡°Xue¡¯er, how should we explain to others that I recovered so quickly?¡± Chu

    Molin asked his little wife.

    ¡°Um!¡± Qin Xue was stumped. She didn¡¯t know that this man would recover so fast!

    Chu Molin looked at his stunned wife! He was just casually asking her.

    He had always recovered faster than normal people from injuries, so he didn¡¯t need to worry too much.

    But he didn¡¯t expect to stump his little wife with just one question!

    Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue¡¯s dumbfounded expression and found it funny. His little wife actually had such a cute side!

    ¡°At that time, you can just say that your body is better than others, so you recover faster.¡¯

    Qin Xue thought this reason was a bit far-fetched, but it was still an acceptable one.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll listen to my wife.¡± Chu Molin nodded.

    It seems the husband and wife duo are on the same wavelength, their tacit understanding was quite high.

    ¡°Of course, haven¡¯t you heard that if you listen to your wife, you get to eat candy?¡±

    Qin Xue remembered that in her past life, there was a saying: ¡®listening to your wife can lead to wealth.¡¯

    Now she changed it to ¡®listening to your wife, you get to eat candy.¡¯ Anyway, Chu Molin hadn¡¯t heard of the original saying, right?

    So he shouldn¡¯t be able to find any problems with it after hearing it.

    ¡°Well, since listening to your wife gets you candy, then wife, since 1 listened to you, give me a piece of candy.¡± Chu Molin laughed as he looked at Qin Xue.

    Upon hearing this, Qin Xue was thoroughly stunned. This man could actually crack jokes.

    Would the sun come out from the west tomorrow?

    ¡°You¡¯re getting naughty!¡± Qin Xue glanced at him sideways!

    ¡°How am I getting naughty? Didn¡¯t you say that listening to your wife gets you candy?¡± Chu Molin laughed even more happily.

    ¡°That¡¯s what I said, but where am I supposed to find you candy now? Isn¡¯t this getting naughty?¡± Qin Xue thought this man was cheeky enough, but she didn¡¯t want his cheekiness directed at her, please!

 Chapter 225

    Chu Molin also didn¡¯t speak, but just stared fixedly at her mouth like this.

    It was quite obvious what he meant¡ªhe wanted a kiss!

    Qin Xue looked at Chu Molin, who didn¡¯t speak and just kept staring at her.

    She couldn¡¯t understand what he meant, and even if she did understand at this time, she would pretend not to.

    Only a fool would take the initiative, so Qin Xue focused on eating her meal.

    Oh, this chicken is so delicious! What should Qin Xue do if she suddenly craves spicy chicken?

    Thinking of the fragrant and spicy chicken chunks, Qin Xue couldn¡¯t help but salivate!

    She decided that after Molin was discharged from the hospital, she would cook a spicy chicken meal for him to enjoy.

    ¡°What are you thinking? You¡¯re making such a drooling expression.¡±

    Chu Molin watched her eyes become more and more shiny, and she occasionally smacked her lips!

    ¡°Chu Molin, I want to eat spicy chicken!¡± Qin Xue honestly answered when he asked.

    ¡°What is spicy chicken?¡± Chu Molin had never heard of it before!

    ¡°Spicy chicken, as the name suggests, is chicken chunks stir-fried with chili peppers!¡± Qin Xue¡¯s explanation was not wrong!

    ¡°Just chili stir-fried chicken can make you show such an expression?¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t find it credible.

    ¡°Of course not, that¡¯s just a general explanation.

    Its preparation is not that simple!

    Let me tell you, to make spicy chicken, you first need to choose a plump rooster.

    After cleaning and chopping it, marinate the chicken chunks with 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, some starch, 1 tablespoon of cooking wine, half a tablespoon of sugar, a moderate amount of salt, five-spice powder, and 1 tablespoon of white wine.

    Marinate the chicken to let the flavors soak in.

    Then, heat oil in a clean pan, and when the oil is about 60% hot, add the marinated chicken chunks to fry until golden brown. Remove the chicken to drain the oil.

    Leave a little oil to stir-fry dried red chilies, garlic, Sichuan pepper, ginger, bay leaves, star anise, and scallion segments.

    Finally, add the fried chicken chunks and stir-fry to mix in the spicy flavor, then plate and serve the dish!

    Of course, you can also sprinkle some white sesame seeds on the plated dish for a nice touch!

    And just like that, a delicious and spicy dish of spicy chicken is ready! The more Qin Xue talked about it, the more she craved it!

    Qin Xue looked at Chu Molin with annoyance. Why did she tell him how to make spicy chicken and tease herself?

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Chu Molin thought that spicy chicken must be a good dish based on Qin Xue!s description!

    But when he saw Qin Xue¡¯s expression, he couldn¡¯t help but ask!

    ¡°You can¡¯t cook, so why did I explain it to you in such detail?

    Look, now I¡¯m even hungrier.¡± Qin Xue thought that if it weren¡¯t for Chu Molin not being able to eat spicy food right now, she would definitely go buy a chicken and make spicy chicken to eat.

    She realized that her taste buds had become much stronger, and she wanted to eat whatever she thought of immediately.

    Chu Molin felt innocent. It was she who started talking about it and she who decided to explain it in such detail!

    Now she was blaming him, is this considered being shot while lying down?

    ¡°Hmm, blame me!¡± In any case, since his wife said it was his fault, he would be the first to admit it.

    In such situations, Chu Molin had summed up one experience!

    Which was, once he admitted his mistake, his little wife would relent!

    ¡°Um, actually, you can¡¯t really blame you. It¡¯s just that I have a craving!¡± Qin Xue said cheerfully!

    Sure enough, as soon as Chu Molin admitted his mistake, Qin Xue relented! ¡°If you want to eat it, just go buy it and make it. Don¡¯t be too hard on yourself.¡±

    Chu Molin thought he had the money for it, so there was no need to save money by starving his wife and child!

    ¡°But you can¡¯t eat spicy food now!¡± Qin Xue relented and said!

    ¡°Even if I can¡¯t eat it, you can, right? You can just eat it yourself!

    And if you eat it, won¡¯t our child eat it too?¡± Chu Molin was very happy that Qin Xue was considering him in everything!

 Chapter 226

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    In this life, how blessed it is to have someone who always thinks of you!

    Finding such a wife in this life, what more could a husband ask for! Satisfaction!

    Chu Molin watched Qin Xue eat earnestly, and he too, started eating with full concentration!

    The couple didn¡¯t talk much, but the atmosphere between them was lovely!

    After finishing their meal, Qin Xue took the soup bowl to Master Zhu!

    When she returned to the ward, she saw Chu Molin engrossed in that array book again.

    It seemed that Chu Molin had taken a liking to the arrays.

    Qin Xue didn¡¯t want to disturb him, so she took out her own book and started reading.

    It must be said that both husband and wife loved reading.

    The two seemed to be competing in reading, turning the pages of their respective books, one after another!

    It felt as if they were fighting to see who could finish their book first.

    Although they both read fast, they had already imprinted the contents in their minds.

    With both their genes being so strong, how powerful would their baby be?

    Qin Xue flipped through the first medical book several times.

    Only after feeling that she had fully understood the first book did she start reading the second one.

    The two continued reading until the doctor came for his rounds, and the sound of knocking on the door woke them up!

    ¡°Um, you¡¯re recovering nicely, Chu Molin. How do you feel today?¡± Chen Hao asked after examining Chu Molin¡¯s wound!

    ¡°Pretty good!¡± Chu Molin replied in just three words!

    Chen Hao meant to ask if he had any discomfort, and his three-word response showed that he must be recovering well!

    Chen Hao couldn¡¯t help but marvel at this man¡¯s incredible self-healing ability!

    Perhaps it was due to his high-intensity training, having a strong body and exceptional resistance that created such a strong self-healing power!

    ¡°That¡¯s good. If you feel any discomfort, please let us know.

    So we can address it in a timely manner! Understand?¡± Thinking about it, Chen Hao decided to remind him once more!

    Chu Molin nodded his head, but was wondering why this man hadn¡¯t left yet. He didn¡¯t overlook the love in the man¡¯s eyes!

    For some unknown reason, Chen Hao felt that Chu Molin held strong hostility towards him!

    Chen Hao thought and thought, but as far as he could remember, he hadn¡¯t offended Chu Molin, had he?

    Chen Hao completely forgot that the woman he liked was someone else¡¯s wife!

    Hehe, Chen Hao, you¡¯re so funny. You may not have offended him, but you like his wife!

    Chu Molin just didn¡¯t want you lingering around here. He hasn¡¯t even punched you yet, you should be happy!

    ¡°Ms. Li, please draw blood from Mr. Chu for a test!¡± Chen Hao looked at Li Lan behind him!

    After saying that, he smiled at Qin Xue, put away his tools, and left the ward first!

    Chu Molin noticed his little action and really wanted to punch him.

    He dared to smile at Qin Xue so openly in front of him, treating him like a dead man!

    But what was the deal with this blood draw? ¡°Mr. Chu, relax, you¡¯re too tense!¡±

    Li Lan reminded Chu Molin of his taut muscles!

    ¡°Why do you need to draw blood?¡± Chu Molin asked with a cold face!

    ¡°The blood draw is just a normal routine checkup, there¡¯s no need to worry!¡¯ Li Lan answered patiently!

    Chu Molin nodded approvingly and extended his arm for the blood draw!

    Li Lan tied the rubber band around his arm and prepared to draw blood!

    ¡°Why are you drawing so much blood this time?¡± Chu Molin hadn¡¯t seen such a large amount of blood drawn before!

    ¡°We need to run additional tests, so we need to take a bit more!¡±

    Li Lan smiled as she spoke, not able to tell Chu Molin that it was his wife who had requested it, after all!

    But she couldn¡¯t say it directly, so she used this excuse instead!

 Chapter 227

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    After Li Lan finished drawing blood and left, Qin Xue used the excuse of getting water to find Li Lan and get Chu Molin¡¯s blood!

    ¡°Ms. Li, hello!¡± Qin Xue found Li Lan and greeted her with a smile!

    ¡°Qin Xue, you¡¯re here! Just a moment!¡± Li Lan put down the work in her hand, turned around and fetched Chu Molin¡¯s blood!

    ¡°Alright, take your time, no rush!¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t want to hold up Li Lan¡¯s work!

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s fine, here you go!¡± Li Lan handed Qin Xue a syringe of blood!

    Originally, this was against the rules, but who could blame Chen Hao for being willing to bend the rules for Qin Xue!

    ¡°Thank you!¡± Qin Xue took the syringe!

    You¡¯re welcome!¡± Li Lan smiled! She couldn¡¯t hold a grudge against Qin Xue just because Chen Hao liked her!

    After all, the person Qin Xue loved in her heart was her husband, and she didn¡¯t provoke Chen Hao!

    And as Li Lan thought, if Chen Hao liked her, he would have liked her long ago, right?

    Li Lan was very open-minded about these things, which might be her most valuable quality!

    ¡°Ms. Li, can you hear me out for a second?¡± Qin Xue wanted to leave, but she couldn¡¯t help but turn around and speak to Li Lan!

    ¡°What¡¯s up? Just tell me!¡± Li Lan didn¡¯t know what Qin Xue wanted to say to her!

    ¡°Come closer!¡± Qin Xue leaned over and whispered to Li Lan! Li Lan was even more curious seeing Qin Xue being so mysterious.

    Qin Xue whispered into Li Lan¡¯s ear for a while!

    As for what she said, only the two of them knew!

    ¡°Does this really work?¡± It wasn¡¯t that Li Lan didn¡¯t trust Qin Xue.

    ¡°Just give it a try! You won¡¯t know if it works or not unless you try, right?

    Even if it doesn¡¯t work out in the end, at least you¡¯ve tried your best, right?

    There¡¯s no need for you to keep wasting your youth here, right?¡± As an outsider, Qin Xue could see things more clearly than those involved!

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll try!¡± Li Lan had thought about giving up, but now she wanted to give it a try after hearing Qin Xue¡¯s words!

    Just like Qin Xue said, even if it didn¡¯t work, she wouldn¡¯t regret it!

    ¡°Great! 1 believe that this time you¡¯ll get the result you want.¡± Qin Xue smiled and said to Li Lan.

    ¡°Okay, thank you, Qin Xue.¡± Li Lan smiled back at Qin Xue.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be going now, thanks again for your help.¡± Qin Xue waved the syringe in her hand!

    ¡°Goodbye!¡± Li Lan waved goodbye, thinking that Qin Xue¡¯s attitude was quite compatible with hers!

    Li Lan thought maybe they would become good friends in the future!

    After getting Chu Molin¡¯s blood, Qin Xue went into the restroom.

    She closed the restroom door and went into her space,

    ¡°Xue Ling, here¡¯s Chu Molin¡¯s blood for you.¡± As soon as Qin Xue saw Xue Ling, she handed over the syringe to it.

    ¡°Master, you¡¯re so quick.¡± Xue Ling was excited!

    ¡°Because the timing is just right!¡± Qin Xue thought that since Chu Molin was injured now, it would be the easiest time to find an excuse to get blood without arousing suspicion.

    ¡°Yes, master is very clever.¡± Xue Ling agreed with Qin Xue!

    ¡°What do you need to do with the blood?¡± Qin Xue was curious about this.

    ¡°Leave that to me.¡± Xue Ling took Chu Molin¡¯s blood and placed it on the table.

    Qin Xue watched its actions, not knowing what it was planning to do?

    So Qin Xue just sat on the other side of the table, watching Xue Lings actions.

    ¡°Master, 1 need a little bit of your blood.¡± Xue Ling asked Qin Xue in a flattering tone!

    ¡°Why do you need my blood? Didn¡¯t you say you only needed Chu Molin¡¯s?¡± Qin Xue looked at Xue Ling!

    ¡°Who asked for you two to be a couple? And since I don¡¯t have enough cultivation to take human form yet, of course, you need to do it!¡± Xue Ling was also sad about this!

 Chapter 228

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    Xue Ling also wished that its cultivation could quickly rise, but if its master was not supporting, what could it do?

    ¡°What? You want me to do it? But I don¡¯t know how to!¡± Qin Xue did not expect Xue Ling to suggest that she should operate.

    ¡°You just need to give me a little bit of your blood, don¡¯t you have his child in you?

    I need your blood to sense him through your child!

    Otherwise, do you think that with my current level of cultivation, I can sense anyone¡¯s safety?¡± Xue Ling rolled its eyes, don¡¯t be ridiculous!

    ¡°Oh, I see. How much blood do you need?¡± Qin Xue understood what it meant.

    ¡°The same amount as in here will suffice!¡± Xue Ling said, looking at the blood in the vial!

    Qin Xue picked up a surgical knife, prepared to make a cut on her hand.

    ¡°Master, wait a moment, let me find something to hold it.¡± Xue Ling went to look for its bowl!

    Once Qin Xue placed her blood, Xue Ling poured Chu Molin¡¯s blood out and put it together with Qin Xue¡¯s.

    Then it cut its own claw and mixed its blood with the rest in the bowl!

    Murmuring, Qin Xue watched as the red blood gradually turned clear!

    Watching this change, Qin Xue was amazed with her mouth gaping.

    This is too magical, how did the blood turn transparent?

    ¡°Master, here, drink half of it and leave the rest for me.¡± Xue Ling pushed the transparent liquid!

    ¡°What? Am I supposed to drink this?¡± Can Qin Xue say she is a little apprehensive?

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s for you to drink. Just remember to drink only half.¡± Xue Ling looked at Qin Xue¡¯s reluctant expression, speechless.

    Bracing herself, Qin Xue picked up the bowl and drank half of it!

    Hmm, surprisingly there is no fishy smell, it tasted just like water!

    Xue Ling drank the remaining half.

    ¡°All right, done,¡± Xue Ling thought the work was successfully completed!

    ¡°Is it that simple?¡± Qin Xue watched as everything was done so quickly.

    ¡°Simple?¡± Xue Ling thought of the spell just now, which had consumed a lot of its cultivation

    ¡°Hm, simple!¡± Qin Xue truly felt it was simple.

    ¡°It may appear so, but it¡¯s actually quite hard. The hardest part is in mastering the spell!

    If there¡¯s a slight deviation the charm won¡¯t work.¡± Xue Ling succeeded at once because of its familiarity with the spell!

    Otherwise, how could it be successful in one go!

    ¡°Ah! Is it so complicated? 1 saw you doing it so easily, I thought it¡¯s quite simple?

    Now that you say so, seems like it is quite a complex process!¡± Qin Xue realised, nothing in this world is as simple as it seems!

    ¡°Actually, it¡¯s just the spell that¡¯s a bit complex.

    Once you¡¯ve grasped the rule it¡¯s quite easy!

    Master, would you like to learn? I can teach you!¡± Xue Ling thought of giving artifact cultivation charm to Qin Xue to see if it¡¯s useful.

    ¡°No need, it¡¯s for your cultivation, I can¡¯t do that.

    It¡¯s no use learning, so I¡¯m not interested. I¡¯d rather study the medical skills in the medical books!

    That can at least help you improve your cultivation!¡± Qin Xue is usually not interested in things that don¡¯t affect her!

    Since she can¡¯t cultivate, learning about it would be a waste of time!

    So she wants to spend time on meaningful things!

    That¡¯s her medical skills, she believes everything in the space is sure to bring her a great surprise!

    ¡°All right! If you don¡¯t want to learn, don¡¯t. As you said, it won¡¯t be much of a use for you!¡± Xue Ling thought that what Qin Xue said makes sense, and it was indeed so.

    ¡°You see! Ordinary people and cultivators like you are not the same.

    Therefore, no matter what one does, it¡¯s best to choose what suits oneself!¡± Qin Xue said smilingly!

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    ¡°Hmmm, you¡¯re right!¡± Xue Ling agreed with Qin Xue¡¯s opinion.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll head back to the ward first! Go and train by yourself!¡±

    Qin Xue thought she had been out for a long time, wondering if Chu Molin might get worried?

    ¡°Okay, you go get ¡¯em, Master!¡± Xue Ling shook her fox tail.

    ¡°Cheer up!¡± Qin Xue gave a cheering gesture before leaving the space.

    Qin Xue went to fill a bottle of hot water before returning to the ward.

    ¡°Why did you take so long?¡± Chu Molin asked as he saw Qin Xue pushing the door to enter.

    ¡°Oh, I saw Ms. Li, and had a chat with her!¡± Qin Xue replied while holding back some part of her answer.

    ¡°l see you get along really well with her!¡±

    Chu Molin noticed that all the friends Qin Xue made now were pretty decent.

    They have decent characters, unlike the ones she used to hang out with. What kind of friends were those?

    ¡°It¡¯s okay! Not exactly close to her, we just had a woman-like chat.

    Why? Do you want to hear it?¡± Qin Xue looked at Chu Molin with a mischievous smile.

    ¡°No need, but if you want to tell me, I can be your listener!¡± Chu Molin replied with a smile.

    He didn¡¯t really believe that Qin Xue would tell him everything. Everyone has their privacy. He¡¯s not a controlling person who must know everything.

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s skip that! Mr. Chu, you¡¯re so busy.

    I don¡¯t want to bother you with women¡¯s talk!¡± Qin Xue handed him a cup of water.

    ¡°You, little girl.¡± Chu Molin accepted the cup and sighed.

    ¡°Why, don¡¯t like this ¡®little girl?¡± Qin Xue playfully looked at him.

    ¡°Hmmm, I don¡¯t like!¡± Chu Molin replied.

    Just when Qin Xue was about to frown, he then said: ¡°l don¡¯t like you, I love

    ¡°Hahaha, Chu Molin, you are so naughty, but I like it!¡± Qin Xue laughed heartily.

    ¡°You like me saying these words?¡± Chu Molin raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°Sweet words occasionally bring romance, but too much can seem like a gesture!

    So, you just need to say it occasionally!¡± Qin Xue preferred actions over mere talks.

    Chu Molin was surprised. As far as he knew, women seemed to like sweet talk!

    ¡°As long as you¡¯re happy!¡± Chu Molin was only talkative around Qin Xue.

    Around others, he preferred to keep to himself and not talk unnecessary!

    ¡°Chu Molin, how¡¯s the special training going?¡± Qin Xue remembered it was still his special training time.

    ¡°It was okay for the first few days. Since this injury happened, there might be an interruption for a period!¡±

    Chu Molin didn¡¯t expect such an accident!

    Yet, he didn¡¯t regret it. If he hadn¡¯t done this, Jing Xin might have been exposed and lost his life!

    ¡°Then, you should focus on healing your injury first!¡± Qin Xue worried this man would go to train despite his injury.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Considering his current recovery process, it wouldn¡¯t be too long for him to fully heal.

    ¡°Is that book finished? Should I get you another one?¡± Qin Xue thought of the martial art secrets.

    Perhaps Chu Molin might be interested? Maybe there are some you can learn without the legendary inner power?

    Thinking about this, Qin Xue felt embarrassed. It had been so long and she had not flipped those books to see what martial art forms there were!

    ¡°What books do you have there!¡± Chu Molin asked out of curiosity.

    ¡°Well, let me think! Array, martial arts, art of war, medicine, embroidery needle method and so on. Quite a lot!¡± Qin Xue went into full disclosure mode, not minding removing a bit more of the veil of secrecy!

    ¡°Get me one on the art of war first!¡± Chu Molin initially wanted to read about martial arts.

    But considering his current injury, he feared if he saw something interesting, he couldn¡¯t resist to try it out himself!

    To avoid making Qin Xue worry, he would rather read something else first! After all, his little wife had a lot of good stuff!

    He must dig them out one by one to feel accomplished!

 Chapter 230

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue placed the array book that Chu Molin had finished reading in her backpack, but actually put it into her storage space.

    Then, she rummaged through and pulled out a book on the art of war!

    ¡°Here you go!¡± Qin Xue handed the art of war book to Chu Molin!

    Chu Molin hadn¡¯t expected Qin Xue to really come up with a book on the art of war!

    Upon receiving it, Chu Molin saw that the paper was, again, very old.

    Would this art of war book give him another surprise?

    Chu Molin couldn¡¯t wait to open it and start reading!

    The more he read, the more wonderful he found it; the content inside truly broadened Chu Molin¡¯s knowledge!

    How could someone have such a mind? Truly a genius!

    It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that these strategies were divine!

    Using the art of war well was inherently full of cunning and deception.

    But, in this book, there were not only strategies but also ways on how to crack them.

    Chu Molin¡¯s mind was already flexible; as he read, he analyzed whether these strategies would work or not.

    Seeing Chu Molin become engrossed in the book after taking it, Qin Xue gently smiled before starting to read her own book.

    Although the two of them were in the hospital, the warm atmosphere between them felt just as at home.

    If it weren¡¯t for Chu Molin wearing a patient¡¯s gown, anyone who saw them would think they were at their own home.

    Nobody had ever seen a hospital stay like this before.

    If Chu Molin knew this, he would have said: he usually couldn¡¯t bear to stay in the hospital when injured.

    But now, with his little wife by his side, being able to quietly read together was a kind of enjoyment!

    As long as his little wife was with him, even in the hospital, he felt content!

    ¡°Chu Molin, have you taken your medicine yet?¡± Qin Xue suddenly remembered, she had forgotten to ask Chu Molin if he had taken his medicine!

    ¡°l already took it!¡± Chu Molin replied without raising his head!

    Seeing that there was still plenty of time and his spirit was full, Qin Xue let him be.

    Qin Xue, feeling a bit tired, went to the bathroom, and when she came back,

    she didn¡¯t have the heart to disturb Chu Molin, who was still engrossed in the

    book, so she let him continue reading for a while!

    Qin Xue climbed onto the caregiver¡¯s bed and laid down, soon falling asleep!

    After some time, Chu Molin heard faint snoring and realized that Qin Xue had already fallen asleep.

    He checked the time and saw it was 10:00; no wonder she was a bit tired!

    Closing the book and putting it under his pillow, Chu Molin slowly got out of bed to go to the washroom and prepare for bed.

    Seeing Qin Xue sleeping on the caregiver¡¯s bed, curled up, he wanted to hold her in his arms as they slept.

    But, he was still injured, so he held back.

    Chu Molin got into bed and turned to look at Qin Xue.

    The more he looked, the more beautiful he found her, and he was glad her heart had softened at the time.

    Otherwise, who would have benefited from having such a good wife?

    It seemed like a lot of things were destined to happen!

    Otherwise, he would never have liked to be in contact with girls.

    Even his half-sister from the same dad, he had very little interaction with her.

    But, with Qin Xue, he just had a different feeling, and couldn¡¯t bear to refuse her.

    Now that the heavens have sent her to his side, he was really, really grateful for the matchmaking of the moon!

    And grateful for the two babies in Qin Xue¡¯s belly; they were all gifts from heaven!

    Maybe his mother in heaven was watching over him.

    She couldn¡¯t bear to see him lonely for the rest of his life, so she sent him an exceptionally excellent wife.

    Chu Molin cherished his current life very much. This was the warm home he had always wanted.

    Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue, who was smiling in her sleep. With these three treasures in his life, he was very content.

    Chu Molin had a dream, a dream in which Qin Xue had given birth to two babies.

    The family of four lived very happily!

 Chapter 231

    Translator: 549690339

    When Qin Xue got up in the middle of the night, she saw that Chu Molin was already asleep.

    She came back from the bathroom and saw Chu Molin¡¯s quilt had fallen to one side, so she pulled it up and covered his stomach.

    The weather was hot, so not covering it wouldn¡¯t cause a chill, but Chu Molin was injured, so Qin Xue wanted to cover him!

    As Qin Xue was about to go back to bed, her Wrist was caught by Chu Molin.

    ¡°Wife, can I sleep with you?¡± Chu Molin asked with half-closed eyes!

    Originally, he didn¡¯t want Qin Xue to sleep with him in the small bed.

    But the dream he just had made him want to hold Qin Xue while sleeping!

    ¡°You¡¯re injured, sleep well and let go of my hand, I¡¯m very sleepy!¡± Qin Xue said while yawning!

    ¡°Come on.¡± Chu Molin moved to the side to make room for Qin Xue!

    ¡°Chu Molin, you won¡¯t sleep well like this, let me sleep on the other side! Just sleep well!¡± Qin Xue wasn¡¯t going to indulge in his habits!

    He was already injured, so why not be more careful? What if the wound opened?

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, come on! Either you come up and sleep with me,

    Or I¡¯ll go sleep with you, choose one!¡± Chu Molin was determined to sleep with

    Qin Xue!

    ¡°But this bed is so small, I can¡¯t sleep well. What if I touch your wound?¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t care whether she slept alone or with him.

    She looked at the small hospital bed and thought they wouldn¡¯t both fit!

    Didn¡¯t you see Chu Molin almost fell off the bed at noon?

    ¡°I¡¯ll drag that bed over here and we can sleep on both, ok?¡±

    Chu Molin also knew that the bed was too small, so he thought of putting the two beds together!

    ¡°Why do you insist on sleeping with me? Even if I sleep alone, As soon as you open your eyes, you can see me, right?¡±

    Qin Xue looked at this stubborn man, puzzled!

    She didn¡¯t understand why he was so determined to sleep with her!

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, I just had a dream where our baby was born, so cute!

    So, I just wanted to hold you and sleep, all four of us together!¡± Chu Molin

    looked at her big belly!

    Qin Xue couldn¡¯t bear to refuse him after hearing this, so she went along with him to put the beds together!

    ¡°Be careful not to break your wound, it would be very troublesome!¡± Qin Xue warned him!

    Normally, such a severe injury would take a long time to heal.

    But what was this man made of?

    It was just the second day and he was full of energy!

    His toughness frightened her, making her wonder who had seen so many different patients like him!

    Could it be as he said, that it was because of that array?

    Is there really such a thing as internal energy in existence?

    Qin Xue couldn¡¯t figure it out and didn¡¯t think about it. After Chu Molin moved the bed, she checked his wound, thankfully it hadn¡¯t opened up.

    Going to bed to sleep was Qin Xue¡¯s only thought now!

    ¡°Chu Molin, can we sleep now?¡± She was so sleepy!

    ¡°Sleep, wife!¡± Chu Molin looked at her tired face with heartache!

    Did he make her too tired, look how sleepy his wife was?

    ¡°Mhm, okay!¡± Qin Xue agreed and laid down on the bed!

    Don¡¯t ask her if she¡¯s familiar with the bed, the hospital is her familiar scent!

    As a doctor, she was used to the smell of disinfectant, so Qin Xue missed the smell!

    But like she said, there were many patients in the hospital, so there were many bacteria. As a pregnant woman, she tried not to go to the hospital!

    If Chu Molin wasn¡¯t injured and needed someone to take care of him, she really didn¡¯t want to come!

    Chu Molin watched her movements and laughed, she was really sleepy!

    He went to the bathroom to wash his hands and then came back to lie on the hospital bed.

    He took Qin Xue into his arms, holding her, and slowly entered dreamland!

    The night was dreamless, and Chu Molin¡¯s biological clock was very accurate.. When he woke up, Qin Xue was still sleeping soundly!

 Chapter 232

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    Chu Molin held Qin Xue close, gently kissing her forehead before closing his eyes to nurture his energy.

    It¡¯s so hot, yet he still holds her so close without fearing the heat!

    On the surface, Chu Molin seems to be sleeping, but in his mind, he sees scenes from the art of war and arrays!

    Chu Molin is actually arranging his troops and deploying arrays. As he slowly empties himself and enters these scenes,

    Chu Molin feels as if he is bathing in a warm ocean!

    Xue Ling is cultivating in Qin Xue¡¯s space when she suddenly senses a change! She opens her fox eyes with a swish.

    This change has a small fluctuation, but she still caught it!

    Someone has actually penetrated the former owner¡¯s art of war and array and even combined them!

    Is this person a genius or a ghost? Xue Ling can¡¯t help but give herself a thumbs-up.

    This man is indeed the one she helped Qin Xue choose, and she didn¡¯t choose wrong!

    Don¡¯t ask her how she knows this man is Chu Molin; this is one of the benefits of having perception!

    Xue Ling closes her eyes and continues to cultivate, wanting to become a human as soon as possible and quickly improve her cultivation!

    Only Qin Xue is still sound asleep, oblivious to the days events.

    Qin Xue is awakened by the sound of footsteps in the corridor.

    Opening her eyes, she sees that it¡¯s already bright outside, and Chu Molin¡¯s expression is gentle with his eyes closed.

    Qin Xue thinks he is still sleeping, so she quietly gets up to wash and buy breakfast!

    After a night of sleep, she is now full of energy.

    Qin Xue arrives at the hospital entrance and sees Fang Hong and Mr. Xie coming.

    Fang Hong is holding a thermos; they quicken their pace when they see Qin

    Xue!

    ¡°Good morning, Qin Xue!¡± Fang Hong smiles and says hello!

    ¡°Sister-in-law, leader, good morning! What brings you here?¡± Qin Xue smiles and greets!

    ¡°We came to see Chu Molin!¡± Fang Hong holds up the thermos and shakes it in front of Qin Xue!

    ¡°You even brought food! 1 was just about to go buy breakfast; have you eaten yet?¡± Qin Xue believes that if they haven¡¯t eaten, she can buy it for everyone!

    ¡°We¡¯ve eaten already; this is specially for Chu Molin to nourish his body!¡± Fang Hong looks at Qin Xue and responds!

    ¡°Well, sister-in-law, come with me to buy breakfast! I haven¡¯t eaten yet, so let¡¯s let the leader go in and see Chu Molin! Do you think that¡¯s okay?¡± Qin Xue wonders how the store and factory have been these past two days?

    Fang Hong looks at Xie Jun with an inquiring gaze, and Xie Jun nods and takes the thermos.

    ¡°You two go ahead! Be careful!¡± Xie Jun speaks up!

    ¡°Alright, leader, you can go in! Chu Molin is in the intensive care unit!¡± Qin Xue doesn¡¯t forget to tell the leader Chu Molin¡¯s room number.

    ¡°Alright!¡± The leader carries the thermos and walks in, while Qin Xue and Fang Hong walk out!

    ¡°Qin Xue, it¡¯s been hard on you this time. Fortunately, Chu Molin is okay!¡± Fang Hong genuinely cares for Qin Xue! She¡¯s been so pregnant, yet still taking care of Chu Molin in the hospital!

    Qin Xue laughs, ¡°Sister-in-law, I¡¯m fine. I can rest here if I¡¯m tired.

    There¡¯s a caregiver¡¯s bed inside, so I sleep and rest just the same at night.

    Also, other than having to support him when he first got out of bed, he could slowly walk on his own later, so I didn¡¯t have to look after him at all!

    All I had to do was buy him food and pour him water; it wasn¡¯t tiring.¡±

    Qin Xue has never seen a patient like Chu Molin who does everything himself.

    It left her, as a family member, with nothing to do, as she didn¡¯t have to lift a finger!

    ¡°As long as you feel alright, just be careful with your big belly and don¡¯t tire yourself out too much!¡± Fang Hong remembers that Qin Xue is carrying two children in her belly!

    ¡°Mhm, 1 know! Sister-in-law, how¡¯s the store and the factory?¡± Qin Xue thinks it¡¯s better to ask!

    ¡°Everythings fine! Everything is normal in the store; it¡¯s just that the factory will soon start sending people out to contact merchants and run errands!¡± Fang Hong hasn¡¯t received any notifications!

 Chapter 233

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    Hong thought that Luo Yi and Luu Jun had received the notice and were preparing to go to other provinces, while the others were still waiting for their notifications.

    ¡°Sister-in-law, when you go back, tell Uncle Guo to hire more workers to work day and night making clothes.

    We also need to start shooting the TV commercials, or else we won¡¯t be able to keep up with the follow-up tasks!

    Especially on the clothing side, we need to stock up quickly, or else when the TV commercial is aired, we won¡¯t have enough inventory to meet the demand, right?¡± Qin Xue knew about the power of advertising information!

    Moreover, their clothes are the latest styles! There will definitely be a shortage when the time comes!

    ¡°Alright, I got it!¡± Fang Hong knew that Qin Xue¡¯s ideas were big!

    ¡°Hmm, do you want anything else to eat, sister-in-law?¡± They had already arrived at the breakfast place!

    Qin Xue looked at the food in front of her and asked Fang Hong!

    ¡°No more eating, we¡¯ve already eaten. We¡¯re just here to see how Chu Molin is doing, right?

    Then I still have to go to the store and factory!¡± Fang Hongs main reason for going to the store was to drink medicine to regulate her body and going to the factory was for work!

    Guo Aiguo had specifically made a room available for the six of them to use as an office! Those who hadn¡¯t received the notice for the assignment were familiarizing themselves with the company¡¯s various processes and regulations!

    The goal was to be able to answer customers¡¯ questions skillfully, instead of not knowing anything when asked!

    ¡°Alright then! It¡¯s up to you!¡± Qin Xue bought two fried dough sticks, four buns, two bowls of porridge!

    Why did she buy so much? Wasn¡¯t there still a patient?

    Qin Xue carried the packed breakfast and returned to the hospital with Fang Hong!

    At the hospital, Xie Jun had just arrived at the door of the ward, and Chu Molin immediately opened his sharp eyes and looked at the entrance! ¡°You¡¯re still as vigilant as ever, kid!¡± Xie Jun saw Chu Molin¡¯s movement through the glass of the door and opened the door with a smile!

    ¡°Leader, why are you here?¡± Chu Molin looked at Xie Jun with a cold tone!

    ¡°What, can¡¯t I come?¡± Xie Jun knew that this kid must be blaming him for hiding the undercover information about Jing Xin.

    ¡°You know what¡¯s up!¡± Chu Molin meant exactly that!

    ¡°Molin, it¡¯s the leader¡¯s decision, I can¡¯t help it!¡± Xie Jun also didn¡¯t want this, but this was a secret! What could he do when the leader ordered it?

    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t a secret, do you think you could still stand in front of me unharmed?¡± Chu Molin and Xie Jun knew each other too well, aside from the difference in rank!

    ¡°You¡¯ve really got some skills now, kid! You even dare to threaten me.¡± Xie Jun really wanted to give Chu Molin a punch, but he knew he couldn¡¯t win now!

    He didn¡¯t know what was going on with this kid, but after the years he¡¯d spent under his supervision, Chu Molin had always come out on top, and it was very demoralizing!

    ¡°What, not convinced?¡± Chu Molin raised his eyebrows and looked at Xie Jun!

    ¡°Convinced, convinced, is that not enough?¡± Xie Jun thought that no other leader was like him, having to submit to his subordinates like this!

    ¡°You better be convinced, or else I¡¯ll beat you until you are!¡± Chu Molin looked at Xie Jun coldly!

    At this point, Chu Molin didn¡¯t care about the fact that he was his leader!

    ¡°Haven¡¯t 1 already said I¡¯m convinced? This is the chicken soup porridge your sister-in-law cooked, want some?¡± Xie Jun looked at Chu Molin and asked!

    ¡°Let¡¯s wait for Qin Xue to come back and eat together!¡± Chu Molin thought Qin Xue hadn¡¯t eaten yet!

    ¡°You kid!¡± Xie Jun understood Chu Molin¡¯s intention, he just wanted to save it for his wife, right?

    ¡°How¡¯s the situation handled?¡± Chu Molin hadn¡¯t forgotten that there was still unfinished business!

    ¡°It¡¯s almost done. Jing Xin has successfully escaped without exposing himself. Don¡¯t worry!¡± Xie Jun said seriously!

    ¡°They¡¯re too brazen!¡± Chu Molin looked out the window and said coldly!

    ¡°Yeah, if it weren¡¯t for Jing Xin¡¯s timely notification, who knows what would have happened?¡± Xie Jun also thought of something.

    ¡°l hope Jing Xin can hurry up and complete his mission and go back to see his wife and child.

    He probably doesn¡¯t even know that his wife was kicked out by his family and had given birth to a big fat boy for him, right?¡± Chu Molin had thought that lingtao looked like someone ever since he saw him last time.

    He checked when he came back, and sure enough, Jingtao was that person¡¯s son. It¡¯s just that he thought the person who had sacrificed himself was still alive and standing in front of him..

 Chapter 234

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    ¡°Yeah, I didn¡¯t expect the Jings to go so far. I¡¯m afraid even they might not know they have an extra grandson, right?¡± Xie Jun only found out about this later through his own investigation, but he couldn¡¯t tell them the truth!

    He could only wrong Fang Xiu and her son. The world was so big, but Fang Xiu just happened to know Qin Xue and Fang Hong. Maybe that was fate!

    Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t know that Jing Xin¡¯s wife and child would be kicked out by the Jings. He believed that the Jings would definitely regret it in the future!

    Others didn¡¯t know what would happen to those who followed Qin Xue, but didn¡¯t he? He could tell by the changes in his wife that those who followed Qin Xue were filled with positive energy!

    It was a hope for success. Xie Jun believed that when Jing Xin returned, it would be their time of transformation!

    ¡°Such family members are better off without!¡± Chu Molin¡¯s voice was cold as ice!

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Xie Jun didn¡¯t understand why Chu Molin suddenly changed his face!

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. How about you lead the team for special training?¡± Chu Molin thought that Xie Jun hadn¡¯t been active for quite some time and was going to get rusty.

    ¡°Molin, you should know that this is your turning point?¡± Xie Jun looked sternly at Chu Molin!

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll wait until I¡¯m better to lead the team! How¡¯s the selection of new members going?¡± Chu Molin relented after a moment of silence.

    ¡°It¡¯s going smoothly, just focus on recovering. I guarantee that by the time you¡¯re better, I¡¯ll have everything arranged for you!¡± Xie Jun thought about the leader¡¯s orders and who would dare not to release their people?

    Chu Molin nodded without speaking!

    Xie Jun looked at him and suddenly realized something was wrong!

    ¡°Molin, are you really injured?¡± Xie Jun couldn¡¯t tell at first glance!

    ¡°Yeah! What¡¯s wrong?¡± Chu Molin knew what he was thinking.

    ¡°Where do you look like you¡¯re injured?¡± Xie Jun clearly heard Ding Xi and others say that he was almost at his death¡¯s door!

    This was only the third day after the surgery, was that so demoralizing?

    ¡°Do you want me to show you my wound? Or do you prefer to see me half dead and unable to move?¡± Chu Molin¡¯s cold gaze looked straight at Xie Jun without blinking!

    ¡°No need, but how did you manage to do it?¡± Xie Jun wanted to peel Chu Molin apart to see his structure!

    ¡°You can¡¯t be jealous!¡± Chu Molin thought that it was only because he had picked up the treasure of Qin Xue that he had such an opportunity. Others should just stand aside!

    ¡°Just be smug!¡± Xie Jun felt that Chu Molin had changed a lot. It seemed that even the strongest person would fall when they met their destined person, just like himself.

    ¡°Any objections?¡± Chu Molin¡¯s dangerously tinted voice resounded!

    ¡°What objections could I have?¡± Xie Jun wanted to ask if there was still a distinction between higher-ups and subordinates, with Chu Molin daring to threaten him like that!

    Chu Molin was satisfied when he heard this and wondered why Qin Xue had been gone so long and hadn¡¯t returned yet!

    It was strange that once he thought about it, he heard Qin Xue¡¯s footsteps outside.

    But why did she keep standing outside?

    ¡°Chief, Qin Xue and the others are back, but why aren¡¯t they coming in?¡± Chu Molin stared at the door, but it didn¡¯t open, and the person he wanted to see didn¡¯t come in!

    ¡°I¡¯ll go check!¡± Xie Jun also heard the footsteps!

    The door squeaked open, and Xie Jun looked at the people outside: ¡°Why didn¡¯t you come in?¡±

    ¡°Are you done talking?¡± Fang Hong looked at Xie Jun and didn¡¯t seem to find anything inappropriate.

    ¡°We¡¯re finished. We didn¡¯t say anything important, so you didn¡¯t need to avoid us on purpose!¡± Xie Jun finally understood why they didn¡¯t come in!

    ¡°We thought you were discussing military secrets, that¡¯s why we didn¡¯t go in!¡± As the wife of the chief, Fang Hong knew that things in the department were not allowed to be disclosed!

 Chapter 235

    Translator: 549690339

    The three entered the ward, and Qin Xue placed the breakfast on the small table.

    ¡°Chu Molin, haven¡¯t you eaten this yet?¡± Qin Xue asked, looking at the thermos.

    Chu Molin: ¡°No.¡¯

    Qin Xue: ¡°Why didn¡¯t you eat it? My sister-in-law made this for you to nourish your body!¡¯

    Xie Jun looked on: ¡°Isn¡¯t it because he cares about you and wants to eat with you? Just eat breakfast together! We¡¯ll leave first!¡±

    ¡°Mr. Xie, I bought breakfast. Have some!¡± Qin Xue felt a little embarrassed. They had brought it for Chu Molin, but he had included her!

    ¡°No need, we¡¯ve already eaten. You go ahead! We¡¯re going back to work!¡± Xie Jun left with Fang Hong.

    ¡°Chu Molin, this isn¡¯t right! That was specially prepared for you by Mr. Xie and the others, and you¡¯re not showing your appreciation, are you?¡± Qin Xue really didn¡¯t know what to do with this man!

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with me waiting for my wife to eat together?¡± If Xie Jun heard Chu Molin¡¯s casual tone, he would surely say it was unbearable. This man who had been like an iron tree for a thousand years was now showing affection, which was just too much, wasn¡¯t it?

    ¡°Alright, 1 can¡¯t win against you. Let¡¯s eat breakfast quickly!

    Later, we need to change the medicine and hang the IV. If yesterday¡¯s test results come back without any problems, we¡¯ll move to a regular ward.¡± Qin Xue knew this was most important.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Chu Molin was also eager to move out of the intensive care unit!

    ¡°Here, have some porridge!¡± Qin Xue served him a bowl of shredded chicken porridge!

    ¡°Okay, you eat too!¡± Chu Molin took the bowl!

    ¡°l know, don¡¯t do this again.¡± Although Qin Xue was very touched, she felt that this was somewhat disrespectful to others.

    ¡°Okav.¡± Chu Molin agreed. But whether he would do it again or not was up to him.

    ¡°Here, have a bun.¡± Qin Xue handed Chu Molin a bun, and she started eating a fried dough stick.

    After the two finished their breakfast, the doctor did indeed come over to check on Chu Molin e s wounds and change the medicine.

    ¡°The recovery is going well, and the test reports show no problems. You can move to a regular ward later.¡± Dr. Chen Hao said as he looked at yesterdays test report.

    ¡°Thank you, doctor.¡± Qin Xue smiled and thanked him.

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome. Someone will come to help you transfer to another ward later.¡± Chen Hao left after putting away his things.

    ¡°Dr. Chen Hao is really not bad, quite responsible.¡± Qin Xue commented with a smile.

    Chu Molin¡¯s expression darkened upon hearing this. How dare this woman praise another man in front of him?

    ¡°l don¡¯t see what¡¯s so good about him.¡± Chu Molin said coldly.

    ¡°l think he¡¯s quite nice.¡± Qin Xue truly believed that Chen Hao was a good man, handsome and gentle. No wonder Li Lan liked him.

    A man like that would be well-liked wherever he went.

    ¡°Is he better than me?¡± A dangerous voice sounded, and Qin Xue finally noticed Chu Molin¡¯s unsightly expression.

    ¡°Stingy ghost.¡± Qin Xue muttered quietly.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, what did you say?¡± Chu Molin stared at Qin Xue coldly.

    ¡°l didn¡¯t say anything. 1 said my husband is the best.¡± Qin Xue couldn¡¯t help but admit defeat since Chu Molin was truly good to her.

    ¡°That¡¯s better. It doesn¡¯t matter how good other men are, it has nothing to do with you.

    As long as I¡¯m good to you, that¡¯s enough, understand?¡± Chu Molin¡¯s sour tone sounded strange, but Qin Xue dared not laugh out loud.

    She could only suppress her laughter and nodded. Sigh, introverted men were really quite awkward.

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Chu, I understand.¡± Qin Xue gave a standard salute.

    During Qin Xue¡¯s military training in college, her instructor also specifically taught them the proper way to salute.

    Qin Xue took it very seriously at the time and even won an outstanding trainee award..

 Chapter 236

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    Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue in amazement. His little wife actually knew how to salute, and it was even a standard military salute.

    ¡°You know how to salute?¡± Chu Molin found Qin Xue to be like a treasure.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s not so hard.¡± In Qin Xue¡¯s mind, she could learn anything she wanted to.

    Chu Molin knew that most people could salute, but to do a standard salute, one had to be taught. However, he didn¡¯t continue to ask about it.

    The two chatted and laughed together. After the nurse came to give Qin Xue an injection, she took out paper and a pen from her backpack to draw some sketches when she got bored.

    Previously, Qin Xue had drawn clothes and skirts, but now she wanted to draw pants and autumn clothes, as well as winter clothes.

    Once the autumn clothes were done, winter clothes needed to be made, otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t be able to sell them if they missed the season. That¡¯s how the clothing industry works,everyone should start making clothes for the next season one season in advance.

    Otherwise, they won¡¯t be able to sell the clothes in the appropriate season.

    Chu Molin saw Qin Xue drawing very seriously and took out the art of war from under the pillow and started reading it slowly.

    As the two didn¡¯t interfere with each other, Qin Xue thought about the flare pants, slim pants, 3/4 pants, middle-length pants, and other pants designs from her previous life.

    She also wondered if denim fabric could be found to make fashionable denim pants and jackets.

    Thinking about their good memory now, Qin Xue decided to draw all the designs she could think of.

    Once she had earned some money from the clothes, she would go to college and study. If there was a suitable opportunity, she would like to become a doctor.

    After all, what she knew best was medicine; clothes and other things were just hobbies and not her strengths.

    Qin Xue raised her head and looked at Chu Molin¡¯s medicine bottle after drawing for a while.

    Seeing that there was still medicine left, she lowered her head and continued drawing her sketches.

    Chu Molin also paid attention to his medicine, and seeing that there was still medicine left, he focused on reading the book carefully.

    The couple, one reading and one drawing, didn¡¯t forget to check if the medicine bottle was empty.

    By the time Chu Molin had finished with the IV, Qin Xue had already drawn a thick pile of sketches.

    Looking at this pile of sketches, Qin Xue felt a bit guilty. She was completely plagiarizing her predecessors¡¯ work.

    However, in each sketch, Qin Xue had added some of her own ideas, making them look slightly different from the styles of her previous life.

    Qin Xue thought about high heels and wondered if she could draw them as well.

    But she didn¡¯t start drawing shoes right away.

    She was still focusing on clothes and pants, with television commercials being her main promotion method.

    Thinking of the television commercials, Qin Xue felt she really needed to create some high heel designs as well.

    Just clothes and skirts without a pair of beautiful shoes would lose a lot of points.

    So she had to do the forgotten task of creating shoe designs!

    As soon as she thought about it, Qin Xue drew five high heel designs quickly.

    Qin Xue looked at the completed sketches and smiled happily! The drawings were really good.

    Her drawing skills were getting smoother and smoother.

    After putting away the sketches, Qin Xue set aside the drawing of the walker she had made for Jingtao. She still needed to find someone to build it.

    Suddenly, Qin Xue felt like there were still so many things left to do.

    Qin Xue glanced at Chu Molin and began reading a medical book. Husband and wife read their books, waiting for the nurse to come and move them to another ward.

    ¡°Chu Molin¡¯s family.¡± The nurse called out.

    ¡°That¡¯s me!¡± Qin Xue raised her hand.

    ¡°Pack up your belongings and prepare to move to another ward!¡± The nurse tried to speak louder, but her voice softened when she saw Qin Xue¡¯s big belly.

    As a nurse who dealt with various patients every day, she had already developed a set of coping strategies to deal with them all..

 Chapter 237

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue quickly grabbed their things and headed to the general ward with the nurse!

    Fortunately, this ward only had one patient, Chu Molin.

    It¡¯s easier to get things done with fewer people around, especially for someone with secrets like Qin Xue!

    Qin Xue settled Chu Molin in and then put away their belongings!

    ¡°Do you want to take a nap and rest for a while?¡± Qin Xue thought he should get more sleep to recover faster, but it depended on whether he wanted to sleep or not?

    ¡°No need, I¡¯ll read a book!¡± Chu Molin was interested in books, especially Qin Xue¡¯s books!

    ¡°Okay, go ahead and read, but pay attention to the time and rest when you¡¯re tired!¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t stop him either!

    Chu Molin nodded, indicating he understood! He picked up the book he had brought and started reading!

    Meanwhile, Qin Xue took out paper and pen to continue drawing her blueprint!

    They stayed in the hospital for a whole week like this, and Chu Molin couldn¡¯t take it any longer.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, let¡¯s go home to recuperate!¡± Chu Molin really didn¡¯t want to stay in the hospital any longer, as it was too boring!

    Qin Xue checked him over: ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go handle the discharge procedures!¡¯ ¡°Go ahead!¡± Chu Molin was so excited that he could finally go home!

    ¡°Are you sure you want to be discharged now? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to wait for him to recover a bit more before going back?¡± Chen Hao looked at Qin Xue!

    ¡°No need, he¡¯s recovering well, and it¡¯s the same as recuperating at home.

    There¡¯s no need to continue using up the hospital¡¯s resources!¡± Qin Xue noticed that there had been more patients brought in recently, and even Chu Molin¡¯s ward was full.

    At night, she had to squeeze into a hospital bed with Chu Molin to rest, and it was impossible to get a good night¡¯s sleep!

    So it¡¯s better to return home to recuperate, where it¡¯s much more convenient anyway!

    ¡°Alright, then. I¡¯ll Write you a certificate, but you have to come back for regular check-ups!¡± Chen Hao agreed to the discharge since Qin Xue insisted, knowing that holding them back wouldn¡¯t do any good!

    ¡°Thank you, Dr. Chen!¡± Qin Xue took the certificate from Chen Hao and went to complete the discharge procedures.

    They hadn¡¯t notified anyone beforehand about their discharge plans, so no one from the team was there to pick them up. Qin Xue asked Chu Molin to wait in the ward while she went to find a car!

    Qin Xue carried their luggage and walked side by side with Chu Molin.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, let me carry the things.¡± Chu Molin reached out to take the things from Qin Xue¡¯s hands.

    ¡°No need, I can carry them. You just walk on your own! Someone is still waiting for us outside!¡± Qin Xue dodged his move and carried the things herself!

    However, when they both came out, they didn¡¯t see anyone, but instead saw Li Zhao and An Hao.

    ¡°Boss, Molin, Qin Xue.¡± Li Zhao and his wife greeted them together!

    ¡°How come you two are here?¡± Qin Xue replied to them.

    ¡°Strange, where is he? I clearly asked him to wait for us at the entrance?¡± Qin Xue looked around but still couldn¡¯t see the car she had arranged for!

    ¡°Sister-in-law, don¡¯t bother looking for him, I asked him to leave! Let us take you home.¡± Li Zhao replied after hearing Qin Xue¡¯s words.

    ¡°You asked him to leave, but how did you know we were here?¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t recall telling Li Zhao about their whereabouts!

    ¡°We actually wanted to find Dr. Li for An¡¯an¡¯s check-up since we¡¯re planning to return to the Imperial Capital for our wedding banquet.

    We saw you talking to a man from a distance.

    Then we noticed him waiting, so we asked him about it.

    He told us that you were looking for his car, so we let him go!¡± Li Zhao had driven over himself today!

    ¡°Oh, I see. So you haven¡¯t seen Dr. Li yet?¡± Qin Xue understood Li Zhao¡¯s explanation.

    ¡°Not yet, but let¡¯s take you two home first. We can see the doctor tomorrow instead!¡± Li Zhao thought that delaying for a day was fine since they didn¡¯t have a definite time to go back anyway!

    ¡°That¡¯s right! Qin Xue, let¡¯s take you guys home. There¡¯s no need to be so polite!¡± An Hao said with a smile.

    ¡°It¡¯s just that I¡¯m afraid it might cause trouble for you two! Will it interfere with your plans?¡± Qin Xue was afraid of delaying the couple¡¯s plans!

    ¡°No, it won¡¯t.. Qin Xue, why are you guys here? And you¡¯re carrying stuff, is one of you not feeling well?¡± An Hao noticed Qin Xue holding some things!

 Chapter 238

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    Li Zhao also looked at the things in Qin Xue¡¯s hands. When they saw her just now, they thought she was here for an inspection, too, but now it doesn¡¯t seem like it.

    ¡°Is it you who got injured, Molin?¡± Li Zhao, having been injured before himself, caught on quite quickly.

    ¡°Mhm, got a little hurt.¡± Chu Molin nodded at Li Zhao¡¯s question.

    ¡°How are you, are you okay?¡± Li Zhao looked at him, concerned.

    ¡°What¡¯s with that expression? What could be wrong with me?¡± Chu Molin pushed away his prying eyes.

    ¡°Are you really okay?¡± Li Zhao somehow still didn¡¯t believe him.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Are we going or not?¡± Chu Molin kicked him.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, the car is over there.¡± Li Zhao took the things from Qin Xue¡¯s hands and walked in front with An Hao¡¯s hand in his.

    Qin Xue felt more at ease, and followed them with Chu Molin.

    Li Zhao opened the trunk and put the stuff in. He didn¡¯t start the car until they had all gotten in.

    Qin Xue saw that the cars now were very different from those in the future.

    ¡°Li Zhao, let¡¯s go to the small market up front. I need to buy some vegetables. You guys will have lunch at our place.¡± Qin Xue thought about how she hadn¡¯t been home for a week and there was nothing there to eat.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Li Zhao knew that the small market wasn¡¯t far from the research institute.

    ¡°What kind of vegetables do you all like?¡± Qin Xue thought it would be better to respect their guests¡¯ tastes.

    ¡°Anything is fine, I¡¯m not picky.¡± Li Zhao didn¡¯t bother being polite with Qin Xue, since he didn¡¯t know when he would come back to S Province.

    ¡°I want sweet and sour ribs and hot and sour fish.¡± An Hao had been craving sweet and sour things since she got pregnant.

    ¡°Sure, no problem.¡± Qin Xue also wanted these two dishes. She decided to buy a chicken on the way back, make half of it into soup for Chu Molin to boost his strength, and the other half into spicy chicken.

    ¡°Qin Xue, you¡¯re the best!¡± An Hao happily turned back to look at Qin Xue from the passenger seat.

    ¡°Well, if my cooking is good, do you want to come with me?¡± Qin Xue thought An Hao was so happy at the thought of food.

    ¡°Can I?¡± An Hao eagerly looked at Li Zhao.

    ¡°Don¡¯t even look, no way.¡± Li Zhao got angry at her staring. To leave her husband for food was unthinkable.

    ¡°Stingy! Qin Xue, he won¡¯t let me.¡± An Hao looked at Qin Xue, pretending to be upset.

    ¡°Then you shouldn¡¯t want him anymore, just marry me and I¡¯ll take care of you and the baby.¡± Qin Xue, feeling playful, joked with An Hao.

    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s a great idea! Then 1 could be with you every day.¡± An Hao happily played along with the joke.

    ¡°Hmm, what did you two say? I didn¡¯t quite catch it.¡± Chu Molin coldly stared at An Hao.

    Chu Molin didn¡¯t dare glare at Qin Xue, so he tried to intimidate An Hao.

    ¡°Uh, Molin, we didn¡¯t say anything, hehe.¡± How could An Hao forget about this icy man? She was just too absorbed in joking with Qin Xue.

    ¡°Why are you scaring her?¡± Qin Xue chided Chu Molin with a glance.

    ¡°What do you think? An¡¯an, if you want to stay with sister-in-law, you still have to get Molin¡¯s permission. You abandon me for her, but she still has

    Moline Are you going to compete with Molin for her affection?¡± Li Zhao patted An Hao¡¯s head, speaking helplessly. This silly girl.

    ¡°Annoying.¡± An Hao glared at Li Zhao, her cheeks puffed up in anger.

    ¡°An t an, don¡¯t listen to them. As long as I want you, that¡¯s enough.¡± Qin Xue finished her words, and saw Chu Molin¡¯s inky black face. She giggled.

    Her hand still held Chu Molin¡¯s, but she scratched his palm to appease his emotions.

    Chu Molin felt the movement in his hand and his face softened a lot.

    This woman, she didn¡¯t hold back her words when joking. She wasn¡¯t afraid Li Zhao would get angry.

    Luckily, they all knew that the two of them were only joking.

    Having such a playful wife could also be a headache..

 Chapter 239

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    Li Zhao listened helplessly: ¡°Sister-in-law, can you just let me off the hook?!

    We still have to go back home and arrange the banquet. If An t an really doesn¡¯t want to go back with me, the family will kick me out!¡±

    ¡°Hahaha, is it that exaggerated?¡± Qin Xue laughed as she looked at the three people in the car!

    ¡°Yes! You don¡¯t know how much they love An¡¯an!

    If 1 can¡¯t bring An t an back, they might disown me!¡± Li Zhao thought about how hard it was for him to abduct An Hao to the Civil Affairs Bureau to obtain their marriage certificate.

    If he messes up this time, not to mention disowning him, they might even want to kill him!

    Qin Xue looked at Li Zhao and then at Chu Molin, hoping he could give her an answer!

    Chu Molin saw Qin Xue¡¯s eyes and nodded in agreement with Li Zhao¡¯s words!

    ¡°Wow, An¡¯an, you¡¯re so awesome!¡± Qin Xue was envious that An Hao had so many people who loved her!

    Unlike her, but she wasn¡¯t sad, her past life had grandparents, best friends, and now she had Chu Molin to accompany her, Fang Hong and An Hao as her good sisters, and those who supposedly pampered the original owner a lot, so she didn¡¯t lose, but actually gained!

    Qin Xue laughed and praised An Hao! Qin Xue truly accepted it. The past was gone, and now she looks forward!

    ¡°Qin Xue, is this really impressive?¡± An Hao thought the love of her family was very normal, isn¡¯t it?

    ¡°Of course! Having so many people love you, isn¡¯t that amazing?¡± Qin Xue said softly!

    Chu Molin listened and felt heartache. He understood what Qin Xue meant!

    Chu Molin tightly held Qin Xue¡¯s hand!

    Qin Xue felt the strength in his grip, it was a little painful, but she didn¡¯t struggle. She smiled at Chu Molin, indicating that she was fine!

    ¡°Sister-in-law, you don¡¯t know how much more spoiled An t an is compared to how they treat me as their son. If it weren¡¯t for my resemblance to my dad, I¡¯d think I was picked up!¡± Li Zhao complained, but his eyes were full of love when looking at An Hao!

    ¡°That¡¯s great! A daughter-in-law is an outsider. It¡¯s not easy to integrate.

    If they don¡¯t really accept her, she¡¯ll have a hard time!

    Haven¡¯t you ever heard the saying that mother-in-law and daughter-in-law are arch-enemies since ancient times?

    Your family loving An¡¯an is absolutely the right thing to do.

    Only in this way can there be a harmonious family, and you won¡¯t be caught in the middle and embarrassed!¡± Although Qin Xue has never been married or had experience dealing with a mother-in-law, she knew this from seeing others!

    ¡°Sister-in-law, listening to you makes a lot of sense indeed!¡±

    Li Zhao¡¯s family members are simple, and his mother and grandmother get along very well.

    So he really didn¡¯t know about these things; he just found it hard to accept the way the eldest brother¡¯s family interacted!

    But after all, that was Chu Molin!s family matter, so Li Zhao and the others didn¡¯t say anything, and have been calling Chu Molin ¡°brother¡± since they were young!

    Now listening to what Qin Xue said, it was indeed like this, right?

    ¡°It¡¯s good to have a harmonious family. Otherwise, with Aryan¡¯s personality, if she marries into a family with a fierce mother-in-law, she would be eaten up without even leaving bones!¡± Qin Xue looked at An Hao¡¯s innocent personality and couldn¡¯t help but praise her good fortune!

    Hearing this, An Hao felt a lingering fear. Fortunately, she married into Li Zhao¡¯s simple and harmonious family. Otherwise, if she had to compete and quarrel with other people, she really couldn¡¯t do it!

    ¡°Mmm, Qin Xue is right, my luck is really incredible! Zhaozi, thank you!¡± An Hao smiled at Li Zhao!

    ¡°Silly girl, you¡¯re my wife, isn¡¯t treating you well what I¡¯m supposed to do?¡± Li Zhao freed a hand to pat her head and then put his hand back to drive seriously!

 Chapter 240

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    After hearing what Qin Xue said, Chu Molin felt very sorry.

    His family situation was much more complicated than Li Zhao¡¯s, and he couldn¡¯t guarantee that they would like Qin Xue, but he would definitely treat her well!

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, 1¡­¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t know the best way to talk to Qin Xue!

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Qin Xue looked puzzled at Chu Molin and asked.

    ¡°Um, it¡¯s just that my family situation is more complicated, and it¡¯s not like how Zhaozi¡¯s family is!¡± Chu Molin tried to explain to Qin Xue carefully.

    ¡°Hey! I thought there was something wrong, but I haven¡¯t even considered that. After all, I¡¯m living with you, not with them. What am I afraid of?

    What¡¯s more, I can make money. If we really can¡¯t get along, when 1 have enough money, we¡¯ll just buy a house here!

    It¡¯s not like we have to live together with them, right?¡± Qin Xue hadn¡¯t considered such things before. Since she wasn¡¯t relying on them for a living, why should she care so much?

    ¡°Yeah, as long as you¡¯ve decided, that¡¯s fine!¡± Chu Molin felt relieved after hearing this!

    ¡°Qin Xue, do you want to buy a house? If you buy land, let¡¯s build it next to ours, so we have company!¡± An Hao was excited when she heard about it and suggested it right away!

    ¡°l do want to buy land and build a house, but I don¡¯t have enough money right now, so I haven¡¯t decided what to do yet!¡± Qin Xue wanted to build a villa-type house, which would cost a lot of money!

    Currently, all her money was invested in the clothing store and the factory, and there was no extra money for buying land and building a house!

    ¡°Is that so? If you do decide to build, please buy the land next to us, okay?¡± An Hao had no choice but to make this request since she didn¡¯t know how much it would cost to buy land for a business!

    ¡°We¡¯ll see when the time comes! We¡¯ve arrived at the market, so I¡¯ll go to buy groceries. You guys wait for me in the car!¡± Qin Xue opened the car door and got out!

    Chu Molin wanted to follow her, but as soon as he reached out to open the car door, Qin Xue¡¯s words kept him in the car!

    Qin Xue went to choose vegetables by herself, buying tomatoes, eggs, fish, ribs, pork belly, potatoes, white cabbage, and also two onions!

    Seeing that they were selling rice, Qin Xue bought 2.5 kg. Although she bought many types of items, the quantity was not much, so she easily carried it back to the car!

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go back to the research institute!¡± Qin Xue put away the

    groceries and spoke to Li Zhao!

    ¡°Alright, please sit down. I¡¯m going to start driving!¡± Li Zhao reminded them all!

    When they reached the entrance of the research institute, Chu Molin showed his ID, then Li Zhao registered before entering the family building!

    At this time, it was dinner time, so no one was chatting under the big tree!

    After Li Zhao dropped them off, he parked the car and then carried the groceries to Chu Molin¡¯s house!

    Qin Xue opened the door and looked at the room that had been vacant for a week. It was cold and a thin layer of dust had settled!

    Chu Molin entered, changed his shoes, and prepared to help clean up the room.

    But Qin Xue didn¡¯t let him help and went to fetch water for cleaning herself!

    An Hao was ready to help too, but Qin Xue didn¡¯t dare to let her. The lady had never done these things, and if she got hurt, how could Qin Xue explain it to Li Zhao?

    ¡°An¡¯an, you don¡¯t have to help. Just sit here, I¡¯ve cleaned the stool.

    When Li Zhao comes up later, you can help fold vegetables, and I¡¯ll do the rest!¡± Qin Xue handed the clean stool to An Hao!

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, let me sweep the floor! It doesn¡¯t require much effort!¡± Chu Molin wanted to help out with something.

    Qin Xue looked at the room and let him help with sweeping the floor. Li Zhao and An Hao were here, so she had to cook dinner later, and it was better to finish cleaning earlier!

    The two of them were quite fast, and by the time Li Zhao came up, they had already done half of the cleaning!

    ¡°Zhaozi, can you help me light the stove? I¡¯ll finish this and then cook dinner!¡± Qin Xue had been here for several months but still couldn¡¯t start the stove fire well! She always kept a fire going, but since it had been too long since she used it, the fire had already gone out!

 Chapter 241

    Translator: 549690339

    Upon hearing Qin Xue¡¯s instruction, Li Zhao looked at the stove in the kitchen

    and replied, ¡°Okay!¡±

    Li Zhao placed the food on the table, grabbed a match and some kindling to start a fire in the stove!

    Li Zhao managed to get the fire going effortlessly. Qin Xue looked on, impressed. This was incredible!

    Why didn¡¯t her fire catch no matter how hard she tried? Each time she¡¯d end up suffocating the house with smoke and turning herself into a sooty mess!

    ¡°Sister-in-law, I¡¯ve started the fire, what do I do next?¡± Li Zhao called out to Qin Xue while looking at the burning flames.

    ¡°Leave it there, I¡¯ll handle it soon!¡± Qin Xue swiftly finished up her tasks.

    Li Zhao nodded his head, and went to sit in the living room with An Hao.

    ¡°You guys sit tight, the house has been empty for a while, there isn¡¯t even any boiling water. I¡¯ll heat it up quickly!¡¯

    Qin Xue filled a pot with water and put it on the stove to boil. She then washed three tomatoes, cut them up, sprinkled some sugar on them and brought them to the living room for them to snack on.

    ¡°You guys can have some tomatoes first, I¡¯ll go cook the meal! ¡°. Qin Xue put down the tomatoes and went to wash the pot to prepare the meal.

    Once Chu Molin finished his tasks, he helped wash and chop the vegetables. Soon, a meal was ready!

    Sweet and sour ribs that were red and shiny, braised fish, spicy shredded potato, stir-fried cabbage. With the addition of tomato egg soup, it was enough for the four of them!

    Qin Xue and Chu Molin helped serve the dishes onto the table. An Hao, spotting the fragrant and delicious looking dishes, was salivating.

    ¡°Qin Xue, you¡¯re amazing! You can cook so many delicious dishes!¡± An Hao praised while looking at the dishes. However, she didn¡¯t start eating as the hosts had not started, displaying proper etiquette.

    ¡°If you like it, eat more, I¡¯ve cooked plenty, there¡¯s enough!¡± said Qin Xue, laughing as she picked a piece of rib for An Hao.

    ¡°You guys should eat too! Help yourselves to the dishes you like!¡± After inviting An Hao, Qin Xue also invited Li Zhao and Chu Molin.

    ¡°Alright, thanks sister-in-law, this looks amazing, it also smells delicious, looks like we¡¯re in for a treat today.¡± Li Zhao picked up his chopsticks and placed a piece of fish meat into An Hao¡¯s bowl.

    Qin Xue watched them with a smile. The happiest thing for a cook was seeing others enjoy their food!

    Qin Xue looked down, ready to grab some food, to find her bowl nearly full. When had she picked so much food?

    When she looked up, she saw Chu Molin smiling at her. It clicked. Chu Molin had been the one serving her food.

    Qin Xue smiled knowingly and picked up some food from her full bowl, feeling sweetness in her heart.

    The meal ended amidst one silent individual and the laughter and chatter of the other three. Li Zhao quickly offered to clear the table, ¡°Sister-in-law, I¡¯ll clean up. You¡¯ve worked hard, sit down and rest.¡±

    ¡°Well, I can do it. It¡¯s not appropriate to let a guest do the cleaning!¡± Qin Xue replied, feeling embarrassed.

    ¡°What¡¯s the big deal? Mr. Xie and I are brothers, no need to be so formal, sister-in-law!¡± Li Zhao responded casually.

    With Li Zhao adopting such stance, Qin Xue went along with him and decided to sit and chat with An Hao.

    ¡°An An, have you guys decided on a wedding date yet?¡±. Qin Xue thought she might not be able to attend their wedding and wondered if she should design a wedding dress for her as a wedding gift!

    ¡°Not yet, our families have asked us to go back home to discuss!¡± An Hao spoke as she rubbed her stomach. She had overeaten!

    ¡°Do you prefer a Hua Country traditional wedding or a Western style wedding with a wedding dress?¡± Qin Xue asked An Hao.

    ¡°Wedding dress? What¡¯s that?¡± An Hao asked in response.

    ¡°Uh, you don¡¯t know about wedding dresses?¡± Qin Xue¡¯s heart gave a little jolt.

    Did she just give herself away? She looked helplessly at Chu Molin, hoping he would come to her aid.

    ¡°It¡¯s a type of white dress made of gauze!¡± Chu Molin had been abroad on a mission and had seen what a wedding dress looked like.

    He was just surprised that his little wife knew about this as well.

    But upon reflection, he realized that it was quite normal for his knowledgeable wife to know this.

    So, he didn¡¯t disappoint and fulfilled Qin Xue¡¯s wish..

 Chapter 242

    Translator: 549690339

    The wedding dress is really beautiful, just that people in Hua Country are still not accustomed to wearing white dresses for weddings!

    So, it might not be possible for An Hao to wear a wedding dress!

    ¡°A white veil? That must be very beautiful, but do people wear white clothes for weddings?

    Wouldn¡¯t wearing white on such a happy day be inauspicious?¡± An Hao asked with some regrets.

    ¡°Not at all! In Western countries, it¡¯s a symbol of purity!

    So people wear wedding dresses for their weddings, it¡¯s not considered bad luck.¡± Qin Xue thought of how every girl in the future would dream of wearing a beautiful white wedding dress as they walk into the matrimonial hall with their partner.

    However, this is still the 1980s, and traditional weddings are more prevalent. Customs from Western countries have not yet flowed into Hua Country!

    ¡°Hearing you say that, I really want to wear it! I¡¯m just afraid that my family won¡¯t allow it.¡± An Hao suddenly wanted to wear the wedding dress mentioned by Qin Xue!

    It¡¯s her once-in-a-lifetime day, and she wants to look gorgeous and leave the most beautiful moment!

    ¡°What won¡¯t they allow?¡± Li Zhao washed the dishes and heard An Hao talking about disapproval.

    ¡°It¡¯s the wedding dress that Qin Xue mentioned! I want to wear it during the wedding banquet, but Qin Xue said it¡¯s white! I¡¯m afraid my family won¡¯t allow it!¡± An Hao looked at Li Zhao.

    ¡°A wedding dress? You mean the kind that foreigners wear for weddings?¡± Li Zhao had seen them too!

    ¡°You know it?¡± An Hao curiously asked Li Zhao!

    ¡°Of course! The foreign wedding dress is equivalent to our Hua Countrys phoenix robe, both are the most sacred and noble existences.¡±

    Li Zhao thought of the scene he saw when he went abroad for a mission with Chu Molin, and it was not an exaggeration to describe it as shocking!

    ¡°So, do you think my family would agree if I wear it at the banquet?¡± An Hao was even more eager since Li Zhao also said it was beautiful!

    ¡°They should be able to, right? They dote on you so much, and they should satisfy your request.¡± Li Zhao was also unsure since it was still a wedding after all.

    ¡°Qin Xue, what do you think?¡± An Hao eagerly looked at Qin Xue.

    ¡°I think it should be okay.¡± Qin Xue thought that the country would gradually become more open-minded.

    Many foreign customs will gradually blend in.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll wear a wedding dress. I want to look stunning.¡± After Qin Xue said

    so, An Hao decided to wear a wedding dress.

    ¡°Sure, I can design it for you. But the fabric is not easy to find.

    I don¡¯t know if we can find it in time for your wedding.¡± Qin Xue thought of the special fabric for wedding dresses, and she really didn¡¯t know if it could be found right now.

    ¡°Is it that hard to find?¡± An Hao asked, disappointed.

    It took so much to pique her interest, and now Qin Xue said it was hard to find. Wasn¡¯t this a blow to her? Shiitake mushroom, I¡¯m so sad!!

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s not easy to find. Wedding dresses come in many different fabrics, such as silk:

    Smooth and soft, it¡¯s the most precious wedding dress fabric. It¡¯s usually wrapped on the outside of satin to create a romantic, elegant atmosphere.

    Its unique feature is its outstanding luster, lightweight texture, soft and smooth touch, and the most natural noble aura. It is the preferred fabric for summer weddings. (Information source: Baidu)

    The wedding dresses made from different fabrics vary, and the main focus is on softness and comfort.¡± Qin Xue thought of the princess-like purity.

    Wearing a wedding dress to marry the one she loves has always been Qin Xue¡¯s unfulfilled dream. She doesn¡¯t want to get married and wants to stay single, but she also wants to wear a white wedding dress.

    But Qin Xue has never had the chance to wear one.

    It¡¯s impossible to say she doesn¡¯t regret it, but now she¡¯s already a married woman, and she has a baby in her belly.

    So wanting to wear a wedding dress is impossible and can only become a lifelong regret in her life.

    Therefore, she will do her best to make it perfect if An Hao wants to wear one!

 Chapter 243

    Translator: 549690339

    Upon hearing Qin Xue¡¯s words, an image of a beautiful wedding dress appeared in An Hao¡¯s mind, making her even more eager to wear one.

    ¡°Now that you¡¯ve mentioned it, I¡¯ve decided! I¡¯ll wear a wedding dress at my wedding, and you¡¯ll help me make it!

    Just ask Zhaozi for however much money you need!¡± An Hao made a decisive decision.

    ¡°Let me see! If I can find the wedding dress fabric, I¡¯ll make you a dress. If not, I¡¯ll design a traditional wedding gown for you. How about that?¡± Qin Xue said with a smile.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s more than perfect! Qin Xue, you¡¯re the best!¡± An Hao excitedly leaned towards Qin Xue.

    Chu Molin couldn¡¯t bear to watch, as both of them were pregnant women. How could they not be more careful?

    ¡°Zhaozi, keep an eye on your wife.¡± Thus, An Hao was held back before she could get closer to Qin Yue!

    ¡°Molin is stingy!¡± An Hao complained dissatisfiedly.

    ¡°Hmm, what did you say? I didn¡¯t hear clearly!¡± Chu Molin asked An Hao, but his eyes were coldly fixed on Li Zhao.

    ¡°Hehe, I didn¡¯t say anything!¡± Realizing that she had misspoke, An Hao hastily tried to smooth things over.

    Qin Xue laughed as she watched them, then turned her head to gaze tenderly at the man beside her!

    Chu Molin noticed Qin Xue¡¯s gaze and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly, softening his expression greatly!

    ¡°When are you planning to return to the Imperial Capital?¡± Chu Molin asked.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be heading back in a couple of days. We originally planned to get a check-up today and return the day after tomorrow,

    But we didn¡¯t expect to run into you guys. We¡¯ll get the check-up tomorrow, and there¡¯s still time for us to return without rescheduling.¡± Li Zhao and the others did not need to change their plans and could return according to their original schedule!

    ¡°Alright, take care on your way back!¡± After some thought, Chu Molin still decided to express his concern!

    ¡°l know, boss. Are you sure you¡¯re not coming back?¡± Li Zhao still hoped that Chu Molin would attend his wedding!

    ¡°No.¡± Chu Molin uttered the concise words through his thin lips!

    ¡°Oh!¡± Li Zhao couldn¡¯t deny his disappointment.

    But he couldn¡¯t force Chu Molin to return either.

    ¡°Once I¡¯ve accomplished my goals, I¡¯ll return.

    Not for anything else, but for Xue¡¯er and our children!¡± Chu Molin firmly grasped Qin Xue¡¯s hand as he spoke.

    At that time, he would take Qin Xue and their children to meet his mother!

    ¡°Alright! I know you have your plans, and I won¡¯t ask about it again!¡± Li Zhao

    truly wouldn¡¯t ask Chu Molin to return again!

    Just as Chu Molin had said, he would return once he finished his tasks!

    ¡°Thank you, Zhaozi. I¡¯m very sorry!¡± Chu Molin looked at his brother!

    ¡°Although it¡¯s a pity, I¡¯ll keep waiting for you. Besides, An¡¯an being pregnant is also good news.

    Both of us becoming fathers at the same time is something to be happy about!¡± Li Zhao¡¯s mood improved significantly once he thought it through!

    ¡°Not bad, you¡¯ve got a very high level of awareness!¡± Qin Xue teased with a smile.

    ¡°Sister-in-law, don¡¯t make fun of me,¡± Li Zhao said sheepishly, rubbing his head.

    Qin Xue laughed even more when she saw his adorable reaction!

    Chu Molin looked at his mischievous little wife, indulgently smiling but not stopping her!

    ¡°Qin Xue, don¡¯t forget, you promised to make me a beautiful wedding dress.¡± An Hao was still thinking about her wedding dress.

    Who could blame her? Qin Xue had made the wedding dress sound so beautiful that it seemed girls were just naturally unable to resist pretty things.

    ¡°l know, you beauty, 1 won¡¯t forget.¡± Qin Xue jokingly reassured An Hao with a smile.

    ¡°Qin Xue, you always make fun of me. It¡¯s your fault for making the wedding dress sound so beautiful!¡± An Hao blushed and exclaimed.

    ¡°It¡¯s because I want to make you into a gorgeous bride.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t know beforehand that they were Chu Molin¡¯s childhood friends and had only gotten their marriage certificate without holding a wedding ceremony..

 Chapter 244

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    Qin Xue never thought they had that kind of relationship, or else she would have started looking for fabric from the beginning, and maybe she¡¯d have found some by now.

    Now the time is so pressing, she can¡¯t guarantee that she will be able to find the fabric for the wedding dress.

    ¡°An¡¯an, I¡¯ll try my best to find fabric for your wedding dress.

    But if I can¡¯t find it, I¡¯ll design a beautiful traditional dress for you.

    I¡¯ll make you the most beautiful bride in the world. What do you say?¡± Qin Xue thought it wouldn¡¯t be too hard to make a dress as long as there was fabric!

    ¡°Mmm, Qin Xue, thank you!¡± An Hao looked at Qin Xue with gratitude.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that, please!¡± Qin Xue rubbed her arms, getting goosebumps!

    ¡°So annoying!¡± An Hao glared at Qin Xue with a teasing look.

    ¡°Okay, okay, I won¡¯t talk about it. It¡¯s just that when I do, you¡¯re even worse!¡± Qin Xue was really at a loss with this girl!

    ¡°Hahaha, Qin Xue, you¡¯re so funny!¡± An Hao laughed so hard she almost fell over!

    Li Zhao quickly held her up, worried that she would choke from laughing too hard!

    ¡°Enough, let¡¯s go and measure your size.¡± Qin Xue was tired of all the banter.

    ¡°Alright!¡± An Hao stood up quickly.

    ¡°Could you slow down a little, young lady?¡± Li Zhao was almost scared to death!

    ¡°Oops, I forgot!¡± An Hao smiled and stuck her tongue out at Li Zhao.

    Li Zhao had no choice but to accept her playful demeanor.

    After Qin Xue had measured An Hao¡¯s size, she made a pot of peach blossom tea and placed it on the table while they talked.

    ¡°Come on, have some tea!¡± Qin Xue poured a cup of flower tea for each of them.

    ¡°It smells so good! Qin Xue, you really know how to enjoy life!¡± An Hao held the cup and sniffed deeply.

    ¡°Just drinking flower tea is considered enjoying life?¡± Qin Xue thought this was just a basic part of life, not really enjoyment!

    ¡°Yeah! Where else can you get flower tea at this time of year? Isn¡¯t that enjoyment?¡± An Hao really liked the fragrance of peach blossoms!

    ¡°I just didn¡¯t want to waste them so I picked them and dried them out to make tea!¡± Qin Xue thought of the never-ending supply of peach blossoms in her space.

    She should buy hundreds of kilograms of wine to make peach blossom wine once Chu Molin is better. Then she can open a wine shop!

    That way, she wouldn¡¯t worry about running out of money. Afterward, she would have a clothing store, factory dividends, and a wine shop. All she¡¯d have to do was stay at home and count money!

    Thinking about that lifestyle made Qin Xue incredibly happy.

    Didn¡¯t Chu Molin mention that the original body had a younger brother and sister?

    She would check if they were still studying and find out what they were best suited for. She could set them up in her business, and there would be no worries about making money!

    Thinking of the original body¡¯s family, in H Province, in the Qin village, Qin Jiale excitedly burst into the house with a letter in hand!

    ¡°Jiale, why are you so excited?¡± Aunt Qin from next door looked at Qin Jiale¡¯s excited expression with a smile and asked!

    ¡°Fifth Aunt, I got a letter from my sister. My sister sent a letter, haha!¡± Qin Jiale happily told Aunt Qin, waving the letter in his hand!

    ¡°Ah, Qin Xue sent a letter? That¡¯s great! Now your mother can finally relax!

    Your mother has been worried about your sister. Now that there¡¯s a letter, hurry and go back!

    Tell your parents the good news!¡± Aunt Qin lived next door and knew how much the Qin family doted on Qin Xue!

    Qin Xue being married off and unable to contact them has never happened before!

    Isn¡¯t their family about to go crazy with joy when they know about it?!

    ¡°Okay, Fifth Aunt, I¡¯ll go back. You go on with your work!¡± Holding the letter, Qin Jiale went home at once.

    Aunt Qin looked at Qin Jiale¡¯s departing figure, shaking her head and smiling.

    She didn¡¯t know how Qin Xue managed to be so lucky with her entire family doting on her. Even the youngest, Qin Jiale, pampered her endlessly!

    It led to Qin Jiale, who should have been the little sister, acting more like the elder sister, while Qin Xue seemed like the younger one!

 Chapter 245

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    As soon as Qin Jiale arrived at the entrance, he shouted, ¡°Mom, Dad, Brother, Sister sent a letter!¡±

    A rush of footsteps followed, almost colliding with Qin Jiale!

    ¡°What did you say, Qin Xue sent a letter?¡± Mrs. Qin looked at Qin Jiale in disbelief!

    ¡°Yes, my sister sent a letter, look.¡± Qin Jiale stretched out the letter in his hand.

    Mrs. Qin snatched it away quickly!

    ¡°Mom, hurry up and read it, see what sister has written?¡± Qin Yu and Qin Xue are twins, but they are not identical twins, so they don¡¯t look very alike!

    Qin Xue looks more like Mrs. Qin, while Qin Yu only has some facial features similar to Mrs. Qin, but the facial contours are not similar and also not like Mr. Qin. He is very handsome, but his usually calm and composed personality was broken by the letter at hand.

    On the contrary, Qin Jiale has a face similar to Mrs. Qin, with eyes similar to Mr. Qin, gentle but with an air of heroism!

    It must be said that the Qin family¡¯s genes are excellent; the men are all handsome, and the women are gentle and beautiful!

    ¡°Yes, Shulan, hurry up and see what Qin Xue said? How is she doing?¡± Mr. Qin was also very excited!

    ¡°Alright, alright, don¡¯t rush me, let me take a look!¡± Mrs. Qin unpacked the letter, and there was actually some money inside.

    The family looked at each other, unable to speak, and watched Mrs. Qin, hoping she would read the letter quickly.

    ¡°Qin Xue said she¡¯s pregnant, and Molin just came back from a mission! Qin Xue said the money is what she earned and sent it for us to spend.¡± Mrs. Qin read the content aloud.

    Suddenly she shouted, ¡°What, she¡¯s pregnant?¡± Mrs. Qin only realized what she had just read after finishing the sentence!

    ¡°Really, hahaha, I¡¯m going to be an uncle, great!¡± Qin Yu didn¡¯t care about his image in his excitement!

    ¡°Mom, Mom, is Sister really pregnant? Then I¡¯m going to be an auntie, great! Brother, Sister has a baby, I¡¯m going to be an auntie!¡± Qin Jiale was also very happy!

    Finally, she¡¯s no longer the youngest in the family; she¡¯s going to have a niece or nephew!

    ¡°Honey, am I seeing this right?¡± Mrs. Qin was still dazed!

    ¡°You¡¯re not seeing it wrong, that¡¯s exactly what Qin Xue said!¡± Mr. Qin took the letter from Mrs. Qin and read it from beginning to end!

    He replied to Mrs. Qin¡¯s question!

    ¡°Ah, is it true? Molin is often away on missions, who will take care of Qin Xue now that she¡¯s pregnant?¡± Mrs. Qin asked worriedly after thinking of this problem!

    ¡°Let¡¯s go inside first and not stand here!¡± Mr. Qin said after hearing her, but he

    didn¡¯t answer Mrs. Qin¡¯s question!

    ¡°Yes, Mom, let¡¯s go inside first!¡± Qin Jiale advised, holding Mrs. Qin¡¯s arm!

    ¡°Exactly, Mom, we can¡¯t discuss this standing at the entrance, right?¡± Qin Yu looked at them, and they were all standing at the entrance.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go inside. The food is ready, let¡¯s eat first!¡± Mrs. Qin also felt it was inappropriate to stand there, so they decided to discuss the matter while eating!

    ¡°Great, let¡¯s eat!¡± Qin Jiale shouted and let go of Mrs. Qin¡¯s arm, rushing to the kitchen!

    ¡°This child!¡± Mrs. Qin smiled as she watched Qin Jiale run away!

    ¡°Hehe, it¡¯s good to be lively!¡± Mr. Qin laughed and added!

    ¡°What did I say?¡± Mrs. Qin gave Mr. Qin a coquettish glance!

    ¡°Nothing, nothing, 1 just think Jiale has more spiritual energy this way.

    She¡¯s usually too quiet; isn¡¯t this much better?¡± Mr. Qin liked their children to be more lively, which made them look more energetic!

    ¡°Yes, my little sister is quite good like this.¡± Qin Yu thought that the youngest Qin Jiale should have been spoiled by everyone in the family.

    However, the whole family actually spoiled the eldest sister, Qin Xue, instead, and ignored the youngest sister, Qin Jiale!

    Fortunately, the little sister didn¡¯t think too much and didn¡¯t have any bad ideas; she also indulged her elder sister, treating Qin Xue like a younger sister and herself as the elder sister.

    That¡¯s why the family neglected the sensible little sister! On the contrary, they spoiled the elder sister to some extent, making her very willful!

 Chapter 246

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    Qin Jiale set the bowls and chopsticks on the table and brought the dishes over. Seeing that her parents and brother hadn¡¯t come in yet, she called out, ¡°Dad, Mom, and Brother, the meal is ready!¡¯

    By the time they came in, the food had all been prepared: a plate of cabbage, a stack of pickles, a basin of steamed buns, and four bowls filled with watery rice!

    The Qins¡¯ life wasn¡¯t great, but they could at least say they had enough to eat!

    ¡°Wow, our little sister is so capable!¡± Qin Yu teased Qin Jiale with an exaggerated tone.

    ¡°Brother, can¡¯t even eating keep your mouth shut?¡± Qin Jiale looked at her brother.

    Why did he act like a grown-up in front of others, but like an immature child when he was with her?

    ¡°Little sister, you got it wrong. Eating is meant to fill the belly, not to shut the mouth!¡± Qin Yu picked up a steamed bun and took a bite.

    ¡°Let¡¯s eat before it gets cold!¡± Mrs. Qin smiled as she looked at them.

    These days were good, something she hadn¡¯t dared to dream of before!

    Being together as a family was more important than anything else!

    ¡°Mm, Dad, Mom, you eat too!¡± Qin Yu picked up a pair of chopsticks and served his parents some cabbage.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s eat!¡± Mr. Qin looked at his son¡¯s filial piety and felt extremely relieved.

    ¡°Jiale, don¡¯t you have classes today? Why are you back at this time?¡± Mrs. Qin suddenly remembered that her daughter should be at school studying at this time, right?

    ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t it Friday? Some students live far away, so the teacher let us off half a day early!¡± Qin Jiale was a freshman in high school in the county.

    She missed home, so she came back, and also needed to pick up some living expenses!

    Upon arriving at the village entrance, she just happened to meet the mailman delivering letters, so she brought the letter home with her!

    ¡°Is it Friday already? Time flies!¡± Mrs. Qin thought, wasn¡¯t that right?

    Her eldest daughter had been married for half a year already, and was now several months pregnant!

    ¡°Honey, should 1 go take care of Qin Yue?¡± No matter what, Mrs. Qin just couldn¡¯t feel at ease leaving her daughter alone.

    ¡°Shulan, we should ask Qin Xue and Molin for their opinions. Maybe they want to come back at that time?¡± Mr. Qin thought it wouldn¡¯t be bad to have Qin Xue come back home to be taken care of.

    Only, it would mean the couple would have to separate once again!

    ¡°If it¡¯s like that, it would be great. I just don¡¯t know if Qin Xue will come back,¡± Mrs. Qin also felt that Mr. Qin¡¯s suggestion wasn¡¯t bad. In this way, she could take care of both Qin Xue and their home.

    ¡°Dad, what if I go with Mom to check it out? If it works out, I¡¯ll bring my sister back home to rest, so my brother-in-law doesn¡¯t have to worry about her being alone.

    If not, I¡¯ll let Mom stay with my sister, and I¡¯ll come back alone. This way, no matter how the arrangements turn out, you can rest assured, right?¡± Qin Yu wanted to see what life was like in the military camp too!

    ¡°Well, I wanted to go, but I¡¯m not on vacation yet!¡± Qin Jiale said sullenly. ¡°It¡¯s okay, once you¡¯re on vacation, maybe your sister will be back.

    Or maybe I¡¯ll take you to see her later!

    You should focus on studying and getting into a good university to become a college student!¡± Both Qin Yu and Qin Xue had only completed high school and didn¡¯t attend university.

    Having three children in the family, their parents had worked too hard. So, Qin Xue and her siblings stopped studying after high school, planning to send the youngest, Qin Jiale, to college!

    No matter what, as long as she could study, they would try their best to support her education!

    They didn¡¯t care about other people¡¯s opinions, claiming that girls would eventually marry and become part of another family, and that studying was a waste, simply cultivating someone else¡¯s family!

    This was the part that made Qin Yu the proudest¡ªtheir siblings had open-minded parents, and their family was the most harmonious in the entire village of the Qins!

    ¡°Alright, Brother, you said it! If you don¡¯t bring my sister back, you must take me to see her and my brother-in-law! You can¡¯t break your word!¡± Qin Jiale was delighted!

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    At first, Qin Yu didn¡¯t accept Chu Molin.

    However, as they got to know each other better, he realized that his sister¡¯s fianc¨¦ was a genuinely good person, both in terms of work and character. So he stopped resisting the idea of having him as his brother-in-law!

    ¡°Hmm, don¡¯t worry, little brother. I¡¯ll keep the promise I made to you. Just focus on studying and reading your books!¡± Qin Yu tore a piece of steamed bread and handed it to Qin Jiale.

    Nir. and Mrs. Qin looked at these siblings and smiled at each other.

    The family enjoyed their meal together, filled with warmth and love.

    It was finally decided that Qin Yu would accompany Mrs. Qin to visit Qin Xue and her husband.

    Mr. Qin would stay at home, and Qin Jiale would go to school to study.

    ¡°Dear, take Qin Yu with you to cut some mugwort. I¡¯ll make some green balls to bring to Qin Xue because she loves them the most! And where did we put the dried sweet potatoes? And the dried bamboo shoots?¡± Mrs. Qin instructed her husband and son while looking for things to bring to Qin Xue.

    Father and son chuckled, grabbed hold of a scythe, and went out to fetch some mugwort.

    At this time of the year, there was plenty of mugwort growing on the hillside.

    Mrs. Qin started looking for sticky rice to grind into flour to make green balls. Qin Jiale, sitting beside her with his homework, caught a glimpse of his mom bustling around.

    He shook his head, settled down, and focused on his homework, no longer distracted by his surroundings.

    Mrs. Qin found the sticky rice, ground it into flour, and prepared to make the green balls.

    She thought about Qin Xue¡¯s favorite foods and decided to make and bring some of them to her.

    Qin Xue had been supposed to live like a princess, but here she was, suffering with the rest of them. Fortunately, their father treated Qin Xue and Qin Yu as if they were his biological children, which was the best possible outcome,

    Nangong Shulan¡¯s thoughts drifted back in time, remembering how she and her parents had fled from war-stricken Shanghai when she was a little girl.

    She got lost from her parents and was rescued by a soldier. Over time, they fell in love and were on the verge of getting married.

    However, they ultimately separated due to a misunderstanding, and she found someone else who was good to her.

    Now she had three children and a husband who loved her; she was truly content with her life.

    Even though their present life was tough, it didn¡¯t matter, as long as the family was happy together!

    But she wondered if the man in her past was doing well and living a safe life.

    Nangong Shulan pulled herself back from her wandering thoughts and prepared the necessary ingredients.

    Having given birth and raised two children, she felt she had done right by him.

    So Nangong Shulan didn¡¯t dwell too much on the past, focusing on living her present life, which was her utmost responsibility!

    ¡°Mom, what are you thinking about?¡± Qin Jiale finished his homework, looked up, and saw that his mother was lost in thought.

    This had never happened before, and Qin Jiale looked at her, wondering what she was thinking. He then gently called out to her.

    His voice snapped Nangong Shulan out of her reverie. She shook her head and said, ¡°l wasn¡¯t thinking about anything. Just wondering what your sister likes? I¡¯ve been thinking about what our family has that we could bring to her. Have you finished your homework?¡±

    Nangong Shulan looked at her younger daughter, who, like her elder sister, resembled her. However, the older sibling had a softer appearance, while the younger one was more spirited.

    Perhaps due to feelings of guilt, the family unconsciously paid more attention to the elder daughter, inadvertently neglecting the younger one in the process.

    Luckily, her younger daughter didn¡¯t resent them; instead, she showed the same affection for her elder sister as they did!

    Gazing at her youngest child, Nangong Shulan felt a pang of guilt. She ought to have been the most pampered, but that wasn¡¯t the case!

    ¡°Jiale, all these years, have you ever blamed me?¡± Nangong Shulan gently asked.

    ¡°Mom, what are you talking about? How could I ever blame you! You¡¯re my mom, and 1 love you more than anything!¡± It was rare for the usually reserved Qin Jiale to express his feelings so openly!

    Apart from the oldest child, Qin Xue, who was relatively wilfull, the two other Qin siblings were steadier and more composed.

    What they didn¡¯t know was that Qin Xue had already shed her wilful nature and had become incredibly capable..

 Chapter 248

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    Nangong Shulan watched as her youngest daughter spoke, feeling even more touched since all three of her children were so well-behaved.

    ¡°Mm, Mommy loves you too!¡± Nangong Shulan gently touched Qin Jiale¡¯s head with her clean hand.

    ¡°Come, help Mommy move this outside!¡± Nangong Shulan handed the small bag of green beans to Qin Jiale.

    ¡°Mom, are we making green bean cakes?¡± Qin Jiale also liked green bean cakes, but their family was not well-off, so she never dared to ask for them.

    ¡°Yes! I¡¯ll make these, send some to your sister, and keep some for you. So you can eat enough, okay?¡± Nangong Shulan¡¯s heart ached, knowing both her daughters loved sweet food.

    Because the family was not well-off, they never asked for extra food.

    Even if there was something to eat, Qin Xue, the eldest, always ate first, followed by the younger two.

    Fortunately, Qin Xue was quite fair with her siblings, always sharing what they had.

    ¡°Mm-mm, Daddy, Mommy, and brother should eat too!¡± Qin Jiale, despite being a mature and sensible 17-year-old girl, was still just that ¨C a girl.

    Hearing the news about her favorite food, how could she not be happy?

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll make some delicious food for my darling daughter.¡± Nangong Shulan looked at her youngest daughter tenderly.

    ¡°Then Mommy, let¡¯s get these things ready quickly, and make some delicious food for my sister and brother-in-law.¡± Qin Jiale was excited, as she loved her sister very much.

    Now that her sister was pregnant, she was going to become an aunt. Of course, she wanted to make delicious food for them.

    Nangong Shulan took the glutinous rice and went out of the room with Qin Jiale.

    After washing the rice clean and soaking it, they were just waiting for the father and son duo to bring the mugwort juice back.

    Qin Jiale also soaked the green beans. Green bean cakes were delicious, but peeling them was quite a hassle.

    While the mother and daughter were busy preparing ingredients at home, the father and son were quickly cutting mugwort.

    They stopped when they saw they had cut a large bunch. Although it was a large bundle, they only needed the tender parts in the front.

    However, they knew how much glutinous rice they had left at home, so cutting this much was already enough for their use.

    Qin Yu carried the mugwort while Mr. Qin carried the scythe as they headed back.

    As they passed by the river, they saw fish swimming in the water.

    Qin Yu put down the mugwort and said to Mr. Qin, ¡°Dad, you go back first. I¡¯ll go catch a couple of fish to make soup for my sister to recover.¡± Mr. Qin looked at the river and then nodded in agreement.

    ¡°Dad, let me carry the mugwort later!¡± Qin Yu saw Mr. Qin trying to carry the mugwort himself and spoke up.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, this isn¡¯t heavy. I¡¯ll carry it back first so your mother can start working.¡± Mr. Qin thought that his wife must be waiting anxiously at home.

    ¡°Alright, then. Be careful, Dad. Oh, and leave the knife for me!¡± Qin Yu thought about it and agreed.

    In fact, Qin Yu wasn¡¯t worried that Mr. Qin couldn¡¯t carry it.

    After all, Mr. Qin was only in his forties and not too old to handle it.

    It¡¯s just that he was the younger son and he wanted to do it himself.

    ¡°Alright, I got it. You watch out for yourself and come back soon.¡± Mr. Qin carried the mugwort and reminded Qin Yu before heading back home.

    Qin Yu found a long stick and sharpened it for stabbing fish. Most children raised in the countryside knew this skill.

    With the stick in hand, Qin Yu waded into the water and silently stood in the middle, waiting for fish to pass by.

    As soon as he spotted a fish, Qin Yu quickly stabbed the stick into the water, lifting it out to reveal a fish impaled on it!

    Qin Yu looked at the palm-sized fish and smiled, pleased with himself.

    He removed the fish and placed it on the bank. Then, he went back into the river, quietly standing and waiting to catch more fish.

    By mid-afternoon, Qin Yu packed up the fish, threaded them onto a grass rope, and carried them home.

    Four fish, what good luck! Usually, only catching one or two was considered great..

 Chapter 249

    Translator: 549690339

    ¡°Xiao Yu, you caught so many fish!¡± Aunt Qin, who lived next door, asked as she picked vegetables in her family¡¯s garden and saw Qin Yue

    ¡°Yeah, Auntie Wu, you¡¯re picking vegetables!¡± Qin Yu nodded and replied.

    ¡°Yeah, I have to cook, so I¡¯m picking some vegetables to stir-fry!¡± Auntie Wu laughed and answered Qin Yu.

    ¡°You go ahead. I¡¯ll head home first.¡± Qin Yu still had to take the fish home and clean them.

    ¡°Alright, off you go!¡± Auntie Wu thought Qin Yu was really talented and handsome. It was a pity that she didn¡¯t have a daughter, otherwise, she would have tried to arrange a marriage for her daughter with him!

    On his way home with the fish, Qin Yu ran into quite a few people.

    Qin Yu responded to everyone with a smile and brought the fish home amid others¡¯ admiration.

    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m back.¡± Qin Yu saw his mother washing vegetables in the courtyard and said to her.

    ¡°Xiao Yu is back, huh? You caught so many fish today.

    Your luck was really good!¡± Mr. Qin came out of the kitchen after hearing Qin

    Yu t s voice.

    Seeing Qin Yu¡¯s catch, he praised him before his wife could say anything.

    ¡°Yes, I got lucky today. I¡¯ll send a fish to grandpa and grandma!¡± Qin Yu looked at the four fish, put them down, picked the largest one, and threaded it to carry it.

    ¡°You should, go ahead and send it!¡± Nangong Shulan didn¡¯t object to the children showing filial piety to the elderly.

    When she first came to the Qin¡¯s village, she was grateful for their elders¡¯ shelter and help, otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have known what to do while being pregnant.

    In the end, they also arranged for their most honest son to marry her.

    So, if asked who Nangong Shulan was most grateful to in her life, it would be none other than the old Mr. and Mrs. Qin.

    Mr. Qin looked at his wife and smiled even more sweetly. As long as his wife treated his parents well, he would treat his wife even better.

    ¡°Well, Dad, Mom, I¡¯m going now.¡± Qin Yu told his parents and left for his grandparents¡¯ house.

    Their home was not far from his grandparents; one was at the edge of the village and the other was in the center of it.

    Qin Yu¡¯s family lived on the edge of the village, so they didn¡¯t run into too many people when they went up the mountain.

    ¡°Qin Yu, are you going to your grandpa¡¯s house?¡± Mrs. Li from the village asked when she saw Qin Yu.

    Mrs. Li was the wife of Qin Gouzi in the village, actually not much older than Qin Yu, just one or two years older.

    Unfortunately, her luck was not good, and soon after marrying into the family, her husband Qin Gouzi died.

    Leaving her alone, she had thought about remarrying, but later found out she was pregnant.

    Since she was carrying their grandson, Qin Gouzi¡¯s family definitely wouldn¡¯t let her remarry.

    With their son gone and a grandson at last, how could the Qin Gouzi¡¯s family let go of this lineage?

    So, Mrs. Li stayed with her child, and later gave birth to a son, but perhaps because she was too young to be widowed, she was somewhat restless.

    She always had some ambiguous relationships with people in the village and was particularly enthusiastic whenever she saw Qin Yu.

    However, Qin Yu didn¡¯t want to see Mrs. Li; the way she looked at him made him uncomfortable.

    It was as if he was a piece of coveted fat meat.

    So, every time Qin Yu saw Mrs. Li, he would take a detour to avoid her.

    But, how did he run into her today? Seeing that there was no way to avoid her, Qin Yu nodded, ¡®Yeah, Mrs. Qin, you¡¯re busy. I have to go now!¡±

    Qin Yu quickly walked past Mrs. Li and sped up his pace.

    ¡°Ah, Qin Yu, don¡¯t leave!¡± Mrs. Li shouted, watching Qin Yu t s hurried figure.

    If she hadn¡¯t shouted, Qin Yu might not have walked so fast, looking as if a wolf was chasing him from behind.

    Wasn¡¯t there a wolf indeed? A female wolf who guarded an empty room.

    Qin Yu carried the fish and walked fast. Qin Liu watched Qin Yu t s hurried figure and repeatedly looked behind him, but saw nothing.

    ¡°Xiao Yu, why are you running so fast?¡± Qin Liu called out to Qin Yu.

    ¡°Uncle Liu, hello!¡± Qin Yu stopped and greeted him..

 Chapter 250

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Liu watched Qin Yu stop in his tracks, and asked with a smile, ¡°Why are you in such a hurry? Is someone chasing you?¡±

    ¡°Not at all, 1 caught a few fish today, and my family asked me to bring one to grandpa and grandma before going back for dinner.

    If I don¡¯t hurry, won¡¯t it be bad to keep my parents waiting, don¡¯t you agree?¡± Of course, Qin Yu couldn¡¯t confess to Qin Liu that he had run into Mrs. Li, otherwise he¡¯d be drowned in the villagers¡¯ criticisms and gossip.

    ¡°Oh, I see, I thought something had happened.

    You¡¯d better hurry then, so your grandparents can prepare the fish for dinner.¡± Qin Liu agreed that Qin Yu made sense.

    So he encouraged Qin Yu to go on, as he also needed to gather some grass for his chickens and ducks before going back for dinner.

    ¡°Alright, Uncle Liu, take care, I¡¯m leaving now.¡± Qin Yu waved to his uncle and

    After seeing Qin Yu leave, Qin Liu also started picking his grass.

    When Qin Yu arrived at his grandparents¡¯ house, he walked straight in as the door was not locked.

    ¡°Are you home, grandpa and grandma?¡± Qin Yu called out as he saw no one in the courtyard.

    ¡°Xiao Yu, how did you come to visit?¡± Grandpa Qin heard the call and saw Qin Yu when he came out.

    ¡°Grandpa, I caught some fish this afternoon and brought one for you.¡± Qin Yu lifted the fish that he was holding up in his hand.

    ¡°You should have kept it for yourselves. Why did you bring it all the way here?¡± Grandma Qin also came out from inside the house.

    ¡°How could we not? As the junior generation, when we have something good, we must always think of you first.¡± Qin Yu said with a smile.

    ¡°We know you¡¯re filial. Come inside and take a seat.

    I believe you haven¡¯t had dinner yet, how about eating here with your grandma before going back?¡± Grandma Qin saw that it was time for meal preparations.

    ¡°No need, grandma. When I left, mom and dad were cooking dinner, they said to return for dinner as soon as the fish was delivered.

    Why don¡¯t you come to our house for dinner? This fish can be marinated for tomorrow, what do you think?¡± Qin Yu thought his family was already cooking dinner, so he chose to not stay.

    ¡°Well, we older folks don¡¯t eat too much.

    We can cook a little here at home.

    You don¡¯t need to worry about us. If dinner is already being prepared at your house, you should head back quickly.¡± Grandma Qin said with a smile.

    ¡°But grandpa and grandma, you should join us. My sister wrote to us, everyone at home is overjoyed.¡± Qin Yu thought ¨C Haven¡¯t broke the news to these two elderly yet?

    ¡°Really? Qin Xue wrote a letter? What did she say?¡± Grandma Qin¡¯s smile became even brighter.

    ¡°My sister wrote that she¡¯s pregnant, her husband has just returned from a mission.

    I plan to visit her with mom.¡± Qin Yu shared the news with his grandparents.

    ¡°That¡¯s good, hopefully this will help Qin Xue to settle down.¡± Although Qin Xue wasn¡¯t her biological granddaughter, but Grandma Qin had watched her grow up, and they shared a deep bond.

    Now that she knew Qin Xue was pregnant, as a grandmother, she was naturally pleased.

    ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re so happy, grandpa and grandma. How about we all have dinner at our house?

    Everyone can enjoy a cheerful dinner together, how does that sound?¡± Qin Yu suggested to the elderly couple.

    ¡°Old man, what do you think?¡± Upon hearing Qin Yu, Grandma Qin found it difficult to keep refusing, and turned to ask her husband.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go then. I¡¯m going to marinate this fish, you go have a chat with Xiao Yu.¡± Grandpa Qin took the fish from Qin Yu.

    ¡°Grandpa, you and grandma rest; I¡¯ll go marinate the fish.¡± Qin Yu didn¡¯t let Grandpa Qin take away the fish.

    ¡°Alright then, go ahead. You¡¯re nimble and efficient, you¡¯re probably faster.¡± Grandpa Qin didn¡¯t dispute with Qin Yu, and let him take the fish to the kitchen to marinate.

    ¡°Old man, now that Qin Xue is going to have a baby, isn¡¯t it time that Xiao Yu also gets married?¡± Grandma Qin talked with her husband as she watched Qin Yu go into the kitchen..

 Chapter 251

    Translator: 549690339

    Grandpa Qin got to thinking that Qin Yu and Qin Xue were twins, and since Qin Xue was married and had children, it was about time for Qin Yu to get married, right?

    ¡°Yeah, can¡¯t believe it¡¯s been 20 years, just like yesterday when Shulan first came to our village.¡± Grandpa Qin sighed at the passing of time.

    ¡°Indeed, when we took Shulan in, we had no idea she was pregnant at the time.

    We decided to marry her to Qin Lei only because we felt sorry for her, and to prevent the village from sneering at the unborn child.

    When Qin Xue and Qin Yu were born, we even told the villagers that the children were premature.

    Now, in the blink of an eye, the children are married and have their own children, it does remind us how old we are getting!¡± Grandma Qin also sighed at the merciless progress of time.

    ¡°My dear, let¡¯s not talk about these old stories anymore, Xiao Yu is still here, we don¡¯t want him to overhear.

    Otherwise, who knows what this lad might think.¡± Grandpa Qin quietly reminded Grandma Qin.

    ¡°Husband, I know, aren¡¯t we speaking quietly about this?

    Xiao Yu has always thought of himself as our biological grandson. If he found out he¡¯s not, he would certainly overthink it.

    So we need to be careful in this matter.¡± Grandma Qin also understood her husband¡¯s meaning.

    What the old couple didn¡¯t know was that Qin Yu had heard every single word they said.

    It would be a lie to say he wasn¡¯t shocked, as Qin Yu really believed that he and his sister were the children of the Qins.

    Because he had never seen anyone treat people not of their own blood so kindly.

    Therefore, he never doubted their identities.

    He was not expecting to hear such amazing news today, even the villagers thought they were children of the Qins.

    But it turns out they were not, but it¡¯s because the Qins were genuinely good to his mother and them that he never even thought about it, maybe that¡¯s why the villagers never doubted it either?

    Just because the Qins genuinely treated them well, even if Qin Yu heard the truth, he would pretend that he didn¡¯t.

    He couldn¡¯t hurt these simple and kind people.

    Especially the man who treated him as his own son, and these two kind old people.

    Qin Yu quietly turned back and retreated without letting the two old people notice.

    The fish was supposed to be eaten tomorrow, and he was going to ask the old couple if they wanted to marinate it or fry it.

    But he didn¡¯t expect to hear their conversation as soon as he stepped out of the kitchen.

    He hid at the kitchen door and listened to their entire conversation.

    Qin Yu returned to the kitchen, lit the fire, and fried the fish. He put it in a bowl and saved it for his grandparents to make soup tomorrow. Otherwise, it would be a shame if it went off in the heat.

    ¡°Grandma and Grandpa, it¡¯s hot outside, and I¡¯m worried it¡¯ll spoil, so I¡¯ve fried the fish and put it in the bowl cabinet. Tomorrow, you can take it out and make a soup or reheat it and make red-cooked fish.¡± Qin Yu explained.

    ¡°Good boy, thank you, Xiao Yu!¡± Grandma Qin¡¯s eyes crinkled in a smile, she did indeed dote on this grandson.

    ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m your grandson. Why are you so polite with me?¡± Qin Yu said with a laugh.

    ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t be polite with you, Xiao Yu.¡± Grandma Qin replied smoothly.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go now.¡± Qin Yu looked at the sky and thought that their dinner should be ready at home.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll get the keys and lock the door.¡± Grandpa Qin got up to get the keys.

    ¡°Grandma, shall we wait for Grandpa outside the door?¡± Qin Yu asked as he helped Grandma Qin.

    ¡°No need to help me, I can walk.¡± Grandma Qin was quite nimble on her feet.

    ¡°I know Grandma is nimble, but I just want to be a bit closer to you.

    You two didn¡¯t agree to move in with us.

    Instead, you insist on living here alone. We¡¯re usually too busy to come and accompany you.¡± Qin Yu helplessly replied..

 Chapter 252

    Translator: 549690339

    Grandpa and Grandma Qin were left behind when their eldest son and his family went out to do their own thing and the house was usually left empty. So, the old couple stayed home to watch the house instead of living with their family.

    They would only visit occasionally, bringing some food. And whenever the elderly fell ill or felt unwell, their mum would come to take care of them, running between two houses.

    Qin Yu was relieved that the old couple were in good health and rarely fell ill, otherwise their mum would really have a hard time.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡± said Grandpa Qin as he locked the door and turned to his wife and Qin Yu.

    ¡°Grandma and Grandpa, please take your time and walk slowly.¡± Qin Yu seemed uneasy and warned them.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about us, our legs are still sturdy, we can walk steadily.¡± Grandpa Qin replied with a chuckle.

    ¡°It¡¯s just that I¡¯m a bit worried.¡± Qin Yu admitted, though he knew he was being overcautious.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about, we¡¯ve been using this road for decades.

    We even recognize every rock on it.

    So, stop worrying and get going.¡± Grandma Qin said heartily.

    ¡°Alright, then you guys take your time and don¡¯t rush.¡± Qin Yu pondered and admitted they made a good point.

    So, he followed them leisurely.

    ¡°How come this child acts like an old man at his young age?¡± Grandma Qin teased after seeing Qin Yu l s worried expression.

    ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m just caring for you and here you are making fun of me.¡± Qin Yu looked at the kindly old woman.

    ¡°Who asked you to give me the chance to tease you?¡± Grandma Qin replied cheerfully.

    ¡°Grandpa, look at Grandma.¡± Qin Yu pleaded with his grandpa for help.

    ¡°Don¡¯t call me, there¡¯s nothing I can do.¡± Grandpa Qin chuckled, waving Qin Yu off while watching his wife¡¯s merry behavior.

    Qin Yu marvelled internally at the elderly couple¡¯s childlike behavior.

    He felt lucky to have been born into such a loving and understanding family.

    Even though life at home was a bit tough, living in this sort of environment was his good fortune.

    When they got home, Nangong Shulan was in the process of steaming rice with mugwort juice.

    In this day and age, their home had no milling machine, so they would steam the rice until it was cooked and then put it into a stone mortar to make it mushy before wrapping it around the filling.

    Another way to make green balls, is to grind the glutinous rice into powder and mix it with mugwort juice to make a dough, divide it into pieces, wrap the filling, and then steam it to eat.

    Nangong Shulan saw Qin Yu bringing his grandparents home and hurriedly stood up to greet them.

    ¡°Dad, Mom, you¡¯re here. Come in and have a seat. It¡¯s smoky in here.¡± Nangong Shulan suggested her in-laws move to a different room.

    The living room was brighter and more spacious; obviously sitting there was better than staying in the kitchen.

    ¡°Old man, you go first, I¡¯ll stay here and help Shulan.¡± Grandma Qin was also a good cook.

    She looked at all this, and thought about what Qin Yu had told her, about Qin Xue¡¯s pregnancy.

    All these foods were what Qin Xue enjoyed eating. They must be preparing it for her.

    ¡°No need, Mom please sit in the living room, I will finish up here soon.¡± Nangong Shulan couldn¡¯t dare to let her mother-in-law help.

    ¡°What¡¯s the harm, let me help you, it will be much quicker.¡± Grandma Qin thought that if she chipped in, they could finish the task much faster.

    ¡°Alright then, thank you, mum.¡± Nangong Shulan, seeing that she couldn¡¯t refuse, stopped trying.

    Indeed, an extra pair of hands made the work go faster. Once the glutinous rice was cooked, they asked Qin Yu and Mr. Qin to take it to the washed stone mortar to be ground.

    While they, the mother and daughter-in-law, were responsible for cooking the meals.

    The rice had already been steamed, so now they just needed to cook the dishes.

    The fish soup was simmering deliciously, its aroma wafting around the courtyard, making everyone¡¯s mouth water..

 Chapter 253

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Jiale came back after washing the straw mats and saw her father and brother making green balls. She placed the mats on the stone table to dry.

    She ran into the kitchen and saw her mother and grandmother cooking.

    ¡°Grandma, you¡¯re here!¡± Qin Jiale happily held her grandmother¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Yes, Grandma came to see my lovely granddaughter.¡± Grandma Qin was delighted to see her granddaughter.

    ¡°Grandma, we invited you and Grandpa to live with us, but you never came.¡± Qin Jiale pouted.

    Qin Jiale couldn¡¯t help but be spoiled in front of her grandmother.

    It seemed like her usual demeanor was a facade, and her real self was like a little girl.

    She appeared to be charming and clever, making people want to love and pamper her.

    ¡°Grandpa and I are used to living there on our own.

    As we get older, we become more set in our ways and don¡¯t want to disturb your lives. It¡¯s enough if you visit us from time to time.¡± Grandma Qin patted her granddaughter¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Grandma, is Grandpa here too?¡± Qin Jiale asked her grandmother since she didn¡¯t see her grandfather.

    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s in the living room. Do you need him for something?¡± Grandma Qin told Qin Jiale where Grandpa was.

    Qin Jiale let go of her grandmother¡¯s arm and happily said, ¡°I¡¯m going to find

    Grandpa.¡±

    Qin Jiale spoke as she was already at the kitchen door.

    ¡°This girl is still the same. Every time her grandfather comes, she runs to play chess with him.¡± Nangong Shulan shook her head as she watched her daughter¡¯s happy figure.

    ¡°Of all our grandsons and granddaughters, only Jiale really likes to be close to her grandfather.¡± Grandma Qin sighed when she thought of her other grandchildren.

    They say that there is a generation gap every three years, but there is no sign of that between Qin Jiale and her grandfather.

    The two shared a common hobby of playing chess, and Qin Jiale¡¯s chess skills

    were taught by her grandfather.

    Qin Jiale rushed to the living room: ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m back!¡±

    Grandpa Qin looked up from the chessboard at the door: ¡°Our Lele is back!

    Come over and finish this game of chess with your grandfather.¡±

    It turned out that Grandpa Qin was playing chess with himself, and now that Qin Jiale was back, he had someone to play with.

    ¡°Okay!¡± Qin Jiale sat down opposite her grandfather.

    ¡°It¡¯s your turn.¡± Grandpa Qin held a black piece and looked at Qin Jiale.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Qin Jiale replied and placed a white piece down.

    The grandfather and granddaughter engaged in an intense battle, taking turns making moves.

    ¡°Dad, Jiale, it¡¯s time for dinner!¡± Nangong Shulan brought the food to the table and shouted at the two. After shouting, she went back to the kitchen to get more dishes.

    The chess-playing duo were absorbed in their game and didn¡¯t hear Nangong Shulan¡¯s call.

    When Nangong Shulan came back with more dishes, she saw that the two were still playing chess and couldn¡¯t help but feel frustrated.

    It was always like this. The moment the two get together, they only have eyes for chess and nothing else.

    Nangong Shulan thought she would bring out the rest of the dishes first and then call the two again.

    ¡°Honey, are you guys done yet? Time to eat.¡± Nangong Shulan called to the father and son in the yard.

    ¡°Mom, we¡¯ll be done soon.¡± Qin Yu glanced at Nangong Shulan and replied.

    ¡°Then you guys better hurry up, or the food will get cold.¡± Nangong Shulan nodded and left a message before returning to the kitchen.

    ¡°Mom, you can go eat. I can handle things here.¡± Nangong Shulan looked at the food in the pot.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, it will be done soon.¡± Grandma Qin stirred the food in the pot.

    ¡°Shulan, pass me a plate. I¡¯ll put the food on it.¡± Grandma Qin noticed that the food in the pot was almost ready, but she forgot to grab a plate,

    ¡°Mom, here you go!¡± Nangong Shulan handed the clean plate to her mother-in-law.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go eat.¡± Grandma Qin filled the plates with food and gestured for Nangong Shulan to carry a plate mith her to the living room..

 Chapter 254

    Translator: 549690339

    After the mother and daughter-in-law had put all the dishes on the table, they saw that the grandfather and grandson were still playing chess.

    ¡°Old man, go wash your hands and have dinner with Jiale now. Can chess fill your stomach?¡± Grandma Qin knew that as soon as her husband started playing chess, he would forget about everything else.

    Now that he had a granddaughter who shared this trait, the two of them would forget about everything when they were together.

    Grandma Qin¡¯s voice was quite loud, finally snapping the two chess enthusiasts out of their trance.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Grandpa Qin looked at his wife, slightly confused.

    ¡°What ¡®Ah¡¯ food is ready. Go, wash your hands and eat with Jiale.¡± Grandma Qin was speechless with her husband.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s time to eat. Jiale, let¡¯s wash our hands and continue after dinner.¡± Grandpa Qin happily told Qin Jiale.

    Among all his grandchildren, Qin Jiale was the one most like him.

    ¡°Alright, Grandpa, let¡¯s go.¡± Qin Jiale happily held her grandfather¡¯s hand and went outside.

    ¡°Dad, Brother, it¡¯s time to eat,¡± called Qin Jiale, looking at her father and brother, who were still making green balls in the courtyard.

    ¡°Alright, you guys start first. We¡¯ll be there soon.¡± Mr. Qin looked up at his little girl and responded.

    ¡°You guys, hurry up!¡± After washing their hands, Qin Jiale and her grandfather returned to the living room to eat.

    Since not everyone was ready, they all sat and waited.

    Mr. Qin and Qin Yu came back to see them, still not eating.

    ¡°Dad, Mom, why aren¡¯t you eating?¡± Mr. Qin asked his parents.

    ¡°We were waiting for you guys. Hurry up and eat. The food will get cold.¡± Grandma Qin looked at her youngest son.

    Although they had married him to Nangong Shulan, who was already pregnant, as long as their son was happy, they as parents, were happy too.

    Moreover, Nangong Shulan was a filial and gentle person.

    They didn¡¯t lose out by marrying this daughter-in-law. After giving birth to Qin Xue and Qin Yu, she also gave their youngest son a daughter.

    Being happy together as a family was what mattered most.

    ¡°Why wait for me? We¡¯re at home, not outside. There¡¯s no need for such formalities.¡± Mr. Qin didn¡¯t want his parents to wait for him to eat.

    ¡°Mom, Dad, let¡¯s eat.¡± Nangong Shulan placed a piece of fish into her in-laws¡¯ bowls.

    ¡°Shulan, you eat too. Don¡¯t worry about us.¡± Grandma Qin happily ate the fish her daughter-in-law had given her.

    In their lifetime, even though they hadn¡¯t spent much time with their oldest son¡¯s family, they felt fulfilled with the company of their other children and grandchildren.

    ¡°Grandpa and Grandma, have some vegetables.¡± Qin Yu and Qin Jiale exchanged glances and each put some vegetables into their grandparents¡¯ bowls.

    ¡°Great, thank you, Xiao Yu and Jiale.¡± Grandma Qin¡¯s smile never left her face.

    Grandpa Qin and Mr. Qin watched this scene, their hearts filled with happiness and satisfaction.

    Isn¡¯t this what a family should be like? Being happy together makes them the winners in life.

    Nangong Shulan looked at her husband with a slightly shy expression.

    She placed a piece of fish in his bowl and smiled gently.

    Mr. Qin enjoyed the dish his wife had given him.

    Although 20 years had passed and her face was no longer as youthful,

    her image in his heart was still as soft and beautiful as it was when he first saw her.

    The moment he saw her for the first time, his heart raced.

    At that time, he knew he wanted to marry her, and eventually, they got married and had children together.

    Over the years, they had never fought, and they always came to an agreement on everything.

    Their three children were well-educated and filial, thanks to their mother¡¯s efforts.

    So in Mr. Qin¡¯s heart, his wife had always been the one and only..

 Chapter 255

    Translator: 549690339

    The family enjoyed their meal cheerfully, laughter spilling out into the courtyard. The passing villagers on their way home felt envious as they thought about how harmonious the Qin family always was, filled with laughter, unlike other families that were constantly bickering, with small quarrels every three days and major arguments every five days.

    After everyone finished eating, Nangong Shulan tidied up the dishes and chopsticks.

    Mr. Qin and Qin Yu continued to clean up the materials they used for making green balls.

    Grandpa Qin and Qin Jiale continued with their ongoing, evenly matched game of chess, while Grandma Qin sat nearby watching the two play.

    Once Nangong Shulan had finished tidying up, she brewed a pot of chrysanthemum tea and set it on the table.

    ¡°Mom, would you like some tea?¡± Nangong Shulan asked Mrs. Qin.

    ¡°Give me a cup, and have a seat,¡± Grandma Qin motioned to a chair nearby, inviting her daughter-in-law to sit.

    Nangong Shulan placed a cup of tea in front of Mrs. Qin and sat in the chair indicated.

    ¡°Mom, do you have something to tell me?¡± Nangong Shulan inquired, unsure what Mrs. Qin wanted to say.

    ¡°Yes, I heard from Xiao Yu that Qin Xue is pregnant. Is this true?¡± Mrs. Qin asked her daughter-in-law.

    ¡°It¡¯s true. Qin Xue wrote about it in her letter,¡± Nangong Shulan said, fetching the letter to show Mrs. Qin.

    ¡°Here, mom, this is the letter Qin Xue wrote.¡± Nangong Shulan handed the letter to Mrs. Qin.

    Mrs. Qin took the letter and began to read it. She was literate, which was part of why she had been so easily accepting of Nangong Shulan as her daughter-in-law.

    Perhaps this was the difference in perspective between those who were educated and those who were not. Different perspectives led to different views of the world.

    After Mrs. Qin finished reading, she folded the letter and put it away before returning it to Nangong Shulan.

    ¡°So what are your specific plans?¡± Mrs. Qin asked, looking at her daughter-in-law.

    ¡°I want to go see Qin Xue and tell her about some things she should be careful of.

    And I want to give her some guidance on how to handle things. Everyone pampered her when she was at home, loving her dearly, but no one told her how to face these challenges and how to survive on her own.

    She has been away from us for several months, and I¡¯ve been worried all this time.

    Now that she¡¯s about to become a mother, I can¡¯t help but worry if I don¡¯t go see her,¡± Nangong Shulan said wistfully.

    ¡°It¡¯s good to go see her, so you can be more at ease. Don¡¯t worry about the house, I will come over regularly to check on things,¡± Mrs. Qin was also missing her eldest granddaughter.

    The child in Qin Xue¡¯s belly would be the first great-grandchild in the Qin family.

    ¡°Alright, thank you, mom,¡± Nangong Shulan said to Mrs. Qin with gratitude.

    Nangong Shulan had originally planned to go visit Qin Xue in the army, but she wasn¡¯t feeling secure about leaving the house. Now that her mother-in-law had reassured her, she felt more at ease.

    ¡°You¡¯re being too polite! Qin Xue is my granddaughter too. Now that she has such good news, I can¡¯t be there, but I should help you watch the house so you can go see her.¡±

    ¡°That way, everyone can have peace of mind, right?¡± Mrs. Qin¡¯s face was filled with kindness.

    Nangong Shulan was deeply touched. This elderly woman had helped her when she was most helpless and always treated her like a real daughter. It was something she never dared to dream of, but it happened to her.

    Sometimes, Nangong Shulan wondered if she had done some extraordinary good deeds in her past life.

    That would explain why she had such wonderful family members in this life.

    Even if she never found her lost relatives, Nangong Shulan would have no regrets.

    Because there were no in-laws as open-minded as hers in the entire Qin village, and no daughter-in-law in other families could happily carry on with what they wanted to do without interference from their mother-in-law. So, wasn¡¯t her luck truly good? Therefore, she had to cherish this hard-won fate..

 Chapter 256

    Translator: 549690339

    ¡°Mum, I plan to visit Qin Xue tomorrow morning, and I haven¡¯t decided when I¡¯ll be back yet, so I¡¯ll have to depend on you to take care of everything at home.¡± Nangong Shulan had indeed not settled on a date for her return.

    So, she decided to tell her mother-in-law in advance to avoid any worry later on.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve got it. You relax, don¡¯t hurry. Your dad and I are both well, we can definitely help out if needed.¡± Mrs. Qin taking over the cooking for her youngest son was merely an added task.

    After all, they both had to eat, getting one additional portion ready only required an extra pair of chopsticks.

    So Mrs. Qin agreed very readily, which also relieved her daughter-in-law of her worries.

    A win-win situation was always welcomed by Mrs. Qin.

    ¡°Mm, thank you, mum!¡± Nangong Shulan was genuinely grateful to her mother-in-law.

    Otherwise, it would¡¯ve been tough for her to go see her daughter and leave the household matters behind. In that case, she wouldn¡¯t have peace of mind. Her mother-in-law¡¯s assistance was a boon, at least she did not have to worry about the house anymore.

    Even if her husband couldn¡¯t manage to cook, there would be someone to take care of it.

    ¡°Do we need to say so much between us? As long as all of you are fine, your dad and I will be relieved.¡± Mrs Qin has walked in the shoes of a daughter-in-law before.

    She knew that it wasn¡¯t easy to be a daughter-in-law, so she didn¡¯t want her daughter-in-law to have as hard a time as she had.

    ¡°Mm, I understand.¡± Nangong Shulan nodded in response.

    ¡°Go check if Qin Lei has finished grinding the green balls. If they¡¯re done, bring them here to be made.¡± Mrs. Qin planned on helping out to speed up the process.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go have a look.¡± Nangong Shulan got up and headed towards the courtyard.

    Mrs. Qin turned her gaze to the delightful chess game unfolding between her husband and grandson.

    She picked up her floral tea and took a sip to moisten her throat.

    Nangong Shulan entered the living room with Qin Jiale¡¯s clean dish cover in her hands.

    Mr. Qin and Qin Yu, on the other hand, brought in the ground green balls and the roasted glutinous rice flour.

    The green balls should ideally be eaten as soon as they¡¯re made to prevent them from sticking together, but these were going to Qin Xue.

    Therefore, to prevent them from sticking together while transporting, they roasted the glutinous rice flour, rolled the dough balls in it after forming them, and they wouldn¡¯t stick together any longer.

    Like the saying ¡®many hands make light work¡¯, the four of them quickly finished making a big pot of green balls.

    Nangong Shulan found some banana leaves and carefully packed the green balls layer by layer.

    She packed a small bag for her mother-in-law and father-in-law, reserved some for their daughter, and the rest was packed for Qin Xue.

    Qin Yu picked up a green ball and tasted it. The texture was great, full of chewiness.

    He then stuffed another into Qin Jiale¡¯s mouth and passed one to his grandpa.

    Nangong Shulan saw this and shook her head, picked up a plate, put a round of green balls on it, and placed it on the chess-playing table for the grandfather-grandson duo.

    She also placed some tea on the table. Now they could enjoy their chess game and having refreshments at the same time, quite cosy and carefree.

    Seeing the green balls were ready, Mr. Qin and Nangong Shulan went to the kitchen to cook mung bean cake.

    ¡°My child¡¯s father, I won¡¯t be home when I go to see Qin Xue. Please don¡¯t work too hard, you should rest more.¡± Nangong Shulan didn¡¯t want her kind husband to exhaust himself.

    ¡°I will be fine, I know my limits.¡± Qin Lei replied smilingly to his wife.

    ¡°You are the pillar of our family. We all depend on you.¡± Nangong Shulan was well aware of Qin Lei¡¯s temperament.

    ¡°You can rest assured, I will get sufficient rest. I have to see Xiao Yu getting married.

    Also Jiale, I need to earn money for her college too, so I will take care of myself. I won¡¯t let you worry about me.¡± Qin Lei assured his beloved wife tenderly..

 Chapter 257

    Translator: 549690339

    Nangong Shulan blushed at the affection in Qin Lei¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°As long as you know, I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll be back from visiting Qin Xue this time, so besides taking care of yourself, you also need to take care of mom and dad.

    And Jiale, even though she doesn¡¯t come back often, you still need to keep an eye on her.

    If I can¡¯t come back that quickly, I will let Xiao Yu come back first.¡± Nangong Shulan didn¡¯t know why she had so many concerns, not feeling at ease here and there.

    ¡°Shulan, don¡¯t overthink it, I¡¯m more worried about you being away.

    Be more cautious in everything and don¡¯t get taken advantage of.¡± Qin Lei looked at his wife and advised her with concern.

    Despite her age, she was not weighed down by thoughts and was kind-hearted; he was more afraid that his wife would be deceived.

    Both husband and wife were worried about each other, showing the depth of their feelings for one another.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not a child, besides, you forgot that I originally came from such a far away place and was fine.

    Although I haven¡¯t traveled far in many years, I¡¯m still someone who has been out, right?¡± Nangong Shulan smiled and said to her husband.

    ¡°Mm.¡± Qin Lei nodded.

    ¡°You go and get the molds and put them in the steamer, I¡¯ll go and get the other things done.¡± Nangong Shulan thought about the other miscellaneous things she had to pack and bring to the army, and time was tight.

    ¡°Okay, leave it to me.¡± Qin Lei knew how to do these things through his years of working with Nangong Shulan.

    ¡°Mm, alright, thank you for the hard work.¡± Nangong Shulan smiled gently at her husband, expressing her gratitude for his efforts.

    ¡°It¡¯s not hard. You¡¯re the one who has worked harder.¡± Qin Lei looked at his wife who hadn¡¯t rested all day and felt very heartbroken.

    Nangong Shulan smiled and left the kitchen, packing a portion of dried jujubes, dried longan, and dried sweet potatoes, and then left a share for her youngest daughter.

    By the time the chess match between Qin Jiale and Grandpa Qin ended, the green balls on the plate were all gone.

    ¡°Brother, can you give me a glass of water?¡± Qin Jiale was thirsty after eating too many green balls.

    But she didn¡¯t want to move, so she asked her brother to pour her some water.

    ¡°Alright, wait a moment. You shouldn¡¯t have eaten so many in one go.

    Drink some water and then walk around to digest it, or else you¡¯ll suffer later.¡± Qin Yu looked at Qin Jiale, who was showing her true colors.

    ¡°Mm, thank you, brother.¡± Qin Jiale gratefully accepted the water cup and took a big gulp.

    ¡°Wow, this feels so good!¡± Qin Jiale sighed in satisfaction.

    ¡°You, be careful, drink slowly, don¡¯t drink too much or you¡¯ll be uncomfortable later.¡± Grandma Qin scolded her granddaughter.

    ¡°Alright, stop lecturing her. She just didn¡¯t pay attention and ate too much.¡± Grandpa Qin had just enjoyed the chess game and couldn¡¯t bear to see his granddaughter being lectured.

    ¡°You¡¯re no better, you didn¡¯t stop her either. Eating so many green balls is hard to digest, later she¡¯ll be uncomfortable.¡± Grandma Qin got up to ask her daughter-in-law for some orange peel tea.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s my fault. I couldn¡¯t stop her. Besides, you know how much this girl

    likes to eat. I can¡¯t help it.¡± Grandpa Qin tried to appease his old wife.

    Even Mr. Qin was a doting husband, respecting and cherishing his old wife. How could the Qin family have bad morals? How could they not live together harmoniously?

    So the harmony of a family cannot be separated from the interaction between the husband and wife, because the children growing up under the influence of such a family will also inherit this virtue.

    ¡°You¡¯re always indulging her. If she¡¯s uncomfortable later, you¡¯ll be the one feeling heartbroken.¡± Mrs. Qin glared at her old partner, angry at the thoughtless old man who spoiled the child.

    ¡°Old partner, don¡¯t be angry. I won¡¯t do it again next time.

    Just now I was playing chess and didn¡¯t notice, that¡¯s why she ate too much. I promise that from now on, I¡¯ll watch her closely and not let her eat too much, alright?¡± Mr. Qin was also not expecting that his granddaughter would eat all the green balls up so quickly..

 Chapter 258

    Translator: 549690339

    It¡¯s not that green balls can¡¯t be eaten in large quantities, but because they are made from fresh glutinous rice, eating too many can cause indigestion and bloating.

    So, foods like green balls, mochi, and rice cakes, which are all made from glutinous rice, should be eaten in moderation to avoid stomach discomfort.

    ¡°Fine, fine, I won¡¯t argue with you. I¡¯ll go make her some aged orange peel tea, so she won¡¯t suffer later.

    An adult like me still can¡¯t be reliable.¡± Mrs. Qin said as she went to the kitchen.

    Qin Yu and Qin Jiale watched as their grandpa was scolded by their grandma.

    ¡°You heartless child, you¡¯re still laughing. Because of you, your grandpa, at my age, is still being lectured by your grandma.¡± Mr. Qin lamented to his grandchildren by his side.

    ¡°Hehe, grandpa, you can¡¯t blame us. If grandma speaks, how dare we interrupt?¡± Qin Jiale said, smiling at Mr. Qin.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s true, you don¡¯t know how gentle your grandma was when she was young.

    I don¡¯t know why, but the older she gets, the more nagging she becomes.¡± Although Mr. Qin said this, his expression and eyes told a different story.

    The siblings exchanged a glance, both muttering in their hearts, Qin men must he wife-doting demons.

    After Qin Jiale¡¯s inner snark, she wondered what her brother would be like when he had a wife.

    But according to their family tradition, her brother would definitely be a man who dotes on his wife.

    Being a woman in the Qins was truly a blessing, because they all had a man who loved them deeply.

    ¡°Jiale, come and drink this cup of aged orange peel tea.¡± Mrs. Qin brought a cup of digestive tea and said to Qin Jiale.

    ¡°Thank you, grandma. You¡¯re the best to me.¡± Qin Jiale hugged Mrs. Qin¡¯s arm, shaking it and acting adorable.

    ¡°Hey, stop shaking! You¡¯re making the tea spill.¡± Mrs. Qin looked at her teacup and then at her overly cute granddaughter, trying to stop her.

    Qin Jiale stuck out her tongue, just remembering she was overly adorable.

    She quickly took the tea cup from Mrs. Qin, blew on the digestive tea, and began to drink slowly.

    She had indeed eaten too many green balls just now. No matter how delicious they were, she shouldn¡¯t have been so greedy.

    Since her family wasn¡¯t very wealthy, they didn¡¯t eat well regularly; her stomach had little oil and water, yet she had consumed so many hard-to-digest green balls.

    If she didn¡¯t drink this digestive tea, she wouldn¡¯t get a wink of sleep tonight.

    Mrs. Qin, seeing her granddaughter¡¯s obedient actions, couldn¡¯t bear to scold her further and shook her head.

    She picked up the flower tea on the table, poured a cup for her husband, and handed it to him.

    Shulan just told me that she and Xiao Yu will go to the army compound to see Qin Xue tomorrow. Jiale is going to school, so we don¡¯t need to worry too much about her.

    As for Thunder¡¯s meals, we can cook and let him come over for each meal, or we can cook together here. What do you think?¡± Mrs. Qin asked her husband for his opinion.

    ¡°Let¡¯s cook at our place and have Thunder come over to eat. It¡¯s more convenient at our home.¡± Mr. Qin preferred their own home for convenience.

    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll follow your suggestion.¡± Mrs. Qin thought similarly.

    Xiao Yu, you go with your mother to the army compound tomorrow. If something happens outside, be patient and don¡¯t argue with others. After all, it¡¯s not like being at home, so try to avoid any trouble if you can.

    Of course, if someone goes too far, you don¡¯t need to endure it¡ªdo what you have to do, understood?¡± Mr. Qin sternly advised.

    ¡°I understand, grandpa. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be patient and avoid causing trouble.¡± Qin Yu was only relaxed and showed his true self when he was with his family.

    At other times, he was calm and collected. His motto was, ¡°If others do not offend me, I do not offend others.. If others offend me, I will retaliate!¡±

 Chapter 259

    Translator: 549690339

    If not, the woman from their village who tried to take advantage of Qin Xue wouldn¡¯t have been married off to such a family by Chu Molin and himself.

    Trying to calculate his sister Qin Xue, she didn¡¯t know how many eyes Mr. Ma had.

    ¡°As long as you know your limits and stay safe,¡± Mr. Qin advised and stopped talking, then continued playing chess with Qin Jiale.

    Qin Yu didn¡¯t bother them and looked at his grandmother quietly drinking tea on the side.

    Qin Yu went back to his room to pack his luggage. Although he wouldn¡¯t be away for long, he still needed to bring extra clothes.

    He just packed two sets of clothes, not too many, and wondered how much stuff his mother had prepared for Qin Xue.

    Qin Yu had never been far away from home. The farthest he had gone was to the county town, and this was his first time leaving the province to go to another province. He felt excited just thinking about it.

    Qin Yu used his school bag to pack his clothes. The weather was hot now, and the two sets of clothes were thin and didn¡¯t take up much space, so his school bag could hold them.

    Qin Yu wondered how his sister was doing over there, and even sent money back with her letters.

    If possible, Qin Yu also wanted to venture out there and see more of the outside world.

    He wanted to make a lot of money and give his parents and sister a good life.

    Though he now knew that Qin Lei was not their biological father, his foster father had always treated him like his own son. No matter who his biological father was, Qin Lei would always be his father in this life.

    That the Qins were so kind to his mother and himself made them his benefactors.

    These were the people he should be filial to all his life, and no one could stop him.

    After packing his clothes, Qin Yu picked up a high school textbook from the table and started browsing.

    Because their family had many children, both Qin Xue and Qin Yu didn¡¯t continue studying after high school, leaving the opportunity to their youngest sister!

    Looking back, they were really fortunate. In an era when people were not well-fed or well-clothed, the two siblings managed to finish high school.

    Their biological father couldn¡¯t even reach the level of Qin Lei¡¯s fatherly actions.

    This kind of responsible man was the role model for Qin Yu to learn from.

    Qin Yu focused on reading the book. Although it was a textbook he had studied before, he still found it fascinating.

    He was a good student when he was in school. Many people thought it was a pity that he didn¡¯t take the college entrance exam and go to university, but he didn¡¯t regret it because his parents had tried their best to support his education.

    Now he gave the opportunity to his younger sister, letting her achieve her goals was the happiest thing for her.

    In the kitchen, Nangong Shulan was packing some dry goods to bring, while Mr. Qin was making green bean cakes.

    ¡°Shulan, you should only bring a small portion. If Qin Xue returns with you, you¡¯ll be bringing too much. It would be a pity if the food goes bad,¡± Mr. Qin said as he watched his wife pack various things.

    It¡¯s not that he was stingy, but if Qin Xue came back with them, they wouldn¡¯t be able to finish all the food brought and it would spoil.

    If only they knew about Qin Xue¡¯s storage space, they wouldn¡¯t think so.

    After all, Qin Xue¡¯s space had the function of storing things without expiration.

    ¡°Um, you¡¯re right. What should we do then? Repack everything?¡± Nangong Shulan looked at the things on the table and then at her husband.

    ¡°Let¡¯s repack everything and bring only what Qin Xue likes.¡± Mr. Qin looked at the messy pile of local specialties and dry goods on the table.

    It was only because their family was thrifty that they had enough left over for the children¡¯s education.

    In the past, when three children were attending school, life was difficult. Now that only one is studying, the pressure is less, and they feel much more relaxed. But they feel sorry for Qin Yu and Qin Xue, who had great grades but didn¡¯t continue their education, leaving the opportunity to Jiale..

 Chapter 260

    Translator: 549690339

    Nangong Shulan took out the items and repacked them, only keeping those that Qin Xue particularly liked and leaving out those that she didn¡¯t like as much.

    By the time Nangong Shulan had finished packing, Qin Lei had also finished removing all the mung bean cakes from their molds, ready to be steamed.

    It¡¯s said that men and women working together make things less tiring, and that¡¯s absolutely true.

    The couple quickly tidied up everything that needed to be organized, and Nangong Shulan set aside the wrapped items.

    After Qin Lei steamed the mung bean cakes, Nangong Shulan packed some of them in a bag to take back to her in-laws later.

    Those intended for Qin Xue were left on the table to cool down, since the weather was so hot, it would spoil if sealed in a bag.

    ¡°Honey, we¡¯re done with everything and finished tidying up. Let¡¯s leave these out to cool, and we can pack them tomorrow morning. I¡¯ll wash the pot and heat up some water for a bath. You go take a break, it¡¯s been a long day.¡± Nangong Shulan scooped out the water used for steaming the mung bean cakes.

    She then scrubbed the pot and prepared to heat up water to take a shower, feeling sweaty and uncomfortable after a long day of work.

    ¡°You wash the pot; I¡¯ll bring in the water.¡± Qin Lei didn¡¯t want his wife to be too tired, knowing that not only had he been tired all day, but so had she.

    ¡°Alright then!¡± Nangong Shulan knew her husband was being considerate and did not reject his kindness.

    An ideal relationship between husband and wife involves mutual tolerance and help. It¡¯s not about who contributes more or less, as an unbalanced relationship won¡¯t last.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Qin Lei smiled, took the water bucket, and went out to the courtyard to fetch water. He knew his wife would understand his intentions.

    As it grew darker, Qin Yu found it increasingly difficult to read his book, so he put it away and stepped out of his room.

    Seeing that the granddad-grandson duo was still playing chess, Qin Yu fetched an oil lamp, lit it, and placed it on the table.

    Qin Jiale looked up at Qin Yu and sweetly smiled, ¡°Thank you, brother.¡±

    Qin Yu smiled and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s grandma? Where did she go?¡±

    As Qin Yu had not seen grandma when he came out, he asked about her.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure; I didn¡¯t notice.¡± Qin Jiale looked around but truly didn¡¯t see his grandma.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to look; your grandma probably went home to feed the chickens,¡± said Mr. Qin, even though he hadn¡¯t noticed when his wife had left, he knew her personality well.

    ¡°Yeah, that makes sense,¡± Qin Yu agreed.

    ¡°What are you guys looking for?¡± Nangong Shulan came in and saw them seemingly searching for something.

    ¡°Nothing, just noticed grandma wasn¡¯t here and asked about it,¡± Qin Yu replied upon hearing his mother¡¯s inquiry.

    ¡°Oh, your grandma went home.¡± Nangong Shulan recalled that her mother-in-law had mentioned going home to feed the chickens when she was packing the mung bean cakes, so she left first.

    ¡°See, I told you.¡± Mr. Qin looked contentedly at Qin Yu and Qin Jiale.

    ¡°Yeah, grandpa is the best; he always guesses right.¡± Qin Jiale happily praised her grandpa with a smile.

    ¡°Of course! We¡¯ve been together for decades; how could I not understand her?¡± Mr. Qin said, a little embarrassed, while looking at his granddaughter. ¡°Exactly, that¡¯s why my grandpa is so awesome! Haha!¡± With that, Qin Jiale winked at her brother.

    Qin Yu felt helpless in his heart, as his sister was playfully teasing their grandpa.

    ¡°Grandpa, let me play a game with you. Little sister, you go take a shower first.¡± Qin Yu saw that it was getting completely dark outside.

    ¡°Alright, thank you, brother.¡± Qin Jiale stood up stretching her waist, rubbing her sore neck, and said with a smile.

    ¡°Hurry up; it¡¯s already dark.¡± Qin Yu gently pushed her away and took his sister¡¯s seat.

    ¡°Grandpa, you start first.¡± Qin Yu followed the principle of respecting the old and loving the young, and let his grandpa make the first move..

 Chapter 261

    Translator: 549690339

    Playing chess with Qin Yu was trickier than with Qin Jiale, perhaps due to the difference in personality and age. Qin Yu could see further and had more elaborate moves than Qin Jiale.

    If you weren¡¯t careful, a whole group of pieces could be captured. That¡¯s how it is in Go ¨C planning ten steps or more ahead.

    Nir. Qin was at a loss, struggling to figure out what to do.

    Mr. Qin had no other choice. After teaching his grandson how to play chess, they rarely played together.

    Usually, it was the granddaughter who played with him, while the grandson watched from the side, never saying anything, just quietly observing.

    Taking the rule of not speaking while observing the game to an extreme, he had now revealed his cunningness in this one game.

    His strategies were indeed good enough to make an experienced chess player cautious.

    Qin Yu picked up his tea and took a sip, watching Mr. Qin struggle to figure out a solution.

    Breaking through this defense was not difficult, but Mr. Qin had complicated things and thus couldn¡¯t see clearly.

    If he could let go and think simpler, it would be easy to crack.

    After some time, Mr. Qin¡¯s furrowed brows finally relaxed.

    ¡°You little rascal, this trap you¡¯ve set for me is excessively cunning,¡± Mr. Qin said while placing a piece on the board.

    ¡°Grandpa, you¡¯re just overthinking it,¡± Qin Yu replied with a smile, placing another piece on the board.

    The moves he set up this time were much more difficult than before.

    Qin Yu kept setting up traps for Mr. Qin to solve.

    ¡°Not bad, not bad. Your chess skills have certainly improved,¡± Mr. Qin said approvingly, clearly expressing his admiration for Qin Yu¡¯s abilities.

    ¡°Thank you for the praise, Grandpa,¡± Qin Yu said humbly with a smile.

    In the end, the game ended in a draw. It had to be said that experience made all the difference.

    No matter how clever Qin Yu¡¯s tactics were, Mr. Qin managed to break through them, so the match ended in a draw.

    ¡°Grandpa, have some water,¡± Qin Yu handed Mr. Qin a cup of lukewarm herbal tea.

    The tea had grown cold, so Qin Yu added some hot water to make it lukewarm for the old man¡¯s weak stomach.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Mr. Qin replied and took a sip of the herbal tea.

    Because hot water was added, the flavor was not strong, and the tea gave off a faint fragrance.

    After finishing his cup of tea, Mr. Qin stood up and said, ¡°It¡¯s getting late. 1 should head home. You all have a long car ride tomorrow, so everyone should get some rest early.¡±

    ¡°Grandpa, wait for me. I¡¯ll go get the flashlight to light your way home,¡± Qin Yu said before going into his room to fetch the flashlight.

    After her shower, Qin Jiale saw her brother and grandpa engrossed in their chess game and didn¡¯t disturb them, instead returning to her own room. Meanwhile, Qin Lei and Nangong Shulan were taking turns bathing.

    So, it was only Qin Yu who could accompany Mr. Qin on his way home. It was nighttime, and there weren¡¯t many people out and about, just the occasional barking of the village dogs.

    After sending Mr. Qin home, Qin Yu turned around and headed back.

    As he passed by Mrs. Li¡¯s house, he heard some giggles and whispers, followed shortly by the sound of voices from within.

    ¡°You damn ghost, why are you so late?¡± Li Chunhua¡¯s flirtatious voice came out.

    ¡°l had to wait for my wife to be asleep before I could come look for you, sweetheart. Let me give you a kiss; I¡¯ve missed you so much,¡± an anxious voice replied.

    Qin Yu quickened his pace, wondering which man from the village was having an affair with Mrs. Lia

    But this had nothing to do with him, so he just hurried on with the flashlight guiding his way.

    ¡°Why are you back so soon?¡± Nangong Shulan, who had just finished showering, saw Qin Yu sitting in the living room.

    ¡°Nothing challenging about escorting Grandpa home, so I came back. Mom, why don¡¯t you go pack up the clothes you want to bring, and I¡¯ll go take a shower,¡± Qin Yu said as he stood up and went to his room to grab some clothes..

 Chapter 262

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Yu went back to his room to get his pajamas and went to the bathroom for a shower before returning to the kitchen to fetch the hot water.

    ¡°Jiale, are you asleep?¡± Nangong Shulan knocked on her younger daughter¡¯s bedroom door.

    ¡°Not yet, Mom, come in.¡± Qin Jiale opened the door for her mother to enter.

    ¡°Jiale, your brother and I are going to find your sister tomorrow, and we don¡¯t know when we¡¯ll be back.

    Take this money for your living expenses and take good care of yourself at school. Buy whatever you want to eat with the money, and don¡¯t be too frugal or hard on yourself.

    Now you¡¯re the only one in school at home, and we¡¯ve been more relaxed. Plus, your sister sent money back this time, which should be enough for us to live on for a long time.

    So, from now on, feel free to buy whatever you want to eat.¡± Nangong Shulan said to her sensible younger daughter.

    The younger daughter was too sensible, knowing that the family was not wealthy. She never asked for anything other than school expenses since childhood. Now that the family was doing better financially, they could no longer skimp on the younger daughter¡¯s necessities.

    ¡°l know, Mom, I¡¯ll take good care of myself, and you don¡¯t have to worry.

    Please be careful on the road with my brother and send us a telegram when you arrive to let us know you¡¯re safe.¡± Qin Jiale accepted the money from her mother.

    Although her mother said so and she saw the money her sister had sent back, she could not spend recklessly. She had to study hard and fulfill the wishes of her brother and sister.

    Her brother and sister did not go to college, giving her the opportunity, which had always been a knot in Qin Jiale¡¯s heart.

    She had to cherish this hard-to-come opportunity. No other family in their village had a girl who could study properly like she could.

    Other girls in the village either dropped out of school to take care of their siblings and help with chores or got married and had children at an early age.

    Qin Jiale felt fortunate to be born into such a loving family that treated their children equally regardless of gender.

    Although her family paid more attention to her sister than her, she did not envy her sister. When they were young, Jiale once fell into the river and nearly drowned, but her sister saved her.

    So, in her heart, her sister was not only her relative but also her savior.

    Who would be jealous of their lifesaver?

    So, even if her family cared more about her sister, she would not be jealous or make a fuss.

    ¡°Hmm, my little Jiale has grown up and knows how to care for me.¡± Nangong Shulan didn¡¯t think Qin Jiale was ever childish or unaware of things.

    On the contrary, because she was too sensible and kept everything to herself, Nangong Shulan felt heartbroken.

    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m already 17 years old, okay?¡± Qin Jiale felt that she was an adult now in high school and was teased by her mother, so she pouted and spoke to her mother playfully.

    ¡°Yes, 17 years old, a grown young lady. Time flies so fast.

    I remember when you were just born, you were so thin and small. I was afraid I wouldn¡¯t be able to raise you back then.

    But in the blink of an eye, you, the thin and small baby, are already 17 years old and a grown young lady.¡± Nangong Shulan had given birth to Qin Jiale prematurely.

    Because it was too early, she was thin and small when she was born. She really feared that she wouldn¡¯t be able to raise her, and she worried every day.

    At that time, even the two or three-year-old Qin Xue and her younger siblings were barely taken care of, and it was Qin Lei who looked after them, taking them to their grandmother¡¯s house to play with their cousins, Qin Qiu and Cloud, when he went to work.

    Later, under Nangong Shulan¡¯s careful care, Qin Jiale gradually grew stronger, and only then did she feel relieved.

    Perhaps it was due to a feeling of guilt and neglect that, as Qin Jiale grew older, Nangong Shulan¡¯s attention shifted more to Qin Xue.

    She felt that Qin Yu, being a boy, did not need the same delicate care as a girl..

 Chapter 263

    Translator: 549690339

    Among the three children, when they were young, Qin Jiale received all her attention. As they grew older, it was Qin Xue who received all her attention, and only Qin Yu had always been like that.

    Fortunately, the three children had good dispositions, and there was no jealousy among them, resulting in fights over who was better than the others.

    Even the wilful eldest daughter took care of her younger siblings. Her mother never expected her to do such an out-of-the-ordinary thing, but thankfully Chu Molin was a good man. Otherwise, her eldest daughter¡¯s marriage would have been very rocky.

    Although the wilful eldest daughter had a bad temper, she was very kind-hearted and extremely loyal to her friends. In the end, she married a good husband, perhaps this is what they call ¡°fools have fools¡¯ luck.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t stay up too late reading. Get some rest early, I¡¯m going to bed too,¡± Nangong Shulan told her youngest daughter.

    ¡°I know, goodnight mom,¡± Qin Jiale said goodnight to her mother.

    ¡°Mm, goodnight.¡± Nangong Shulan left the room, closing the door behind her and returning to her bedroom.

    ¡°Finished?¡± Qin Lei asked as his wife entered the room.

    ¡°Mm, finished. Why aren¡¯t you asleep yet?¡± Nangong Shulan thought her husband was already asleep.

    ¡°Waiting for you.¡± Qin Lei wasn¡¯t completely at ease with her going out of town, but he knew that his eldest daughter needed their support.

    Since their youngest daughter still needed to attend school and they couldn¡¯t all leave the house, he had to stay behind to look after the home.

    ¡°Why are you waiting for me? You¡¯ve had a long day, go to bed early.¡± Nangong Shulan took off her hairpins before getting into bed.

    ¡°Mm, let¡¯s sleep!¡± Qin Lei cuddled his wife and buried his head in her hair, closing his eyes and falling asleep.

    Ever since they got married, Qin Lei always slept holding his wife, unless there were special circumstances. This habit never changed, lasting for decades.

    ¡°Mm, goodnight.¡± Nangong Shulan adjusted herself into a comfortable position, closed her eyes, and said goodnight to her husband.

    After taking a shower, Qin Yu went to his room to read for a while before going to sleep. The night passed without dreams.

    Early the next morning, mother and son packed their bags and said goodbye to their family, heading to the city to buy train tickets to S Province.

    Back with Qin Xue, after the four of them finished their meal and had a lively chat, Li Zhao and An Hao said goodbye to Chu Molin and his wife and returned to their own home.

    Qin Xue looked at Chu Molin, ¡°Are you tired? Do you want to take a nap?¡±

    ¡°You come with me.¡± Chu Molin knew that Qin Xue had been busy all morning and should rest. When he heard her ask this, he directly requested her to accompany him in the nap.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll go wash my face and then sleep.¡± Qin Xue washed her face not to wake up but to clean off the cooking fumes and sweat from having a hot meal.

    So, Qin Xue wanted to wash her face and wipe her body before sleeping; otherwise, she¡¯d feel uncomfortable. In fact, she¡¯d prefer to take a bath in her secret space, but now was not the time for her to be willful.

    She didn¡¯t intentionally hide her secret from Chu Molin, even deliberately revealing some flaws occasionally. But this didn¡¯t mean she would tell Chu Molin about her secret space.

    ¡°Let¡¯s do it together. I¡¯ll also wash my face. The weather is too hot, and my face is covered in sweat,¡± Chu Molin wiped the sweat off his forehead.

    ¡°You go ahead. I¡¯ll change the bedsheet.¡± Qin Xue thought about not having slept at home for so long, she wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep without changing the bedsheet.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Chu Molin nodded and went to the bathroom.

    Qin Xue went back to the bedroom, took out a clean bedsheet and pillowcase from the wardrobe, removed the old ones, and replaced them with the new ones.

    By the time Chu Molin had washed his face and came over, Qin Xue had already changed the bedsheet.

    ¡°You go ahead and sleep. I¡¯ll take the bedsheet out to soak, and then wash it when I get up.¡± Qin Xue picked up the bedsheet and told Chu Molina

    ¡°Mm.¡± Chu Molin agreed, took off his shoes, and lay down on the bed. Qin Xue put the dirty bedsheet in a bucket filled with water and detergent, stirring up foam before placing it in the water to soak..

 Chapter 264

    Translator: 549690339

    After Qin Xue finished soaking the sheets, she brushed her teeth, washed her face, and looked at herself in the mirror. After much thought, she couldn¡¯t resist closing the bathroom door and heading into her personal space to cool down.

    ¡°Master, why are you coming in?¡± Xue Ling didn¡¯t understand why Qin Xue was entering at this time.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t properly cooled down in many days, and I feel uncomfortable all over. So, I decided to come and take a dip.¡± Qin Xue replied while undressing.

    ¡°Wow, it¡¯s so comfortable.¡± Qin Xue exclaimed as she slipped into the pool filled with the warm spiritual spring water. It didn¡¯t chill her as it surrounded her body, making her uncharacteristically vocal about her enjoyment.

    ¡°Master, is it really that dramatic? You are no stranger to taking dips.¡± Xue Ling remarked, seeing Qin Xue i s exaggerated expressions.

    ¡°What do you know? This is pleasure. Like I¡¯ve said, I haven¡¯t been able to properly cool down in days, let alone enjoying a dip. Of course, I¡¯m thrilled about being able to do that now.¡± Qin Xue couldn¡¯t care less about how Xue Ling saw her; she was comfortably enjoying her bath.

    ¡°Fine, then enjoy your bath. I¡¯m heading off to practice.¡± Xue Ling, feeling unable to reason with Qin Xue, decided pratice would be a better use of her time.

    ¡°Go ahead! Practice hard, and make sure to bring me treasures in the future!¡± Qin Xue shouted with her eyes closed to Xue Ling.

    The elegant white fox who had been leaving with a graceful gait almost stumbled and fell, when hearing her words. It felt its practice was only to help her master watch over her young?

    With tears streaming down her face, Xue Ling returned to the bamboo hut to practice, whether it was for herself or for the treasures Qin Xue mentioned.

    She was striving to practice diligently, eager to humanize herself and explore the world outside.

    Being alone in space was boring as there was nothing else to do except practice.

    Qin Xue didn¡¯t dare to stay submerged for too long, she got out after lazing around a while, she couldn¡¯t forget Chu Molin was waiting for her in the room.

    As Qin Xue didn¡¯t bring a fresh set of clothes, she had to put on her original ones again.

    She wasn¡¯t used to wearing the same clothes after taking a shower.

    Qin Xue hadn¡¯t washed her hair, so she got dressed and returned to her room.

    She hadn¡¯t been gone long, so Chu Molin hadn¡¯t noticed anything.

    Qin Xue picked out a set of pajamas from the wardrobe, seeing that Chu Molin had his eyes closed, she assumed he was asleep.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Called a low, deep voice, just as Qin Xue picked up her pajamas to change.

    ¡°You¡¯re not resting yet?¡± Qin Xue turned to look at Chu Molin and asked with a smile.

    ¡°No, where are you heading?¡± Chu Molin saw the pajamas in her hand and understood what she was going to do, but he wanted to hear her say it.

    ¡°Uh, just going to change into these for a nap.¡± Qin Xue said, waving the pajamas in her hand.

    Chu Molin nodded to indicate understanding. Qin Xue left the room with her pajamas, went into the next room, closed the door and began changing. Don¡¯t ask why she didn¡¯t change in the bathroom.

    She feared that she would resist going into the space for another bath with her pajamas.

    After all, she had not had enough of the earlier bath, she just washed off the sweat on her body and was not that uncomfortable.

    It only took Qin Xue a moment to put on her pajamas. Since she was resting, she only wore her pajamas.

    As a doctor, Qin Xue knew the benefits of pajamas.

    The benefits of underwear were shaping and enhancing the aesthetics of the chest, but wearing it for a long time could cause poor blood circulation.

    Moreover, inappropriate underwear could also lead to accessory breasts.

    Since there was no one else at Qin Xue¡¯s home, she could wear whatever she wanted, and once this habit was formed, it was hard to break..

 Chapter 265

    Translator: 549690339

    It wasn¡¯t until Qin Xue returned to the room and saw Chu Molin lying on the bed that she realized that she was now a married woman.

    She no longer had the freedom to wear whatever she wanted without any concerns, as she was no longer on her own.

    Fortunately, Chu Molin had his eyes closed; otherwise, it would have been really embarrassing for her.

    Qin Xue tiptoed onto the bed and lay down before closing her eyes and taking a nap.

    When Qin Xue¡¯s breathing became steady, Chu Molin, who she thought was asleep, suddenly opened his eyes. He looked at his wife¡¯s sleeping face and smiled silently.

    Actually, he knew when Qin Xue entered the room. When she wasn¡¯t paying attention, Chu Molin had caught a glimpse of her.

    He noticed the difference in Qin Xue and understood what she was thinking when he saw her troubled expression.

    So he pretended to be asleep when Qin Xue didn¡¯t notice, in order to ease the awkwardness.

    As expected, his little wife went to bed and fell asleep in no time.

    Chu Molin moved closer to Qin Xue, held her hand, closed his eyes and slept.

    The couple had no idea that the Qins in H Province had already received Qin Xue¡¯s letter and were discussing coming to visit them.

    When Qin Xue saw Mrs. Qin, it was indeed a big surprise.

    After the couple had a beautiful nap together, Qin Xue got up to cook, while Chu Molin read a book leaning against the bed.

    Qin Xue noticed that there weren¡¯t many ingredients at home, so she decided to make hand-rolled noodles for their meal.

    Qin Xue would find an opportunity to get some vegetables from her space when she went to make a walker for Jingtao the next day; she didn¡¯t want to go begging even with a golden bowl in her hands.

    After kneading the dough, Qin Xue set it aside, prepared the necessary ingredients, and added water to the pot. Then she started rolling the dough into thin sheets and cutting them into strips one by one.

    When the water boiled, she could start cooking the noodles. Qin Xue liked wider noodles, so she cut them a bit wider.

    Qin Xue placed the noodles in bowls, sprinkled chopped green onions, ginger, and garlic on top, added seasonings, and blanched some greens to put on top. Then she heated oil and poured it over the noodles, finally placing two soft-boiled eggs in each bowl. The fragrant spicy oil noodles were ready.

    ¡°Chu Molin, dinner¡¯s ready,¡± Qin Xue called out to him.

    Upon hearing his wife¡¯s voice, Chu Molin put a bookmark in the book, put on his shoes, and walked out. Seeing the steaming bowls of noodles on the table, he swallowed his saliva. The enticing noodles made him drool.

    Chu Molin went to the bathroom to wash his hands before sitting down to eat.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, these noodles are delicious,¡± Chu Molin praised, putting the egg aside and taking a bite of the well-mixed noodles.

    Although it was just a simple bowl of spicy oil noodles, it was the most delicious one Chu Molin had ever tasted ¨C full of flavor and would have been even better with some chili peppers.

    Qin Xue watched him finish a bowl of noodles in just a few bites while she had only eaten two mouthfuls. He was eating really fast.

    ¡°Chu Molin, are you full? Do you want more?¡± Qin Xue had rolled out more noodles but was afraid they wouldn¡¯t finish them, so she didn¡¯t cook all of them.

    If Chu Molin was still hungry, she would cook more noodles for him.

    ¡°Is there more?¡± Chu Molin felt slightly unsatisfied, as the taste was exactly to his liking.

    ¡°Yes, but you¡¯ll have to wait a few minutes,¡± Qin Xue replied. Although she had rolled out more noodles, she hadn¡¯t cooked them yet.

    ¡°Okay, you eat first,¡± Chu Molin said, seeing Qin Xue put down her chopsticks and getting up to cook more noodles for him, he hurriedly stopped her.

    ¡°But you haven¡¯t had enough to eat, have you?¡± Qin Xue looked at him in surprise.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright. I just ate a big serving,¡± Chu Molin said, actually feeling only half-full, but he didn¡¯t want to make his wife stop eating and start cooking for him..

 Chapter 266

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue saw that he insisted on her finishing the noodles first, so she sped up her eating.

    Qin Xue had never eaten so fast before, and today was the first time she did it for Chu Molin¡¯s sake.

    It must be said that Qin Xue broke many records, all because of Chu Molin.

    Qin Xue continued cooking noodles with the remaining soup from earlier. She had prepared plenty of ingredients earlier, so everything was ready. All she had to do was cook the noodles and they could enjoy the meal.

    It didn¡¯t take long for Qin Xue to prepare the noodles, and she placed it in front of Chu Molin: ¡°Here, eat.¡¯

    ¡°Mm, thank you, Xue¡¯er.¡± Chu Molin picked up his chopsticks and began eating the noodles.

    Qin Xue watched him eating happily, feeling delighted to see him enjoying the meal. The happiest thing for a cook was having others enjoy their cooking. After the meal, the two of them went downstairs for a walk as usual but met Su Yun in the lobby.

    ¡°Mr. Chu, hello.¡± Su Yun had not seen Chu Molin for a long time. She greeted him with a smile, having completely forgotten the matter not long ago.

    ¡°Excuse me, who are you?¡± Chu Molin thought the woman looked familiar, but he didn¡¯t know who she was.

    ¡°Mr. Chu, don¡¯t you remember? I¡¯m the former Director¡¯s granddaughter. My name is Su Yun.¡± Su Yun¡¯s smiling face stiffened a bit.

    ¡°Su Yun?¡± At first, Chu Molin couldn¡¯t remember who this woman was. But when he heard the name Su Yun, he knew who she was. She was the woman who had teamed up with Bai Jing to bully Qin Xue.

    He hadn¡¯t even settled the score with her yet, and she dared to come and make her presence known in front of him.

    It seemed he needed to get Da Bao to find some work for her. Otherwise, she would be here to hurt people all the time.

    ¡°l don¡¯t know you. Do you have any business?¡± Chu Molin¡¯s coldness was at its peak.

    Qin Xue rubbed her arms. It was so cold. She wondered why it suddenly felt cold.

    How could it not be cold? There was a huge iceberg nearby, and the cold air was seeping out.

    ¡°How could you do this?¡± Su Yun was almost angered to death by Chu Molin.

    He must have done it on purpose. Right, definitely on purpose. He must have been afraid that the woman beside him would cause a fuss, so he pretended not to know her.

    If Chu Molin knew her thoughts, he would definitely send her away with a scornful remark: ¡°Just get lost and stay where it¡¯s cooler.¡±

    But if Qin Xue knew, she would ridicule Su Yun, ¡°Do you really think you¡¯re that important?¡±

    Regardless, this woman wouldn¡¯t find any favor in front of Chu Molin and his wife.

    ¡°What do you mean by that? If you have nothing else, please step aside; you¡¯re blocking our way.¡± Chu Molin¡¯s words were infuriating.

    ¡°l, I just heard that you were injured and came to see if you¡¯re okay.¡± In this era, it was a bit too much for a woman to openly show concern for a man.

    Qin Xue looked at this woman, speechless. Couldn¡¯t she tell that Chu Molin didn¡¯t want to deal with her?

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Please step aside; we¡¯re going for a walk.¡± Chu Molin really wanted to kick her away with one foot. She was so annoying, wasn¡¯t she?

    ¡°Mr. Chu, do you dislike me that much?¡± Su Yun looked at Chu Molin with what she thought was an attractive expression.

    Qin Xue almost couldn¡¯t help it. Did Su Yun really think of herself as dead in Chu Molin¡¯s eyes? Wasn¡¯t she?

    ¡°Miss, didn¡¯t you hear my husband say he doesn¡¯t know you? And you¡¯re blocking our way.¡± Qin Xue addressed Su Yun formally, showing her anger. But this woman seemed to be unable to understand.

    Qin Xue really wanted to punch her. What was this woman trying to accomplish by constantly seeking attention?

    If it weren¡¯t for the fact that she was pregnant, she would definitely teach this woman a lesson on why flowers bloom so brilliantly..

 Chapter 267

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue didn¡¯t lose her temper easily, but when she did, it was rather scary. Hence, she had learned to control her temper well.

    But what on earth was this Su Yun person trying to accomplish by meddling constantly?

    ¡°What¡¯s it to you? I was talking to Mr. Chu. You have no business interrupting. Besides, I was only asking about Mr. Chu¡¯s recovery,¡± said Su Yun, her coquettish nature provoked by Qin Xue.

    ¡°What¡¯s it to me? You¡¯re asking what¡¯s it to me? Chu Molin is my husband, for goodness sake. You¡¯re reaching out to my husband and you don¡¯t expect me to speak up? Are you out of your mind?

    You should get yourself to a hospital before it¡¯s too late. Are you sure you aren¡¯t seriously ill? You are challenging me right in front of me, as though I wouldn¡¯t hit back? Do you think I¡¯m a pushover?¡±

    ¡°You, you¡¯re the sick one¡­¡± Su Yun was so angered by Qin Xue calling her sick in front of her beloved that she was almost losing her rationality.

    ¡°Comrade, are you doubting my taste?¡± Chu Molin¡¯s icy voice rang out.

    ¡°l didn¡¯t mean it that way, Mr. Chu. I just wanted to show some concern for you. But look at the way she talks.¡± Su Yun, pointing at Qin Xue, spoke to Chu Molin.

    ¡°That¡¯s not required. How I am doing is my wife¡¯s business. We don¡¯t need anyone else acting like a busybody. Besides, I think Xue¡¯er¡¯s got a point; you must be sick to be blocking our way like this,¡± retorted Chu Molin, his words as sharp as daggers.

    ¡°Mr Chu, how could you say that about me? Is it wrong for me to love you?¡± Su Yun appeared heartbroken, her eyes filling with unshed tears, a picture of misery.

    But as the saying goes, those who inspire pity often have something detestable about them

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with you liking me. Your mistake was causing distress to us, a married couple. Isn¡¯t that how your parents raised you?¡± Chu Molin made no reference to her old director, only mentioning her parents.

    Isn¡¯t it said that failing to properly raise one¡¯s children is the fault of the parent? So, his words were entirely reasonable.

    ¡°What does this have to do with my parents?¡± Su Yun asked dumbly, not having the wits about her to comprehend his words.

    ¡°Pfft.¡¯! Qin Xue couldn¡¯t help but laugh. This woman was really beyond redemption.

    ¡°What are you laughing at?¡± Su Yun glared in anger at Qin Xue. Everything was because of this woman.

    ¡°I¡¯m laughing at your stupidity,¡± answered Qin Xue, coolly.

    ¡°YOURE stupid. Your whole family is stupid!¡± In her anger, Su Yun lost all semblance of manners.

    ¡°Honey, she¡¯s insulting you,¡± Qin Xue motioned at Su Yun while looking at Chu Molin.

    ¡°No, Mr. Chu, I was insulting her, not you,¡± Su Yun reacted, realizing she had been played by Qin Xue.

    ¡°But he¡¯s my husband, part of my family. Isn¡¯t that right, darling?¡± Qin Xue said with a smile.

    ¡°Hmm, I am indeed part of your family.¡± Chu Molin was quite pleased by Qin Xue¡¯s usage of the word ¡®darling¡¯. The irritation brought by Su Yun subsided substantially. He liked being addressed in this manner.

    ¡°You, you all¡­¡± Su Yun was so angry she could barely form words. She was at a loss for words.

    ¡°Hehe, my hubby is so awesome!¡± Qin Xue hadn¡¯t expected Chu Molin to back her up in that way. It felt like the perfect teamwork.

    Every woman would want a man who acted in such a way.

    ¡°Hmph, you are shameless!¡± Su Yun pointed angrily at Qin Xue and spoke.

    ¡°How am I shameless? My face is so pretty. Can you match up?

    Don¡¯t tell me you are secretly jealous of me?¡± Qin Xue was not narcissistic, but ever since she found the Spirit Spring, she had been drinking its spiritual spring water and using it to cleanse her face and body.

    Now her skin was white and tender as a peeled eggs shell.

    It was entirely possible for a proud woman like Su Yun to secretly envy her. Qin Xue was confident of this. She had a knack for accurately understanding people, especially after learning psychology..

 Chapter 268

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue¡¯s words were like a needle piercing Su Yun¡¯s heart. Yes, Su Yun was jealous of Qin Xue.

    When Qin Xue first arrived at the family compound, she was dark-skinned and skinny, wearing baggy and outdated clothes. No one expected that she would change so much in just half a year, becoming not only fairer but also having such good skin, especially her previous appearance of the village girl transforming into a refined young lady, making people jealous.

    Actually, Qin Xue wasn¡¯t really dark-skinned. It was just that compared to the city people, she, who came from the countryside, seemed a bit darker.

    Qin Xue was indeed malnourished and thin at that time. As for being small, Qin Xue was not small at all. Have you ever seen anyone her size with such a slim waist, perky buttocks, and voluptuous figure?

    Now that Qin Xue eats well and is pregnant, her whole temperament has undergone a metamorphosis. Not only is Su Yun jealous, but probably many women are too.

    ¡°Who¡¯s jealous of you? I¡¯m not, it¡¯s you, the village girl, who¡¯s jealous of me!¡± Even if Su Yun was jealous, she wouldn¡¯t admit it. She wasn¡¯t stupid enough to do something so low.

    ¡°Tsk, like that, l t d be jealous of you? Are you as pretty as me? Does your skin compare to mine?¡± Qin Xue circled around Su Yun, and her mouth wouldn¡¯t stop saying annoying things.

    Then she whispered something into Su Yun¡¯s ear, and Su Yun¡¯s face suddenly turned red. Stammering, she pointed at Qin Xue, saying, ¡°You are shameless.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t we talk about this already? How am I shameless? Did I say something wrong?¡± Qin Xue¡¯s series of questions made Su Yun¡¯s face turn red, then white, and finally green with anger, trembling all the while.

    ¡°Anyway, you are just shameless! You have no class, you could say something so shameless, what else but shameless could it be?¡± Su Yun was almost fuming with anger.

    ¡°Oh, I said something shameless? I don¡¯t even know what you¡¯re talking about.

    Why don¡¯t you say it so we can all hear what I said that was so shameless.¡± Qin Xue looked at the lotus flower-like Su Yun, who she had angered to the point of nearly vomiting blood and felt ecstatic. No wonder her two best friends in her past life could leave others speechless. This feeling was just too awesome.

    ¡°Mr. Chu, aren¡¯t you going to do something about her?¡± Unable to win against Qin Xue, Su Yun wanted someone to help her, but she had picked the wrong person.

    ¡°No need to intervene. I also want to hear what Xue¡¯er said that made you talk about her like that.¡± Chu Molin was speaking to Su Yun, but his gaze was fixed on his mischievous wife.

    Chu Molin didn¡¯t hear what Qin Xue had said, but he could read lips and saw the shape of Qin Xue¡¯s lips while she was speaking.

    So, he knew what Qin Xue had said to Su Yun. ¡°You¡­ how can I say what she said?¡± Su Yun was at a loss. Did Chu Molin mean he wanted to hear what Qin Xue had whispered in her ear just now?

    How could she say that sort of thing? Would she tell Chu Molin: Earlier, your wife said that not only can¡¯t I compare to her in looks or skin, but even my figure can¡¯t match hers?

    Especially Qin Xue¡¯s words, ¡°How can you, Princess Taiping, compare to my voluptuousness? You should know that my husband loves my voluptuousness! ¡±

    Such shameless words, Su Yun couldn¡¯t say them.

    ¡°Since you can¡¯t say it, then don¡¯t. I didn¡¯t say anything wrong. Who asked you to be Princess Taiping?¡± This time, Qin Xue didn¡¯t whisper in her ear, but directly said it out loud and slowly.

    ¡°Humph, you shameless person, when Mr. Chu is away on a mission, you¡¯re always out running around instead of staying home. Nobody knows whose child you¡¯re carrying!¡± Su Yun couldn¡¯t help but blurt out in anger.

    ¡°Apologize.¡± Qin Xue clenched her fists in anger.

    ¡°Go ahead, say it one more time.¡± Chu Molin¡¯s voice echoed Qin Xue¡¯s, but his was filled with danger, as if he would break the neck of that reckless woman who dared to slander his wife and child the next second..

 Chapter 269

    Translator: 549690339

    Su Yun was frightened by Chu Molin¡¯s tone, never knowing that a person could be so terrifying when angry, as if he wanted to kill her. But even if she was scared, she stubbornly said:

    ¡°l didn¡¯t say anything wrong. When you were away on missions, she would dress up and go out every day, and then claim she was pregnant with your child. Who would believe that?¡± Su Yun argued stubbornly.

    ¡°Apologize. Didn¡¯t you hear me telling you to apologize?¡± Qin Xue was barely able to control herself.

    She could say anything about her, but she just couldn¡¯t talk about her child. If Su Yun¡¯s words were to spread, who knows how they would be distorted eventually.

    Although the child was Chu Molin¡¯s and she had done nothing wrong to him, gossip was a terrifying thing. Three people can make a tiger, and she didn¡¯t want her child to experience what she had been through in her previous life.

    ¡°What, feeling guilty because I hit the nail on the head?¡± Su Yun was pleased to see Qin Xue angry.

    ¡°Feeling guilty, my ass. You just deserve a beating.¡± Qin Xue finished talking and slapped Su Yun¡¯s face.

    After the ¡°pa¡± sound, there was a ¡°puff¡± sound. Qin Xue slapped her and then directly kicked Su Yun sending her flying.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, are you alright? If there¡¯s any problem, I¡¯ll handle it; there¡¯s no need for you to do it yourself. What if you hurt yourself?¡± Chu Molin anxiously pulled Qin Xue and checked her condition.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, perfectly fine.¡± Qin Xue brushed her hands and glanced at Su Yun on the ground.

    Su Yun was directly knocked unconscious by Qin Xue¡¯s kick, which shows how heavy it was.

    ¡°Did you forget something? Hm?¡± Chu Molin¡¯s cold, bone-chilling voice rang in Qin Xue¡¯s ear after he checked she was really fine.

    ¡°Hehe, I was just so angry and confused. It won¡¯t happen again.¡± Qin Xue only then remembered that she was pregnant. This was the first time this man had spoken to her in such a tone, indicating that he was really scared earlier.

    ¡°There¡¯s a next time?¡± Chu Molin really wanted to dig into her head to see if her brain is made up correctly.

    ¡°No, no, it was a slip of the tongue.¡± Qin Xue looked at the man in a flattering way.

    ¡°Remember what you said, don¡¯t forget it as soon as you turn around.¡±

    Although Chu Molin¡¯s voice was still cold, his expression softened a little.

    ¡°Mm, I¡¯ll definitely keep it firmly in my mind.¡± Qin Xue had acted completely instinctively just now.

    ¡°Chu Molin, what should we do about that woman?¡± Qin Xue looked at Su Yun a few steps away and asked. She didn¡¯t expect that she just lightly kicked Su Yun, yet she fainted. How could that be?

    This kick was just a light one for Qin Xue without using her full strength, but for a delicate girl like Su Yun, it was a deadly kick.

    ¡°Now you ask me what to do, why didn¡¯t you think of the consequences before you acted?

    Do you know you hit a researcher? If she pursues it, it will be very troublesome. But don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m here.¡± Chu Molin reprimanded Qin Xue and then threw out these words.

    ¡°l was just infuriated.¡± Qin Xue said softly.

    ¡°Chu Molin, you have to believe me, don¡¯t listen to her nonsense. These two kids are yours, I didn¡¯t do anything to betray you.

    I¡¯ve been busy dealing with the clothing store every time I went out.

    And most of the time I was with Sister Fang Hong, she can testify for me.¡±

    Qin Xue was really afraid that Chu Molin would believe Su Yun!s words, she just wanted a peaceful life, not marital quarrels or cold wars.

    ¡°l trust you, never mind her, she¡¯ll wake up later.¡± Chu Molin followed Qin Xue¡¯s gaze and said.

    In fact, Qin Xue¡¯s kick wasn¡¯t that heavy. If Su Yun fainted so easily, it could only mean she¡¯s too weak.

    Qin Xue didn¡¯t consider that Su Yun was a delicate girl after all, who, besides writing and painting, had never practiced martial arts.

    Meanwhile, Qin Xue was a skilled martial artist, and after drinking the spiritual spring water from the space, her body had improved a great deal.

    Her force value had also been enhanced. The seemingly not-so-heavy kick was to a skilled martial artist, but for Su Yun, a delicate girl, that kick was more than she could take..

 Chapter 270

    Translator: 549690339

    Chu Molin completely ignored how Su Yun was, and he would handle any trouble that came later on his own. He didn¡¯t want his little wife to be punished along with him.

    No matter who was in the wrong, Su Yun was a woman after all, and it wasn¡¯t right for Qin Xue to hit her. It wasn¡¯t that she couldn¡¯t hit her, but she shouldn¡¯t have done it in the research area.

    Someone like Su Yun should be beaten with a sack over her head. Women who don¡¯t know how to read the room are the most annoying, but they always like to make themselves noticed.

    Even if Qin Xue didn¡¯t hit her, he might have done it himself.

    If Su Yun knew what Chu Molin was thinking, she might not be fond of him anymore.

    ¡°Are you really okay?¡± Qin Xue was still a bit concerned. She thought for a moment, walked over, and squatted in front of Su Yun. She pinched Su Yun¡¯s philtrum with her thumb to wake her up. It would be better to wake her up in case someone sees them later and it causes trouble.

    She personally didn¡¯t care, but she couldn¡¯t let it affect Chu Molin.

    ¡°Mmm.¡± Su Yun whimpered softly, slowly opened her eyes, and moved slightly. The pain in her stomach was unbearable.

    ¡°Awake now.¡± Qin Xue said two words to Su Yun.

    ¡°You dare hit me,¡± Su Yun¡¯s face turned green with anger. She had never been hit before in her life. As an only child, she was always pampered by her family and had never suffered like this before.

    Yet, Qin Xue, a woman, actually dared to hit and kick her.

    Su Yun wished she could kill Qin Xue ¨C she was just too detestable.

    But Su Yun also realized from Qin Xue¡¯s blow that she was skilled, not someone easily bullied.

    This feeling of being wronged made Su Yun extremely upset.

    ¡°It¡¯s because you deserve it,¡± Qin Xue stood up with her head hung low and looked at her.

    ¡°You¡¯re going too far.¡± Su Yun stared at Qin Xue with resentment.

    ¡°Am I going too far? If it wasn¡¯t for you constantly seeking attention and interfering with our marriage, I wouldn¡¯t even bother to lay a hand on you.¡± With that, Qin Xue returned to Chu Molin¡¯s side.

    Chu Molin, let¡¯s go for a walk. We¡¯ve already been delayed for so long.¡± Qin Xue felt if they didn¡¯t go for a walk now, they could just go back to sleep.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡± Chu Molin gently agreed as he took his little wife¡¯s hand, and his voice was sweet, almost sickening.

    Qin Xue shivered when she heard this, wondering how this man could change so much when facing her.

    Was there such a big difference between how he acted in front of her and in front of others?

    Could it be that even the strongest men become obedient when they meet the right person?

    Could she consider Chu Molin¡¯s transformation as a sign that he really loved her?

    ¡°You two stop, don¡¯t leave!¡± Su Yun, seeing them holding hands and walking away, shouted angrily.

    ¡°Why, you say we can¡¯t leave, and we can¡¯t leave? I¡¯m going to leave just to spite you.¡± Qin Xue turned her head and looked at this presumptuous woman.

    ¡°Husband, let¡¯s go.¡± Not only did Qin Xue want to leave, but she was also deliberately clingy with Chu Molin in front of Su Yun.

    Qin Xue wanted to infuriate this woman to death; she had let go of her last time, but now she¡¯d re-emerged with her nagging.

    How could Qin Xue let her get away with it again?

    If she couldn¡¯t beat her to remember Qin Xue¡¯s prowess, then she would annoy her until she spat blood.

    Chu Molin didn¡¯t speak but held Qin Xue¡¯s hand and walked away. Although he didn¡¯t say anything, his actions were completely supporting Qin Xue.

    Su Yun watched them as they really just walked away, her tears streaming down her face.

    ¡°You two wait for it.¡± Su Yun screamed at the couple¡¯s retreating figures.

    Chu Molin and Qin Xue looked at each other and laughed, wait for it, they weren¡¯t afraid at all.

    Chu Molin, did I cause you any trouble tonight? Will this affect your future?¡± Qin Xue was no longer an ignorant young girl.

    Although she had never experienced the severity of this place, she had heard about it.

    If this causes any impact on Chu Molin, it would be her sin..

 Chapter 271

    Translator: 549690339

    Chu Molin smiled at Qin Xue¡¯s worried face, ¡°No, don¡¯t worry about it.¡±

    ¡°l should really control my temper better and not be so impulsive. Sigh, impulsiveness is the devil, how could I have forgotten that?¡± Qin Xue wailed.

    ¡°What are you thinking about? I said it¡¯s alright.¡±

    Let¡¯s just enjoy our walk. Those troubles were brought on herself, and the old director is a reasonable person; he won¡¯t make things difficult for me.¡± Chu Molin understood the old director¡¯s temperament well.

    No matter how much the old director doted on the woman named Su Yun, he wouldn¡¯t make things difficult for them because of her.

    ¡°Really? If so, I can rest easy.¡± Qin Xue patted her chest and exhaled deeply.

    ¡°Haha, look how scared you were.¡± Chu Molin shook his head and laughed.

    Chu Molin felt that Qin Xue¡¯s emotions at this moment were like those of a little girl who hadn¡¯t grown up yet.

    ¡°Of course I¡¯m scared, I don¡¯t want to affect your future because of me. It would leave a black spot on you.¡± Qin Xue had heard some things about Chu Molin from Sister Fang Hong before, and she knew how hard it had been for him to get to where he was today.

    ¡°It won¡¯t affect me.¡± Chu Molin had so many research accomplishments; if he were to be overshadowed just because of a woman like Su Yun, then he might as well not stay here anymore.

    ¡°Chu Molin, I¡¯m going to the village tomorrow.¡± Thinking of her plan for tomorrow, Qin Xue thought she should inform Chu Molin in advance.

    ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Chu Molin turned his head to glance at Qin Xue.

    ¡°Little Jingtao is learning to sit now, isn¡¯t he? I want to find someone to make a walker for him.¡± Qin Xue¡¯s eyes were different when she talked about Jingtao. ¡°Do you really like that child?¡± Chu Molin pursed his lips and asked Qin Xue.

    ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t you think he¡¯s adorable?¡± Qin Xue thought Jingtao was really well-behaved.

    Such a small child was so well-behaved, not clamoring or noisy, and she wondered if it was because he also felt that his mother was having a hard time and wanted to comfort her.

    ¡°Yes, he is adorable.¡± When Chu Molin thought of the child, he thought of Jing Xin, who was still within the enemy¡¯s ranks.

    The child didn¡¯t know that his father was alive, and his father didn¡¯t know that he had such a child.

    When would they be able to reunite and recognize each other?

    Since his little wife liked him so much, let her help him as much as she could.

    ¡°Right, right, I knew you¡¯d agree.¡±

    I wonder if our child will be as well-behaved and adorable.¡± Qin Xue put her hand on her belly and said.

    ¡°They definitely will be.¡± Chu Molin said softly.

    Wouldn¡¯t it be nice to have two daughters as beautiful as his wife?

    ¡°Hehe, I thought so too. How could a child born to me, such an adorable beauty, not be adorable?¡± Qin Xue laughed happily.

    ¡°It would be perfect if we had twins, one boy and one girl, so we¡¯d have both a son and a daughter.¡± Qin Xue said with hope.

    ¡°I¡¯d rather have two daughters.¡± In his heart, Chu Molin preferred daughters more.

    If asked why he liked daughters more, he would definitely say: because daughters are warm-hearted cotton-padded jackets, and they will certainly be charming and adorable, so 1 will have three princesses.

    ¡°l didn¡¯t expect you to be someone who only likes daughters.¡± Qin Xue looked at him sideways. Many people favored boys over girls, and she was carrying twins, but this man actually hoped they were both girls.

    But they didn¡¯t know the gender yet, so it was too early to think about this.

    ¡°Hmm, I want to have two daughters just like you.¡± Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue doting.

    Uh, the way he said it made it seem like there was another meaning. Was it because of her that this man liked daughters?

    Qin Xue felt sweet in her heart, thinking that this man would definitely become a slave to his daughter in the future.

    The less easily someone falls in love, the less they can control themselves once they do, just like she had captured all of his gentleness..

 Chapter 272

    Translator: 549690339

    As the two walked and chatted, Qin Xue would burst into laughter from time to time. It was unclear what they were talking about, but everyone on the playground would greet Chu Molin and ask about his injury.

    Every time, Chu Molin would coldly respond with just two words: ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± These two words were enough to dismiss everyone.

    Qin Xue found it hard to believe. How could he be so responsive to her, going so far as to find other things to talk about, yet be so concise and cold with others?

    He was the epitome of a cold demeanor, and now she understood why he was nicknamed the Cold King.

    Only those who have a special place in his heart can capture his full attention.

    As for his friends, he shows his care with brutal training so they can save their lives in times of danger.

    It¡¯s just that different people express care in different ways. His colleagues only see his coldness and ruthlessness, but they can¡¯t understand the meaning behind it.

    Perhaps it¡¯s not that all of them fail to understand; it¡¯s just that not everyone can comprehend.

    For instance, people like Li Dabao and Ding Xi understand Chu Molin¡¯s intentions and were so worried about him when he was injured.

    Many people haven¡¯t experienced life-threatening situations and thus, can¡¯t comprehend the feelings of entrusting one¡¯s life to another.

    Qin Xue¡¯s heart ached for him; this man had given so much.

    She held his hand tight, and they continued walking in circles.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Chu Molin sensed Qin Xue¡¯s mood change and asked her.

    ¡°Nothing. I just want to walk faster.¡± Qin Xue couldn¡¯t exactly tell him that her heart aches for him, could she?

    She felt embarrassed by the thought, so she decided not to say it.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t doubt her words. As long as he didn¡¯t touch his wound, he wouldn¡¯t feel any pain, so walking faster was fine.

    When they finally finished walking and returned home, Qin Xue plopped down into a chair, feeling a bit tired.

    She didn¡¯t know if it was because of her twin pregnancy, but her legs were slightly swollen. With three more months left, how would she deal with the swelling later?

    Qin Xue was a doctor, although not an OB-GYN, she knew a thing or two.

    Her current swelling might be due to the fact that her sleep and food intake hadn¡¯t been great while taking care of Chu Molin in the hospital this past week.

    As lone as she soaks her feet in hot water to promote blood circulation and drinks some winter melon soup later on, she should be fine. Otherwise, she doesn¡¯t know how she¡¯ll manage the last three months.

    Chu Molin noticed that Qin Xue started massaging her feet as soon as she sat down, which was unusual.

    He closed the door, pulled a stool over to sit across from her, and took her foot to massage it on his lap.

    ¡°Chu Molin, you¡­¡± Qin Xue was touched by his actions. This man always took action instead of speaking, proving with every action that she was in his heart.

    Chu Molin looked up at her without saying a word, then looked back d0ievn to continue massaging her foot.

    His expression seemed calm, but inside, he was already overwhelmed.

    He knew that pregnancy could be hard, but not this hard. Her feet were so swollen that pressing them would leave a dent.

    Yet she still kept walking with him for such a long time. No wonder she immediately sat down and massaged her feet when they got home.

    He also blamed himself for not caring enough about her or he would have noticed her discomfort sooner.

    ¡°Is there a solution for this?¡± Chu Molin asked abruptly.

    ¡°What?¡± Qin Xue looked at him in confusion, not sure what he meant.

    ¡°Your feet.¡± Chu Molin pursed his lips and softly said the three words. ¡°Oh, this? It¡¯s a normal reaction. As long as I pay more attention later on, I¡¯ll be fine.

    Tomorrow, I¡¯ll buy some winter melon to make soup; it¡¯ll help with the swelling.¡± Qin Xue finally understood what he meant.

    ¡°Mhm.¡± Not knowing how to express his heartache, Chu Molin¡¯s usual cold demeanor emerged..

 Chapter 273

    Translator: 549690339

    Chu Molin kept massaging Qin Xue until she asked him to stop.

    ¡°Chu Molin, that¡¯s enough, stop massaging, I need to heat up some water for a shower.¡± Qin Xue had completely forgotten to do so when she sat down.

    She didn¡¯t really care, in the worst-case scenario, she could simply disappear into empty space.

    But Chu Molin had been taking sponge baths for days now, and he would surely have to do so again tonight at home. She couldn¡¯t possibly let him, with his injuries, take a cold sponge bath.

    ¡°Just sit, I¡¯ll do it.¡± Chu Molin stopped her from standing up, and got up himself to heat the water.

    ¡°But don¡¯t fill the container all the way and strain yourself, you might burst your wound.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t argue, despite being uncomfortable herself.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Chu Molin lit the fire beneath the stove, and then filled a pan with water to heat.

    Seeing she wasn¡¯t needed, Qin Xue returned to her room to read a medicine book.

    After several days of contemplation, she was close to mastering the second medicine book, much thanks to her excellent memory.

    Once she had thoroughly studied all the medicine books, she could practice using her scalpel slowly.

    In Qin Xue¡¯s heart, she wouldn¡¯t do anything medical unless she knew it like the back of her hand.

    That was because she wouldn¡¯t dare to gamble with people¡¯s lives, it was her way of respecting life.

    Seeing the fire was kindled, and noticing his wife reading, Chu Molin also picked a book and sat next to her to read together.

    Both husband and wife were bookworms, they could easily get engrossed in a book once they had it in their hands.

    A book is an ocean of knowledge. Otherwise, there wouldn¡¯t be an old saying ¡°In books, you can find the most beautiful faces, and in books, you can find houses of gold.¡±

    After nearly half an hour, Qin Xue put down her medical book and got up to get her nightgown for her shower.

    When Qin Xue came out with her gown, she found the hot water had been moved into the bathroom by Chu Molin. Qin Xue smiled and said thanks to him.

    ¡°Chu Molin, thank you.¡± Qin Xue thought she was at her happiest in these moments.

    ¡°Go, be careful with your swollen feet, don¡¯t trip.¡± Chu Molin warned her about her swollen feet.

    ¡°Alright, I got it.¡± Even if Chu Molin hadn¡¯t mentioned it, Qin Xue would have been careful.

    Only when Qin Xue had entered the shower did Chu Molin sit back down to continue reading. He was close to mastering this ¡°art of war.¡±

    Once he¡¯d mastered it, a warm current would flow through him, making his body and mind feel comfortable.

    In the future, he could use the array and warfare strategies from the book according to the situation.

    After undressing, Qin Xue looked at her legs and touched her swollen belly, smiling to herself: ¡°Little ones, you must behave well.

    Mommy will find a way to earn money to provide a good environment for you.

    So, you must behave and not make Mommy worry, okay?¡±

    After talking to her little ones, Qin Xue finally began to shower.

    By the time Qin Xue had finished showering, Chu Molin had already changed into fresh clothes.

    Qin Xue looked at Chu Molin in surprise ¨C how come he had changed?

    Perhaps it was because Qin Xue¡¯s gaze was too intense, Chu Molin understood her unspoken thoughts at a glance.

    ¡°I just changed after a sponge bath in our room.¡± Chu Molin knew his wife liked cleanliness, and he¡¯d wanted to shower.

    Yet for a week, he¡¯d only been able to take sponge baths, which didn¡¯t feel right. But he didn¡¯t think he could persuade Qin Xue to let him take a proper shower.

    He remembered when he first mentioned wanting to take a shower, Qin Xue had said to him, ¡°Sure, as long as you¡¯re not hurt, you can shower however you want.¡±

    With that sentence, Qin Xue left Chu Molin speechless.

    Well, he would have to wait until his injuries healed before he could take a proper shower.

    Otherwise, Qin Xue would scold him again. He was a researcher and a human being, it wasn¡¯t possible to avoid injuries entirely..

 Chapter 274

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue thought Chu Molin was quite quick, as he was already done when she had just finished taking a cold shower.

    ¡°Not bad, you¡¯re really fast.¡± Qin Xue used a towel to dry her hair and glanced at Chu Molin.

    ¡°I just wiped my body, I didn¡¯t take a shower, how could I not be fast?¡± Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue with a somewhat resentful expression.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. It¡¯s not as if I caused your injury. If you want to take a shower, at least wait until the scab on your wound comes off. Otherwise, it¡¯ll be troublesome if it gets inflamed.¡± Qin Xue thought about this man¡¯s powerful self-healing ability.

    This ability was a bit terrifying. Such a heavy injury could heal in a week, allowing him to get out of bed and move around freely. Who else could do such a thing?

    Qin Xue thought perhaps only this man could do it.

    Chu Molin walked over, pulled Qin Xue to sit on a chair, took the towel from

    her hand, and began to dry her hair: ¡°Xue¡¯er, you shouldn¡¯t wash your hair at night in the future. It¡¯s not good for your health.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just that I haven¡¯t had a proper shower or washed my hair for more than a week. Now that I¡¯m back, of course, I have to wash up properly to feel comfortable.¡± Qin Xue was used to washing her hair at night.

    In the past, she had to work, so there was no time to wash her hair. Besides, she had to tie her hair up neatly for work, as she could not let her hair hang loose during work hours.

    That¡¯s why she washed her hair every time she didn¡¯t have to work at night, washing it while showering and then drying it with a hairdryer.

    She always forgot that there was no hairdryer here, so she needed to buy a lot of things now.

    ¡°In the future, pay more attention to yourself. Try to wash your hair during the day when it¡¯s easier to dry, and it won¡¯t affect your rest time.¡± Chu Molin thought about how washing hair at night was time-consuming since you had to wait for the hair to dry before you could sleep.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll listen to you.¡± Qin Xue looked at Chu Molin and smiled gently.

    Chu Molin rubbed her head and continued to dry her hair.

    ¡°Chu Molin, do you think my parents have received my letter?¡± Qin Xue suddenly remembered that her letter had been sent out for several days, she didn¡¯t know if her family had received it yet.

    Chu Molin thought about it, and it had been more than a week since Qin Xue asked him for the address. They should have received the letter already.

    ¡°Yes, they did,¡± Chu Molin confirmed.

    ¡°Then what do you think their reaction would be after finding out about my pregnancy?¡± Qin Xue was still looking forward to seeing their reactions, but unfortunately, even if their reaction was huge, she wouldn¡¯t be able to witness it, which made her feel a bit regretful.

    ¡°Based on my understanding of your family, they¡¯ll probably come to see you after they receive your letter.¡± Chu Molin said something that could scare Qin Xue to death in a quiet tone.

    ¡°What? You mean they might come?¡± Qin Xue was panicked in her heart, fearing they would discover she wasn¡¯t their daughter.

    ¡°Yes, according to my understanding of them, that¡¯s correct.¡± Chu Molin nodded confidently.

    ¡°What should we do?¡± Qin Xue¡¯s cryptic sentence left Chu Molin unsure of how to respond.

    ¡°What do you mean, what should we do?¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t understand what Qin Xue was afraid of.

    ¡°I mean, with your current injury and me being pregnant, who will pick them up at the train station? How will we entertain them?¡± Qin Xue was frightened by Chu Molin¡¯s words and quickly changed the subject.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. If they come, they¡¯ll write us a letter or send a telegram. I¡¯ll have someone pick them up.¡± Chu Molin thought it was a minor issue. He could simply ask Li Dabao to handle it.

    However, neither of them knew that Qin Xue¡¯s family hadn¡¯t informed them before coming. When they arrived, they gave them a huge surprise, nearly shocking Qin Xue to the point of stupidity.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s deal with it when they come.¡± Qin Xue thought that when the boat gets to the pier, the path will straighten out naturally so pondering over it now wouldn¡¯t do any good..

 Chapter 275

    Translator: 549690339

    When Qin Xue¡¯s hair was almost dry, the couple went back to their room.

    Both of them tacitly chose a book to read, one sitting on a chair and the other leaning against the head of the bed, not disturbing each other.

    Qin Xue didn¡¯t close her book and prepare for bed until her hair was completely dry.

    ¡°Chu Molin, stop reading and take your medicine before you sleep,¡± said Qin Xue, not wanting him to stay up too late, which wouldn¡¯t be good for the healing of his wound.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Chu Molin put down his book, folded the corner of a page, put it away, took his medicine, and went to bed.

    The couple spent the night dreamlessly and slept soundly until dawn.

    Meanwhile, in Qin¡¯s village, Nangong Shulan and Qin Yu were at the train station with their luggage.

    ¡°You two wait here, I¡¯ll go buy the tickets,¡± said Mr. Qin to his wife and son.

    ¡°Dad, I¡¯ll buy the tickets, you and Niom wait here,¡± said Qin Yu to Mr. Qin. This man, like a big tree, offered him and his sister fatherly love, nurtured them, and sheltered them from wind and rain as they grew up.

    Even if he wasn¡¯t their biological father, in his heart, this man was their real father. He hoped that in the future, his father and mother could live a happy life together.

    ¡°Let Yu go,¡± agreed Nangong Shulan after listening to Qin Yu¡¯s words. She also wanted to spend more time with her husband. They hadn¡¯t left Qin Village for many years, and he had always been by her side.

    Now they were only going to visit Qin Xue, but she still felt a little reluctant to leave.

    ¡°Alright, just be careful with the money and watch out for pickpockets,¡± said Mr. Qin, who was also happy to be with his wife. If their son was going to buy the tickets, he was more than willing.

    ¡°l know, Dad.¡± Qin Yu took the money from Mr. Qin and headed to the ticket window.

    ¡°Hello, can I get two sleeper tickets to S Province? Thank you.¡± Qin Yu thought his mother was getting old and that it would take a day and night to reach S Province.

    He was afraid his mother wouldn¡¯t be able to bear the journey, so he wanted to buy sleeper tickets, so she wouldn¡¯t get too tired.

    Qin Yu originally planned to buy only one sleeper ticket, but then he thought that he wouldn¡¯t be comfortable with his mother being in the sleeper cabin alone, so he decided to buy two sleeper tickets.

    ¡°Okay, please wait a moment.¡± The ticket clerk looked at Qin Yu before giving him two sleeper tickets.

    ¡°Here¡¯s the money, thank you.¡± Qin Yu handed over the money, took the tickets, and returned to his parents.

    ¡°Dad, Mom, I got us sleeper tickets so the journey won¡¯t be as tiring. Here are the tickets,¡± said Qin Yu, handing them over.

    ¡°Good, I was planning to buy sleeper tickets for you too,¡± Mr. Qin looked at the tickets, saw that the ticket numbers were consecutive, and felt relieved.

    ¡°Sleeper tickets are so expensive; it would have been fine to buy regular tickets,¡± said Nangong Shulan, concerned about the cost.

    ¡°Shulan, it takes a day and night to get to S Province. It¡¯s too far.

    Sitting tickets would be too tiring; sleeper tickets are better.¡± Nir. Qin felt guilty for not being able to go with his wife, so there was no way he would let her endure such a tiring journey with a sitting ticket.

    ¡°But sleeper tickets are so much more expensive. It¡¯s enough for Jiale¡¯s living expenses for a whole month,¡± Nangong Shulan thought of the extra money spent on the two sleeper tickets, which was equal to Qin Jiale¡¯s monthly living expenses.

    ¡°Mom, why do you worry so much? I¡¯ll work hard to make money for my sister¡¯s education in the future. Just enjoy the sleeper tickets. Dad, you agree, right?¡± Qin Yu tried to get Mr. Qin on his side.

    ¡°Yes, Shulan, Yu is right. Don¡¯t worry so much. My son and I will take care of everything. You can relax.

    Actually, I¡¯m the one who should apologize for making you suffer so much.¡± Mr. Qin said with a heavy heart.

    ¡°My dear, don¡¯t say that. I haven¡¯t felt wronged being with you. You¡¯ve been good to me and our children.

    My parents were also good to us. Being married to you is my good fortune. Don¡¯t say such things again.¡± Nangong Shulan could only say those words when her son wasn¡¯t nearby.

    Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t dare to speak such emotional and revealing words in public.

    Qin Yu had moved a few steps away when Mr. Qin started talking to his mother to give them some privacy and avoid any awkwardness..

 Chapter 276

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    Qin Lei was very touched by their words, thinking that he should treat his wife better in the future.

    Qin Yu waited for a while, seeing that his parents were still talking, he had to muster his courage and interrupt them.

    ¡°Mom and Dad, it¡¯s getting late, we should enter the station, otherwise it might get crowded later.¡± Just as Qin Yu finished speaking, an announcement for the passengers heading to S Province to check their tickets came from the large loudspeaker.

    ¡°Child¡¯s father, go home, we¡¯re entering the station.¡± Nangong Shulan picked up the luggage from the ground and said to Qin Lei.

    ¡°Shulan, be careful, watch out for safety, keep an eye on your belongings so they don¡¯t get stolen,

    and also, Xiao Yu, don¡¯t sleep too soundly, keep a close eye on your mom, okay?¡± With an air of worry, Qin Lei issued his reminders to Nangong Shulan, and then to Qin Yu.

    ¡°We understand, Dad, you should leave as soon as possible. Be careful on the road. We¡¯re entering the station now.¡± The announcement sounded again, forcing Qin Yu to say this to his father.

    ¡°Alright, I understand, so you guys should go inside.

    Don¡¯t worry about home, I¡¯ll look after it along with your grandparents, I¡¯ll also take good care of Jiale.¡± Qin Lei reassured his wife, seeing the worried expression on her face, and reiterated that everything at home will be fine.

    Perhaps this worry about leaving home is inevitable for everyone who ventures far from home,

    ¡°Ok, we understand. Take a car ride home, don¡¯t walk.¡± After hurriedly saying this, Nangong Shulan was pulled into the station by Qin Yu, otherwise they would miss the departing train.

    After checking their tickets and guiding his mother in, Qin Yu was shocked to see how packed the seating area was on the train. It was so crowded that he doubted whether there was room to set foot.

    The sleeper berths, on the other hand, were relatively better, at least they weren¡¯t crowded, and he was glad he didn¡¯t decide to save money by buying seat tickets or standing tickets, otherwise it would have been truly dreadful. It is no wonder that there is such a stark difference between the two. At this time, there are more poor people who can¡¯t afford food and clothing.

    If there are no officials in the family, and if no one in the family goes to work in the south, life would be very difficult.

    So most people are reluctant to spend extra money on sleeper tickets, which explains why Qin Yu could get a sleeper ticket.

    ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll hold these, you go ahead, climb up slowly.¡± Qin Yu took the luggage from his mother and reminded her.

    ¡°Xiao Yu, let me help carry some, it¡¯s alright, I can.¡± Nangong Shulan looked at her son¡¯s heavy bags, heartache for him.

    ¡°No need, Mom, be careful.¡± Qin Yu did not let his mother carry any luggage, he hurriedly walked ahead with the luggage to avoid his mother trying to take over.

    ¡°This child.¡± Nangong Shulan shook her head and sighed as she watched her son who had walked on ahead.

    When Qin Yu found their seats and was ready to go find his mother, he realized that his mother was already standing behind him.

    ¡°Mom, our seats are here, you sleep on the lower berth, I¡¯ll sleep above.¡± Qin Yu thought about his aging mother, who would have a difficult time climbing up and down, and being young and agile, he didn¡¯t mind.

    ¡°Alright, I understand, it is indeed very crowded, especially that carriage over there, filled to the brim.

    Luckily we got the sleeper tickets, otherwise I wouldn¡¯t even know how to get on.¡± Even though Nangong Shulan had lived in the countryside for two decades.

    But some inherent qualities engraved in her bones couldn¡¯t be easily changed.

    Her demeanor prevented her from doing anything too audacious.

    The most daring thing she had ever done in her life was getting pregnant before marriage, but she was fortunate to have a good husband and in-laws.

    Otherwise, she may not have been able to survive.

    After all, the restrictions twenty years ago were very strict and harsh, especially for women.

    Thanks to the generosity of her husband and in-laws, no nasty rumors about her have ever circulated in the village until now.

    Others might have their doubts, but as long as her husband and in-laws treated her with the same kindness as before, there wasn¡¯t much the doubters could say..

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    ¡°Mom, look, fortunately, I didn¡¯t hesitate to spend the money, or else we would suffer once we reach S Province.¡± Qin Yu didn¡¯t intend to belittle his mother.

    He wanted his mother to understand that some money can be saved, but some can¡¯t.

    Like this time, if they had chosen to save money by buying a sitting or standing ticket, they might have had to spend money on healthcare due to fatigue once they reached his sister¡¯s place, and they would perhaps have ended up spending more.

    ¡°Xiao Yu, 1 understand your sentiment, and I¡¯m also glad now that I didn¡¯t opt to save that money and not get a sleeping berth.¡± Nangong Shulan later compromised because of the love of her husband and the respect of her son.

    Also, the money her elder daughter had sent home could alleviate their difficulties for a while.

    Therefore, when her son bought the sleeper tickets, she only expressed her concern once, and did not insist on him returning them for sitting or standing tickets.

    ¡°Mom, would you like to sleep and rest for a while?¡± Qin Yu thought about how early they had woken up that day and he wondered if his mother was feeling tired.

    ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll rest for a bit, you should also take a nap, you also got up very early today.¡± Nangong Shulan was indeed a little tired.

    Her tiredness wasn¡¯t just because she got up early, but because she stayed up late considering the things she¡¯ll do once she arrived at the institute and wondering how her elder daughter was doing.

    ¡°Mom, you go ahead and rest, don¡¯t worry about me.¡± Qin Yu waved at his mother, dismissively.

    Hearing her son say this, Nangong Shu no longer protested. She took off her shoes, lay on the berth, and closed her eyes to rest.

    After seeing his mother asleep, Qin Yu looked at the rapidly receding landscape outside the train window, thinking, finally, he could go out and see the world.

    When Qin Xue woke up early, she noticed that the swelling in her leg had significantly reduced. It appeared that Chu Molin¡¯s massage had worked wonders as she was feeling much better today.

    After freshening up, Qin Xue started preparing breakfast: scallion pancakes and millet porridge.

    She quickly prepared a simple and light breakfast.

    ¡°Chu Molin, come and have breakfast after freshening up.¡± Qin Xue called to Chu Molin who was reading a book.

    Upon hearing Qin Xue¡¯s call, Chu Molin closed his book, freshened up, and sat at the table. The sight of the delicious breakfast truly stimulated his appetite. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to wash up?¡± Qin Xue looked at this somewhat fastidious man.

    ¡°I have already freshened up when you were cooking.¡± Chu Molin took a sip of the millet porridge. It was cooked to a thick consistency and felt pretty smooth in his mouth.

    ¡°Oh, okay. Have your breakfast then.¡± Qin Xue also started with the porridge.

    She preferred some porridge to pad her stomach before eating fried breadstick as she found it more comfortable, so usually when she had porridge during breakfast, she would drink it first before eating anything else.

    ¡°Chu Molin, after breakfast, you just relax at home. I need to go out for a while.

    I¡¯ll try my best to be back before lunch, though.¡± Qin Xue wasn¡¯t sure how long she would take and could only try to be back before lunchtime to prepare lunch.

    ¡°Alright, be careful.¡± Chu Molin was not quite up to running around yet, so it was best for him to stay at home.

    ¡°Mhm, 1 got it. If I couldn¡¯t make it back in time to prepare lunch, go to the cafeteria to eat.¡± Qin Xue advised him again, unable to help herself.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Chu Molin nodded in agreement.

    Once they finished their breakfast, Qin Xue wanted to clean up the dishes, but Chu Molin stopped her.

    ¡°You should leave now. It¡¯s better to go out when the sun is still not strong. I will tidy up here.¡± Chu Molin stacked the bowls and took them into the kitchen.

    Qin Xue watched him, remaining silent, then she went back to her room to grab the blueprints, put them into her bag, and left for the village after informing Chu Molin.

    It had been a while since Qin Xue last visited this village, and everywhere people were bustling around.

    Qin Xue found the house that Fang Hong had told her about. Seeing the door open, she decided to call out from the threshold.

    ¡°Excuse me, is anyone home? Is there anyone home?¡± Qin Xue called out in a loud voice.

    ¡°Yes, someone is home.¡± A woman walked out from the house in response to Qin Xue¡¯s call.

    ¡°Auntie, hello, may I ask if this is carpenter Uncle Li¡¯s house?¡± Qin Xue remembered that Fang Hong had told her that his surname was Li.

    ¡°Yes, it is. May I ask what brought you here?¡± Aunt Li looked at Qin Xue, her pregnant belly quite noticeable, and wondered what could be the matter..

 Chapter 278

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    Qin Xue was glad she came to the right place and didn¡¯t waste her walk.

    ¡°Aunt Li, I want to ask Uncle Li to make me a small cart. I don¡¯t know if Uncle Li is at home?¡± Qin Xue took the drawing from her bag and showed it to Aunt Li, explaining her purpose.

    ¡°He¡¯s here, come on in.¡± Aunt Li looked at the drawing Qin Xue made and had never seen such a beautiful cart.

    Qin Xue followed Aunt Li into the yard. One of the best things about rural homes was having a courtyard for planting vegetables and raising chickens and ducks.

    ¡°Honey, someone is looking for you.¡± Aunt Li called from the courtyard into the house.

    In no time, a middle-aged man with a bowl of rice appeared at the door.

    Li Xiang was also a little surprised to see Qin Xue, as he thought at first she was from the village.

    He didn¡¯t even put the bowl down before coming out, as it was common among the villagers who were all acquaintances.

    But seeing that Qin Xue was not from the village, he thought it was a bit rude.

    ¡°Wait a moment, please.¡± Li Xiang turned and quickly ate the rice, only coming back out after putting the bowl away.

    Qin Xue didn¡¯t expect them to be having dinner at this time.

    What Qin Xue didn¡¯t know was that rural households here didn¡¯t have breakfast. They would do some work early in the morning to avoid the sun, then go home around nine o¡¯clock to eat.

    That policy was gradually changing, otherwise Li Xiang wouldn¡¯t dare to take this job even if Qin Xue asked..

    ¡°Miss, what can I do for you?¡± Li Xiang was unsure how to address Qin Xue, so he called her ¡°Miss¡± to be polite.

    Li Xiangs polite attitude gave Qin Xue a good impression of him.

    Later, Qin Xue drew some furniture designs for him, and they split the profit 70% Li Xiang and 30% Qin Xue, after the cost. But that¡¯s another story for later.

    ¡°Uncle Li, I was introduced by Mrs. Fang of the research institute¡¯s family. She said you made tables and chairs for her and that your carpentry work is good, so I wanted to ask you to make me two small carts. Here are the designs; please take a look.¡± Qin Xue handed Li Xiang two drawings.

    Li Xiang took a look and was greatly impressed. He hadn¡¯t come up with anything new for years and had only ever made wooden items for the village. Now that the policy was more relaxed, he welcomed new ideas.

    ¡°Miss, did you draw these?¡± Although Li Xiang was asking, his tone indicated that he believed Qin Xue drew the images, as not everyone had the confident smile on her face.

    ¡°Yes, I did,¡± Qin Xue said with a smile.

    ¡°May I ask what the small cart is for?¡± Li Xiang didn¡¯t know because he had never seen such a cart.

    Moreover, Qin Xue didn¡¯t draw the seat of the cart, not because she was afraid Li Xiang would learn and make money from it, but because she wanted to use cloth for the seat to be soft and not hurt the child¡¯s thighs.

    That¡¯s why the overall look was different due to the missing part.

    Li Xiang hadn¡¯t seen it, so naturally, he wouldn¡¯t understand its purpose.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s a toddler¡¯s walker,¡± Qin Xue replied with a smile.

    ¡°A walker? How does it work?¡± Li Xiang asked Qin Xue enthusiastically.

    ¡°Well, Uncle Li, I can¡¯t explain its usage right now.

    How about you make it according to the drawings first, then I will tell you the specific usage. What do you think?¡± It¡¯s hard for Qin Xue to explain without a physical item.

    ¡°Alright, come pick it up the day after tomorrow.¡± Li Xiang said this because it was his first time making this cart and he was not familiar with it, and there were two of them. Otherwise, she could have picked them up tomorrow afternoon.

    ¡°Uncle Li, how much deposit do you need? I¡¯ll give it to you.¡± Qin Xue knew that when making items, it was customary to charge a deposit to prevent people from not paying for the finished product..

 Chapter 279

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    Li Xiang thought for a moment and said: ¡°You give me US$ 5.¡±

    Five dollars as a deposit is a bit much, but Qin Xue didn¡¯t hesitate to pay Li Xiang.

    Because Qin Xue could see that both Li Xiang and his wife are honest people.

    ¡°Uncle Li, I¡¯ll leave now and come back the day after tomorrow.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t want to waste any more time, as she still needed to go to the small market to see if there was anything she needed to buy and bring back.

    ¡°Alright, just come and pick it up when you¡¯re ready. I guarantee it¡¯ll be beautifully done.¡± Li Xiang assured her with a smile.

    ¡°Thank you, Uncle Li.¡± Qin Xue replied with a smile.

    Qin Xue went to the market to buy some tofu, saw some clay pots for sale and bought a few large ones, and a few small ones, she gave 50 cents to the owner to help her deliver them to the army compound. She was going to make some pickles and sour vegetables for a sour vegetable fish dish.

    If it wasn¡¯t inconvenient, she could use them to make dried vegetables, especially dried bamboo shoots for braising with meat, that would be mouth-watering just thinking about it.

    Dried green beans braised with meat also smells delicious. It¡¯s a pity she has the Golden Finger and can¡¯t use it openly.

    Qin Xue bought a pound of red beans and a pound of soybeans. When she saw someone selling shrimp, her eyes lit up. She had been here for nearly half a year and hadn¡¯t seen any shrimp.

    Today her luck was incredibly good, as she came across them.

    ¡°Sir, how much are these shrimp?¡± Qin Xue asked the middle-aged man selling shrimp.

    ¡°Miss, these shrimp are a bit expensive. Do you want to buy them?¡± It¡¯s not that the man didn¡¯t want to sell them to Qin Xue, but in this small place, not many people are willing to buy this stuff to eat.

    Because farm families would occasionally catch a few mud shrimps in the river, but these were sea shrimps, which are much more expensive.

    ¡°Tell me how much they are, and then I¡¯ll decide whether to buy them or not.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t expect there to be a businessman like this.

    ¡°These are sea shrimps, they are US$ 1.5 a pound, they are indeed a bit expensive, but my cost is also high.

    Look at me, I¡¯ve been sitting here for half a day, and everyone just asks the price, then leave without buying a thing.¡± The middle-aged man was helpless.

    If he lowers the price, he would lose money. He just impulsively brought them back, thinking of making some money for his wife and kids.

    But he hasn¡¯t sold a single shrimp, and now he¡¯s regretting it. Qin Xue came over, and he didn¡¯t want to rip her off since he¡¯s an honest man.

    ¡°Sir, why don¡¯t you sell them in the county town? There are more wealthy people there, and more buyers.¡± Qin Xue asked while looking at the shrimps.

    ¡°l can¡¯t go that far because I have to take care of my family.

    A friend of mine turned me onto these shrimps, saying they are tasty and fresh, so I believed him. But I didn¡¯t expect that not a single one would be sold.¡± The middle-aged man told Qin Xue the truth.

    ¡°How about this, sir? You give me a better price, and I¡¯ll take all of them, including these. What do you think?¡± Qin Xue knew these were sea shrimps, as well as mud shrimps and crabs, she wanted them all.

    ¡°What? You want them all?¡± Cui Da asked in surprise.

    ¡°Yeah, if the price is right, I¡¯ll take all of them.¡± Qin Xue looked at the sea shrimps, there were about 20 pounds of them.

    The remaining mud shrimps and crabs are no more than 2.5 kg together. She could eat them, after all, she still has some money on her now.

    As long as these things enter her space, she won¡¯t have to spend money on them in the future. This is very cost-effective, just spend money once for her future food cravings.

    This is the advantage of having a Golden Finger, but unfortunately, it can only be hidden secretly, so no one knows.

    Actually, this is also a kind of pain. Even though she can eat and drink spicy food, she still feels like she can only eat husks and vegetables somehow.

    Cui Da saw that Qin Xue wasn¡¯t joking, and his heart was overjoyed. When a customer finally came along, it was a big spender..

 Chapter 280

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    ¡°Miss, I can¡¯t reduce the price for these prawns much, US$ 1.4 a pound for you, and these mud shrimp I caught myself are not worth much.

    And these crabs too, all shells and nobody likes to eat them, I¡¯ll give you a discount, 30 cents a pound, what do you think?¡± Cui Da looked at Qin Xue somewhat nervously.

    Because these mud shrimp are small and have almost no meat, and the crabs are also mostly shell, he felt a bit reluctant to sell them to Qin Xue.

    He didn¡¯t know why he had this feeling, but he just felt a bit guilty.

    ¡°Okay, pack them all up for me. In the future, if you catch these shrimp, bring them to the research institute up ahead and say they¡¯re for Qin Xue from Chu Molin e s house, they¡¯ll help you pass on the message.¡± What Qin Xue told Cui Da were crawfish.

    ¡°Ah, miss, are there people who want these too?

    There is no meat in these, I just caught a few casually when I went to catch shrimp and crabs.¡± Cui Da looked at Qin Xue¡¯s expression, wondering why she seemed so happy about these shells. Could this girl be somewhat foolish?

    They had caught and eaten them before when they had no rice to cook at home, but there was no meat at all, and they tasted very fishy and unpleasant.

    If Qin Xue knew, she would definitely say, you are the foolish one, such delicious food and nobody wants it, fishy because you don¡¯t know how to cook it right?

    It¡¯s true that these crawfish have little meat, but what you eat in crawfish is the flavor. In the future, a small plate of these will cost tens of dollars.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll take as many as you can catch.¡± Qin Xue planned to set aside some space in her world to raise these crawfish and rent a pond to raise them when the time was right.

    Isn¡¯t it said that her twin brother doesn¡¯t have a job? In the future, let father and mother raise crawfish, brother sell crawfish, and there is no need to open any restaurant or stall. At that time, she has the first-mover advantage, who¡¯s afraid of not making money?

    As for her sister, who is reportedly still in school, there¡¯s nothing for her to worry about temporarily. Just like that, in a moment, Qin Xue had arranged the future jobs for several people in her family.

    ¡°All right, miss. My name is Cui Da, and you can rest assured.

    l, Cui Da, promise you that 1 will definitely catch the best ones for you.¡± Cui Da thought he was really lucky today.

    Not only did he sell all his goods, but he also found a steady sales channel for the future, so his wife and children would be able to eat their fill.

    Cui Da excitedly assured Qin Xue of the quality of the goods.

    ¡°That¡¯s good, pack up all of these. As for future shipments, I¡¯ll adjust the price according to market changes.

    If I find any substandard goods, don¡¯t blame me for turning my back on you.¡± Qin Xue thought it was better to clarify these matters up front.

    ¡°Miss, rest assured, I, Cui Da, dare not say about other things, but 1 have never done anything to ruin my own credibility, even though I just started learning to do business.¡± Cui Da said with an embarrassed smile.

    ¡°I can tell.¡± Qin Xue nodded.

    After Cui Da packed up the shrimp, Qin Xue took out US$ 30 and gave it to Cui Da.

    ¡°Miss, here¡¯s your change.¡± Cui Da handed Qin Xue 50 cents.

    Qin Xue glanced at it but didn¡¯t take it: ¡°Uncle, use it to buy two candies for your child to eat.¡± Qin Xue had just learned from their conversation that Cui Da had a seven or eight-year-old child.

    He said the older one died of illness because they had no money to treat him, and the younger one was born to provide company for the couple.

    ¡°Miss, I have money, you should take it.¡± Cui Da was embarrassed to take the 50 cents, which could buy 1 kg of mud shrimp.

    ¡°Take it, it¡¯s not much money, just don¡¯t despise it.¡± Qin Xue said as she carried the packed shrimp away.

    Cui Da looked at the 50 cents in his hand and then at the receding figure of Qin Xue. If only someone as kind had helped when his older child was sick, the child might not have died.

    It¡¯s not much, but this 50 cents warmed Cui Da¡¯s heart..

 Chapter 281

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    Qin Xue carried the things she bought and walked towards the research institute, stopping occasionally. When she arrived at the woods by the river, she saw a few people packing up and preparing to leave.

    Qin Xue pretended to stop and rest, sitting on a ridge in the field. Once those people left and no one was around, she took out some of the things she bought and threw the rest into the space.

    Looking at the few items, Qin Xue smiled happily, finally feeling much lighter.

    Qin Xue quickened her pace to go home. It was almost noon when the people working had already returned to their homes.

    She still had to go home and cook for Chu Molin, today there were shrimps and crabs.

    Unfortunately, Molin was injured and couldn¡¯t eat these inflammation- inducing foods.

    She only kept a little to cook for herself and would make some for him after his injury healed. At that time, she would make that spicy crayfish dish, which was her favorite in her previous life.

    When Qin Xue returned home, she saw that Chu Molin wasn¡¯t there. Had he gone out for a meal?

    Now Qin Xue was conflicted about whether to cook or not.

    After a moment of thought, she decided to cook anyway. If they couldn¡¯t finish it, they could make fried rice in the afternoon.

    Qin Xue took the pot and started washing the rice, then put the pot on the stove to cook. As the rice cooked, she began to clean the shrimp and crab.

    Qin Xue found a small brush to clean the crab and shrimp, then carefully removed the shrimp¡¯s vein.

    She only prepared two crabs because it was a cold food.

    Now that Qin Xue was pregnant, she couldn¡¯t eat too much crab due to the risk of miscarriage. So, she could only eat a little to satisfy her craving. Those with cold bodies and cold uterus should avoid eating crab.

    Crab is delicious, but it isn¡¯t something everyone can eat.

    Qin Xue hummed happily while cooking. As soon as Chu Molin opened the door, he could feel Qin Xue¡¯s good mood.

    ¡°What happened? Why are you so happy?¡± Chu Molin came to the kitchen door and leaned on the doorframe, asking Qin Xue.

    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re back. You scared me.¡± Qin Xue was too absorbed in singing and hadn¡¯t noticed Chu Molin had returned, being startled by his sudden voice.

    ¡°Sorry for scaring you. I couldn¡¯t help but ask when I saw you so happy,¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t mean to startle her on purpose.

    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s alright, just got scared for a moment. Where did you go?¡± Qin Xue thought about Molin!s injury not being healed, yet he was running around.

    ¡°l went to the office,¡± Chu Molin simply went to inquire about the follow-up situation.

    ¡°Oh, go wash your hands and get ready for lunch.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t ask any further when she heard this.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Chu Molin responded, but couldn¡¯t help thinking that his little wife knew when to ask and when not to.

    Just like now, she didn¡¯t continue asking once she heard he¡¯d gone to the office.

    Qin Xue brought the cooked dishes to the table, placing the shrimp and crab in front of her, the fish head tofu soup in front of Chu Molin, stir-fried vegetables, and boiled fish on his side.

    ¡°Chu Molin, you can¡¯t eat the shrimp and crab right now. I¡¯ll cook them for you when you¡¯re better,¡± Qin Xue said as she looked at Chu Molin waiting for those two dishes.

    ¡°Are you doing this on purpose?¡± Chu Molin asked Qin Xue as he looked at the spicy crayfish and spicy crab.

    In the past, he only knew that these things had no meat and were quite fishy, not many people liked to eat them. But now, he realized it wasn¡¯t that they were not tasty, but that other people didn¡¯t know how to cook them.

    At least now, looking at the ones Qin Xue had made, the aroma alone was enough to make one¡¯s mouth water, let alone tasting it.

    ¡°Hehe, no, I just got lucky today and ran into someone selling these.

    So I bought them with a bit of a gamble, wanting to see if they would turn out good, and surprisingly, I did it well,¡± Qin Xue said, chuckling awkwardly.

    ¡°Hmm, when my injury heals, you can buy more and cook them. They smell good and should taste delicious,¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t expose Qin Xue¡¯s excuse.

    Even though she was obviously good at cooking, she kept finding all sorts of reasons.. When would she finally be honest about her secret with him?

 Chapter 282

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    After handing a bowl of rice to Chu Molin, Qin Xue finally sat down to eat.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine, you can eat as much as you want then, but it¡¯s best not to overdo the cold crab.

    Eating too much can cause gastroenteritis and diarrhea.¡± Qin Xue happily ate a crayfish tail.

    While eating, she didn¡¯t forget to share some knowledge with Chu Molin.

    It¡¯s a pity that foodies oftentimes can¡¯t eat too much of the most delicious things.

    ¡°Don¡¯t eat too much yourself,¡± Chu Molin reminded Qin Xue after hearing her.

    ¡°Hmm, 1 won¡¯t. I only made two of them.

    Don¡¯t worry, 1 mow my limits and won¡¯t risk my own health.¡± Qin Xue finished the crab and started eating the crayfish.

    Chu Molin lost his appetite for the other dishes when he saw her eating.

    It¡¯s not that they are not tasty, but he has been eating light meals for over a week now.

    His mouth already lacked flavor, and now seeing Qin Xue eat spicy food, with its appetizing red color, made him crave it even more.

    If it were anyone else other than Qin Xue, he would have punched them by now.

    How could he not be angry when someone knowingly tempts him with food that he can¡¯t eat?

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you eating? Doesn¡¯t it taste good?¡± Qin Xue asked Chu Molin, noticing he hadn¡¯t touched his food.

    She took a bite of a vegetable stem herself, found it delicious, and then ate a

    piece of fish ¨C which was tender and juicy. So why wasn¡¯t he eating?

    ¡°The flavors are great, nothing is burnt or too salty to eat.¡± Qin Xue commented quietly after tasting.

    Chu Molin watched Qin Xue try the food and then talk to herself, shaking his head helplessly at her obliviousness.

    Couldn¡¯t she figure out why he wasn¡¯t eating? With a sigh, he resigned himself to picking up his chopsticks and eating.

    Fortunately, the food tasted much better than when he was in the hospital. Otherwise, facing Qin Xue¡¯s two plates of spicy dishes, he really wouldn¡¯t want to eat bland food.

    Qin Xue was puzzled why he began eating after initially not eating. She stopped thinking about it and continued eating her own food.

    After they were both full, Chu Molin told Qin Xue a piece of news that nearly shattered her soul.

    ¡°What did you say? My mom and my brother are coming?¡± Qin Xue recalled mentioning this to Chu Molin just the day before, and they were on their way already?

    ¡°Yes, not long after you left this morning, my dad sent a telegram saying your mom and brother were coming to visit you,¡± Chu Molin replied, not surprised by the news in the morning.

    Although he didn¡¯t spend much time with the Qins, he had seen enough to understand their love and doting for Qin Xue.

    Now that they received Qin Xue¡¯s letter and knew about her pregnancy, it would be unusual if they didn¡¯t come.

    So, having her mother-in-law and brother-in-law come was entirely within

    Chu Molin¡¯s expectations and not surprising at all.

    ¡°When will they arrive? Do we need to pick them up?¡± Qin Xue had no memories from her original self and was unsure how to recognize them if she went to pick them up.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to pick them up; I¡¯ll send Li Dabao to fetch them.¡± Chu Molin couldn¡¯t rest easy letting Qin Xue, with her big belly, to fetch people.

    Since he was injured and couldn¡¯t sit in a car for too long, he had no choice but to send someone to pick them up.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it inappropriate for neither of us to go?¡± Qin Xue hesitantly asked.

    ¡°They¡¯ll understand.¡± Chu Molin confidently answered Qin Xue¡¯s question.

    ¡°How can you be so sure they won¡¯t blame us?¡± Qin Xue curiously asked Chu Molin.

    ¡°Because they love you.¡± Chu Molin left those words and took the dishes to the kitchen to wash.

    In his mind, there was no rule that men couldn¡¯t enter the kitchen. A wife should be cherished, not treated as a servant.

    He had learned from his parents¡¯ marriage that mutual understanding and tolerance were necessary for a couple to last.

    ¡°Huh, how can this man be so sure? Did the original body¡¯s parents really unconditionally dote on her?¡± Qin Xue wondered how much they must have loved her to be able to do that..

 Chapter 283

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    Chu Molin was washing dishes in the kitchen, letting Qin Xue be tangled by herself.

    When Chu Molin finished washing the dishes and came out, he saw that Qin

    Xue was still wrapped up in her thoughts and couldn¡¯t help but rub her head.

    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Chu Molin asked Qin Xue, pretending not to know.

    ¡°Just wondering what kind of love can do this?¡± Qin Xue¡¯s mouth was faster than her mind, and she instinctively answered when she heard the question.

    ¡°Stop thinking about it. When you meet your mother-in-law and little brother-in-law, you¡¯ll naturally understand.¡± Chu Molin told Qin Xue not to think about it anymore since she wouldn¡¯t be able to grasp the concept no matter how much she pondered right now.

    Based on her current behavior, she must have forgotten her family, and if she didn¡¯t remember, how would she know?

    Only those who have truly experienced such a situation would understand; even his own mother didn¡¯t treat him as well as his in-laws treated Qin Xue, and he was envious.

    That¡¯s why he wanted to obtain that kind of affection, but he knew it would never happen within his own family.

    Because he felt like an extra person who couldn¡¯t fit into that family.

    Now that he has a wife and children and is leading a good life, it doesn¡¯t matter whether he is part of that family or not.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll listen to you.¡± Qin Xue stopped dwelling on it after hearing Chu Molin¡¯s words.

    As the saying goes, there¡¯s always a way forward when you reach the mountain; even if she kept worrying now, it wouldn¡¯t help. It¡¯s better to save some brain cells.

    Qin Xue looked at the empty table in the living room and felt that something was missing.

    But she couldn¡¯t figure out in a short amount of time what was missing.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, why are you looking at the table? Is it not clean, or do you think you can see flowers by staring at it?¡± Chu Molin teased Qin Xue with a rare good mood.

    ¡°Flowers, yes, that¡¯s right, flowers are missing.¡± Qin Xue exclaimed excitedly.

    ¡°What flowers?¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t know what flowers Qin Xue meant.

    ¡°Our house lacks some potted plants. Don¡¯t you think the whole vibe would be different if we put some green plants here, there, and over there?¡± Qin Xue walked over and pointed out different spots.

    With Qin Xue¡¯s words, images appeared in Chu Molin¡¯s mind, and the scene really seemed to have changed a lot.

    It felt as if even the mood would become different.

    ¡°Hmm, it does feel different when you say it like that.¡± Chu Molin nodded in agreement with Qin Xue¡¯s opinion.

    Of course, who doesn¡¯t have potted plants in their homes in modern times? And who doesn¡¯t have a succulent or something on their office desk? Greenery can improve one¡¯s mood.

    Since coming here, Qin Xue had been busy and not really present at home, so she didn¡¯t notice the difference. It was only recently that she had more time at home that she felt something was missing ¨C potted plants.

    ¡°But what should we plant?¡± Qin Xue rested her chin on her hand, pondering what to plant.

    ¡°Chu Molin, is there a flower and bird market in the city?¡± Qin Xue remembered that the flower and bird market in her previous life had everything, but she didn¡¯t know what flowers were available in the current era.

    ¡°There should be, but I¡¯m not very clear about that.¡± Chu Molin thought about it and answered uncertainly.

    He spent most of his time collecting samples or training and didn¡¯t go out shopping much, so how could he know?

    ¡°You don¡¯t know either?¡± Qin Xue was very disappointed; she thought she had found the place but turned out it was uncertain.

    Nevermind, she¡¯ll go to the county town and take a good stroll another day, looking for it. Last time she went shopping with Fang Hong was to look for a shop to open a clothing store, so they didn¡¯t pay much attention to the surroundings, leaving some questions unexplored.

    Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t be grappling now. It seems that no matter how urgent things get in the future, she can¡¯t neglect her surroundings. This decision of Qin Xue¡¯s would bring her many conveniences in her later life..

 Chapter 284

    Translator: 549690339

    ¡°You can ask Fang Hong where to buy potted plants, and then buy the ones you like and plant them yourself.¡± Chu Molin let her do as she pleased with her hobbies.

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what I was thinking.¡± Qin Xue was determined to find the time to go shopping for them herself.

    ¡°Chu Molin, I want to go to the city tomorrow. I asked Fang Xiu to make me a few sets of clothes before, and I need to pick them up now that they¡¯re ready.¡± Qin Xue had Fang Xiu make the clothes mainly to send them to her parents.

    Now that her mother was here, she could just take the clothes back and have them change into them when they arrived.

    ¡°Okay, be careful and go early and come back early.¡± Chu Molin never wanted to interfere with her affairs.

    ¡°Mhm, I know.¡± Qin Xue responded.

    The next morning, Qin Xue got up early to make breakfast, making fish slice porridge, scallion 011 pancakes, and steamed a pot or buns. ¡®linere was no meat, so she made vegetarian buns.

    This way, if she didn¡¯t come back at noon, Chu Molin could just steam them to eat. Qin Xue realized that, as she spent more and more time with Chu Molin, she became more and more concerned about whether he had enough to eat and whether he was full.

    If An Xiaochen knew this, she would surely laugh at her and say, ¡°You¡¯ve met your match! ¡±

    Chu Beiying, on the other hand, would say, ¡°Will the sun rise from the west tomorrow?¡±

    Thinking of her two best friends and confidantes, Qin Xue felt a void in her heart.

    They were separated by different eras, and she didn¡¯t know if there would ever be a chance for them to meet again.

    Well, she let her thoughts wander again, so she might as well live in the present.

    After preparing breakfast, Qin Xue kept it warm on the stove, waiting for Chu Molin to get up and eat. When she got up, Chu Molin was about to get up as well, but she stopped him and told him to rest more. Otherwise, once he finished training, he wouldn¡¯t have any time to rest.

    So while he¡¯s injured, he might as well rest.

    Qin Xue picked up a bowl of fish slice porridge and a meat bun and began to eat slowly.

    After Qin Xue finished her breakfast and cleaned up the bowls and chopsticks, she left a note for Chu Molin, put on her backpack, and left to catch the bus to the city.

    Qin Xue¡¯s main goal today was to pick up her clothes, and she didn¡¯t have to worry about anything else. There was no news from the factory, which indicated that everything was going smoothly, and the work continued in an orderly manner.

    So, Qin Xue was not worried. She had already taught them the methods, so it was up to them to follow through.

    As the saying goes, it¡¯s better to teach a man to fish than to give him a fish. Since she had already taught them, she didn¡¯t need to say anything anymore, as everyone had their own lifestyle.

    When Qin Xue arrived at the store, Yu Xiu had just come back after buying breakfast.

    ¡°Good morning, sister-in-law. Did you come from the research institute or did you not go back last night?¡± Qin Xue asked with a smile.

    ¡°l went back, and came early this morning.¡± Yu Xiu had been staying at the store frequently since she started working with Qin Xue.

    Fortunately, Hu Zi and Jiajia were sensible and obedient, saving her from worrying too much. However, it made Mr. Xu work harder recently.

    ¡°Well, sister-in-law, it¡¯s good to be busy with your career, but don¡¯t neglect your family and children.

    We must both manage our careers and take care of our families.

    It wouldn¡¯t be my fault if my involvement with you affects your family. 1 want to help you, not hurt your family.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, 1 know what¡¯s important.¡± Yu Xiu had discussed this with Xu Fangzhou, and since it wouldn¡¯t affect his work, she allowed the kids to spend their vacations by her side, letting them play with Jingtao.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s good.¡± Qin Xue smiled at Yu Xiu.

    ¡°Yes, I won¡¯t neglect my family because of my career.¡± In Yu Xiu¡¯s mind, family was more important than her career.

    Qin Xue understood her thinking, so she deliberately said this to her. This was the difference between Yu Xiu and Fang Hong..

 Chapter 285

    Translator: 549690339

    Fang Hong is a go-getter, a career-oriented woman, while Yu Xiu is more of a gentle, family-oriented woman.

    This essentially determined the gap between the paths they would take in the future.

    That¡¯s why Qin Xue was particularly keen on cultivating Fang Hong.

    Because their ambitions differed, their starting points and efforts also differed.

    Not to brag, but Fang Hong is the thoroughbred horse, and she, Qin Xue, is the one who discovered this exceptional talent.

    ¡°Good morning, Jingtao,¡± Qin Xue greeted Jingtao with a smile as she reached out to play with him.

    ¡°Yaya¡­¡± Little Jingtao called out excitedly when he saw Qin Xue.

    Now, at over seven months old, Jingtao still couldn¡¯t speak, only babbling nonstop.

    ¡°Oh, our little Jingtao is so happy to see auntie,¡± Qin Xue said as she tried to reach for him.

    ¡°Qin Xue, he¡¯s heavy. Don¡¯t hold him. Be careful not to get kicked in the stomach by him,¡± Fang Xiu hurriedly warned when she saw Qin Xue¡¯s movement. My goodness, she had such a big heart to do that.

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll just play with him like this without holding him. Is that okay?¡± Qin Xue looked at Fang Xiu with a grievance.

    ¡°Gee, now you¡¯re blaming me. You don¡¯t know how heavy this kid is. He¡¯s like a dog seeing fatty meat when he sees you. Can you even carry him?¡± Fang Xiu looked at Qin Xue with a mix of laughter and tears.

    ¡°Little Jingtao, did you hear that? Your mom is looking down on both of us. How about from now on you¡¯ll be with auntie?¡± Qin Xue wasn¡¯t angry at all, but instead continued to tease Jingtao playfully.

    ¡°Come on, you! I say one thing and you¡¯re trying to abduct my son!¡± Fang Xiu said, shaking her head helplessly.

    ¡°Hehe, who can blame me? Your son is just so adorable, isn¡¯t he, Taotao?¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t care about Fang Xiu¡¯s feelings at all.

    ¡°Alright, enough. You two stop bickering and come eat breakfast,¡± Yu Xiu watched the two adults and the child, feeling helpless.

    ¡°Sister-in-law, I already ate breakfast before coming. You guys eat.

    Leave Taotao here, I¡¯ll feed him while you eat your own.¡± Qin Xue sat in front of Jingtao with a bowl of porridge and told the two.

    ¡°Yaya¡­¡± Jingtao¡¯s eyes lit up with excitement when he saw the food.

    ¡°Alright, thanks for your help,¡± Fang Xiu said as she watched her son¡¯s excited expression, feeling a bit jealous. After all, she had put so much effort into raising him.

    Why did he seem to like Qin Xue more than her?

    ¡°Here, eat this,¡± Yu Xiu handed a bun to Fang Xiu.

    ¡°Thank you, Yu Xiu,¡± Fang Xiu thanked Yu Xiu as she took the bun.

    After they finished eating breakfast, Qin Xue finally revealed her purpose for coming.

    ¡°Xiu, that dress I asked you to make last time, is it finished?¡± Qin Xue thought about her mother and brother, who she had never met.

    She had to prepare clean clothes and supplies for them, no matter how long they stayed.

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s done. Wait a minute; I¡¯ll get it for you,¡± Fang Xiu said, getting up to fetch the clothes.

    ¡®Qin Xue, here¡¯s the dress,¡± Fang Xiu handed the clothes to Qin Xue.

    ¡°l must say, the finished dress looks really nice,¡± Yu Xiu had seen the clothes when Fang Xiu first finished them, and they were genuinely beautiful.

    ¡°Yes, Qin Xue, I didn¡¯t expect to be able to make such a pretty dress,¡± Fang Xiu admitted, recalling her excitement when she had finished the dress.

    ¡°Hmm, let me see.¡± Qin Xue inspected the clothes one by one.

    The craftsmanship was exquisite, with neat and close stitches. It was very well-done.

    It looked like Fang Xiu could go to design school to study fashion design in the future. With that kind of education, she would undoubtedly become an excellent fashion designer.

    It wasn¡¯t that Qin Xue blindly believed in Fang Xiu, but an untrained person who could read her drawings and not only understand them but also make the clothes showed great potential. If such a person couldn¡¯t succeed, then there really was no justice in the world.

    So, at that moment, Qin Xue made a silent and life-changing decision for Fang Xiu in her heart. She was going to send Fang Xiu to learn design..

 Chapter 286

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue folded the clothes one by one, smiling at them and saying, ¡°Am I talented or what? To be able to design such beautiful clothes.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, you¡¯re seriously talented. I¡¯ve never seen anyone this gifted, right, Yu Xiu?¡± Fang Xiu winked at Yu Xiu.

    Before Yu Xiu could answer, another sentence popped out: ¡°Now that¡¯s like a boastful melon seller.¡¯

    ¡°Hahahaha.¡± Fang Xiu couldn¡¯t help but laugh out loud after saying that.

    ¡°Xiu, is this how you treat me? It hurts my heart.¡± Qin Xue pretended to cry and clutched her heart.

    ¡°Hehe, you guys.¡± Yu Xiu smiled and went to open the shop, leaving them to laugh and joke.

    ¡°Hahaha.¡± Xiao Jingtao also laughed along with their laughter.

    ¡°Haha, you hear that? Even my little Taotao is laughing at you.¡± Fang Xiu hugged her son and kissed him.

    ¡°It¡¯s no wonder he¡¯s my son; we really have the same heart.¡± Fang Xiu held her son up higher.

    ¡°Fine, you all bully me. When my child is born, I¡¯ll come back with my mother and the three of us will bully you.¡± Qin Xue lifted her chin, looking both childish and proud.

    ¡°Yo, even issuing a challenge? Who¡¯s being childish now? Fine, we accept your challenge. Just wait for us.¡± Fang Xiu wasn¡¯t afraid of her baseless challenge.

    ¡°Taotao, your auntie is regressing more and more. Let¡¯s go make clothes with mommy. We won¡¯t bother with this immature auntie.¡±

    Fang Xiu walked away with her son, leaving Qin Xue alone and disheveled.

    But ¡°walking away¡± just meant taking a few steps from the small bed to the sewing machine.

    ¡°Hahaha.¡± Jingtao lay in his mother¡¯s arms, looking at Qin Xue and laughing heartily.

    ¡°You ungrateful little thing, after all the kindness I¡¯ve shown you.¡± Qin Xue said, looking at Jingtao after finishing with the clothes.

    ¡°Sister-in-law, do you know where the flower and bird market is?¡± Qin Xue was still thinking about her potted plants.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s on South Street. Why, do you want to buy flowers or birds?¡± Fang Xiu looked at Qin Xue curiously.

    ¡°I want to buy a few potted plants to add some liveliness to the house.¡± Qin Xue thought that she could put a couple of pots in the store as well.

    ¡°Those are for idle people because only those with free time can take care of them. For us, as long as we have enough to eat and wear, we don¡¯t ask for anything else.¡±

    Who would have time to engage in such elegant pursuits? However, with your temperament, you could certainly keep a few pots and engage in some more refined activities.¡¯

    Fang Xiu looked at Qin Xue i s bearing, and no one would dare to say she was an ignorant village girl.

    Would a village girl have the guts to open a shop, recruit them all, and cooperate with the factory? Don¡¯t make her laugh.

    ¡°Actually, we can buy easy-to-grow potted plants, so you don¡¯t have to spend too much time taking care of them.¡± Qin Xue wanted to buy easy-care plants because she didn¡¯t have much time to spare.

    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡± Fang Xiu thought about it and felt this wasn¡¯t a bad solution.

    ¡°Xiu, I¡¯m going to take a look and see if I can find the right ones. You guys keep busy. I¡¯m off.¡± Qin Xue greeted Fang Xiu before leaving.

    Qin Xue strolled around and picked out several pots of flowers and plants, buying a money tree and a fortune tree for the store.

    For her home, she bought a cactus, a succulent, an aloe, and a spider plant.

    After having them packed up, she also bought some flower seeds.

    The day passed as Qin Xue meandered around.

    When Qin Xue arrived home with the plants and clothes, she saw Chu Molin rolling out noodles.

    Chu Molin heard the door open, poked his head out of the kitchen door, took a quick look, and said: ¡°You¡¯re back. Was everything smooth today?¡± He then retracted his head.

    ¡°Why are you cooking with your injury?¡± Qin Xue put down her stuff and went to look at the busy man in the kitchen..

 Chapter 287

    Translator: 549690339

    ¡°l was afraid you¡¯d be back too late, so I thought I¡¯d cook first. That way, when you come back, you can just eat without it being too late.¡± Chu Molin replied to Qin Xue¡¯s question while continuing his work.

    ¡°But is your injury all right?¡± Qin Xue asked after listening.

    She moved the groceries she bought into the kitchen. She didn¡¯t buy much of each item.

    However, she bought a wide variety, and with each item weighing a kg or two, it was quite heavy.

    ¡°Why did you buy so many groceries?¡± Chu Molin asked Qin Xue in surprise, as if wondering if his wife intended to bring the whole market home.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it because mom and little brother are coming tomorrow? I have to buy some groceries.¡± Qin Xue thought that her mother should cook once she arrives.

    The guesthouse was quite a distance away. It wouldn¡¯t be appropriate to have her family stay there, would it?

    ¡°Even if your mother-in-law and little brother-in-law are coming, you¡¯ve still bought too much.¡± Chu Molin looked at the pile of groceries on the floor. It was quite a lot. He wondered how Qin Xue had managed to carry it all.

    If she knew, she¡¯d definitely tell him she moved them as an ant colony might ¨C little by little.

    Actually, she was lucky. While she was waiting for the car with her groceries, she ran into Xiao Zhao, who was returning from an errand. So, she hitched a ride with him.

    ¡°There were too many things missing at home, so 1 thought I¡¯d buy some more when I thought of it.¡± Qin Xue took out each vegetable and put it away.

    Most of these groceries were actually taken out of her space and hadn¡¯t cost her anything.

    Only the transportation was a bit tiring. Thinking of the clay pots from yesterday¡¯s market, Qin Xue decided she needed to make pickles quickly.

    Otherwise, once more people came, she wouldn¡¯t be able to do it.

    Many people would be gossiping, and she wouldn¡¯t be able to keep her secret.

    So, she took the opportunity today to bring out a lot of vegetables. After they finished eating, she could start making pickles and kimchi. She had even bought all the necessary seasonings.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, now that the weather is hot, if you buy so many vegetables and we don¡¯t eat them all, they¡¯ll go bad.¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t understand just how many groceries Qin Xue had bought.

    He thought he¡¯d seen a lot just now, but only realized how wrong he was when Qin Xue finished bringing everything into the kitchen.

    Actually, Qin Xue hadn¡¯t really bought that much. Many of the vegetables were secretly taken out of her space when Chu Molin was in the kitchen, under the pretext of bringing in supplies.

    Otherwise, she couldn¡¯t have passed Xiao Zhao¡¯s scrutiny. It would have scared him to death. She was a kind-hearted child. How could she scare someone?

    ¡°l know they¡¯ll go bad if we don¡¯t eat them soon, but I bought them to make pickles and kimchi, not to eat them right away. So, there¡¯s no need to worry about it going bad.¡± Qin Xue wasn¡¯t worried about that at all.

    ¡°Pickles and kimchi? How do you make them?¡± Chu Molin spread the rolled-out dough onto the cutting board and cut it into thick noodles.

    After cutting, he put the noodles into a pot of boiling water to cook. He grabbed the ingredients he¡¯d prepared earlier, and as soon as the noodles were cooked, he lifted them out of the pot and into a bowl.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, it¡¯s time to eat. You can cook more later.¡± Chu Molin placed the cooked noodles on the dining table and called his wife to eat.

    ¡°Coming!¡± Qin Xue put down the vegetables in her hand, went to wash her hands, and starting eating.

    ¡°Chu Molin, I didn¡¯t expect your handmade noodles to be so delicious. They have a nice chewiness.¡± Qin Xue thought that it was no wonder men could make a difference in cooking. The dough he kneaded felt different than when she did it.

    Her hands were weaker, so the dough she made was less chevvy and had a softer texture.

    ¡°As long as you like it, eat more.¡± Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue eating happily, his eyes filled with indulgence as he spoke.

    ¡°Mmm, I¡¯m going to eat this whole big bowl.¡± Qin Xue said with a smile.

    ¡°Take your time. Don¡¯t choke.¡± Chu Molin saw her eating so fast and reminded her to slow down.

    ¡°Mmm, I know.¡± Qin Xue spoke with her mouth full of noodles, her words muffled and unclear as she replied to Chu Molin¡¯s advice..

 Chapter 288

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue couldn¡¯t figure out how Chu Molin managed to make such a delicious-tasting noodle soup.

    However, she didn¡¯t ask him. She would just wait for him to have time and ask him to make it again next time she craved it.

    It was important for a married couple to maintain some personal space, so that they could get along comfortably.

    Qin Xue understood this point very well. In her previous life, she had seen many couples who argued and became unhappy because they interfered too much in each other¡¯s lives. Some even ended up divorced.

    Qin Xue didn¡¯t want to go down that path, so she wouldn¡¯t interfere too much in Chu Molin¡¯s affairs.

    She had an open-minded outlook on things and knew when to keep things in moderation.

    Perhaps this was the wisdom she accumulated from her two lifetimes.

    After the couple finished their meal, Qin Xue washed the jars they had bought the day before. Together with Chu Molin, they picked and washed vegetables and started making pickles and kimchi. They made several large jars worth of pickles and kimchi.

    It was exhausting for Qin Xue. She massaged her sore back and stretched her arms to relieve the fatigue before they arranged the jars neatly against the wall.

    ¡°Whew, finally finished. I¡¯m so tired,¡± Qin Xue said, catching her breath.

    ¡°Drink some water and take a break,¡± Chu Molin suggested, as this bit of work didn¡¯t seem to faze him at all.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired?¡± Qin Xue drank a big gulp of water and glanced at Chu Molin, who looked completely unfazed. She couldn¡¯t help but feel envious of his energy.

    ¡°Not tired,¡± Chu Molin shook his head.

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s so frustrating to see someone so energetic!¡± Qin Xue said, pouting at Chu Molin.

    ¡°Heh,¡± Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue¡¯s swollen cheeks and thought she resembled a frog.

    But he dared not say it out loud, or else Qin Xue would get even more upset.

    Chu Molin heated some water and brought it into the bathroom for Qin Xue to shower.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, go take your shower now, or it¡¯ll be bedtime soon,¡± he called out to her after bringing the water.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll check your wound after my shower,¡± Qin Xue replied as she went to her room to find her nightgown.

    As Qin Xue showered, Chu Molin read his book. The better he understood its contents, the more comfortable he felt.

    He didn¡¯t even feel any discomfort from his injury. It was the most severe injury he¡¯d sustained in years, but also the quickest he had ever healed.

    It was all thanks to his little wife. In other people¡¯s eyes, she might have her flaws, but in his eyes, she was the best woman in the world.

    Although they hadn¡¯t spent much time together, it didn¡¯t prevent him from understanding her.

    ¡°Chu Molin, come here, Let me see how your wound is healing,¡± Qin Xue said after her shower, calling out to him as he read his book.

    Chu Molin closed the book and walked over to sit in front of Qin Xue.

    As soon as he sat down, she reached over and pulled apart his clothes.

    Witnessing Qin Xue¡¯s bold move, one might mistakenly think she was trying to take advantage of him.

    ¡°It¡¯s healing well. Weren¡¯t you going to shower? Go change and shower, just be careful not to infect the wound,¡± Qin Xue said after examining him, giving Chu Molin an exciting prognosis.

    ¡°Great!¡± Chu Molin exclaimed excitedly.

    Qin Xue glanced at him. It seemed that just taking a shower could make this usually cold man so happy. It must have been really uncomfortable for him in the previous days.

    Indeed, the hot weather and the mix of medicinal smells, disinfectant, and sweat in the hospital were unbearable when one could only wipe their body clean.

    ¡°It¡¯s a treasure more precious than pearls. Go on, hurry!¡± After Qin Xue fixed his clothes, she slumped against the chair¡¯s backrest.

    After Chu Molin went to the bathroom to shower, Qin Xue fetched some spiritual spring water from her space and poured it into the freshly prepared jars. She then sealed them carefully again..

 Chapter 289

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue noticed that Chu Molin had not come out yet, so she went back into the space and planted the flower seeds. This way, she can transplant them directly in the future.

    ¡°Master, what are you planting?¡± Xue Ling asked as Qin Xue was digging in the soil.

    ¡°Flowers, pretty flowers,¡± Qin Xue answered, glancing at Xue Ling.

    After a while, Qin Xue realized something was off.

    ¡°Xue Ling, your fur seems different. Is it whiter than before, and more glossy?¡± Qin Xue asked, touching its fur.

    ¡°Master, you¡¯ve noticed it! Yes, I¡¯ve leveled up, and my cultivation has increased, so changes are expected.¡± Xue Ling looked at Qin Xue in a good mood.

    ¡°Well done, leveling up so quickly, congratulations!¡± Qin Xue was genuinely happy for Xue Ling.

    ¡°Thank you, master. If you were more serious, I could level up even faster,¡± Xue Ling couldn¡¯t help but say.

    ¡°Hey, you little rascal, are you saying I¡¯m slow and not serious enough?

    You should work harder. After all, my intellect and energy are limited, there¡¯s not much else I can do to help you.

    Blame yourself for bringing me here instead of Cultivation Time.¡± Qin Xue said coolly.

    ¡°Hehe, master, I¡¯m doing this for your own good, you¡¯ll thank me later,¡± Xue Ling replied with a sheepish grin.

    It knew it was helping its master. But why was it feeling guilty?

    It was ridiculous. There was nothing to feel guilty about, right? Her mother was coming soon, wasn¡¯t she?

    Once she is here, her master can see her mother and make up for the lack of maternal love in her previous life. It was clearly acting in her best interests, so what had it to feel guilty about?

    Having thought through this, Xue Ling shook its head, and said to Qin Xue: ¡°Master, some medicinal herbs are ready for harvesting, and the orange trees you planted have grown quite a bit. It¡¯s time to transplant them.¡±

    ¡°What, that quickly? But I don¡¯t have time today.

    Chu Molin is taking a shower, I came in during his absence. I have to go out soon.

    I¡¯ll come in another day to transplant them.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t expect them to grow so rapidly and need transplanting.

    ¡°Okay, just don¡¯t delay too long, otherwise, they will start to bloom and bear fruit.¡± Xue Ling said, considering the accelerated time flow in this space.

    ¡°Alright, I got it. I have to go now. If you¡¯re not cultivating, please harvest what is ready for me, okay?¡± Qin Xue left Xue Ling with a task before leaving.

    ¡°Master, this is animal abuse! I haven¡¯t cultivated to a human form yet, and you¡¯re making me work.¡± Xue Ling looked at Qin Xue with a grievance,

    ¡°You don¡¯t have hands, but you do have a mouth. Use your mouth to slowly harvest.

    If I don¡¯t have time to come in and transplant the orange trees, dig holes with your claws, get seedlings with your mouth. Got that?¡± Qin Xue thought this was a brilliant idea.

    Xue Ling was at a loss for words. She even makes it transplant fruit trees, too heartless!

    Qin Xue looked at its disgruntled expression, and said languidly: ¡°The half jar of peach bloom wine under the peach tree is yours, wait until next time, I¡¯ll bring you something tasty.¡±

    ¡°Yay, that¡¯s great!¡± Xue Ling had no objections this time. It had been craving that peach bloom wine for a long time. Half a jar was a huge treat for it, so how could it not be overjoyed?

    ¡°Then I¡¯m going out, leaving the rest to you.¡± Qin Xue said and left.

    Well, well, this didn¡¯t bother it now. But it didn¡¯t have enough cultivation to control everything in the space yet, it could only manage a small part at a time.

    Getting to work, Xue Ling first harvested some medicinal herbs, then transplanted the orange trees.

    Qin Xue just got out of the space, leaned against the head of the bed, closed her eyes to rejuvenate, when Chu Molin came in.

    Qin Xue was startled. That was close. She had almost been caught.

    Chu Molin saw Qin Xue leaning against the bed with her eyes closed. He thought she was asleep. No wonder there was no sound when he came out..

 Chapter 290

    Translator: 549690339

    When Chu Molin went over to hold Qin Xue for sleep, she opened her eyes.

    ¡°l finished washing, I¡¯m a bit tired and almost fell asleep,¡± Qin Xue said, showing her talent for lying with her eyes open.

    ¡°If you¡¯re tired, go to sleep, don¡¯t wait for me,¡± Chu Molin said, looking at Qin Xue with concern.

    ¡°Hmm, I¡¯ll go to sleep now, and you should rest early too,¡± Qin Xue was really tired today.

    ¡°Sleep,¡± Chu Molin pulled the thin quilt to cover her stomach.

    ¡°Mhm,¡± Qin Xue¡¯s voice grew quieter as she agreed.

    It wasn¡¯t long before her breathing slowed and steadied.

    Chu Molin shook his head, feeling touched that she had waited for him despite being so tired. He just wanted to hold her hand for the rest of his life and hope for the best.

    Chu Molin read for a while and soon went to sleep without delay.

    The next day, when the wake-up alarm sounded, Qin Xue rolled over, muttered how noisy it was, then went quiet, and soon fell back asleep.

    Chu Molin slowly released the hand covering Qin Xue¡¯s ears after she fell asleep.

    It turned out that Qin Xue was really woken up by the alarm, but Chu Molin quickly held her and covered her ears, so she fell back asleep.

    Chu Molin didn¡¯t want to get up, so he just held his wife and closed his eyes for some rest. At this point, Li Dabao should have already gone to the train station to pick up his mother-in-law and the others.

    After thinking about all those random things, Chu Molin emptied his mind and started meditating.

    This was a good way to nourish one¡¯s body and soul, by not thinking about anything and just emptying one¡¯s mind.

    By the time Qin Xue got up, it was almost eight o¡¯clock. She got up a bit late today, probably because she was still tired from yesterday.

    ¡°Chu Molin, let¡¯s eat quickly. Afterward, help me knead some dough. I¡¯m going to make some buns later,¡± Qin Xue wanted to prepare lunch so her mother and brother could eat when they arrived.

    She had experienced the food on the train before ¨C it was both expensive and not delicious.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Chu Molin agreed right away without any hesitation.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, this is delicious,¡± Chu Molin picked up a dumpling and took a bite. ¡°So you like dumplings,¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t originally plan to make dumplings, but she saw the glutinous rice and decided to make some for a change of taste.

    ¡°Is this called a dumpling? It¡¯s my first time seeing and eating one, It tastes good,¡± Chu Molin looked at the translucent dumpling.

    ¡°l saw we had glutinous rice at home and wanted to change things up. I figured you must be tired of eating light food for more than a week and might want to eat something different, so I made these. I didn¡¯t expect you to like them,¡± Qin Xue picked up a dumpling and ate it.

    Making dumplings was not difficult, and quite simple. However, Qin Xue preferred dumplings with crab meat.

    If it weren¡¯t for the fact that Chu Molin couldn¡¯t eat crabs, she would have used crab meat to make the dumplings.

    She was too busy last night and forgot to ask Xue Ling about the shrimps and crabs. It seemed she would have to make time to go in later and get some crabs to dig holes and build a pond. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t know where they would crawl to.

    ¡°Indeed, my taste buds were getting bored. I was also thinking of asking you if we could change things up. Now, 1 don¡¯t even need to say anything. Xue¡¯er, you¡¯ve become the worm in my belly,¡± Chu Molin was delighted to see that he was becoming more and more in sync with Qin Xue.

    ¡°Tsk, tsk, tsk, you¡¯re the disgusting worm!¡± Qin Xue glared at Chu Molin in annoyance. She wasn¡¯t afraid of corpses but was afraid of worms and those soft, squishy snakes.

    The reason was simple: she had been scared by those two things before, and her fear had persisted ever since. She exemplified the saying, ¡°once bitten by a snake, ten years afraid of the well rope.¡±

    Maybe she would never be able to overcome her fear in her lifetime, which showed how much of a scare she had had back then..

 Chapter 291

    Translator: 549690339

    Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue¡¯s resisting expression, thinking this must be something that left a deep impression on her, but worms were indeed disgusting.

    However, he had seen far more disgusting things so these worms were really nothing to him, but since his wife had a problem with it, he decided not to mention it again in the future.

    Chu Molin ignored the angry stare from Qin Xue, smiled, and picked up another dumpling to eat.

    Qin Xue didn¡¯t bother arguing with him and quietly ate her own breakfast.

    After they finished their breakfast, Qin Xue packed up the remaining dumplings.

    She then cleaned the pots and dishes, while Chu Molin was kneading dough and Qin Xue prepared the vegetables. She wasn¡¯t sure when her mother and brother would arrive, so she had to prepare these things in advance.

    This way, as soon as they arrived, they could start cooking without having to wait for too long.

    At this time, Li Dabao had finally arrived at the train station, and he did not know Qin Xue¡¯s family members either.

    So, he held up a sign that he had prepared in advance.

    The sign read: ¡°Picking up Nangong Shulan and Qin Yu¡±, as he patiently waited at the exit of the station.

    When the train arrived and people began to come out, Li Dabao held the sign high up so that he could not miss the people that Mr. Chu had told him to pick up.

    As soon as Nangong Shulan and Qin Yu stepped out of the station, they saw the sign bearing their names.

    ¡°Mom, someone came to pick us up.¡± Qin Yu turned to his mother and mentioned.

    ¡°Why would someone come to pick us up? As far as I understand, Molin and Qin Xue should not know that we are coming.¡± Nangong Shulan looked up and indeed, those were their names.

    ¡°Mom, I think dad might have sent a telegram to Sis and her husband, telling them we were coming.¡± Qin Yu thought that that was the only possible explanation.

    ¡°Well, that indeed sounds like something your father would do. Let¡¯s go over, we don¡¯t want to keep him waiting too long.¡± Nangong Shulan, noticing Li Dabao¡¯s military uniform, guessed that he was likely the one her son-in-law had sent to pick them up.

    ¡°Hello comrade, 1 am Qin Yu, and this is my mother, Nangong Shulan.¡± Qin Yu introduced themselves to Li Dabao.

    ¡°Hello, Auntie, I¡¯m Li Dabao, the Deputy Director asked me to pick you up. The car is over there, let me help you with your luggage.¡± Li Dabao was watching the two people walking towards him, wondering in his heart whether they could be the ones.

    To his surprise, they really were the ones. Now he could finally accomplish the task given to him by his superior.

    Once they were all in the car, Li Dabao started the car and headed back to the research institute.

    ¡°Comrade Da Bao, is your work very busy? Is it hard?¡± Qin Yu had also once wanted to do research, but due to certain family circumstances, he hadn¡¯t pursued it.

    Now, having the chance to visit the research institute, he felt like his dream had come true.

    ¡°Not really, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s hard at all.¡± Li Dabao replied with a big smile.

    Even though Chu Molin was an ice-cold person who didn¡¯t like to talk or laugh much, those who worked with him were quite the opposite.

    An instant silence fell in the car. Looking through the rearview mirror, Li Dabao saw that Nangong Shulan and Qin Yu¡¯s expressions were calm. They were not upset because no relatives came to pick them up.

    This relieved him. It seemed that these were easygoing people to get along with.

    Li Dabao was pleased that his superior had such a family.

    They kept quiet all the way to the research institute. After registering, Li Dabao led them straight to Chu Molin¡¯s house.

    A knock on the door was heard. Chu Molin got up to answer it, certain that his mother-in-law and brother-in-law had arrived.

    Opening the door, he saw that they were indeed the ones: ¡°Mom, Xiao Yu, you must be tired. Come in and sit down.¡±

    He also shouted towards the kitchen: ¡°Xue¡¯er, Mom and Xiao Yu are here.¡± Chu Molin invited them in, took the luggage from Qin Yu and placed it properly, then took the luggage from Li Dabao who was following behind.

    Upon hearing the knock, Qin Xue¡¯s heart started racing, and when she heard Chu Molin¡¯s call, it skipped a beat..

 Chapter 292

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue figured she couldn¡¯t avoid this scene, so she stuck her head out of the kitchen doorway and looked into the living room.

    With a ¡°clang¡± sound, the basin Qin Xue was holding in her hand fell to the ground, and the potatoes inside rolled everywhere.

    Qin Xue was trembling with excitement, and tears quickly filled her face.

    Her mouth moved, but she couldn¡¯t speak.

    Upon hearing the noise, Chu Molin rushed towards Qin Xue, asking, ¡°Xue¡¯er, are you okay?¡±

    Nangong Shulan and Qin Yu entered without seeing Qin Xue and thought she had gone out.

    But then they heard Chu Molin shouting toward the kitchen, and as they turned around,

    they saw Qin Xue drop the basin from her hands, tears streaming down her face as she looked at them excitedly.

    The moment the plate hit the floor, they thought it was because Chu Molin had mistreated her so much that she grew so excited when she saw them.

    But seeing Chu Molin¡¯s concerned and worried expression, it didn¡¯t seem like he had been unkind to her at all.

    Originally, when Qin Xue saw Mrs. Qin, she was really emotional. Because this was her mother, the one who had left her when she was five years old.

    Qin Xue didn¡¯t know what to do at first, but when she heard Chu Molin¡¯s voice, she came to her senses. After glancing at Chu Molin and telling him she was fine, she pushed his hand away, ran towards Mrs. Qin, and threw herself into her arms, sobbing loudly.

    This display stunned the four people present, leaving them wondering what had happened to Qin Xue.

    ¡°Xiao Xue, tell Mommy what happened.¡± Nangong Shulan looked at her crying heartbrokenly.

    ¡°Sister, did your brother-in-law treat you badly?¡± Qin Yu, usually calm, was flustered by Qin Xue¡¯s tears and blurted out the question.

    Chu Molin listened and pursed his lips, not saying anything.

    He knew that Qin Xue must be upset for a reason other than what Qin Yu had suggested, and it was likely related to the secret she had been concealing from him.

    Hearing Nangong Shulan¡¯s voice, Qin Xue cried even harder.

    Helpless, Chu Molin could only pack a few buns for Li Dabao and ask him to return first, promising to invite him to dinner another day.

    Nangong Shulan saw her beloved daughter crying so sadly and didn¡¯t say anything to her. She glared at Chu Molin and gently patted Qin Xue¡¯s back.

    This girl was still the same, never giving anyone peace of mind. Carrying a child, she shouldn¡¯t be crying like this.

    But Nangong Shulan could see that Qin Xue was venting.

    Not wanting to interrupt her, she wondered how much grievance Qing Xue must have endured to cry like this.

    Nangong Shulan, usually gentle, couldn¡¯t help but feel angry.

    ¡°Xiao Chu, tell me, did you bully Xiao Xue?¡± Nangong Shulan looked at Chu Molin with some disappointment.

    At first, she thought this young man was quite good, and since her daughter insisted on marrying him, she had no choice but to agree. But now, had she made a mistake?

    ¡°Mom, I didn¡¯t bully Xue¡¯er, I cherish her too much.

    Everything was fine just now. It¡¯s probably because she hasn¡¯t seen you for so long, so she¡¯s overwhelmed with emotion.¡± Chu Molin had some idea of the reason, but he wasn¡¯t sure about the specifics.

    ¡°Brother-in-law, come out with me.¡± Qin Yu gritted his teeth and spoke to Chu Molin.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Chu Molin replied and was about to follow Qin Yu out when,

    Qin Xue, hearing Nangong Shulan and Qin Yu¡¯s words and realizing they had misunderstood, raised her head from Nangong Shulan¡¯s embrace.

    She quickly said, ¡°Don¡¯t go out, I¡¯m fine. Chu Molin has been good to me, I just got too emotional seeing you all after such a long time.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re really okay? Your brother-in-law didn¡¯t bully you?¡± Qin Yu cautiously asked Qin Xue.

    ¡°No, Chu Molin has really been good to me.

    I just haven¡¯t been away from Mom for this long before, so I missed her,¡± Qin Xue said shyly..

 Chapter 293

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue thought to herself, it had been so long since she last saw her mother. Her mother had passed away when she had been only five years old, and it had been more than twenty years now. She couldn¡¯t believe that she was able to see her mother again today. How could she not be emotional?

    That¡¯s why she cried so much just now, to vent her pent-up frustrations and to let out the years of grievances and the lack of maternal love she had experienced.

    She cried because she could finally be with her mother again, to continue their mother-daughter bond.

    ¡°As long as there¡¯s no problem between you and your husband, everything is fine. You¡¯re such a handful, even though you¡¯re a mother yourself now¡ªstill so willful and spoiled. When will you grow up?¡± Nangong Shulan looked at Qin Xue helplessly.

    ¡°Mama, no matter how old I get, I¡¯m still your child in your eyes, so I¡¯ll always be a child in your heart.¡± Qin Xue said coquettishly to Nangong Shulan.

    Chu Molin breathed a sigh of relief. He had been wrongly accused; Qin Xue¡¯s crying had somehow become his fault.

    However, seeing that they were all Qin Xue¡¯s family and they acted this way only because they loved her so much, he decided not to hold it against them.

    ¡°You still have such a sweet mouth.¡± Nangong Shulan said, tapping Qin Xue¡¯s forehead.

    ¡°Hehe.¡± Qin Xue laughed awkwardly. She could not say that she was always like that in front of her mother.

    Because her mother had died early, all her memories with her were from their time together when she was little.

    So now that she saw Nangong Shulan, she couldn¡¯t help but assume the role of a child once more.

    ¡°Mama, you must be hungry. I¡¯ll go cook.¡± Qin Xue let go of Nangong Shulan¡¯s hand and prepared to cook.

    ¡°Qin Xue, you know how to cook?¡± Nangong Shulan asked, puzzled. Her eldest daughter had never learned how to cook; when did she learn to cook?

    ¡°Yes, Mama. 1 started to learn how to cook gradually after Chu Molin was sent on a mission. I couldn¡¯t keep eating in the cafeteria, so I learned how to cook.¡± Qin Xue had already thought of this excuse.

    ¡°Qin Xue, you¡­¡± Nangong Shulan was heartbroken to think that her daughter had learned to cook so quickly after getting married.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mama. You and Xiao Yu should rest. Dinner will be ready soon. Chu Molin, come help me.¡± Qin Xue let go of her mother¡¯s hand and pulled Chu Molin into the kitchen to cook.

    ¡°Mom, do you think there¡¯s something wrong with my sister¡­¡± Qin Yu asked his mother after Qin Xue and Chu Molin went into the kitchen.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. She probably just misses home. Your sister has never been away from home for so long. It¡¯s normal for her to feel scared and unfamiliar here. Don¡¯t overthink it. They don¡¯t look like they¡¯re having any conflicts, so your brother-in-law must not be mistreating your sister.¡± Nangong Shulan had been frightened at first, but she had calmed down now and thought about the key issue.

    ¡°Why do I feel like my sister has changed? Mom, do you feel it too?¡± Qin Yu felt it in his heart.

    Although he and Qin Xue were fraternal twins, they were still twins, so it wasn¡¯t strange for him to have such a connection with her.

    ¡°She went from an innocent girl who didn¡¯t know anything to a married woman who has to face so many unfamiliar people and things here. How could she not change?¡± Nangong Shulan looked at her son. It wasn¡¯t that she hadn¡¯t noticed the change in Qin Xue, but no matter how much she changed, she was still her daughter.

    As the mother and son talked in the living room, Chu Molin and his wife were also talking in the kitchen.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Chu Molin grabbed Qin Xue¡¯s shoulders with both hands and looked her in the eye.

    ¡°Silly, what are you apologizing for?¡± Qin Xue¡¯s eyes were still red; she had cried quite a bit earlier.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, rest assured, I¡¯ll treat you well from now on.¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t know what else to say to Qin Xue. All he knew was that he wanted to treat her well.

    ¡°Mhm, I believe you. Check on the steamed buns, I¡¯ll go cook.¡± Qin Xue wasn¡¯t quite used to Chu Molin¡¯s affectionate expression, and she felt a bit awkward..

 Chapter 294

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    The couple quickly prepared the meal, and the steamed buns were already made beforehand, so it didn¡¯t take long for them to be steamed.

    Qin Xue placed the cooked dishes one by one on the table: spicy chicken, steamed fish, stir-fried tofu with chili, hot and sour shredded potatoes, stir-fried vegetables, and tomato egg soup.

    Nangong Shulan and Qin Yu watched the dishes on the table in amazement, thinking that the meal was too lavish.

    ¡°Sis, Brother-in-law, why did you cook so many dishes?¡± Qin Yu asked Qin Xue and Chu Molin while swallowing his saliva and staring at the delicious food.

    ¡°Yeah, Qin Xue. Are you planning to eat all of this at once?¡± Nangong Shulan looked at the food with concern, thinking that the young couple didn¡¯t know how to live frugally.

    ¡°No, Mom, Xue¡¯er knew you were coming, so she specially bought these ingredients and wanted to cook a nice meal for you.

    She¡¯s always said that she has never cooked a meal for her family before.

    Just enjoy the meal, and don¡¯t worry about us. I won¡¯t let Xue¡¯er and the child go hungry,¡± Chu Molin understood his mother-in-law¡¯s concerns.

    He reassured her, otherwise, she might think that this one meal could consume all their food and leave them destitute.

    ¡°Molin, you shouldn¡¯t spoil Qin Xue like this. Why don¡¯t you advise her more?¡± Nangong Shulan recalled how Qin Xue was pampered at home.

    Now that she was married, she was part of her husband¡¯s family, and if she continued to be pampered, her life would be very difficult there.

    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s really fine. Xue¡¯er is just trying to show her filial piety towards you, and that¡¯s only right.

    Since I¡¯m usually busy with training and don¡¯t have time to take her to see you, it¡¯s already unfilial of us.

    Now that you¡¯ve come all this way to see us, we feel even more guilty.

    We couldn¡¯t possibly skimp on the food for you, and besides, we can afford this little bit of food.

    Don¡¯t worry, this won¡¯t impoverish us. As long as you¡¯re all well, Xue¡¯er and I can be at ease,¡± Chu Molin, who usually didn¡¯t speak much except when with Qin Xue, spoke at length this time to reassure his mother-in-law and brother-in-law.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Mom. I can earn money now, and there¡¯s also Molin¡¯s salary. We won¡¯t live in hardship.

    Please, don¡¯t worry about us. We¡¯re doing just fine. Just focus on your own lives; enjoy food and drinks when you can, and don¡¯t be afraid to spend money when necessary,¡± Qin Xue¡¯s heart felt heavy.

    These hard times forced people to worry so much about something as simple as a meal, and her mother¡¯s selfless love was something she had never experienced before in her previous life.

    When she heard Nangong Shulan¡¯s words, although there was some complaint about their lack of frugality, she knew it really stemmed from their concern for their future.

    ¡°Alright, I can¡¯t argue with you two. Let¡¯s sit down and eat before it gets cold,¡± Nangong Shulan gave in and decided to trust their words for now.

    ¡°Come on, Mom, have a piece of fish,¡± Qin Xue picked out a tender piece of fish with few bones for Nangong Shulan.

    ¡°Xiao Yu, can you eat spicy food? Try this piece of chicken,¡± Qin Xue also gave Qin Yu a piece of chicken.

    She wasn¡¯t sure if Qin Yu could handle spicy food, so she asked while already placing a piece of spicy chicken in his bowl.

    After serving Qin Yu and her husband, Qin Xue finally lowered her head to eat her own meal.

    Seeing the fish and meat in her bowl, she knew who had put them there.

    She raised her head and smiled sweetly at Chu Molin before digging in.

    Chu Molin began eating after seeing Qin Xue start her meal.

    Nangong Shulan felt much more relieved as she observed their interactions.

    Thankfully, they had chosen a good son-in-law, and as long as her eldest daughter was happy, nothing else mattered..

 Chapter 295

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Yu looked at her, feeling both sad and happy at the same time.

    He was sad because his sister had married and become someone else¡¯s wife.

    But he was happy because his sister seemed to have a good relationship with her husband. He was glad for her and was also relieved.

    Qin Yu ate the food in his bowl, finding it very tasty. After he had picked up a piece of chicken for his mother, he ate his own meal, speeding up the process of getting food. Without realizing it, he ate too much during the meal.

    ¡°Ahh, I¡¯m so full.¡± Qin Yu had never eaten such a satisfying meal in his life.

    ¡°Yeah, I ate too much too.¡± Nangong Shulan said as she put down her chopsticks.

    ¡°Sis, your cooking is just too delicious.¡± Qin Yu sincerely praised Qin Xue.

    ¡°It¡¯s good, right? I will cook for you in the future.¡± Seeing their enjoyment, Qin Xue happily replied.

    ¡°What are you talking about? With that big belly of yours, you should be more careful not to bump into anything.¡± Nangong Shulan scolded as soon as Qin Xue finished speaking.

    ¡°Haha, Mom, I can still move around now, can¡¯t I?

    That¡¯s why I need to keep moving. It will be good for giving birth later.

    Otherwise, in another month or so, I won¡¯t even be able to move.¡± Qin Xue knew that the later stages of carrying twins could be very tiring.

    Some people¡¯s bellies grow so large they can¡¯t see their own feet when they stand up.

    Others experience swelling, can¡¯t eat well, or sleep well. That¡¯s even more unbearable.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you not feeling well somewhere?¡± Nangong Shulan asked anxiously.

    ¡°Yeah, sis, if there¡¯s anything wrong you must tell us.¡± Qin Yu was also extremely concerned after hearing this.

    ¡°Mom, Xiao Yu, don¡¯t worry, Xue¡¯er is fine.

    She¡¯s carrying twins, and in a few days, her belly is going to be even bigger. I don¡¯t feel comfortable leaving her alone.

    So, I wanted to ask, could you stay and help me with her, Mom?

    After all, I have a busy job, and I have to follow the arrangements.¡± Chu Molin knew that as soon as he recovered, he would have to get back to work, and he really didn¡¯t feel comfortable leaving Qin Xue alone at home.

    Now that his mother-in-law was here, it was the perfect opportunity for her to stay with his wife.

    ¡°What? Qin Xue is carrying twins? No wonder her belly looks so big.

    We came here precisely to ask you guys whether Qin Xue would be giving birth here or going back to your hometown?

    Or should we take her back to the Qin¡¯s Village?¡± Nangong Shulan didn¡¯t expect that Qin Xue was carrying twins.

    She was now even more worried, and she couldn¡¯t rest easy unless everything was properly arranged.

    ¡°Mom, I originally wanted to give birth here, but now I want to go back to the Qin¡¯s Village.¡± At first, Qin Xue was afraid of being recognized as not being the person she was pretending to be.

    She was afraid of being exposed, but now after seeing her mother, she no longer felt that way. She wanted to be with her mother and family members.

    However, Chu Molin¡¯s injury hadn¡¯t healed, and she couldn¡¯t let go of him either.

    ¡°What does Molin think?¡± Nangong Shulan looked at Chu Molin and asked.

    Chu Molin didn¡¯t know Qin Xue¡¯s thoughts beforehand, and now that his mother-in-law asked him like this, he really didn¡¯t know how to answer.

    ¡°Mom, can we discuss it and then let you know later?¡± Qin Xue realized that she had never talked to Chu Molin about this matter before.

    She spoke without considering Chu Molin e s feelings, not knowing if he had any other plans.

    So, now when her mother asked the question, she intercepted the conversation.

    ¡°All right, you two should discuss it carefully. No matter where you are, as long as someone is taking care of you, that¡¯s all that matters.¡± Nangong Shulan looked at her daughter¡¯s protective attitude.

    She sighed inwardly, thinking that a married daughter was like poured-out water, always defending her husband.

    However, seeing them like this made her feel relieved. They were on good terms and got along harmoniously, which was excellent..

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    Chu Molin cleaned the dishes, while Qin Xue sat in the living room and chatted with her mother and younger brother.

    ¡°Sis, are you happy?¡± Qin Yu asked his sister directly since his brother-in-law was not around.

    ¡°l am very happy, very fortunate. Thank you for not objecting to my marriage to Chu Molin, he treats me very well.¡± Qin Xue answered with a smile of happiness.

    ¡°As long as you¡¯re happy. I also approved of Molin¡¯s character back then. Otherwise, even if you guys crossed the line, I wouldn¡¯t have let you marry him.¡± Nangong Shulan knew very well the price a woman had to pay and the hardships she had to endure in an unhappy marriage.

    ¡°Mom, thank you, I missed you so much.¡± Qin Xue took her mother¡¯s arm and leaned her head on her shoulder.

    ¡°You silly girl, you scared the life out of us earlier, we thought Molin was mistreating you.

    How can you still be so jittery and impulsive even after becoming a mother?¡± Nangong Shulan poked her forehead.

    ¡°Mom, wasn¡¯t I just too excited to see you? Or would you prefer me not reacting when I see you?¡± Qin Xue pouted and playfully teased her mother.

    ¡°You silly girl, is that what I meant?¡± Nangong Shulan ¡®smacked¡¯ Qin Xue¡¯s head. It looked heavy, but in reality, she didn¡¯t use much force. Nevertheless, Qin Xue rubbed her head and cried out in pain.

    ¡°Mom, be gentle. Don¡¯t hurt my sister.¡± Qin Yu quickly urged his mother when he heard Qin Xue¡¯s cry of pain.

    ¡°Oh, you child, it would be good if I did hurt her a bit, but do you really think she¡¯s in pain?¡± Nangong Shulan gave her elder daughter a scornful look. She didn¡¯t understand why her son would only get nervous when he was dealing with Qin Xue.

    ¡°Hehe, mom, 1 just cried out in ¡®pain¡¯ so you would feel sorry for me.¡± Qin Xue gave Qin Yu a ¡®thanks for the help¡¯ look.

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± Qin Yu returned the gesture with a ¡®no problem¡¯ look.

    Qin Yu only defended Qin Xue because she had hinted at him earlier. The siblings made quite the team.

    In all seriousness though, Qin Xue, what are your plans for the future? Discuss it properly with Molin.

    Whether you want your mother-in-law to take care of you or if you want Molin to do it.

    If it¡¯s really not possible, consider coming back to the village. 1 can take care of you during childbirth.¡± Nangong Shulan wasn¡¯t too aware of Chu Molin!s family situation.

    Previously, these matters were all handled by Qin Lei and Chu Molin. She never questioned Qin Lei about the details afterward.

    So now she felt a bit lost and unsure about the current situation.

    ¡°Mom, I never thought about going to my in-laws for childbirth. Although Chu Molin has never explicitly spoken about his family¡¯s affairs with me.

    I do know there are some disagreements between him and his family.

    Since that¡¯s the case, there¡¯s no need for me to add fuel to the fire. I just need someone to take care of me during the confinement period right here. This

    way, you won¡¯t be too worried.

    As for going back home, won¡¯t that be too hard on you?¡± Though Qin Xue wanted to be with her mother, she didn¡¯t want to cause her any undue hardships.

    ¡°It won¡¯t be hard, as long as Molin agrees.

    Don¡¯t worry about the other things, your dad is there at home.

    Plus, your grandma can help take care of you as well. I feel more at ease that way.¡± Nangong Shulan thought that even if nothing else, at least she and her mother-in-law can accompany her eldest daughter.

    She didn¡¯t need her mother-in-law to do anything, just supervise Qin Xue to prevent any mishaps. Having experienced the hardships of carrying twins herself, she was understandably worried for her daughter.

    ¡°He will agree.¡± Although Qin Xue didn¡¯t fully understand Chu Molin, she knew him well enough to guess that he wouldn¡¯t object to anything that was in her best interest. What she was more concerned about were matters related to their business.

    If she went back to H Province, which was far away, she wouldn¡¯t worry about the designs. She could just mail the completed drafts. The real fear was encountering an emergency..

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    Qin Yu saw that his mother and sister were having a private conversation, so he got up to look for his brother-in-law.

    ¡°Xiao Yu, why did you come to the kitchen?¡± Chu Molin had just finished washing the last dish when he saw his brother-in-law appear at the kitchen door.

    ¡°Brother-in-law, thank you.¡± Qin Yu felt that he should say thank you to Chu Molin.

    ¡°What for, this is something I should do. Taking care of your sister is my responsibility.

    This is, after all, the promise I made to your parents when we got married.¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t expect his brother-in-law to come and thank him.

    ¡°Well said, straightforward.¡± Qin Yu had accepted Chu Molin as his brother-in-law because he was a man of his word, never engaging in pretense.

    ¡°What about you, what are your plans for the future?¡± Chu Molin thought for a moment and decided to ask Qin Yu about his plans.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet.¡± Qin Yu wanted to go to school.

    But with no money at home, he wanted to start a business to improve their family¡¯s situation.

    However, he had no skills or capital, so when his brother-in-law asked him, he hesitated before answering Chu Molin¡¯s question.

    ¡°Do you have a plan, but face some difficulties?¡± Chu Molin noticed his brief pause.

    ¡°No, I just don¡¯t know what to do.¡± Qin Yu felt that they could have a heart-to-heart discussion after talking with Chu Molin last time.

    ¡°Want to talk about it?¡± Chu Molin was willing to make an effort for Qin Xue¡¯s sake.

    ¡°Sure, let¡¯s go out for a walk and find a place to sit and talk.¡± Qin Yu looked at their current location, the small kitchen, and felt awkward having two grown men chat there.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡± Chu Molin wiped the kitchen table clean, washed his hands, and spoke to Qin Yu.

    Qin Yu didn¡¯t find it odd for Chu Molin to be working in the kitchen.

    That was because when he was at home, his father would help his mother with housework, including the kitchen chores.

    So Qin Yu was accustomed to the idea of men in the kitchen, even he could cook, and didn¡¯t find it strange for Chu Molin to help with the washing.

    It could be said that one¡¯s environment shapes them, and the environment one is in could even change their personality.

    After everything was cleaned up, Chu Molin informed his mother-in-law and wife before taking Qin Yu downstairs.

    ¡°Do you like it here?¡± Chu Molin asked.

    ¡°Yeah, but unfortunately, 1 didn¡¯t read enough to come here.¡± Qin Yu e s mood was a bit low.

    ¡°Do you feel regret?¡± Chu Molin understood that feeling.

    ¡°A little, but there¡¯s nothing I can do now. I¡¯m already past the age limit for college entrance exams, so even if I feel regret, it¡¯s too late.¡± If he could choose now, Qin Yu would definitely choose to continue his education.

    ¡°Do you want to give it a try?¡± Chu Molin couldn¡¯t bring him along due to his injury, but it was still possible for him to receive some training with Duan.

    It just wouldn¡¯t be included in the assessment. If Qin Yu wanted to try, Chu

    Molin could let him. considering it a way to help him fulfill his regret for not being able to come here.

    ¡°Really?¡± Qin Yu asked excitedly.

    ¡°Yes, come with me.¡± Chu Molin led Qin Yu to the training field.

    ¡°Deputy Chief, hello.¡± The people in the field greeted Chu Molin when they saw him coming.

    ¡°Hello, everyone.¡± Chu Molin replied coldly.

    ¡°Deputy Chief, what brings you here?¡± Wei Shaohui asked, standing next to Chu Molin.

    ¡°l came to take a look. This is Qin Yu. Let him follow behind during your work and give it a try.

    No need to demand too much from him.¡± Chu Molin stated his purpose directly.

    ¡°Deputy Chief, have you spoken to the Chief about this?¡± Wei Shaohui hesitated for a moment.

    ¡°l know what I¡¯m doing. Just take him with you, I¡¯ll talk to the Chief myself.¡± Chu Molin was aware of the procedural issue.

    No matter what, he had to inform the Chief about it, not knowingly violate the rules..

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    Upon hearing Chu Molin¡¯s words, Wei Shaohui had little to say. It wasn¡¯t a significant issue anyway. Such instances had occurred before, so it was alright for Qin Yu to join.

    ¡°Mr. Chu, if you weren¡¯t injured, would you have personally mentored him?¡± Wei Shaohui understood immediately upon hearing the name Qin Yu, which differed by only one word from ¡®Mr. Chu¡¯s sister-in-law¡¯.

    He had also heard that early in the morning, Li Dabao had picked up Mr. Chu¡¯s mother-in-law and younger brother-in-law.

    Now Mr. Chu had personally brought here, who else could it be but his own younger brother-in-law?

    ¡°Well then, Xiao Yu, you train with Wei Shaohui. You should do your best, but don¡¯t overdo it and hurt yourself,¡± Chu Molin instructed Qin Yu.

    He was afraid Qin Yu would be too hasty trying to keep up with others.

    ¡°I understand, thank you, Mr. Chu.¡± Qin Yu stood up straight and thanked Chu Molin.

    ¡°Go now, I¡¯ ll make a trip to the office.¡± After leaving these words, Chu Molin left.

    Only once Chu Molin was well away did Qin Yu voice the doubt in his mind.

    ¡°Mr. Wei, you mentioned earlier that Mr. Chu was injured?¡± To Qin Yu, Chu Molin didn¡¯t look like an injured person.

    ¡°Yeah, didn¡¯t you know?¡± Wei Shaohui thought they had come to the institute because they heard about Mr. Chu¡¯s injury, but it now seemed that wasn¡¯t the case.

    ¡°I had no idea. From what I can see, Mr. Chu doesn¡¯t seem to be injured at all.¡± Qin Yu figured that he wouldn¡¯t have known about Chu Molin¡¯s injury if Wei  Shaohui hadn¡¯t mentioned it.

    Earlier he was wondering why his brother-in-law wasn¡¯t working and stayed at home, so he was recovering from an injury.

    ¡°Speaking of this, I greatly respect our Mr. Chu. The speed of his recovery is unparalleled. Truly worthy of being our Mr. Chu.

    His recuperative ability is simply formidable.¡± Wei Shaohui was almost envious to death, Mr. Chu was not a human, but a god in disguise.

    ¡°Was his injury severe?¡± Qin Yu figured that the severity of the injury must be exceptional to make Mr. Wei reveal such an expression.

    ¡°Yes. He was initially almost beyond saving and it was due to his great fortune. Indeed, our ¡®Cold King of the institute, even the heavens didn¡¯t dare to claim him.

    Let¡¯s go. Get used to things slowly and you¡¯ll be able to keep up.¡± Wei Shaohui told Qin Yu.

    ¡°Alright, thank you, Mr. Wei.¡± Qin Yu thanked him, and followed Wei Shaohui to join in the work.

    ¡°Mr. Xie.¡± Chu Molin reached the entrance of Xie Jun¡¯s office.

    ¡°Molin, instead of recuperating at home, what are you doing here?¡± Xie Jun asked Chu Molin, puzzled.

    ¡°Mr. Xie, I just came to apprise you about a situation.¡± Chu Molin felt as if he was somewhat unwelcome all of a sudden.

    ¡°What situation can you have at home while recuperating?¡± After putting down his pen, Xie Jun looked at Chu Molin, wanting to know what he had to say.

    ¡°My younger brother-in-law has come to the institute. He couldn¡¯t come before due to certain reasons, but this time he wished to give it a try, so I assigned him to Wei Shaohui.

    I came to inform you about the situation, so that you would be aware of what¡¯s happening.¡± Chu Molin explained the reason for his visit clearly and concisely.

    ¡°Alright, I got it.

    I heard not only your younger brother-in-law came, your mother-in-law also arrived. Did this happen because you got injured?¡± Xie Jun is also clueless.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s because Qin Xue had written home saying that she¡¯s pregnant.

    Given her family¡¯s doting attitude towards her, it¡¯s only normal for them to come and visit.¡± Chu Molin felt as if everyone he met was fond of his wife.

    Sometimes it did bother him, diverting his wife¡¯s attention from him, which made him melancholic.

    Having thought this, he chuckled wryly to himself, wondering when he had become so effeminate..

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    Xie Jun raised an eyebrow, impressed by how such a delicate wife could be so capable. Chu Molin had truly struck gold with her.

    ¡°With your wife¡¯s clever mind, she must be the favorite in the family, right?¡± Xie Jun was both happy and worried as he thought about his own wife¡¯s changes.

    He was happy that his wife had found something she was interested in, but worried that she was so immersed in her work that she neglected their father

    and son.

    ¡°Mmm,¡± Chu Molin replied indifferently.

    ¡°Sit down and talk, don¡¯t just stand there.¡± Xie Jun pointed to the chair beside the small table.

    ¡°In fact, even your sister-in-law treats your wife better than she treats me.¡± Xie Jun couldn¡¯t help but share his inner thoughts after a moment of silence.

    ¡°That¡¯s a sour thing to say.¡± Chu Molin glanced at Xie Jun sideways.

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t feel sour if your wife¡¯s attention wasn¡¯t on you.¡± Chu Molin really spoke without feeling any pain from his words.

    Xie Jun thought to himself that of course Chu Molin would say this, as his wife had essentially snatched Xie Jun¡¯s wife away.

    But if the roles were reversed, wouldn¡¯t he be anxious?

    ¡°We¡¯ll see when that day comes,¡± Chu Molin said casually, choking Xie Jun with his words.

    ¡°You really like driving people nuts, don¡¯t you?¡± Xie Jun picked up a pen from the table and threw it at Chu Molin.

    ¡°Head, that¡¯s your own fault for getting angry when you¡¯re out of arguments,¡± Chu Molin responded coolly.

    ¡°Do I really need to get angry? It¡¯s you who are choking people with your dog food (affectionate display).¡± Xie Jun never thought that even this icy figure would have a day when he would boast about his love. Wasn¡¯t this just too shocking?

    ¡°Did you use to show off less?¡± Chu Molin¡¯s rhetorical question left Xie Jun speechless.

    Among them, Xie Jun was the first to get married, always boasting about this and that in front of them.

    Did they ever complain? Now that Xie Jun himself had brought up the topic, he was blaming Chu Molin for showcasing his love; Chu Molin actually felt like he did it less.

    ¡°Stop it. Your visit today isn¡¯t just about your little uncle wanting to give it a try, is it?¡± Xie Jun understood Chu Molin¡¯s character.

    If it was just this small matter, Chu Molin would have decided without having to come specifically to inform him.

    ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s something else I wanted to ask.¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t deny that there was something else he wanted to discuss.

    ¡°What do you want to know?¡± Xie Jun looked at Chu Molin.

    ¡°What¡¯s the situation with the Snakehead? Is there any progress?¡± Chu Molin wondered how Jing Xin was doing. Was she exposed, or was she safe?

    ¡°There¡¯s some progress. If all goes well, Jing Xin should be able to come back soon,¡± Xie Jun thought of another one of their strong players.

    ¡°Good. As long as she¡¯s not exposed, I can rest easy. I¡¯ll be on my way.¡± After hearing the important news, Chu Molin stood up, saluted, and left.

    ¡°Yeah, go back and spend some time with your family. Otherwise, once you recover, you¡¯ll be busy again.¡± Xie Jun thought of the special training that had been put on hold. Their superiors had personally ordered Chu Molin to heal up and return to his position as soon as possible.

    The upcoming tasks were quite heavy, and once they became busy, there would be no free time. At that point, there wouldn¡¯t even be time to spend with family.

    So cherish these opportunities, even if they¡¯re unwanted ones. It¡¯s just unavoidable.

    Since it has already happened, it must be properly arranged.

    ¡°Yes, head, I understand.¡± Chu Molin replied before leaving the office directly.

    He didn¡¯t go to see Qin Yu but went straight home.

    ¡°Huh, Chu Molin, is it just you? Where¡¯s Xiao Yu?¡± Qin Xue looked towards the door as she heard it open, seeing only Chu Molin, so she asked.

    ¡°Yes, Molin, where is Xiao Yu?¡± Nangong Shulan also inquired about her son¡¯s whereabouts.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Xiao Yu is fine. I noticed he seemed interested in research, so I let him go with one of my colleagues.¡± Chu Molin thought that if Qin Yu were here, he would definitely be a formidable figure..

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    ¡°You let him join the work, doesn¡¯t that violate the rules?¡± Qin Xue asked Chu Molin with confusion.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal, I¡¯m not asking him to join the assessment.

    1 just want him to try working with the colleagues.

    Who knows if he can stick to it?¡± Chu Molin knew that it would be difficult for someone to get used to it at first.

    Everyone who comes here has to go through this, and since Qin Yu has reasons not to come, he wanted Qin Yu to try it out to make up for his regrets.

    So that he would not have any regrets in his future life.

    This would be a good opportunity for Qin Yu to grow.

    Chu Molin would, of course, seize every opportunity and wouldn¡¯t miss it.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, I¡¯ve been thinking, I think you¡¯d better go back to H Province with mom.

    You know how heavy my workload will be in the future.

    I won¡¯t be able to take care of you at all, and I¡¯m worried if I can¡¯t take care of you.

    But if you go back to the Qins with your mother-in-law, they can accompany you, and someone will look after you, so that you won¡¯t be alone.

    In that case, 1 can be at ease and focus on my work.

    Don¡¯t worry, when your due date comes, I¡¯ll take leave and accompany you.

    1 won¡¯t let you face giving birth to the baby alone,¡± Chu Molin, afraid that Qin Xue would overthink, spoke his mind directly despite his mother-in-law being present.

    ¡°Alright, I understand. After your injury has healed completely, I¡¯ll go back with mom.¡± Qin Xue also knew that the days to come would be more dangerous.

    Especially since her belly is much bigger than others, it¡¯s not that they don¡¯t worry, but Qin Xue herself doesn¡¯t feel safe.

    To put Chu Molin and her family at ease, she naturally chose to go back to the Qins in H Province.

    That way, she can also go back and get to know about her maternal family¡¯s situation.

    If she has the opportunity, she can improve the economic conditions of her maternal family.

    Not to let her maternal family live in too much poverty, Qin Xue was considering in her heart what methods or projects were suitable for her maternal family¡¯s development.

    ¡°Mom, are you tired? Do you want to rest a bit?¡± Chu Molin thought that the long car ride must be exhausting for his mother-in-law.

    He figured she might be too embarrassed to say it herself, so he asked her.

    ¡°l am a bit tired, I¡¯ll rest for a while.¡± Nangong Shulan, being older and having traveled for so long, did feel quite tired.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, you take mom to that room to sleep with her, and let Xiao Yu sleep in the other room.

    I¡¯ll go back to the dormitory to sleep later.¡± Chu Molin thought about it, and he couldn¡¯t share the bed with Qin Yu, so he had to go back to the dormitory. This house was only applied for after their marriage.

    He still had his old dormitory and just needed to prepare a set of bed linens and quilt cover to stay there.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll change the clean sheets.¡± Qin Xue stood up and said.

    Nangong Shulan wanted to say that she could do it and Qin Xue didn¡¯t need to do it herself, but since it wasn¡¯t her home, she didn¡¯t know where everything was stored, and she didn¡¯t want to go through her daughter and son-in-law¡¯s things.

    So she just sat there waiting for Qin Xue to change the sheets.

    ¡°Mom, you sit down for a while. I¡¯ll help Xue¡¯er.¡± Chu Molin thought it would be better for him to change the sheets, but he couldn¡¯t tell his mother-in-law directly. Instead, he decided to do it after going into the room.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, you stand aside, I¡¯ll change them.¡± Chu Molin took the sheets from Qin Xue¡¯s hand and said to her.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I can do it. Can you not be so nervous?¡± Qin Xue was somewhat speechless. It seemed that since her foot swelled up last night and Chu Molin massaged her, he had become quite nervous..

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    It¡¯s not Chu Molin¡¯s fault. Qin Xue¡¯s feet were so swollen that it must have been very painful. So, Chu Molin wanted to take care of everything himself and let Qin Xue rest.

    ¡°No need, just wait here; I¡¯ll do it.¡± In the end, Chu Molin didn¡¯t let Qin Xue do anything; instead, he changed the sheets and quilt covers in both rooms himself and even took them to the washroom to wash.

    Nangong Shulan felt relieved seeing this; it was a blessing for her eldest daughter to find someone who loved her so much.

    ¡°Mom, go rest.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t argue with Chu Molin for taking the sheets to wash. Instead, she went to her mother and told her to rest.

    Qin Xue was also tired, so she got into bed next to Nangong Shulan. This was a habit from her childhood.

    Seeing Nangong Shulan, who looked like her mother, Qin Xue naturally snuggled next to her.

    In a short while, Qin Xue fell asleep. Nangong Shulan, on the other hand, couldn¡¯t sleep yet ¨C she looked at her daughter¡¯s movements, feeling both tender and sour in her heart.

    With a soft sigh, she closed her eyes and slept. Perhaps because her daughter was sleeping next to her, Nangong Shulan also quickly entered the dreamland.

    After Chu Molin washed and hung the sheets and quilt covers, he returned to his original room to read a military theory book.

    He had forgotten to bring out the art of war book earlier, and now his mother-in-law was resting in the room, so he, as a son-in-law, couldn¡¯t enter the room. He could only go back to reading his old books.

    Speaking of the past, it didn¡¯t seem like long ago, but why did he feel like it had been a very, very long time?

    Over the past few days, Chu Molin had been reading the books Qin Xue gave him, and now, as he switched to military theory, his mind felt somewhat absent. This had never happened before.

    Perhaps it was the unusual content of the two books that deeply attracted him.

    Unable to focus, Chu Molin closed the book and silently recalled the content of the art of war and array in his mind, running through various array formations and military moves.

    He considered which method could eliminate the enemy the fastest and reduce his side¡¯s manpower and resources to the lowest point.

    Through repeated reasoning and calculation, Chu Molin became more proficient and gained a deeper understanding of these contents.

    For Chu Molin, this was like acquiring a treasure ¨C all the content was imprinted in his mind, and no one could take it away.

    Chu Molin also noticed his change ¨C although his memory had always been good, it had never reached the level of being able to read at a glance and remember everything.

    Now, not only did he feel that he had achieved this, but he also had these two skills. It made him ecstatic, and he was almost disoriented in his happiness. Chu Molin repeated the content again and again until he was thoroughly familiar with it.

    That¡¯s what set Chu Molin apart ¨C he had to chew everything thoroughly and digest it completely.

    In this way, he had a strong understanding, which built a solid foundation for his future.

    After running through all the calculations repeatedly, Chu Molin finally got up to cook, as Qin Yu would be returning soon for dinner. He had forgotten to tell Qin Yu at noon to come back for dinner tonight.

    Otherwise, Qin Yu might have gone to the canteen with his colleagues.

    Indeed, after they finished work, Qin Yu followed the soldiers to the canteen for dinner. He didn¡¯t have a lunch box with him. Eventually, his colleagues helped him get a lunch box.

    After getting his meal, Qin Yu sat with Wei Shaohui to eat.

    The atmosphere in the research institute was lovely, and Qin Yu felt that this was the kind of friendship he desired.

    Unfortunately, who knew when his parents would return home.

    So, he had to cherish this friendship, even if it was temporary because it would leave him with no regrets in his memory..

 Chapter 302

    Translator: 549690339

    At home, Chu Molin was preparing to cook. He had just started rinsing the rice when Qin Xue got up.

    ¡°Are you cooking?¡± Qin Xue asked as she watched Chu Molin¡¯s movements.

    ¡°They¡¯ll be getting off work soon, but I forgot to tell Xiao Yu this afternoon to come home for dinner tonight.

    Now that I forgot, he might have already gone to the cafeteria with his colleagues.¡± Chu Molin thought this was very likely.

    ¡°Do you want to go downstairs early to wait for him?¡± Qin Xue asked Chu Molin.

    ¡°No need, if he goes to the cafeteria, it¡¯s good for him to interact with his colleagues more.¡± Chu Molin understood the importance of this.

    It was beneficial for Qin Yu to interact with them; otherwise, so many people wouldn¡¯t be sending their children here for training.

    Just to cultivate their talents and develop good values in life.

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re right. Let¡¯s just see. If he comes back, he can eat at home; if not, let him eat in the cafeteria.¡± ()?n Xue understood Chu Molin¡¯s thoughts as well.

    ¡°That¡¯s what I was thinking, did Mom wake up yet?¡± Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue getting up!

    He didn¡¯t know if his mother-in-law was up yet, so he asked his wife.

    ¡°Not yet, probably because she¡¯s older and the car ride was tiring. Let her sleep a little longer.

    We can cook and then wake her up to eat.¡± When Qin Xue got up, she saw her mother sleeping soundly.

    So Qin Xue did not disturb her sleep, just wanted to let her have a good rest.

    However, in the future, she could slowly use spiritual spring water to condition their bodies. Not necessarily to achieve the same level as the couple,

    just hoping for a healthy life. She wanted to make up for her past regrets in this life.

    In her previous life, she had no mother. In this life, she met someone just like her mother, so she wanted to be filial to her properly.

    To accompany her, such a simple wish was unattainable in her previous life.

    In this life, heaven gave her this opportunity, and she must seize it firmly.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Chu Molin had no objections and started to pick vegetables from the ground after saying yes.

    Qin Xue didn¡¯t stand idle either and helped pick vegetables, so they could stir-fry and eat later.

    As the saying goes, a man and a woman working together is not tiring. The couple quickly prepared the meal.

    Nangong Shulan woke up to the aroma of the food. She looked around the room, shook her head, and laughed, ¡°I really am getting old, can¡¯t deny it any longer.¡±

    Nangong Shulan put on her shoes and left the room. She saw the couple setting up the meal and laughed, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, I overslept.¡±

    ¡°Mom, what are you talking about? If you¡¯re tired, rest. How can you say you overslept?¡± Qin Xue thought her mother was being too polite.

    ¡°Yes, Mom, go wash up and come eat.¡± Chu Molin also felt that his mother-in-law was being too polite.

    ¡°Alright, where¡¯s Xiao Yu? Has he not returned yet?¡± As Nangong Shulan turned to walk towards the bathroom, she didn¡¯t see her son and asked.

    ¡°He hasn¡¯t returned at this time, probably went to the cafeteria with his teammates.

    It¡¯s okay, we can eat our meal. His teammates will take good care of Xiao Yu.¡± Although the army is very regimented, the warmth of fellow soldiers is hidden beneath the rigid exterior.

    And many people know that he¡¯s their nephew, so they¡¯ll take even better care of Qin Yu. There¡¯s no need to worry at all.

    Don¡¯t ask how Chu Molin knows this¡ªit¡¯s because he has confidence in them.

    You can¡¯t experience this kind of emotional connection in other places, which is why it¡¯s difficult for people who want to come here.

    What they are reluctant to give up is this sense of camaraderie and the place where they are willing to devote their youth and lives..

 Chapter 303

    Translator: 549690339

    Chu Molin and Qin Xue sat in their seats, waiting for Nangong Shulan to finish washing up before they started eating.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you start eating? You don¡¯t have to wait for me; it¡¯s not like I am a stranger.¡± Seeing them sitting there without touching their food, Nangong Shulan realized they were waiting for her to join them.

    Nangong Shulan felt warmhearted, knowing that they were showing respect for her as a mother.

    ¡°Go ahead and eat. The food won¡¯t taste good if it gets cold.¡± Nangong Shulan picked up her chopsticks, and only after she took the first bite did Qin Xue and Chu Molin begin to eat.

    ¡°Mom, should we send a telegram home?

    Tell them you¡¯ll stay here for half a month, and then once Chu Molin¡¯s injury is healed, I¡¯ll go back with you.¡± Qin Xue would naturally have to wait for Chu Molin to recover before they could return.

    ¡°Sure, let¡¯s send it tomorrow.¡± Nangong Shulan thought half a month might be a bit long, but her son-in-law¡¯s injury hadn¡¯t healed yet, and her daughter would certainly be uneasy about leaving him.

    It didn¡¯t matter if it took a little longer, as she and Xiao Yu could go back with Qin Xue, which would put her son-in-law at ease. This seemed like a win-win solution.

    ¡°Mom, after dinner, I want to show you something and see if you like it.¡± Qin Xue thought of the clothes she had brought back from Fang Xiu.

    ¡°What is it? You¡¯re being so mysterious.¡± Nangong Shulan became curious after hearing Qin Xue¡¯s words.

    ¡°Let¡¯s finish eating first; I¡¯ll tell you afterward.¡± Qin Xue smiled mischievously as she said this.

    Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue¡¯s playful expression, smiled indulgently, and picked up a piece of chicken to put in her bowl.

    Qin Xue looked at the piece of meat in her bowl and smiled sweetly as she picked it up to eat.

    Nangong Shulan didn¡¯t interrupt the interaction between the couple.

    She quietly ate her meal, knowing her daughter¡¯s happiness was more important than anything else. Perhaps that was the greatest wish of every parent.

    As soon as they finished eating, Qin Xue immediately pulled her mother into the room without even bothering to clean up their bowls and chopsticks.

    She left the cleanup to Chu Molin.

    Chu Molin resigned himself to the task and carried the dishes to the kitchen and began cleaning the table with a garbage can.

    In the bedroom, the mother and daughter were admiring the beautiful clothes.

    ¡°Mom, this is for vou. Do you like it?¡± Qin Xue handed the clothes to her mother.

    Qin Xue put Chu Molin¡¯s clothes aside, and then set aside the clothes for Mr. Qin and Qin Yu. She kept Xiao Yu¡¯s and her mother¡¯s clothes together.

    ¡°These clothes, are they for me?¡± Nangong Shulan asked in surprise as she looked at the beautiful clothes.

    ¡°Yes, they¡¯re for you. Everyone in the family gets a set.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Qin Xue remembered something.

    It seemed that during a chat with her mother, her mother had mentioned her grandparents. Qin Xue had forgotten to get clothes for the elderly couple.

    It looked like she would have to get clothes made for them when she accompanied her mother to the city to send the telegram.

    As for their sizes, she could simply ask her mother later.

    Qin Xue believed that as a daughter-in-law, her mother must have made clothes for her grandparents.

    Nangong Shulan looked at the clothes in her hands, her eyes welling up with tears. How long had it been since she had worn such beautiful clothes?

    It wasn¡¯t that Thunder treated her poorly; it was that most of the time, their priority was their children and the elderly, then themselves.

    Thunder always ensured that Nangong Shulan had the best things, but even so, their life was still frugal. Fortunately, though their daily life was frugal, their family was happy together, and that was something money couldn¡¯t buy.

    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s just a few clothes. There¡¯s no need to get so emotional.¡± Qin Xue said coarsely, just to interrupt her mother¡¯s thoughts.

    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right, I¡¯m emotional. It¡¯s my daughter showing her filial piety; how can I not be moved?¡± Nangong Shulan went along with Qin Xue¡¯s words and pushed her thoughts aside.

    ¡°Hehe, it¡¯s what I should do as a daughter.¡± Qin Xue leaned her head on her mother¡¯s shoulder..

 Chapter 304

    Translator: 549690339

    ¡°Yes indeed, my daughter has grown up, she¡¯s becoming a mother herself and understanding how to show me respect.

    All these years of hardship and fatigue have been worth it.¡± Nangong Shulan softly patted Qin Xue¡¯s head.

    ¡°Mom, this is for my little sister.¡± Qin Xue, hearing Nangong Shulan speak with such melancholy, quickly tried to change the subject.

    She feared if her mother continued to be so melancholy, she wouldn¡¯t be able to stop herself from tearing up ¡ª and then what would she do?

    ¡°Hmm, the dress is very beautiful, your younger sister would be very happy to see it.¡± Nangong Shulan looked at the dress meant for her younger daughter ¨C it was of high-quality fabric and must have been very expensive.

    ¡°Your sister is still a student, why would you buy her such an expensive dress?

    Even us, working in the fields at home, don¡¯t need such nice clothes.

    If we were to soil it, wouldn¡¯t it be such a waste?¡± Nangong Shulan looked at the dress, noting its high-quality materials.

    ¡°Mom, these are made by my own clothing store, so they only cost the price of the fabric, there are no other expenses, so you don¡¯t need to worry,¡± Qin Xue explained to her mother with a smile.

    ¡°What! Your own clothing store? You made these yourself?¡± Nangong Shulan was at a loss for words. Was this really her naive daughter who used to know nothing?

    At first, she had told herself the differences were due to her being married off and living away from home.

    But if she even knew how to make clothes, and made them so well at that, she could no longer lie to herself.

    ¡°Mom, what are you saying? How could I have made these? I don¡¯t know how to sew,¡± Qin Xue noticed Nangong Shulan¡¯s skeptical expression and felt a pang of anxiety in her chest. Could she have been discovered?

    ¡°But you said these are from your own clothing store, didn¡¯t you?¡± Nangong Shulan¡¯s mood plummeted.

    ¡°Yes, not long after I came here, Chu Molin went to work out-of-town.

    So I took the money he gave me, partnered with others, and opened a clothing store. These dresses were made by one of the older sisters in the shop by request.

    I¡¯m not sure if the sizes will fit, I had a head injury earlier and there are many things I do not remember.

    If I did something wrong, I hope you can tell me.¡± Qin Xue spoke in a low tone.

    ¡°What? Injured? Why didn¡¯t you mention it before, are you alright? How did you hurt your head?¡± Upon hearing the word ¡®injured¡¯, Nangong Shulan started to bombard Qin Xue with questions.

    ¡°Um, mom, which of your questions should I answer first?¡± Qin Xue was taken aback by the barrage of questions from Nangong Shulan.

    ¡°Answer me one at a time,¡± Nangong Shulan looked at Qin Xue sternly, feeling that her daughter had changed, somehow becoming a bit different.

    ¡°Um, mom, I don¡¯t really understand it myself. I had a head injury and fell into a coma. Chu Molin was away on business and his Section Chief¡¯s wife took care of me.

    Because I forgot things from before my injury, I didn¡¯t know how to contact home.

    It was only when Chu Molin came back and gave me the address that I could write a letter home.

    I really didn¡¯t mean not to contact home, please, don¡¯t be mad.¡± Qin Xue looked at Nangong Shulan with pitiful eyes.

    ¡°Are you trying to anger me to death? You had such a major incident and didn¡¯t breathe a word of it.

    If I didn¡¯t come here and ask you this time, were you planning to keep it from us forever?

    You are regressing, where has your previous astuteness gone?¡± Nangong Shulan was so angry she wanted to slap her daughter awake.

    She didn¡¯t even know how she had gotten injured, especially when she was carrying a child. What was she thinking? It was almost better if she just slapped her dead..

 Chapter 305

    Translator: 549690339

    Chu Molin, who was in the next room, was startled awake by the sound of the mother and daughter arguing and hastily ran over.

    As soon as he got to the room, he saw Nangong Shulan with eyes red from anger.

    ¡°Mom, what happened?¡± Chu Molin anxiously asked.

    ¡°What happened? Ask her, such a troublesome girl.¡± Nangong Shulan was uncertain whether to be mad at Qin Xue or herself.

    After Chu Molin¡¯s question, she pointed straight at Qin Xue.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, what happened? Why did you make mom so angry?¡± Chu Molin softly asked his young wife.

    Not that he could be anything but gentle, Qin Xue¡¯s expression was full of guilt.

    ¡°Erm, Mom knows about my injury, right, and how I can¡¯t remember anything anymore.¡± Qin Xue guiltily glanced at Chu Molin.

    ¡°Even if you don¡¯t remember now, you¡¯ll remember it bit by bit. One day, you¡¯ll remember everything.¡± Chu Molin felt helpless too.

    What could he say about this? Should he tell his mother-in-law about the differences between the current Qin Xue and the past Qin Xue?

    If so, he feared the skies might turn upside down with anger.

    Helpless, he could only try to comfort and explain to his mother-in-law in this situation.

    ¡°Mom, did Xue¡¯er do something wrong?

    Please don¡¯t be angry anymore. Considering she is pregnant, can you let it go this time?

    If we are to blame, it should be me for not taking good care of Xue¡¯er and our child, allowing them to get hurt.

    Mom, if you want to blame someone, blame me.¡± Chu Molin saw no choice but to shoulder the blame with Qin Xue.

    He couldn¡¯t possibly blame his mother-in-law, in fact, this all happened because he didn¡¯t take good care of Qin Xue.

    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s my fault, this has nothing to do with Molin, he wasn¡¯t even home because he was on mission. I was the foolish one who got tricked.

    I¡¯ll make up for this in the future, please stop being angry okay?¡± Qin Xue certainly didn¡¯t want Chu Molin to shoulder the blame for her.

    Otherwise his image in her mother¡¯s eyes would be tarnished, he didn¡¯t really do anything wrong, did he?

    How could Qin Xue bear to have him take the blame for her?

    ¡°What do you two think you¡¯re doing? What have I said? Why are you racing each other to take blame?¡± Nangong Shulan didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or be angry.

    A loving couple is a comfort to a mother¡¯s heart, but what¡¯s with this race to admit fault?

    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re not angry, you scared me to death.¡± Qin Xue exaggeratedly patted her small chest.

    ¡°Fine, keep on acting.¡± Nangong Shulan was truly defeated by Qin Xue.

    ¡°Hehe, aren¡¯t I just scared by you, mom? You have no idea how terrifying you looked when you were angry, I was afraid you were going to hit me.

    But mom, you love me too much to actually hit me even though you were that angry.¡± Qin Xue wrapped her arms around Nangong Shulan¡¯s arm and shook it, winking and sticking her tongue out at Chu Molin when her mom wasn¡¯t looking. In his eyes, she was adorably mischievous.

    ¡°You¡¯re banking on me not daring to hit you, aren¡¯t you?¡± Nangong Shulan stared at Qin Xue with a stern face.

    But Qin Xue wasn¡¯t afraid at all, she knew Nangong Shulan wouldn¡¯t actually hit her. No matter how angry this kind and graceful woman got, she never seemed angry.

    Since even Qin Xue knew this, what was there to be afraid of?

    Chu Molin wagged his finger at Qin Xue, signaling her not to provoke Nangong Shulan further.

    ¡°Mom, how could that be? I¡¯ll always be your daughter.¡± What she meant was that she, Qin Xue, would always be the one who could be disciplined by Nangong Shulan.

    What Qin Xue didn¡¯t know though, was that she had never been hit by her parents growing up.

    Not only was she never disciplined physically, she was also the one doted on by the whole family, even more than her younger sister.

    So, how could Nangong Shulan possibly take out anger on Qin Xue?

    ¡°Child, when will you grow up, when will you let us worry less about you? How can Molin be at ease when he¡¯s away with you like this?

    A single distraction because of your actions could cost him dearly, why can¡¯t you be more careful?.¡± Nangong Shulan looked at her eldest daughter with heartache.. Did they protect her too well?

 Chapter 306

    Translator: 549690339

    Upon hearing this, Qin Xue thought this was getting out of hand and the conversation had gone too far.

    She quickly let go of her mother¡¯s arm, raised her hand to swear, ¡°Mom, I promise you, I really took it to heart, such a thing will never happen again in the future.¡¯

    Chu Molin also hurriedly stated, ¡°Mom, Xue¡¯er knows she was wrong, please forgive her.¡±

    Alright, alright, alright,¡± Nangong Shulan said with a series of ¡®alright.¡¯

    ¡°Mom, you¡¯re the best.¡± Chu Molin rarely acted spoiled.

    After Chu Molin finished speaking, he couldn¡¯t help but shudder, feeling too girlish.

    ¡°Hahahaha, Chu Molin, you¡­¡± Qin Xue laughed so much that her mouth almost reached her ears, and she couldn¡¯t help but burst into laughter.

    Chu Molin¡¯s cold face was tinged with an unnatural hint of red.

    This heartless, naughty girl, who was he doing this for? It was not enough that she didn¡¯t appreciate it, she dared to laugh at him; he would see how he would deal with her in the future.

    Nangong Shulan also smiled with her lips.

    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m going back to my room to read. You guys can take your time looking at the clothes.¡± Chu Molin really couldn¡¯t stay any longer, the feeling was very awkward.

    ¡°Go ahead.¡± Nangong Shulan knew Chu Molin was feeling shy. No matter how thick-skinned anyone was, they couldn¡¯t withstand being ridiculed like that. After Chu Molin left the room, Nangong Shulan tapped Qin Xue¡¯s forehead with her hand.

    ¡°You girl, why don¡¯t you know to save Molin some face? You ridicule a grown man like this, whose heart would feel comfortable?

    Don¡¯t ever do that again in the future, understood?¡± Nangong Shulan knew that every man was particularly proud, and they had to give them some face no matter what.

    ¡°Yes, mother, may I ask if you want to take a look at dad¡¯s and Xiao Yu¡¯s clothes, too?¡± Qin Xue breathed a sigh of relief, finally changing the topic.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see, if they aren¡¯t fit for wearing, we can make alterations.¡± Nangong Shulan knew that Qin Xue didn¡¯t remember anything from before and wasn¡¯t sure if the size of the clothes she had made would be suitable.

    Qin Xue shook each piece of clothing open for Nangong Shulan to see. ¡°The sizes are very suitable. You said you don¡¯t remember anything from before, so how can you be so sure about their sizes?¡± Nangong Shulan asked Qin Xue with doubt.

    Qin Xue with doubt.

    ¡°Mom, I really don¡¯t remember, but isn¡¯t your son-in-law here? He remembers.¡± Qin Xue pointed to the room next door.

    Think about who her husband was; they were his father-in-law and younger brother-in-law¡¯s heights. If someone who had seen them didn¡¯t even know their approximate size, then he probably wouldn¡¯t be a good battalion commander.

    ¡°So it was Molin who told you. I was wondering, how could you remember such details if you don¡¯t remember anything from before?¡± Nangong Shulan easily believed it upon hearing.

    Who could blame Qin Xue for mentioning someone that Nangong Shulan couldn¡¯t even suspect? However, the sizes were indeed told to her by Chu Molin.

    ¡°Tomorrow, please tell me grandpa and grandma¡¯s sizes, and I¡¯ll have Fang Xiu make two sets of clothes for each of them.¡± Qin Xue thought, there wasn¡¯t such old-fashioned fabric in the store.

    For their old age, she could make Zhongshan suits for grandpa and diagonal-collared unlined garments for grandma.

    ¡°Alright, Qin Xue, did you really start a clothing store?¡± Nangong Shulan still couldn¡¯t quite believe it because she knew too well what her daughter was capable of.

    ¡°Yeah, there are four of us in total, but I¡¯m the main contributor.

    Mom, don¡¯t worry, I have money. Although it¡¯s not a lot, it¡¯s enough for a worry-free life.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t know why Nangong Shulan didn¡¯t believe her.

    What Qin Xue didn¡¯t know was that Nangong Shulan didn¡¯t disbelieve her but the original Qin Xue..

 Chapter 307

    Translator: 549690339

    If Qin Xue knew this, she would definitely ask what the usual Qin Xue looked like.

    ¡°Alright, I believe you.¡± Nangong Shulan looked at Qin Xue, not seeming to be lying.

    ¡°Mom, do you want to try on the clothes to see if they fit?¡± Qin Xue thought Nangong Shulan would look beautiful in a cheongsam.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll give it a try.¡± Nangong Shulan didn¡¯t know how long it had been since she last wore a cheongsam.

    Now seeing a cheongsam reminded her of her mother. an extremely beautiful and gentle woman.

    Nangong Shulan inherited her looks and temperament from her mother.

    After hearing her mother¡¯s words, Qin Xue got up and left the room, closing the door so her mother could try on the clothes inside.

    Qin Xue wondered what other styles of clothing would suit Nangong Shulan.

    Ordinary styles couldn¡¯t show off Nangong Shulan¡¯s strengths.

    Don¡¯t ask Qin Xue why she said that, because it¡¯s her temperament.

    If it weren¡¯t for the traces of hardship on her face over the years, Qin Xue would never believe that Nangong Shulan was a rural woman.

    Because an ordinary family couldn¡¯t raise someone with Nangong Shulan¡¯s temperament.

    Her demeanor, bearing, and insight all clearly told Qin Xue that Nangong Shulan was not an ordinary rural woman.

    Perhaps her mother¡¯s family was once very influential and prominent.

    But how could Qin Xue ask Nangong Shulan about her mother¡¯s family?

    Before Nangong Shulan could finish changing her clothes, there was a knock at the door outside.

    Just as Qin Xue was about to open the door, Chu Molin was one step ahead of her.

    Chu Molin thought it should be Qin Yu returning, and sure enough, when the door opened, it was him.

    ¡°Xiao Yu is back.¡± Before Chu Molin could speak, Qin Xue¡¯s voice came from behind him.

    ¡°Brother-in-law, sister, I¡¯m back.¡± Qin Yu shouted to Chu Molin who opened the door for him and then called out to Qin Xue.

    ¡°Xiao Yu, have you eaten?¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t know if Qin Yu had gone to the cafeteria for dinner.

    ¡°Sister, I¡¯ve eaten. Where¡¯s mom?¡± Qin Yu didn¡¯t see his mother.

    ¡°She¡¯s inside changing clothes. She should be done soon.¡± Just as Qin Xue¡¯s voice fell, there was the sound of the door opening behind her.

    ¡°Mom, you¡­¡± Qin Yu was so surprised he couldn¡¯t speak.

    ¡°Not bad, this dress suits you, mom.¡± Chu Molin gave an affirmative comment.

    Seeing the expressions of her husband and younger brother, Qin Xue knew Nangong Shulan must have looked exactly as she had imagined.

    However, upon seeing Nangong Shulan, Qin Xue knew her thoughts were not enough to describe her.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you guys? Why do you have that expression?¡± Nangong Shulan looked at her children¡¯s stunned faces and asked in confusion.

    ¡°Ah, mom, you¡¯re so beautiful.¡± Qin Xue was so excited that she almost jumped up.

    ¡°I¡¯m old, there¡¯s no longer any beauty to speak of.¡± Nangong Shulan knew her looks were good, otherwise, there wouldn¡¯t have been that incident all those years ago.

    But now, so many years have passed, where is there any beauty left to talk about?

    ¡°It¡¯s true, mom, my sister is right. If I met you outside, I wouldn¡¯t dare to believe you¡¯re my mother.¡± Qin Yu thought his sister was right, she was too beautiful.

    ¡°Are you exaggerating?¡± Nangong Shulan touched her face, not quite believing what her children said due to the slightly rough touch.

    ¡°Really, if you don¡¯t believe it, go to the bathroom and look for yourself in the mirror.¡± There was no mirror in Qin Xue¡¯s room, the only one was in the bathroom.

    Nangong Shulan saw how serious they were and followed Qin Xue¡¯s suggestion, walking towards the bathroom.

    Nangong Shulan looked at the woman in the mirror and didn¡¯t quite dare to believe it was her.

    The marks left by the years were obvious, but the clothes made her unconsciously release the hidden temperament.

    The gentle and elegant temperament transformed Nangong Shulan as if she was a different person..

 Chapter 308

    Translator: 549690339

    The three of them followed Nangong Shulan to the restroom doorway.

    As Nangong Shulan¡¯s temperament revealed itself, the years on her face seemed to add a touch of charming allure.

    ¡°Wow, Mom, you¡¯re going to bewitch everyone,¡± Qin Xue exclaimed.

    ¡°Mom, I didn¡¯t know you were so beautiful,¡± Qin Yu also just realized.

    Mother seemed to transform into a completely different person after changing her clothes.

    ¡°Very pretty, ¡± Chu Molin nodded, but thought to himself that Qin Xue¡¯s temperament must have been inherited from her mother.

    At this moment, Nangong Shulan¡¯s temperament was very similar to Qin Xue¡¯s, though Qin Xue appeared more lively and unrestrained.

    Nangong Shulan, being older, had a more restrained temperament.

    Mother and daughter looked alike and had similar temperaments; if it weren¡¯t for the age difference, people might believe they were sisters.

    Nangong Shulan stared blankly at the person in the mirror, realizing how long it had been since she last saw her reflection.

    She had let go of so much over the years, but in doing so, she had garnered a lot in return.

    She had a loving husband, dutiful children, kind in-laws, and harmonious sisters-in-law.

    Her life had been fulfilling, and she believed that she would reunite with her family someday.

    ¡°Hehe, you guys are exaggerating,¡± Nangong Shulan said, somewhat shyly, looking at her two children and son-in-law after snapping back to reality.

    ¡°Qin Xue, thank you, Mom. Some things you can¡¯t forget just because you want to. From now on, I won¡¯t deliberately try to forget them,¡± Nangong Shulan sighed.

    Today she could finally let go of her worries. With so many family members who loved her, what could she be unsatisfied with?

    ¡°Mom, what are you talking about? We¡¯re a family,¡± Qin Xue glanced at Qin Yu and Chu Molin before smiling at her mother.

    ¡°Yes, a family,¡± Nangong Shulan said, tears welling up in her eyes as she smiled.

    ¡°Xiao Yu, Chu Molin, there are clothes for you two as well. Do you want to try them on?¡± Qin Xue suddenly remembered that she hadn¡¯t given their clothes to them yet.

    ¡°Sis, I have clothes too?¡± Qin Yu looked at Qin Xue in surprise.

    ¡°Yes, everyone in the family has them. How could we forget yours?¡± Qin Xue responded before returning to the room to fetch their clothes.

    ¡°Brother-in-law, why did my sister suddenly buy clothes for the whole family?¡± Qin Yu was a bit puzzled.

    ¡°Your sister and the other sisters-in-law have opened a clothing store together,¡± Chu Molin left this sentence before following Qin Xue.

    ¡°Mom, is it true what my brother-in-law said?¡± Qin Yu turned to his mother for verification.

    ¡°It¡¯s true. I heard it from your sister earlier,¡± Nangong Shulan answered her son¡¯s question.

    ¡°Mom, why did my sister suddenly become so amazing?¡± Qin Yu asked with bewilderment.

    ¡°Xiao Yu, well, your sister once had a head injury and lost her memory,¡± Nangong Shulan¡¯s excitement faded as she spoke of this incident, her mood somewhat somber.

    ¡°Mom, didn¡¯t my sister tell you what happened?¡± Qin Yu¡¯s gentle face turned cold.

    ¡°Your sister said she doesn¡¯t know; she can¡¯t remember anything from before.

    So if she¡¯s changed in some ways from before, don¡¯t get suspicious about anything, okay?

    Otherwise, she¡¯s already lost and afraid because she can¡¯t remember things, and if we suspect her too, she¡¯ll be heartbroken,¡± Nangong Shulan softly cautioned her son.

    ¡°Mom, I understand. My brother-in-law must know; I¡¯ll ask him later to find out what actually happened to my sister,¡± Qin Yu said coldly.

    Nangong Shulan didn¡¯t have any other thoughts. Her son had been like this since he was young¡ªwhenever his sister was involved, he would become different from his usual self..

 Chapter 309

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue and Chu Molin were just about to take the clothes out of the room when they heard the conversation between their mother and brother.

    Suddenly, tears fell from Qin Xue¡¯s eyes.

    Chu Molin wiped away her tears with his thumb and sighed silently.

    He gently embraced Qin Xue, comforting her by patting her back with his hand.

    Qin Xue wrapped her arms around Chu Molin¡¯s waist, crying quietly.

    ¡°Alright, don¡¯t cry. Our mother might come over soon.¡± Chu Molin softly coaxed her.

    ¡°Chu Molin, did I do something wrong?¡± Qin Xue looked up at Chu Molin with tearful eyes.

    ¡°No, everyone has their own secrets, and some secrets can¡¯t be revealed.

    Didn¡¯t you just hear what they were saying?

    They don¡¯t blame you, so don¡¯t blame yourself.

    As long as our conscience is clear, it¡¯s enough.¡± Chu Molin touched Qin Xue¡¯s tear-streaked face with his finger.

    ¡°Mm, I know, Chu Molin, thank you.¡± Qin Xue wiped her tears with the back of her hand.

    Taking a deep breath, she grabbed the clothes and walked out with Chu Molin. ¡°Here, Xiao Yu, do you like your clothes?¡± Qin Xue handed the clothes to Qin Yu.

    ¡°Sister, you¡­¡± Qin Yu looked at Qin Xue¡¯s red eyes.

    Just as he was about to ask something, Nangong Shulan pulled his clothes to interrupt him.

    Qin Yu glanced at his mother and then at Chu Molin.

    Chu Molin shook his head at Qin Yu, signaling him not to ask.

    Qin Yu silently took the clothes, feeling upset in his heart. He thanked Qin Xue quietly after a moment.

    ¡°Go try it on, I had someone make these clothes according to your

    brother-in-law¡¯s description.

    I don¡¯t know if they¡¯ll fit you.¡± Qin Xue looked at Qin Yu¡¯s somewhat thin figure, which was different from Chu Molin¡¯s muscular and sexy body.

    ¡°They must fit, thank you, sister and brother-in-law.¡± Qin Yu thought Chu Molin¡¯s eyes were very sharp, so his judgment must be accurate.

    ¡°Better try them on anyway. Tomorrow, Mom and I are going to send a telegram to Dad. If anything is off, we can get it fixed.¡± Qin Xue said with a smile.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take a shower and then try them on to see if they fit.¡± Qin Yu had been busy all day, sweaty and dirty all over.

    If he didn¡¯t shower before trying on the new clothes, wouldn¡¯t he get them dirty?

    ¡°Go get your clothes and take a shower. You can sleep in this room tonight, and I¡¯ll sleep in the dorm.¡± Chu Molin told Qin Yu to fetch his clothes and shower.

    Qin Yu didn¡¯t say anything and turned around to get his clothes and shower.

    When he came out after showering, he was wearing a brand new suit, which accentuated his good features.

    ¡°It really fits quite well, not bad, very handsome.¡± Qin Xue propped her chin with her hand, nodding constantly.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s really nice.¡± Nangong Shulan looked at her handsome and dashing son.

    Seeing Qin Yu like this, Nangong Shulan thought he looked very much like that man.

    Sometimes she felt that fate was really quite mysterious.

    Take these twins for example, one looked like the mother, and the other resembled the father.

    Yet, they had never seen their father.

    Nangong Shulan didn¡¯t want her children to know about these things either.

    When Chu Molin saw Qin Yu coming out in a suit, he thought for a moment that he was looking at that man in his youth.

    They looked so alike, but how could Qin Yu, who was clearly Qin Xue¡¯s brother, be related to that man?

    Or was there something he didn¡¯t know?

    Chu Molin shook his head, dismissing the idea.

    No matter how he thought about it, it seemed impossible. They were two people on opposite sides of the spectrum, with no connection whatsoever..

 Chapter 310

    Translator: 549690339

    Chu Molin thought about when he lived at Qin Xue¡¯s home, her parents were very much in love.

    So Chu Molin felt that his thoughts were a bit completely clueless.

    After everyone had finished washing up, Chu Molin took a clean set of army-green bed sheets and went to the dormitory.

    ¡°How come you¡¯re here?¡± Qin Lang, hearing the knock on the door and seeing Chu Molin appear at his dormitory entrance as he opened it, asked.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t they tell you that this is my dorm?¡± Chu Molin, bypassing Qin Lang, walking towards the other bed.

    His dormitory was now inhabited by Qin Lang, with two beds inside.

    Qin Lang occupied one bed, so he would sleep on the empty bed on the other side.

    ¡°But haven¡¯t you already got your own assigned family quarter?¡± Qin Lang inquired, puzzled.

    Qin Lang couldn¡¯t be blamed for not knowing; he had gone to follow up on the incident and had just come back, not knowing what had happened.

    ¡°My mother-in-law and younger brother-in-law are here.¡± Chu Molin left a message and began to make the bed.

    ¡°Ah, so you were driven to the dormitory.¡± Qin Lang twitched the corner of his mouth, then said.

    ¡°What do you mean ¡®driven¡¯? I came on my own accord; they¡¯re not staying for just a day or two. They can¡¯t stay at a guesthouse forever.¡± Chu Molin answered Qin Lang¡¯s question while making the bed.

    ¡°Are they planning to stay for a long time?¡± Qin Lang asked incredulously.

    ¡°No, they¡¯re waiting for my injury to heal and then they¡¯ll go back.¡± Chu Molin felt that Qin Lang seemed to have become stupid. Is that possible?

    ¡°Why wait for your injury to heal before going back? Don¡¯t you have your wife to take care of you?¡± Qin Lang asked, perplexed.

    ¡°Because Qin Xue is going back to H Province with them.¡± Chu Molin sat down on the bed after making it and looked at Qin Lang.

    ¡°Eh, can you bear it?¡± Qin Lang looked at Chu Molin in surprise.

    ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± Chu Molin looked at his classmate and friend.

    ¡°If you can¡¯t bear it, why let her go back with them?¡± Qin Lang couldn¡¯t quite understand what Chu Molin was thinking.

    ¡°You know the special training was interrupted before it could be completed.

    Moreover, her belly is getting bigger, and I have to work and can¡¯t take care of her. If you were in my shoes, would you feel at ease leaving her alone at home?¡± Chu Molin looked at Qin Lang.

    ¡°What you said makes sense. Now that you mention it, we soldiers, when busy, can¡¯t take care of our families at all.

    Seeing your wife¡¯s belly is particularly large, if there¡¯s no one to look after her, I wouldn¡¯t be at ease.¡± Qin Lang wasn¡¯t stupid.

    At first, he just thought that Chu Molin and his wife were so close that he couldn¡¯t bear to let her leave.

    ¡°What about the follow-up?¡± Chu Molin asked.

    ¡°The situation is basically under our control. As long as they show up, we can capture them.¡± Once the topic shifted to work, Qin Lang¡¯s expression became serious.

    ¡°That¡¯s good, we must ensure Jing Xin¡¯s safety.¡± Chu Molin nodded.

    ¡°This we will certainly do.¡± Qin Lang thought of the undercover agent who had risked his life to bring out the information time after time.

    ¡°How¡¯s your family¡¯s old man now?¡± After a moment of silence, Chu Molin asked.

    ¡°Our family¡¯s old man is full of energy.

    What, you got something you need from him?¡± Qin Lang didn¡¯t understand why Chu Molin suddenly asked about his family¡¯s old man.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m just casually asking.¡± Chu Molin had a lingering confusion in his heart.

    ¡°I thought you had something.¡± Qin Lang didn¡¯t really want to go back either, for fear of being forced to marry by his family¡¯s old man.

    ¡°How about your second uncle?¡± Chu Molin had only met him a few times.

    ¡°Still the same. You alright? Why did you ask about our family¡¯s old man first and then my second uncle?¡± Why did Chu Molin seem a bit strange to Qin Lang today?

    ¡°Just casually asking, seeing how long you can stay here, and when you¡¯ll be caught and taken back..¡± Chu Molin had his own reasons for asking, but how could he explain them to Qin Lang?

 Chapter 311

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Lang looked at Chu Molin with suspicion, not believing a word he said.

    This guy was always scheming, capable of manipulating people without them even knowing.

    He can still remember their school days when a guy in their class had a crush on a girl who was popular in their class.

    However, the girl he liked had feelings for Chu Molin, and this led the guy to challenge Chu Molin to a one-on-one fight.

    Anyone would think this guy took up the challenge, but he didn¡¯t. Instead, he successfully arranged for another person, who often caused him trouble, to

    take his place in the fight.

    After that incident, those two guys avoided crossing paths with Chu Molin.

    Later on, he had asked Chu Molin about what actually happened that day.

    But Chu Molin refused to tell him anything about it.

    Also, after that incident, Chu Molin was seen as someone no one dared to mess with in their class.

    As Qin Lang was a good friend of Chu Molin, no one dared to cross him either.

    But even without Chu Molin, nobody would dare to provoke him.

    Chu Molin had no idea what Qin Lang was thinking, but he found his smile to be quite eerie.

    ¡°I¡¯ve started to like it here and I don¡¯t want to go back.¡± Qin Lang was actually at a loss. If his second uncle actually gave orders, he really wouldn¡¯t be able to resist.

    ¡°You think you have a say in whether you get to stay or not?¡± Chu Molin sneered.

    ¡°Probably not, but my second uncle wouldn¡¯t care about me, right?¡± Qin Lang thought about his second uncle, who is seldom at home.

    ¡°That would depend on whether your old man gives the final order.¡± After saying this, Chu Molin lay on the bed, closed his eyes and rested.

    After hearing this, Qin Lang had nothing more to say as the possibilities seemed high.

    Seeing that Chu Molin had nothing more to say, Qin Lang lay on his bed thinking.

    Meanwhile, Li Zhao and An Hao only just arrived in the Imperial Capital.

    As soon as they stepped off the train, they were greeted by their escort. ¡°Young Master, Young Mistress.¡± Li Hu was the one assigned to pick up Li Zhao and An Hao.

    ¡°Hello, Uncle Li.¡± Li Zhao and An Hao greeted Li Hu.

    ¡°I trust you had a comfortable journey?¡± Li Hu took their luggage.

    ¡°It was alright. We had sleepers so it wasn¡¯t too bad. Thank you for picking us up, Uncle Li.¡± Li Zhao thanked Li Hu with a smile.

    ¡°No problem.¡± Li Hu put their luggage into the car.

    ¡°Let¡¯s head back and we can talk more there.¡± After loading the luggage, Li Hu turned to Li Zhao and An Hao and said.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Li Zhao held the car door open for An Hao to get in first, then he got in himself.

    When they got home, the entire family was sitting at the dining table, waiting for them to come home for dinner.

    There were quite a few people when the two families gathered together.

    Everyone was eagerly waiting at the entrance for the two of them.

    ¡°They¡¯re back! Madame, the Young Master and Young Mistress have returned.¡± Aunt Chen was the first to see the car drive in.

    Before Aunt Chen finished her sentence, everyone saw the car.

    When the car stopped in front of everyone, Li Zhao got out of the car first and stood aside waiting for An Hao.

    As soon as An Hao got out of the car, she greeted everyone with a smile.

    ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re back. We were really worried.¡± Mrs. Li told her daughter-in-law.

    ¡°Mom, we¡¯re fine. Everyone¡¯s too worried.¡± An Hao told her mother-in-law.

    Finally, she reverted to her elegant demeanor as when Qin Xue first met her.

    Even though Mrs. Li had met An Hao several times before and knew her character,

    An Hao always felt a bit nervous around her mother-in-law.

    Unconsciously, she began to display poise and grace.

    Maybe because they weren¡¯t very familiar with each other.

    As Mrs. Li had her own job and didn¡¯t spend much time at home, her interaction with An Hao was limited.

    Even though she loved Li Zhao and An Hao very much, An Hao still felt a bit reserved around her..

 Chapter 312

    Translator: 549690339

    ¡°You must be hungry. Come and eat.¡± Grandpa Li noticed that everyone was standing at the door chatting with his grandson and granddaughter-in-law.

    He couldn¡¯t help but interrupt, as their food would get cold if they continued talking.

    This meal had just been heated by Aunt Chen when she saw their car arrive, and it would have to be reheated again if they delayed any longer.

    ¡°Grandpa, we¡¯re back.¡± Li Zhao, holding An Hao¡¯s hand, went over to greet Grandpa Li.

    ¡°Mhm, go greet your maternal grandparents too.¡± Li Changshan was very happy that his grandson and granddaughter-in-law greeted him first.

    However, he couldn¡¯t forget that his old war buddy was also here.

    Moreover, his granddaughter-in-law was his old war buddy¡¯s granddaughter.

    ¡°Maternal grandparents, we¡¯re back.¡± Li Zhao originally intended to hold An Hao¡¯s hand and greet her grandparents together.

    But just as he was about to step forward, he saw Xiao Jingfeng giving him a look.

    So, he changed direction and greeted his own grandpa first before greeting his maternal grandparents.

    ¡°Good, it¡¯s good that you¡¯re back.¡± Grandma Xiao patted An Hao¡¯s hand and said.

    ¡°Grandma, I missed you.¡± An Hao affectionately said to her grandmother.

    ¡°You silly girl, don¡¯t say you missed me. If you really did, you would have come back to see me sooner.

    If you hadn¡¯t gotten pregnant, would you have even thought of coming back?¡± Grandma Xiao scolded her granddaughter.

    ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m back now, so can you please stop being mad at me?¡± An Hao playfully shook her grandmother¡¯s arm.

    ¡°You¡¯re so grown up and you¡¯re still using that trick.¡± Grandma Xiao was amused by An Hao¡¯s actions and laughed.

    With her grandmother now laughing, An Hao then greeted her uncles and aunts.

    After Li Zhao and An Hao had greeted everyone, they finally sat down to eat.

    It was supposed to be a happy meal, but as soon as An Hao caught a whiff of the dishes, she ran to the bathroom and vomited.

    Everyone stopped eating, looking at each other as they noticed that her pregnancy symptoms had kicked in.

    In the end, Aunt Chen served a bowl of plain porridge and some pickled cucumbers, which An Hao managed to eat a little of.

    Once An Hao started eating, everyone picked up their chopsticks and resumed their meal.

    Those who had been married before knew what An Hao was going through, so no one made a big fuss about it.

    The meal was finished amidst laughter and lively conversation.

    After dinner, they sat in the living room to chat.

    ¡°Zhaozi, why didn¡¯t you come back after you were discharged from the army? Instead, you took An¡¯an so far away.¡± Mrs. Li scolded her son.

    ¡°Mom, what could I do if I came back? I¡¯m doing what I love over there, and I think it¡¯s great.¡± Li Zhao was frustrated just talking about it.

    Everyone in the family wanted him to return to the Imperial Capital, but what could he do if he came back?

    He didn¡¯t want to rely on his family connections; he wanted to do what he loved based on his own abilities.

    He enjoyed the feeling, but why did his mom have to bring it up again? He knew he was going to be the target of everyone¡¯s criticism soon.

    ¡°Exactly, Zhaozi. It would be great if you came back to the Imperial Capital since the whole family is here. Now that you¡¯ve taken An¡¯an so far away, it¡¯s hard for us to even see each other.¡± The Xiaos¡¯ eldest daughter-in-law chimed in.

    Li Zhao knew this would be the outcome.

    After everyone had their say, Li Zhao finally spoke up.

    ¡°I know you all mean well, but I want to give it my all with my own capabilities.

    Whether it turns out to be good or bad, at least I¡¯ve tried my best.

    When I look back in the future, I won¡¯t have any regrets. As for An¡¯an, I won¡¯t let her suffer or struggle. I can provide her a good life.

    So uncles, aunts, please rest assured, Li Zhao is not a coward. I¡¯ll definitely make something of myself.¡±

    Everyone had talked for so long, but Li Zhao didn¡¯t budge on his decision to return to the Imperial Capital.

    In the end, they all helplessly stopped talking, thinking it best to let everyone live their lives in their own way..

 Chapter 313

    Translator: 549690339

    In the end, no one said anything about Li Zhao, and his business was still in S

    Province.

    Once his wedding banquet was over, he would return there to continue his development.

    An Hao stayed at home and didn¡¯t follow him, so he would have to travel back and forth in the future.

    Although this result was tiring, it was more reassuring.

    After all, An Hao was taken care of, and Li Zhao was willing to be tired for her sake.

    After discussing the arrangement of the banquet with them, they were allowed to rest.

    The other details could be discussed slowly, after all, they had traveled a long way and were tired.

    There was no hurry at this time, so they dispersed after the discussion.

    ¡°Zhaozi, it feels so good to be back home.¡± An Hao looked at Li Zhao as soon as she entered the room.

    ¡°An¡¯an, it¡¯s my fault for not taking good care of you.¡± Li Zhao touched An Hao¡¯s head and said.

    ¡°Not at all, you¡¯ve been very good to me. Where didn¡¯t you take care of me?¡± An Hao only felt lonely sometimes over there.

    ¡°But my time with you is very limited.¡± Li Zhao was busy with his career and sometimes couldn¡¯t spend much time with her.

    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that, let¡¯s go take a shower and rest. I¡¯m a bit tired.¡± An Hao knew what Li Zhao wanted to say.

    ¡°Alright, you go take a shower and rest early.

    I¡¯ll go talk to my father for a bit and come back.¡± Li Zhao had some things to discuss with his father.

    ¡°Alright, don¡¯t take too long. Come back and take a bath and rest early. You¡¯ve also been on the road for a long time.¡± An Hao didn¡¯t say anything unpleasant or objectionable.

    ¡°I know, take your shower and get to bed.¡± Li Zhao patted her on the back and said.

    ¡°Mhm, I know, I¡¯m not a child.¡± An Hao thought to herself that it was them treating her like a child that made her more and more childlike.

    An Hao isn¡¯t really naive; she¡¯s just relatively simple-minded and not used to being guarded around people she¡¯s familiar with.

    So she gave the impression of being a sweet and innocent girl.

    Now that she was pregnant and about to become a mother, she needed to change the way she interacted with others.

    Otherwise, her child might suffer in the future.

    No matter for her own sake or for her child¡¯s, she had to change.

    After thinking about these things, An Hao went to shower, and Li Zhao went to knock on the door of his father¡¯s study.

    ¡°Come in.¡± Li Guoqiang said after hearing the knock.

    ¡°Dad.¡± Li Zhao heard his father¡¯s voice, opened the door, and walked in.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you resting in your room?¡± Li Guoqiang asked when he saw his son come in.

    ¡°Dad, when I came back this time, I saw Mr. Chu. He was supposed to attend our wedding when he came back, but he didn¡¯t, and he is also married now.¡± Li Zhao told his father.

    ¡°You mean the eldest grandson of the Chu family got married?¡± Li Guoqiang caught the key point.

    ¡°Yes, he did.¡± Li Zhao nodded his head.

    ¡°That girl from the Luu family will definitely make a fuss when she finds out.¡± Li Guoqiang thought of that girl from the Luu family.

    ¡°I guess the Luu family will put pressure on the Chus, so Dad, don¡¯t let it slip if someone asks about Mr. Chu not attending my wedding this time.¡± Li Zhao reminded his father.

    ¡°Alright, I got it. Do you know what his wife is like?¡± Li Guoqiang thought for a moment and asked.

    ¡°She is not bad, very beautiful, smart, and capable. If we don¡¯t consider family background, she¡¯s a great match for Mr. Chu. Also, she¡¯s pregnant and will give birth in two months.¡± Li Zhao dropped the bombshell.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Chu Yeting to be faster than me this time.¡± Li Guoqiang¡¯s reaction to hearing this news was much bigger than hearing that Chu Molin got married.

    The Chu¡¯s plan may come to nothing now.

    Ha, he wasn¡¯t surprised that Chu Molin did this after thinking about how he and his mother were treated back then..

 Chapter 314

    Translator: 549690339

    Li Zhao looked at his father¡¯s reaction, which was not as big as he feared, not bad, not bad.

    So, even if the Chus find out about the eldest son¡¯s matter, they shouldn¡¯t be too angry, right?

    The reason he says this is because Chu Molin¡¯s mother and his father are somehow related, so that¡¯s why he raised it with his father.

    Why else would he tell his dad about the eldest son¡¯s matter, there¡¯s no need, right?

    ¡°Alright, I get it, no need to test my attitude, you little rascal.

    Since he chose to leave home in the first place, what he does now doesn¡¯t surprise me.

    Relax, I will help him in the future.¡± If Li Guoqiang doesn¡¯t understand his son¡¯s intentions by now, then he has lived all these years in vain.

    ¡°Hehe, Dad, I was just afraid, so you have to help the eldest more in the future.

    You can leak some of the news to Grandma Miao, but let¡¯s not tell Mr. Chu.¡± The Grandma Miao Li Zhao was referring to is Chu Molin¡¯s grandmother, a kind and lovely old woman.

    She has been the kindest of all in the Chu family to the eldest son, who knows what will happen if she finds out she is soon to be a great-grandmother.

    ¡°That can be considered, or, as an alternative, I can give the Hong Family a heads up.¡± said Li Guoqiang, a bit sneakily.

    Chu Yeting and Zhao Xuezhi dared to do so to his cousin, he may not be able to do anything about it, but he could make things a little trickier for them.

    ¡°The Gongs? Would they care?¡± Li Zhao figured that if the Gongs had cared in the first place, the eldest son wouldn¡¯t be estranged from home now.

    ¡°Yes, they will care, and they will care very much.¡± Li Guoqiang knew all too well that it was the Gongs¡¯ negligence years ago that led to the current situation.

    ¡°But why?¡± Li Zhao wasn¡¯t understanding.

    ¡°Because of your aunt¡¯s affairs back then, they didn¡¯t care at the time, and now they very much regret it, so they will definitely jump out, even if Molin doesn¡¯t need it.¡± Li Guoqiang thought of his late cousin.

    A girl left in the countryside for many years, because everyone didn¡¯t know she was the Gong¡¯s little daughter, a person forgotten by people.

    Otherwise, would Chu Yeting and Zhao Xuezhi dare to be so audacious?

    ¡°Dad, are there other things I don¡¯t know about?¡± Li Zhao was getting more and more confused as the conversation wore on.

    ¡°Alright, go back to bed. When it¡¯s time for you to know, you¡¯ll know.¡± Li Guoqiang didn¡¯t want to say anymore.

    ¡°Dad, you¡¯re not being fair.¡± Li Zhao looked at his father, who was playing tricks.

    ¡°I¡¯m still your Dad even if I¡¯m not fair, go back, An Hao should be waiting for you alone in the room by now.¡± Li Guoqiang knew how to deal with his son.

    ¡°Well, Dad, I¡¯m going back, you should rest early too.¡± Li Zhao lights up when he hears about An Hao.

    Moreover, he knows that if he continues to ask, his father will not tell him

    anymore.

    ¡°Go back, just prepare for the wedding, don¡¯t worry about other things too much.¡± Li Guoqiang waved at Li Zhao, giving him a piece of advice.

    ¡°I got it.¡± Li Zhao¡¯s voice came from outside.

    Sitting in the study, Li Guoqiang thought of that poor person.

    ¡°Ya¡¯er, your son is wonderful and you are soon to be a grandmother. Happy, right?¡± Li Guoqiang felt a slight pain in his heart, this person he cherished so deeply inside.

    Because of a mistaken decision, two people who could have been husband and wife become blood relatives. That kind of pain in the heart can¡¯t be expressed in words.

    Li Guoqiang doesn¡¯t know how long he sat before finally getting up to go back to his room.

    Seeing his wife already asleep, he sighed internally, cherish the present moment.

    Chen Lei felt someone beside her and immediately opened her eyes. Once she saw her husband, she let out a sigh of relief.

    ¡°Why are you so late?¡± Chen Lei asked with her eyes closed.

    ¡°I was handling some documents, time flew by, go back to sleep.¡± Li Guoqiang said, realizing he had woken his wife up.

    ¡°Mmm.¡± Responding with a hum, Chen Lei fell back to sleep.

    Li Guoqiang lay there looking at the ceiling, not sure when he fell asleep himself..

 Chapter 315

    Translator: 549690339

    When Li Zhao returned to his room, An Hao was already asleep. Seeing her somewhat tired face, Li Zhao felt a pain in his heart.

    With a sigh, he picked up his clothes and went to take a shower.

    Li Zhao thought of his father¡¯s hesitance to speak, and wondered if there really was something he didn¡¯t know about.

    Was what he didn¡¯t know the reason why his sister didn¡¯t want to come back home?

    Li Zhao irritably scratched his hair, feeling as if everyone else knew what had happened back then, and he was the only one left in the dark.

    His sister wouldn¡¯t say anything, his younger brother wouldn¡¯t say anything, and now even his own father was acting like this.

    This feeling of being kept in the dark was terrible, making him so frustrated that he felt like hitting someone.

    After Li Zhao finished showering, he dried his hair and turned off the light before going to bed. He closed his eyes and slept only after pulling An Hao into his arms.

    Qin Xue and her mother lay in bed chatting after washing up, talking about anything and everything that came to mind.

    In fact, Qin Xue didn¡¯t even know what to talk about. She just wanted to talk to her mother, so she said whatever came to mind, and her mother responded in kind.

    Her mother¡¯s knowledge and eloquence confirmed Qin Xue¡¯s suspicion that her mother had an extraordinary background.

    After talking for a long time, their voices slowly faded. Nangong Shulan looked at her already-asleep daughter, her heart aching softly.

    She knew about her daughter¡¯s changes, but she didn¡¯t say anything. She thought this situation would not happen, but it still did.

    She remembered when her daughter was little, a cute and well-behaved child.

    One day, when a monk came to their village for alms, little Qin Xue gave him the steamed bun she held in her hand.

    Grateful for Qin Xue¡¯s kindness, the monk approached Nangong Shulan and said, ¡°Madam, your daughter has a kind heart, but her fate with you is shallow. To ensure she grows up safely, you must be cautious around water. I have a jade pendant here; have her wear it, and never take it off. Otherwise, she may not be able to escape her calamities.¡±

    The monk handed Nangong Shulan the jade pendant he was wearing and repeatedly emphasized not to remove it.

    Otherwise, Qin Xue¡¯s two disasters could cost her life.

    If she couldn¡¯t avoid the second calamity, then Nangong Shulan should be mentally prepared for what could come.

    Indeed, as Qin Xue slowly grew up, one day, while playing with her younger sister, Qin Jiale was pushed into the water.

    Qin Xue went down to save her, and although Qin Jiale was saved, Qin Xue almost died in the process.

    Qin Xue was eventually rescued and experienced a high fever that wouldn¡¯t subside. Afterward, her personality changed. But she was still kind-hearted, and Nangong Shulan eventually got used to having a daughter with a different personality. Now, after another head injury and period of unconsciousness, her daughter didn¡¯t recognize anyone, and her personality had changed again.

    Fortunately, her daughter was still kind-hearted. Nangong Shulan had experienced her daughter¡¯s transformation three times, and thankfully, the monk had only talked to her about this matter.

    If others knew, who knew how they would have reacted.

    would they treat her daughter as a monster? Would they hurt her?

    Nangong Shulan felt genuinely terrified at the thought.

    She herself had difficulty accepting her daughter¡¯s repeated changes, how could she expect others to accept it?

    Thankfully, she was there to help her daughter this time. She would explain to others that her daughter¡¯s changes were due to meeting many people outside.

    Thus, her personality and knowledge had expanded.

    Hopefully, no one would have any suspicions.

    Nangong Shulan sighed and touched her daughter¡¯s head, ¡°My child, how many calamities must you go through? No matter who you become, in my heart, you will always be my daughter.

    I¡¯ve known about your extraordinary nature since you were very young.

    I just never imagined that each time, it would put your life at risk, as if you are changing with your life..¡±

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    Qin Yu sat on the bed, holding the clothes he had taken off and touching them with his hand.

    This was the first time his sister had bought clothes for him, and they were beautiful and fit perfectly.

    People always said that twins had a special connection, and it turned out to be true.

    As he grew older, he sensed the fear of death twice.

    These two fears of death were related to Qin Xue, and others didn¡¯t understand why he was so special to Qin Xue.

    It was because when Qin Xue, as the older sister, first jumped into the water to save her little sister, he didn¡¯t have time to stop her and almost lost her.

    It was then that he felt the strong presence of death.

    Later, when his sister woke up, the feeling disappeared.

    After so many years, a few months ago, he felt that feeling again.

    But he couldn¡¯t tell anyone, so he kept it in his heart and never told anyone. It wasn¡¯t until he learned that his sister had been injured and fell into a coma that he realized that the feeling was related to their heart-to-heart connection.

    Qin Yu¡¯s feelings were really complicated now. As he grew older, both times he connected with his sister were when she was in danger.

    But at other times, she and her sister were just like sisters, with no difference, so why was that?

    Although Qin Yu cherished this connection, but each time it was when his sister was in danger, even if he sensed it, it was too late to save her, wasn¡¯t it?

    Qin Yu couldn¡¯t understand why. Was it because Qin Xue, besides being his sister, also shared the same father with him, and had a closer blood relationship than with his little sister?

    Qin Yu was immersed in this confusion, not knowing when he finally fell asleep, only knowing that he didn¡¯t seem to sleep long before he heard the wake-up whistle.

    Even though he didn¡¯t sleep well, Qin Yu got out of bed the moment he heard the wake-up whistle.

    He didn¡¯t forget that he was now working with Wei Shaohui, and he couldn¡¯t make his brother-in-law feel uncomfortable.

    Qin Yu quickly put on his clothes and went to wash up, then looked in the mirror to tidy up his appearance.

    The clothes he was wearing were newly issued by Chu Molin, who gave them to him before leaving last night.

    After Qin Yu was ready, he opened the door and went to the playground for the assembly.

    Meanwhile, Qin Xue had gotten used to the sound of the wake-up whistle and continued to sleep after turning over.

    Nangong Shulan wasn¡¯t so lucky, as she had slept enough yesterday afternoon.

    She couldn¡¯t sleep late last night, and just when she finally fell asleep, the wake-up whistle sounded again.

    Once she was woken up, Nangong Shulan couldn¡¯t go back to sleep.

    Since she couldn¡¯t sleep, she decided to get up and make breakfast.

    After observing the kitchen yesterday, Nangong Shulan knew where everything was placed.

    When Qin Xue woke up, she saw her mother had already prepared breakfast and set the table.

    ¡°Mom, why did you wake up so early?¡± Qin Xue looked at the breakfast on the table and swallowed her saliva.

    The breakfast Nangong Shulan made was really delicious.

    Although Qin Xue¡¯s cooking was also tasty, she felt that it lacked a little soul, that little soul being the taste of home.

    ¡°You¡¯re awake, go wash up and come eat breakfast.¡± Nangong Shulan said gently after seeing her daughter wake up.

    ¡°Mm, I¡¯ll be ready right away.¡± Qin Xue couldn¡¯t wait and rushed to the bathroom to wash up.

    As Qin Xue was washing up, Chu Molin returned from the dormitory.

    Chu Molin chose the time to come back carefully because he had come to understand Qin Xue¡¯s habits after spending time with her recently.

    He knew that at this time, even if she was too tired and still asleep, Qin Xue would be up, and coming back now wouldn¡¯t be awkward.

    ¡°Molin, you¡¯re back. Go wash up and join us for breakfast.¡± Nangong Shulan smiled and said to him when she saw him.

    ¡°Okay, thank you, mom.¡± Chu Molin put away his keys.

    He prepared to go to the bathroom to wash up, while Qin Xue had just come out after finishing, and the two almost bumped into each other..

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    Qin Xue recoiled in shock, her heart pounding.

    At first, Chu Molin wasn¡¯t scared by the collision with Qin Xue, but rather by her sudden movement.

    Chu Molin reached out and pulled Qin Xue into his embrace.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, be careful, why are you so reckless? What if you fell?¡± Chu Molin chided the person in his arms.

    ¡°It¡¯s all because you scared me! Don¡¯t you know scaring people can kill them?¡± Qin Xue angrily pinched his waist hard.

    This guy was playing the victim while being the perpetrator.

    If it weren¡¯t for his sudden appearance, would she have been scared?

    But she was being scolded before he even spoke.

    How could Qin Xue not be annoyed? Chu Molin¡¯s muscles were too hard, she couldn¡¯t even make a dent with her pinch, and instead hurt her own hand.

    Qin Xue glared at him resentfully. She couldn¡¯t pinch him, huh?

    Then she¡¯d step on his foot. That should hurt.

    With a determined movement, she stepped on his foot, gave a smug grin, broke free from his arms, and went to eat her breakfast.

    Chu Molin looked at his little wife sitting in the living room, preparing for breakfast, rubbed his pinched waist, and glanced down at his stepped-on foot.

    He couldn¡¯t help but feel both irritated and amused, shaking his head as he went in to wash up.

    Nangong Shulan handed Qin Xue a bowl of porridge. Qin Xue put it in another spot, took the third bowl and drank a mouthful. The rice porridge was thick and tasted sweet and soft.

    Qin Xue finished the bowl of warm porridge in just a few bites.

    As she was about to get up and refill her bowl, Chu Molin took it instead.

    Qin Xue looked at him and simply sat down, waiting.

    Qin Xue picked up a piece of fried dough, tore off a small piece, and put it in her mouth to slowly eat.

    Chu Molin placed the porridge in front of Qin Xue and returned to his seat to eat breakfast.

    ¡°Mom, how did you make this fried dough? It tastes different from the ones sold outside.¡± Qin Xue thought not only was it different from the ones sold elsewhere, but even the texture was different from the ones she made.

    ¡°It might be because I let the dough rise one more time.¡± Nangong Shulan would always let the dough rise an extra time when making fried dough, thinking it made them fluffier and more delicious.

    However, when they were in the Qins¡¯ village, times were tough, so she rarely made fried dough.

    Here, she made fried dough and rice porridge for breakfast since she heard Chu Molin liked them.

    Knowing that men have bigger appetites, she also steamed some buns.

    ¡°Huh, you can let the dough rise one more time?¡± Qin Xue asked her mother doubtfully.

    ¡°Yes, when I was little, my mother taught me to make fried dough this way.

    If you like it, I can teach you how to make it this way next time.¡± Nangong Shulan learned how to make fried dough from her own mother.

    ¡°Okay, I want to learn, so I can make delicious fried dough in the future.¡± Qin Xue took a satisfied bite of the fried dough, smiling sweetly.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, eat slowly, no one¡¯s fighting you for it.¡± Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue¡¯s eating speed and worried that she might choke.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll steal it from me.¡± Qin Xue arrogantly raised her chin and gave him a sidelong glance.

    ¡°You little brat, don¡¯t listen to her, Molin. Have some fried dough.¡± Nangong Shulan scolded Qin Xue and placed a piece of fried dough on Chu Molin¡¯s plate.

    ¡°Mom, you¡¯re being partial.¡± Qin Xue felt jealous.

    ¡°Hehe, so this is what you call partiality?¡± Nangong Shulan looked at Qin Xue unhappily.

    ¡°Well, I think so.¡± Qin Xue pretended to look heartbroken.

    Under the table, she secretly kicked Chu Molin¡¯s leg.

    Chu Molin raised an eyebrow at her, not knowing what she was up to, and asked with his eyes, ¡°Why are you kicking me?¡±

    ¡°Hmph, who told you to compete with me for Mom¡¯s attention.¡± Qin Xue returned an annoyed glance..

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    Chu Molin couldn¡¯t help but laugh after receiving Qin Xue¡¯s gaze.

    He finally understood Xie Jun¡¯s feelings. Qin Xue was now focused entirely on her mother-in-law, ignoring him and even blaming him for competing with her for her mother¡¯s attention.

    Had he fallen out of favor in just one day?

    Chu Molin reluctantly placed the fried doughstick that his mother-in-law had given him on the plate in front of Qin Xue.

    This made Qin Xue happy, and she sweetly smiled at Chu Molin.

    In fact, in Qin Xue¡¯s heart, what she wanted wasn¡¯t the fried doughstick but Chu Molin¡¯s affection.

    Seeing Qin Xue¡¯s sweet smile, Chu Molin felt warmth in his heart, understanding her intentions.

    Nangong Shulan quietly ate her own breakfast without saying anything. What could she say?

    She was almost full from the lovey-dovey exchanges between her daughter and son-in-law.

    The young people now were truly different from their generation.

    Back in their time, they didn¡¯t have such courage to show affection in front of others.

    As a couple, they weren¡¯t used to being overly intimate with each other.

    Let alone when a third person was present, so this morning she got her fill of lovey-dovey behavior.

    Qin Xue, who grew up in a later generation, was used to this and didn¡¯t think there was anything inappropriate about it.

    And Chu Molin didn¡¯t care about others¡¯ opinions because Qin Xue was the person he wanted to stay with and love for his entire life.

    As a result, the couple didn¡¯t have an awkward personality, so they naturally exhibited a way of interaction that didn¡¯t fit this era.

    However, they didn¡¯t realize it themselves, and Nangong Shulan thought that if her daughter and son-in-law got along well and were happy, that was enough.

    Therefore, Nangong Shulan didn¡¯t remind them that their current interaction was a bit too much.

    ¡°Mom, Xiao Yu¡¯s breakfast is being kept warm in the pot for him so that when he comes back and eats it, it¡¯s still hot,¡± Qin Xue put Qin Yu¡¯s breakfast into the pot to keep it warm.

    Chu Molin conscientiously cleaned up the dishes, and Nangong Shulan, who was thanked for her hard work in preparing breakfast, rested in the living room chair.

    Nangong Shulan sat there and watched the busy couple clean up, feeling secretly happy.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, be careful when you go to the city later.

    This is your mother¡¯s first time here, so you should be careful not to get separated,¡± Chu Molin cautioned Qin Xue as he washed the dishes.

    ¡°Okay, I know.¡± Qin Xue also understood this.

    After Qin Xue and Chu Molin finished tidying up, Qin Xue took her backpack, and remembered that she should go and get the toddler walker before leaving.

    ¡°Chu Molin, I almost forgot. The walker I ordered for Little Jingtao can be picked up now,¡± Qin Xue nearly forgot about this.

    ¡°Where is it? I can go and get it for you later,¡± Chu Molin thought that his injury had healed a lot, and it wouldn¡¯t be a problem to pick up a walker.

    ¡°No need, there¡¯s still some work left to do on it. What I meant is that I want you to accompany me to the village this afternoon,¡± Qin Xue and her mother were going to take a bus to the city now and could take the supply truck back from the research institute later.

    ¡°You¡¯re pushing yourself too hard. Just tell me what needs to be done, and I¡¯ll go and get it for you,¡± Chu Molin was worried that Qin Xue was pushing herself too hard and that her body wouldn¡¯t be able to take it.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine then. Here¡¯s the blueprint, and this is how the cloth should be installed,¡± Qin Xue took out a blueprint and a piece of cloth, telling Chu Molin how the cloth should be installed and what it was for.

    After understanding the instructions, Chu Molin went with his mother to the city.

    They were lucky, as the bus came just after they arrived at the station, saving them from waiting in vain.

    Mother and daughter found two seats next to each other on the bus.

    Both mother and daughter were beautiful, and even at her age, Nangong

    Shulan couldn¡¯t help but draw attention with the clothes Qin Xue had given her.

    When they left the research institute, Qin Xue noticed that many people were staring at her mother..

 Chapter 319

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    Her mother¡¯s charm was too overwhelming, and it put a lot of pressure on her as a daughter, right?

    ¡°Mom, you have a 100% head-turning rate.¡± Qin Xue joked with her mother, smiling.

    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about, girl?¡± Nangong Shulan looked at her daughter with some embarrassment. This girl really dared to say anything.

    ¡°Hehe, Mom, are you embarrassed by people looking at you or by me saying this?¡± Qin Xue looked at her mother¡¯s embarrassed face and laughed.

    ¡°I¡¯m old now, there¡¯s nothing good or bad about it. It¡¯s just that when you say it like that, I feel a little inappropriate.¡± Nangong Shulan had already felt a little strange along the way.

    Now, after hearing her daughter¡¯s words, she understood where that strange feeling came from.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with it.¡± Qin Xue looked at her mother up and down. Very beautiful, there¡¯s nothing wrong with it.

    ¡°I¡¯m just at this age, wearing such a gorgeous outfit out, it seems like I¡¯ve come out to attract bees and butterflies.¡± Nangong Shulan actually wanted to be more blunt and say that she was out to seduce people.

    But she couldn¡¯t say it, so she used a man¡¯s wording instead.

    ¡°Pfft, Mom, you¡¯re overthinking it. You look very beautiful and graceful in this outfit.

    There¡¯s nothing inappropriate about it, so just be confident and hold your head high.

    If anyone dares to say that about you, not to mention you, I won¡¯t let them off the hook first.¡± Qin Xue said boldly.

    ¡°What do you think we¡¯re going to do? fight?¡± Nangong Shulan was amused by Qin Xue¡¯s appearance.

    ¡°Whoever dares to hit my mom, I¡¯ll beat them until they¡¯re searching for their teeth all over the ground.¡± Qin Xue said with a lot of arrogance.

    ¡°Alright, you girl, you¡¯re getting more and more out of line.¡± Nangong Shulan looked at her much more lively daughter, feeling both heartache and relief.

    While mother and daughter were joking and laughing on their way to the city, Qin Yu, who had just returned from a hard training session, entered the house and found no sign of his sister and mother.

    Only his brother-in-law was at home, and he remembered that they had mentioned going to send a telegram yesterday.

    Now that they were not at home, they must have gone to the city. ¡°Brother-in-law, have my mom and sister gone to the city?¡± Although Qin Yu thought of this, he still asked to be sure.

    ¡°Yes, your breakfast is in the pot, go and get it yourself.¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t lift his head from his book as he replied to Qin Yu, but he kept his eyes on the book and didn¡¯t even glance at anything else.

    Seeing his brother-in-law engrossed in his book, not even looking up at him while answering his questions, Qin Yu didn¡¯t feel uncomfortable, because he was like that when he read books as well.

    Once he started reading, he was completely absorbed in it and couldn¡¯t spare any attention to anything else.

    Qin Yu took out the breakfast left for him and began eating slowly.

    It wasn¡¯t until Qin Yu was almost done with his breakfast that Chu Molin¡¯s eyes moved from the content of the book to Qin Yu.

    ¡°How did it feel today?¡± Chu Molin asked bluntly.

    ¡°It was okay.¡± Qin Yu felt that the training was within his acceptable range, just that his muscles were a little sore.

    ¡°Pay attention to the methods, and if you don¡¯t understand anything, you can ask me or Wei Shaohui.

    Don¡¯t train blindly on your own, so as not to hurt yourself.¡± Chu Molin was afraid that Qin Yu would take risks and make hasty progress, which would not be good.

    ¡°I know my limits.¡± Qin Yu wanted to improve his abilities quickly, but he also knew that he had never trained before and had no foundation.

    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Chu Molin finished speaking and returned his gaze to the book.

    ¡°Brother-in-law, I have a question for you.¡± Qin Yu thought for a moment before interrupting Chu Molin¡¯s reading.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Chu Molin lifted his head and looked at Qin Yu..

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    Chu Molin didn¡¯t know what Qin Yu wanted to ask, so he quietly waited for him to speak.

    ¡°l just want to ask how my sister was injured and lost her memory?¡± Qin Yu put down his chopsticks and asked Chu Molin.

    ¡°l didn¡¯t know about it at the time. It wasn¡¯t until I returned that I noticed the difference in your sister.

    She didn¡¯t even recognize me, and even thought 1 was just one of the others here.

    It was only later that they told me your sister was injured and lost her memory.

    When I heard that, I was pretty angry at the time, so I had someone look into what happened.

    The investigation results pointed to a woman named Bai Jing. Later, I had someone make some trouble for this woman named Bai Jing.¡± Chu Molin thought about the report he received from Li Dabao,

    It turned out that Bai Jing had many siblings, and the more children a family had, the harder it was for them to get by.

    This woman¡¯s father arranged a quota for her through his connections.

    It didn¡¯t matter how she was getting by, for Chu Molin had nothing to do with her.

    But she didn¡¯t take care and happened to hurt Qin Xue.

    Since that was the case, Chu Molin didn¡¯t feel sorry for being ruthless.

    So when Li Dabao investigated Bai Jings family, Chu Molin¡¯s order to him was to send Bai Jing back home directly.

    The additional condition, of course, was that her fate would be the same as the woman who drugged Qin Xue back in their village.

    He wanted her to know the consequences of hurting his women.

    As for the woman named Su Yun, Chu Molin hadn¡¯t done anything to her out of respect for the old director. But if she continued to be ignorant, he wouldn¡¯t mind giving her a taste of cruelty as well.

    ¡°Was the trouble you made for her light or heavy?¡± Qin Yu¡¯s handsome face was cold and indifferent.

    ¡°Her fate is the same as that of the woman from your village, only this woman

    also got an early retirement.¡± Chu Molin¡¯s words were cold and emotionless. What kind of good outcome could such a person have? Especially since Chu

    Molin had already arranged her fate.

    That¡¯s why he deserved the title of Cold King.

    ¡°Very good. l, Qin Yu, swear that I won¡¯t let go of anyone who dares to hurt my sister.¡± At this moment, the aura Qin Yu exuded was as cold and ruthless as Chu Molin¡¯s.

    It seemed as if no one could enter their hearts, but in their hearts, they both had a woman named Qin Xue.

    One¡¯s heart was filled with family love, while the other¡¯s heart contained romantic love.

    ¡°Not to mention that I won¡¯t let go of those who hurt your sister, I won¡¯t let go of anyone who dares to hurt her even more. I promise to keep my word.¡± Chu Molin always kept his word, even if it meant risking his life.

    ¡°Good, brother-in-law, I admire people like you in my life.¡± At this moment, Qin Yu truly felt that Chu Molin was powerful.

    ¡°After your sister goes back, take good care of her for me.¡± Chu Molin instructed his brother-in-law.

    ¡°Brother-in-law, don¡¯t worry, I will definitely take good care of my sister.¡± Qin Yu promised.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± After thanking him, Chu Molin¡¯s attention returned to the book. Qin Yu quickly finished his breakfast, tidied up the dishes, and went back to work together.

    Now he needed to learn even more about going to work, because he had an additional task ¨C to properly protect his sister and the child in her womb.

    To protect them, he had to strengthen his own abilities.

    After Qin Xue and Nangong Shulan arrived in the county town, they went directly to the post office to send a telegram to Qin Lei.

    The content of the telegram was to tell Qin Lei that Nangong Shulan and Qin Yu would stay in the research institute for about half a month, waiting for Chu Molin¡¯s injury to heal before going back with Qin Xue..

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    After sending the telegram, Qin Xue brought her mother to the store.

    ¡°Fang Xiu, Little Jingtao.¡± Qin Xue greeted Fang Xiu and her son.

    ¡°Qin Xue, why did you come? I heard Commander Chu was injured, and you were taking care of him at home. How do you have time to come over?¡± Fang Xiu had also heard from Fang Hong and Yu Xiu that Chu Molin was injured and Qin Xue was taking care of him.

    ¡°He¡¯s much better now, and he can move around on his own.

    So, I brought my mother to the city to look around.

    I also brought her here to get acquainted with you all.¡± Qin Xue teased Jingtao while answering Fang Xiu¡¯s questions.

    ¡°Little Jingtao, call her Auntie, and this is Auntie¡¯s mother, you should call her Grandma Nangong.¡± Well, Qin Xue even introduced people differently.

    This Qin Xue actually let Jingtao call her mother Grandma directly.

    ¡°Qin Xue, you¡­ ¡± Fang Xiu was grateful in her heart.

    Qin Xue¡¯s words were meant to close the distance between them.

    ¡°Mom, this is Fang Xiu, one of my partners I told you about.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t pick up on Fang Xiu¡¯s words, but instead introduced Fang Xiu to her mother.

    ¡°Fang Xiu, my mother, Nangong Shulan.¡± Qin Xue finished introducing Fang Xiu and then introduced her mother.

    ¡°Auntie, hello, I¡¯m Fang Xiu, and this is my son, nicknamed Taotao.¡± Fang Xiu hugged Jingtao and greeted Nangong Shulan.

    ¡°Hello Fang Xiu, Taotao right, come let Grandma Nangong hug you, okay?¡± Nangong Shulan took her daughter¡¯s word for it and called herself Grandma Nangong.

    ¡°Ya ya ya.¡± Jingtao looked at the beautiful Nangong Shulan and started babbling.

    It was because Nangong Shulan and Qin Xue looked so similar, and Jingtao, who had always liked Qin Xue, was very excited when he saw Nangong Shulan.

    Seeing Nangong Shulan talking to him and reaching out to hug him, Little Jingtao laughed with his mouth wide open, and both of his small hands reached out for Nangong Shulan to hug him.

    ¡°Ah, not shy at all, he really wants me to hug him.¡± Nangong Shulan said softly.

    ¡°Mom, you don¡¯t know, this little guy is a real beauty lover.

    Little Jingtao, isn¡¯t that right?¡± Qin Xue laughed and teased the child.

    ¡°Auntie, have some water.¡± Seeing Qin Xue and Nangong Shulan playing with her son, Fang Xiu went to pour two glasses of water.

    ¡°Thank you, Fang Xiu.¡± Nangong Shulan, holding Jingtao while sitting in the chair, reached out and took the water cup with one hand.

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome, Auntie.¡± Fang Xiu said with a smile.

    ¡°Qin Xue, do you want some water?¡± Fang Xiu asked Qin Xue.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m actually a bit thirsty.¡± Qin Xue took the water and finished the glass in one gulp.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you drink a little slower? Who¡¯s competing with you?¡± Fang Xiu looked at Qin Xue unhappily. If she got choked on the water, it would be Fang Xiu¡¯s burden to bear.

    ¡°l had to drink quickly because 1 was afraid you¡¯d try to steal it from me.¡± Qin Xue laughed and joked with Fang Xiu.

    Nangong Shulan was surprised to see her daughter getting along so well with this woman named Fang Xiu.

    Her daughter used to be difficult to get along with, but it seemed she had really changed.

    That¡¯s fine, too, as it makes it harder for her to offend people, and being more tactful will help her get along better in society.

    ¡°Huh, Qin Xue¡¯s here, how¡¯s Commander Chu¡¯s injury? Is it better?¡± Yu Xiu came over and saw Qin Xue laughing with Fang Xiu.

    ¡°Much better, otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t be able to get away, right?¡± Qin Xue answered Yu Xiu¡¯s question.

    But in her heart, she rolled her eyes, thinking about his powerful physique and self-healing ability, there really wasn¡¯t much for her to worry about.

    ¡°It¡¯s good that everythings fine, I was really shocked when I heard about it. I¡¯m glad it¡¯s all right now.

    You can also relax a bit and not be so tired.¡± Yu Xiu knew how hard taking care of a patient was, especially since Qin Xue was pregnant while taking care of someone.

    ¡°Mhm, thank you for your concern, sister-in-law.¡± Qin Xue knew Yu Xiu was caring for her..

 Chapter 322

    Translator: 549690339

    When Yu Xiu first heard the news of Chu Molin e s injury, she was quite surprised.

    Because she hadn¡¯t heard about anyone going on a mission recently, but she did hear about someone participating in some sort of special training.

    As a result, Chu Molin was injured and almost died. At that time, she was still thinking,

    What would Qin Xue, who is pregnant now, do if Chu Molin died?

    Could she bear the blow? How would she live in the future?

    Before she could finish worrying, she heard that Chu Molin¡¯s surgery was very successful, and he was out of danger. She was really happy for Chu Molin and Qin Xue.

    As military spouses, they all know that soldiers may lose their lives at any time.

    So as military spouses, they are always prepared to become widows.

    ¡°Qin Xue, is this your mother?¡± Yu Xiu saw an elegant-looking woman playing with Jingtao, who looked similar to Qin Xue. Plus, she heard that Qin Xue had arrived, so it should be her mother.

    ¡°Yes, sister-in-law, this is my mother Nangong Shulan.¡± Qin Xue replied and introduced Yu Xiu to her mother just like she did with Fang Xiu.

    ¡°Auntie, you¡¯re really beautiful. I always say Qin Xue is beautiful, but now I see she inherited it from you.¡± Yu Xiu smiled and complimented.

    ¡°Oh, you flatter me.¡± Nangong Shulan was in a good mood, knowing that these two people had good personalities and could become friends with Qin Xue.

    Just yesterday, Qin Xue said she had opened a clothing store with someone, and today she brought her over, probably to put her at ease.

    ¡°Auntie, please sit down. I¡¯ll go check on the store first. Qin Xue, you guys can have lunch here before you go back.

    When it¡¯s about time, you can come and watch the store, and I¡¯ll go cook.¡± Yu Xiu asked Qin Xue.

    ¡°Sure, I don¡¯t mind. Today, my mom and 1 came to tovvn with two goals:

    One is to send a telegram, and the other is to bother Fang Xiu a bit more, asking her to make two sets of clothes for my grandparents.

    We¡¯ll pay the same wage as last time,¡± Qin Xue explained her intentions.

    ¡°Sure, what are the measurements? What style will we be making this time?¡± Fang Xiu got excited upon hearing this. Was this a sign of a new design, and a chance to learn something new?

    ¡°Here you go.¡± The drawings were taken from the original ones by Qin Xue, who modified them.

    ¡°Mom, please tell Fang Xiu grandpa and grandma¡¯s measurements. Their clothes are all made by Fang Xiu.¡± Qin Xue looked at her mother.

    ¡°So the beautiful clothes were all made by you, young lady? Your craftsmanship is really good.¡± Nangong Shulan had been there for a while and thought the clothes were made by another tailor.

    But she hadn¡¯t seen anyone else for half a day, and it turned out the tailor was so young.

    Remarkable, such a young age and so skilled at making clothes, she¡¯ll definitely achieve great things in the future.

    ¡°Auntie, you¡¯re too kind. As long as you like the clothes, it¡¯s all good.¡± Fang Xiu, after all young, felt somewhat embarrassed by the praise.

    Meanwhile, they were discussing the clothes enthusiastically, Chu Molin went to get the baby walker for Qin Xue.

    ¡°Is anyone home?¡± Chu Molin¡¯s deep and thick voice echoed at the entrance of the Li¡¯s house.

    ¡°Who¡¯s here?¡± Li Xiang was studying the baby walker that Qin Xue had asked him to make.

    He had been figuring out how to use it since it was finished.

    But no matter how he looked at it, something seemed off. He didn¡¯t know what part Qin Xue said was missing.

    ¡°Uncle, I¡¯m Qin Xue¡¯s husband. She asked me to come and get the baby walker.¡± Chu Molin saw a middle-aged man coming out of the house, which perfectly matched Qin Xue¡¯s description.

    So, upon seeing the man, he got straight to the point and explained the reason for his visit.

    ¡°But why didn¡¯t that girl come?¡± Li Xiang became anxious.

    ¡°She was busy and couldn¡¯t come, so she asked me to come instead. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not a liar.¡± Chu Molin thought he didn¡¯t look like a bad person.

    ¡°But that girl said there¡¯s still a part missing. We can¡¯t finish it without her coming.¡± Li Xiang knew Chu Molin misunderstood his meaning..

 Chapter 323

    Translator: 549690339

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that, my wife has thought about this issue.

    This is what she gave me to install on it.¡± Chu Molin took out the thing Qin Xue had given him for Li Xiang to see.

    ¡°Oh. the girl has alreadv thought about it. Alright then. let¡¯s install it.¡± Seeing that Chu Molin had brought what he needed, Li Xiang had no more to say and was very straightforward.

    ¡°How is it installed? Did the girl tell you the method?¡± Li Xiang brought Chu Molin to the baby walker.

    ¡°She taught me.¡± Chu Molin took out the cloth piece Qin Xue had given him and placed it on the baby walker.

    ¡°So that¡¯s how you use it, huh? It¡¯s simply brilliant.

    In this way, when the child gets tired of standing, they can sit down and rest, and when they don¡¯t want to sit anymore, they can stand back up, and these wheels can help them move forward.

    Putting the child in this would not be afraid of them falling or bumping into things. It¡¯s great! With this, many families can save a lot of trouble and worries.

    Your wife is really quick-witted.¡± Li Xiangs excited wrinkles on his face couldn¡¯t be concealed.

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Chu Molin was even more amazed inside. He knew his wife was smart, but he didn¡¯t expect her to be so talented.

    She was experienced in many areas and had a wide range of abilities.

    Such an outstanding wife made Chu Molin feel some pressure, but at the same time, he also felt very honored that this capable and outstanding wife was his.

    ¡°Uncle Li, let¡¯s start installing it.¡± Chu Molin was now a bit eager to go home and check if his wife had returned.

    ¡°Alright, young man, you¡¯re really lucky to have such a smart wife.

    I can see that her belly is quite big; she should be giving birth soon, right?

    When the time comes, you two can also get one; I¡¯ll give you a discount.¡± Li Xiang started looking for potential customers now, indicating that he was good at doing business.

    ¡°We¡¯ll talk about that later; let¡¯s install this one first.¡± Chu Molin was thinking about his wife going back to H Province and didn¡¯t know when she would come over.

    So it¡¯s too early to talk about it now, and he didn¡¯t want to waste time on this matter.

    ¡°Alright, young man, help me hold this.¡± Li Xiang also wanted to install it quickly and try it out to see the effect.

    It didn¡¯t take long for the two to install it quietly.

    A beautiful, innovative baby walker appeared in front of the two.

    ¡°Young man, can I discuss something with you?¡± Li Xiangs eyes were shining brightly.

    ¡°What is it? You go ahead.¡± Chu Molin had a rough idea of what Li Xiang

    But his little wife had told him beforehand that Li Xiang must be the one to bring it up so that the initiative would be on their side.

    ¡°Well, about this baby walker, can I make more if people need it?¡± Li Xiang was an honest person.

    He wouldn¡¯t go ahead and make it without Qin Xue¡¯s permission.

    ¡°It¡¯s possible, but¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we can divide the profits when the time comes.¡± Before Chu Molin could finish his sentence, Li Xiang interrupted.

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant, and I didn¡¯t say that we should split it.¡± Chu Molin looked at Li Xiang with a half- smile.

    ¡°Um, so what do you mean¡­¡± Li Xiangs smile was about to falter.

    ¡°My wife said that this blueprint can be of great use to you.

    No matter how much or how little you make from it, you can earn money to support the family.

    But we have two conditions. One is that the blueprint for the baby walker will be used as the cost for this little car.

    The other condition is that we will never give this blueprint to anyone else. Is that acceptable to you?¡± Chu Molin conveyed Qin Xue¡¯s thoughts to Li Xiang.

    ¡°Are you sure you won¡¯t lose out like this?¡± Li Xiang didn¡¯t quite understand why they wanted to do this.

    ¡°We won¡¯t lose out; after all, we got a little car for free, didn¡¯t we?¡± Chu Molin said, but he had other thoughts in his mind..

 Chapter 324

    Translator: 549690339

    Before Qin Xue left, she told him, ¡°Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day, teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.¡±

    Her exact words were, ¡°When you go to fetch the car, the Uncle named Li Xiang will definitely want to discuss a small deal with you.¡±

    You can agree to it at the time, but my terms are different from the ones he¡¯ll propose. ¡±

    When he offers you his terms, use the baby walker as tuition, then tell him to make more of those and then take them to the county town to sell.¡±

    Remember, you must make many before selling them.¡±

    Chu Molin didn¡¯t understand why Qin Xue had purposely instructed him with this sentence when they first started.

    Now that he saw the baby walker finished, he understood Qin Xue¡¯s meaning.

    Because it is very easy to learn, others can take it back and figure it out on their own.

    But changing the thought, if Li Xiang made a lot before selling them, then he would take the opportunity to make money first.

    Even if someone else made one later, Li Xiang would already have made a fortune, and it wouldn¡¯t matter if someone else made one too.

    Now Chu Molin is really admiring Qin Xue¡¯s business acumen.

    If Qin Xue were a man, he believed not many people would be able to surpass her.

    ¡°But this baby walker, you¡¯ve already given a deposit, so it¡¯s not much of a difference.¡¯

    Or I¡¯ll give you back the deposit?¡± Li Xiang wondered why Qin Xue seemed to be losing out in the deal.

    ¡°No need, my wife told me to tell you something very important.¡± After saying this sentence, Chu Molin leaned closer to Li Xiangs ear and spoke in a whisper.

    ¡°Young man, I understand the girl¡¯s meaning now. Thank you on behalf of my whole family.¡± Li Xiang said excitedly, not knowing what to say.

    ¡°Uncle Li, you¡¯re too polite. Since the car is ready, I won¡¯t bother you any longer.¡± Chu Molin picked up the car and took his leave.

    ¡°Young man, thank you.¡± Li Xiang shouted at Chu Molin e s retreating figure. Chu Molin waved his hand as he heard and then returned home.

    ¡°Mr. Chu, please wait a moment.¡± As soon as Chu Molin returned to the entrance, the guard stopped him.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Chu Molin asked with a cold expression.

    ¡°This man named Cui Da said he¡¯s looking for your sister-in-law.¡± The soldier pointed to Cui Da and said.

    ¡°Alright, I know. Thank you.¡± Chun Molin listened, turning to look at Cui Da.

    ¡°Hello, may I know what business you have with my wife?¡± Chu Molin asked directly.

    ¡°Are you Mr. Chu?¡± Cui Da asked nervously.

    The man¡¯s aura was overwhelming, making him feel oppressed and a little suffocating.

    ¡°l am.¡± Chu Molin couldn¡¯t help wondering what business this man called Cui Da had coming here.

    ¡°Oh, great to meet you. It¡¯s like this.¡±

    Your wife, Qin Xue, said that if I could find this thing called crayfish, I should come here and find her.

    If I couldn¡¯t find her, I should find you. Here, this is it.¡± Cui Da explained his purpose.

    He opened the snakeskin bag at the door and let Chu Molin see the crayfish inside.

    Chu Molin knew what was going on as soon as he saw it.

    Because just two days ago, he saw his little wife make a delicious dish out of these tiny creatures, which left him unable to enjoy his meal.

    ¡°How much?¡± Chu Molin asked Cui Da.

    ¡°There are 25 jin here, 30 cents a jin, a total of seven yuan and 50 cents.¡± Cui Da calculated for a while before coming up with the number.

    ¡°Here, Mr. Chu, take this, I¡¯ll wait for you here. You go and weigh it.¡± Cui Da handed the bag to Chu Molin.

    Chu Molin accepted the bag and gave it a little shake, saying, ¡°No need.¡±

    After giving the money to Cui Da, Chu Molin carried the baby walker in one hand and the bag of crayfish in the other, heading upstairs.

    Chu Molin opened the door to find that Qin Xue had not returned yet, so he found a large basin and poured the crayfish into it, filling it halfway with water to keep them alive.

    Chu Molin didn¡¯t fill the water too full, otherwise, the crayfish would crawl out of the basin..

 Chapter 325

    Translator: 549690339

    The Qin family village was bustling today, as the village chief¡¯s grandfather was celebrating his birthday.

    A good number of people were invited to the birthday celebration, and Qin Lei came to help with the preparations.

    ¡°Uncle Lei, 1 heard that Auntie has gone to visit Qin Xue in Province S?¡± Da Gang from the Qin family asked Qin Lei.

    ¡°Yeah, she went there a couple of days ago.¡± Qin Lei said with a smile.

    ¡°Why did Auntie go to see Qin Xue in Province S at this time?¡± Da Gang once liked Qin Xue, but unfortunately, Qin Xue didn¡¯t like him.

    Later, he followed his family¡¯s arrangement to get married. Now he has a son, and his wife is a good woman, so he is living a good life.

    But perhaps because of the past heartache, he sometimes still asks about Qin Xue¡¯s situation.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just that Qin Xue is pregnant, and your Auntie wanted to go see her. Xiao Yu didn¡¯t want his mother to go alone, so he accompanied her.¡± Qin Lei didn¡¯t think there was anything that he couldn¡¯t say about this.

    ¡°Qin Xue is having a baby, congratulations Uncle Lei, you¡¯ll be a grandfather.¡± Gangzi was happy for Qin Xue too.

    He congratulated Qin Lei with a smile, and from now on, he would not have any thoughts about her.

    ¡°Hehe, thank you, Da Gang.¡± Qin Lei gratefully accepted Gangzi¡¯s congratulation. Although Qin Xue was not his biological daughter, she was still the daughter he had spoiled since childhood.

    ¡°Lei, I heard there is a telegram for you, you should go check it out.¡± Big Qin had been looking for Qin Lei all around.

    It was just that there were too many people today, and many were invited to the old master¡¯s birthday celebration. Furthermore, at this time, when a feast was held, those who came to the feast all brought their families.

    This made the place even more crowded, as the point of organizing a feast was to make it lively. The more people came, the happier the host.

    ¡°It must be Shulan and the others who have arrived in Province S and sent a telegram back to report their safety. I¡¯ll go check it out. Thank you, big brother.¡± Qin Lei was relieved now.

    ¡°No need to be polite.¡± Big Qin¡¯s dark face was full of smiles.

    Qin Lei washed his hands and went to the office to check the telegram.

    ¡°Dad, how did you know there was a telegram for Uncle Lei?¡± Gangzi asked his father curiously.

    ¡°Because I just came back from town and met the postman.¡± Big Qin answered his son¡¯s question.

    ¡°So that¡¯s how you knew. You met the postman.¡± Gangzi knew that his father had gone to the street to buy meat today specifically for his wife¡¯s confinement period meals.

    Originally, it should have been Da Gang who went to buy the meat, but the village chief¡¯s house needed help.

    So, Big Qin let Da Gang come to help at the village chief¡¯s house and he went to buy the meat himself.

    After Qin Lei arrived at the office, the village director handed him a telegram.

    ¡°Lei, here¡¯s your telegram.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Uncle Four.¡± Qin Lei happily took the telegram and started reading.

    Qin Lei couldn¡¯t help but grin from ear to ear after reading the message.

    ¡°What does the telegram say? You¡¯re so happy.¡± Uncle Four asked Qin Lei.

    ¡°Shulan said that when it¡¯s time, Qin Xue will come back with them.¡± Qin Lei hadn¡¯t seen his daughter for more than half a year, so of course, he was happy to know she was coming back.

    ¡°Oh, Qin Xue is coming back. It¡¯s been more than half a year since she got married.

    Time really flies!¡± Uncle Four sighed that time passed so fast. For older people, the faster time passed, the faster life slipped away.

    ¡°Alright, go help Big Brother¡¯s family prepare the feast.¡± Uncle Four waved his hand, letting Qin Lei go.

    Uncle Four was getting old, and he would be reaching retirement age by the end of the year.

    Once he retired, it would be his son who takes over the position.

    At this time, people¡¯s national consciousness was not strong, and the village cadres were basically passed down one after another.

    With a spring in his step, Qin Lei returned to help out at the feast. Perhaps because of his good mood, his hands moved faster and faster, which caught the attention of many people.

    Qin Lei was not unaware of the people watching him, but he didn¡¯t say anything and just enjoyed himself privately in his mind..

 Chapter 326

    Translator: 549690339

    The reason why Qin Lei didn¡¯t say anything was because there was some trouble during Qin Xue¡¯s wedding.

    Originally, only their family members knew about Qin Xue drugging Chu Molin.

    He also agreed with Chu Molin that the matter couldn¡¯t be spread, so Chu Molin followed the normal procedure to propose and marry Qin Xue.

    If others asked why Chu Molin married Qin Xue, they would say that Chu Molin fell in love with Qin Xue while he was recovering from his injury at their home.

    So that¡¯s why he came to ask for her hand in marriage. Everything was going smoothly, and people in the village praised Qin Xue for her good fortune in finding such a good husband.

    They all congratulated their family for finding a good son-in-law.

    However, during the wedding banquet, it was rumored that Qin Xue drugged Chu Molin and they slept together, so they had to get married.

    Although they ended up getting married, the meaning behind people¡¯s words was different.

    Qin Xue and Chu Molin eventually married smoothly, but there were still some rumors in the village.

    These rumors had some impact on their family.

    So now, since Qin Xue hadn¡¯t returned yet, how could Qin Lei possibly tell others about it?

    He didn¡¯t want his precious daughter to become the talk of the village again.

    Qin Yu, who worked in the research institute, was working behind Wei Shaohui.

    When Qin Lang arrived, he saw people busy at work.

    Although he didn¡¯t see the person¡¯s face, Qin Lang was sure he had never seen this person before.

    Qin Lang walked to Wei Shaohui¡¯s side and patted him on the shoulder.

    ¡°Mr. Wei, is that guy new?¡± Qin Lang pointed at Qin Yu and asked Wei Shaohui.

    ¡°No.¡± Wei Shaohui answered as he looked at the direction Qin Lang was pointing.

    ¡°Then who is he? His movements don¡¯t look like those of an experienced worker.

    He¡¯s not an old member and we haven¡¯t recruited any new ones, how could he be here?¡± Qin Lang asked seriously.

    ¡°If you want to know, you can ask the deputy director.¡± Wei Shaohui said with a smile.

    ¡°So it¡¯s Molin¡¯s arrangement. Now I know who he is.¡± As soon as Qin Lang heard it was Chu Molin¡¯s idea, he realized that Wei Shaohui was playing a trick on him.

    As soon as Qin Lang heard it was Chu Molin¡¯s uncle, he took several more glances at the figure, but the more he looked, the more familiar it seemed.

    However, he knew for certain that this was the first time he had seen Chu molin¡¯ s uncle.

    Why would there be such a sense of familiarity for someone he had never met before?

    Just like his first encounter with Chu Molin!s wife, he felt an inexplicable sense of closeness.

    The more he saw her, the stronger that feeling of closeness became.

    He hadn¡¯t figured out what was going on with Qin Xue, and now there was Chu Molin¡¯s uncle.

    Was he crossing paths with Chu Molin¡¯s in-laws?

    Unable to understand, Qin Lang walked straight over to get a closer look.

    When Qin Lang saw Qin Yu¡¯s face, he was shocked, and he stared at Qin Yu closely, looking from left to right.

    They looked so alike that if it weren¡¯t for their age difference, he would have thought they were the same person.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± Qin Yu looked at the person blocking in front of him.

    ¡°Hello, my name is Qin Lang. What¡¯s your name?¡± Qin Lang asked excitedly, his voice trembling.

    It was those eyes. How could there be two people in the world with such similar eyes?

    Was there some connection between them?

    But he had never heard of it, nor had he heard of any family taboos. So what was going on?

    Qin Lang was more and more confused the more he thought, unable to think clearly.

    That¡¯s right, this was Molin¡¯s younger uncle, so he must know something about it.

    Should he ask Molin about it to find out what was going on?

    ¡°Qin Yu.¡± Qin Yu looked at the person inexplicably standing in front of him, not understanding what he wanted to do..

 Chapter 327

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Yu. is this a coincidence or is there really a secret here?

    Qin Lang felt he should call back and ask.

    ¡°Is there something you need?¡± Qin Yu opened his mouth and asked again.

    ¡°Ah, no, nothing, you carry on with training.¡± Qin Lang came to his senses and realized he was standing in front of Qin Yu.

    Qin Lang said and walked a few steps to the side, not blocking Qin Yu anymore.

    Qin Yu saw the man walk away, shook his head, and continued his work.

    But Qin Yu took note of all the strange actions and expressions of the man called Qin Lang.

    Qin Lang now had many questions in his heart that he wanted to figure out.

    So Qin Lang went straight to Chu Molin¡¯s house.

    ¡°What brings you here?¡± Chu Molin opened the door and asked the person who appeared at his doorstep.

    ¡°Molin, I just saw that man named Qin Yu.¡¯! Qin Lang stared intently at Chu Molin¡¯s expression.

    Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t discern anything.

    ¡°So what?¡± Chu Molin knew what Qin Lang wanted to ask as soon as he heard his words.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think he looks familiar, like someone we know?¡± Qin Lang said loudly.

    ¡°Yes, he does. So what?¡± Chu Molin just quietly looked at Qin Lang like this.

    ¡°How can you be so calm?¡± Qin Lang was really furious with Chu Molin.

    ¡°What do you think I should do?¡± The more agitated Qin Lang became, the calmer Chu Molin seemed.

    ¡°You should have told me right away.¡± Qin Lang grabbed his hair with his hand and pulled hard.

    Chu Molin felt pain just watching his action.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any evidence to prove anything. What¡¯s the use of telling you like this?¡± Chu Molin said indifferently.

    ¡°l must get to the bottom of this and figure out what¡¯s really going on.

    I can¡¯t believe that two unrelated people would look so alike.¡± Qin Lang vowed.

    ¡°Whatever you want to do, you must not affect their lives.

    Otherwise, don¡¯t blame me for not cherishing our brotherhood.¡± Chu Molin coldly stared at Qin Lang.

    ¡°Molin, you¡¯re suspicious in your heart too, aren¡¯t you?

    But why don¡¯t you investigate? Why didn¡¯t you tell me?

    Is it just because you¡¯re afraid of affecting their lives?¡± Qin Lang also coldly stared back at Chu Molin, firing a string of rhetorical questions.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Chu Molin admitted his selfishness quite simply.

    ¡°But don¡¯t you think finding the truth might be better for everyone in the end?¡± Qin Lang looked somewhat frustrated at his classmate and brother. ¡°Qin Lang, you never lived in their home, you never interacted with them.

    So you don¡¯t understand that kind of kinship.

    It¡¯s a warmth that can melt all the cold.

    I want to protect it, not destroy it, do you understand?¡± Chu Molin spoke sadly.

    That was his regret in life, so he didn¡¯t want Qin Xue to share the same fate.

    He wanted to protect Qin Xue¡¯s happiness and everything she cared about.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Molin, 1 got too worked up.¡± Qin Lang saw the look on Chu Molin¡¯s face and knew he had been too emotional.

    ¡°You¡¯ll understand why I did this when you have a chance to interact with them in the future.¡± Chu Molin patted his shoulder and said.

    ¡°Will we just let this matter go without investigating it?¡± If they didn¡¯t investigate, Qin Lang couldn¡¯t help feeling unconvinced.

    ¡°You can investigate, but when you get a result, tell me first. Can you not tell the family for now?¡± Chu Molin was also unsettled when he saw Qin Yu last

    But when he calmed down, he didn¡¯t want to tell some people about this.

    He could tell that Nangong Shulan was hiding something. Since his mother-in-law wouldn¡¯t speak, he would pretend not to know.

    That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t investigate. He just didn¡¯t expect Qin Lang to discover it so soon, and to be so emotional about it..

 Chapter 328

    Translator: 549690339

    Chu Molin knew that once some truths were uncovered, their peaceful lives would cease to exist.

    So, he would rather deceive himself and pretend not to know, rather than reveal the truth by himself.

    Sometimes he found himself ridiculous, not expecting that he, Chu Molin, would have his head-in-the-sand moments too.

    ¡°Molin, I understand. I will handle this matter rationally.¡± Qin Lang only remembered then that this was related to Chu Molin¡¯s family affairs.

    ¡°Mm.¡± Chu Molin responded lightly.

    ¡°What are you guys talking about? Did something happen?¡± Qin Xue could sense something off between them as soon as she entered the door.

    ¡°No, Qin Xue is back.¡± Qin Lang straightened his face and said with a smile.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, mom, you¡¯re back.¡± Chu Molin managed to adjust his mood before speaking.

    ¡°Yeah, guess what I bought?¡± Qin Xue asked Chu Molin with a mysterious tone.

    ¡°What did you buy?¡± Chu Molin played along with Qin Xue.

    ¡°Ta-da.¡± Qin Xue handed the jar of wine to Chu Molin.

    Chu Molin held the wine jar and smelled the rich peach blossom fragrance, raising his eyebrows at Qin Xue with a teasing smile.

    Qin Xue looked a bit unnatural as she looked at Chu Molin.

    She knew she couldn¡¯t deceive this shrewd man.

    Actually, she didn¡¯t buy this wine; instead, she secretly took it from her space.

    Noticing that Chu Molin¡¯s wound had almost healed, she wanted to use the wine from her space to help him recuperate.

    The wine, nourished by the spiritual energy in her space, had become exquisite.

    Xiao Yu had been training so hard these days that Qin Xue wanted to help improve his physical condition as well.

    However, since her mother and Xiao Yu were around, she couldn¡¯t just take it out. So, she pretended to buy it when they went to the county town.

    Her mother had never tasted the wine and wouldn¡¯t know what was going on, but Chu Molin had tasted it before. How could she deceive him?

    Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue¡¯s guilty expression and couldn¡¯t bring himself to scold her. But, someone would eventually recognize the wine if she kept casually taking it out like this.

    Anyone could find out with a simple inquiry, so it was impossible to keep it a secret.

    What should he do with such an innocent and crisis-unaware wife?

    Chu Molin pinched the bridge of his nose, his brow furrowed.

    Seeing him like this, Qin Xue inwardly cried out, fearing that he was angry.

    ¡°Chu Molin, didn¡¯t I see that your wound is nearly healed?

    I was just happy that Mom and Xiao Yu were here, so I wanted to buy some wine to celebrate. I promise I won¡¯t do it again, okay?¡± Qin Xue tried to appease Chu Molin like a sycophant.

    Looking at her ingratiating expression, Chu Molin couldn¡¯t be angry anymore.

    With such a worrisome wife, what could he do other than be ready to handle the aftermath at any time?

    ¡°This is the last time. Remember what you promised me. Did you hear me?¡± Chu Molin¡¯s calm voice didn¡¯t show any signs of anger.

    However, the calmer he was, the angrier Qin Xue knew he must be.

    ¡°Mhm, I promise I won¡¯t do it again.¡± Qin Xue raised three fingers and said to Chu Molin.

    ¡°What are you guys talking about? I don¡¯t understand.¡± Qin Lang curiously looked at them, puzzled by their conversation.

    ¡°None of your business.¡± The couple responded in unison.

    ¡°Alright, husband and wife united. I can¡¯t afford to mess with you.¡± Qin Lang awkwardly scratched his nose and said.

    ¡°Hehe, Molin, here¡¯s another jar. Xue really doesn¡¯t know any better.¡± Nangong Shulan thought Chu Molin was mad at Qin Xue for spending money on wine.

    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll carry it.¡± Chu Molin knew that his mother-in-law was mistaken, but he didn¡¯t clarify.

    There was no way to explain this. Chu Molin took the other jar of wine and put it away in their room.

    ¡°Auntie, hello.¡± Qin Lang smiled and greeted Nangong Shulan, who looked similar to Qin Xue.

    ¡°Young man, hello.¡± Nangong Shulan smiled back.

    ¡°What are you doing at my house?¡± For some unknown reason, ever since Chu Molin had been injured, Qin Xue became inexplicably annoyed whenever she saw Qin Lang.

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    Qin Xue wanted to give Qin Lang a piece of her mind whenever she saw his annoying expression.

    ¡°Qin Xue, watch your mouth!¡± Before Qin Lang could say anything, Nangong Shulan scolded her.

    ¡°Mom.¡± Qin Xue glared at her mother.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think calling me mom will help; do I teach you to treat guests that way?¡± Nangong Shulan looked at her eldest daughter wearily.

    Why did she find her daughter so lovable and well-behaved at times, yet unreasonable at others?

    *Humph.* Qin Xue snorted angrily, staring at Qin Lang before sitting down in a huff.

    ¡°Young man, don¡¯t mind her. She still has a lot to learn,¡± Nangong Shulan said helplessly as she looked at her daughter.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Auntie. You don¡¯t have to call me ¡®young man,¡¯ just call me Qin Lang,¡± Qin Lang said with a smile.

    ¡°Qin Lang, Qin Lang¡­¡± Nangong Shulan repeated with a strained smile, looking at his somewhat familiar face. It couldn¡¯t be that he was the same Qin Lang, could it?

    ¡°Auntie, is something wrong?¡± Qin Lang asked.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. I just didn¡¯t expect you to be a Qin too. It¡¯s quite a surprise,¡± Nangong Shulan replied, adjusting her emotions.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s quite a coincidence,¡± Qin Lang said, not missing Nangong Shulan¡¯s expression.

    Why would Qin Xue¡¯s mother have such a reaction upon hearing his name?

    Could it be that she knew him? Qin Lang searched his memory over and over but was certain he had never met Qin Xue¡¯s mother.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, I brought back the baby walker; it¡¯s in the room.

    Also, a man named Cui Da brought a bag of shelled shrimp for you, saying you asked him to get it.

    I paid him, and I put the shrimp in a basin in the kitchen.

    Take a look and see how you want to handle it,¡± Chu Molin said eagerly as he came out of the room and started talking about the morning¡¯s events.

    ¡°Ah, crayfish?¡± Qin Xue¡¯s anger disappeared the moment she heard it.

    Crayfish, her favorite! Who could stay angry when faced with their favorite food?

    ¡°Molin, let¡¯s have spicy crayfish this afternoon,¡± Qin Xue suggested, swallowing her saliva.

    ¡°Can I eat it?¡± Chu Molin asked.

    ¡°Wait a moment, let me check your wound first. Then I¡¯ll tell you if you can eat it or not.¡± Right now, Qing Xue¡¯s mind was full of crayfish.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Chu Molin knew his wound had already healed.

    It didn¡¯t matter to him if Qin Xue checked it or not. He would let her check just to put her at ease.

    ¡°What¡¯s this about spicy crayfish? Is it delicious?¡± Qin Lang, a fellow food lover, asked.

    Hearing their conversation, he had to know more.

    ¡°It¡¯s delicious, spicy and numbing. It¡¯s super refreshing to eat,¡± Qin Xue replied immediately, forgetting that she was mad at Qin Lang.

    This was the feeling of foodies meeting foodies; it was purely satisfying.

    ¡°Can I have dinner at your home this afternoon? I can pay for the meals,¡± Qin Lang asked quickly.

    ¡°Sure, it¡¯s US$10 per meal. Dinner¡¯s at 7 sharp, don¡¯t be late.¡± Qin Xue agreed, no money should go unearned.

    ¡°Great, deal.¡± Qin Lang wasn¡¯t short on cash, so he didn¡¯t mind the US$10.

    ¡°Alright, come over this afternoon,¡± Qin Xue decided.

    ¡°Molin, let¡¯s go to the room so I can check your wound,¡± Qin Xue hurriedly pulled Chu Molin away, completely ignoring her mother and Qin Lang.

    ¡°This girl goes as the wind blows,¡± Nangong Shulan sighed as she watched her daughter and son-in-law holding hands, walking back to their room.

    ¡°Auntie, it¡¯s nice to have a personality like Qin Xue¡¯s.¡± Qin Lang liked Qin Xue¡¯s high-spirited demeanor; it was full of life.

    Her energy could be infectious, making people around her happy.

    Qin Lang thought people like her had kind hearts. After all, despite being annoyed with him one moment, the next she agreed to let him have dinner at their house.

    Though she took his US$10, she still agreed, didn¡¯t she?

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    As long as I can get closer to them, I don¡¯t mind paying the price.

    ¡°Chu Molin, we have so many little lobsters here.

    Why don¡¯t you invite the comrade who took my mom and Xiao Yu home for a meal? ¡± Qin Xue was regretful that she let her feelings get the better of her that day and didn¡¯t offer him a meal.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Chu Molin wondered if she could handle it, she had been out shopping all day and seemed very tired, and now she wanted to cook again.

    ¡°Definitely!¡± She had no choice, with so many lobsters and plenty of people around, she couldn¡¯t store them in her space.

    It would be a waste not to eat the little lobsters.

    ¡°Alright, what do I need to do? You tell me and I¡¯ll get ready. Can I invite a few more people?¡± Chu Molin recalled the promise he made during the special training to treat them to a meal.

    Since his injury, he hadn¡¯t hosted any dinners. Now that he was hosting, he might as well invite everyone at once and get it over with in one go.

    ¡°You can determine how many people we should invite and let me know. I need to rest now, the rest is up to you.¡± Qin Xue was indeed quite tired from today¡¯s trip.

    ¡°Alright, how do we prepare the little lobsters? You tell me, and then you can rest.¡± Chu Molin could prepare the necessary ingredients. Once Qin Xue had rested, she could start cooking.

    ¡°There¡¯s a small brush under the kitchen table. Use it to scrub each of the little lobsters clean. After washing them, put them in a basin and I¡¯ll cook them when I get up.

    As for the other dishes, clean and prepare enough for the number of guests we have.

    You should have an idea how much is enough, just clean them after sorting them out. Thanks for your help, ¡± Qin Xue patted him on the shoulder.

    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m a bit tired and need to rest. Do you want to rest too?¡± Qin Xue asked her mother.

    ¡°You go ahead and rest, I¡¯m not tired.¡± Nangong Shulan was used to doing farm work all these years.

    She didn¡¯t feel tired from walking a little today.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go rest then.¡± Qin Xue picked a clean set of clothes and went to the washroom. After washing her face and wiping her body, she changed her clothes.

    It was hot and she was sweating a lot, it was uncomfortable not to change clothes.

    After tidying up, Qin Xue went back to her room. She didn¡¯t bother with the others; let them sort out everything else.

    It¡¯s been a long time since Qin Xue entered the space, she wondered how things were inside?

    She only went in to take two jars of wine from the peach blossom forest today, she didn¡¯t have time to check how things were inside.

    As soon as the thought crossed her mind, Qin Xue locked up her space and entered.

    ¡°Master, you are here,¡± Xue Ling appeared in front of her as soon as she entered the space.

    ¡°Yes, Xue Ling, what are you doing?¡± Qin Xue noticed that the normally white fur of Xue Ling was filthy.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? I was collecting herbs for you, look at how dirty I¡¯ve gotten. You have to make me something delicious, master,¡± Xue Ling seized the opportunity to ask for a treat.

    ¡°Sure, what do you want to eat?¡± Qin Xue was planning to cook little lobsters in the afternoon, why not cook some for Xue Ling too?

    ¡°Anything my master makes is delicious, I¡¯ll eat whatever you cook,¡± Xue Ling was just glad to have food and wasn¡¯t picky at all.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll make you little lobsters. You¡¯ve been keeping the little lobsters I put in here, right?¡± Qin Xue asked. Otherwise, if they had died, there would be nothing to eat.

    ¡°They are well taken care of, and we have more crabs now,¡± said Xue Ling. It thought there were only a few initially, but the numbers had grown significantly.

    If they didn¡¯t eat some now, the small pool wouldn¡¯t be able to hold them all.

    Thankfully, it was a smart Fox Fairy and promptly put them in the water as soon as Qin Xue threw them in. Otherwise, considering how Qin Xue usually behaves, she would¡¯ve forgotten all about them and caused them to die.

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    When they¡¯re all dead, where will I find food then?

    So, as a clever fox fairy, one of Xue Ling¡¯s required courses was to deal with the problems his master hadn¡¯t solved in time.

    ¡°Really? That¡¯s great; I won¡¯t have to worry about not having food anymore.

    And, of course, there¡¯s some for you, little Xue Ling.¡± Qin Xue was extremely satisfied with this outcome.

    ¡°Thank you, Master.¡± Xue Ling jumped for joy, as it was not easy to obtain this promise from his master.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go check on the herbs then.¡± Qin Xue had already locked the door from inside, so she wasn¡¯t afraid they would discover anything, right?

    Since they were already inside, they might as well tidy up the space.

    Qin Xue hadn¡¯t checked on the herbs since she planted them.

    When she returned later, Xue Ling told her that the herbs could be harvested, but she didn¡¯t have time, so she asked her pet fairy to help collect them.

    Qin Xue didn¡¯t know how Xue Ling managed it. Did he really pull them out one by one with his mouth?

    ¡°Xue Ling, did you really bite off these herbs one by one?

    You¡¯re amazing.¡± Qin Xue couldn¡¯t believe what she was seeing, the tooth marks on the herbs confirmed her thoughts.

    Looking at the tooth marks on the herbs, Qin Xue suddenly felt a little sorry for Xue Ling.

    Was she not doing her job as a master properly?

    ¡°Master, it¡¯s no big deal. When I gain more cultivation and transform into a human form, things will be easier,¡± Xue Ling said embarrassingly while maintaining a cute and innocent look.

    Qin Xue couldn¡¯t help but rub Xue Ling¡¯s head, messing up his somewhat dirty hair even more.

    ¡°Stop teasing me, Master! Look at me now.¡± Xue Ling wanted to cry but couldn¡¯t, his hair was becoming a tangled mess from her rubbing.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll let you off. Now let¡¯s start collecting the mature herbs.¡± Qin Xue said while smoothing Xue Ling¡¯s hair.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Master.¡± Xue Ling trotted ahead while the heavily pregnant Qin Xue walked clumsily behind.

    ¡°Xue Ling, not bad, you¡¯ve collected so many already.¡± Qin Xue looked at the piles of herbs stacked beside the bamboo house.

    ¡°Master, I¡¯ve put the herb seeds on the table. After collecting these, we can plant new ones.¡± Xue Ling thought about the difficulties he had encountered when searching for the seeds.

    Luckily, he was a fox fairy; otherwise, the medicinal properties of these herbs would have been too much for him to handle.

    Seeing Xue Ling working so hard to help her manage her space, Qin Xue didn¡¯t want to keep wasting time dillydallying.

    She took a small stool out from the bamboo house, sat down, and started plucking the herbs slowly.

    Thankfully, the herbs didn¡¯t need to be uprooted whole, or else she would¡¯ve had to use a hoe to dig them up one by one, which would have been even more tedious.

    Qin Xue didn¡¯t re-sow the seeds until she had finished plucking all the herbs in the small plot.

    After sowing the empty land, Qin Xue went to check on the ginseng, Panax notoginseng, and Fallopia on the other half.

    Seeing that these precious herbs were growing well, Qin Xue felt truly satisfied. All of these herbs were hers, and the feeling was fantastic.

    When Qin Xue finished managing the herbs and wanted to wash her hands before checking on the vegetables, she discovered that the pool she had dug for bathing was now being used by Xue Ling to raise crayfish and crabs.

    Qin Xue¡¯s heart raced like a thousand galloping horses.

    Thankfully, she had chosen flowing water when digging the pool, so the water could circulate and irrigate the land.

    Otherwise, the crayfish and crabs would have been raised in her bathwater, and she wouldn¡¯t be able to eat them.

    Good thing she had the foresight, or she would really regret it now.

    So, one must always think through the consequences before making decisions.

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    However, the pond is now being used to raise crayfish and crabs.

    So if she wants to take a bath in the future, she¡¯ll have to dig another one, but she¡¯s already so big and inconvenient to move around.

    If she wants to dig another one, she¡¯ll have to wait until after she gives birth.

    That means she shouldn¡¯t even think about taking a bath in the last two or three months of her pregnancy.

    Thinking about this, Qin Xue really wanted to cry. She just wanted to sneak in from time to time for a bath to relieve her fatigue.

    No, this was Xue Ling¡¯s doing. After it transforms into human form, she¡¯ll definitely have it dig one for her.

    At this moment, Qin Xue didn¡¯t think of Xue Ling as an animal at all.

    If Xue Ling could sense Qin Xue¡¯s thoughts right now, it would definitely scold her for being inhumane.

    How could a master treat it like this? This could hurt its little heart.

    ¡°Xue Ling, leave the ripe vegetables in the space to you.

    Be sure to collect the ripe ones for me, especially the chili peppers. I want to make chili sauce with them.¡± Qin Xue thought about the spicy, fragrant chili sauce, which was especially appetizing.

    ¡°Master, I can slowly collect the others.

    But could I not collect the chili peppers? They¡¯re too spicy!¡± Xue Ling looked at Qin Xue pitifully.

    It¡¯s using its mouth to work right now, not its hands.

    If it were to harvest chili peppers, it would have to bite them with its mouth. It would be so spicy!

    Thinking about it, Xue Ling was in tears.

    ¡°Well, alright then, you don¡¯t have to collect the chili peppers.¡± When Qin Xue heard this, she thought about this problem too.

    If she were to treat it like that, it would be too cruel to animals.

    Qin Xue had never thought that it seemed like she was being cruel to animals in this way.

    ¡°Mm, Master, you¡¯re so nice,¡± Xue Ling said excitedly, looking at Qin Xue. As long as it didn¡¯t have to collect chili peppers, Qin Xue could ask it to do anything else, and it wouldn¡¯t mind.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go out now. Tonight, I¡¯ll give you some delicious crayfish.¡± Qin Xue said as she patted Xue Ling¡¯s head with her hand.

    ¡°Mmhm, thank you, Master.¡± Upon hearing about the delicious food, Xue Ling promptly forgot about everything else.

    Qin Xue rubbed her sore and aching waist. She¡¯d wanted to rest but had ended up doing chores for almost half the day in the space instead.

    She only left the space after drinking some spiritual spring water.

    She glanced at the clock, and luckily, it wasn¡¯t time to cook yet.

    Qin Xue checked her clothes for anything out of place, then gently walked over to unlock the door. After that, she went back to the bed to lie down and rest.

    She had to rest a little, whether she could fall asleep or not.

    Maybe it was because she was really tired, but it didn¡¯t take long for Qin Xue to fall asleep.

    Outside, several people started getting busy only after Qin Xue entered the room and exchanged glances.

    Since it was almost time for lunch, Qin Xue and Nangong Shulan had eaten before coming back. Now that Qin Xue was taking a nap, she probably wouldn¡¯t eat again.

    However, besides her, Chu Molin, Xiao Yu and the others still needed to eat, so Nangong Shulan went to the kitchen to cook for them.

    ¡°If you want to eat, come and help.¡± Chu Molin looked at Qin Lang and left these words before stepping into the kitchen.

    The kitchen was too narrow to fit all of them, so when Chu Molin entered the kitchen, he was preparing to carry the crayfish out to wash them clean.

    Qin Lang looked over, helped to grab a bucket and brush.

    After Chu Molin told Qin Lang how to brush the crayfish, he left Qin Lang to do it on his own while he started washing vegetables.

    They worked together in an orderly manner, each doing their part.

    ¡°Molin, you and Qin Lang should come eat first. I¡¯ll keep Xiao Yu¡¯s portion warm for him.¡± Nangong Shulan set aside a portion for her son and placed the rest on the table.

    ¡°Okay, thank you, Mom. Have you eaten yet, by the way?¡± Chu Molin noticed there were only two sets of bowls and chopsticks on the table. Nangong Shulan had only called him and Qin Lang, which probably meant she¡¯d already eaten.

    ¡°Yes, I ate at the store.¡± Nangong Shulan smiled as she thought about the enthusiastic Fang Xiu and Yu Xiu.

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    Chu Molin and Qin Lang hadn¡¯t finished eating when Qin Yu returned.

    ¡°Mom, brother-in-law, I¡¯m back,¡± Qin Yu greeted Nangong Shulan and Chu Molin.

    ¡°Hello,¡± Qin Yu greeted his family before addressing Qin Lang.

    ¡°Xiao Yu, you¡¯re back, come and eat,¡± Nangong Shulan called her son over as she brought out the food.

    ¡°Brother-in-law, where¡¯s my sister?¡± Qin Yu noticed everyone else but his sister.

    ¡°Your sister was tired today after going shopping with mom, so she¡¯s resting now,¡± Chu Molin replied his brother-in-law after swallowing his food.

    ¡°Oh,¡± Qin Yu didn¡¯t say anything more.

    But he didn¡¯t make conversation during the meal either.

    After finishing the meal, Chu Molin and Qin Lang continued to clean up the crayfish and vegetables while Qin Yu collected the bowls into the kitchen.

    ¡°Mom, why is that guy named Qin Lang here?¡± Qin Yu asked his mother.

    ¡°It seems like he¡¯s a friend of Molin¡¯s. He was already at home when your sister and I returned. And from the looks of it, he and your brother-in-law and sister are quite familiar. Is something wrong?¡± Nangong Shulan looked at her son with curiosity.

    ¡°No, I was just asking,¡± Qin Yu had felt something strange about Qin Lang since meeting him in the morning.

    Now he saw him again at his brother-in-law¡¯s house. Was this a coincidence, or intentional?

    Qin Yu didn¡¯t know and shook his head, deciding not to dwell on his motivations for being here.

    If there really was an issue, his astute brother-in-law would surely notice it.

    He shouldn¡¯t think too much about it, and should just rest and continue working instead.

    Nangong Shulan watched her son deep in thought, wondering if he had discovered something.

    However, since he didn¡¯t ask any questions, she didn¡¯t say anything more either.

    ¡°Xiao Yu, go take a rest. I¡¯ll wash the dishes,¡± Nangong Shulan observed her son had lost some weight in just a couple of days.

    It was fortunate that he was only trying out his new job for now. Who knows how busy he would be if he fully committed to it?

    Nangong Shulan didn¡¯t want to interfere too much with her children¡¯s decisions.

    She just felt indebted to Qin Lei¡¯s family and wanted her son to be able to demonstrate filial piety by their side.

    She knew she was being selfish but understood that this was the only thing she could do; Qin Xue had been pampered and willful at the time, not knowing how to do anything, Jiale was studying, so she could only restrict Qin Yu.

    Nangong Shulan, seeing Qin Yu working so hard and enjoying this lifestyle, felt some regret, but there was no use regretting decisions already made.

    ¡°Mom, you should rest, I¡¯ll wash the dishes. There aren¡¯t many of them anyway,¡± Qin Yu didn¡¯t take Nangong Shulan¡¯s advice to rest right away, but instead suggested she rest.

    ¡°You just said there aren¡¯t many dishes, go on, you don¡¯t need to worry about this. You¡¯ll be able to work better after a good rest, right?¡± Nangong Shulan knew what her son enjoyed.

    ¡°Alright, mom, thanks for your hard work,¡± as expected, Qin Yu compromised immediately.

    Nangong Shulan quickly cleaned the dishes and tidied up the kitchen before leaving.

    ¡°Molin, will many people be coming for dinner this afternoon?¡± Nangong Shulan asked after noticing the large amount of food being prepared by Chu Molin.

    ¡°Hmm, mom, about seven or eight of my colleagues will be coming. They all have big appetites, so we¡¯re preparing extra food,¡± Chu Molin explained, looking at the dishes.

    Crayfish wasn¡¯t something everyone ate, so it wouldn¡¯t draw attention to have extra.

    Cabbage, potatoes, and radishes were common foods, so having more of them wouldn¡¯t be conspicuous either.

    The only standout items were the two fish and 1 kg of pork brought back by Qin Xue.

    While serving these dishes might make the meal seem more sumptuous, only men were invited, not women, so no one was likely to be envious.

    Chu Molin thought that he might be overthinking things.

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    Nangong Shulan looked at Chu Molin in surprise, wondering if he needed to invite so many people.

    She needed to prepare more food in that case, otherwise it would be impolite if the guests didn¡¯t have enough to eat.

    Nangong Shulan helped with the preparations, and when Qin Yu was about to head to work after resting, Chu Molin stopped him.

    ¡°Xiao Yu, when you go to work, tell Wei Shaohui to come over with Ding Xi, Deng Kai, and Li Dabao to our house for dinner after work,¡± Chu Molin directly asked Qin Yu to pass on the message.

    He would personally invite Xie Jun and Xu Fangzhou at the office later.

    ¡°Alright, brother-in-law, I¡¯ll let them know,¡± Qin Yu nodded in response.

    ¡°Mm.¡± Chu Molin replied.

    ¡°Molin, I noticed that your younger brother-in-law seems to like it here. Why didn¡¯t he come to study here in the first place?¡± Qin Lang thought of Qin Yu¡¯s enthusiastic work attitude in the morning.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t know the specific reason either. He only heard from Qin Yu once that it was because his family disagreed, so he didn¡¯t come.

    ¡°Well, your answer is like not answering at all,¡± Qin Lang smirked.

    ¡°My mother-in-law is over there, if you want to know, go ask her yourself,¡± Chu Molin glanced at him and said.

    ¡°I¡¯d better not.¡± Qin Lang still wanted to close the distance between them, right?

    If he asked like this, it might raise her guard, and it would be worse.

    If that were the case, wouldn¡¯t he be worse off?

    Qin Lang would never do such a counterproductive thing.

    ¡°Then just shut up and clean the vegetables; there¡¯s no need for so much nonsense.¡± Chu Molin really wanted to punch this guy.

    ¡°Molin, if you keep acting like this, you won¡¯t have any friends,¡± Qin Lang pretended to be aggrieved.

    Chu Molin got goosebumps, ¡°Qin Lang, remember that you¡¯re a man, not a woman.¡±

    A big man making this kind of expression, not caring about how others would think.

    ¡°Who cares, as long as I can disgust you,¡± Qin Lang looked at Chu Molin, who couldn¡¯t wait to get away from him, and said cheerfully.

    ¡°Hopeless.¡± Chu Molin had no way of dealing with this guy who seemed shameless in front of him.

    Qin Lang happily washed the crayfish, ignoring Chu Molin¡¯s sullen face.

    Nangong Shulan didn¡¯t hear their conversation in the kitchen, only occasionally catching Qin Lang¡¯s joyful laughter.

    ¡°Stop laughing, hurry up and clean, otherwise, I¡¯ll ask Qin Xue not to give you any food later,¡± Chu Molin saw that cleaning the 25 pounds of crayfish was a lot of work.

    Having washed for so long and there was still not even half of it done, and this big guy was still muttering complaints.

    Chu Molin simply wanted to kick him out.

    Upon hearing that he wouldn¡¯t get any food, Qin Lang immediately shut up and quietly started washing the crayfish again.

    By the time Qin Xue woke up and looked at the clock, it was already past five o¡¯clock.

    Qin Xue was annoyed and grabbed her hair. She had slept for so long that it would be hard to fall asleep at night.

    It must be because she was too tired, otherwise she wouldn¡¯t have slept until this late.

    Qin Xue changed her clothes before leaving her room.

    ¡°Xiao Xue, are you up?¡± Nangong Shulan was knitting a sweater in the living room and asked when she saw her daughter waking up.

    ¡°Mm, Mom, where¡¯s Chu Molin?¡± Qin Xue saw her mother knitting the sweater and didn¡¯t say anything, because it was leftover from the last time she knitted. She hadn¡¯t touched it since she had been busy designing clothes.

    ¡°He said he went to the office,¡± Nangong Shulan recalled that Chu Molin had told her that before he left.

    ¡°Okay. Mom, I¡¯m going to wash up and cook now.¡± Qin Xue looked at the time. It was already past five o¡¯clock, and they usually finished washing and headed back home at the latest by seven o¡¯clock.

    This was cutting it close for time; she wondered how she could have overslept.

    ¡°No need to rush, we¡¯ve already prepared everything else. Later on, you just need to steam some buns and rice.

    And then just fry some dishes. Look, the vegetables are already cut and ready,¡± Nangong Shulan looked at her daughter¡¯s frustrated expression and smiled.

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    Qin Xue looked over as her mother pointed, and indeed, as her mother said, all the ingredients had been washed and chopped.

    Qin Xue felt a little relieved and went to wash up before starting to steam the buns.

    ¡°Mom, why did you make so much dough?¡± Qin Xue asked her mother in the living room.

    ¡°Molin said he invited seven or eight people, plus the four of us, that¡¯s more than ten.

    I didn¡¯t want to make too little in case we didn¡¯t have enough to eat.¡± Nangong Shulan thought of the men¡¯s large appetites, so she made extra dough when she prepared it.

    If they couldn¡¯t finish it tonight, they could reheat and eat it tomorrow.

    ¡°Oh, so many people are coming?¡± Qin Xue had seen the amount her family¡¯s men could eat.

    She guessed that the others would eat about the same amount too. It¡¯s a good thing they only entertain guests occasionally, otherwise, cooking would be a hassle.

    Qin Xue kneaded the dough till smooth, shaped it into buns, placed them one by one in a steamer drawer to rise, and steamed them when the water boiled in the pot.

    While waiting, Qin Xue sliced the fish and marinated it for sauerkraut fish later.

    Once the ingredients were ready, Qin Xue began cooking the spicy crayfish. As there was a lot of crayfish, she had to cook them in several batches.

    After Qin Xue finished cooking, she looked outside and didn¡¯t see her mother in the living room.

    So Qin Xue closed the kitchen door, filled a large basin of crayfish, and put it in the space for Xue Ling to eat.

    Qin Xue wondered if they could finish eating all these crayfish.

    Well, it didn¡¯t matter. If they couldn¡¯t finish, she could ask Chu Molin to share the leftovers with his fellow soldiers with families, or she could collect them in the space when they went to sleep.

    That way, she didn¡¯t have to worry about the crayfish going bad if they couldn¡¯t finish them.

    Qin Xue thought she was so clever to have solved the problem with just a thought.

    The aroma of the spicy crayfish, even with the door closed, could be smelled outside.

    Especially, since the windows were open, the others could smell the fragrance in the air.

    No one knew who was cooking something so delicious and fragrant.

    There was a noisy commotion in the hallway, but Qin Xue didn¡¯t pay attention and focused on cooking her dinner.

    Qin Xue found that the men in the research institute were quite good, mostly straightforward, and with fewer schemers.

    However, the women were different; there were many narrow-minded and envious ones. To avoid catching their bad eyes, it was better for Qin Xue to mind her own business behind closed doors.

    That way, even if they wanted to be envious, they couldn¡¯t envy her.

    But Qin Xue forgot that the complexity of human nature can¡¯t be avoided by just hiding.

    In no time, the noise outside seemed to gather at her doorstep.

    ¡°What do you think Mr. Chu¡¯s family is cooking? It smells so good!¡± Woman A asked.

    Zhang Cuihua had just come up from picking vegetables in the garden and saw a group of women gathered around Chu Molin¡¯s door when she approached.

    She was puzzled, too, thinking: what was Qin Xue cooking? It smelled so good.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, the door is tightly shut,¡± Woman B replied.

    ¡°Mr. Chu¡¯s family is really well-off.

    Look at the aroma of the food they¡¯re cooking, it¡¯s so tempting. I bet it¡¯s something like meat.

    Also, look at their clothes ¨C they¡¯re all new and pretty.

    Life without children must be so good,¡± Woman C said sourly.

    ¡°What are you talking about? It does smell good,¡± Zhang Cuihua approached the women and asked.

    ¡°We¡¯re just talking about Mr. Chu¡¯s family. We don¡¯t know what delicious food they¡¯re cooking.

    We can all smell the aroma even from out here,¡± one of the women answered Zhang Cuihua¡¯s question.

    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re both researchers and women, but the difference is so huge,¡± the women said enviously.

    ¡°Hmph, just lucky. It¡¯s a pity that Mr. Chu, such a good man, is married to her,¡± Zhang Cuihua said sarcastically.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you going home to cook dinner? What are you doing here? Don¡¯t your men need to eat when they come back?¡± Su Xiaoyan, who followed Zhang Cuihua, overheard the women¡¯s envy and jealousy.

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    Su Xiaoyan felt a little uneasy in her heart, but she was open-minded and didn¡¯t get jealous and petty like other women.

    Upon hearing this, the women¡¯s faces were embarrassed, and they dispersed.

    ¡°Hmph, you¡¯re always playing the good person. How come no one gives you an extra glance?¡± Zhang Cuihua was annoyed every time it was Su Xiaoyan who interfered with her.

    ¡°I just need to be good to myself; it has nothing to do with others.

    If you think your man doesn¡¯t need to eat dinner, you can continue waiting here.

    I¡¯m going home to cook and won¡¯t accompany you.¡± Su Xiaoyan was also upset.

    She was not sure why Qin Xue was always involved in these matters. Was she cursed? Her own man worked under Qin Xue¡¯s man, so she didn¡¯t want to make it difficult for her man and had to stay out of the women¡¯s gossip.

    But when the women went too far, she couldn¡¯t help but speak up.

    Now that the women were gone, she had to go home and cook.

    She had no time to waste with Zhang Cuihua here.

    ¡°Su Xiaoyan, you¡­¡± Zhang Cuihua stomped her feet angrily, watching Su Xiaoyan¡¯s retreating figure.

    Seeing that Su Xiaoyan ignored her, Zhang Cuihua glared at Qin Xue¡¯s door as if it was Qin Xue herself, then turned around and went back to her own house.

    Nangong Shulan, standing behind the door, listened to the women¡¯s discussions and voices outside. She was so angry that she trembled and almost could not help opening the door to confront them.

    Nangong Shulan watched her daughter busily working in the kitchen and felt great pity for her.

    Her daughter had never experienced this before, yet those women outside were targeting her.

    ¡°Mom, what are you doing standing there?¡± Qin Xue asked after finishing cooking the crayfish and noticing that the voices outside had stopped.

    She was surprised at how quickly they dispersed this time.

    She stuck her head out of the kitchen door and saw her mother standing there, not knowing what she was doing.

    ¡°Qin Xue, have you always been like this?¡± Nangong Shulan asked her daughter after hearing her question.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t understand what her mother meant.

    ¡°I mean those women outside.¡± Nangong Shulan looked at her daughter¡¯s calm face.

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re talking about those gossipy women. It¡¯s no big deal, really.

    They talk like that just because they¡¯re jealous.

    Just ignore them.¡± Qin Xue casually shrugged her shoulders and said.

    ¡°You, girl, how can your heart be so big?¡± Nangong Shulan calmed down after hearing her daughter¡¯s words.

    She realized that she could get angry easily now.

    ¡°Mom, you have to understand one thing: people only get jealous when someone is doing well.

    So should we stop living our lives well just because others are jealous?

    Of course not, right? We won¡¯t. In fact, we¡¯ll live even better to show them.

    In this way, just let them be jealous. Don¡¯t you agree?¡± Qin Xue smiled and said to her mother.

    ¡°You girl, I can¡¯t outtalk you.¡± Nangong Shulan understood her daughter¡¯s intentions.

    But when she first heard those women, she couldn¡¯t help but get angry.

    Her pampered daughter had been suffering from others¡¯ exclusion all this time, which broke her heart as a mother.

    But her big-hearted daughter was comforting her instead.

    She felt reassured, knowing that her daughter had grown up and become sensible.

    Her daughter didn¡¯t care about petty disputes with others but wanted to make progress, which was her pride.

    Nangong Shulan couldn¡¯t help but ask herself, was she the one regressing and becoming narrow-minded?

    In fact, Nangong Shulan was overthinking it. She got so angry because those women were talking about her daughter.

    If she, as a mother, didn¡¯t get angry, that would be the abnormal behavior.

 Chapter 337

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    As Chu Molin and Qin Yu entered the house, they noticed that their mother¡¯s face didn¡¯t look quite right.

    Both of them wondered what could have happened.

    ¡°Mom, Xue¡¯er, what happened?¡± Chu Molin and Qin Yu asked at the same time, but they were addressing different people.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing,¡± Qin Xue said with a smile.

    ¡°Mom, you tell us.¡± Chu Molin asked his mother-in-law instead since Qin Xue didn¡¯t say anything.

    ¡°Really, nothing happened. It¡¯s just that a group of women were gossiping near the door, and it upset me a bit.¡± Nangong Shulan thought that some things should be shared with her son-in-law.

    ¡°What did they say?¡± Chu Molin guessed a bit after hearing this.

    He and Qin Yu had smelled the delicious aroma in the air as soon as they arrived at the building.

    Those gossipy women must have thought that they were cooking something delicious behind closed doors again. Were they just jealous?

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s really nothing. It¡¯s just envy and jealousy. You two go and wash up. Dinner will be ready soon.¡± Qin Xue looked somewhat impatiently at the men in her family and Qin Yu.

    She wondered when they had become so gossipy.

    Qin Xue forgot that a person would only be anxious about everything happening around you if they cared about you deeply.

    Especially for someone like Chu Molin who had experienced emotional trauma.

    ¡°I got it, but sis, what did you cook?

    You don¡¯t know how fragrant it was when my brother-in-law and I arrived downstairs.

    I couldn¡¯t help but drool over it.¡± Qin Yu said while swallowing his saliva.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s just that.¡± Qin Xue pointed to the two large basins of spicy crayfish behind her.

    ¡°Wow, sis, can I have one?¡± Qin Yu asked his sister instead of his mother.

    He had seen this in their hometown before, but the shells were too hard and there wasn¡¯t much meat.

    That¡¯s why people in the countryside didn¡¯t like to eat them. He never thought that they could smell so good when cooked like this.

    The red color made them look very tasty, so Qin Yu couldn¡¯t help but want to try them as soon as he saw them.

    ¡°Sure, go ahead. There¡¯s so much we won¡¯t be able to finish it all.¡± Qin Xue said as she picked up a bowl and quickly filled it for her brother.

    Qin Xue then used her chopsticks to feed a crayfish to Chu Molin¡¯s mouth.

    She did so without any hesitation despite her mother and brother being present.

    Chu Molin glanced at his mother-in-law and only opened his mouth to take the crayfish after seeing her not get angry but smile instead.

    As soon as the crayfish entered his mouth, his taste buds seemed to be instantly activated.

    The numb and spicy taste was very appetizing, no wonder Qin Xue was eating so happily that day.

    Qin Xue also picked one to let her mother taste it.

    Seeing the three of them eating so happily, Qin Xue felt warm and sweet inside.

    This was what family was about; no matter the time, the most supportive ones were always family members.

    It only took a few bites for Chu Molin and Qin Yu to finish the bowl of crayfish.

    ¡°All right, you two go wash up and then we¡¯ll have dinner.¡± Qin Xue urged, worried that their dinner guests would arrive if they took any longer.

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Qin Yu saluted and went to find his clothes and take a shower.

    Qin Xue went into the kitchen to wash the pot and prepare sour and spicy fish soup.

    Even though their guests hadn¡¯t arrived, she could start simmering the soup, and when the guests arrived, she could simply add the fish and turn up the heat.

    This was the method Qin Xue used most often in her previous life.

    As for the pork, Qin Xue only used a portion to stir-fry.

    With so many crayfish and two fish, there was already enough food.

    If she used up all of the 1 kg of meat, it would be overly conspicuous.

    When the news got out, she didn¡¯t know what people would say.

    Though Qin Xue wasn¡¯t afraid of being criticized, she found it annoying.

    After all, nobody wanted to be the person at the center of everyone¡¯s gossip, right?

    So it¡¯s better to be low-key when possible.

    It was already a bit late for Qin Xue to think about being low-key now since she had already become a topic of conversation for people.

 Chapter 338

    Translator: 549690339

    After Qin Yu finished his shower, Chu Molin went in to take his. Before he was done, Li Dabao and Ding Xi had already arrived.

    Each of them carried something in their hands. Qin Xue was astounded. The men around here really are unique in bringing canned food or wine as gifts.

    The items they brought were as practical as could be.

    Qin Xue was suddenly curious, when Chu Molin visited others for dinner, did he also bring these things?

    ¡°You could have just come without bringing anything. What¡¯s with all these?¡± Qin Xue felt a bit awkward for having invited the guests for dinner and they brought their food.

    ¡°Sister-in-law, we didn¡¯t have anything special to bring, so we just grabbed something.¡± Ding Xi had a more lively character and answered hastily after listening to Qin Xue.

    He certainly didn¡¯t dare to offend his sister-in-law as they thought the commander was joking when inviting them for dinner. Who knew it would actually happen?

    In the afternoon when they heard from Wei Shaohui, they were somewhat doubting whether it was true.

    The disbelief was not in Chu Molin¡¯s intent to treat them to a meal, but that he actually invited them to his house for the meal.

    Why such thoughts? It was because Qin Xue was pregnant and inconvenienced by her swollen belly.

    Hence, they had agreed to bring some items to alleviate the burden of cooking from Qin Xue¡¯s shoulders.

    With so many big men dining together, the quantity of food needed could be taxing for a normal woman to prepare, much more for a pregnant one like Qin Xue. Hence, the current situation arose.

    ¡°Alright, just put it there, everyone, go and take your seats, dinner will be ready soon.¡± Qin Xue pointed to a table for everyone to sit.

    When Qin Yu came out of the room, he saw his sister¡¯s cluelessness on how to handle the array of items.

    He found his sister quite adorable as others would love to receive more gifts while his sister was perplexed on what to do with them.

    ¡°Big brother Ding Xi, Brother Deng Kai, Da Bao, come on in, have a seat.¡± Qin Yu walked over to save his sister from the awkward situation.

    ¡°Good lad, Xiao Yu, you are doing well.¡± Ding Xi admired Qin Yu. He could endure hardship and took his training seriously.

    People like him usually turn out to be successful in life.

    It was a pity that he was past the eligible age to serve in the army.

    ¡°Ah, it smells delicious.¡± Li Dabao mentioned, smelling the aroma in the air.

    He couldn¡¯t help but long for the smell of the food ever since he tasted Qin Xue¡¯s cooking.

    Right now, he could eat it again and the feeling was truly indescribable.

    The guests gradually assembled and Chu Molin asked everyone to sit down.

    Then came the serving of dishes, the pouring of drinks, and the feasting, with men chowing down enthusiastically.

    As for Qin Xue and her mother, they did not join the table but ate in the kitchen with some leftover dishes.

    As for Chu Molin, Qin Xue did not bother him.

    She had seen his wound before. Any man who could heal such serious injuries in only about ten days¡­

    Qin Xue felt there was no need for her to worry excessively.

    ¡°Deputy Chief, sister-in-law¡¯s culinary skills are fantastic. In our countryside, we have a lot of these shell-on shrimps.

    But no one eats them. I didn¡¯t expect that they could be so delicious after being prepared like this.¡± Li Dabao was eating crayfish and speaking at the same time.

    ¡°Molin, when will you let your sister-in-law teach your wife some of these culinary skills?

    The taste is divine, very satisfying.¡± Mr. Xie was especially fond of the spicy crayfish.

    ¡°Indeed, I¡¯ll also let Yu Xiu learn some cooking skills from sis-in-law next time.¡± Xu Fangzhou felt that every time he ate dishes prepared by Qin Xue, he was experiencing a new way of cooking.

    Many dishes were common cuisine, but Qin Xue cooked them in a way that was different from their usual experiences.

    For instance, cabbage, which they usually cut and cooked directly in water, Qin Xue chopped into thin slices and stir-fried with oil, resulting in a more flavorful dish.

 Chapter 339

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    Chu Molin raised his eyebrows after hearing her words but didn¡¯t say anything, as he knew cooking a meal would be exhausting for his wife.

    He didn¡¯t want his wife to work so hard, so why would he agree to letting her get tired for other people? He wasn¡¯t stupid.

    After Qin Xue and her mother finished eating, they saw the others were still eating, so they didn¡¯t disturb them and went back to their room. One of them knitted a sweater, and the other read a book.

    While Chu Molin was enjoying his meal, Xiao Qi encountered some trouble on his end.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you? Don¡¯t you have eyes? Didn¡¯t you see someone standing there before you bumped into them?¡± Chu Beiying was already in a bad mood.

    Unexpectedly, someone had collided into her with full force, causing her to kneel on the ground. The pain from her kneecap made her curse.

    Xiao Qi was bewildered too, as he had been bumped into by someone else as well.

    If it weren¡¯t for his quick reaction, Xiao Qi would have fallen on top of the girl.

    He managed to stabilize himself, but the girl ended up on the ground.

    No matter what, he was the one who knocked her down, so Xiao Qi had to apologize.

    ¡°Miss, I¡¯m so sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to bump into you. Please forgive me, let me help you up,¡± Xiao Qi said apologetically.

    ¡°Who are you calling Miss? You¡¯re the Miss, your whole family are Misses!¡± Chu Beiying was even angrier upon hearing that.

    ¡°Miss, I¡¯ve already apologized. Besides, I was pushed too, I didn¡¯t intentionally bump into you,¡± Xiao Qi said with a shiver in his heart.

    ¡°Still calling me Miss, you¡¯re the Miss!¡± Damn, this man kept calling her Miss. Did he know what kind of people get called Miss?

    This man kept calling her Miss, how could Chu Beiying not be angry?

    ¡°Then, young lady, what do you want me to do, you tell me?¡± Xiao Qi asked patiently.

    ¡°Help me up now.¡± Chu Beiying stretched her hand out in front of Xiao Qi.

    It wasn¡¯t that Beiying didn¡¯t want to get up; it was just that she was pushed so hard that her kneecap was scraped, and her foot was twisted.

    Now she couldn¡¯t get up without his help, otherwise, she¡¯d have to keep lying on the ground.

    Xiao Qi looked at the delicate hand in front of him, unsure whether to help her or not.

    ¡°Hurry up, what are you waiting for?¡± Chu Beiying was getting impatient with this man¡¯s actions.

    ¡°Ouch! Be gentle.¡± As soon as he heard that, Xiao Qi reached out and pulled her up, causing Chu Beiying to be even more miserable as she felt the pain intensify.

    The pain brought tears to her eyes. Damn, this man must be doing it on purpose.

    Chu Beiying forcefully shook off his hand, balanced on one foot, and hopped over to the stairs to sit down.

    Taking off her shoe, she saw that her foot had swollen up like a pig¡¯s foot.

    The trousers on her knee were worn through, and blood was seeping out, making it look a bit horrifying.

    Ugh, how unlucky she was to end up in this situation ¨C it was mysterious enough just being here, but now this had happened.

    God, are you playing with me? This isn¡¯t how you treat people.

    Xiao Qi saw Chu Beiying shake off his hand and hop away, realizing her foot must be injured.

    He followed her to the stairs and watched her series of actions, realizing her injury was quite severe. The reason she lost her temper earlier must have been because of her injury.

    His tug on her earlier must have exacerbated her pain. No wonder she was so angry.

    ¡°Young lady, I¡¯m really sorry. I didn¡¯t know you were hurt so badly.¡± Xiao Qi said softly.

    Chu Beiying was furious and didn¡¯t want to talk at all.

    ¡°Young lady, how about you wait here while I go buy you some medicine?

    Then, I can take you to the hospital to get it checked out.¡± Xiao Qi continued, seeing that Chu Beiying wasn¡¯t responding.

    Chu Beiying just silently stared at her injured foot and didn¡¯t say a word.

    Xiao Qi glanced around, lifted his foot, and prepared to go buy the medicine.

    ¡°Wait, take me to the hospital,¡± Chu Beiying called out to the man who was about to leave.

 Chapter 340

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    Xiao Qi stopped in his tracks and looked back at Chu Beiying after hearing her shout.

    ¡°Miss, your ankle is severely swollen. Let me buy you some medicine to help with the pain before we head to the hospital,¡± Xiao Qi said as he stared at her swollen foot, which resembled a pig¡¯s trotter.

    He thought that maybe he could find a way to relieve her pain temporarily, so it would be better to go to the hospital later.

    ¡°No need, just take me directly to the hospital.¡± Chu Beiying glanced at her own foot and figured that the joint had just been dislocated when she fell; all she needed was for a doctor to reset it.

    But it hurt too much, and she couldn¡¯t bring herself to reset it, so she had to go to the hospital.

    Seeing her persistence, Xiao Qi nodded in agreement.

    ¡°I¡¯ll help you walk.¡± Although Xiao Qi had studied design abroad, he wasn¡¯t quite used to being too intimately close with women.

    Apart from his cousin An Hao, he still maintained a certain distance with other women.

    ¡°Just carry me on your back, or if that¡¯s not possible, help me find a car.¡± Chu Beiying really didn¡¯t want to walk.

    Both of her knees hurt, and she was just bearing the pain. Walking would only worsen her injuries, which would do her no good.

    She wasn¡¯t that foolish to treat this like a joke.

    However, she couldn¡¯t believe this man was so picky and actually wanted her to walk to the hospital.

    How could Chu Beiying possibly agree to that? She knew it was impossible.

    If he didn¡¯t want to carry her, then he could just find a car. She wasn¡¯t insisting on being carried by him.

    Xiao Qi looked around and wondered where to find a car in this area. There were no vehicles around, so how was he supposed to find one?

    He had just come to G Province on business, and now he had to deal with this situation.

    Left with no choice, Xiao Qi squatted down in front of Chu Beiying.

    ¡°Get on,¡± he said. Xiao Qi couldn¡¯t just leave her behind like an ungentlemanly person would.

    After all, he had knocked her down, even if it was unintentional; it was still his fault.

    So, he had to compromise. If the girl didn¡¯t mind, then why should he, a grown man, care?

    Chu Beiying looked at the broad back in front of her, grabbed his shoulders, and slowly leaned against him.

    Feeling the warmth from his shoulders, her face flushed red with embarrassment. Although she was usually bold and carefree,

    and interacted with boys, she had never been this intimately close with one before.

    Xiao Qi also felt slightly uncomfortable due to the soft touch on his back.

    At this moment, he realized that he had never felt this way with An Hao, whom he had grown up with. To him, she was just a sister.

    Now he understood that being close to other women felt different.

    Xiao Qi carried Chu Beiying on his back as they searched for a hospital. He was not familiar with the place since he was there on business, so he had to ask for directions along the way.

    Chu Beiying felt that her ability to accept everything that had happened that day had reached its limit, so she relaxed her mind on the warm back and eventually fell asleep.

    When Xiao Qi found a doctor¡¯s office at the hospital with Chu Beiying still on his back, he realized something was off.

    All the way, he had only been focused on asking for directions and didn¡¯t notice anything else. Since he and Chu Beiying were unfamiliar with each other, they had no desire to converse, which led to her falling asleep on his back without him realizing.

    ¡°Doctor, she¡¯s asleep,¡± said Xiao Qi, looking helplessly at Chu Beiying, who was resting soundly on his shoulder.

    He wondered how carefree this woman could be, as she was able to fall asleep on the back of a stranger like him. Wasn¡¯t she afraid he might be a bad person who would harm her?

    Seeing her sleeping face, she had no wariness against him at all. Xiao Qi didn¡¯t know whether to be happy or sad about this.

 Chapter 341

    Translator: 549690339

    The doctor looked at the man and woman, thinking they were quite shameless.

    Carrying her around in front of so many people.

    Xiao Qi also noticed the doctor¡¯s gaze, his face turned cold, and he glared at the doctor.

    With a heavy heart, he decided it was necessary to wake Chu Beiying up to deal with her injuries.

    ¡°Miss, wake up, we¡¯re at the hospital.¡± Xiao Qi shook the woman on his back and called out to her.

    Chu Beiying mumbled and opened her eyes, only to see the familiar white color. So they had arrived at the hospital.

    ¡°Ouch, it hurts!¡± As Chu Beiying tried to jump down, she unknowingly pulled on her injured leg, causing her to cry out in pain.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you be more careful? Don¡¯t you know you¡¯re injured?¡± After saying this, Xiao Qi was somewhat stunned.

    He didn¡¯t know why he snapped like that after hearing Chu Beiying¡¯s cry of pain.

    ¡°Um, you think I want to? I just forgot.¡± Chu Beiying said with a bit of grievance. As if being injured was her fault, and he dared to blame her.

    ¡°Young lady, can you please get down so we can check your injuries first?¡± At this moment, the good-tempered Xiao Qi said patiently.

    Despite Xiao Qi¡¯s calm demeanor, he actually wanted to throw the woman down.

    If Li Zhao was there, he would definitely say: ¡°Old Three, you have this day too, it¡¯s worth celebrating with fireworks.¡±

    Chu Beiying looked around and realized that they were in the doctor¡¯s office.

    ¡°Put me on that chair.¡± Chu Beiying pointed to a tall stool nearby.

    Xiao Qi complied, placing her on the chair and slowly releasing her.

    Chu Beiying noticed his actions, raising an eyebrow, thinking that this man was not so bad after all.

    ¡°Doctor, please check her leg injury.¡± Xiao Qi pointed to Chu Beiying¡¯s leg and spoke to the doctor.

    The doctor finally understood after hearing this. No wonder the two had dared to carry each other around like that; she was injured, which explained why the man had glared at him earlier.

    ¡°Miss, pull up your pant leg so I can take a look.¡± The doctor said to Chu Beiying.

    Chu Beiying pulled up her pant leg, revealing two white, long legs.

    Not only were Chu Beiying¡¯s legs straight, but they were also fair and slender, very attractive. The only flaw was the red and swollen left ankle, and the bloody, injured knees, which ruined the beauty.

    Xiao Qi took a look and felt a momentary clog in his heart; he did not expect Chu Beiying to be hurt so badly from that one push and bump.

    ¡°You¡¯re really not doing your job as her boyfriend. Look at the state of your girlfriend¡¯s injuries. If you¡¯re her boyfriend, you should take good care of her. Seriously, young people nowadays are so heartless.¡± After seeing Chu Beiying¡¯s leg, the doctor couldn¡¯t help but scold Xiao Qi.

    ¡°I¡­¡± Xiao Qi was just about to say that he was not Chu Beiying¡¯s boyfriend when the doctor interrupted him.

    ¡°What do you mean ¡®you¡¯? Look at her dislocated ankle; if you are not careful, she could have sequelae. And her injured knees might leave scars.¡± After examining her injuries, the doctor rattled off a long list of issues.

    Xiao Qi then gave up on explaining things after hearing the doctor¡¯s words.

    Chu Beiying, of course, knew the extent of her injuries, but she hadn¡¯t expected the doctor to be so righteous, misunderstanding that Xiao Qi was her boyfriend and scolding him.

    At this thought, Chu Beiying gave Xiao Qi an apologetic look.

    Xiao Qi sighed, accepting Chu Beiying¡¯s apologetic gaze, thinking that this woman still had some conscience after all.

    Once the doctor had corrected the dislocated ankle and bandaged the wounds, Xiao Qi looked at Chu Beiying and asked, ¡°What¡¯s next?¡±

    ¡°Take me out and help me find a hotel. You don¡¯t have to worry about anything else.¡± Chu Beiying had some money in her pocket.

    However, she found that the largest denomination she had were two US$ 50 bills and a few US$ 10 bills, and the rest were just loose change. Who still uses loose change these days?

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    Anyway, Chu Beiying was utterly confused at the moment. She still had no idea how she ended up in the hospital with an injury.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Xiao Qi saw that she really couldn¡¯t move around easily.

    He decided to be a good person all the way and help her find a place to stay since her injury was caused by him.

    ¡°Thank you, then could you please carry me to find a place to stay?¡± Chu Beiying looked at her crippled appearance and pursed her lips.

    ¡°Get on.¡± Xiao Qi didn¡¯t refuse and squatted in front of Chu Beiying.

    He didn¡¯t carry her to another place to stay, but instead carried her back to the hotel he was staying in. ¡°Find her a room,¡± he said to the staff.

    ¡°Okay, Mr. Xiao, please wait a moment.¡± The receptionist blushed while looking at the handsome Xiao Qi.

    ¡°Gee, it¡¯s really nice to be good-looking everywhere.¡± Chu Beiying observed and murmured to herself.

    Xiao Qi heard her murmur clearly, raised his eyebrows and looked at her, wondering why his good looks didn¡¯t seem to have any effect on her.

    In the past, women who met him would blush, act shy, and even deliberately try to get closer to him. Just like the receptionist earlier, who blushed as soon as she saw him.

    However, in this woman¡¯s eyes, apart from her initial anger when he knocked her down, there was only calm afterwards. There wasn¡¯t a trace of any other emotions, let alone shyness.

    He now thought this woman might be an anomaly. He even felt a sense of frustration, wondering if he was not good-looking enough or even ugly to not catch her eye.

    At this moment, Xiao Qi didn¡¯t understand why he was dwelling on these thoughts.

    Chu Beiying didn¡¯t think much about anything else, but just observed the surrounding environment while on Xiao Qi¡¯s back.

    It was her habit all along to observe the environment around her whenever she arrived at a new place, looking for anything special.

    After completing the check-in procedures for Chu Beiying, Xiao Qi carried her into the room.

    ¡°You¡¯ll stay in this room. Here¡¯s the key. As for meals, I¡¯ll ask the staff to bring them to your room during meal times. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll leave now.¡± Xiao Qi handed Chu Beiying the key he got from the receptionist.

    ¡°Alright, thank you.¡± Chu Beiying took the key, but didn¡¯t bother asking Xiao Qi his name or telling him hers.

    She simply sent him off with a word of thanks.

    Xiao Qi, seeing her like this, didn¡¯t say anything more and just nodded before leaving the room, and helped her close the door on his way out.

    After Xiao Qi left, Chu Beiying suddenly broke down, tears streaming down her face. ¡°Why is God playing with me like this? What am I going to do in the future?¡± The more she thought about it, the sadder and more heartbroken she felt, so she just wailed out loud.

    Xiao Qi, who hadn¡¯t gone far, heard the crying coming from the room and felt a heavy pressure in his heart. He leaned silently against the wall, staring at the ceiling, lost in thought.

    After an unknown period of time, the crying in the room gradually subsided until it disappeared completely.

    Xiao Qi straightened up and slowly went back to his room, which was, in fact, located next door.

    Xiao Qi grabbed some clothes, took a shower, and enjoyed the convenience of having hot water at any time in a hotel.

    Of course, the room rates were more expensive than guest houses, but it was something Xiao Qi could afford.

    During dinner, the hotel staff couldn¡¯t get Chu Beiying to open the door. With no other options, the receptionist contacted Xiao Qi.

    ¡°Mr. Xiao, hello. We are trying to deliver room service to room xx, but no one is answering the door even after knocking for a while. What should we do?¡± As soon as Xiao Qi opened the door, he saw the waiter standing there, rattling off a bunch of words.

    But Xiao Qi still understood what she meant.

    ¡°She might be asleep. You can try again later,¡± Xiao Qi said irritably, thinking about her earlier crying.

    ¡°Alright, Mr. Xiao. Sorry for the disturbance.¡± The waiter politely responded.

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    Xiao Qi nodded his head and closed the door. Sitting on the sofa, he irritably ran his fingers through his hair, straining to listen to the sounds from the next room.

    However, no matter how hard he listened, the neighboring room remained silent.

    Finally, unable to sit still anymore, Xiao Qi got up, opened the door, and stepped over to Chu Beiying¡¯s room next door, knocking continuously.

    But no matter how hard he knocked, just as the waiter had said, there was no sound from inside.

    He wondered worriedly ¨C surely nothing bad had happened?

    Unable to ease his worries, he obtained a spare key from the hotel manager.

    The moment he opened the door, he noticed something was wrong.

    Looking closely, Chu Beiying¡¯s face was flushed red, clearly indicating a high fever.

    Xiao Qi put his hand on her forehead, only to hastily pull it back as the heat scorched him.

    Xiao Qi was upset with himself. How had he not noticed earlier? She was unconscious, who knows how long the fever had been raging? She wouldn¡¯t get brain damage, would she?

    Xiao Qi headed back to his room, changed his clothes and dressed Beiying in his clothes then scooped her up in a princess carry.

    With no other options, he had to go to the hospital. It seemed his day was entwined with the hospital.

    He had visited in the afternoon and here he was, back again at night.

    ¡°Doctor, please check her immediately,¡± Xiao Qi called a doctor urgently after finding him.

    ¡°What¡¯s her temperature?¡± The doctor immediately cooled Beiying down and asked Xiao Qi to go pay the fees.

    It wasn¡¯t until two hours later, when Beiying¡¯s fever finally subsided, that Xiao Qi felt relief. Whose daughter was this girl, who was proving to be even more of a handful than his own son, An¡¯an?

    Since the afternoon, Xiao Qi had not had a moment¡¯s rest, constantly being busy. Now that Beiying¡¯s fever was down, he fell asleep as he watched over her.

    Back at Qin Xue¡¯s home, once the men had finished eating, they helped clean up before leaving ¨C Ding Xi even took out the trash.

    Seeing this, Qin Xue thought these soldiers were really down-to-earth.

    They had been invited for a meal yet brought gifts. They cleaned up and took out the trash after their meal, saving Qin Xue a lot of trouble.

    As for Chu Molin, although he drank a bit too much, he was still clear-headed, and his eyes were still sharp, clearly not drunk. His normally expressionless face was a little red.

    Qin Yu didn¡¯t have as much luck, he was completely drunk.

    After Molin moved Qin Yu to the bed and covered him with a light blanket, he went to wash his face and sober up.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, I¡¯m going back to my dormitory, you and mom should get some rest early,¡± Chu Molin gave his wife a heads-up.

    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay? Why don¡¯t you stay and squish in with Xiao Yu tonight?¡± Qin Xue looked at him, worried he would trip and fall in his intoxicated state.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not drunk,¡± Chu Molin said, showing a rare smile.

    ¡°Then please be careful,¡± Qin Xue advised him, still worried.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Chu Molin, still energetic, decided to go out to get some fresh air to clear his head.

    Chu Molin lay down on the grass on the field, his hands behind his head.

    He lay there, looking up at the stars. Some were especially bright, blinking like naughty eyes, twinkling and winking, so much like his lovely wife¡¯s expressive eyes.

    When Chu Molin left, Qin Xue locked the door, then went back to her room to see her mother still knitting.

    ¡°Mom, stop knitting or you might ruin your eyes,¡± Qin Xue told her mother, eyeing the dim lamp light.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll finish this little bit left and then I¡¯ll stop,¡± Nangong Shulan said, looking at the small amount of remaining yarn.

    ¡°Did everyone leave?¡± Nangong Shulan asked her daughter.

    ¡°Yes, they all left. Xiao Yu is drunk and Molin put him to bed in his room,¡± Qin Xue informed her mother, not wanting her to worry about her brother.

    ¡°Your brother must be over the moon,¡± Nangong Shulan surmised. She knew her son usually didn¡¯t drink, so the fact that he got drunk tonight showed just how happy he was.

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    Qin Xue thought that it was indeed a happy occasion, with 25 kilograms of crayfish, which she assumed they would not be able to finish. Who would have thought that the ten men would actually eat all of them?

    This saved Qin Xue the trouble of figuring out how to preserve the leftovers so they wouldn¡¯t spoil.

    ¡°Mom, have you ever thought about what Xiao Yu should do in the future?¡± Qin Xue thought that her brother could go into business if he didn¡¯t want to study.

    She wasn¡¯t sure what her mother and the others thought, so she decided to ask for clarification.

    ¡°He originally wanted to join the army, but we didn¡¯t agree at the time. Later on, he missed the age to enlist. As for what he wants to do now, we have to ask him himself.¡± Nangong Shulan and the others had already interfered with his decision once; now it was time to let him make a decision on his own.

    After all, it was his life, and they, as parents, couldn¡¯t interfere too much.

    Eventually, they would not be able to accompany him for his whole life.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll find a time to ask him. Mom, if Xiao Yu wants to enlist again, and there is an opportunity for him to do so, would you let him go?¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t know what her brother would decide.

    So no matter what, she needed to figure out her mother¡¯s thoughts first.

    ¡°Your father and I don¡¯t want him to join the army, but I can see that he really likes it here these days.

    I often wonder if I made a mistake. I should not have stopped him at the beginning.¡± Nangong Shulan looked up at her daughter.

    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you and Dad want Xiao Yu to go?¡± Qin Xue thought that they needed to understand the reasons first in order to solve the problem.

    ¡°Qin Xue, you know that joining the army can be dangerous. We only have Xiao Yu as a boy in our family, and if something happens to him when he enlists, how am I going to explain to your father?¡± Nangong Shulan looked out the window as she spoke.

    Of course, the father she was referring to was not Qin Lei.

    She didn¡¯t want to pursue the reasons for her leaving, but after all, she took the two children away. Now Qin Xue was married, but Xiao Yu was still single, wasn¡¯t he?

    If it weren¡¯t for that incident, would she have married that man and formed a family? But now she had married someone else and had never inquired about that man¡¯s affairs over the years, although she had once loved him in her heart. She had to leave a root for him.

    ¡°But Mom, have you ever thought that we can¡¯t always live in peace and safety in this world? Accidents, natural disasters, or man-made disasters might happen.

    Of course, I¡¯m not cursing anyone, I¡¯m just using it as an analogy. After all, no one can guarantee that these things won¡¯t happen, right? If that¡¯s the case, why not do what we enjoy while we¡¯re alive?

    If everyone chose what they liked, wouldn¡¯t there be no regrets left?¡± Qin Xue thought about herself: she was just going to a meeting after getting off work when disaster struck and she died.

    But fortunately, heaven was kind to her; she came to this place with the Golden Finger space, a loving husband, and two children, and now she was reunited with her mother. She could be considered a big winner in life.

    However, not everyone was as lucky as her, having the chance to live life over again after death.

    Since that¡¯s the case, why not choose what you love and live life happily?

    Nangong Shulan stared at Qin Xue in shock, wondering how her daughter could say such a thing, which was too shocking for the world.

    ¡°Mom, why are you looking at me like that? Didn¡¯t I say it right?¡± Qin Xue asked, looking at her mother¡¯s stunned expression.

    It wasn¡¯t that Nangong Shulan thought Qin Xue was wrong; on the contrary, she was shocked because it was so right. If she had been braver back then, would the two children have not needed to leave their father¡¯s side?

    But if that was the case, wouldn¡¯t she have never met the man who loved her dearly as her husband?

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    At this moment, Nangong Shulan was certain of one thing in her heart: she didn¡¯t regret leaving that man.

    Because some things have already passed, they should remain in the past forever. What she should treasure is the present and the happiness in front of her eyes.

    ¡°Qin Xue, if there¡¯s an opportunity for Xiao Yu to join the army, I¡¯ll let him go. I¡¯ll talk to your father about it.¡± After a conversation with her daughter, Nangong Shulan¡¯s heart suddenly became open and bright. Yes, why worry too much? What¡¯s meant to come will always come. There¡¯s no need to worry about something that isn¡¯t meant to happen.

    ¡°Mom, you¡¯re so great.¡± Qin Xue just wanted her mother to understand that not joining the army doesn¡¯t necessarily mean a lifetime of safety; some things are unpredictable. As the saying goes, if it¡¯s a blessing, it¡¯s not a disaster; if it¡¯s a disaster, you can¡¯t avoid it.

    ¡°It has been me who¡¯s been stuck in a dead end all this time, and I¡¯ve wasted Xiao Yu¡¯s time. I wonder if he ever resented us?¡± Nangong Shulan looked at the night outside, feeling melancholy.

    ¡°Mom, what are you talking about? Xiao Yu knows you¡¯re doing it for his own good, how could he blame you?¡± Qin Xue and Qin Yu were twins, so she could more or less know some of his thoughts.

    Now that her mother¡¯s mindset had been enlightened, things were looking up.

    So, when the time comes, no matter what Xiao Yu wants to do, his parents will not interfere anymore. That¡¯s the only thing Qin Xue can do for Qin Yu.

    ¡°Qin Xue, you¡¯re a good girl.¡± Nangong Shulan patted Qin Xue¡¯s head and said, the little girl from the past had grown up into an adult, speaking more sense than her and leaving her with no rebuttal. From now on, she wouldn¡¯t have to worry so much about her daughter¡¯s well-being.

    ¡°Mom, go to sleep.¡± Qin Xue took the knitting needles and wool from her mother¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Let¡¯s sleep.¡± Nangong Shulan didn¡¯t feel like knitting anymore either.

    Chu Molin looked at the night sky for a long time before getting up and going back to the dorm to sleep.

    In the middle of the night, Chu Beiying was awakened by hunger. As soon as she woke up, she felt something was off, the smell in her nose wasn¡¯t right.

    When Chu Beiying opened her eyes, she found herself lying on a hospital bed.

    How did she end up in the hospital again? Who brought her here? A series of question marks appeared in Chu Beiying¡¯s mind.

    Chu Beiying felt that she had grabbed something in her hand. She pulled it, and with that movement, she woke up Xiao Qi.

    ¡°You¡¯re awake, how do you feel?¡± Xiao Qi looked at Chu Beiying¡¯s no longer flushed face, touched her forehead, and thought it was good that her fever was gone.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Chu Beiying pulled her hand down from her forehead.

    ¡°You had a fever? Didn¡¯t you know?¡± Xiao Qi looked at her and said slowly.

    ¡°I had a fever? So, I¡¯m in the hospital now because I had a fever?¡± Chu Beiying felt like a fool, her throat was dry and sore, which is a typical aftereffect of a fever, yet she still asked such a stupid question.

    ¡°Yes, because when the waiter brought you a meal, you didn¡¯t respond after they knocked on your door for a long time. Since I was the one who checked you into the hotel, they had to find me. I went with them to knock on the door for some time, too. As they said, there was no response from you at all.

    Thinking about your injury in the afternoon, I wondered if it had caused the fever, so I went to the hotel manager to get the spare key. When I opened the door, I saw you already unconscious from the fever, so I had no choice but to bring you to the hospital.¡± Xiao Qi rarely explained the whole story.

    After hearing this, Chu Beiying felt a little embarrassed. The fever was not caused by her injury, but by her ups and downs in emotion and the uncontrollable crying in the afternoon.

    ¡°Thank you, my name is Chu Beiying.¡± Chu Beiying felt that since he had helped her so much, it would be rude not to tell him her name.

    Xiao Qi raised his eyebrows, so she was finally willing to tell him her name, how rare.

    ¡°Xiao Qi.¡± Since the girl had already introduced herself, of course, Xiao Qi couldn¡¯t be outdone by a woman.

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    ¡°Hello, nice to meet you.¡± Chu Beiying extended her right hand and said.

    Xiao Qi looked at the pale and delicate hand in front of him, and after thinking for a moment, he extended his right hand and shook hers.

    What kind of background does this woman have to suddenly change and use such formal etiquette?

    ¡°Can I be discharged from the hospital now? I want to go out and find something to eat. I¡¯m starving,¡± Chu Beiying said, eager to fill her stomach.

    ¡°Hold on, let me check with the doctor.¡± Xiao Qi wasn¡¯t sure if she could be discharged.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Chu Beiying nodded.

    Once Xiao Qi left, Chu Beiying looked around the hospital room, bored.

    It was so different from the place she worked.

    ¡°What are you thinking about? Let¡¯s go.¡± After inquiring with the doctor, Xiao Qi had completed her discharge procedures.

    He returned to the room to find Chu Beiying daydreaming.

    When Chu Beiying heard the sound of his voice, she turned to look at him.

    She had been thinking and hadn¡¯t heard what Xiao Qi had just said, so she just stared at him silently without speaking.

    ¡°What are you looking at? Didn¡¯t you say you want to be discharged? Won¡¯t you leave?¡± Xiao Qi asked three questions in a row to cover up his uneasiness.

    Did this woman think it was all right to stare at him so intensely? Did she not feel awkward?

    If Chu Beiying knew what he was thinking, she would tell him: You¡¯re overthinking it. I¡¯ve seen so many naked people; what¡¯s so embarrassing about looking at you this way?

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Chu Beiying returned to her usual calm expression.

    This time, Xiao Qi finally agreed with the saying that women¡¯s faces change quickly.

    ¡°Xiao Qi, thank you so much for today. You can go back now; I¡¯ve got something to do,¡± Chu Beiying asked him to leave.

    ¡°It¡¯s late, and you¡¯re a girl. It¡¯s not safe. Let me accompany you,¡± Xiao Qi said, considering the late-night dangers for a girl.

    ¡°No need. I¡¯ve bothered you enough today as it is,¡± Chu Beiying couldn¡¯t drag a man around looking for food in the middle of the night.

    ¡°You said you¡¯ve bothered me enough, so what¡¯s one more thing?¡± Xiao Qi was surprised. When did he become so meddlesome?

    Chu Beiying listened, silently watching him before eventually nodding in agreement.

    ¡°Do you know where to find food nearby?¡± Chu Beiying was so hungry she felt dizzy.

    ¡°There should be late-night snacks in the hotel,¡± Xiao Qi understood what Chu Beiying meant now.

    So, just now, she wanted him to go back, so she could find food alone.

    But it made sense, since neither of them had eaten since the afternoon, they were both starving.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s go back to the hotel,¡± Chu Beiying walked with a limp.

    ¡°Let me carry you instead so you won¡¯t get your foot injured again,¡± Xiao Qi proposed as he crouched down in front of her after taking a few steps.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so kind to a stranger like me,¡± Chu Beiying didn¡¯t immediately lean on his back.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t your injury my fault?¡± Xiao Qi understood her implication.

    ¡°Fine, I get it,¡± Chu Beiying understood his meaning, so she wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned on his back.

    ¡°Can I ask you a question?¡± Xiao Qi asked after a moment of silence.

    ¡°What question?¡± Chu Beiying rested her head on his shoulder and asked in a muffled voice.

    ¡°Why are you here alone as a girl, and why don¡¯t you go home?¡± Xiao Qi wasn¡¯t one to meddle in others¡¯ affairs, but he couldn¡¯t help worrying about Chu Beiying being by herself. He felt she seemed particularly vulnerable and helpless.

    ¡°Home? I want to go back, but where is the way?¡± Chu Beiying also wanted to go home, but how could she? She didn¡¯t even know how she got here in the first place, so how could she know where the way was?

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    Qin Xue had a dreamless night and woke up early, only to find her mother no longer by her side. She must have already started preparing breakfast.

    Qin Xue put on a white maternity dress, combed her hair straight and tied it up, looking clean and refreshing.

    When she left the room, she saw her mother making breakfast indeed.

    ¡°Good morning, Mom.¡± Qin Xue greeted her mother with a smile.

    ¡°Good morning, Qin Xue. Why didn¡¯t you sleep in a little longer?¡± Nangong Shulan greeted her daughter with a smile.

    ¡°Once I woke up, I didn¡¯t want to sleep anymore. Mom, I need to go to the city today.¡± Qin Xue thought of giving the baby walker to Jingtao today.

    ¡°By yourself?¡± Nangong Shulan asked. If she was going by herself, she would accompany her again.

    ¡°No, I¡¯ll ask Chu Molin to go with me later.¡± Qin Xue thought that since her mother and Qin Yu had been here these past few days, she had neglected that man. She needed to find a chance to spend time with him.

    ¡°Okay, I understand. Go and wash up, and we¡¯ll eat breakfast later.¡± Nangong Shulan felt relieved when she heard that her son-in-law would accompany Qin Xue, and she had nothing to worry about.

    The young couple should spend more time together if they get along well.

    ¡°Mom, we¡¯re back.¡± Qin Yu shouted to the kitchen as soon as he entered.

    ¡°Wash up and have breakfast.¡± Nangong Shulan placed the breakfast on the table.

    ¡°Chu Molin, after you accompany me to the city, let¡¯s go to the market together.¡± Qin Xue spoke to Chu Molin after coming out of the bathroom.

    ¡°Sure.¡± Chu Molin cherished any opportunity to spend time alone with his wife.

    ¡°Mom, after I accompany Xue¡¯er to the city, I want to take her to the market for a walk.¡± Chu Molin told his mother-in-law this plan while everyone was sitting at the table eating breakfast.

    ¡°Going to the market? Do you need to buy something?¡± Nangong Shulan casually asked after hearing it.

    ¡°I just want to take Xue¡¯er to see if there¡¯s anything she wants to buy. Otherwise, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t have time to accompany her when I return to my team.¡± Chu Molin would have to return to his team once his injury is healed, and Qin Xue would need to go back to H Province. Their time together would become even more limited.

    ¡°Alright, go ahead, but be careful.¡± Nangong Shulan knew that Chu Molin wanted a chance for the couple to spend more time together. She wasn¡¯t an unreasonable person.

    ¡°Thank you, mom.¡± Chu Molin happily ate his breakfast, thinking of this plan he had come up with while stargazing the night before.

    With his mother-in-law and brother-in-law here, the couple had no time to be alone.

    So he had to think of a way to create opportunities. That¡¯s why he thought long and hard last night before coming up with this idea.

    Going to the market? Qin Xue looked at Chu Molin in surprise, as he hadn¡¯t mentioned this to her before.

    Chu Molin didn¡¯t pay attention to his wife¡¯s gaze. He had already received his mother-in-law¡¯s approval, so he didn¡¯t say anything and just ate his breakfast quietly.

    Qin Yu watched them silently and ate his rice without speaking.

    It wasn¡¯t until they got in the car and left that Qin Xue had the chance to ask Chu Molin.

    ¡°Chu Molin, why did you suddenly want to go to the market?¡± Qin Xue had only been to the city during her stay and had not yet been to the market, so she was also somewhat looking forward to it.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to go?¡± Chu Molin hadn¡¯t discussed this with Qin Xue beforehand, and now that she brought it up, he thought she didn¡¯t want to go.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m just curious why you suddenly wanted to go to the market.¡± Qin Xue blinked at Chu Molin.

    With a sigh of relief, Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue. Could she not use that kind of gaze to look at him? Didn¡¯t she know that her gaze was seductive? It had been many days since he had tasted her kisses.

    Chu Molin used his hand to turn her head to look out the car window because he was afraid that if Qin Xue continued looking at him like that, he wouldn¡¯t be able to resist kissing her in front of everyone in the car.

    Qin Xue looked at the scenery outside, not understanding what Chu Molin wanted her to see. There didn¡¯t seem to be anything outside the car window except for the trees and wild grasses that whizzed by.

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    Qin Xue stuck to her usual principle: if she couldn¡¯t figure something out, she wouldn¡¯t think about it.

    After the two arrived in the city, Chu Molin carried the learning walker, and Qin Xue slowly followed him.

    They were going to the shop first, and then take a ride to downtown.

    ¡°Little Jingtao, Auntie is here!¡± As soon as Qin Xue saw someone, she greeted Jingtao first.

    ¡°Eh, Qin Xue is here.¡± Fang Xiu looked at Qin Xue in surprise. She had just come yesterday, so why did she come today?

    ¡°Yeah, I am here to gift Taotao. Chu Molin, bring it over.¡± Qin Xue said, looking at Chu Molin.

    ¡°What is it?¡± It was no wonder that Fang Xiu didn¡¯t recognize it. It was made according to the style of the future world, and the only difference was the wheels.

    As soon as Chu Molin put it on the ground, Qin Xue asked him to hold Jingtao and put him in it.

    ¡°This is so cleverly made. This thing is great.¡± Fang Xiu saw Jingtao sitting in it, able to both stand and sit without falling. It would save her a lot of trouble with Taotao sitting in it.

    ¡°Qin Xue, thank you, and thank you, Mr. Chu.¡± Fang Xiu¡¯s eyes were red. She was so lucky to have such good friends.

    ¡°Fang Xiu, there¡¯s no need to thank us. This is a gift for the child from me as his aunt. Don¡¯t be polite, we¡¯re here today not only to give Taotao this walker but also for the two of us to spend some time in our own little world.¡± Qin Xue said with a smile.

    ¡°Wow, no wonder you look different today than usual. So you are going to spend time in your own little world, no wonder you are in such a good mood.¡± Fang Xiu teased Qin Xue.

    ¡°Yeah, you can just be jealous.¡± Qin Xue wasn¡¯t afraid of her teasing with her thick skin.

    Chu Molin stood by with a smile as they chatted and laughed.

    He loved seeing his wife¡¯s happy smile.

    ¡°Yeah, just bully me because I am all alone.¡± Fang Xiu no longer felt as sad about her husband as before.

    Now that she had her son¡¯s company and had gotten used to living alone with him, she could put the past behind her and be happy now.

    ¡°Fang Xiu, I won¡¯t brag, we¡¯re going to take the car to downtown. Do you need anything? I can get it for you.¡± Qin Xue thought about going downtown to see if there was anything special they could bring back.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need anything. You can ask Yu Xiu.¡± Fang Xiu could buy whatever she needed in the city, so there was no need to bring anything special from downtown.

    ¡°Alright, you¡¯re busy then. I¡¯ll go ask Sister Yu Xiu.¡± Qin Xue smiled at Fang Xiu.

    ¡°Go ahead.¡± Fang Xiu waved her hand.

    ¡°Sister Yu Xiu, we¡¯re going to downtown, do you need anything?¡± Qin Xue went to the shop and asked Yu Xiu directly when she saw her.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need anything, you guys go and have fun.¡± Yu Xiu didn¡¯t need anything either.

    Originally, the couple was just going out for fun. If they had to take anything, what would that count as?

    ¡°Alright, if none of you need anything, we¡¯ll go.¡± Qin Xue said with a smile.

    ¡°Go ahead, have fun.¡± Yu Xiu blinked at Qin Xue.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Qin Xue smiled back and then pulled Chu Molin away.

    ¡°Chu Molin, is it far from here to downtown?¡± Qin Xue had never been there and didn¡¯t know how far it was.

    ¡°About two hours, I guess.¡± Chu Molin thought for a moment before speaking.

    ¡°That¡¯s a bit far.¡± It took an hour and a half to two hours to get from the army base to the county. Then it took another two hours from the county to the city. It was quite a distance in total.

    ¡°Well, it is a bit far, but there is a beautiful mountain in the city with very beautiful scenery. Many people go there to play.¡± Chu Molin had been there once before while on a mission, so he wanted to take his little wife to see and enjoy it this time.

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    I heard there¡¯s a popular temple on that mountain.

    Many people go there for a visit, and since Qin Xue and he hadn¡¯t gone out to play since getting married, this was a good opportunity to go and have some fun.

    ¡°Is it a tourist attraction?¡± Qin Xue had been here for so long without visiting one. Could it be that there was already a tourist attraction in the city?

    ¡°Sort of.¡± Chu Molin thought that since so many people went there daily, it should count as a tourist spot.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s go see it.¡± Qin Xue looked at Chu Molin from the side.

    ¡°I¡¯m taking you to the city to have fun.¡± Chu Molin petted her head.

    ¡°Finally, I can go out and play. I¡¯ve been running between home and the shop every day. I haven¡¯t had a chance to explore the city yet. Chu Molin, you are so nice.¡± Qin Xue¡¯s mood was like a little bird that had been set free, not knowing where to fly.

    ¡°As long as you¡¯re happy.¡± Chu Molin looked at her with affection.

    The two went to the bus station to buy tickets, and they were in luck; the bus was just about to depart, so they didn¡¯t have to wait.

    ¡°Chu Molin, if we are going to the city now, does that mean we won¡¯t be back tonight?¡± Qin Xue thought that if they were going to play, they probably wouldn¡¯t be able to make it back in the evening.

    ¡°Yes, we won¡¯t be back. We¡¯ll stay there overnight and return tomorrow. If you want to have more fun, we can stay another day.¡± Chu Molin was in recovery at the moment, and there was no rule that they had to return tomorrow.

    ¡°We¡¯ll see how it goes then. Let¡¯s go and play first, and if it¡¯s fun, we can stay an extra day.¡± Qin Xue was happy at the thought of playing.

    However, she seemed to have forgotten that she was heavily pregnant, and even though playing was fun, it would be quite tiring.

    But for Qin Xue, she should consider it as exercise. Walking around and exercising would make it easier to give birth later on.

    ¡°Hmm.¡± Chu Molin watched Qin Xue¡¯s excited expression and felt he should have taken her out to play earlier.

    It¡¯s just that his job limited his time, as he couldn¡¯t schedule it freely.

    After a shaky journey, they finally arrived at the station when Qin Xue was about to fall asleep.

    ¡°Whew, my waist.¡± Qin Xue rubbed her waist, feeling quite sore after sitting for so long.

    ¡°How do you feel? Is it okay?¡± Chu Molin looked at his little wife with concern.

    ¡°No big deal. I¡¯ll stand up and move around a bit, and I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Qin Xue thought that it was just because her belly was too big and sitting for too long had caused poor blood circulation.

    Chu Molin looked around and pulled Qin Xue to a less crowded spot.

    He gently massaged her waist with his hand.

    Qin Xue looked at Chu Molin and smiled sweetly. This man always showed his love through actions rather than words.

    Qin Xue thought this kind of man was so much better than those who only talk but don¡¯t put words into action.

    ¡°All right, Chu Molin, no need to keep rubbing. Let¡¯s go eat, and then we can go play.¡± Qin Xue now had her mind set on playing.

    ¡°Don¡¯t rush. Let¡¯s find a place to stay and rest before going out to play.¡± Chu Molin saw his wife¡¯s tired face and interrupted her excited expression.

    ¡°Chu Molin, you¡¯re such a spoilsport.¡± Qin Xue pouted.

    ¡°Even if I am spoiling the fun, you need to rest before going out.¡± Chu Molin was very stubborn in some ways.

    ¡°I know.¡± Qin Xue knew he was doing it for her own good, so she just complained a little bit.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Chu Molin held Qin Xue¡¯s hand.

    Chu Molin was dressed casually today, wearing sportswear designed by Qin Xue. He looked tall, handsome, and impressive, and with his emotionless face, he seemed like a reclusive CEO from a different era.

    Qin Xue looked at him with heart-shaped stars in her eyes, thinking how handsome her husband was. He was absolutely deadly charming.

    Qin Xue felt a sense of accomplishment seeing the starstruck gazes from people around.

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    The two of them first went to find a restaurant to eat, and only after having their fill did they look for a hotel.

    Qin Xue looked at this fairly clean hotel and reluctantly accepted it.

    If it was not inconvenient, Qin Xue would rather bring her own bed sheets.

    In her previous life, that¡¯s what she used to do. Whether it was on a business trip or for an exchange program, she would always prepare a set of clean bed sheets to replace the hotel¡¯s.

    But in this era, she could only overcome her own preferences and make do.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go to bed and rest for a while.¡± Chu Molin came to Qin Xue after inspecting the room and told her to rest.

    ¡°OK, Chu Molin, can you give me a foot rub?¡± Qin Xue had walked a lot these past few days, not feeling tired during the walk, but after sitting down to rest, she felt her feet were a bit sore.

    Since she couldn¡¯t rub it herself, she had to ask Chu Molin for help.

    ¡°Alright, lie down, and I¡¯ll rub them for you.¡± Chu Molin agreed without hesitation.

    ¡°Mmm, it¡¯s really hard carrying twins.¡± Qin Xue muttered softly.

    ¡°What did you say? Speak louder, I didn¡¯t hear you clearly.¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t pick up on what Qin Xue was saying.

    ¡°Nothing much, I was just saying that this hotel is fairly clean.¡± Qin Xue casually found an excuse.

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Chu Molin also chose to stay in this hotel because it was clean. He was a clean freak himself; he could hide in the woods outside for days without bathing, but he couldn¡¯t stand a filthy hotel.

    The two chatted back and forth.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, is this pressure alright?¡± Chu Molin pressed his thumb on her sole.

    After waiting for a while, Chu Molin raised his head to find that his little wife had fallen asleep at some point.

    Chu Molin put her feet on the bed, went to the bathroom to wash his face.

    Seeing Qin Xue sleeping soundly, he smiled, took off his shoes, and lay down beside her.

    Watching his little wife¡¯s sweet sleeping face up close, Chu Molin felt that it had been a long time since they had been this close.

    Chu Molin traced her face with his hand. His little wife was really beautiful, and her looks resembled her mother-in-law. However, Qin Yu, her twin brother, didn¡¯t look much like her. Instead, he looked more like that person.

    Could it be like Qin Lang said, that there really was some connection between them?

    Should he discuss this matter with his little wife first? After thinking for a long time, Chu Molin made a decision. He decided to let things happen naturally and not mention the matter to Qin Xue.

    If there really was a day when they would meet, he believed the truth would eventually come to light.

    After thinking this through, Chu Molin closed his eyes and rested, with his hand around his little wife¡¯s belly.

    When Qin Xue woke up, she saw a handsome, infuriatingly good-looking face enlarged in front of her eyes.

    It was really huge since their noses were touching, and their lips were only about a centimeter apart.

    Who could avoid seeing such a large face? Qin Xue inhaled a cold breath; this was entirely enticing her to commit a crime.

    Qin Xue wanted to move back a little, but seeing Chu Molin sleeping so soundly, she was afraid of waking him up.

    So Qin Xue didn¡¯t dare to move and just stared quietly at Chu Molin¡¯s sleeping face.

    It wasn¡¯t until Chu Molin¡¯s eyes twitched that Qin Xue, frightened, hurriedly closed her eyes.

    Chu Molin opened his eyes to see Qin Xue¡¯s somewhat self-deceiving actions, and he silently chuckled with a smile.

    Chu Molin stared at Qin Xue¡¯s quivering eyelashes and suddenly wanted to tease her.

    Chu Molin nudged Qin Xue¡¯s nose with his own, clearly sensing her breathing getting heavier.

    Chu Molin wickedly stuck out his tongue and licked Qin Xue¡¯s lips, scaring her so much that her whole body tensed up. How could she pretend any longer in front of this bad man?

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    Qin Xue really wanted to curse in her heart, how could someone be so detestable.

    Qin Xue genuinely could not pretend anymore, so she slowly opened her eyes.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you pretending to sleep anymore?¡± Chu Mojin asked.

    Qin Xue glared at him, biting his arm. She wondered how she could rest with him disturbing her like this.

    Chu Molin suddenly chuckled. His little wife was truly too adorable.

    No matter how you looked at this picture, it was amusing, Chu Molin looked like a delightful piece of meat.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, let go.¡± Chu Molin said in a muffled voice.

    ¡°Mmm mmm.¡± Qin Xue shook her head refusing to let go. She was indicating with her eyes at Chu Molin, blaming him for bullying her.

    ¡°You¡¯re sure you won¡¯t let go?¡± Chu Molin asked.

    ¡°Won¡¯t let go.¡± Qin Xue said the moment he asked, only to freeze a second later.

    Because the moment she opened her mouth, she let go of Chu Molin¡¯s arm.

    ¡°Will you dare in the future?¡± Chu Molin asked, looking at Qin Xue somewhat perilously while tickling her.

    ¡°Woo Woo, I won¡¯t dare anymore.¡± Qin Xue gave in.

    She simply couldn¡¯t win against this man. She had no choice but to submit.

    ¡°Let¡¯s overlook it this time, but you better prepare for the next.¡± Chu Molin gently kissed Qin Xue¡¯s forehead, whispering in his deep, tempting voice:

    ¡°Mmm.¡± Qin Xue nodded reluctantly.

    ¡°Sigh.¡± Chu Molin sighed. This so-called punishment for Qin Xue felt more like a punishment for himself. He found it far too easy to go soft for his wife.

    ¡°Do you want to get up?¡± Chu Molin asked Qin Xue.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Qin Xue was afraid that if she continued to lay down like this, she would lose control.

    ¡°You get up first, I¡¯ll follow.¡± Chu Molin glanced down at his own body.

    ¡°Ok.¡± Qin Xue immediately got up and rushed to the bathroom to splash cold water on her face. The situation was too heated.

    While Qin Xue calmed herself in the bathroom, Chu Molin laid on the bed, also slowly adjusting and calming himself down.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, did you fall in the toilet?¡± Chu Molin jokingly asked her when she didn¡¯t come out for a long time.

    ¡°You¡¯re the one who fell in the toilet, your whole family fell in the toilet.¡± Qin Xue glared back at him puffily.

    ¡°You are my family too.¡± Chu Molin laughed.

    ¡°You¡¯re a bully.¡± Qin Xue glared at the man who was beaming with joy.

    ¡°Mmm, I only bully you, by using the same method as earlier.¡± Chu Molin held Qin Xue from behind and whispered in her ear.

    His warm breath tickled Qin Xue¡¯s ear.

    Qin Xue found it slightly unbearable and pushed his head away saying, ¡°Stop, it tickles.¡±

    Chu Molin chuckled. It has been a long time since he had laughed so happily.

    It turned out that being with his cute wife made happiness so easy to achieve.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, thank you.¡± Chu Molin softly thanked Qin Xue.

    ¡°Are you stupid? I didn¡¯t do anything. Why are you thanking me?¡± Qin Xue turned her head to look at the man leaning on her shoulder and asked him, puzzled.

    ¡°Hmm, anyway, thank you.¡± Chu Molin smiled cryptically.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what I did that needs your thanks.¡± Qin Xue thought and thought but still felt that she didn¡¯t do anything. The man must have gone crazy.

    As Qin Xue pondered this, she reached out to touch his forehead. His temperature seemed normal. So why was he suddenly thanking her?

    Qin Xue felt that men were just as baffling as women. There¡¯s a saying that a woman¡¯s heart is as deep as the ocean, and she felt that men were the same.

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    Chu Molin didn¡¯t care what his little wife was thinking about.

    He just quietly leaned on his little wife¡¯s shoulder and enjoyed the peace of the moment.

    ¡°Chu Molin, are we going out to play?¡± Qin Xue broke the serene silence.

    ¡°Do you want to go out with the sun so strong right now?¡± Chu Molin asked Qin Xue as he looked at the bright sunlight outside the window.

    Qin Xue followed Chu Molin¡¯s gaze to the window, and the sun really was very bright.

    Well, the sun was too strong, and the weather was too hot, so she didn¡¯t want to go out.

    ¡°So when are we going out to play?¡± Qin Xue asked the calmest man ever.

    ¡°In the afternoon. We won¡¯t go to the mountains today. I¡¯ll take you for a stroll in the afternoon. Tomorrow morning after breakfast we¡¯ll play in the mountains, and come back in the afternoon. It¡¯s up to you whether you want to play for another day or go home.¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t want Qin Xue to get too tired.

    So he didn¡¯t rush on time and went along with whatever his little wife wanted.

    ¡°Really? Then I¡¯ll have to take a good look.¡± Qin Xue¡¯s idea of ¡°taking a look¡± wasn¡¯t just casually looking, but rather exploring the possibilities of her development here.

    ¡°Mhm, it¡¯s up to you.¡± Chu Molin looked at her mischievous eyes and smiled, nodding.

    ¡°Chu Molin, thank you.¡± Qin Xue turned her head and kissed Chu Molin¡¯s cheek.

    ¡°And here too.¡± Chu Molin pointed at his lips.

    Qin Xue hesitated as she looked at him, wondering whether to kiss him.

    In the end, Qin Xue kissed his lips.

    ¡°Wife, you¡¯re so obedient.¡± Chu Molin licked his lips and praised his obedient wife.

    Qin Xue thought to herself that she would not have kissed him if he hadn¡¯t taken her out to play.

    The two of them stayed quietly in the room until around four o¡¯clock before going out to explore the streets.

    It was truly deserving of being a city, as it was much more prosperous than a county town.

    As Qin Xue looked around, she wondered if there were any suitable projects for her to develop in the city.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, are you hungry? Let¡¯s eat first.¡± Chu Molin thought that after strolling for so long, they should find a place to sit down and rest before continuing to explore.

    ¡°What should we eat?¡± Qin Xue touched her stomach and asked.

    ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± Chu Molin asked Qin Xue.

    ¡°I want to eat spicy hot pot, I miss it so much.¡± Qin Xue hadn¡¯t had it for a long time and really missed it.

    ¡°What are spicy hot pot and fire pot?¡± Chu Molin had only tried shabu-shabu and didn¡¯t know what Qin Xue was talking about.

    ¡°Spicy hot pot is when vegetables and meat are chopped into small pieces and skewered on bamboo sticks, then cooked in a pot of clear or spicy soup. Once the skewered vegetables and meat are cooked, they can be eaten. That¡¯s spicy hot pot.

    Fire pot is when a large pot of meat broth is heated, and red oil is added to the broth. Then it is slowly simmered on a stove.

    Then you prepare whatever vegetables and dishes you like, such as various types of vegetables, meat slices, fish slices, etc. Finally, you cook whatever you want to eat in the soup and eat it. That¡¯s fire pot.¡± Qin Xue roughly explained the eating method of spicy hot pot and fire pot.

    ¡°So, the fire pot you¡¯re talking about is shabu-shabu, right? Alright, I¡¯ll take you to eat it.¡± Chu Molin understood.

    Qin Xue followed Chu Molin skeptically, not because she didn¡¯t trust him, but because she couldn¡¯t believe that there would be fire pot in front of her at this time.

    She was really craving for fire pot. She especially wanted to eat something spicy lately, which made her salivate just thinking about it.

    Chu Molin led her through twists and turns until they finally arrived at the entrance of a shop.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, this is it.¡± Chu Molin looked at the shop, which hadn¡¯t changed much. He had only been to this shop once, so it was thanks to his strong memory that he could find it now.

    Qin Xue looked at the old-looking storefront.

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    Looking from outside the store, Qin Xue couldn¡¯t tell what it would be like inside, but she figured that since it had a somewhat old-fashioned sign, the business should be okay, or else it wouldn¡¯t have been in operation for so long.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s check it out.¡± Qin Xue stepped into the store first.

    Qin Xue looked around the not-so-big store, wondering what its unique feature were?

    ¡°What would you two like to eat?¡± Qin Xue heard a voice asking, she turned her head to see an attractive young girl standing next to her, smiling and asking them.

    ¡°What are your specialties?¡± Qin Xue found the waitress¡¯s attitude acceptable.

    The waitress introduced all the specialties of the store to Qin Xue.

    ¡°Chu Molin, let¡¯s eat here and see how the food tastes,¡± Qin Xue said, after listening to the waitress¡¯s introduction, she thought the food should be decent.

    ¡°All right.¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t care about what he ate, as long as Qin Xue enjoyed it.

    ¡°You can sit over there.¡± The waitress led them to a small table.

    As they walked inside, Qin Xue discovered that the store had its unique charm.

    She marveled at how clever the idea was, no wonder it had survived for so long.

    Qin Xue and her husband didn¡¯t order too many dishes, just enough for them both to try the store¡¯s specialties.

    After they had finished eating and left the restaurant, Qin Xue looked at Chu Molin and smiled.

    ¡°What¡¯s with that look?¡± Chu Molin glanced down at his clothes, there was nothing wrong with them.

    ¡°I just suddenly realized how great you are.¡± Qin Xue said with a smile.

    ¡°Silly girl.¡± Chu Molin ruffled her hair affectionately.

    ¡°Do you still want to continue shopping?¡± Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue, worried that she might be tired.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Qin Xue¡¯s main goal today was to look for opportunities for her career development.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s continue. If you¡¯re tired, tell me. Understand?¡± Chu Molin looked at her seriously, afraid she would overexert herself.

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Qin Xue playfully saluted.

    ¡°Such a quirky girl.¡± Chu Molin shook his head with amusement.

    Elsewhere, Chu Beiying and Xiao Qi were also happily shopping and looking for food.

    ¡°Xiao Qi, I¡¯m so hungry.¡± Chu Beiying was about to faint from hunger.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go back to the hotel and eat.¡± Xiao Qi carried Beiying to a nearby restaurant.

    Once back at the hotel, they ordered two servings of fried rice, as they were too hungry to wait for anything else.

    Chu Beiying ate with relish, as anything tasted good when she was hungry.

    ¡°Beiying, eat slowly, be careful not to choke,¡± Xiao Qi reminded her, seeing her eating so fast.

    ¡°I know, don¡¯t worry,¡± Beiying replied while continuing to eat.

    ¡°Phew, finally feel alive again.¡± Chu Beiying sighed, relieved, after finishing her large plate of fried rice.

    Xiao Qi looked at Chu Beiying¡¯s empty plate, then at his own half-finished rice. This girl was eating way too fast.

    Xiao Qi thought that although Chu Beiying ate quickly, she was still elegant, which indicated her good family background.

    ¡°What are you staring at me for? Did I scare you?¡± Beiying noticed the wide-eyed look on Xiao Qi¡¯s face and wondered whether her fast eating had been that shocking.

    ¡°A bit, your speed of eating is like that of a soldier,¡± Xiao Qi nodded.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s because I was too hungry.¡± Chu Beiying used to eat quickly because of her busy work schedule. If she didn¡¯t hurry up, she would go hungry.

    ¡°It shows,¡± Xiao Qi said, leisurely eating his half-finished fried rice.

    His graceful eating was as if he was in a painting, Chu Beiying¡¯s mouth twitched.

    Was her earlier movement an extreme contrast to Xiao Qi¡¯s? No wonder his expression was so exaggerated before.

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    After Xiao Qi finished eating, he carried Chu Beiying back to her own room.

    When Chu Beiying was seated on the bed, Xiao Qi said to her, ¡°I¡¯m staying in the room next door. If you need anything, you can come find me.¡±

    Xiao Qi made a gesture of knocking on the wall, implying that if Chu Beiying felt uncomfortable calling out for him, she could knock on the wall instead.

    ¡°Okay, thank you.¡± Chu Beiying thought that Xiao Qi was quite helpful, to be able to do this much for a stranger.

    If Xiao Qi knew this, he would surely say it was because she was that stranger; even he didn¡¯t know why he was so concerned about her, right?

    ¡°You rest, and I¡¯ll go back to my room.¡± Xiao Qi went out and closed the door.

    After returning to his room and taking a bath, he finally lay down to rest. He had been busy the entire day and was exhausted. He needed some rest, as he had a project to discuss tomorrow and couldn¡¯t afford to be impolite.

    Xiao Qi fell asleep soon after; he had never fallen asleep so quickly before.

    Chu Beiying looked at her disheveled appearance and realized that she was wearing a men¡¯s dress shirt.

    Had she been wearing only this shirt when she went to the hospital earlier that day?

    If so, she didn¡¯t need to guess whose shirt it was.

    She remembered undressing in the afternoon, only wearing a loose tank top.

    That meant Xiao Qi had seen her in just her tank top.

    Chu Beiying wasn¡¯t scared of Xiao Qi seeing her in the tank top, but at that moment, she wasn¡¯t wearing a bra, and the loose tank top had no aesthetic appeal. How could it be that he had seen her looking her worst?

    Chu Beiying scratched her head in annoyance. When had she ever been so unkempt in front of others? It seemed like this man was opposing her, having seen all her worst sides. How could she not feel disheartened?

    Chu Beiying slowly got out of bed and hopped on one leg to the bathroom to freshen up. The person she saw in the mirror was beautiful, but extremely unfamiliar to her.

    Touching the person in the mirror, Chu Beiying couldn¡¯t understand why she was here, hadn¡¯t she been in the mountains gathering herbs?

    ¡°Knock, knock, knock.¡± There was a knock on the door from outside.

    Chu Beiying didn¡¯t know who would be knocking at this time.

    Hopping on one leg, she opened the door to see several bodyguards standing outside.

    ¡°Miss, it¡¯s time for you to go home.¡± Cloud addressed Chu Beiying.

    ¡°Come in.¡± Chu Beiying hopped aside to let them in.

    ¡°Miss, your clothes.¡± Rain handed clothes to Chu Beiying.

    ¡°Wait for me a moment.¡± Chu Beiying took the clothes and left the sentence before entering the bathroom.

    ¡°Captain, what happened to the miss?¡± Rain was the youngest of the four.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Feng replied emotionlessly.

    ¡°Lei, you go and check out for the miss.¡± Feng instructed Lei after giving him a glance.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Lei turned and left.

    ¡°Captain, what should we do about the man next door?¡± Cloud asked as he looked at the neighboring room.

    ¡°He should be fine.¡± Feng thought of the man, feeling that he didn¡¯t approach the miss deliberately.

    Because they had been observing everything ever since they found out that the miss was in the hospital. They had a clear eye on each of the man¡¯s actions towards the miss, and it didn¡¯t seem intentional.

    Upon hearing Feng¡¯s conclusion, Cloud didn¡¯t say anything more and accepted it as the final decision.

    ¡°I¡¯m ready; let¡¯s go.¡± Chu Beiying changed into the brought clothes, instantly transforming from a poor little girl into an elegant princess.

    ¡°Clean this shirt and return it to the front desk. Also, include the money for my treatment and accommodation, and put it together with the shirt.¡± Chu Beiying handed Feng the shirt.

    ¡°Yes, miss. Any other instructions?¡± Feng asked as he took the shirt.

    ¡°Do you have paper and a pen?¡± Chu Beiying thought that she should at least leave a note for Xiao Qi since she wasn¡¯t going to say goodbye to him.

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    Feng took out paper and a pen from his pocket and handed them to Chu Beiying with both hands.

    Chu Beiying received it and thought hard about what to write.

    In the end, she only drew a forget-me-not flower, hoping that Xiao Qi would remember that she, a friend like her, existed.

    A girl named Chu Beiying, don¡¯t forget her.

    After completing her drawing, Chu Beiying handed it to Feng and turned to look at Cloud.

    ¡°Cloud, carry me, my foot hurts, I can¡¯t walk,¡± Chu Beiying thought about hopping on one foot and wondered how long it would take?

    ¡°Yes, miss.¡± Cloud bent over and carried Chu Beiying on his back.

    Rain closed the door at the end, and they all left the restaurant just like that.

    Chu Beiying looked back at the restaurant once before silently turning her head away.

    Xiao Qi, my first friend, goodbye.

    When Xiao Qi woke up the next day, he felt quite refreshed.

    After washing up, he went to have breakfast. After breakfast, he had a project discussion with someone.

    ¡°Mr. Xiao, are we ready to leave?¡± The secretary asked upon reaching Xiao Qi.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Xiao Qi looked at the time and felt it was just about right.

    While leaving, Xiao Qi was thinking, not knowing whether Chu Beiying was up yet.

    Later, the waiter should deliver her breakfast, right?

    With that thought, Xiao Qi didn¡¯t think further, and went with the secretary to discuss the company project.

    ¡°Mr. Xiao, it was a pleasure to work with you.¡± After the discussion, both parties shook hands in congratulations.

    ¡°A pleasure working with you.¡± Xiao Qi extended his hand for a handshake.

    ¡°Mr. Xiao, shall we have a meal together?¡± The other party¡¯s representative extended an invitation.

    ¡°No, I still have a friend waiting for me in the restaurant. Next time when you¡¯re in S Province, I¡¯ll play host and treat you.¡± Xiao Qi was thinking that Chu Beiying was still injured.

    ¡°Okay then, Mr. Xiao, we¡¯ll arrange it for next time.¡± The other party¡¯s representative saw that Xiao Qi had something to do and didn¡¯t want to be too demanding.

    ¡°Thank you for your understanding.¡± Xiao Qi responded with a smile.

    ¡°Take care, Mr. Xiao.¡± The representative bid Xiao Qi farewell as he watched his retreating figure.

    Xiao Qi waved his hand in response and went straight back to the restaurant.

    As soon as he entered the lobby, someone stopped him.

    ¡°Mr. Xiao, please wait a moment.¡± As soon as the receptionist saw Xiao Qi, they hurriedly called out.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Xiao Qi didn¡¯t know why the receptionist was calling him.

    ¡°There¡¯s something here for you, it¡¯s from that young lady who was with you and asked us to forward it to you.¡± The receptionist handed over the things to Xiao Qi.

    ¡°Why is it forwarded?¡± Xiao Qi looked at the receptionist confusedly.

    ¡°Because that young lady was picked up by someone in the middle of the night yesterday. This was sent by her this morning.¡± The receptionist only received the news this morning. She wasn¡¯t on duty last night.

    ¡°You¡¯re saying she left?¡± Xiao Qi didn¡¯t know how he felt at the moment, only that he felt stifled.

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Xiao,¡± the receptionist replied, looking at Xiao Qi.

    ¡°Okay, I see. Thank you.¡± Xiao Qi took the bag and went back to his room.

    As soon as he entered the room, Xiao Qi collapsed on his bed.

    He looked at the ceiling, not knowing what he was thinking about.

    After who knows how long, he finally opened the bag. Inside it was the clothes he had given Chu Beiying to wear, and 300 yuan.

    Had this troublesome girl really left just like that? Leaving no more than a few hints?

    Xiao Qi touched the clothes with his hand and noticed there was something in the pocket.

    Xiao Qi took it out and saw that it was a sketch of a plant. However, he had never seen it before and didn¡¯t know what it represented?

    This troublesome girl left him a plant sketch without a single written word. Was she playing some kind of wordless riddle?

    Xiao Qi thought to himself, if that troublesome girl were in front of him now, he would surely give her a good beating.

    Separated just like this, would they see each other again in the future?

    At that moment, Xiao Qi realized that although he had only met Chu Beiying yesterday, he didn¡¯t want to part ways with her.

 Chapter 356

    Translator: 549690339

    Xiao Qi stared at the drawing in his hand for a long time without moving.

    He didn¡¯t know how long he sat there before he put the 300 yuan in his pocket and folded the drawing away. He folded the clothes and put them with his own.

    Originally, he had canceled the dinner to accompany Chu Beiying, but since she left, he thought he might as well go back to S Province. After arranging his work, he had to attend An¡¯an¡¯s wedding; otherwise, his grandparents would not let him off easily if he went back late.

    With these thoughts in mind, Xiao Qi packed up his daily necessities and went to check out of the hotel.

    After checking out, Xiao Qi informed his secretary and went straight back to the company.

    While Chu Molin and Qin Xue strolled and looked around, Qin Xue bought some little knickknacks she liked.

    Now they were in the fabric wholesale market, Qin Xue was still thinking about An Hao¡¯s wedding dress. It was an excellent opportunity to look for suitable fabrics while they were there.

    Perhaps their persistence paid off, as they had walked through the entire market without finding anything. They walked into the last fabric store with a glimmer of hope.

    ¡°Boss, do you have lace trim and gauze in here? Or even silk would do.¡± Qin Xue looked at the fabrics, and the quality seemed quite good.

    ¡°Which kind do you need? Are you making ordinary clothes or something more high-end?¡± The fabric store owner asked the elegant-looking couple.

    ¡°Of course, the high-end one.¡± Qin Xue thought that a wedding dress must be made from high-quality fabrics; otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t be glamorous, would it?

    ¡°Please come this way,¡± said the fabric store owner, leading them to another area.

    ¡°Wow, these fabrics are so beautiful.¡± Qin Xue genuinely admired the beauty of these fabrics.

    ¡°These fabrics are all imported from abroad. Our Hua Country doesn¡¯t have this kind of technology yet, so these fabrics are relatively expensive.¡± The fabric store owner thought that he initially bought them because they looked beautiful, but after importing them, none had been sold.

    ¡°Can this fabric be sold at a lower price?¡± Qin Xue noticed that this fabric was indeed good quality.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be honest with you two. I initially bought a batch of this fabric because it was good quality. Who knew that our Hua Country couldn¡¯t quite accept these foreign products? I¡¯ve stored them here ever since without selling any. I¡¯m not trying to make a profit off you; I just want to sell them at my cost, okay?¡± The fabric store owner thought that as long as he didn¡¯t lose money on this batch, it was fine to recover some of the cost.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine, but I won¡¯t need too much. After all, you haven¡¯t told me the price yet, so I don¡¯t know if I can afford that much fabric. You said earlier that this batch was quite expensive, didn¡¯t you?¡± To be honest, Qin Xue really wanted this batch of fabric. It might not be utilized to its full potential in the store owner¡¯s hands.

    But in Qin Xue¡¯s hands, its value could be brought out.

    As society develops, wedding dresses would become more and more accepted and quickly enter people¡¯s hearts. After all, who wouldn¡¯t want to be a beautiful bride at their wedding?

    Doesn¡¯t every woman want to be the happiest and most beautiful woman in the world when they become a bride?

    So, if this batch of fabric ended up in Qin Xue¡¯s hands, it would certainly make a lot of money.

    But now, from what she gathered from the owner, the fabric was quite expensive, and Qin Xue was worried that she couldn¡¯t afford it.

    If she could persuade the store owner to sell it at a low price, then her trip to the market would be worthwhile.

 Chapter 357

    Translator: 549690339

    The fabric store owner couldn¡¯t understand whether Qin Xue wanted to buy the fabric or not.

    ¡°How much exactly do you want?¡± The fabric store owner asked.

    ¡°How much do you want for this whole batch of fabric?¡± Qin Xue thought about whether she should go for it.

    ¡°This much.¡± The owner held up two fingers.

    ¡°US$ 200?¡± Qin Xue tentatively asked.

    ¡°US$ 2,000.¡± The fabric store owner thought, there was no way this kind of fabric would be that cheap.

    ¡°I thought so too. What¡¯s the lowest price you can offer?¡± Qin Xue wasn¡¯t saying she couldn¡¯t afford it.

    She just wanted to save some money as working capital. If all of it was spent on this fabric, her capital could be paralyzed.

    ¡°If you really want it, I can give it to you for US$ 1,900.¡± The fabric store owner figured it wouldn¡¯t be bad to sell it all at once at a bit of a discount.

    Qin Xue wanted to offer US$ 1,500, but she didn¡¯t know if the owner would sell it for that price.

    She observed the owner¡¯s subtle movements and his psychological activity, then made a decision: ¡°I¡¯ll give you US$ 1,500. If that¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll take the whole batch of fabric. If not, then just cut it to this size for me.¡±

    Qin Xue handed the dimensions to the fabric store owner after she finished speaking.

    ¡°Miss, your bargaining is too fierce. No matter what, you can¡¯t let me sell at a loss.¡± The fabric store owner didn¡¯t expect Qin Xue to bargain down to US$ 1,500.

    This price was what he originally paid for the fabric, and he was planning to include the shipping cost. Little did he know that this girl was so shrewd, giving him a price not only without profit but also with a loss on shipping.

    However, if he doesn¡¯t sell this batch of goods, it¡¯ll end up sitting in his warehouse.

    He hesitated for a while; it seemed there was no room for negotiation with Qin Xue.

    In the end, he reluctantly sold the fabric to Qin Xue.

    ¡°Okay, but I won¡¯t deliver it to your doorstep.¡± The fabric store owner had already made a loss, so he didn¡¯t want to offer free delivery.

    ¡°Boss, I¡¯ll give you US$ 50. Can you help me find someone to deliver this batch to Chenxi Clothing Store in XX City?¡± Qin Xue saw that there was a lot of fabric in this batch.

    How were she and Chu Molin going to transport it all by themselves if it wasn¡¯t delivered?

    ¡°Fine, I got it. I¡¯ll have someone deliver it to you.¡± The fabric store owner figured that since he had a vehicle, he could make a bit of money by delivering the fabric to Qin Xue himself, so he agreed.

    ¡°Great, we didn¡¯t bring that much money with us since we¡¯re not at home. Here¡¯s the deposit, could you lend me a pen and paper? I¡¯ll write you an IOU.

    When your trusted person delivers the fabric, give me the IOU, and I¡¯ll give the rest of the money to them to bring back to you. What do you think?¡± Qin Xue took US$ 300 from her pocket and handed it to the fabric store owner.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll have someone deliver it to you tomorrow morning.¡± The fabric store owner saw that Qin Xue was straightforward, so he agreed without hesitation.

    Throughout the entire process, Chu Molin didn¡¯t speak a word. Just like during the business negotiation with Guo Aiguo, he was content simply watching Qin Xue handle business negotiations with her vibrant spirit.

    Only when the fabric store owner mentioned delivering the fabric tomorrow morning did he speak up.

    ¡°Let¡¯s make it tomorrow afternoon. We have something to do in the morning, so we¡¯ll only be back in the afternoon.¡± Chu Molin figured that the earliest they could return to the county town would be in the afternoon.

    The fabric store owner looked at Qin Xue to see what she thought.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go with that.¡± Qin Xue considered that tomorrow they were planning on hiking, and they really couldn¡¯t make it back by the morning. But if they didn¡¯t go hiking, then their trip would lack meaning.

    She wanted to have more private time alone with Chu Molin. When they became old, they could look back and realize they had beautiful memories to cherish.

 Chapter 358

    Translator: 549690339

    The cloth shopkeeper saw Qin Xue nod, so he agreed to her request.

    It¡¯s not that he didn¡¯t want to listen to Chu Molin, it¡¯s just that ever since they came in, this man hadn¡¯t said a word. It was always this young lady who talked to him, so he thought she was the one in charge.

    So of course he had to ask for her opinion.

    ¡°Please give me a pen and paper, boss.¡± Qin Xue thought she would write the IOU so she could go back and rest with Chu Molin.

    ¡°Here you go, young lady.¡± The cloth shopkeeper handed her the pen and paper.

    Qin Xue quickly wrote the IOU.

    ¡°Boss, please keep this safe.¡± Qin Xue also wrote the deposit amount in it.

    ¡°All right, I¡¯ll make sure to deliver it safely to you.¡± The cloth shopkeeper didn¡¯t profit from this deal, but businessmen have their own ways of dealing with each other.

    He couldn¡¯t afford to be rude to Qin Xue for not making money this time. He thought, perhaps there would be chances for cooperation in the future? Then wouldn¡¯t he be able to make a profit again?

    So the cloth shopkeeper still greeted Qin Xue and her husband with a smile.

    ¡°All right, thank you very much.¡± Qin Xue said with a smile.

    After they settled the IOU matter, Qin Xue took Chu Molin¡¯s hand and left.

    ¡°Chu Molin, why don¡¯t you blame me?¡± Qin Xue asked the man beside her.

    ¡°Why should I blame you?¡± Chu Molin raised his eyebrows and looked at her.

    ¡°I spent US$ 1,500 on so many pieces of cloth. Don¡¯t you have any questions for me?¡± Qin Xue thought that if it were any other man, they would have been angry by now.

    ¡°This is an investment, isn¡¯t it?¡± Although Chu Molin had never personally handled any business matters,

    he had partnered with Li Zhao and Xiao Qi in business, right?

    So he knew this situation meant Qin Xue was making an upfront investment.

    It might seem like she was investing a lot of money right now, but given Qin Xue¡¯s intelligence, she would make a lot more money with the cloth she bought this time.

    Chu Molin had such confidence in Qin Xue now, he believed she could bring him unexpected surprises.

    Since he already knew all these, why would he blame her? Moreover, the money she spent was her own hard-earned money. He wouldn¡¯t interfere with her decisions, he would only support her.

    ¡°Chu Molin, thank you.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t expect Chu Molin would know about her investment.

    It makes sense, though, as he has two business partners, right?

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, we are husband and wife.¡± Chu Molin¡¯s implied message was that, as husband and wife, they should trust each other and there was no need to be so polite.

    ¡°Yes, we are husband and wife.¡± Qin Xue understood Chu Molin¡¯s meaning and looked at him with a smile.

    ¡°Ouch!¡± Suddenly, Qin Xue cried out.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue anxiously.

    ¡°These two little troublemakers are kicking me.¡± Qin Xue took Chu Molin¡¯s hand and placed it on her belly.

    ¡°How can they kick so hard?¡± Chu Molin felt the strong vibrations under his palm and looked at Qin Xue with a question.

    ¡°Maybe they can feel our joy.¡± Qin Xue thought that even inside the womb, children could sense some things from the outside world, especially the mother¡¯s emotions, which could affect the children the most.

    Qin Xue had been so happy just now, so it was normal for the children to be excited too.

    ¡°It seems like these two children are really smart.¡± Chu Molin said cheerfully, knowing his little wife was all right.

    ¡°Uh, is it appropriate to praise yourself like that?¡± Qin Xue looked at this smug man.

    ¡°Well, who can blame me for being so awesome?¡± Chu Molin thought of the frenzy that followed the herbal medicine.

 Chapter 359

    Translator: 549690339

    It was that one act of madness that gave him three precious treasures.

    He remembered that before he left, he had not heard Qin Xue say she was already pregnant.

    But Chu Molin thought about their poor relationship back then, after getting married, they had barely spoken unless necessary.

    Under those circumstances, Chu Molin believed that his petite wife wouldn¡¯t tell him about her pregnancy.

    Actually, Chu Molin misunderstood Qin Xue; at that time, she had no idea about these things, not knowing whether she was pregnant or not.

    Moreover, Bai Jing always provoked disputes between her and Chu Molin, leading to constant quarrels and freezing their relationship. How could they talk about such intimate matters?

    Otherwise, considering her obsession with Chu Molin, how could she be lured away by Bai Jing while pregnant and then lose her life?

    However, Chu Molin did not know all these things. Qin Xue, as an outsider¡¯s soul, had no memory of the original Qin Xue since entering this body and knew even less about the situation.

    Thus, this once resentful couple became a loving couple because of Qin Xue¡¯s external soul, and this was a great turn of events.

    Fortunately, Qin Xue didn¡¯t know about these things, or she wouldn¡¯t have accepted Chu Molin so quickly.

    Perhaps such mistakes led to the transformation of Qin Xue, a non-marital advocate, directly into a prospective mother. It also allowed Chu Molin, who was initially prepared to take responsibility without love, to find his true love.

    Chu Molin thought about how he had planted two seeds in Qin Xue¡¯s body with just one act of madness. This kind of fate was not something everyone had, so it¡¯s no surprise he remembered these events.

    Qin Xue looked at him, speechless. In this era, twins were relatively rare. However, in later generations, twins were very common, as were triplets and quadruplets.

    She had once seen quintuplets in a hospital, and the image still impacted her.

    Fortunately, she was only pregnant with twins, or she would be scared. In such a backward era, how would she deliver quintuplets?

    ¡°Xue¡¯er¡­¡± Suddenly Chu Molin whispered to Qin Xue¡¯s ear.

    With a ¡°boom,¡± Qin Xue¡¯s face turned as red as a thoroughly cooked shrimp.

    However, thinking about how they had shared a bed so many times, and she was still intact, Qin Xue couldn¡¯t help but admire him.

    ¡°Let¡¯s wait until the baby is born.¡± Qin Xue thought she couldn¡¯t escape, so she decided to make a promise.

    ¡°You really mean it? You can¡¯t go back on your word.¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t expect the surprise to come so fast.

    ¡°Mm, no going back.¡± Qin Xue blushed and nodded.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, is there anything else you want to see?¡± Chu Molin was very excited, feeling that there was finally something to look forward to.

    ¡°No need, the main reason for shopping so long was to find the right fabric for An¡¯an¡¯s wedding dress.

    Now that I¡¯ve found it, there¡¯s no need to keep shopping. Let¡¯s go back, rest, and enjoy the beautiful scenery tomorrow.¡± Qin Xue was tired from walking, but she had to go back to rest, didn¡¯t she?

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go back to the hotel and rest. Tomorrow, we¡¯ll go out and see the beautiful scenery.¡± Chu Molin came to play with Qin Xue and of course, he put her wishes first.

    ¡°Mmm, the beautiful scenery.¡± Qin Xue thought of the temple that Chu Molin mentioned, which was very popular with incense offering. She wanted to go and pray for a fortune to see if her grandparents were okay and check on her two best friends.

    The couple walked hand in hand back to the inn. Many people looked at their hands along the way; some were contemptuous, but most were envious, because they also wanted to walk hand in hand like Qin Xue and Chu Molin, but they just didn¡¯t have the courage to do so.

 Chapter 360

    Translator: 549690339

    As soon as Qin Xue returned to the hotel room, she sat down on the bed.

    Taking off her shoes, she leaned on the bed with one hand and rubbed her feet with the other.

    Chu Molin saw her and quickly pulled a chair over to sit beside the bed. He took Qin Xue¡¯s foot and placed it on his thigh, gently massaging it.

    He had been careless, knowing that his wife was heavy with child, and still let her walk for so long.

    Chu Molin pressed his lips tightly together but his movements were not rough, rather, they were gentle.

    ¡°Chu Molin, smile for me.¡± Qin Xue knew from his expression that he blamed himself.

    Chu Molin didn¡¯t look up at Qin Xue, but continued to massage her foot.

    ¡°Chu Molin, are you angry with me?¡± Qin Xue deliberately lowered her voice, making it sound pitiful.

    ¡°No.¡± How could Chu Molin be angry with her? He was angry with himself for being so careless.

    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you smile?¡± Qin Xue knew that Chu Molin liked to smile in front of her, unlike his cold demeanor in front of others.

    She preferred the warm and lively Chu Molin, not the cold one she saw now.

    ¡°I can¡¯t smile.¡± Chu Molin finally spoke, still pursing his lips.

    ¡°Why can¡¯t you smile?¡± Qin Xue slowly guided Chu Molin¡¯s emotions.

    ¡°I knew you were heavy with child, but I still took you out to have fun.¡± Chu Molin spoke in a muffled voice.

    ¡°But I¡¯m really happy, I don¡¯t feel tired at all. I think going shopping together and seeing all kinds of things in the mortal world is my idea of happiness.

    Or are you saying you don¡¯t want me to have this kind of happiness?¡± Qin Xue asked Chu Molin.

    ¡°How could that be? In this lifetime, all I want is for you to be happy.¡± Chu Molin looked up at Qin Xue and said word by word after hearing her words.

    ¡°Well then, isn¡¯t that settled? I feel happy right now. And I¡¯ll tell you, walking is good for pregnant women; it helps with delivery later. So you¡¯re not harming me, rather, you¡¯re accompanying me in exercising, you know?¡± Qin Xue touched his face with her hand, and looked at him gently.

    It is said that tough men have tender hearts, and when this tough man became gentle, it could be soul-stirring.

    Who would have thought that the cold Yama of the Wolf Fang would have no airs in front of his wife, and instead be as gentle as water? If Qin Xue did not feel moved by such an excellent man, she would not be worthy of happiness.

    Qin Xue wondered how many loyal and good men like this there were in the modern world.

    Most of the stories she heard were about someone¡¯s boyfriend cheating or someone¡¯s husband having an affair, or the neighbor Old Wang getting together with another woman.

    Faced with so many promiscuous people in the modern world, Qin Xue would firmly grasp the happiness in front of her, never letting go of this man in her life. Unless this man becomes like her scumbag father, she would never give up on him as long as he doesn¡¯t leave her.

    This was Qin Xue¡¯s determination, a life-long determination, like that of a person who doesn¡¯t give up till they reach the Yellow River.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, in this life, I, Chu Molin, vow never to let you down.¡± Chu Molin looked at his wife in front of him, and her every word touched his heart deeply. She really understood his heart.

    ¡°Remember your own words.¡± Qin Xue looked at him seriously.

    ¡°Mm, I, Chu Molin, have never broken a promise.¡± Chu Molin gazed affectionately at Qin Xue.

    ¡°I believe you.¡± Qin Xue smiled happily.

    She had found her happiness, but had the people she cared about found theirs?

    ¡°Achoo!¡± Chu Beiying, who was on her way back, sneezed.

    ¡°Who¡¯s talking about me?¡± Chu Beiying rubbed her itchy nose and muttered softly.

 Chapter 361

    Translator: 549690339

    After massaging Qin Xue¡¯s feet for a while, Chu Molin put her feet on the bed, got up and went to get hot water for her to soak her feet.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, soaking your feet will make you feel better.¡± Chu Molin crouched on the floor and looked up at Qin Xue.

    ¡°I can do it myself.¡± Qin Xue looked at Chu Molin, thinking that he was going to wash her feet for her.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it for you; your belly is too big for you to bend over.¡± Chu Molin grabbed her foot and put it in the water without giving her a chance to protest.

    ¡°Ah, that feels good.¡± As soon as Qin Xue¡¯s foot touched the water, she couldn¡¯t help but let out a sigh.

    Chu Molin laughed as he watched her satisfied expression, amazed by how easily pleased she was.

    ¡°Chu Molin, this feels so good, do you want to soak your feet too?¡± Qin Xue thought about how Chu Molin had also accompanied her for most of the day and extended the invitation.

    ¡°This basin is too small; it can¡¯t fit both our feet.¡± Chu Molin looked at the small basin, doubting that his larger feet could fit in it.

    ¡°Chu Molin, let¡¯s do it together. Please?¡± Qin Xue wanted to experience the feeling of the two of them soaking their feet together and pleaded with him.

    ¡°Fine. I can¡¯t say no to you.¡± Chu Molin was helpless when faced with Qing Xue¡¯s pleading.

    Chu Molin took off his shoes and slowly put his feet in the basin.

    Overtaken by playfulness, Qin Xue lifted her foot and stepped on Chu Molin¡¯s foot.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t it feel good?¡± she asked, smiling at Chu Molin.

    ¡°Yes, it does,¡± Chu Molin nodded his head.

    However, what Chu Molin described as comfortable was different from Qin Xue¡¯s understanding.

    He meant that her soft, tender little feet felt really good on his. Her smooth, delicate, and supple soles felt like a ball of cotton when stepping on his feet.

    ¡°I told you it¡¯s comfortable; I didn¡¯t deceive you.¡± Qin Xue¡¯s feet playfully stepped on Chu Molin¡¯s.¡±

    Sometimes she stepped so hard that water splashed onto the floor.

    Chu Molin helplessly watched the playful Qin Xue, thinking about how childlike she could be, finding enjoyment in anything.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, stop playing. The water¡¯s getting cold.¡± Chu Molin stopped Qin Xue from continuing to play with his feet.

    ¡°Oh.¡± Qin Xue lifted her foot, allowing Chu Molin to pull his out.

    ¡°Chu Molin, I want to take a shower.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t feel as tired now, so she wanted to take a shower. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t feel comfortable with her sticky body.

    ¡°Go ahead, I¡¯ll get water for you.¡± Chu Molin took the water away to pour it out after he said that.

    Qin Xue took out the clothes they brought with them. They had only brought one spare set, which Chu Molin had packed for her.

    At the time, she thought they would come to the city and return on the same day, so she didn¡¯t bring any clothes. Little did she know, Chu Molin had already prepared everything.

    Having a caring husband felt great ¨C even if she hadn¡¯t prepared anything, he would have.

    Qin Xue took the clothes into the bathroom and saw a mirror. She didn¡¯t know if the current mirrors had the double-sided mirror feature from her past life.

    So, she tried the method she learned online.

    According to the internet, one could test the mirror by pressing a fingertip against the surface to see if there was any distance between the fingernail and its reflection.

    A normal mirror has a certain distance. In contrast, a double-sided mirror has seamless connections between the nail and its reflection.

    To test if it was a double-sided mirror, she pressed her fingernail against the surface. If there was a distance between the reflection and her nail, it would be a single-sided mirror, safe to use.

    If there was no distance between the reflection and her nail, it would be a double-sided mirror, because regular mirrors consisted of a layer of glass and a reflective layer. The reflective layer was generally plated on the back surface of the glass, so there would be the thickness of the glass in between.

    In her previous life, Qin Xue also tested mirrors, especially when trying on clothes in fitting rooms. Whenever there was a mirror, she would check if it were double-sided.

    Some perverts in her past life thought of all sorts of tricks.

 Chapter 362

    ¡­.

    Translator: 549690339

    Upon entering with the water, Chu Molin saw Qin Xue fiddling with a mirror and asked curiously.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, what are you doing?¡± Chu Molin put the water down and walked over to Qin Xue.

    ¡°Chu Molin, do you know what a two-way mirror is?¡± Qin Xue lifted her hand from the mirror.

    ¡°What¡¯s a two-way mirror?¡± Chu Molin realized he was often hearing from his wife terms he had never heard before.

    ¡°Let me tell you, this two-way mirror, it¡¯s like this¡­¡± Qin Xue told Chu Molin about the potential risks of two-way mirrors.

    ¡°So, some people use two-way mirrors to spy on others while they bathe or change clothes. And this often happens in hotels or dressing rooms. So you were just testing if it was a two-way mirror?¡± Chu Molin found it incredible.

    There are actually people like this in the world. If they don¡¯t discover it, they¡¯ll be completely exposed to strangers.

    ¡°Yes, look here, the test shows, this is an ordinary mirror.¡± Qin Xue pointed at the mirror for Chu Molin to see.

    Chu Molin was very surprised at Qin Xue¡¯s knowledge, but since he already knew that Qin Xue had her secrets, he was only shocked for a moment before calming down.

    ¡°Since it¡¯s an ordinary mirror, there¡¯s nothing to worry about. Go and take a shower.¡± Chu Molin pointed to the water on the ground and told Qin Xue.

    ¡°Uh huh, I got it.¡± Qin Xue looked where Chu Molin was pointing and nodded in agreement.

    Chu Molin closed the door behind him and sat down to think about what Qin Xue had said. This type of criminal method was very clever.

    If it weren¡¯t for Qin Xue, he wouldn¡¯t have known this kind of thing existed in the world.

    Qin Xue stared at the stretch marks on her belly while undressing. They were really prominent. She wasn¡¯t sure if they would fade after the birth.

    She soaked a towel to wash her face, and suddenly felt much more awake.

    Qin Xue quickly took a bath and felt much refreshed.

    ¡°Chu Molin, I¡¯m done, your turn to bathe.¡± Qin Xue came out to see Chu Molin sitting there, lost in thought.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Chu Molin looked up and saw that Qin Xue had finished showering, so he agreed.

    Chu Molin got up to get his clothes and went straight to the bathroom. The weather was so hot, he didn¡¯t want to heat up the water, so he just took a cold shower.

    Qin Xue looked at him, but didn¡¯t say anything.

    Forget it, Qin Xue poured a cup of Spirit Spring water to quench her thirst.

    Good things really are good. She felt less tired after that.

    It was just a pity that she didn¡¯t bring her book, so she couldn¡¯t take it from her space.

    It was her bag last time, so she could pretend she brought it from home.

    But this time, it wasn¡¯t her bag, so she had no excuses. She just had to sit there and do nothing.

    Like Qin Xue, Chu Molin took a quick shower and came out.

    He was used to it. Everything he did was always completed at a fast pace.

    If he took too long, he could end up wasting work time.

    And if he moved too slowly during a mission, he could lose his life.

    So everything he did was fast, decisive, and precise.

    Especially for those in his department. The demands were even stricter. They took on more dangerous tasks, often involving fieldwork.

    ¡°You showered so quickly.¡± Qin Xue tugged at the corner of her mouth. She thought she was fast enough, but Chu Molin was even faster.

    It was a good thing she didn¡¯t consider going into her space for something. Otherwise, her secret would be exposed to Chu Molin.

    ¡°I¡¯m used to it.¡± Chu Molin replied while wiping his buzz cut with a towel.

    ¡°Your wound is completely healed, isn¡¯t it? Will you be going back to work soon?¡± Qin Xue looked at the scar on his chest. It was marked by a reddish impression. To the uninformed, it just looked like skin rubbed raw. Could it be because of the spiritual spring water? The stitches didn¡¯t seem so visible anymore.

 Chapter 363

    ¡­.

    Translator: 549690339

    Chu Molin looked up at Qin Xue after hearing her words and answered, ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Then we will be going back to H Province soon. You need to be careful here when you are alone,¡± Qin Xue reminded him with a hint of concern.

    His reckless behavior of charging forward only made the danger worse.

    ¡°Mhm.¡± Chu Molin¡¯s voice was faint.

    Deep down, he didn¡¯t want Qin Xue to leave, but he couldn¡¯t take care of her if she stayed. Considering the pros and cons, he could only choose to let Qin Xue go back.

    After all, he could not bear the possibility of Qin Xue getting hurt.

    ¡°Let¡¯s rest now. We have to go mountain climbing tomorrow,¡± Qin Xue¡¯s mood was also a bit down.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Chu Molin put away the towel and hung up his clothes.

    Chu Molin had not only showered earlier, but he had also washed his clothes.

    ¡°Let¡¯s sleep,¡± Chu Molin said as he turned to look at Qin Xue.

    Qin Xue leaned closer to Chu Molin, snuggling next to him.

    Perhaps she was too tired from walking today, so as soon as Qin Xue closed her eyes, she fell asleep.

    Chu Molin looked at his instantly sleeping wife and shook his head helplessly. This girl was really exhausted today.

    Chu Molin touched Qin Xue¡¯s leg with his hand. Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t too swollen.

    He suddenly regretted bringing Qin Xue to climb the mountain, wondering if she could handle it tomorrow.

    ¡°Chu Molin.¡± Chu Molin¡¯s thoughts were interrupted by Qin Xue¡¯s call.

    Chu Molin lowered his head and looked at Qin Xue, who had called his name and then fallen silent again.

    This girl must be dreaming, Chu Molin thought as he placed his hand on Qin Xue¡¯s stomach.

    As soon as his hand touched her stomach, he felt a vibration underneath his palm.

    ¡°Baby, are you saying hello to Daddy?¡± Chu Molin asked softly as he leaned his head closer to Qin Xue¡¯s belly.

    As soon as he finished speaking, he felt two more vibrations under his hand.

    Chu Molin chuckled softly, and it seemed his little wife¡¯s words were right.

    The baby in her belly could truly sense the sounds from the outside world.

    ¡°Baby, you need to behave now, don¡¯t disturb Mommy¡¯s rest, alright?¡± Chu Molin continued to whisper to the child.

    As Chu Molin spoke, his hand continued to feel the baby¡¯s movements.

    Father and child played happily together until Qin Xue turned over uncomfortably, and then Chu Molin stopped moving over her belly. Instead, he held her, letting her sleep leaning against him.

    Perhaps sensing Chu Molin¡¯s movement in her sleep, Qin Xue¡¯s furrowed brow slowly relaxed.

    Chu Molin kissed her forehead and whispered, ¡°Sleep well, I¡¯ll be by your side.¡±

    Maybe Chu Molin¡¯s words had an effect, as Qin Xue moved closer to him and slept peacefully.

    Watching Qin Xue¡¯s subconscious movement, Chu Molin¡¯s heart felt warm. His little wife needed him.

    The couple slept in each other¡¯s arms, the very air around them filled with warmth. The moonlight streaming in seemed to cast a golden glow over them.

    It seemed as if the moon was blessing them, and the twinkling stars in the sky seemed to be saying goodnight to everyone.

    Early the next morning, the couple got up, ate breakfast, and headed towards the mountains. They set out early to avoid the heat of the sun and make their journey less tiring.

    ¡°Chu Molin, the scenery here is really beautiful,¡± Qin Xue admired the lush green trees and vibrant grass, feeling her mood lift.

    No wonder people say that when you are feeling down, you should travel and see the world.

    They were right. When you see the vast expanse of the earth, your troubles will seem insignificant.

    What can compare to the glory of the earth? Since nothing can, just let go and think of ways to solve your problems.

    In that case, would those troublesome matters still bother you? Of course not.

    Thus, it¡¯s important to have a broad and open heart to live a happy life.

 Chapter 364

    Translator: 549690339

    Chu Molin saw Qin Xue¡¯s joy and smiled, as long as she was happy, this trip was worth it.

    ¡°If you like it, that¡¯s perfect.¡± Chu Molin nodded in agreement upon taking in the surrounding greenery, conceding its beauty.

    The stillness of the mountains was unintrusive, with the songs of birds hovering in the air, making for a too pleasing ambiance.

    ¡°If we could build a house to settle here, it would be comfortable.¡± Qin Xue, unlike the city¡¯s hustle and bustle, preferred the tranquility of the countryside. Probably due to her childhood spent with her grandparents in the countryside, she had gotten used to a simple life.

    The fast pace of city life was stifling. For Qin Xue, her days were split between the hospital and the dormitory. She would occasionally go shopping with friends, enjoy a drink, or sing KTV.

    But in the country, Qin Xue would wake up to beautiful scenery each day, sitting under a fence in the yard. Brew a small pot of tea, savor it slowly ¨C this, to her, was one of life¡¯s pleasures.

    ¡°If you like it, when we¡¯ve made some money, we¡¯ll buy a piece of land nearby. We¡¯ll build a house and settle down here. What do you say?¡± Chu Molin too harbored a liking for the tranquility here.

    ¡°That sounds perfect! I¡¯ll have to earn loads of money and build a beautiful mansion! ¡± Qin Xue also imagined building a villa with a large yard, filled with small flowers and vegetables.

    It would have a grapevine, underneath which would be set a round table and small stools. After finishing their work, they could sit, have tea and refreshments. There might also be room for a sun-lounger, for stargazing. What could be better than such a relaxed life?

    Qin Xue completely forgot that she was a doctor and not a businesswoman; she only knew how to offer ideas but did not grasp how to manage a business. Although building a villa wasn¡¯t as expensive as in the future, earning enough money for a villa wasn¡¯t that easy either.

    Now, they only could rely on Guo Aiguo, who had already delved into advertising extensively.

    The models they recruited and dressed in their designed clothes looked gorgeous.

    This boosted Guo Aiguo¡¯s confidence. This could be the chance he needs to turn things around.

    So he rigorously executed everything Qin Xue provided.

    He had also installed the telephone, and now all he needed to do was wait for the broadcast of the advertisement tonight.

    Fang Hong and the others had also been dispatched, each to expand businesses in different provinces.

    This time their activity was vast, even startling the Liangmei Clothing across the road.

    ¡°Mr. Xiao, could you check out what happened over there?¡± Li Dawei noticed the activity across the street early in the morning.

    He had almost squeezed out their factory, to the point of nearly forcing its closure.

    Li Dawei hypothesized that the factory across the road was about to close but things didn¡¯t seem as they appear.

    The factory even changed its name, suggesting some big changes were underway.

    He had to first clarify what is happening, to avoid being caught unprepared in the future.

    ¡°Yes, Plant Manager.¡± Xiao Li cast a flirtatious glance at Li Dawei, swinging her hips as she left the manager¡¯s office.

    ¡°This cheeky minx.¡± Li Dawei felt his whole body soften under Xiao Li¡¯s charming glance.

    This woman was becoming increasingly seductive, eager at any time and place. Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t gratify her at work in the office.

    Xiao Li left the Plant Manager¡¯s office, her smile fading.

    She had been with Li Dawei for a long time, never once discussing contraceptive measures but she had never gotten pregnant.

    If she still fails to conceive a child, could she be abandoned? Initially, Li Dawei got together with her because his wife couldn¡¯t bear him a child. Still, they¡¯d been together for this long, and she hadn¡¯t conceived either.

    She could not just wait passively, Xiou Li suddenly thought of a solution.

 Chapter 365

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    Xiao Li felt she was truly brilliant, having managed to come up with such a great idea.

    With a smile, Xiao Li turned around to gather more information.

    Alone in the company, Li Dawei wondered what major moves his counterparts were planning as he waited for news.

    Once he saw that everything was perfectly set up, Guo Aiguo finally breathed a sigh of relief. Now, all he had to do was wait for the results.

    Of late, he had amassed quite a stash of clothes, all in anticipation of this grand endeavor.

    After dinner, Guo Aiguo and his family sat in front of the television, awaiting the broadcast of their advertisement.

    The moment prime time arrived, a beautifully elegant scene graced the television screen. A handful of models, draped in flowing clothes of a novel design, immediately caught the viewer¡¯s attention.

    ¡°Aiguo, is this the advertisement from your factory?¡± Li Fen asked Guo Aiguo.

    ¡°Yes, how do you find the ad?¡± Guo Aiguo turned to his wife.

    ¡°It¡¯s wonderful, the clothes are very elegant, I believe they will sell out this time,¡± Li Fen responded, nodding in approval.

    ¡°I hope so,¡± Guo Aiguo mused as he listened to the words of the announcer echo on the television: Chenxi Clothing, like the morning sun, brings you a wonderful mood!

    Seeing the models¡¯ radiant smiles as they wore clothes made in their factory lifted his spirits. Despite the hefty share of profits he had to part with on account of his collaboration with Qin Xue, he had to concede that her ideas were indeed valuable.

    He believed that after this television broadcast, their brand, Chenxi Clothing, would be well-known all over the country.

    Any family with a television would come to know of Chenxi Clothing.

    As Guo Aiguo revelled in anticipation, his phone rang.

    ¡°Hello, this is Guo Aiguo,¡± he answered, promptly hearing the voice of the sales department manager on the other end.

    ¡°Boss, I need you to come over quickly. I can¡¯t handle this,¡± the Sales Manager, Luu Bin, pleaded desperately as soon as he heard Guo Aiguo¡¯s voice.

    ¡°What happened? Didn¡¯t I ask you to stand by the telephone?¡± Guo Aiguo asked, puzzled.

    He had given his staff an instruction to stay near the phone just in case anyone called after seeing the advertisement.

    This was a suggestion from Qin Xue who said that those with a business eye might call for enquiries immediately after the ad aired.

    Taking her advice, he ensured that someone was available to answer calls at all times. This was why he had a telephone installed in his house as well, so as to not miss any important calls.

    But what could have happened for Luu Bin to call him at this time?

    ¡°Boss, there were too many inquiry calls. I wasn¡¯t sure what to do in your absence, so I asked them to call back in half an hour. But if you don¡¯t come in, what am I going to say to them when they call back about potential collaborations?¡± Luu Bin confessed, still adjusting to the volume of inquiries.

    ¡°What? Is that true?¡± Guo Aiguo exclaimed in excitement.

    ¡°Obviously, Boss! Hurry over,¡± Luu Bin urged him on.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be there shortly,¡± Guo Aiguo hung up the phone, sporting an excited grin.

    ¡°What happened? You seem quite happy,¡± Li Fen asked, observing her husband¡¯s delight.

    ¡°Fen, Luu Bin just called to tell me we¡¯ve received numerous inquiries about our clothing and asked me to rush over,¡± Guo Aiguo said ecstatically.

    ¡°Then you should hurry, but be careful,¡± Li Fen, always supportive of her husband¡¯s work, advised, showing concern for his safety

    She was very happy for him upon hearing the news.

    After all, there was a time when the factory was on the verge of shutting down, causing her husband a lot of stress. So seeing business booming at the factory now, Li Fen was overjoyed.

 Chapter 366

    Translator: 549690339

    Guo Aiguo changed into a new suit and headed to the factory. Meanwhile, Lu Bin hung up the phone after speaking with Guo and set down the receiver.

    The phone rang again, and Lu Bin had never been this busy before.

    ¡°Hello, Chenxi Clothing Factory.¡± Before, Guo Aiguo had specifically instructed Lu Bin to answer the phone this way.

    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m from XX Province. I just saw your clothing advertisement on TV, and I wanted to ask if the clothes your factory produces are the same as those shown on TV?¡± Once the caller heard the phone being picked up, he immediately stated his purpose.

    ¡°Yes, the clothes in the TV advertisement are indeed made in our factory. Be assured that since we dare to advertise on TV, letting the whole country know, we will not engage in any fraudulent activities.¡± Lu Bin, being the head of sales, knew how to respond.

    ¡°Certainly, our factory address is¡­¡± Lu Bin hung up the phone after he was done stating the address.

    The phone rang again. Once again, Lu Bin picked up and repeated what he had previously told another customer.

    It continued until Guo Aiguo arrived to take over. As soon as Guo arrived, he saw Lu Bin spinning like a top, busy answering calls about Chenxi Clothing Factory.

    ¡°Alright, alright, I understand. I have already recorded your details. Rest assured, we will definitely guarantee the quality. Thank you for your trust.¡± After hanging up, Lu Bin saw Guo Aiguo standing next to him, looking at the information he had just recorded.

    ¡°Boss, you¡¯re finally here, these are all from the incoming inquiries.

    Some callers mentioned they want to visit our factory and clothing. If they¡¯re happy with the quality, they¡¯ll place the order on the spot.

    Others have placed orders directly and said that they will send someone to pick up the goods.¡± Lu Bin handed over the information he had gathered to Guo Aiguo.

    As Guo Aiguo was about to flip through the information, the phone rang again.

    Finally, when their throats were almost sore from talking, the phone fell silent and did not ring again.

    Looking at the thick stack of documents in his hand and catching Lu Bin¡¯s eye, they both shared a knowing smile.

    ¡°Boss, so many people are placing orders. The clothes we have stored up are not enough.¡± Lu Bin recalled the days when they worried about a lack of orders; now, too many orders were also a cause for concern.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, we can accept pre-orders. We can implement a piece-rate system, so the more they produce, the more they earn, and vice versa. This should motivate the workers.¡± Qin Xue had previously mentioned this system in a planning document.

    Previously, Guo Aiguo thought his original method was quite efficient, so he didn¡¯t change the existing rules. But now, seeing that everything was as Qin Xue predicted, he decided it was necessary to implement the piece-rate system.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll get it implemented tomorrow.¡± Lu Bin nodded.

    ¡°Okay, no one else should be calling now. You can go home.¡± Guo Aiguo noticed the time¡ªit was past ten, and they¡¯d been answering calls for over three hours.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll head home now, boss. Do go home soon too.¡± Seeing the late hour, Lu Bin nodded in agreement.

    ¡°Alright, I will finish up here and head home as well.¡± Guo Aiguo was planning to wait another half an hour. If no other calls came in, he would head home and get a good night¡¯s sleep.

    Guo Aiguo was left alone in the office to organize the customer information and consider how to distribute the existing clothing.

    He had to work on a first-come-first-served basis, but Qin Xue had told him to ask for a deposit after the other party signed a contract. There could only be one representative for each province or city. Qin Xue coined this rule as the ¡°Total Agency.¡±

 Chapter 367

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    Qin Xue initially said something like, they would sign their clothes over to an agent, and then anyone in the same area who wanted to sell their clothes would have to get them from that agent, instead of coming directly to them.

    This way, they could ensure the interests of those who had signed up as general agents with them.

    Guo Aiguo didn¡¯t quite understand why Qin Xue wanted to do it this way.

    Qin Xue adopted the mode of operation from later generations, developing step by step.

    The prices at which the national general agents took the goods were the same. The profit was made directly from the source of the goods. The prices at which they sold the clothes to customers were also uniform and could not be changed at will. Otherwise, their agent qualifications would be revoked.

    This multi-layered system greatly protected their interests.

    After waiting half an hour without any more phone calls, Guo Aiguo turned off the lights, locked the door, and went home.

    Early the next morning, Li Dawei received news that the factory across the street had taken many orders, which nearly angered him to death. All these orders should have been for their Liangmei Clothing.

    If Xiao Li hadn¡¯t rejected Qin Xue that time, everything today would have belonged to their Liangmei Clothing. Yes, it was all because of that woman, Xiao Li.

    Li Dawei thought bitterly, that woman was good at nothing but ruining things. They had missed out on such a great opportunity, and even let the rivals across the street take advantage of it.

    ¡°Manager.¡± Xiao Li happened to come in looking for Li Dawei and, seeing his angry face, was so frightened she didn¡¯t dare to say much.

    ¡°It¡¯s all because of you! All of this should have been ours, but look what¡¯s happened now¡­¡± Li Dawei pointed at Xiao Li and scolded loudly.

    ¡°Manager, that woman who came that day didn¡¯t say she wanted to cooperate in making clothing, did she?¡± Xiao Li didn¡¯t dare to admit that she had driven Qin Xue away, thinking she was Li Dawei¡¯s mistress.

    Hmph, she never thought that woman would actually be capable of rescuing a dying factory.

    ¡°Alright, go out. I need some time alone.¡± Li Dawei thought that if Guo Aiguo managed to rise with the help of Chenxi Clothing this time, his own Liangmei might be suppressed to the point of no return.

    What should he do in the future? Go and find that pregnant woman? Maybe he could try talking to her.

    After making up his mind, Li Dawei decided to find Qin Xue for a talk and see if there was any possibility of cooperation.

    After leaving the manager¡¯s office, Xiao Li glared at Li Dawei resentfully and decided to carry out her plan tonight.

    She could not let herself be the one who was dumped by Li Dawei.

    Having made up her mind, Xiao Li left the factory and went to a hidden place.

    Upon knocking on the door, Xiao Li walked in, and soon after, intermittent moans could be heard from inside.

    No one knew how long it had been before Xiao Li came out, her face flushed with a faint red color, and her walking posture a bit off.

    Xiao Li looked at the closed door, and a smile appeared on her face as she walked away.

    Qin Xue and Chu Molin slowly climbed to the temple on the top of the mountain. Seeing the solemn Buddha statue, Qin Xue¡¯s heart immediately became solemn.

    She picked up the incense from the incense case nearby, lit it and bowed to the Buddha with Chu Molin.

    She prayed to the Bodhisattva for the safety and happiness of the people she cared about in her past life.

    She prayed for the health and happiness of her loved ones in this life, her husband Ping and An, and the health of the child in her womb.

    Qin Xue made many wishes, all for the protection of others, and none for herself.

    Chu Molin, who had never believed in ghosts or gods, unusually knelt down and prayed to the deity for protection for Qin Xue and the child in her womb.

    ¡°Chu Molin, let¡¯s go back.¡± After they had finished paying their respects to the Bodhisattva, Qin Xue looked up at the sun and called out to Chu Molin.

    ¡°Alright, take it slow.¡± Chu Molin reached out to hold Qin Xue¡¯s hand and slowly walked down the mountain.

 Chapter 368

    Translator: 549690339

    Li Zhao woke up early and, noticing that An Hao was still asleep, did not disturb her. Instead, he got up gently.

    Li Zhao changed into casual clothes, tidied up, and went downstairs for a run.

    ¡°Good morning, young master.¡± Li Hu greeted him with a smile as soon as he saw Li Zhao come down.

    ¡°Good morning, Uncle Hu.¡± Li Zhao responded with a smile.

    ¡°Are you heading out for a run so early, young master?¡± Li Hu asked, looking at Li Zhao¡¯s attire.

    ¡°Yes, Uncle Hu, would you like to join?¡± Li Zhao asked Li Hu.

    ¡°Let¡¯s.¡± Li Hu was planning to exercise anyway, so going with Li Zhao was okay too.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go then.¡± Li Zhao started out the door and headed to the training ground in the big courtyard.

    There was a special area in the courtyard for these senior leaders to exercise.

    ¡°Young master, how have things been going in S Province over the past few years?¡± Li Hu ran alongside Li Zhao and asked him.

    ¡°The development¡¯s been quite good.¡± Li Zhao thought about his own business.

    ¡°Hmm, once the young missus is home resting and expecting, you will have to shuttle back and forth.¡± Li Hu thought about how everyone in the family spoils the young missus.

    They definitely won¡¯t let An Hao follow Li Zhao back this time. There¡¯s a chance that Li Zhao might have to move back to the Imperial Capital for his career.

    ¡°Yeah, I will be pretty busy from then on.¡± Li Zhao thought that no matter how tired he would be then, he would be more than willing.

    The two of them jogged and chatted, discussing everyday topics.

    ¡°Zhaozi, when did you come back?¡± Chu Yeting also jogged in the opposite direction. Upon seeing Li Zhao, he asked.

    ¡°Good day, Uncle Chu.¡± Li Zhao greeted Chu Yeting.

    ¡°Zhaozi, will you be leaving after this visit?¡± Chu Yeting wondered when their rebellious son would come back now that Li Zhao had returned.

    ¡°Yes, after An¡¯an and I have our wedding, I¡¯ll go back to S Province.¡± Li Zhao answered Chu Yeting¡¯s question.

    ¡°Zhaozi, have you seen Molin?¡± Chu Yeting thought about it before asking.

    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t seen Mr. Chu for quite a while.¡± Although Li Zhao wasn¡¯t sure what kind of disagreement Chu Molin had with the Chus, he wouldn¡¯t just casually reveal Chu Molin¡¯s whereabouts.

    And don¡¯t tell him that Chu Yeting, a chief of staff, didn¡¯t know where Chu Molin was.

    But did Chu Yeting genuinely not know where Chu Molin was?

    After a quarrel between father and son years ago, Chu Molin had left home. It¡¯s been ten years now, and he hadn¡¯t returned once. Sometimes, he thought of sending someone to find out, but something else always came up, delaying it. As of now, he still didn¡¯t know where Chu Molin was.

    He thought Li Zhao might know, but it turns out he, too, was left disappointed.

    ¡°I see, I heard from your grandfather that your wedding banquet with An¡¯s girl was to be held when Molin returns. I thought you guys came back to host the banquet because you¡¯d found Molin already. Looks like it¡¯s not the case.¡± Chu Yeting said a bit dejectedly.

    The drama between himself and Gong Xinya back then had pushed Molin too far, causing him to hold grudges against him, against Xuezhi. Until now, he had stayed away from home for ten years without even a glance back.

    Chu Yeting didn¡¯t know what he felt, seeing a harmonious family at home, occasionally remembering that stubborn boy.

    It¡¯s just that the matters between adults were too complex for a young boy to understand.

    Maybe it was because he was getting old, but lately, he often remembered that defiant young man.

    The family gatherings always felt incomplete without him. When would he forgive his father and return home?

    As Xiao¡¯ai grew older, the Luus began to bring up the matters of the two kids intentionally or unintentionally.

    But as a father, he genuinely did not know where his son was.

 Chapter 369

    Translator: 549690339

    ¡°Uncle Chu, if you don¡¯t have anything else to do, I¡¯ll go with Uncle Hu to the training ground.¡± Li Zhao pointed at the training ground and said to Chu Yeting.

    ¡°Go ahead.¡± Chu Yeting nodded.

    After saying goodbye to Chu Yeting, Li Zhao and Li Hu went to the fighting arena to practice their moves.

    ¡°Young Master, why didn¡¯t you tell Chief Chu that you know where Young Master Molin is?¡± Li Hu asked Li Zhao quizzically during their rest.

    ¡°It¡¯s because the boss doesn¡¯t want anyone to know his whereabouts. Uncle Hu, can you tell me what exactly happened back then?¡± Li Zhao had been sent to his maternal grandfather¡¯s house during that time, and when he returned, something had happened to the Chus.

    Back then, the Chu family¡¯s troubles made quite a stir in the entire mansion.

    Otherwise, Chu Yeting¡¯s military rank might have been even higher.

    ¡°Young Master, I¡¯m not quite sure what happened back then. All I know is that Miss Xinya was angered to death by the Chus.¡± Li Hu did not have a clear understanding of what had happened.

    ¡°Even you don¡¯t know?¡± Li Zhao asked, somewhat disappointed.

    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t know either.¡± Li Hu thought that Li Guoqiang knew, but he couldn¡¯t ask Li Zhao to go and ask Li Guoqiang, could he?

    ¡°Never mind, let¡¯s continue to train.¡± Li Zhao thought that if he didn¡¯t know, it didn¡¯t matter. He would find out when Chu Molin returned.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Li Hu wiped his sweat and continued training with Li Zhao.

    When they returned, An Hao was still in bed, so Li Zhao went to take a shower before waking her up.

    ¡°Little lazy pig, it¡¯s time to get up. The sun is shining on your butt.¡± Li Zhao lay beside An Hao and called her.

    ¡°Mmm, I¡¯m so sleepy.¡± An Hao had been very sleepy since her pregnancy symptoms appeared, and she was vomiting whatever she ate.

    Li Zhao felt sorry for her, but she had to get up, eat something, and then sleep.

    ¡°An¡¯an, how about getting up, eating breakfast, and then going back to sleep?¡± Li Zhao coaxed her softly.

    ¡°Mmm, no, I want to sleep.¡± An Hao mumbled and fell back asleep.

    Li Zhao had no choice but to give her a gentle kiss on her lips before going downstairs. He needed to ask Mrs. Chen to make some meat porridge for An Hao to warm her up later so she could eat it when she woke up.

    ¡°Zhaozi, where¡¯s An¡¯an?¡± Chen Lei looked behind Li Zhao and saw only her son, so she asked him.

    ¡°Mom, An¡¯an is still asleep.¡± Li Zhao thought that if she wanted to sleep, she should sleep.

    ¡°It¡¯s normal to be sleepy during the early stages of pregnancy. Let her sleep, then warm it up for her. After she¡¯s slept enough, she can get up and eat.¡± Chen Lei was not an unreasonable mother-in-law.

    ¡°Yes, Mom, I¡¯ll ask Mrs. Chen to make some meat porridge for her.¡± Li Zhao and his mother were on the same page.

    ¡°No need, I already asked Mrs. Chen to make red date and wolfberry porridge for An¡¯an.¡± Chen Lei thought that An Hao needed to eat lighter food due to her pregnancy nausea.

    ¡°Mom, thank you.¡± Li Zhao didn¡¯t expect his mother to have arranged it early in the morning.

    ¡°Silly boy, go eat your breakfast.¡± Chen Lei stood up and looked at her son.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Li Zhao hooked his arm around his mother¡¯s shoulder and headed to the dining room.

    ¡°Hurry up and eat, we¡¯re just waiting for you two.¡± Li Guoqiang said as he saw his wife and son come over.

    ¡°Mmm.¡± Chen Lei looked at her husband and smiled.

    ¡°An girl¡¯s breakfast should be saved for her. Let¡¯s eat our breakfast first.¡± Grandpa Li thought that his son and daughter-in-law had to go to work later, so they couldn¡¯t wait for An Hao all the time.

    After the family had a warm breakfast together, everyone went to work and attended to their responsibilities.

    Only Li Changshan and Li Zhao, grandfather and grandson, were left at home.

    ¡°Grandpa, let me play chess with you.¡± Li Zhao thought that he hadn¡¯t played chess with his grandfather for a long time.

    ¡°You little rascal, your grandpa has been waiting for you to say that.¡± Li Changshan looked at his grandson with a happy smile.

    Seeing his grandfather¡¯s cheerful expression, Li Zhao felt happy too. Keeping his grandfather happy made him feel a strong sense of accomplishment.

 Chapter 370

    Translator: 549690339

    The grandfather and grandson played their game at a speedy pace, exchanging words now and then.

    ¡°You¡¯ve improved a lot, my boy.¡± Li Changshan hadn¡¯t played chess with his grandson for a long time and was surprised to see how much his skills had progressed.

    ¡°I practiced hard to beat you, grandpa. So, be careful.¡± Li Zhao learned to play chess from his grandfather. When he was young, his parents were always busy, and he was mostly looked after by his grandfather, hence their deep bond.

    ¡°We¡¯ll see if you can beat me.¡± Li Changshan said, grinning at his grandson, the seriousness from their phone conversation was nowhere in sight.

    ¡°Watch out, grandpa. Checkmate!¡± Li Zhao announced, moving his chess piece.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been beaten by my own grandson.¡± Li Changshan, looking at the chessboard and then his grandson with widened eyes.

    ¡°That¡¯s what I warned you, grandpa.¡± Li Zhao had never let his grandfather win while playing chess.

    ¡°I heard Chu Yeting asked about Chu Molin this morning?¡± Li Changshan sipped his tea.

    ¡°Yes, he did, but I didn¡¯t tell him.¡± Li Zhao reset his chess pieces on the board.

    ¡°Did Chu Molin ask you not to say anything?¡± Li Changshan guesed.

    ¡°Not really. He never explicitly told me not to tell anyone where he was.¡± Li Zhao figured Chu Molin never strictly instructed him to keep his whereabouts a secret, so he wasn¡¯t really stretching the truth.

    ¡°How¡¯s the boy doing these years?¡± Li Changshan had a soft spot for him.

    ¡°He¡¯s doing okay, I guess. Married with a kid already.¡± Li Zhao thought of Qin Xue, even if they were not well-off, so what?

    ¡°The Chus are certainly in for an interesting time if they find out.¡± Li Changshan moved a chess piece forward.

    ¡°Grandpa, please don¡¯t tell Grandpa Chu. Luu Xiao¡¯ai will make trouble if she finds out.¡± Li Zhao didn¡¯t want to cause problems for Chu Molin and Qin Xue.

    ¡°Zhaozi, some things can¡¯t be avoided.¡± Li Changshan said, keenly looking at his grandson.

    ¡°But grandpa, the wife of our eldest brother is over seven months pregnant. If Luu Xiao¡¯ai finds out, won¡¯t that cause trouble for the couple?¡± Li Zhao knew some secrets couldn¡¯t be kept forever.

    But, could they not keep secrets for the time being?

    ¡°Just remember, good luck can¡¯t be bad luck, and you can¡¯t avoid bad luck. If it¡¯s meant to be, no one can break them apart.

    On the contrary, if it¡¯s not meant to be, they will never end up together.¡± Li Changshan reflected on the past.

    ¡°I understand, grandpa. Let¡¯s just let things go their own way.¡± Li Zhao then broke the silence.

    ¡°That¡¯s my grandson you¡¯re talking about.¡± Li Changshan looked at his grandson approvingly.

    The grandfather and grandson played chess amidst laughter and joy, while An Hao woke up hungry.

    Seeing it was past nine, she realized she had overslept.

    She quickly washed up, changed clothes, and came downstairs.

    ¡°Young mistress, you¡¯re awake. The porridge is kept warm in the pot, I¡¯ll bring it to you.¡± Mrs. Chen was the first to notice Awoken An Hao.

    ¡°An¡¯an, you¡¯re awake.¡± Li Zhao looked up at An Hao, who had just woken up, upon hearing Mrs. Chen¡¯s words.

    ¡°Hmm, good morning, grandpa!¡± An Hao greeted him, uneasily.

    ¡°Did you sleep well, An¡¯an? If not, have your meal and go back to sleep.¡± Li Changshan smiled at his granddaughter-in-law.

    ¡°No need, grandpa, I slept well.¡± An Hao thought about being the last one to get up and felt embarrassed to go back to sleep.

    ¡°Young mistress, come and have some porridge first.¡± Mrs. Chen was fond of the innocent An Hao.

    ¡°Thank you, Mrs. Chen.¡± An Hao thanked her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± Mrs. Chen was Chen Lei¡¯s personal handmaid. After Chen Lei got married and moved to Li¡¯s house, she followed along. It¡¯s been decades now, and she has become a part of the Li family.

    Without saying anything, An Hao went to the dining room to have breakfast.

 Chapter 371

    Translator: 549690339

    It was afternoon by the time Qin Xue and Chu Molin returned to the county town, so it might have been the fabric shop owner who had arranged for Qin Xue¡¯s fabric to be delivered when they saw the bus schedule.

    As soon as the couple got off the bus and returned to the shop, the fabric was delivered.

    Qin Xue checked the fabric, found no damage, and cleared the debt with the IOU.

    ¡°Qin Xue, why did you buy so many impractical fabrics?¡± Fang Xiu wondered as she watched Qin Xue spend so much money on fabric.

    ¡°Xiu, when have you ever seen me do something useless?¡± Qin Xue rolled her eyes at Fang Xiu.

    ¡°But these are indeed impractical, what do you plan to use them for? Clothes?¡± Fang Xiu felt the fabric with her hands.

    The fabric was good, but what to make with it? Fang Xiu was puzzled by Qin Xue.

    ¡°Xiu, I¡¯m hungry, is there anything to eat in the shop?¡± After Qin Xue and the others got off the mountain, they checked out of their room and took the bus back without having time to eat.

    ¡°Hang on, I¡¯ll cook some noodles for you.¡± Fang Xiu thought, my goodness, it¡¯s so late and they haven¡¯t eaten yet.

    ¡°Great, thanks, Xiu.¡± After hearing Fang Xiu¡¯s words, Qin Xue sat down on the chair next to her and teased Jingtao who was sitting in his baby walker.

    ¡°Taotao, call me Auntie, Auntie,¡± Qin Xue slowly taught Jingtao to speak.

    Seeing how much Qin Xue loved Jingtao, Chu Molin knew that she would be a very gentle mother to their future child.

    ¡°Yi, yi,¡± Jingtao spat out two single syllables.

    ¡°Chu Molin, did you hear that? Jingtao called me. I¡¯m the first person he called, haha, Jingtao, you¡¯re amazing!¡± Qin Xue excitedly grabbed Chu Molin¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s because my Xue¡¯er is the best,¡± Chu Molin nodded, agreeing with Qin Xue¡¯s words.

    ¡°What do you mean, your Xue¡¯er is the best? I¡¯m my own person!¡± Qin Xue said proudly, blushing.

    This man was shamelessly flirting with her without regard for the situation. She still had her pride, even if he didn¡¯t.

    ¡°Fine, let¡¯s say I belong to your family then,¡± Chu Molin found teasing Qin Xue quite amusing, especially seeing her red face, shy and annoyed.

    ¡°You already belong to my family!¡± Qin Xue blurted out before she realized that she¡¯d been blatantly teased by Chu Molin.

    Qin Xue glared at Chu Molin bashfully, really wanting to kick him.

    How embarrassing it would be if Fang Xiu or Yu Xiu heard them!

    ¡°Hehe,¡± Chu Molin¡¯s deep laughter echoed in the small room.

    Jingtao also giggled, making Qin Xue even more embarrassed.

    ¡°You two are really something,¡± Qin Xue said angrily, looking at Chu Molin and then at Jingtao at her feet.

    Knowing that Qin Xue was just shy, Chu Molin softened his expression but maintained the smile in his eyes as he watched her. Unable to bear his gaze, Qin Xue went into the kitchen to check on Fang Xiu¡¯s noodles.

    Chu Molin looked at his little wife¡¯s flustered figure and let out a joyful laugh. The laughter behind her made Qin Xue¡¯s heart feel tender and soft.

    ¡°What are you talking about? Why are you so happy?¡± Fang Xiu asked as soon as she saw Qin Xue.

    ¡°Maybe Taotao did something funny,¡± Qin Xue wouldn¡¯t be so foolish as to tell the truth.

    ¡°Alright, take it away.¡± Fang Xiu cooked two bowls of noodles and fried two eggs.

    Qin Xue looked at the golden-fried eggs, swallowing her saliva; she was truly hungry.

    The two women each carried a bowl of noodles to the shop next door.

    ¡°Mr. Chu, have some noodles, I can watch Taotao,¡± Fang Xiu put the noodles on the table and said to Chu Molin.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Chu Molin said with gratitude.

 Chapter 372

    Translator: 549690339

    Chu Beiying and her party returned to their residence, and Cloud placed Chu Beiying in a chair before stepping back.

    ¡°Miss, do you want to rest or¡­¡± Rain asked Chu Beiying.

    ¡°Help me back to my room, I¡¯ll just wash up a bit and then go to sleep.¡± Chu Beiying felt sticky and uncomfortable.

    She couldn¡¯t take a bath with her injured knee, so wiping her body would have to do for now to make her feel a bit more comfortable.

    Cloud and Rain supported Chu Beiying on each side as they helped her back to her room.

    ¡°Miss, do you need help?¡± Cloud asked Chu Beiying.

    ¡°No need, you all should go rest.¡± Chu Beiying wasn¡¯t used to being served.

    ¡°Miss, we¡¯ll be outside. Just call out if you need anything.¡± Cloud didn¡¯t say they were going to rest.

    Instead, she wanted to fulfill her duty in protecting Chu Beiying.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to stay with me, I won¡¯t run away. Today was an accident.¡± Chu Beiying said lightly.

    ¡°But Miss¡­¡±

    ¡°Go to sleep, I really won¡¯t run away, I promise. You all need to rest well to protect me, right?¡± Rain¡¯s words were interrupted by Chu Beiying.

    ¡°Besides, this is my home now, isn¡¯t it? Where else can I go?¡± Chu Beiying thought, since she couldn¡¯t return, this would be her home from now on.

    ¡°Alright, Miss.¡± Cloud glanced at Chu Beiying before pulling Rain away.

    ¡°Cloud, do we really go to sleep? Don¡¯t we have to keep watch?¡± Rain hesitated as she looked at Cloud.

    ¡°Let¡¯s rest. We¡¯ll tell the captain and Thunder later that they can rest too and there¡¯s no need to keep watch. Miss won¡¯t leave.¡± Cloud had just seen the despair in Chu Beiying¡¯s eyes.

    Cloud didn¡¯t know what had happened to Chu Beiying in the past two days that caused her to show such an expression, but Cloud believed that if Chu Beiying said she wouldn¡¯t leave, she wouldn¡¯t.

    Cloud also believed that if Chu Beiying said yesterday¡¯s escape was an accident, then it was, and Cloud was willing to trust Chu Beiying.

    ¡°I understand.¡± Rain didn¡¯t say anything else after hearing how certain Cloud was. Upon exiting the hall, she went to find the captain.

    ¡°Alright, I understand. Trust Miss and Cloud, go get some rest.¡± Feng agreed immediately upon hearing.

    ¡°Captain, why are you and Cloud so sure?¡± Rain didn¡¯t quite understand.

    ¡°One¡¯s eyes can¡¯t deceive others. You¡¯ll understand when you¡¯re older.¡± Feng said lightly as she looked out the window.

    ¡°Oh.¡± Rain still didn¡¯t quite understand, but she didn¡¯t ask any further.

    Rain went back to her room deep in thought, and Cloud glanced at her upon hearing the door open.

    ¡°What are you thinking about? Hurry up and wash up and sleep, it¡¯s almost dawn.¡± Cloud laid down on the bed in one smooth movement.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Rain glanced at Cloud before going to wash up, not dwelling on it any longer.

    Chu Beiying wiped her body and lay down on the bed, staring at the ceiling. The events of the past two days felt like a dream, but they were really happening to her.

    But why had she come to this place? Was there a reason for it? No matter how hard Chu Beiying thought, she couldn¡¯t figure it out, so she just blocked out all her thoughts and went to sleep.

    ¡°Hiss, it hurts.¡± The next morning, Chu Beiying woke up feeling pain in her foot, making her very uncomfortable.

    ¡°Miss, are you up?¡± Cloud¡¯s voice rang out from outside the door.

    ¡°Mhm, I¡¯m up.¡± Chu Beiying replied upon hearing Cloud¡¯s question.

    ¡°Then I¡¯m coming in.¡± Cloud asked after hearing Chu Beiying¡¯s response.

    ¡°Come in.¡± Chu Beiying looked at her still somewhat swollen foot.

    ¡°Miss, do you want to eat breakfast downstairs or upstairs?¡± Cloud saw that Chu Beiying hadn¡¯t washed up yet.

    ¡°I¡¯ll eat downstairs.¡± Chu Beiying wasn¡¯t in the habit of eating in her room.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go and prepare downstairs.¡± Cloud nodded.

    ¡°Okay, you go ahead.¡± Chu Beiying wasn¡¯t quite used to ordering people around.

 Chapter 373

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    After finishing her noodles, Qin Xue discussed with Fang Xiu about the purpose of the batch of fabric and how it should be made.

    ¡°Xiu, I have a set of clothes here that need this fabric, take a good look and see if you can make it.¡± Qin Xue handed Fang Xiu a set of wedding dress design drawings.

    ¡°Qin Xue, why is this skirt different from the ones we usually see?¡± Fang Xiu noticed the difference as soon as she looked at the drawings.

    ¡°Oh, this is a new style, specially designed for brides to wear at weddings.¡± Qin Xue¡¯s expression was indifferent.

    ¡°Like our wedding dresses? But this fabric is white, isn¡¯t it a taboo to wear white for a wedding?¡± Fang Xiu asked with puzzlement.

    ¡°This is a Western-style gown. In Western countries, white represents purity and nobility. It is the most noble representation there. It¡¯s just that if we want to introduce it to Hua Country, people may be resistant at first.¡± Qin Xue had considered this issue, but she wanted to be the first to seize this opportunity. So, no matter what, she was going to take the first step.

    ¡°Then why would you want to do it knowing that people are resistant?¡± Sometimes Fang Xiu really didn¡¯t understand what Qin Xue was thinking.

    ¡°How do you think our Chenxi Clothing is doing?¡± Qin Xue looked at Fang Xiu and asked her.

    ¡°Very well, Chenxi Clothing is one-of-a-kind in this county. Both in terms of the novelty of the styles and the pricing, it¡¯s acceptable to people.¡± Fang Xiu immediately answered Qin Xue¡¯s question.

    ¡°Exactly, I want to introduce this new type of wedding gown, just like when we started Chenxi. We have to be the leaders in this.¡± Qin Xue slowly explained to Fang Xiu.

    ¡°But if no one wears it at first, will we just keep it here?¡± Fang Xiu looked at the batch of fabric and asked Qin Xue.

    ¡°Yes, first look at the drawings I gave you and see if you can make them. If you can, I will give you more drawings later, and you can make them according to the sizes.

    Once made, we can run our business by renting them out.

    Of course, you can also accept custom orders. That is, if someone likes a particular style, you can register their size and then make it for them. But in this case, the price will be relatively higher.

    Once I figure out a reasonable price, we can rent or sell at that price.¡± Qin Xue thought of the bridal studios in the future.

    Buying a wedding dress for a wedding is too expensive and impractical. So many people just spend hundreds of dollars to rent a wedding dress, right?

    Once the wedding banquet is over, they return the wedding dress, saving money and being convenient.

    This business model should also be applicable in this era.

    ¡°So, will we need a couple of models then?¡± Fang Xiu thought about how they initially displayed their clothes on models once they were made.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s a must. We need to showcase our clothes and all their advantages to attract customers¡¯ attention.

    If we want to dominate the market, we must have an eye-catching centerpiece.¡± Qin Xue thought about how television was not yet widespread; otherwise, they could advertise on it. Then, everyone would know about Chenxi Clothing.

    Qin Xue suddenly thought of An Hao and wondered if she could ask her for help.

    ¡°Chu Molin, is Li Zhao¡¯s family wealthy?¡± Qin Xue suddenly turned her head to look at Chu Molin and asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Chu Molin gave a more objective answer.

    ¡°When An¡¯an gets married, will they hire a photography team to take pictures for commemoration?¡± The more Qin Xue thought about it, the more feasible she found the idea.

    If that was the case, she could call An Hao and ask her for help.

 Chapter 374

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    Chu Molin thought about it but couldn¡¯t give Qin Xue a definite answer.

    ¡°You can call Li Zhao to ask about it.¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t know if they would hire someone to take pictures for the occasion.

    ¡°Alright, help me call Li Zhao when we get back. If they do hire a photography team, ask them to hire a photographer who knows how to make advertisements. Have the photographer record their entire wedding for me to use as a wedding gown advertisement. As for the cost, we can also pay them something.¡± Qin Xue carefully said.

    ¡°Okay, I got it.¡± Chu Molin could tell that Qin Xue had come up with another good idea.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Qin Xue smiled and thanked Chu Molin.

    ¡°Silly girl, do you need to apologize to me?¡± Chu Molin asked Qin Xue back.

    ¡°No need, I won¡¯t do it again next time.¡± Qin Xue stuck out her tongue playfully.

    ¡°Fang Xiu, study the patterns I gave you well, understand them quickly, and make the clothes. I need them urgently once they¡¯re done.¡± Qin Xue thought about An Hao¡¯s wedding, not knowing which day it was set for. Hopefully, she could make it in time.

    ¡°Alright, I know, I¡¯ll definitely study the details carefully and make them as soon as possible.¡± Fang Xiu, hearing Qin Xue¡¯s words, replied seriously.

    This is why Fang Xiu could make good clothes ¨C she always approached her work with enthusiasm.

    ¡°I¡¯m really troubling you. After it¡¯s done, let Yu Xiu record it, and I¡¯ll pay you accordingly.¡± Qin Xue thought, after making each set, Fang Xiu would receive quite a bit of money.

    ¡°Alright, I know.¡± Fang Xiu didn¡¯t refuse, because this was her earned income, she needed the money to raise her child. She didn¡¯t have the capital to refuse Qin Xue¡¯s help now.

    ¡°So, how long will it take for my grandparents¡¯ clothes to be done?¡± Qin Xue wanted Fang Xiu to help her grandparents with several sets of clothes.

    ¡°It will be done soon.¡± Fang Xiu was almost finished, with only some finishing touches left.

    ¡°Alright, after finishing their clothes, start working on the wedding gown. Whether we can make a name for ourselves depends on you.¡± Qin Xue actually felt that making this wedding gown was a bit difficult for Fang Xiu, as she only had experience making everyday clothes and didn¡¯t have formal design training.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± Fang Xiu felt pressure after hearing Qin Xue¡¯s words.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, I¡¯ve given you two patterns. First, make a red traditional Hua Country wedding gown, then make this Western-style gown.¡± Qin Xue had both options prepared.

    ¡°I thought the two patterns you gave me were both for making clothes with this fabric. So that¡¯s not the case.¡± Fang Xiu thought if Qin Xue hadn¡¯t mentioned it, she definitely would have used this fabric for both patterns.

    ¡°Of course not, didn¡¯t you notice that one of them was designed completely according to Hua Country people¡¯s preferences?¡± Qin Xue asked Fang Xiu to take a good look at the other set of clothing patterns.

    ¡°Now that you mention it, it¡¯s true. I¡¯ve never seen such a beautiful gown before. It¡¯s a pity there isn¡¯t enough time to add embroidery; otherwise, it would be even prettier.¡± Fang Xiu thought of the ancient phoenix robes, which had exquisite embroidery.

    Many skills from the past have been lost, making it difficult to find places to learn them now.

    Qin Xue knew there wasn¡¯t much time and that it would be impossible to make the wedding gown she wanted in such a short period. So when designing the gown, she set up several hidden points.

    These hidden points are invisible on the design, but once worn, the beauty of the gown is apparent.

    ¡°Fang Xiu, even though there¡¯s no embroidery, did you notice these points?¡± Qin Xue pointed to several places on the pattern and asked Fang Xiu.

    Fang Xiu looked at the places pointed out by Qin Xue and searched her memory for any examples of such designs.

 Chapter 375

    Translator: 549690339

    Fang Xiu realized that she had never come across such a design in her previous knowledge, and the clothes made in this way were even better looking than all the styles she had seen before.

    ¡°Qin Xue, do you mean to use these areas as advantages to replace embroidery?¡± Fang Xiu looked at Qin Xue incredulously, wondering if this design is too bold.

    ¡°Yes, don¡¯t worry, the results will definitely surprise even you.¡± Qin Xue confidently looked at Fang Xiu.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll give it a try.¡± After listening to Qin Xue¡¯s words, Fang Xiu decided to accept this new challenge. Only by constantly learning can she learn new things. So she has to give it a try no matter how difficult it is.

    ¡°Good, I like your ambition.¡± Qin Xue patted Fang Xiu on the shoulder.

    ¡°You like me, aren¡¯t you afraid that Mr. Chu will be jealous?¡± Fang Xiu raised her eyebrows and joked with Qin Xue.

    ¡°Chu Molin, would you be jealous?¡± Qin Xue turned and asked Chu Molin.

    ¡°No.¡± Of course, Chu Molin wouldn¡¯t be jealous because he wouldn¡¯t let Qin Xue have the chance to like anyone else.

    His woman can only like him, even if the other party is a woman.

    ¡°You heard him.¡± Qin Xue looked at Fang Xiu triumphantly.

    ¡°You just keep showing off.¡± Fang Xiu didn¡¯t believe that a domineering man like Chu Molin would let Qin Xue like someone else. Qin Xue was just too naive to know that.

    After discussing the characteristics and details of the wedding dress, Qin Xue and Chu Molin left to take the car back to the research institute.

    By the time they returned to the research institute, it was already dusk.

    Nangong Shulan cooked the meal and waited for Qin Lang to come back for dinner.

    She estimated that Chu Molin and Qin Xue would return today, so she cooked extra when preparing the meal.

    If the couple didn¡¯t come back today, she and her son would eat the leftovers as fried rice tomorrow. If they came back, they wouldn¡¯t be hungry.

    ¡°Mom, we¡¯re back!¡± Qin Xue called out to Nangong Shulan as soon as she entered the house.

    ¡°I guessed that you¡¯d be back today. Go wash up and come have dinner.¡± Nangong Shulan was glad she cooked extra food.

    ¡°Mom is the best. We can have dinner as soon as we come back.¡± Qin Xue talked and laughed while taking her bag back to her room.

    ¡°Chu Molin, you go wash up quickly. While Xiao Yu hasn¡¯t come back yet, you get washed up and I¡¯ll go after.¡± Qin Xue stuck her head out of the room and spoke to Chu Molin.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Chu Molin had no objection. The weather was too hot, and sweating was uncomfortable. Only after taking a bath would he feel refreshed.

    After the couple took turns bathing, they sat in the living room chatting with their mother while waiting for Qin Yu to come back for dinner.

    ¡°Did you have fun in the city?¡± Nangong Shulan looked at her daughter lovingly.

    ¡°The city is bustling, but we went mountain climbing. The scenery there is fantastic. When there¡¯s time, I¡¯ll take you to enjoy the views.¡± Qin Xue smiled at her mother.

    ¡°There are mountains and beautiful scenery at home as well. I don¡¯t need to go through the trouble of climbing mountains just to see the views.¡± Nangong Shulan looked at her daughter amusedly.

    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s different. There¡¯s so much to see in this world. You must go out and enjoy the beauty of our homeland.¡± Qin Xue thought about how vast Hua Country was, and how she really wanted to visit every corner of his homeland if she could.

    She wanted to do everything she hadn¡¯t done in her past life in this life, without leaving any regrets. This time by returning to the 80s, she realized that life is just a few decades long, and not much time can be wasted.

    In this life, she wanted to explore her homeland with her loved ones and children.

    She wanted to leave her footprints in every corner of the land, so it wouldn¡¯t be in vain that she had this second chance.

 Chapter 376

    Translator: 549690339

    After showering, Chu Molin went to complete the task Qin Xue assigned to him.

    Chu Molin made a phone call to Li Zhao at the guard post.

    ¡°Hello, who¡¯s this?¡± Li Zhao just returned from a walk outside with An Hao and picked up the incoming call.

    ¡°Zhaozi, it¡¯s me.¡± Chu Molin recognized Li Zhao¡¯s voice right away.

    ¡°Boss, what brings you to call?¡± Li Zhao¡¯s voice got excited when he realized it was Chu Molin.

    ¡°My wife asked me to call you. When you get married, are you inviting a photography team to take pictures?¡± Chu Molin explained the purpose of his phone call.

    ¡°We actually haven¡¯t thought about that.¡± Li Zhao said after listening.

    ¡°So do you want to invite one?¡± Chu Molin asked.

    ¡°We weren¡¯t planning to, but now that you mention it, I think we can invite one. Boss, you got some suggestions?¡± Li Zhao understood Chu Molin¡¯s temperament and knew that Qin Xue wouldn¡¯t do anything useless.

    ¡°My wife found some fabric to make An¡¯an¡¯s wedding dress, and she designed a beautiful one for her. She just wants to ask you guys for a favor.¡± Chu Molin thought about Qin Xue¡¯s plan.

    ¡°Just say it, Boss. What do you need our help with?¡± When Li Zhao heard that the fabric was found, he didn¡¯t care what the favor was and asked directly.

    ¡°When you invite a photography team to your wedding, please invite one that can do advertisements. And give the raw photos to my wife later; she will use them for an advertisement on TV for her clothing store.¡± Chu Molin explained Qin Xue¡¯s plan in one breath.

    ¡°Hold on, Boss, you mean your wife wants our wedding photos?¡± Li Zhao was uncertain if he heard correctly.

    ¡°To be precise, the wedding photos of An¡¯an wearing the wedding dress.¡± Chu Molin felt that Li Zhao seemed somewhat confused.

    ¡°No problem, An¡¯an really likes Qin Xue, and she would be more than happy to give the photos.¡± Li Zhao didn¡¯t oppose letting An¡¯an appear in public.

    ¡°You should think about it; my wife will have these photos broadcasted on TV, meaning anyone with a TV might see your wedding photos.¡± Chu Molin only said this to remind Li Zhao to consult with An Hao or their family members, avoiding unnecessary trouble later.

    ¡°I get it, as long as An¡¯an is happy, I don¡¯t mind.¡± Li Zhao looked at An Hao standing beside him, his beloved wife for years; all that mattered was her happiness.

    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to consult with An¡¯an or your family? After all, it¡¯s a wedding in a white dress, and it¡¯ll be on television.¡± Chu Molin reminded Li Zhao one last time.

    ¡°Molin, I promise you.¡± An Hao overheard Chu Molin¡¯s words and took the phone from Li Zhao to talk to Chu Molin.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll tell my wife. An¡¯an, thank you.¡± Chu Molin thanked An Hao.

    ¡°Molin, don¡¯t mention it, I should thank Qin Xue for designing my wedding dress and making me a beautiful bride.

    I also appreciate the idea you guys came up with so we can look at our wedding photos when we¡¯re old and reminisce about how we looked during our wedding.¡± An Hao was genuinely grateful for Qin Xue.

    Although they hadn¡¯t known each other for very long, it didn¡¯t hinder their friendship.

    Sometimes, friendships can be that simple; all it takes is clicking with someone to become good friends.

    ¡°Well, if there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll hang up now.¡± Chu Molin was about to hang up after finishing the conversation.

    ¡°Hold on, Boss, I have something to tell you.¡± Li Zhao hurriedly called out upon hearing Chu Molin¡¯s words.

 Chapter 377

    Translator: 549690339

    Chu Molin didn¡¯t know why Li Zhao stopped him from hanging up the phone. What did he want to say?

    Was there something unclear in what he just said?

    Chu Molin retraced their conversation in his mind, finding that he had explained everything without omitting any details. He waited puzzledly for Li Zhao, wondering what he had to say.

    ¡°What else is there?¡± Chu Molin asked, listening to the sound of breathing on the other end of the line.

    ¡°Boss, this morning when Uncle Hu and I went out for a workout, we bumped into your father. He asked me about you.¡± Li Zhao told Chu Molin about his encounter with Chu Yeting in the morning.

    Chu Molin remained silent after hearing this, not expecting Li Zhao to tell him about it.

    ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Chu Molin wondered why, after so many years, he was still being asked about.

    ¡°Boss, I can tell that he really cares about you.¡± Li Zhao said after hearing Chu Molin¡¯s response.

    ¡°If he really cared about me, he wouldn¡¯t have waited so many years. If he really cared about me, wouldn¡¯t he be able to find out about me with his own abilities?¡± Chu Molin¡¯s two questions left Li Zhao at a loss for words.

    Indeed, with Chu Yeting¡¯s identity as a chief of staff, it would be very easy for him to inquire or investigate a person. All he had to do was give an order.

    ¡°Zhaozi, some things are in the past, and I don¡¯t want to say much about them. Let¡¯s leave it at that.¡± Chu Molin had a dream last time in which his mother told him to let go of the past and live a happier life.

    He didn¡¯t want to disappoint his mother, so he tried to let go of the resentment in his heart and live a normal life with his wife.

    Therefore, he didn¡¯t want to know anything about certain people and events.

    ¡°Boss¡­¡± Li Zhao didn¡¯t know how to continue the conversation with Chu Molin, as he could genuinely see that Chu Yeting cared about him.

    ¡°Zhaozi, if there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll hang up now. My mother-in-law and Qin Xue are still waiting for me to have dinner.¡± Chu Molin said, then hung up the phone.

    Li Zhao listened to the dial tone on the other end of the line, and silently put down the phone, turning to look at An Hao.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± An Hao asked, looking at Li Zhao.

    ¡°Nothing, let¡¯s go take a shower and rest.¡± Li Zhao led An Hao upstairs.

    An Hao didn¡¯t ask any further questions, as she knew a bit about the father-son conflict between Chu Molin and Yeting.

    Even she couldn¡¯t completely get close to her own parents, let alone a father-son relationship like Chu Molin¡¯s with such psychological conflict.

    Only those who have personally experienced such a situation can understand its taste.

    An Hao followed Li Zhao upstairs to find clothes and take a shower.

    On the other hand, Chu Molin walked slowly towards the residential building after hanging up the phone.

    Had it been ten years and he finally remembered his son?

    Didn¡¯t he think it was too late to be looking for him now? Chu Molin didn¡¯t know what his intentions were for asking about him.

    Chu Molin didn¡¯t want to think too much about these things now. He had a wife, children, and a home, didn¡¯t he?

    Yes, he had a family, and they were waiting for him to return home for dinner. With this in mind, Chu Molin quickened his pace towards home.

    ¡°Molin is back! Come and eat!¡± Nangong Shulan called him over to eat as soon as she saw Chu Molin entering the door.

    ¡°Qin Xue, Xiao Yu, come and eat!¡± Nangong Shulan put the food on the table and shouted towards the room.

    ¡°Mom, what¡¯s good to eat today?¡± Qin Xue hadn¡¯t seen what dishes were on the table yet.

    Only after her mother called for dinner did she think to ask.

    ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± Nangong Shulan almost didn¡¯t cook their favorite dishes.

    ¡°Whatever Mom cooks, I¡¯ll eat.¡± Qin Xue wasn¡¯t really picky about what to eat, and responded with a smile after hearing her mother¡¯s words.

 Chapter 378

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    Nangong Shulan watched Qin Xue giggle, and couldn¡¯t help but be amused.

    ¡°What dish do you want to eat? I¡¯ll make it for you tomorrow.¡± Nangong Shulan knew that pregnant women¡¯s tastes change quickly, so she didn¡¯t refuse when she heard Qin Xue¡¯s request.

    ¡°I want to eat something spicy. Mom, let¡¯s make some Liangpi tomorrow.¡± Qin Xue thought that the hot weather called for a spicy dish like Liangpi to whet her appetite.

    ¡°What is Liangpi?¡± Nangong Shulan didn¡¯t know how to make Liangpi, so she asked Qin Xue.

    ¡°Liangpi is made by kneading dough and letting it rest for half an hour. After the dough has rested, knead it a few more times and then wash it in water until all the flour is clean, leaving only the gluten. Let the washed dough water sit for three to four hours.

    Drain the clear water on top, leaving the starchy water below, which is the batter. Finally, spread a thin layer of the batter on a plate and steam it in a pot. That¡¯s Liangpi.¡± Qin Xue loved Liangpi and used to enjoy eating a big bowl of it with her classmates.

    Now, if she wanted to eat it, she¡¯d have to make it herself.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll make Liangpi for you tomorrow.¡± Nangong Shulan thought it didn¡¯t sound too difficult and agreed to make it for Qin Xue.

    ¡°Yay, mom is the best!¡± Qin Xue shouted happily.

    The three family members looked at Qin Xue¡¯s happy face and exchanged glances, shaking their heads helplessly. They all thought, what a silly, easily-satisfied girl she was.

    The family sat around the table, eating quietly.

    From time to time, the sound of chopsticks clinking against bowls could be heard, along with occasional conversations.

    The warm atmosphere lingered in the small space.

    ¡°Phew, I¡¯m so full.¡± Qin Xue rubbed her belly and exclaimed.

    ¡°Do you want to go for a walk?¡± Chu Molin asked Qin Xue.

    ¡°Okay, mom, Xiao Yu, are you coming?¡± Qin Xue agreed and casually asked her mother and brother.

    ¡°I won¡¯t go, you two go ahead.¡± Qin Yu didn¡¯t want to be a third wheel.

    ¡°I won¡¯t go either. I¡¯ll clean up the dishes. You two go.¡± Nangong Shulan didn¡¯t want to disturb her son-in-law and daughter¡¯s alone time either.

    It had to be said that Nangong Shulan was a very open-minded mother.

    She never interfered with her children¡¯s relationships, and as long as they were happy, she was satisfied. There was no need to be a villain and ruin their relationships.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Chu Molin gratefully looked at his mother-in-law and brother-in-law.

    He pulled Qin Xue out the door, knowing that if they didn¡¯t take a walk, she might have trouble falling asleep later.

    The couple, as usual, went to the playground and walked slowly.

    The moon stretched their shadows long, and sometimes the couple¡¯s shadows overlapped, showing their love for each other.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, An Hao agreed.¡± Chu Molin remembered that he hadn¡¯t told Qin Xue about Li Zhao and An Hao¡¯s agreement.

    ¡°Really? That¡¯s great! I¡¯ll be able to earn more money soon.¡± Qin Xue thought about how she needed to save money to buy a house quickly because it wouldn¡¯t be convenient once the baby was born.

    ¡°It¡¯s true. Zhaozi and An Hao both promised, so it¡¯s unlikely to change.¡± Chu Molin knew that the Lis loved Li Zhao and An Hao very much.

    ¡°That¡¯s good. Chu Molin, where do you want to live?¡± Qin Xue asked Chu Molin.

    ¡°As long as I can be with you and the baby, I don¡¯t care where we live.¡± Chu Molin truly didn¡¯t mind where they lived. He had lived in the army for ten years,

    Now that he had a wife and a child, he would definitely want to stay with them. Even if he couldn¡¯t be with them every day, he would want to live nearby so that he could visit them whenever he wanted. Being together as a family was the happiest thing.

 Chapter 379

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    Qin Xue felt that this is something Chu Molin would say.

    ¡°Chu Molin, I want to buy a house in the city when I make money in the future.¡± Qin Xue told Chu Molin her plans for the future.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Chu Molin thought that buying a house with his salary would still be very difficult.

    ¡°Why are you apologizing?¡± Qin Xue looked at him, puzzled. Why would he suddenly apologize?

    ¡°Because I haven¡¯t given you a good life, and made you suffer with me.¡± Chu Molin wondered if the dividends from Xiao Qi¡¯s investment would be enough to buy a house.

    If it was enough, he wouldn¡¯t object.

    ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense again. You¡¯ve been so good to me, pampering me so much. How could I be suffering?¡± Qin Xue really enjoyed the pampering from Chu Molin.

    This feeling was like being treated like a princess.

    Chu Molin saw that Qin Xue wasn¡¯t lying, and his heart relaxed a little. But he became even more determined to work hard, so that Qin Xue and her child could be happy and joyful.

    If his little wife liked her career, he would let her pursue it, but he would not demand that she earn a lot of money.

    All he wanted was for his little wife to be comfortable and happy.

    ¡°Chu Molin, do you know? I have never been as happy as I am now.¡± Qin Xue looked ahead and suddenly said such a sentence.

    ¡°Why?¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t know why Qin Xue suddenly said this.

    ¡°Because I have found a man who loves and cherishes me, and that person is you. I have never experienced this feeling before. Now I know that love and family love are different.

    Family love is warm, while romantic love is sweet. Thank you for giving me sweet love.¡± Qin Xue turned her head to look at Chu Molin and said.

    ¡°I also want to thank you for marrying me and giving me a warm home.¡± Chu Molin held her hand tightly.

    ¡°So, I am not suffering or tired, because I have you.¡± Qin Xue suddenly felt that she was really cheesy. She could say these words, perhaps because the atmosphere was so good tonight. Qin Xue unconsciously said them out loud.

    ¡°Hmm, I will always be with you.¡± Chu Molin made a decision in his heart.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need you to be with me all the time, I just want you to be safe.¡± Qin Xue knew about his ambitions, his busy work, and how he often had no control over his own time. How could he always be with her?

    So for Qin Xue, as long as he was safe, that was her greatest happiness.

    Chu Molin pursed his lips and didn¡¯t say anything, just holding Qin Xue¡¯s hand as they walked in circles to help digest their food.

    Qin Xue also enjoyed this warm and happy time, as the couple held hands and slowly walked on the playground, leaving behind their footprints of happiness.

    After they finished walking, Chu Molin sent Qin Xue back home before going back to the dormitory to rest.

    ¡°Why so late?¡± Qin Lang asked when he saw Chu Molin coming.

    ¡°I just took my wife for a walk to help digest our food.¡± Chu Molin took off his clothes and lay on the bed while answering Qin Lang¡¯s question.

    ¡°How was it, taking your wife to the city for fun?¡± Qin Lang didn¡¯t expect this ice-cold man to have romantic moments too.

    When Qin Lang found out that Chu Molin was taking Qin Xue to the city for fun, he almost dropped his jaw in surprise.

    Was this the same Chu Molin he knew who was clueless about love?

    But he thought that if Qin Xue and Qin Yu were really what he suspected, then he hoped Chu Molin would treat Qin Xue well.

    So Qin Lang was surprised, but he wouldn¡¯t say anything to Chu Molin.

    Because he didn¡¯t know if he would fall into the same situation as Chu Molin one day.

    All he knew was that he couldn¡¯t control his emotions as he wanted.

 Chapter 380

    Translator: 549690339

    Chu Molin lay on the bed with his eyes closed. Hearing Qin Lang¡¯s question, he turned his head to glance at him but said nothing.

    Qin Lang looked at Chu Molin, puzzled. What did that mean?

    ¡°What are you trying to express by looking at me and not saying anything?¡± Qin Lang thought it was faster to just ask directly.

    ¡°Stupid.¡± Chu Molin uttered the word coldly.

    ¡°Hey, Chu Molin, that¡¯s not nice. I just asked if you guys had fun in the city, how does that make me stupid?¡± Qin Lang argued.

    ¡°You¡¯re not stupid like this?¡± No matter how Chu Molin looked, he felt Qin Lang was getting dumber and dumber.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with me?¡± Qin Lang looked down, nothing seemed off, and he was dressed decently.

    ¡°Nothing, just go to bed. Don¡¯t you have work tomorrow?¡± Chu Molin glanced at the gossip-hungry Qin Lang. He wasn¡¯t interested in wasting sleep time gossiping with him, especially about his own affairs.

    Chu Molin closed his eyes after speaking, leaving Qin Lang alone and annoyed.

    ¡°Sigh, I was just about to tell you that I¡¯ve started investigating that matter.¡± Qin Lang feigned a sigh.

    ¡°Just tell me the result when you find it out.¡± Chu Molin only wanted to know the outcome.

    ¡°Fine, it¡¯s like I didn¡¯t even say anything. I was actually hoping you¡¯d help me investigate.¡± Qin Lang knew this guy would never lift a finger if he could help it.

    ¡°Why would I do it myself when I have someone to do it for me?¡± Chu Molin gave Qin Lang an idiotic look.

    Qin Lang felt like puking blood at the response. He knew it would be like this. Ever since he met Chu Molin, he had never seen him take the initiative. Chu Molin always waited for the results while Qin Lang did the work.

    However, Qin Lang had to admit that Chu Molin had a good brain. Many times, when he couldn¡¯t solve a problem, Chu Molin would always come up with a solution as soon as he mentioned it. So, Qin Lang had no choice but to give in. This was the result of not being as capable as others.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you feel curious about your wife¡¯s affairs?¡± Qin Lang was very curious, but how could this guy seem so calm?

    ¡°What difference does it make whether I¡¯m curious or not? We don¡¯t know the facts right now, do we?¡± Chu Molin was quite certain in his heart that Qin Xue and her brother were somehow connected to that person.

    But as for the nature of the relationship, Chu Molin wasn¡¯t going to make any conclusions yet.

    Because it involved the older generation, it wasn¡¯t their place as young people to meddle. And regardless of the truth, Qin Xue had married him and was now his wife. So, whether he knew the truth or not really didn¡¯t matter to him.

    ¡°Fine, I get it. Can¡¯t I just investigate by myself?¡± Qin Lang pouted, glanced at Chu Molin, and then got undressed and went to bed.

    ¡°By the way, they¡¯re preparing to close the net.¡± Qin Lang thought of the plan to catch Snakehead. They were indeed planning to act soon. Although Chu Molin was on sick leave, he was still their deputy director, so it was fine for Qin Lang to inform him.

    ¡°Ensure Jing Xin¡¯s safety.¡± Chu Molin left a remark and turned over to sleep.

    Chu Molin wasn¡¯t worried about catching Snakehead; he was only concerned about criminals acting in desperation.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Jing Xin isn¡¯t an easy target. He¡¯s one of you guys, after all.

    He should have no problem with self-preservation. Your injury was an accident because you were afraid he¡¯d be exposed, so you didn¡¯t let him show his real strength and rushed at him.

    But you¡¯re a reckless guy. You almost didn¡¯t make it back. If that happened, it would have been interesting. My sister Qin Xue would have left with the child and found someone else. I believe with her appearance and capabilities, a lot of people would be eager to marry her.¡± Qin Lang spoke provocatively to Chu Molin.

 Chapter 381

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Lang didn¡¯t care about the consequences of what he said.

    He just wanted to provoke Chu Molin once he thought about how Qin Xue could be his sister and almost became a widow.

    ¡°Do you want to fight one-on-one?¡± Chu Molin opened his eyes and stared coldly at Qin Lang.

    Qin Lang really knew how to hit a nerve, wasn¡¯t there already someone watching his wife like a hungry tiger?

    Chu Molin thought of Chen Hao, the doctor at the hospital, who looked at his wife with deep affection.

    Luckily his wife was too clueless to notice Chen Hao¡¯s feelings, or else he would have yet another strong rival in love.

    If he were to die, and Qin Xue still attracted rivals even with a big belly, one could only imagine the outcome.

    But Qin Lang just had to touch his bottom line, and he really wanted to beat him up.

    ¡°Nope.¡± Qin Lang was no fool, he couldn¡¯t beat Chu Molin, and it would be stupid to walk up and take a beating knowing that he couldn¡¯t win.

    ¡°Then shut up.¡± Chu Molin looked coldly at Qin Lang with a dark face, calling him a coward for not taking up the challenge and still talking too much.

    Qin Lang was choked by Chu Molin and couldn¡¯t speak, but he vowed to train hard, as one day he would surpass Chu Molin.

    If Chu Molin knew Qin Lang¡¯s thoughts, he would laugh at his naivety. Qin Lang couldn¡¯t beat him before, let alone now, with Qin Xue¡¯s help, his physique and strength had reached a new level. For Qin Lang to surpass him was just a dream.

    ¡°If Qin Xue truly is my sister, then you¡¯ll be my brother-in-law, and you¡¯ll have to call me ¡®big brother¡¯.¡± Qin Lang said with some smugness as he looked at Chu Molin.

    ¡°Nothing is certain yet. Let¡¯s wait until the results prove it.¡± Chu Molin looked at the foolish Qin Lang. He was usually a very rational and intelligent person, but every time he met with Chu Molin, he turned into a complete idiot. It was quite speechless.

    ¡°Eh.¡± Qin Lang looked annoyed at Chu Molin, not being able to argue with him even though he was the instructor. Where was the justice in this?

    Qin Lang turned around and went to sleep obediently, not saying a word for the whole night.

    Chu Molin also closed his eyes and slept, getting up only when it was time for morning reveille.

    At the hospital, Li Lan, having taken Qin Xue¡¯s advice, no longer continued to keep her eyes only on Chen Hao but engaged in conversations and laughter with her colleagues during breaks and went out shopping with them after work.

    Seeing Li Lan¡¯s changes, Chen Hao breathed a sigh of relief, worrying that it might affect her future. Luckily, she finally figured it out.

    However, as time went on, Chen Hao slowly started to feel something was off, as though something was missing.

    His work no longer possessed the same enthusiasm as before, but no matter how hard he thought, he couldn¡¯t figure out what was lacking. When he worked, he would sometimes think of Qin Xue¡¯s excellent skills.

    He would also think of Qin Xue¡¯s beautiful side profile, which made his heart race, but his work still felt off.

    ¡°Dr. Chen, it¡¯s time to do the rounds.¡± Li Lan looked at Chen Hao and reminded him, not knowing what he was thinking, as he didn¡¯t respond after several calls.

    ¡°Ah, Ms. Li, what¡¯s up?¡± Chen Hao, who was lost in thought, came back to his senses when he heard the call, but he couldn¡¯t hear what Li Lan had said earlier.

    ¡°I said, Dr. Chen, it¡¯s time for you to do the rounds.¡± Li Lan repeated what she had just said.

    Dr. Chen has been rather absent-minded lately, just what was occupying his thoughts?

 Chapter 382

    Translator: 549690339

    Li Lan looked at Chen Hao with some confusion, as this had never happened before.

    Chen Hao had been her intern since she joined the hospital, and it had been several years since then. She had never seen him in such a distracted state before.

    Or could it be that she had never truly understood him?

    Recently, Li Lan shifted her focus and realized that there were many beautiful things besides love. Although she still liked Chen Hao, she was no longer obsessed with the idea that he would like her too.

    Li Lan did go on blind dates arranged by her family, but she hadn¡¯t met anyone she wanted to start a family with. Chen Hao was still the person she had in mind, but she was rational.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Chen Hao said to Li Lan, his spirit suddenly uplifting.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Li Lan shook off her messy thoughts and followed Chen Hao.

    After checking the rooms, Li Lan tidied up the files she was responsible for, as she prepared to get off work. Having worked the night shift, she was quite exhausted. As soon as she finished, her colleagues called her to go off-work together.

    Chen Hao was packing his own files and looked for Li Lan when he was done, only to find that she was already gone.

    Chen Hao silently took his bag and left work.

    Early in the morning, Qin Xue and her mother prepared the dough for Liangpi. One washed the dough while the other prepared breakfast.

    ¡°Mom, when does my younger sister get her vacation?¡± Qin Xue asked about Qin Jiale¡¯s situation.

    Nangong Shulan thought that it was already early June, and summer vacation was indeed approaching. She had almost forgotten about this matter.

    ¡°About a week,¡± Nangong Shulan recalled the vacations in previous years and guessed that it should be around a week more.

    ¡°Hmm, what does our family usually rely on for income?¡± Qin Xue asked about the family¡¯s situation while washing the dough.

    ¡°Just farming; there¡¯s no other source of income,¡± Nangong Shulan thought that if there were other sources of income, her two children could continue their studies. However, it was indeed due to the lack of income that the siblings had to drop out of school.

    ¡°Mom, my younger sister lives at school during her first year of high school, right?¡± Qin Xue recalled that she started living at school when she was in junior high school.

    ¡°Yes, she comes home once a month,¡± Nangong Shulan thought of her dutiful and understanding younger daughter, and seeing her elder daughter becoming more and more capable, she felt relieved.

    Qin Xue thought that if she wasn¡¯t going back soon, she could have asked Qin Jiale to come to the research institute to keep her company. Summer vacation would last almost two months, by which time she would have given birth.

    Qin Xue thought that if she gave birth, it would be difficult for her to take care of two children alone. Fortunately, the family of this body was good.

    Mother and daughter chatted and laughed as they made breakfast and washed the dough.

    Qin Xue covered the washed dough with a lid and set it aside to let it settle. Then she washed her hands and prepared to eat breakfast as she was hungry.

    When Chu Molin and Qin Yu came in, they saw Qin Xue looking hungrily at the breakfast on the table, her eyes like a dog eyeing a bone.

    ¡°If you¡¯re hungry, why don¡¯t you eat?¡± Chu Molin came to Qin Xue¡¯s side and asked.

    ¡°Waiting for you and Xiao Yu,¡± Qin Xue wanted to eat, but she had just finished her tasks.

    ¡°Then eat quickly, don¡¯t starve yourself,¡± Chu Molin had gone jogging in the morning.

    ¡°Mom, let¡¯s eat,¡± Qin Xue called to her mother in the kitchen.

    ¡°You guys go ahead, I¡¯ll be there in a minute,¡± Nangong Shulan was gloating over the pumpkin porridge that Qin Xue liked.

    ¡°You guys start eating; I¡¯ll go help Mom,¡± Qin Yu smiled at his sister and brother-in-law before entering the kitchen.

    ¡°Chu Molin, do your research institute have special recruitments?¡± Qin Xue asked, looking at Qin Yu¡¯s retreating figure.

    ¡°Not here, I¡¯m not sure about other places, why?¡± Chu Molin only knew about his own place, not about others.

    ¡°Nothing, just asking,¡± Qin Xue was thinking about the major national policy changes that would take place in a few years. If there were extra staffing quotas, they would likely be among the first to be reformed.

 Chapter 383

    Translator: 549690339

    Time flew by and a week had passed, An Hao¡¯s wedding dress was made and sent to the Imperial Capital. The number of orders for the clothing factory kept increasing after the advertisement aired, and Qin Xue was continuously working on designing more.

    Early this morning, Qin Xue felt that the baby in her belly was moving too vigorously. She checked her own pulse, and it showed that the baby¡¯s heartbeat was too fast.

    Qin Xue decided to go to the hospital for a check-up. Seeing her mother making breakfast in the kitchen, she said, ¡°Mom, I won¡¯t have breakfast today. Something¡¯s not right with the baby in my belly, so I want to go to the hospital.¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± Nangong Shulan was anxious as soon as she heard.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious, just that the baby is moving too much, and it¡¯s a bit uncomfortable. So I want to get checked,¡± Qin Xue placed her hand on her belly.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go find Molin.¡± Nangong Shulan looked at the time, and Chu Molin would be back soon.

    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry so much. I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t scare yourself,¡± Qin Xue looked at her mother¡¯s reaction and regretted not using a different way to explain. She didn¡¯t expect her direct words would scare her mother like this.

    ¡°No, sit down and wait for me. I¡¯ll go find Molin and have him arrange a car,¡± Nangong Shulan thought her daughter was comforting her and became even more nervous.

    As soon as Nangong Shulan finished speaking, she hurried towards the door. As she opened it, she almost collided with Chu Molin, who was about to enter.

    Chu Molin instinctively dodged, and Nangong Shulan rushed out of the house. She suddenly stopped just before the staircase.

    Nangong Shulan looked back at the door and realized the person she had almost bumped into was Chu Molin.

    ¡°Molin, quickly find a car. Qin Xue is feeling unwell,¡± Nangong Shulan turned around and ran to Chu Molin to tell him.

    ¡°Mom, slow down. What¡¯s going on? What¡¯s wrong with Xue?¡± Chu Molin¡¯s face changed as he listened.

    ¡°Qin Xue said her stomach is uncomfortable,¡± Nangong Shulan just finished speaking when she realized Chu Molin had already disappeared from in front of her.

    Nangong Shulan stared in amazement at Chu Molin, who was already standing in front of their daughter. His speed was so fast.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, where are you feeling unwell?¡± Chu Molin asked anxiously.

    ¡°Chu Molin, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine.¡± Qin Xue looked helplessly at them, their faces all tense and changed.

    ¡°How could you be fine? Would Mom be so anxious if you were okay?¡± Chu Molin thought about how agitated Nangong Shulan was just now.

    ¡°It¡¯s just that the baby in my belly is moving too frequently and kicking me too hard,¡± Qin Xue worried that he wouldn¡¯t believe her, so she grabbed his hand and placed it on her belly.

    The continuous movement made Chu Molin¡¯s face change even more. He had touched Qin Xue¡¯s belly before, but it had never been like this. It wasn¡¯t just more frequent movement; it was like two children were fighting in her belly.

    With such movement, how could his wife say it was just a little more frequent? Chu Molin didn¡¯t know what to say to comfort his wife.

    ¡°You wait here, I¡¯ll go get the car,¡± Chu Molin put his hand down and said to Qin Xue.

    ¡°Alright, don¡¯t worry, you forgot who I am? I am Qin Xue,¡± Qin Xue had to say some playful words to reassure Chu Molin.

    Among all the words, Chu Molin only caught the phrase ¡°forgot who I am?¡±.

    Upon hearing that, Chu Molin suddenly felt settled, ¡°Yes, how could I forget about Qin Xue¡¯s abilities?¡±

    ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t worry. You go get the money and wait for me downstairs with mom, I¡¯ll go get the car.¡± Chu Molin thought it would save time if they split up.

    ¡°Mhm, go ahead, take it slow, I¡¯m really fine.¡± Qin Xue emphasized again that she was fine. Her stomach wasn¡¯t in pain, so it definitely wasn¡¯t premature labor. It¡¯s just that she wasn¡¯t an obstetrician, and she didn¡¯t understand why the baby suddenly started moving so vigorously.

 Chapter 384

    Translator: 549690339

    Chu Molin went to get the car, and Qin Xue went back to the room to get her money and bag: ¡°Mom, cover the stove fire well, breakfast will be kept warm on the fire, let¡¯s go downstairs and wait for Chu Molin.¡±

    Qin Xue came out with her bag to see her mother putting out the stove fire.

    ¡°All right, let¡¯s go. Take it slow,¡± Nangong Shulan said as she looked at her daughter standing and waiting for her.

    Qin Xue was extremely helpless, as everyone said it was fine but her mother was still so nervous.

    Qin Xue and her mother had just gone downstairs when they ran into Chu Molin who was about to go upstairs.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, how are you?¡± Chu Molin¡¯s face was frighteningly cold; anyone who didn¡¯t know the situation would think something serious had happened.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t know what else to say besides those three words.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, get in the car. Come on, take it slow.¡± Chu Molin opened the car door, holding Qin Xue and giving her instructions.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Qin Xue replied, following Chu Molin¡¯s movements to get in the car.

    ¡°Mom, you sit on the other side,¡± Chu Molin pointed to the other side of Qin Xue.

    ¡°All right, don¡¯t worry about me. Just pay attention to Qin Xue¡¯s condition,¡± Nangong Shulan said, sitting on the other side of the car.

    After his mother-in-law and wife were seated, Chu Molin ordered Li Dabao to drive to the hospital.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, we¡¯re here,¡± Chu Molin called out to Qin Xue as soon as they arrived at the hospital entrance.

    ¡°Yes, I see,¡± Qin Xue noticed Chu Molin¡¯s tension throughout the journey, and she wanted to comfort him. However, with her mother and Li Dabao present, she couldn¡¯t do anything else but watch him agonize.

    When Chu Molin helped Qin Xue, she tightly grasped his hand, tapping the palm of his hand. When he looked at her, she gave him a gentle smile, indicating she was fine.

    Li Dabao went to park the car, and the three of them went to look for the doctor first.

    ¡°Dr. Li!¡± Qin Xue¡¯s sharp eyes spotted Li Rong.

    Li Rong had just come to the hospital and met Qin Xue at the entrance of her office.

    ¡°Hello. May I know what¡¯s the matter?¡± Li Rong asked as she looked at them.

    ¡°Oh, well, this morning the baby moved unusually frequently and kicked violently, so I came to see what was going on,¡± Qin Xue¡¯s tone was light, with no hint of anxiety or nervousness.

    Qin Xue¡¯s attitude impressed Li Rong even more, as she had a calm demeanor and good psychological strength.

    ¡°Come on in first, and I¡¯ll check what¡¯s going on,¡± Li Rong opened the door to her office and let them in.

    Li Rong put her bag away and quickly put on her doctor¡¯s gown.

    Chu Molin helped Qin Xue sit on a chair, and he and mother-in-law stood by waiting.

    ¡°Come over, I¡¯ll check you out,¡± Li Rong said to Qin Xue after putting on her clothes.

    ¡°Chu Molin, you and mom wait here for me,¡± Qin Xue looked up at Chu Molin.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Chu Molin nodded, his forehead furrowed tightly, and his face cold.

    Qin Xue got up and went to the next room, took off her shoes, and lay down on the bed.

    Li Rong was going to give Qin Xue a B-ultrasound to see if the fetus was normal.

    ¡°Your baby in the womb is developing very well, and the baby is also very healthy. However, your amniotic fluid is a little low. As the baby grows, a lack of amniotic fluid may result in oxygen deficiency.

    If your baby has oxygen deficiency in the womb, timely oxygen therapy is needed. So, you should stay in the hospital for observation first.

    If it can¡¯t be alleviated, it may be necessary to induce labor as soon as possible to avoid the baby suffering from asphyxia in the womb,¡± Dr. Li told Qin Xue after finishing the B-ultrasound, listening to the baby¡¯s heartbeat with a stethoscope.

    ¡°Alright, you make the arrangements,¡± Qin Xue, being a doctor herself, knew what choices to make in such situations. As soon as Li Rong finished speaking, she made the decision directly.

    ¡°Okay, is the man who came with you your husband?¡± Li Rong thought of the man¡¯s powerful aura just now. Even though she had seen all sorts of people, she was still intimidated by his aura.

 Chapter 385

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue heard Li Rong asking about Chu Molin, probably frightened by his demeanor, she guessed.

    ¡°Yes, why?¡± Qin Xue got out of bed to put on her shoes.

    ¡°His aura is so imposing. Now I realize he¡¯s a workaholic. No wonder you came alone last time?¡± Chu Molin had gone for a walk that morning, dressed in his work clothes.

    From the way he carried himself, Li Rong could tell that Chu Molin had a grim and forceful aura, suggesting that he had been involved in secret missions.

    ¡°That¡¯s just how he is, did he frighten you?¡± Qin Xue thought about how handsome Chu Molin was. But his cold, indifferent face and sharp, piercing gaze could be disconcerting to others.

    ¡°Frightened, no. Just that his aura is overwhelming, to the point that it made me feel somewhat suffocated,¡± Li Rong took off her hearing aid, placed it carefully aside, and told Qin Xue with a smile.

    ¡°He probably got scared by my reaction,¡± said Qin Xue with a laugh.

    ¡°He¡¯s so anxious, he must truly love you. You¡¯ve found yourself a good man,¡± Li Rong told Qin Xue with a smile.

    Li Rong was very envious of Qin Xue but didn¡¯t feel any jealousy. As women of the Lis, they were very rational, knowing what kind of person was right for them. They would never do something like stealing someone else¡¯s love.

    ¡°Yes, he is an excellent man. I also feel that I have been very lucky,¡± Qin Xue agreed with Li Rong¡¯s statement.

    Isn¡¯t this the good fortune? The ability to start life once again after death.

    This time around, she got three treasures, a big one, and two little ones.

    These three treasures are the most precious gifts she has received in this life.

    ¡°Alright, go ahead, so he does not get anxious,¡± Li Rong smiled at Qin Xue.

    ¡°Sure.¡± Qin Xue did not want Chu Molin to worry.

    ¡°There¡¯s no significant problem with your wife. However, her amniotic fluid is a bit low which could lead to the baby lacking oxygen, so she needs to stay in the hospital for observation. Take this and get the hospitalization procedures started,¡± Li Rong sat down and began writing the related documents, explaining the situation to Chu Molin.

    Chu Molin took the paperwork and went to complete the hospitalization procedures.

    When Chu Molin went to make the payment, he encountered Li Dabao. Chu Molin directly handed over the money and papers to Li Dabao as he wanted to accompany his wife.

    ¡°Did you get it done so quickly?¡± Qin Xue was surprised to see Chu Molin returning so soon.

    ¡°Da Bao is handling it,¡± Chu Molin came to his wife¡¯s side, looking down at her. He had never felt this scared before.

    He was terrified that anything could happen to Qin Xue and their child. He even thought that if both the child and his wife were in danger, he would prefer his wife to be safe.

    Although he didn¡¯t want anything to happen to the baby, he wanted her to be safe by his side even more.

    Chu Molin knew his thoughts were selfish, but Qin Xue had become his obsession, he did not want to let go. If they lost the child, they could try for another one, but if Qin Xue was gone, he would really have nothing left.

    Qin Xue just smiled at this, looking from him to her mother, her smile was very gentle.

    ¡°Qin Xue, you need to be careful. If the treatment doesn¡¯t help this time, we may have to induce labor early. So try to rest in bed as much as possible, don¡¯t move around too much,¡± Li Rong said this because she was afraid that some unexpected situation might happen to Qin Xue.

    If something were to happen suddenly, it could be complicated.

    ¡°Doctor, do you mean Qin Xue should not move around too much, in case she suddenly goes into labor?¡± Nangong Shulan thought about their original plan.

    At first, they were going to head back to the Qins village as soon as Chu Molin recovered, but now with Qin Xue¡¯s sudden condition and the doctor¡¯s advice, they can¡¯t take Qin Xue back at this moment, what if something unexpected happens on the way?

    ¡°Yes, because she has low amniotic fluid, the baby could be suffocated at any time. If labor can¡¯t be induced in time, the baby is likely to suffocate in the womb,¡± Li Rong didn¡¯t quite understand why Nangong Shulan was asking this, but felt obligated to inform them of the worst possible outcome.

 Chapter 386

    Translator: 549690339

    Nangong Shulan nodded after hearing this and decided in her heart not to take Qin Xue back to the Qins¡¯ village.

    From Nangong Shulan¡¯s questions, Chu Molin knew what his mother-in-law was worried about.

    He had heard Li Rong¡¯s words and was also prepared to talk to his mother-in-law.

    Now that he saw his mother-in-law¡¯s expression, he knew that her thoughts were the same as his.

    Because they both loved Qin Xue the most, and they both hoped for Qin Xue to be safe and sound.

    ¡°Vice-section chief, the paperwork has been completed.¡± As soon as Li Dabao entered, he handed the receipt and other documents to Chu Molin.

    ¡°Good, thank you for your hard work.¡± Chu Molin said to Li Dabao.

    ¡°Hehe, there¡¯s no need to be polite, vice-section chief. Helping you and sister-in-law is what I should do.¡± Li Dabao was Chu Molin¡¯s assistant, specifically responsible for running errands for him.

    Originally, a vice-section chief did not have a dedicated assistant, but Chu Molin¡¯s research tasks required him to go out frequently. He needed someone to handle the follow-up trivial matters for him, so Xie Jun assigned Li Dabao to him.

    Thus, they had become a unique presence in their entire research institute.

    Chu Molin put the receipt in his pocket, then helped Qin Xue to the ward with Nangong Shulan, Li Dabao following behind them.

    ¡°Mom, you go back with Da Bao. I¡¯ll stay here with Xue¡¯er.¡± After settling down, Chu Molin asked Nangong Shulan to go back with Li Dabao.

    It was early in the morning, and everyone hadn¡¯t eaten yet.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go and bring you some food.¡± Nangong Shulan didn¡¯t argue with her son-in-law.

    ¡°Thank you, mom.¡± Chu Molin nodded in agreement. He could go hungry for a while, but he couldn¡¯t let Qin Xue go hungry.

    After Nangong Shulan and Li Dabao left, Chu Molin glanced into the ward. Qin Xue was the only one in the room, which was very quiet.

    Seeing the door closed by Li Dabao, Chu Molin took a seat on a chair next to the bed and looked at Qin Xue lying there.

    ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± Qin Xue felt somewhat uneasy being stared at like that.

    Chu Molin didn¡¯t speak but took Qin Xue¡¯s hand and kissed it.

    Her hand tickled as it was kissed, and Qin Xue tried to pull it back but was held too tightly by Chu Molin to do so.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, I didn¡¯t take good care of you.¡± Chu Molin said after a long silence.

    ¡°Silly, how can I blame you for my low level of amniotic fluid?¡± Qin Xue laughed in her heart. This man always tried to shoulder everything on his own.

    ¡°But you¡¯re in the hospital now.¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t know how to express his inner thoughts.

    ¡°Well, yes, but it¡¯s not your fault.¡± Qin Xue laughed and said.

    Chu Molin stared at Qin Xue¡¯s smiling face.

    His little wife really didn¡¯t blame him and was still smiling softly, as usual.

    ¡°Chu Molin, come closer.¡± Qin Xue crooked her finger, signaling Chu Molin to move closer.

    Chu Molin looked and obediently moved closer.

    ¡°Chu Molin, smile for me. You¡¯ve been frowning ever since we were at home. Don¡¯t you know I¡¯m really cold now? I¡¯m about to freeze to death, so please smile for me to warm me up.¡± Qin Xue used both her hands to pull the corners of Chu Molin¡¯s mouth outward, making a smiling face.

    Chu Molin tried to relax his expression, lifting the corners of his mouth slightly.

    ¡°That¡¯s more like it, see how handsome you look.¡± Qin Xue touched his face and praised him.

    He really was extremely handsome, and staring at him gave her an urge to kiss him.

    Thinking of it, Qin Xue stuck out her tongue and licked her slightly dry lips.

    Seeing Qin Xue¡¯s eyes and actions, Chu Molin finally sighed in relief. It seemed he was over-worrying.

    Since his little wife was still in the mood to flirt with him, it meant that she was truly fine, and he could be at ease. So he relaxed his expression and gave Qin Xue a somewhat charming smile.

    Qin Xue looked at Chu Molin¡¯s smile and felt overwhelmed. It was pure temptation. She really wanted to kiss him. How could she resist? It was cheating to look so enticing. She really wanted to kiss him.

 Chapter 387

    Translator: 549690339

    Chu Molin rubbed Qin Xue¡¯s hand, finger by finger, only now did he realize that he had been worried to the point of nearly losing his mind earlier. Fortunately, his self-control was strong enough, and he didn¡¯t take extreme actions.

    ¡°Chu Molin, what are you thinking about?¡± Qin Xue looked at the man fiddling with her hand.

    ¡°I¡¯m thinking, you can¡¯t go back with mom and them now, and mom can¡¯t always stay here to take care of you, what are you going to do?¡± Chu Molin is a soldier, and he can¡¯t arrange his time freely.

    And her mother-in-law needs to go home to take care of her own family, she cannot abandon her responsibilities at home to care for Qin Xue here permanently.

    Now with Qin Xue¡¯s condition, she might give birth prematurely at any time, and Chu Molin certainly wouldn¡¯t be at ease leaving her alone.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I can take care of myself.¡± Once Qin Xue knew the reason, she didn¡¯t have to worry.

    Because if that scenario were to arise, she could go into the spiritual space to absorb spiritual energy, which should benefit the fetus.

    ¡°I¡¯m not at ease if no one is with you.¡± Chu Molin had already been frightened once, how could he possibly leave Qin Xue alone like this?

    ¡°Then what should we do?¡± Qin Xue helplessly looked at him and asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m still thinking about it, how about hiring someone to specifically take care of you?¡± Chu Molin asked Qin Xue.

    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s easy to allow random people to enter and leave the military?¡± Qin Xue looked at Chu Molin and retorted.

    ¡°We could hire a military dependent to take care of you, but no, there are too many disputes among military wives.¡± Chu Molin said, then thought about it and felt it was not a feasible solution.

    ¡°Okay now, stop thinking about it. I will talk to mom, let her stay with me for a few more days. After my sister is on vacation, let her come and accompany me, what do you think?¡± Qin Xue was thinking about her younger sister who she mentioned to her mother a few days ago.

    Unexpectedly, she now needed her sister¡¯s company for this reason so soon.

    ¡°That makes sense, let¡¯s do it then. We can discuss this with mother when she brings food later.¡± Chu Molin agreed that this seems to be the only solution.

    The couple laughed at each other after their discussion, feeling that life with good communication is very nice.

    ¡°Chu Molin, when are you going back to the team?¡± Qin Xue looked at him in his camouflage uniform.

    ¡°I have not returned to the team yet, I was planning to go report tomorrow. But someone needs to be here to take care of you, so I¡¯ll delay it for a bit.¡± Chu Molin thought as he does not have any particularly dangerous tasks that he needs to execute recently, a delayed return to the team won¡¯t matter. After all, he had recovered from his injuries much earlier than planned.

    ¡°I saw you in a camouflage uniform, I thought you were already back in training.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t expect he was returning later than she thought.

    ¡°I only went for a run this morning, I didn¡¯t join any training.¡± Chu Molin hadn¡¯t trained in a while, and he wanted to see if he had regressed.

    ¡°Oh.¡± Qin Xue felt a bit bored.

    ¡°Chu Molin, I¡¯m so bored.¡± Qin Xue gave Chu Molin a pitiful look.

    ¡°So what do you want to do?¡± Chu Molin asked.

    ¡°Get my bag for me.¡± Inside Qin Xue¡¯s bag were white papers and pencils, she could take them out to draw.

    Chu Molin handed her the bag after hearing her request, wondering what she was going to do.

    Qin Xue took the bag, unzipped it, and took out a stack of white paper and a pencil to start drawing.

    Qin Xue had just started sketching when she caught a glimpse of Chu Molin out of the corner of her eye. Inspired, she immediately began to draw.

    When Qin Xue put down her pencil, she couldn¡¯t help feeling a sense of excitement. The drawing looked so good.

    ¡°Chu Molin, look, isn¡¯t it beautiful?¡± Qin Xue showed Chu Molin the finished drawing.

    Earlier, Chu Molin had only been looking at his wife and hadn¡¯t noticed what she was drawing. Now when Qin Xue passed him the paper, he took it curiously, and when he saw it, he was dumbstruck.

 Chapter 388

    Translator: 549690339

    Chu Molin looked at the drawing in his hand, which depicted him with a big head and a small body. The more he looked at it, the stranger it seemed.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t you like it?¡± Qin Xue asked, noticing Chu Molin¡¯s odd expression.

    Chu Molin didn¡¯t know how to respond. The drawing was indeed strange, but it didn¡¯t look bad. He had just never seen this style of drawing before.

    ¡°It looks nice. I just think it¡¯s a bit weird,¡± Chu Molin decided not to hurt his wife¡¯s feelings.

    ¡°What¡¯s weird about it? I think it¡¯s cute!¡± Qin Xue grabbed the drawing from Chu Molin and looked at it again and again, not finding anything strange about it.

    ¡°Who has such a big head and small body? Isn¡¯t that strange?¡± Chu Molin wondered what went on in his wife¡¯s mind, as she could always come up with such peculiar ideas.

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re talking about the drawing style. This is a Q version style, making the image look cute and adorable,¡± Qin Xue explained. She then quickly sketched an anime character on the paper.

    ¡°Look, which one is better? The one just now or this one?¡± Qin Xue showed Chu Molin both the anime and Q version drawings of himself.

    Chu Molin marveled at the two lifelike drawings, amazed by his wife¡¯s artistry.

    ¡°They¡¯re both great, Xue¡¯er. How did you draw them so accurately?¡± Chu Molin looked at the two different versions of himself ¨C the Q version looked happy and sweet, while the anime version was cool and aloof.

    The most striking similarity between the two was the gaze in his eyes, which even he found unbelievable.

    If the police had someone with such drawing skills, would they have any trouble drawing criminal suspects?

    As Chu Molin thought about this, he felt that he¡¯d discovered another one of Qin Xue¡¯s talents. Perhaps she could help with certain tasks in the future.

    ¡°For this, you just need to focus on one thing ¨C the skull structure is fixed, no matter how a person¡¯s appearance changes, their facial structure in certain areas remains unchanged,¡± Qin Xue explained, pointing to her forehead and cheekbones.

    Even advancements in cosmetic surgery wouldn¡¯t alter these key facial features ¨C people would simply get a nose job, chin sharpening, or double eyelid surgery.

    ¡°So you¡¯re saying that as long as we focus on these key features, we can identify someone no matter how their appearance changes?¡± Chu Molin asked excitedly.

    ¡°Yes, because these areas of the skull are the support structure for the head and face. If they were altered, it could cause a collapse, much like the foundation of a house,¡± Qin Xue, a surgeon, explained, owing to her knowledge of human bone structure.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, you¡¯re truly my lucky star,¡± Chu Molin said with excitement.

    ¡°Haha, you¡¯re exaggerating,¡± Qin Xue replied shyly.

    ¡°No, no, you don¡¯t understand. When we were on a mission before, gathering intel at a certain location, we received a notice to cooperate and assist the police. We had intelligence that the leader was present and conducting transactions, but we couldn¡¯t locate him at all. So many people were watching, yet nobody noticed how he managed to escape their surveillance.

    Now that you mentioned it, he might have used makeup and disguises, and our lack of knowledge in this area caused us to miss him.

    But with your help, we can just use his original portrait, focus on the key features you mentioned, and create different variations. We might be able to find him then,¡± Chu Molin, who didn¡¯t participate in that mission, explained. However, he later received information instructing them to cooperate with the police action.

    But they couldn¡¯t take any action if they couldn¡¯t locate the suspect. The case had been on hold until Qin Xue¡¯s insight provided the breakthrough they needed. How could Chu Molin not be excited?

    He could ask Qin Xue to create sketches for the police.

 Chapter 389

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue looked at Chu Molin¡¯s expression and wondered if she had unintentionally helped him a lot.

    Thinking that she could help Chu Molin, Qin Xue was also very happy.

    ¡°What kind of suspect makes you, the so-called Cold King who scares everyone, feel helpless?¡± Qin Xue suddenly became curious, could it be that plastic surgery had already appeared in Hua Country at this time?

    ¡°The leader is very smart and has a strong anti-investigation capability.¡± Chu Molin thought about the fact that no matter how many manpower and police they deployed, they couldn¡¯t catch them, always just a little short.

    Chu Molin felt that this leader was really a worthy opponent. Although the two had never met, just hearing about him was enough to know his abilities were strong.

    Now, Chu Molin wanted to challenge this leader, curious about who was more powerful between them.

    ¡°Do you have a picture of that person? If so, show it to me, and maybe I can help you out.¡± Qin Xue also wanted to see what kind of person could make Chu Molin show such a look of admiration.

    ¡°I do, but the most important thing right now is you, you need to recover first.¡± Chu Molin thought that now that they knew the leader might have disguised himself, they could leave it to the portrait artist at the Public Security Bureau.

    There¡¯s no need for his little wife to help with her illness.

    ¡°Alright then, if you guys have a way, I won¡¯t meddle any further.¡± Qin Xue said, laughing and joking.

    ¡°You, how can you say that about yourself?¡± Chu Molin pinched his little wife¡¯s nose with his finger.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it true? It¡¯s not really our place as ordinary people to know these things. What else would you call me asking for a picture but meddling?¡± Qin Xue stuck out her tongue as she spoke.

    ¡°You¡­¡± Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue, feeling helpless and annoyed at her unyielding logic.

    There were some things that not even he was allowed to know, let alone Qin Xue.

    So Chu Molin didn¡¯t say much more.

    After playing around, Qin Xue picked up the pen and started sketching.

    The baby in her belly was still protesting, making it hard for Qin Xue to concentrate on drawing, so she simply put the pen and paper away.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you drawing anymore?¡± Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue¡¯s actions and asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to your two little treasures.¡± Qin Xue said, placing Chu Molin¡¯s hand on her belly.

    Chu Molin felt the vibrations under his hand as he gently stroked her belly, occasionally tapping it lightly as well.

    As Chu Molin stroked her belly, Qin Xue grew sleepy and comfortable, eventually falling asleep.

    When Chu Molin saw that Qin Xue hadn¡¯t responded for a while, he looked up and discovered that she had already fallen asleep at some point.

    He removed his hand, pulled a light blanket from the side, and covered her belly with it.

    Chu Molin¡¯s heart was now somewhat restless and excited.

    He found that the baby in Qin Xue¡¯s belly actually understood him.

    Just now, as he was stroking and tapping Qin Xue¡¯s belly, he was sending Morse code messages.

    He was telling the babies that their mother was working hard and they should behave, waiting for the right time to come out.

    But the babies¡¯ reactions were somewhat intense, as if they wanted to come out early.

    After his soothing, the babies in Qin Xue¡¯s belly finally calmed down a bit, and as the commotion in her belly subsided, his little wife fell asleep.

    Chu Molin didn¡¯t know if other people¡¯s children had thoughts in their bellies?

    But his own children seemed to be quite intelligent, understanding his gestures and intentions at just over eight months.

    Chu Molin didn¡¯t know how brilliant these two children would be after they were born, but no matter what, they were his and Qin Xue¡¯s children.

    If asked why Chu Molin could accept this phenomenon so easily, he could only say it was because he had an extraordinary wife.

 Chapter 390

    Translator: 549690339

    When Nangong Shulan brought the food, she saw that Qin Xue was sleeping soundly, so she asked Chu Molin to eat first.

    ¡°Molin, come and eat. I¡¯ll keep an eye on Qin Xue.¡± Nangong Shulan put the food on the table and called her son-in-law over.

    ¡°Mom, have you eaten yet?¡± Chu Molin asked his mother-in-law.

    ¡°I already ate, you go ahead.¡± Nangong Shulan had already eaten with her son when she went back home, as he was waiting for her by the door after his training.

    So she accompanied her son for dinner before bringing the food to the hospital, and she briefed her son about Qin Xue¡¯s situation as well.

    After hearing about it, her son also agreed for Qin Xue to stay here instead of going back to H Province with them.

    Initially, her son suggested that she stay here to take care of Qin Xue while he took care of things at home.

    But Nangong Shulan knew that Qin Yu liked it here, so she didn¡¯t want her son to follow her back home but instead wanted him to stay here and look after their elder daughter.

    Later, her son mentioned that their younger daughter would be on vacation soon. Why not let her come and stay with her sister? That way, they could feel more at ease.

    Nangong Shulan thought that was a good idea, so she agreed to it.

    Once her elder daughter had recovered, she would go back and let their younger daughter come.

    She would come back to serve her elder daughter¡¯s confinement period when the due date approached.

    The mother and son quickly finished their meal after discussing things, and came to the hospital with the food.

    They didn¡¯t expect that their elder daughter was already asleep, so they had to put the food in hot water to keep it warm until she woke up.

    Chu Molin was relieved to know that his mother-in-law had eaten, so he went to eat the food slowly.

    After Chu Molin finished eating, he asked his mother-in-law to go back and rest. He would take care of his wife. Nangong Shulan thought it was good for the couple to spend more time together, and she could also go back home and make soup for her daughter, so she agreed and left.

    Qin Xue was awakened by her hunger and saw Chu Molin writing something when she opened her eyes.

    ¡°Awake? Are you hungry?¡± Chu Molin looked up at his wife when he heard her stirring.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m so hungry.¡± Qin Xue held her stomach and cried out.

    ¡°Hold on, I¡¯ll get you some food.¡± Chu Molin took the food out of the hot water.

    Chu Molin had been diligently changing the hot water to keep the food warm, so it was still hot when Qin Xue woke up.

    ¡°The food is still hot, eat slowly.¡± Chu Molin wiped the water off the bottom of the container before handing it to Qin Xue.

    ¡°Alright, I know.¡± Qin Xue felt so hungry that she could eat a whole cow, and she began to eat the food in large bites. She didn¡¯t even remember Chu Molin telling her to eat slowly just now.

    Chu Molin just shook his head and let her be, sitting in his chair and continuing to write his plans.

    After Qin Xue finished eating, she finally felt full of energy again.

    ¡°People are iron and food is steel, you get anxious if you miss a meal, that¡¯s so true! I almost starved to death.¡± Qin Xue said with a thousand emotions.

    ¡°You were still able to sleep that long while hungry.¡± Chu Molin looked up at his wife with a glance.

    ¡°When you¡¯re asleep, you don¡¯t feel hungry.¡± Qin Xue stuck out her tongue in response.

    ¡°You always have your way of saying things.¡± Chu Molin went to wash the container.

    ¡°That¡¯s just how it is, alright?¡± Qin Xue was like this before, too. Once she slept, she didn¡¯t feel hungry at all, but the moment she woke up, she would cry out that she was starving.

    Who would have thought that this habit of hers hadn¡¯t changed even after being in a new era and environment?

    Qin Xue got up to put on her shoes and go to the bathroom. Although she hadn¡¯t drunk any water today, people do have emergency needs.

    And so, Qin Xue stayed in the hospital for three days until the baby in her belly had stabilized before she went to complete the discharge procedures.

    ¡°Time to go home!¡± Qin Xue walked in the front with her bag, while Chu Molin carried the toiletries behind her. The couple walked out of the hospital, one in front and one behind.

 Chapter 391

    Translator: 549690339

    After Qin Xue and Chu Molin got into the car, Qin Xue noticed something strange.

    ¡°Ding Xi, why are you here? Shouldn¡¯t Da Bao be the one picking us up?¡± Qin Xue asked, looking at Ding Xi who was in the driver¡¯s seat.

    ¡°Sister-in-law, is it not good for me to pick you up?¡± Ding Xi was heartbroken. Although Li Dabao should have been the one to come, what was wrong with him coming instead?

    ¡°It¡¯s not that it¡¯s not good, it¡¯s just strange.¡± Qin Xue addressed Chu Molin without uttering a word.

    Chu Molin raised an eyebrow: ¡°He¡¯s pursuing a gentlewoman with a gentleman¡¯s duty.¡±

    ¡°Ah, any news? Tell me quickly.¡± Qin Xue became intrigued as soon as she heard this.

    ¡°Deputy Chief, are you trying to undermine me?¡± Ding Xi complained with a bitter face.

    ¡°Tell me quickly, what¡¯s going on?¡± Qin Xue was genuinely curious. She didn¡¯t know what had happened while she was in the hospital for the past few days.

    Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue¡¯s gossipy face, his eyes filled with indulgence. Loving someone, whether it¡¯s their strengths or faults, it was all the same to him.

    ¡°Sister-in-law, can we talk about this later?¡± Ding Xi looked at Qin Xue with a glimmer of hope.

    ¡°What do you think?¡± Qin Xue had been bedridden for the past few days and was incredibly bored.

    ¡°I have fallen for your attending physician.¡± Ding Xi, seeing there was no escape, closed his eyes and shouted out loud.

    ¡°What? You fell for Li Rong? When did this happen?¡± Qin Xue was genuinely surprised.

    ¡°It was the day before yesterday when you were just admitted to the hospital. I had some business with the boss, and I ran into her around the corner. So¡­¡± Ding Xi admitted to his crush on Li Rong.

    ¡°So you¡¯ve been hanging around here for a reason.¡± Qin Xue eyed Ding Xi, who seemed genuinely innocent.

    ¡°Sister-in-law, it¡¯s not quite like that. I¡¯m the same age as the boss, and his child is about to be born, while I have no idea where my wife is. When I finally found someone I like, I had to chase her diligently. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± Ding Xi had found Li Rong very attractive when he first saw her.

    Upon learning that she was single, Ding Xi naturally tried his best to pursue his happiness.

    That¡¯s why he had been frequently appearing at the hospital these days.

    However, he always came after work.

    Knowing this, Chu Molin did not stop him. After all, for those in their profession, marriage was always difficult.

    Chu Molin couldn¡¯t possibly stand in the way when Ding Xi has finally found someone he liked.

    ¡°You¡¯re right, but you have to know something. Li Rong is not the kind of woman you can neglect.¡± Qin Xue had a deep understanding of this practical and strong woman Li Rong.

    Wasn¡¯t her best friend from her previous life just like that?

    Qin Xue thought that Beiying, who wasn¡¯t someone easily handled. And Li Rong, both in character and work, was very similar to Beiying. Hence, Ding Xi had a long chase ahead of him if he liked Li Rong.

    What Qin Xue didn¡¯t know was, when one¡¯s fate arrives, one¡¯s state of mind changes. This was true for Beiying and Li Rong. They were just going through some hurdles. Of course, this is a story for another time, let¡¯s not digress.

    Coming back to the point, Ding Xi wasn¡¯t without hope in pursuing Li Rong. After all, they say perseverance pays off.

    As long as Ding Xi had determination and thick skin, he would definitely win Li Rong over. Whether he could succeed or not depended on how thick-faced Ding Xi was.

    ¡°Sister-in-law, do you have any good ideas or advice?¡± Ding Xi asked with hope.

    Qin Xue glanced at Chu Molin and then at Ding Xi and said four words: ¡°Persist till the end.¡±

 Chapter 392

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    Ding Xi thought it over and over again after hearing this. He felt that although Qin Xue¡¯s approach was a bit clich¨¦, it was indeed the most effective one.

    ¡°I got it, thank you, sister-in-law.¡± Ding Xi nodded seriously.

    ¡°Let me make it clear first, you can¡¯t tell Li Rong that this idea is mine.¡± Qin Xue had a good impression of Li Rong and thought she was a nice woman, so she gave Ding Xi this suggestion.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sister-in-law. I will never betray you.¡± Ding Xi swore.

    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid if you betray me, but if you¡¯re not afraid of what I¡¯ll say in front of Li Rong, just go ahead and spill it.¡± Qin Xue said proudly.

    ¡°Sister-in-law, that¡¯s not fair. Big brother, aren¡¯t you gonna control your wife a little?¡± Ding Xi looked at Qin Xue and Chu Molin with a grieving face.

    ¡°I think my wife is doing just fine, no need to control her.¡± Chu Molin looked at Ding Xi and thought he was really a clueless guy. Between his brother and his wife, he would definitely choose to stand by his wife¡¯s side.

    ¡°Big brother, is it really okay to show off your love like this?¡± Ding Xi felt heartbroken being fed with dog food (Chinese slang: the feeling of being single and watching couples expressing love to each other).

    ¡°I think it¡¯s great, have you had enough?¡± Qin Xue chuckled and asked Ding Xi after hearing Chu Molin¡¯s words.

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll shut up, okay? Now I know that it¡¯s deadly when you two, husband and wife, gang up against someone.¡± Ding Xi couldn¡¯t win an argument against the couple by himself, so he chose to shut up for the sake of his little heart.

    Qin Xue looked at Chu Molin with a smile and stuck out her tongue, asking him with her eyes: is it really okay to bully your brother like this?

    Chu Molin returned her gaze: there¡¯s nothing wrong with that, in my heart, my wife is more important.

    Sitting in the front, Ding Xi saw the interaction between his department head and his wife through the rearview mirror and thought to himself, when could he and his wife be like that?

    The three of them chatted and laughed along the way and quickly arrived home.

    ¡°Phew, finally home, it¡¯s still more comfortable at home.¡± Qin Xue put her bag on the table and sat down on a chair.

    ¡°Qin Xue, go wash up and come eat.¡± Nangong Shulan didn¡¯t go to pick up her daughter from the hospital today.

    She stayed at home preparing the meal, so they could eat as soon as her daughter returned home.

    ¡°Got it, thank you, mom. You¡¯ve worked hard.¡± Qin Xue hugged her mother and said.

    ¡°Molin, you and this little comrade should also wash up and come eat.¡± Nangong Shulan looked at Chu Molin and Ding Xi and called out.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Chu Molin replied and took his luggage back to his room.

    ¡°Thank you, Auntie.¡± Ding Xi smiled and thanked Nangong Shulan.

    ¡°I should be the one thanking you for picking up my daughter and son-in-law.¡± Nangong Shulan waved her hand.

    ¡°Auntie, you¡¯re too polite.¡± Ding Xi didn¡¯t dare to accept Nangong Shulan¡¯s thanks.

    ¡°Alright, you two, stop being polite with each other and sit down to eat.¡± Qin Xue came out after washing her hands and saw Ding Xi and her mother exchanging thank-you¡¯s back and forth.

    ¡°Sis, you¡¯re back? Are you okay?¡± Qin Yu asked as soon as he saw his sister.

    ¡°I¡¯m back, what could happen to me? You guys are just too worried.¡± Qin Xue had said hundreds of times that she was fine, but her family was still so concerned about her.

    ¡°As long as you¡¯re fine. I¡¯m planning to send mom back in a few days and bring my little sister here to accompany you.¡± Qin Yu had discussed this matter with his mother.

    ¡°Can¡¯t the whole family come here?¡± Qin Xue thought there was no accommodation here, but she could buy a house.

    Because the effect of the TV advertisement was excellent, there were many orders at the factory recently, and the clothes sold were in short supply.

    She could get a generous dividend, and with Xiao Qi¡¯s dividend, they could altogether buy a very big house. Even if the whole family came here, they could all live comfortably.

 Chapter 393

    Translator: 549690339

    If the whole family comes here, she could find something for her parents to do, so they don¡¯t have to work so hard farming. And if they¡¯re all together, they can take care of each other.

    ¡°I can¡¯t come over here, there¡¯s still grandpa and grandma to take care of at home,¡± Nangong Shulan said, immediately objecting.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s bring grandpa and grandma over too,¡± Qin Xue thought if the two elders were willing, it wouldn¡¯t be impossible.

    ¡°Grandpa and grandma won¡¯t come, uncle and aunt aren¡¯t around. And Qiu-jie is getting married soon, as soon as she gets married, she will go to Cloud¡¯s place, grandpa and grandma won¡¯t come as they have to take care of the house,¡± Qin Yu said slowly.

    ¡°Ah, there are brothers and sisters in the family?¡± Qin Xue exclaimed.

    ¡°Yeah, you didn¡¯t forget that too, did you?¡± Qin Yu looked at Qin Xue and asked.

    ¡°Hehe,¡± Qin Xue laughed awkwardly.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, you¡¯ll remember slowly,¡± Nangong Shulan looked at the embarrassed Qin Xue, feeling a little hurt for her daughter, who had suffered so much.

    ¡°Sister, don¡¯t worry, if there¡¯s anything you don¡¯t know, just ask me. I¡¯ll never let anyone bully you,¡± Qin Yu promised, clenching his fist.

    ¡°I believe you,¡± Qin Xue believed that Qin Yu would keep his word.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s eat before the food gets cold,¡± Qin Xue saw Chu Molin coming and called everyone to start the meal.

    ¡°Wow, today¡¯s dishes are so rich!¡± Qin Xue commented, looking at the dishes on the table.

    ¡°It¡¯s specially prepared for your discharge from the hospital,¡± Nangong Shulan bought dishes according to Chu Molin¡¯s preferences, just to cater to Qin Xue¡¯s taste.

    ¡°Mom, you¡¯re so nice,¡± Qin Xue smiled sweetly.

    ¡°It¡¯s all because of Molin,¡± Nangong Shulan didn¡¯t take all the credit herself.

    ¡°Chu Molin, thank you,¡± Qin Xue turned to her husband and smiled in gratitude.

    ¡°As long as you like it,¡± Chu Molin¡¯s cool face softened a bit.

    The few of them sat down to eat, laughing and chatting, it was lively.

    After finish eating, Qin Yu helped his mother clean up the dishes, and then the family sat in the living room chatting.

    ¡°Qin Xue, Molin, I plan to go back the day after tomorrow. I¡¯ll ask Xiao Yu to send me back, and then he¡¯ll bring Jiale here. This way both siblings can stay here to take care of Qin Xue while you go to work. So you won¡¯t have to worry about her not being taken care of,¡± Nangong Shulan told her son and daughter the results of their discussion.

    ¡°Mom, I want you to stay and accompany me,¡± Qin Xue said, clinging to her mother¡¯s arm.

    ¡°There are a lot of things at home, and I can¡¯t stay here all the time. Let your little sister and brother take care of you, and when it¡¯s time for your confinement period, I¡¯ll come over and take care of you,¡± Nangong Shulan explained, patting Qin Xue¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Oh, I understand,¡± Qin Xue said with a somewhat downcast mood. She had just spent a little time with her mother and now they were going to be apart again, her heart heavy with sadness.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, didn¡¯t mom say she¡¯ll come back when you give birth?¡± Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue¡¯s slightly unhappy face.

    ¡°Yes, don¡¯t be willful,¡± Nangong Shulan looked at her daughter somewhat helplessly.

    ¡°Okay, I understand,¡± Qin Xue adjusted her mood.

    ¡°Qin Xue, I¡¯ll pick up the clothes tomorrow and take them back,¡± Nangong Shulan remembered she hadn¡¯t had time to pick up the clothes Fang Xiu made for her parents-in-law since her daughter had been hospitalized for several days.

    Since she was going to leave the day after tomorrow, she could pack her luggage after picking up the clothes tomorrow.

    ¡°Oh, how could I have forgotten that,¡± Qin Xue slapped her head, her memory was really bad.

    In fact, it wasn¡¯t that Qin Xue¡¯s memory was bad, but she had too many things to think about and had just temporarily forgotten.

 Chapter 394

    Translator: 549690339

    In the blink of an eye, it was time for Nangong Shulan to go back.

    ¡°Mom, take this with you. Buy more delicious and nutritious food when you go back,¡± said Qin Xue, putting US$ 200 in her mother¡¯s hands.

    ¡°Xue, you need money for raising children. Keep it, we have money at home. You don¡¯t need to give me money,¡± Nangong Shulan tried to return the money to Qin Xue.

    ¡°Mom, just take it. You also see that I can earn money myself. I have money to use, so you don¡¯t have to worry about me.¡± Qin Xue refused to take the money back.

    ¡°But¡­¡± Nangong Shulan hesitated, looking at her daughter.

    ¡°No more ¡®buts¡¯, just keep the money. Mom, let¡¯s go downstairs and wait for Chu Molin.¡± Qin Xue believed that Molin would be back soon after finding a car.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go down and wait.¡± Nangong Shulan picked up the luggage at her feet.

    ¡°Mom, let me carry one for you.¡± Qin Xue, seeing several pieces of luggage at her mother¡¯s feet, spoke up.

    ¡°No need, it¡¯s not heavy. I can carry it by myself,¡± Nangong Shulan wouldn¡¯t let her daughter carry the luggage.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mom. You just said it¡¯s not heavy. Just give me one to carry.¡± Qin Xue took one of the bags from her mother¡¯s hands.

    Nangong Shulan, seeing her daughter¡¯s determination, allowed her to help carry two light bags.

    All these things were prepared by Qin Xue for her mother: clothes, food, and necessities. They were practically everything she could ever need.

    The most comforting thing for her during this trip was seeing her eldest daughter becoming so sensible.

    ¡°Mom, remember that if possible, you and dad should come here and stop farming. It¡¯s too hard.

    When you come, I can find you some things to do so you won¡¯t have to work so hard.¡± Qin Xue truly didn¡¯t want her parents to continue the backbreaking work of farming, which provided them with only a modest income for their basic needs.

    If her parents were to come, she could have them open a shop. Although running a restaurant was also hard work, it was still better than working on the farm under the sun and rain.

    ¡°Xue, I know you are filial, but some things have to be discussed with Molin.

    Don¡¯t act on your own, okay?¡± Nangong Shulan was afraid that Qin Xue would be headstrong and act without consulting Molin first.

    This was a major taboo in a marriage. Regardless of the couple¡¯s relationship, if one of them acted without considering the other¡¯s opinion, it could bring a negative effect on their relationship.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mom. Chu Molin doesn¡¯t interfere with my work. He said as long as I¡¯m happy, it¡¯s fine.¡± Qin Xue thought of Molin¡¯s words.

    ¡°But you can¡¯t take advantage of his indulgence to act recklessly, okay?¡± Nangong Shulan reminded her daughter with concern.

    ¡°Alright, I know. Just relax, Mom.¡± Qin Xue would have reassured her mother by patting her chest if her hands were not full with luggage.

    ¡°After you go back, don¡¯t run around making Molin worry. If anything happens, just write us a letter or send a telegram.¡± Nangong Shulan kept giving advice to her daughter.

    When they got downstairs, Chu Molin and his group happened to arrive.

    Qin Yu got out of the car and helped Chu Molin put the luggage in the car.

    ¡°Mom, Xiao Yu, take care of yourselves when you go back home. Be careful of thieves on the train, alright?¡± Qin Xue suddenly remembered that there were many pickpockets on trains.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sis. I¡¯ll take good care of mom,¡± Qin Yu reassured his sister.

    ¡°Xiao Yu, here¡¯s this for you. When you and your sister come here, I¡¯ll tell you some good news.¡± Qin Xue gave her brother US$ 100.

    ¡°Sis, I don¡¯t want your money. Keep it for yourself.¡± How could Qin Yu accept his sister¡¯s money?

    ¡°If I¡¯m giving it to you, just keep it. As a young man, you should always have some money on you.¡± Qin Xue knew that men, regardless of how much money they had, should always have some cash on hand.

 Chapter 395

    Translator: 549690339

    After hearing his sister¡¯s words, Qin Yu felt deeply moved.

    In all his years, apart from the living expenses given by his family when he studied, he never carried any money on him. Now, his sister has given him a hundred.

    This one hundred dollars was not a small amount, but his sister insisted on giving it to him. How could he not be moved by this? It was his sister, who shared the same mother, and the same father with him.

    ¡°Take it, my husband knows about it too,¡± said Qin Xue, worried that Qin Yu might not dare to accept it.

    ¡°Alright, thank them for me.¡± Qin Yu figured that he needed some capital to start his business. He considered this a loan from his sister. Although one hundred dollars might not be enough for a business, he could start small and repay his sister once he¡¯s made some money.

    ¡°We¡¯re all family, no need for formalities.¡± Qin Xue patted her brother¡¯s shoulder and laughed.

    After Qin Xue sent her brother and mother off, she returned home.

    The house, once full of noise and excitement, had suddenly become quiet. It took some getting used to.

    Locking the door behind her, Qin Xue entered the otherworldly space. She needed to get the herbs organized.

    ¡°Master, you haven¡¯t visited for a long time.¡± Xue Ling complained as soon as she saw Qin Xue.

    ¡°Uh, there were some problems and I had to stay in the hospital for a few days.¡± Qin Xue looked helplessly at her adorable spiritual pet.

    ¡°Actually, you didn¡¯t need to be admitted into the hospital. As long as you came into the space and breathed some spiritual energy to nourish the baby, it would¡¯ve been alright,¡± Xue Ling said, looking at Qin Xue¡¯s stomach, referring to the already very clever children.

    ¡°At that time, my mother and brother couldn¡¯t come in, so, I had no choice but to go to the hospital. Xue Ling, thanks for bringing me here and letting me see my mother,¡± Qin Xue finally understood why Xue Ling said last time that she would thank it.

    Indeed, because she had got to see her dearly missed mother here, didn¡¯t Qin Xue have to thank Xue Ling?

    ¡°Master, it was because the bond between mother and daughter had not yet ended.¡± Xue Ling said cutely.

    ¡°No matter what, I have to thank you.¡± Qin Xue picked up Xue Ling and gave it a kiss.

    ¡°Hehe, then make a delicious dish for me as a way to express your thanks.¡± Xue Ling liked cooked food a lot.

    ¡°Sure, what do you want to eat?¡± Qin Xue asked Xue Ling.

    ¡°I want stir-fried spiritual bamboo shoots, braised spiritual mouse, and fish slice porridge.¡± As soon as Xue Ling heard the question, it told Qin Xue what it wanted to eat.

    ¡°You little thing, you have quite an appetite.¡± As Qin Xue listened, she found that she wanted to eat those dishes too.

    ¡°Hehe, will you make it for me, master?¡± Xue Ling looked at Qin Xue eagerly.

    ¡°Sure, but as usual, you go and catch them, I will cook. Try to catch some extra.¡± Qin Xue thought that she could cook some extra while she was at it, since she craved the dishes too.

    ¡°Yes, master. I will go and catch the spiritual mouse now.¡± Xue Ling scurried off to catch the mouse.

    Qin Xue classified and sorted the herbs that Xue Ling brought back. She intended to process these herbs into various easy-to-carry haemostatic medicines and pills.

    Qin Xue immediately started sorting the herbs. She still needed to buy a set of pharmaceutical tools for grinding and decocting the herbs. She felt sure that Chu Molin would be fast to recover and take on assignments soon.

    No matter what, she had to make enough for him to carry for self-protection.

    After finishing sorting the herbs, Qin Xue reached for a basket and started to pick the ripe chili peppers. She could make chili sauce when she went to buy the jars with the tools.

    Even though Qin Xue was heavily pregnant, she moved quite swiftly.

    Chu Molin had gone to drop off her mother and brother, so she wasn¡¯t worried that he would come back at this time.

    Qin Xue took advantage of this time to get things done. Once Chu Molin returned, she wouldn¡¯t be able to step into the space to work.

 Chapter 396

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue was quick on her end, and Xue Ling was not slow either. Three spiritual bamboo rats were already laid out on the ground.

    A white shadow flashed, and Xue Ling emerged with a spiritual mouse in its mouth.

    Looking at the four bamboo rats, Xue Ling thought it should be enough.

    After putting down the bamboo rat in its mouth, Xue Ling leaped into the bamboo forest and started to dig bamboo shoots with its front paws.

    After following Qin Xue, Xue Ling learned that if you want to eat something delicious, you have to prepare it yourself.

    So, in order to enjoy the food it desired, it devoted itself wholeheartedly to preparing the ingredients.

    Qin Xue and Xue Ling went about their own tasks, not disturbing each other. After Qin Xue finished picking the peppers and preparing the herbs, she stood up and rubbed her sore waist.

    Wondering why Xue Ling hadn¡¯t returned yet, she saw a white shadow swiftly appear before her.

    ¡°Master, I¡¯ve already prepared everything. Can we start now?¡± Xue Ling looked at Qin Xue with anticipation.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s begin.¡± Although Qin Xue was extremely tired, she didn¡¯t want to disappoint her cute little pet, so she started to clean the bamboo rats with her exhausted body.

    As Qin Xue prepared the ingredients, Xue Ling watched from the side, occasionally helping with peeling.

    When the ingredients were ready, Xue Ling could already smell the delicious aroma, and its mouth began to water. It was truly too fragrant.

    The same could be said for Qin Xue, who drooled as she cooked.

    Once the food was on the table, one person and one pet tucked in heartily.

    ¡°Phew, I¡¯m so full.¡± Xue Ling exclaimed, hugging its round belly.

    ¡°I¡¯m also really full.¡± Qin Xue rubbed her stomach, feeling immensely satisfied with the meal.

    ¡°What about those?¡± Xue Ling pointed to the leftover food and asked.

    ¡°Those are for Chu Molin.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t care what Chu Molin would think when he saw the bamboo shoots. She didn¡¯t plan to hide anything anymore. Whether he could discover her secret or not, would depend on his own capabilities.

    ¡°Hehe, it seems Master is ready to be completely forthcoming.¡± Xue Ling said teasingly.

    ¡°I¡¯m not being completely forthcoming, I just don¡¯t want to hide anything. Whether or not he can discover my secret is up to his observational skills and intelligence.¡± Qin Xue pointed to her head as she spoke.

    ¡°Master, sometimes underestimating someone can come back to bite you.¡± Xue Ling warned Qin Xue coolly.

    ¡°I¡¯m not underestimating him, it¡¯s just that I¡¯m not someone who can keep secrets very well. Do you think it¡¯s possible for me to not let a big bad wolf discover my secret?¡± Although Qin Xue wasn¡¯t a gossip, she wasn¡¯t the most cunning person, either.

    So, it was only a matter of time before Chu Molin discovered her secret.

    Qin Xue had observed Chu Molin for a long time. She knew his character and believed that he wouldn¡¯t betray her.

    So Qin Xue¡¯s secret was just waiting for that man to uncover.

    ¡°Uh, that¡¯s indeed a problem, Master. Haven¡¯t you ever wondered if maybe you¡¯ve already been exposed, but he just hasn¡¯t said anything yet? Do you think there¡¯s a possibility?¡± Xue Ling analyzed Chu Molin¡¯s mindset.

    It had to be said that Xue Ling was indeed insightful. Qin Xue just didn¡¯t have the confidence to think about whether she had been exposed or not.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t be, right? Although I haven¡¯t deliberately hidden, it shouldn¡¯t be so easy to be discovered, right?¡± Qin Xue muttered to herself with some uncertainty.

    ¡°Even you¡¯re not sure, how can you expect others not to discover a single thing?¡± Xue Ling looked at its foolish master, somewhat speechless.

    How did it end up following this stupid woman who had lifted its seal back then?

    However, no matter how much disdain Xue Ling showed in its actions, its eyes told others that it didn¡¯t really despise Qin Xue that much.

    Maybe this was fate. If it wanted to transform into a human form and increase its cultivation, it had to start from scratch.

 Chapter 397

    Translator: 549690339

    Today, something happened in the Qin family in Qin Village.

    Qin Lei looked at his elder brother and sister-in-law who suddenly returned, not knowing what had happened.

    ¡°Big brother, sister-in-law.¡± Qin Lei looked at the people who appeared in his house.

    ¡°Lei, are mom and dad in your house?¡± Qin Chaoyang asked his younger brother.

    ¡°Yes, they¡¯re in the inner room. Big brother, sister-in-law, come in and sit down.¡± Qin Lei invited his brother and sister-in-law into the house.

    ¡°We came back and saw our house locked, so we figured mom and dad must be at your place.¡± Lin Cuiping and her husband followed their brother-in-law into the inner room.

    ¡°Mom, dad, big brother and sister-in-law are back!¡± Qin Lei called out to his parents in the inner room.

    As soon as Mr. and Mrs. Qin heard their younger son¡¯s words, they hurried out from the inner room.

    ¡°Elder son, daughter-in-law, why did you come back at this time?¡± Mrs. Qin was surprised to see her eldest son and daughter-in-law return unexpectedly, without any notice.

    ¡°Mom and dad, let¡¯s talk in our room.¡± Qin Chaoyang looked at his elderly parents, feeling a bit regretful. He should have provided them with a comfortable life in their old age. Instead, they now had to worry about him and his family.

    ¡°Elder son, did something happen?¡± As soon as Mrs. Qin sat down, she questioned Qin Chaoyang.

    ¡°Mom, we¡­¡± Qin Chaoyang didn¡¯t know how to tell his parents properly.

    Seeing the look on Qin Chaoyang¡¯s face, Mrs. Qin¡¯s heart sank. Had something serious really happened?

    ¡°Daughter-in-law, you speak.¡± Mrs. Qin didn¡¯t expect her son to reveal anything.

    ¡°Mom, dad, it¡¯s about Cloud. She¡¯s in trouble.¡± Lin Cuiping choked as she spoke.

    ¡°What happened to Cloud?¡± Mr. Qin roared.

    ¡°It¡¯s all because of Li Kun, Qiu¡¯s boyfriend. We were going to let them get married in the fall. But it turned out that Li Kun was unfaithful to Qiu and had an affair with another woman.

    When Cloud found out, she went to confront Li Kun, but they ended up fighting.

    Cloud broke Li Kun¡¯s leg, and the Li family reported her to the police. She¡¯s been taken to the police station.

    The Li family said they would only drop the matter if we give them US$ 500. But we don¡¯t have that much money.

    Having no other choice, we had to come back to figure out if there¡¯s any other solution.¡± Lin Cuiping recalled the time when the matchmaker had introduced Qiu to the Li family.

    They had inquired about the Li family back then, and the feedback had been positive. That¡¯s why they had decided to let Qin Qiu date Li Kun.

    Who would have guessed that Li Kun would turn out to be such a greedy, unfaithful person and the Li family would be so unprincipled?

    Now, she felt relieved that they had discovered this issue before the marriage. Otherwise, her daughter would suffer even more after marrying into the Li family.

    ¡°What about Qiu?¡± Mrs. Qin asked about her granddaughter.

    ¡°We sent Qiu to her grandmother¡¯s house.¡± Qin Chaoyang didn¡¯t dare to let her stay with Li Kun.

    ¡°What do you plan to do now?¡± Qin Lei asked his brother and sister-in-law.

    ¡°We really don¡¯t know what to do.¡± Lin Cuiping and her husband were at a loss for a good solution.

    ¡°Tomorrow, you should go and bring Qiu back first.¡± Mrs. Qin sipped her tea and spoke.

    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll go get her tomorrow.¡± Qin Chaoyang didn¡¯t argue, and simply agreed.

    At first, they had planned to bring Qiu back with them, but they were afraid that the Li family would cause trouble, so they sent her to her grandmother¡¯s house instead. Now that their mother asked them to bring her back, of course, they wouldn¡¯t object.

    Qin Lei saw that his brother and sister-in-law probably hadn¡¯t eaten since they rushed back, so he went to the kitchen to cook two bowls of noodles.

 Chapter 398

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Lei finished cooking the noodles and added an egg on top before serving them to his elder brother and sister-in-law.

    ¡°Big brother, sister-in-law, you haven¡¯t eaten yet, have you? I cooked some noodles; just eat them to fill your stomachs for now.¡± Qin Lei placed the noodles in front of his elder brother and sister-in-law and spoke to them.

    ¡°Thank you, Lei, thank you, uncle.¡± Qin Chaoyang and Lin Cuiping both expressed their gratitude to Qin Lei in unison.

    Indeed, they had lost their appetite since the incident had occurred. Only when they saw the noodles Qin Lei brought to them did they realize they were already starving.

    After his elder brother and sister-in-law finished eating the noodles, Qin Lei cleared the bowls.

    The fastest way to resolve the issue was to give the Lis US$ 500. However, this would let the Lis off too easily.

    They weren¡¯t willing to accept it. Li Kun was two-timing and still wanted the Qins to pay. Anyone would find it hard to swallow this matter.

    ¡°Big brother, sister-in-law, why don¡¯t you go home and rest first? We¡¯ll slowly think of a solution for this matter.¡± Qin Lei thought that sitting like this wasn¡¯t a solution.

    ¡°Lei is right; let¡¯s go home first.¡± Grandpa Qin spoke up.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go home.¡± Qin Chaoyang stood up and said.

    After Qin Chaoyang and his family left, Qin Lei sat in the living room, staring at the sky, missing his wife.

    ¡°Achoo!¡± Nangong Shulan sneezed on the train.

    ¡°Mom, are you alright?¡± Qin Yu asked his mother, concerned that she might be catching a cold.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine; someone must be cursing me.¡± Nangong Shulan rubbed her nose.

    ¡°It¡¯s probably your elder daughter missing you.¡± Qin Yu wanted to say it was his foster father, Qin Lei, who was missing his mother, but fearing being scolded, he changed his words at the last moment, substituting ¡°dad¡± with ¡°elder sister.¡±

    ¡°The older she gets, the more clingy she becomes.¡± Nangong Shulan thought of her eldest daughter, who hardly clung to her. She used to be affectionate, but not clingy.

    ¡°I think my elder sister is great like this.¡± Qin Yu thought his elder sister was always the best.

    ¡°In your eyes, your elder sister has never had a bad moment.¡± Nangong Shulan replied after hearing her son¡¯s words.

    ¡°Of course! Look who her little brother is.¡± Qin Yu had always thought Qin Xue was the best sister in the world.

    Nangong Shulan was speechless as she looked at her son. It¡¯s always been the older brother cherishing the younger sister, but in her family, it¡¯s the younger brother cherishing the elder sister.

    Chu Molin returned to the army after sending his mother-in-law and younger brother-in-law on the train. He was already back at work. As soon as he sent them off, he immediately immersed himself in his duties.

    ¡°Commander, we can close the net.¡± Qin Lang placed the files on the table and said to Chu Molin.

    Chu Molin picked up the files and quickly looked through them.

    ¡°Do it, but be careful.¡± Chu Molin gave the order immediately after reading the files.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll inform them right away.¡± Qin Lang turned around and left the office.

    Chu Molin glanced at the files in his hand, his thoughts drifting far away. Jing Xin, you must be well. Your wife and son are still waiting for you.

    At home, Qin Xue cleared the tableware and read for a while before closing the book and going to sleep. Before sleeping, she noticed Chu Molin hadn¡¯t come back yet and wondered what he was busy with at such a late hour. She left some warm dinner for him on the stove.

    In reality, Chu Molin was just sitting in his office waiting for news.

    ¡°Commander, um, someone is injured.¡± Li Dabao didn¡¯t know how to break the news to Chu Molin.

    ¡°Who¡¯s injured?¡± Chu Molin immediately asked, hoping it wasn¡¯t Jing Xin injured. Otherwise, how could he tell that lovely child: ¡°Your father isn¡¯t dead; he¡¯s coming back.¡±

 Chapter 399

    Translator: 549690339

    Li Dabao thought that it was going to be said anyway, so he loudly said, ¡°Captain Jing is injured.¡±

    Li Dabao later found out that Jing Xin was actually a captain.

    ¡°Who did you say is injured?¡± Chu Molin asked with a stern face.

    ¡°Captain Jing Xin is injured, and it¡¯s a serious injury. He¡¯s been taken to the hospital for emergency treatment.¡± Li Dabao thought that this was how he received the news.

    ¡°Which hospital? Let¡¯s go!¡± Chu Molin picked up the keys on the table and walked, asking Li Dabao as he went.

    ¡°The People¡¯s Hospital where you were treated for your injury last time.¡± Li Dabao quickly followed Chu Molin¡¯s steps, reporting the information without slowing down.

    ¡°Alright, hurry up. Have all the Snakehead gang members been arrested?¡± Chu Molin asked about the key figures.

    ¡°All of them have been arrested.¡± Li Dabao answered Chu Molin¡¯s question while driving.

    ¡°Mm.¡± Chu Molin nodded and closed his eyes to rest.

    ¡°Mr. Chu.¡± As soon as Chu Molin arrived at the hospital, Qin Lang came to greet him.

    ¡°How¡¯s the situation?¡± Chu Molin looked coldly at the operating room.

    ¡°They¡¯re still trying to save him.¡± Qin Lang didn¡¯t expect Jing Xin to do what he did in the end.

    ¡°What exactly happened?¡± Chu Molin thought that according to the arrangements on the file, there couldn¡¯t have been such an incident.

    ¡°Everything was going smoothly according to the plan, but somehow Snakehead found a hostage and demanded an exchange with Jing Xin, saying that he was willing to die with Jing Xin. The higher-ups gave orders to stall for time and let the incoming snipers find a suitable shooting position to kill him.

    So Jing Xin didn¡¯t need to go exchange the hostage, but for some reason, he agreed to go. You can imagine what kind of state Jing Xin would be in once he fell into Snakehead¡¯s hands.

    That¡¯s how Jing Xin was taken by Snakehead¡¯s group into the abandoned building. We don¡¯t know what happened inside, but when we went in later, we found that all of Snakehead¡¯s gang members were dead, and Jing Xin was critically injured.¡± Qin Lang briefly explained the situation.

    After an unknown amount of time, the situation in the operating room was still not optimistic. Chen Hao looked at the report in his hand, another surgery he was unable to perform.

    But he had also heard how powerful the injured person inside was. Wouldn¡¯t the death of such a hero be a great loss to the people?

    Suddenly, Chen Hao thought of someone and turned to Li Lan, ¡°Ms. Li, can you go out and ask if someone can invite Qin Xue over?¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡± Li Lan listened and replied.

    Chen Hao thought that now Qin Xue might be the only one who could perform this operation.

    ¡°Excuse me, who can go to XX Research Institute and find Chu Molin¡¯s wife Qin Xue to come over?¡± Li Lan yelled as soon as she got out of the operating room.

    ¡°Why do you need Qin Xue?¡± Qin Lang asked in confusion.

    ¡°Because the person inside is very dangerous.¡± Li Lan had never met Qin Lang. She had missed the time when Qin Lang had come to see Chu Molin during his last injury, so she hadn¡¯t met him.

    ¡°If the patient is in danger, shouldn¡¯t you look for a doctor? What¡¯s the use of looking for Qin Xue?¡± Qin Lang became even more confused as he listened.

    But Chu Molin understood Li Lan¡¯s meaning as soon as he heard it. It seemed that what he had experienced when he was injured last time was not a dream, but real, and his surgery must have been done by Qin Xue.

    Thinking of this, Chu Molin actually wanted to refuse. But the person inside was Jing Xin, who could even give his life for the mission, and Qin Xue liked Jingtao so much. If she couldn¡¯t save Jing Xin, Qin Xue would probably feel guilty towards Jingtao when she found out in the future.

    ¡°I¡¯ll call Qin Xue.¡± Chu Molin left the word and walked away.

    ¡°Um, what is Mr. Chu doing here?¡± Li Lan looked at the retreating Chu Molin and muttered to herself.

    ¡°Because the person inside is Mr. Chu¡¯s colleague.¡± Qin Lang heard Li Lan¡¯s words and answered her question.

 Chapter 400

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue was sleeping soundly at home when she was suddenly awakened by the sound of the door opening.

    ¡°Who is it? Chu Molin, is that you?¡± Qin Xue looked out of the window at the night sky, realizing it was already very late.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, it¡¯s me.¡± Chu Molin, who had just entered the house, heard his wife¡¯s question and replied.

    ¡°Why are you coming back so late? Did you just finish work?¡± Qin Xue sat up and looked at Chu Molin as he entered the room.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, get up, change your clothes and come with me to the hospital,¡± Chu Molin said as he sat on the edge of the bed, stroking his wife¡¯s long hair with his hand.

    ¡°Why do we need to go to the hospital? What happened?¡± Qin Xue asked Chu Molin with a puzzled look.

    ¡°A comrade of mine was injured and is being treated at the hospital, but it¡¯s been a long time and he still hasn¡¯t come out.

    Nurse Li Lan came out and asked you to come to the hospital. I happened to be there at the time, so I came back to call you.

    Whether you go or not is up to you. I won¡¯t force you.¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t pry into his wife¡¯s secrets, but he didn¡¯t want her to get hurt either.

    ¡°Is this comrade very important?¡± Qin Xue thought that if it was absolutely necessary to save him, she would do it, because soldiers were sacred in her heart. But if it was a soldier with bad conduct, she wouldn¡¯t risk exposing her secret and save him.

    ¡°Very important,¡± Chu Molin had served alongside Jing Xin for several years and shared deep camaraderie.

    ¡°Alright, wait for me.¡± After listening to Chu Molin¡¯s words, Qin Xue got up to change her clothes.

    After putting on her shoes and getting out of bed, Qin Xue remembered the food she had left to warm in the pot.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to change my clothes, you go eat the food in the pot,¡± Qin Xue turned to look at Chu Molin.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Chu Molin replied. If Qin Xue hadn¡¯t mentioned it, he would have forgotten he hadn¡¯t eaten dinner yet.

    Qin Xue went to change her clothes, while Chu Molin went to eat. The husband and wife each performed their own tasks.

    Chu Molin took out the food and found that tonight¡¯s meat was different from usual.

    He picked up a piece with his chopsticks, took a bite, and found the meat to be tender and delicious. It was exceptionally tasty.

    Chu Molin sped up his eating pace and quickly finished a bowl of rice.

    Just as Qin Xue came out after changing her clothes, she saw Chu Molin finishing the bowl of rice.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go. We¡¯ll wash the dishes when we come back.¡± Qin Xue thought that Li Lan must be calling her to go there at Chen Hao¡¯s request.

    It seemed that the soldier was severely injured. The last time she performed surgery on Chu Molin, she had observed Chen Hao¡¯s actions and skills during their cooperation and discovered that his technique was good enough to be a chief surgeon.

    Now that Chen Hao had asked Li Lan to call her over, Qin Xue guessed that he must be unable to complete this surgery on his own.

    So, while changing her clothes earlier, Qin Xue had already taken out her surgical scalpel.

    Using her familiar scalpel could give her a sense of security and help her operate more steadily during the surgery.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Chu Molin quickly put away the bowl and chopsticks in the kitchen, picked up the hat on the table, and went downstairs with his wife.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, it¡¯s dark outside. Walk slowly,¡± Chu Molin cautioned as he held his wife¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Yes, I know,¡± Qin Xue held her husband¡¯s hand tightly.

    Chu Molin opened the car door for Qin Xue and then went to the driver¡¯s seat to drive.

    When they arrived at the hospital, they went straight to the entrance of the operating room.

    ¡°How¡¯s the situation?¡± Chu Molin asked Qin Lang, who was standing at the entrance of the operating room.

    ¡°He hasn¡¯t come out yet,¡± Qin Lang nodded as he saw Chu Molin and Qin Xue arrive.

    Qin Xue walked to the door of the operating room and rang the bell.

    Chen Hao and the other doctors who were discussing the surgery plan inside came out.

    ¡°Qin Xue is here,¡± Chen Hao greeted her happily as he saw her.

    ¡°Yes, the usual rules,¡± Qin Xue glanced at the others around him and said to Chen Hao.

    ¡°Alright, I understand,¡± Chen Hao nodded and left with the other doctors.

    ¡°Chu Molin, clear everyone out of here. Besides you, no one else can stay here,¡± Qin Xue instructed Chu Molin as she looked at him.

    ¡°Okay, I understand,¡± Chu Molin agreed without any objections.

 Chapter 401

    Translator: 549690339

    Chu Molin looked at the others and asked, ¡°Did you all hear what my wife said?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Chu, this¡­¡± Qin Lang looked at Chu Molin.

    ¡°If you want to save a life, follow the arrangement,¡± Chu Molin said coldly to the others.

    Li Dabao was the first to turn and leave. Last time when Mr. Chu was injured, his sister-in-law made the decision, so this time, he simply executed the order after listening to it.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go out,¡± Qin Lang looked at Chu Molin and Qin Xue, then said to the others.

    ¡°Ms. Li, the inspection report,¡± Qin Xue looked at Li Lan who was waiting nearby and reached out for the report.

    ¡°Here, all of it is here,¡± Li Lan had already cooperated with Qin Xue once before, so she quickly handed the report to Qin Xue this time.

    Qin Xue took the report and began flipping through it page by page.

    ¡°Do you have a surgical plan?¡± Qin Xue asked while looking at the report.

    ¡°We actually had one after some discussion, but it was ultimately vetoed, so now there isn¡¯t one,¡± Li Lan thought of how the doctors¡¯ discussion results were all denied earlier.

    ¡°I see, go and prepare for the surgery,¡± Qin Xue put the report on a nearby chair, took off her backpack, and took out the surgical instruments. She then handed the bag to Chu Molin.

    ¡°There are books in the bag. If you get impatient waiting, take out a book and read,¡± Qin Xue said to Chu Molin.

    ¡°Alright, I got it,¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t ask any questions and just responded with an ¡°alright¡± when Qin Xue spoke to him.

    As soon as Li Lan and Qin Xue entered the operating room, Chen Hao arrived.

    ¡°Mr. Chu, thank you,¡± Chen Hao wasn¡¯t sure why he wanted to say thank you, but the words just came out naturally when he saw Chu Molin.

    ¡°The person inside is my comrade,¡± Chu Molin replied after hearing him.

    Chen Hao nodded and entered the operating room, while Chu Molin waited outside.

    ¡°Dr. Chen, come here, look at this position, it should be done like this¡­¡± Qin Xue asked Chen Hao to be her assistant and demonstrated the difficult procedures for him.

    After a long wait, the light in the operating room finally turned off.

    Chen Hao and Li Lan pushed Jing Xin out of the operating room, with Qin Xue following behind.

    As soon as Chu Molin saw them, he hurried to Qin Xue¡¯s side.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, are you alright?¡± Instead of asking about the success of the surgery, Chu Molin was concerned about Qin Xue¡¯s well-being.

    It wasn¡¯t that Chu Molin didn¡¯t care about Jing Xin, but seeing Qin Xue¡¯s tired and slightly pale face, he couldn¡¯t help but worry about her.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, just a bit tired. The surgery was successful, but he also hit his head when he was injured. Whether he wakes up or not depends on his willpower,¡± Qin Xue leaned on Chu Molin¡¯s arm, her entire body pressing against him.

    Chu Molin felt that something was off with Qin Xue and gently embraced her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t, I¡¯m dirty. Just let me lean on you and rest for a while. I still need to change clothes,¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t let Chu Molin hold her.

    ¡°Where should we change your clothes?¡± Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue and asked.

    ¡°Over there,¡± Qin Xue pointed in a direction.

    Chu Molin looked at the direction, and with a quick movement, he lifted Qin Xue up in a princess carry.

    ¡°Ah,¡± Qin Xue was startled by the sudden weightlessness and screamed.

    ¡°I¡¯ll carry you there,¡± Chu Molin easily lifted the pregnant Qin Xue in his arms.

    ¡°Alright, I guess that saves me from walking,¡± Qin Xue was really tired, and having someone carry her made her feel more relaxed.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, you¡¯re really suited to be a doctor,¡± Chu Molin looked at the competent Qin Xue in her new set of clothes and said.

    ¡°Uh, Chu Molin, don¡¯t you have any questions for me?¡± Qin Xue looked up at the man¡¯s resolute chin, which already had a layer of bluish stubble growing.

    Qin Xue raised her hand to touch the man¡¯s chin, the stubble was rough and prickly.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, I don¡¯t have any questions for you. When you want to tell me something, you will naturally tell me,¡± Chu Molin lowered his head and looked at the person in his arms as he spoke.

 Chapter 402

    Translator: 549690339

    ¡°Alright, Chu Molin, thank you.¡± Thank you for not forcing me to reveal my secret, thank you for not imposing on me, and thank you for trusting and loving me wholeheartedly. Qin Xue leaned on Chu Molin¡¯s chest, listening to his strong and powerful heartbeat.

    ¡°Silly girl.¡± Chu Molin looked at the woman leaning against his chest with an indulgent smile and spoke softly.

    ¡°Go change your clothes, I¡¯ll wait for you outside.¡± Chu Molin left Qin Xue at the entrance of the changing room.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be quick.¡± Qin Xue smiled and hurried into the changing room.

    She needed to change out of her surgical gown and sterilize herself.

    ¡°Chu Molin, I¡¯m ready. Let¡¯s go.¡± Qin Xue stepped forward, taking Chu Molin¡¯s arm.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Chu Molin put the surgical tools from Qin Xue¡¯s hand into her backpack and carried it for her.

    When the couple came out, there was no one waiting for them. Everyone probably went to see Jing Xin in the ward.

    ¡°Deputy Chief, sister-in-law.¡± Li Dabao saw Chu Molin and Qin Xue come out and greeted them respectfully.

    ¡°Huh, Da Bao, didn¡¯t you go with them to see the patient in the ward?¡± Qin Xue asked, seeing Li Dabao suddenly appear in front of them.

    ¡°No, I¡¯ve been waiting for you here.¡± Li Dabao answered Qin Xue¡¯s question honestly.

    ¡°Well, good. You¡¯re honest.¡± Qin Xue wanted to pat Li Dabao¡¯s shoulder, but was stopped by the man beside her grabbing her hand.

    Qin Xue looked at the man who grabbed her hand, puzzled: What are you doing?

    Chu Molin looked at the woman who had no sense of self-awareness, feeling somewhat helpless.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, is there anything else to explain over at Jing Xin¡¯s side?¡± Chu Molin changed the subject.

    ¡°No need, Dr. Chen Hao is there, he¡¯ll arrange everything. I don¡¯t need to do anything.¡± Qin Xue responded naturally after hearing Chu Molin¡¯s words, not realizing that he was trying to divert her attention.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s go take a look, and after everything is settled, I¡¯ll send you back to rest.¡± Chu Molin looked at the sky, which was already getting brighter.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Qin Xue agreed, yawning. She was really tired.

    Chu Molin and Qin Xue went to the ward and saw that Jing Xin had been settled. Then they turned to look at Li Dabao.

    ¡°Li Dabao, you stay here and guard Mr. Jing. Report any abnormalities immediately.¡± Chu Molin wanted to take his wife back, so he had to leave Li Dabao to take care of Jing Xin.

    ¡°Yes, Deputy Chief.¡± Li Dabao saluted and responded to Chu Molin.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, you said that Jing Xin has injured his head and might not wake up, is that right?¡± Chu Molin had been thinking about this issue since Qin Xue came out of the operating room.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Qin Xue nodded.

    ¡°Is there any other way?¡± Chu Molin asked after a moment of silence.

    ¡°Yes! We can use familiar people or objects to stimulate his nerves.¡± Qin Xue thought, isn¡¯t it true that vegetative patients are awakened by their families? Although the chance of awakening is slim for a vegetative patient, there are successful examples.

    Besides, Jing Xin is not a vegetative person yet, he just has a head injury and we don¡¯t know when he will wake up.

    ¡°So, if we call his family, can he wake up?¡± Chu Molin asked.

    ¡°Not necessarily. His family can only help him wake up. Let me put it this way,

    When he¡¯s with his family, do some deep-rooted memories come to mind?

    It could be happy or unforgettable, as long as it¡¯s something that matters to him deep in his memory.

    Moreover, it needs to be repeated, talking about what he cares about.¡± Qin Xue answered Chu Molin¡¯s question with her eyes closed, in a drowsy state.

    ¡°Just like when I was injured last time and you spoke to me, right?¡± Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue, who was still closing her eyes, and asked. The words she spoke to him then really had a great impact on him.

 Chapter 403

    Translator: 549690339

    ¡°Hehe, you remembered,¡± Qin Xue asked embarrassed. Speaking of this, she felt somewhat awkward.

    ¡°Clear as day.¡± Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue, his answer slightly grinding. To think this woman wanted to remarry with his son, having the boy call someone else father.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I do that to save you?¡± Qin Xue questioned. If she hadn¡¯t motivated him with her words, he might have already died. He wouldn¡¯t be here to discuss this if that were the case.

    ¡°Uh huh, I know,¡± Chu Molin nodded in agreement. If Qin Xue hadn¡¯t provoked him intentionally, he might still be stuck in the darkness, unconscious.

    That¡¯s why he hadn¡¯t investigated further into Qin Xue¡¯s previous words. Otherwise, he would have punished her. He wondered if she would still contemplate remarriage then.

    ¡°So, does the injured man have any family?¡± Qin Xue hoped that Chu Molin would stop harping about the remarriage issue.

    ¡°Yes, and you know his family too.¡± Chu Molin uttered these cryptic words to Qin Xue.

    ¡°I know them? But who?¡± Qin Xue went through all the individuals she knew in her mind but couldn¡¯t figure out who Chu Molin was referring to.

    ¡°His name is Jing Xin. Isn¡¯t the surname Jing familiar to you?¡± Chu Molin gave Qin Xue a clue.

    ¡°Jing Xin, Jing¡­ Jingtao. Wait, you mean¡­¡± Qin Xue hesitantly inquired, looking at Chu Molin.

    ¡°Yes, exactly what you were thinking.¡± Chu Molin confirmed, knowing his young wife got the underlying meaning of his words.

    ¡°But wasn¡¯t he supposedly dead already?¡± Qin Xue remembered when she first met Fang Xiu. A woman was being sent away, who, despite her situation, gave birth to and raised a child, never contemplating remarriage.

    Qin Xue was initially moved by Fang Xiu¡¯s tenacity, which drove her to assist Fang Xiu. She didn¡¯t expect that she would end up saving the woman¡¯s husband today.

    ¡°Initially, I thought he was dead when I was in training. Then I found out he was undercover. He got injured when there was an unexpected incident during our sting operation,¡± Chu Molin explained the situation to Qin Xue briefly.

    ¡°Then we must inform Fang Xiu about it.¡± Qin Xue felt that this misunderstanding had been blown out of proportion.

    ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Chu Molin agreed. Revealing Jing Xin¡¯s identity to Qin Xue was intended to let Fang Xiu know, so she could help awaken Jing Xin.

    It wasn¡¯t like Chu Molin was trying to manipulate Qin Xue, but as a man, he didn¡¯t know how to appropriately broach the subject with Fang Xiu.

    It would be best for his wife, who was close to Fang Xiu, to speak to her about it.

    As the couple talked on their way home, they took a shower right after arriving and then went to sleep.

    When Qin Xue woke up fully refreshed, Chu Molin was nowhere to be found. That man never seemed to run out of energy.

    Qin Xue got up to prepare breakfast as she still needed to meet with Fang Xiu later.

    After making breakfast and noticing Chu Molin still wasn¡¯t back, she went into the secluded space.

    ¡°Xue Ling, do you want a bun?¡± Qin Xue asked, holding up a platter of buns.

    ¡°No, I want meat!¡± said Xue Ling, who preferred meat over buns.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t make any meat this morning.¡± Qin Xue placed the buns on the bamboo table, looking at Xue Ling as she spoke.

    ¡°Then, Master, when will you make meat next?¡± Xue Ling drooled just thinking about the meal from the previous night.

    ¡°Some other time. I might be a bit busy in the next few days.¡± Qin Xue still needed to prepare medication.

    ¡°Okay. When you cook it next time, be sure you save me some,¡± Xue Ling added, not pushing for meat any further.

    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll prepare an extra portion for you. When you have some free time, catch a few bamboo rats. I can cook them for you when I find the time.¡± Qin Xue figured that food wouldn¡¯t spoil in the secluded area. So, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem if the bamboo rats were caught but not cooked immediately.

 Chapter 404

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue was busy harvesting vegetables and herbs in her space before emerging, planning to buy a large wooden barrel so she could take baths even if she didn¡¯t dig a bath pool.

    Qin Xue wore a short skirt, her fair and long legs quite eye-catching.

    All these clothes were made for her comfort, and thanks to Fang Xiu¡¯s excellent sewing skills, anything Qin Xue could draw, she could make.

    When Chu Molin came back, he saw a pleasing scene ¨C his little wife wearing a short skirt, bending over for something with her perky butt displayed right in front of him, even getting a glimpse of the underwear inside. Chu Molin was so stimulated he nearly got a nosebleed.

    Fortunately, this was in their home and not outside, otherwise, who knows what kind of commotion it would cause.

    Qin Xue heard the noise and slowly stood up, turning her head to see Chu Molin¡¯s eyes shining as he stared at her.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you staring at me like that?¡± Qin Xue looked down at herself, not finding anything improper, completely unaware of her recent exposure.

    ¡°Nothing, what were you just doing?¡± Chu Molin wouldn¡¯t dare confess to what he¡¯d just seen. As long as she didn¡¯t wear it outside, this would be fine to wear at home. Chu Molin wasn¡¯t so rigid as to not let her wear such clothes at home.

    Of course, if Qing Xue agreed to wear nothing in front of him, he would have no complaints, let alone Qin Xue just wearing a short skirt now.

    ¡°I was just looking at the chili sauce. See how beautiful the color is?¡± Qin Xue showed the chili sauce she had just scooped out to Chu Molin. The bright red color looked very tempting.

    ¡°Very beautiful, it must taste delicious.¡± Chu Molin sniffed the chili sauce, and its aroma was enticing, certainly a great accompaniment to steamed buns.

    ¡°Go wash your hands and have breakfast.¡± Qin Xue put the chili sauce on the table and brought out some steamed buns.

    There was a plate of pickled cucumbers, a plate of sauerkraut, a plate of pickled radishes, a bowl of chili sauce, a big pot of steamed buns, and two bowls of white porridge for today¡¯s breakfast.

    Chu Molin looked at the small dishes on the table, all vegetarian and sour and spicy. Just seeing them made him want to eat several big steamed buns.

    Qin Xue took a sip of porridge, tore a steamed bun apart, and added some veggies in between. Biting down, it was spicy and delicious.

    Both of them were satisfied with their breakfast. After they finished eating, the couple tidied up and headed to the county town.

    ¡°I wonder if Fang Xiu can accept it?¡± Qin Xue thought about the sudden appearance of someone they had believed to be dead. No matter who it was, it would be hard to accept, right?

    ¡°Let¡¯s bring her and her son to the hospital first and tell them there.¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t have a better idea. He thought that this time, Jing Xin could finally appear in front of Fang Xiu and her son in a legitimate way, but who knew such an accident would happen?

    ¡°Alright.¡± Qin Xue agreed with Chu Molin¡¯s suggestion.

    Fang Xiu returned from shopping and saw the Jeep parked at the entrance of the shop, not knowing who had come.

    ¡°Xiu, you¡¯re back.¡± Qin Xue greeted Fang Xiu when she saw her.

    ¡°Qin Xue, Mr. Chu, what brings you two here?¡± Fang Xiu looked at Qin Xue and Chu Molin in surprise.

    ¡°We¡¯re not opening the shop today. I¡¯m taking you to meet someone.¡± Qin Xue said quietly, looking at Fang Xiu.

    ¡°Who are we meeting? Why aren¡¯t we opening the shop?¡± Fang Xiu wondered who they were going to meet that was so important they wouldn¡¯t even open the store.

    ¡°You¡¯ll know when we get there. Bring Xiao Jingtao with you.¡± Qin Xue figured they might as well just take the whole day off and let Yu Xiu go home too.

    ¡°Qin Xue, what are you¡­¡± Fang Xiu suddenly felt a little uneasy.

    ¡°Go get ready. Chu Molin will hold Xiao Jingtao.¡± Qin Xue pulled Fang Xiu into the store.

    Fang Xiu was even more at a loss now. What exactly was Qin Xue trying to do?

 Chapter 405

    Translator: 549690339

    After Fang Xiu changed her clothes, Qin Xue asked Yu Xiu to close the clothing store and take the day off.

    ¡°Qin Xue, did something happen?¡± Yu Xiu didn¡¯t go back to the military area last night, so she didn¡¯t know about Jing Xin¡¯s situation.

    ¡°Nothing much, I want to take Xiu to meet someone, so we can¡¯t open the store today. It would be bad if you were alone there, so I thought I¡¯d let you go home and take a day off.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t know how to explain Jing Xin¡¯s situation, so she simply gave an excuse.

    ¡°Oh, as long as nothing¡¯s wrong.¡± Yu Xiu didn¡¯t doubt Qin Xue¡¯s words.

    After Chu Molin drove Yu Xiu back to the military area, he drove Qin Xue and Fang Xiu to the hospital.

    At the door of the ward, Qin Xue held Fang Xiu back.

    ¡°Xiu, no matter what you see inside, you must stay calm, okay?¡± Qin Xue was still a little worried.

    ¡°Qin Xue, what happened? Why did you bring me to the hospital? And why are you saying this?¡± Fang Xiu didn¡¯t know why, but her heart felt extremely uneasy, and she had a strong desire to run away.

    ¡°You just need to promise me that you¡¯ll stay calm.¡± Qin Xue motioned for Chu Molin to hold the child, as she was afraid that Fang Xiu might not be able to control her emotions and accidentally hurt the child.

    ¡°Fang Xiu, let me hold the baby. You go in,¡± Chu Molin reached out to take the child in Fang Xiu¡¯s arms.

    Fang Xiu looked at Qin Xue and her husband and reluctantly handed the child to Chu Molin.

    Since all the answers were in the ward, there was no point in running away. With that thought, Fang Xiu pushed the door of the ward open.

    What caught her eye was a person lying on the hospital bed. Fang Xiu looked at the person on the bed and couldn¡¯t believe it. Tears streamed down her face, dripping onto the floor. Her heart ached as she approached.

    Who could tell her what was going on?

    Why was her newlywed husband lying there? Wasn¡¯t he supposed to be dead? What was going on here?

    Fang Xiu¡¯s tears fell continuously like broken beads.

    She couldn¡¯t understand why things were different from what she knew.

    Fang Xiu¡¯s heart ached so much she couldn¡¯t breathe. No one knew how much she had suffered because of this man.

    They married through an introduction and hadn¡¯t spent much time together.

    After they got married, as soon as the holidays arrived, he left. Afterward, she received the terrible news. Then she was despised by her in-laws, who said she was a wife who hexed her husband to death. After that, she was driven out of her husband¡¯s house.

    Who would have thought that just when she couldn¡¯t hold on any longer, she discovered she was pregnant.

    Thinking that the child would be a legacy for this man, perhaps this was the will of the heavens. So, she gritted her teeth, turned to her brother, and with his help, opened a tailor shop to support herself and her child.

    Finally, her life was back on track and she had moved on from the heartbreaking marriage. She and the child were doing well.

    But why had this man, who should be dead, reappeared in front of her? What was she supposed to do now?

    Had she endured all those hardships for nothing? The more Fang Xiu thought about it, the sadder she became, and she eventually broke down crying uncontrollably.

    Qin Xue, leaning on Chu Molin¡¯s shoulder, watched Fang Xiu in the ward, her eyes red.

    She could understand Fang Xiu¡¯s feelings because it was truly bitter.

    ¡°Chu Molin, do you think Fang Xiu can let go?¡± Qin Xue¡¯s voice was muffled.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, once you make a choice, you must bear the consequences. This is true for us soldiers as well as for you military wives.¡± Chu Molin patted his wife¡¯s head and said.

    ¡°Chu Molin, I know, and I¡¯m prepared. But Fang Xiu¡¯s situation is different from mine. I¡¯m afraid she¡¯ll go to extremes.¡± Qin Xue knew that a person could get hurt if they were too determined.

 Chapter 406

    Translator: 549690339

    Chu Molin looked tenderly at the person in his arms. Everyone has their own experiences to go through. As soldiers, they are always prepared to make sacrifices for their country, and their wives are always prepared to become widows.

    That¡¯s why many people are unwilling to marry soldiers. It¡¯s bad enough that they can¡¯t help around the house, but everything is left for the women to handle on their own. They also have to be prepared for the possibility of their husbands¡¯ demise. The loneliness and torture of such a life are truly not something that ordinary people can bear.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she won¡¯t, she still has little Jingtao,¡± Chu Molin looked at the child in his arms and said to his wife.

    ¡°Right, how could I forget? A mother can¡¯t bear to leave her child behind. She¡¯s already made it through the hardest times. And now that the child¡¯s father has returned.¡± Qin Xue looked up at Chu Molin and Xiao Jing.

    ¡°Jingtao, your dad is back. Your dad is a hero, do you know that?¡± Qin Xue spoke softly as she held Jingtao¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Yaya,¡± Jingtao waved his little hand and called out to Qing Xue.

    ¡°Little Jingtao misses his dad too, doesn¡¯t he? So, little Jingtao, you and Mommy have to wake Daddy up together, okay?¡± Qin Xue thought that not only being a soldier¡¯s wife is difficult, but also their children have a hard time as well.

    Just like Jingtao, who was thought to have lost his father even before he was born, and now he¡¯s eight months old, he hasn¡¯t even met his own dad.

    Now that his dad finally came back, he was injured and lying on a hospital bed, unable to hold his wife and child.

    ¡°Yaya,¡± Jingtao excitedly tried to leap towards Qin Xue.

    ¡°Be quiet,¡± Chu Molin scolded.

    Jingtao pursed his lips, and his teary eyes looked pitifully at Chu Molin. It was so adorable, but what were they supposed to do?

    ¡°Pfft, hahaha. Who taught you this, little rascal?¡± Qin Xue pinched Jingtao¡¯s cheek and laughed happily.

    ¡°Yaya,¡± Jingtao called out again when he saw Qin Xue teasing him and cast a glance at Chu Molin, filled with complaints.

    ¡°Ah, our little Jingtao is snitching now, huh? Come on, don¡¯t be mad, Auntie will give you a kiss and it¡¯ll be all better.¡± Qin Xue leaned in to kiss Jingtao¡¯s face.

    Chu Molin suddenly turned his body aside, causing Qin Xue to miss.

    ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± Qin Xue looked at the man. It was his fault that she didn¡¯t get to kiss Jingtao.

    ¡°You can only kiss me, not other men,¡± Chu Molin said coldly.

    ¡°Chu Molin, are you sick? He¡¯s just a child, not a man!¡± Qin Xue looked at the jealous man, speechless. It was terrifying.

    ¡°He¡¯s male,¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t care if he was a man or a boy, as long as he was male, it wasn¡¯t allowed.

    ¡°You¡¯re hopeless.¡± Fine, she wouldn¡¯t kiss him. Qin Xue felt helpless. She wondered if she¡¯d be allowed to kiss her own son if she had one in the future.

    ¡°Chu Molin, let me ask you something,¡± Qin Xue looked at Chu Molin with a mischievous smile.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Chu Molin looked at his wife¡¯s playful grin and felt a sudden apprehension. Nothing good could come out of this.

    ¡°If the child I¡¯m carrying is a boy, will I be allowed to kiss him?¡± Qin Xue, with a face full of smiles, waited for Chu Molin¡¯s answer.

    ¡°Uh,¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t expect Qin Xue to ask him this.

    ¡°Well, can I?¡± Qin Xue pressed.

    ¡°If I say you can¡¯t kiss him, would you really not do it?¡± Chu Molin asked after a moment of silence.

    ¡°What do you think?¡± Qin Xue really wanted to knock on this man¡¯s head to see what kind of structure lay inside, with such a big jealous streak.

    ¡°Then, can you kiss him occasionally and less often?¡± Chu Molin hesitated before asking.

    ¡°Hehe, you¡¯re really something. The child hasn¡¯t even been born yet, and you¡¯re already jealous. I¡¯m suddenly looking forward to having a baby boy.¡± Qin Xue looked at Chu Molin and said leisurely.

 Chapter 407

    Translator: 549690339

    When Chu Molin heard this, his heart tightened, worried that the baby might really be a boy. He wanted a daughter, someone he could spoil, not a son to share his wife¡¯s attention with.

    Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue with a bit of anguish. He just wanted his wife to be close to him, and the situation had turned into this.

    ¡°Stop it, you¡¯re a grown man, and that expression doesn¡¯t suit you. It¡¯s really damaging to your masculine pride.¡± Qin Xue spared him no mercy in her criticism.

    Upon hearing his little wife¡¯s words, Chu Molin withdrew his aggrieved expression and regained his aloof demeanor.

    ¡°Indeed, this kind of temperament suits you better ¨C cold and cool.¡± Qin Xue liked the unapproachable expression on his face.

    A hint of amusement flashed in Chu Molin¡¯s eyes, thinking his good looks might be the key factor here. Perhaps he could occasionally use his good looks to allure his little wife in the future.

    While Chu Molin and his wife were teasing each other here, Fang Xiu, who had spent only a few days with her husband in the ward, had been crying continuously. Eventually, she wiped her tears away and placed a hand on his face, caressing his brows and eyes.

    ¡°Jing Xin, I don¡¯t know what happened exactly. Since you didn¡¯t die and returned, let¡¯s have a good life from now on.

    You probably don¡¯t know that you have a son. I named him Jingtao, and he¡¯s a lovely and intelligent little fellow. He¡¯s very well-behaved, and he saves me a lot of trouble. Mr. Chu is holding him right now, so I¡¯ll bring him in to see what his father looks like.¡± Fang Xiu spoke gently to her husband.

    The door to the ward creaked open, and Fang Xiu appeared in front of Chu Molin and Qin Xue.

    ¡°Mr. Chu, please give Taotao to me. I¡¯ll bring him in to see his father.¡± Fang Xiu reached out to take her son.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Chu Molin handed Jingtao over to his mother.

    ¡°Thank you all.¡± Fang Xiu smiled in gratitude.

    ¡°Go inside, we¡¯ll wait out here,¡± Qin Xue said, patting her on the shoulder with a smile.

    Fang Xiu nodded and entered the hospital room with her child.

    ¡°Chu Molin, you were right,¡± Qin Xue said, looking on as Fang Xiu seemed to have calmed down. It seemed that after venting her feelings, she had chosen to live her life to the fullest.

    ¡°Let¡¯s sit over there and wait,¡± Chu Molin said, leading his little wife to a chair nearby.

    Qin Xue sat down on the chair, leaning her enlarged belly against Chu Molin as it was uncomfortable to sit due to its size.

    Seeing Qin Xue¡¯s discomfort, Chu Molin put his arm around her, holding her close.

    ¡°Chu Molin, don¡¯t you have to go to work?¡± Qin Xue suddenly remembered that Chu Molin had been accompanying her and hadn¡¯t gone to work.

    ¡°I took care of some things this morning, and the rest can be done slowly.¡± Chu Molin had handled his work early in the morning and then returned to accompany his wife to see Fang Xiu.

    ¡°So you went to the office in the morning. I thought you were training.¡± Qin Xue had no idea that the man went so early just to have time to accompany her.

    ¡°In a few days, I¡¯ll have to arrange some special training, so I won¡¯t have much time to accompany you.¡± Chu Molin wanted to get the special training set up as soon as possible so he could leave for military school sooner.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright. I can take care of myself,¡± Qin Xue said, knowing that military wives often had to endure loneliness.

    In her past life, Qin Xue had been accustomed to solitude, so she wouldn¡¯t be afraid of it this time around either.

    ¡°Mhm.¡± Chu Molin placed a hand on Qin Xue¡¯s belly and began communicating with the baby using Morse code again.

    Chu Molin thought that the baby might not actually understand what he was trying to express, but rather because the frequency of his tapping matched the baby¡¯s movements, the baby enjoyed interacting with him.

    This was a great parent-child interaction game. Qin Xue felt Chu Molin tapping her belly from time to time, and the baby moved along accordingly. She found the whole thing to be quite magical.

 Chapter 408

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue watched the interaction between Chu Molin and their child. She found it very miraculous, could this be what modern science calls prenatal education?

    Isn¡¯t it said that the fetus likes the touch of the mother the most, and hates the touch of the father? Why does their child like the touch of the father so much? Moreover, the child responds every time, making her, the mother, a bit jealous.

    It seemed that good-looking people have charm both in front of adults and children. Their unborn child was already showing a preference for the father.

    ¡°Chu Molin, why do you occasionally tap or touch like that?¡± Qin Xue felt that there must be some significance, definitely not just a simple touch or tap.

    ¡°This is a type of Morse code. I noticed the kids like it, so I use it to play with them.¡± Chu Molin answered without even lifting his head.

    ¡°What? You are using Morse code to communicate with them while they are still in the womb? Are you planning to train them to be like Edogawa Conan?¡± Qin Xue really didn¡¯t know what to say, does anyone parents like that? Won¡¯t the kids have a hard time after they are born?

    ¡°Edogawa Conan? Who is that?¡± Chu Molin lifted his head and asked Qin Xue.

    ¡°He¡¯s a detective, extremely talented in both deduction and case investigation. His best skill is Morse code.¡± Qin Xue enjoyed watching Detective Conan and Justice Bao in her previous life.

    ¡°Oh, then he must be quite capable.¡± Chu Molin heard a name he¡¯d never heard before and felt that it must be another one of his young wife¡¯s secrets.

    ¡°Yes, there¡¯s no case he can¡¯t crack, especially locked-room murder cases, he¡¯s really good at those.¡± Qin Xue thought Conan was really amazing, no wonder his ratings were so good. Even though the island country was detestable, they also had something worth learning from.

    Qin Xue and Chu Molin had a discussion about Morse code.

    In the ward, Fang Xiu placed Jingtao by the bed and said to him, ¡°Taotao, look, this is Daddy, your Daddy, do you understand?¡±

    ¡°Ah ah.¡± Jingtao understood some words, he just couldn¡¯t speak yet.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, call him Daddy.¡± Fang Xiu taught her son.

    After hearing this, Jingtao looked at his mom and then at Jing Xin who was on the bed, struggling to crawl towards Jing Xin.

    ¡°Taotao, you can¡¯t climb on Daddy, he¡¯s injured. If you touch Daddy¡¯s wound, it will hurt.¡± Fang Xiu hurriedly pulled her son back so he wouldn¡¯t climb on Jing Xin.

    ¡°Ah ah¡± Jingtao cried anxiously, he wanted to go over, he wanted to see his dad.

    ¡°Taotao, how about we wait until Daddy is better and then let Daddy hold you?¡± Fang Xiu picked up her son and tried to calm him.

    ¡°Jing Xin, see? Your son wants you to hold him, so you have to get better soon and hold him, do you understand?¡± Fang Xiu holding her son looked at her husband.

    Meanwhile, Jing Xin was struggling mightily to wake up. At first he felt very tired and just wanted to sleep. But then he heard someone crying and talking next to his ear.

    He recognized the voice as his wife¡¯s, it was his wife crying. He felt very anxious, who had made his wife cry? Had she been bullied?

    Jing Xin wanted to wake up and hold her. To tell her that he was there. But no matter how much he struggled, he couldn¡¯t wake up from the darkness.

    After the struggle, suddenly it went quiet. Jing Xin waited for a while, but there were no more sounds.

    He was very anxious, had his wife left? He hadn¡¯t seen his wife for a long time, how was she doing?

    Jing Xin didn¡¯t hear Fang Xiu say she was going to bring their son over when he was struggling just now.

    So within the onslaught of darkness, Jing Xin fell back asleep.

    Naturally, Jing Xin, who had fallen into a coma, didn¡¯t know that his wife had brought their son to see him.

 Chapter 409

    Translator: 549690339

    In Qin family village, Qin Chaoyang went to his father-in-law¡¯s house to pick up his daughter Qin Qiu.

    After Qin Lei cooked the meal, he invited his parents, brother, sister-in-law, and niece to come to his house for dinner.

    ¡°Big brother, sister-in-law, Xiao Qiu, eat fish.¡± Qin Lei invited his brother, sister-in-law, and niece to eat fish while putting a piece of fish with few bones in each of his parents¡¯ bowls.

    ¡°Xiao Qiu, it¡¯s better not to have that kind of man. Don¡¯t be sad.¡± Mrs. Qin comforted her granddaughter by giving her a piece of fish with her chopsticks as she saw her looking gloomy.

    ¡°Grandma.¡± Hearing her grandmother¡¯s words, Qin Qiu¡¯s tears immediately started to fall.

    ¡°Xiao Qiu, don¡¯t cry. We don¡¯t need such a thing. We will find a good one for you in the future, so let him regret it.¡± Mrs. Qin was getting a bit anxious and upset.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Xiao Qiu, if you like soldiers, we can ask Qin Xue to find you a soldier in the army. Our Xiao Qiu is such a good girl that there¡¯s no need for her to be with that kind of irresponsible man.¡± Qin Lei felt sad in his heart, thinking that his nice niece had met such a worthless person. How could anyone not be upset about this?

    ¡°Uncle, I know, but I¡¯m just sad. How could he do this?¡± Qin Qiu was truly heartbroken. They were about to get married, and now things had turned out like this. If word got out, what would she do in the future? Who would dare to propose marriage to her?

    ¡°Qiu, it¡¯s all our fault. We didn¡¯t make proper inquiries before agreeing to your engagement.¡± Qin Chaoyang said to his daughter, despondent.

    ¡°Dad, what are you talking about? How can you blame yourself?¡± When Qin Qiu heard her father¡¯s words, she dared not continue to feel heartbroken. Her parents had worked so hard and sacrificed so much for her and her sibling. Besides, her father would never want this to happen. How could she blame him?

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not talk about it anymore. Let¡¯s eat first.¡± Grandpa Qin spoke up.

    ¡°Okay, dad, grandpa.¡± Qin Lei and the others responded in unison.

    When Qin Yu and his mother Nangong Shulan arrived home, it was almost dark.

    ¡°Dad, we¡¯re back.¡± Qin Yu shouted into the house as soon as he entered.

    Qin Lei, who was inside, heard the shout and came out to see his wife and son.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you let us know in advance when you came back?¡± Qin Lei hurried over to take the luggage from his wife, asking with some reproach.

    ¡°We made a last-minute decision to come back, and there wasn¡¯t enough time, so we didn¡¯t tell you.¡± Nangong Shulan handed the luggage to her husband.

    ¡°You should have said something anyway. If something happened, it would have made everyone worry.¡± Qin Lei talked to his wife as he put down the luggage.

    ¡°Uh, where¡¯s Qin Xue? Didn¡¯t you say she was coming back with you? Why don¡¯t I see her?¡± Qin Lei looked behind his wife and son but didn¡¯t see his daughter¡¯s figure.

    ¡°Qin Xue had something come up, so she¡¯s not coming back with us for now.¡± Nangong Shulan sat down in a chair, tapping her leg. The car ride had been quite tiring.

    ¡°Did something happen to Qin Xue?¡± Qin Lei asked anxiously.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal; she might just have a premature birth. I was worried about it, so I asked Xiao Yu to bring me back.

    I will let Jiale and Xiao Yu accompany Qin Xue after I come back, and when Qin Xue gives birth, I will go back to serve her confinement period.¡± Nangong Shulan told her husband the result of their discussion.

    ¡°That works, but why might Qin Xue have a premature birth?¡± Qin Lei asked in confusion.

    ¡°Qin Xue is carrying twins.¡± Nangong Shulan looked at her husband and said slowly.

    ¡°Alright, I understand.¡± Qin Lei knew when Nangong Shulan mentioned twins, as she had also given birth prematurely, but only by a short time.

    ¡°You guys haven¡¯t eaten yet, right? I¡¯ll cook some noodles for you.¡± Qin Lei asked his wife after he put away the luggage.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m quite hungry.¡± Although Qin Xue had packed them a lot of food, Nangong Shulan hadn¡¯t eaten much on the train.

 Chapter 410

    Translator: 549690339

    After settling the luggage, Qin Yu went straight to the kitchen. He knew his mother hadn¡¯t eaten anything on the train, so he went to the kitchen as soon as he put down his belongings.

    ¡°Xiao Yu, you go and sit down to rest, Dad will cook.¡± Qin Lei entered the kitchen and saw his son boiling water. Without asking, he knew his son was preparing to cook noodles.

    ¡°Dad, I can handle it, you go and unpack. There are clothes for grandparents that sister provided in the luggage. There are also clothes for you and little sister in another bag.¡± Qin Yu didn¡¯t let his father help, instead asking him to unpack what they had brought back.

    ¡°Why did she spend money on clothes again? We all have clothes to wear.¡± Qin Lei was concerned about their spending habits.

    ¡°Sister had them made, she has partnered with someone to open a clothing store.¡± Qin Yu knew his father was reluctant and afraid of reckless spending, so he told him that his sister was in the clothing business.

    ¡°Well done, Qin Xue has really made something of herself.¡± Upon hearing this, Qin Lei laughed so hard all the wrinkles on his face bunched up.

    ¡°Yes, my sister is very amazing.¡± Qin Yu knew his sister was far more capable now than before, and he preferred this stronger version of his sister.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go check out the clothes then.¡± When he heard his daughter was making progress, Qin Lei was so happy that he dropped the idea of contending with his son to cook the noodles.

    His daughter was filial and this comforted his heart. Moreover, she had also brought clothes for her parents. This made him happy, and he felt that his efforts to raise their daughter were not in vain.

    Qin Yu watched his cheerful father leaving, shook his head in amusement, and continued to boil the water to cook noodles.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on? You seem very happy.¡± Nangong Shulan noticed her husband entering with a smile on his face.

    ¡°Xiao Yu said that Qin Xue brought clothes for the whole family. I was happy to hear that.¡± Qin Lei was grinning as he told his wife.

    ¡°Yes, Qin Xue has become much more considerate and thoughtful now.¡± Nangong Shulan truly felt that it was only after getting married and becoming a mother herself that she realized how tough it was for parents.

    ¡°This way, you won¡¯t have to worry so much in the future.¡± Qin Lei cheerfully told his wife.

    ¡°You speak as if you are not worried.¡± Nangong Shulan jokingly glared at her husband, wondering who it was that always grumbled about how their daughter and son-in-law were doing and if they were getting along well. How dare he accuse her?

    ¡°Hehe.¡± Qin Lei chuckled, feeling a bit awkward as his wife pricked the bubble of his secret worries.

    ¡°Alright, stop grinning foolishly and go check out the clothes our daughter brought for you.¡± Nangong Shulan said helplessly, looking at her husband¡¯s silly expression.

    ¡°Alright, I am off to look at the clothes my darling daughter brought for her dear father.¡± Qin Lei promptly walked into the room.

    Earlier, when Qin Yu unpacked the luggage, he had placed it directly into their room.

    Upon seeing the clothes, Qin Lei was stunned.

    ¡°My goodness! I¡¯ve never seen such beautiful clothes in my life. These must be worth quite a bit of money.¡± Qin Lei appreciated his daughter¡¯s filial heart, but he also fretted about the money spent on the clothes.

    ¡°Shulan.¡± Qin Lei called from inside the room to his wife sitting in the living room.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Nangong Shulan asked after hearing her husband¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Could you come here for a minute?¡± Qin Lei didn¡¯t quite know what to say.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Nangong Shulan didn¡¯t understand why her husband needed her just to look at some clothes.

    ¡°Why did Qin Xue buy such fine clothes? This must have cost a lot, right?¡± Qin Lei asked his wife anxiously.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Qin Xue only bought the fabric, the clothes were made by someone else. So, it didn¡¯t cost much.¡± Nangong Shulan immediately knew what her husband was thinking.

    ¡°But we work at home, wearing such nice clothes would be a pity if they get dirty. Why didn¡¯t you stop her?¡± Qin Lei felt that these clothes were not suitable for them, who worked in the field.

    The quality of the fabric was good, and the style was also very beautiful. They were clearly not for farmers like them, but more suited for those having office jobs.

 Chapter 411

    Translator: 549690339

    Nangong Shulan looked at her husband and said word by word, ¡°When I came back, our daughter said that if you don¡¯t like to wear it, you can give it to someone else.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Qin Lei hurriedly folded the clothes and put them in the closet. He couldn¡¯t possibly give the clothes his daughter had given him to someone else.

    ¡°I won¡¯t give them away. Even if I don¡¯t wear them, I won¡¯t give them to others. If they want clothes, they should ask their own daughters,¡± Qin Lei said as he protectively guarded the closet.

    ¡°Hehe, then just wear them yourself. After all, your daughter said she will send you clothes from time to time. We¡¯ll see whether you wear them or not,¡± Nangong Shulan said to Qin Lei leisurely.

    ¡°Did my daughter really say that?¡± Qin Lei asked his wife, but deep down, he felt so happy.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what your daughter said. How do you feel? Happy beyond words, aren¡¯t you?¡± Nangong Shulan saw the smile on her husband¡¯s face and didn¡¯t burst his bubble.

    ¡°Of course I¡¯m happy! Whose daughter is better than ours? Let those who used to gossip about our family be envious and jealous!¡± Qin Lei proudly walked over and took his wife¡¯s hand, leading her out of the room.

    ¡°Dad, Mom, the noodles are ready. What were you talking about? You both seem so happy,¡± Qin Yu carried in two bowls of noodles and saw his parents¡¯ happy faces, then asked with a light smile.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing but your dad getting excited knowing that your sister will send him clothes frequently in the future,¡± Nangong Shulan teased her husband and spilled the beans.

    ¡°That is indeed something worth being happy about. It¡¯s because you two are so frugal and unwilling to spend money that my sister thinks of sending clothes back to you from time to time,¡± Qin Yu said, feeling proud whenever he mentioned his sister.

    No one in the entire village had the capabilities that his sister possessed.

    Not only did she marry well, but she also had the ability to help her family while always thinking of her parents. Qin Yu thought his sister¡¯s approach was great.

    After all, by lending them a hand, they could live their lives based on that assistance, but if they solely relied on his sister for financial support, it would breed laziness, which would be bad in the long run.

    Thinking of the words his sister said to him before she left, Qin Yu felt very excited.

    His sister had told him, ¡°Xiao Yu, I¡¯ve talked to mom, and we¡¯ve discussed it. As long as it¡¯s not illegal, you can go ahead and do whatever you want in the future. Mom and Dad won¡¯t interfere with your decisions, and I will support you.¡±

    At that moment, Qin Yu was deeply moved, knowing that it must have been his sister who had fought for this opportunity for him.

    After he brought his little sister to his elder sister¡¯s place this time, he wanted to try doing business. He wanted his family to enjoy better lives and protect his sister from being bullied by her in-laws in the future.

    ¡°Dad, this bowl is yours,¡± After placing a bowl of noodles in front of his mother, Qin Yu put another bowl in front of his father.

    ¡°Xiao Yu, I have already eaten. You enjoy the meal,¡± Qin Lei had also eaten noodles.

    ¡°Dad, you should eat a little less then. I cooked a lot, and they will stick together if not eaten,¡± Qin Yu had cooked enough for three people.

    ¡°Alright then, bring your bowl over, and I¡¯ll take some for you,¡± Qin Lei thought, as the noodles could not go to waste; he would eat some more.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Qin Yu went to the kitchen to get the noodles.

    ¡°These two kids are so filial,¡± Qin Lei muttered to himself.

    ¡°What are you mumbling about? Eat quickly or the noodles will stick together,¡± Nangong Shulan looked at her husband¡¯s foolish appearance, wanting to slap him to see if it would bring him back to normal.

    ¡°I¡¯m waiting for Xiao Yu. I¡¯ve already eaten, and I can¡¯t eat that much more. I¡¯ll give some to him,¡± Qin Lei smiled at his wife.

    His honest, handsome face, although filled with wrinkles and traces of time, revealed how handsome he must have been when he was younger.

    ¡°Why did you eat so early today?¡± Nangong Shulan knew they didn¡¯t usually eat dinner this early, so why did they eat so early today?

    After taking a bite of noodles, Nangong Shulan looked up and asked her husband.

 Chapter 412

    Translator: 549690339

    After hearing his wife¡¯s question, Qin Lei thought for a moment before he began to recount the recent events.

    ¡°Big brother and sister-in-law are back,¡± Qin Lei said after some hesitation.

    ¡°Why did they come back so suddenly?¡± Nangong Shulan paused her noodle-eating and looked at her husband.

    ¡°I heard that Xiao Qiu¡¯s boyfriend was messing around with someone else, and Xiao Yun saw it, then broke his leg. The Lis reported it to the police, who arrested Xiao Yun.

    Now, the Lis are demanding US$ 500 to release Xiao Yun. Big brother and sister-in-law couldn¡¯t raise the money, and they were afraid that the Lis would do something to Xiao Qiu, so they came back,¡± Qin Lei explained everything to his wife.

    ¡°How can such despicable people exist, who do wrong themselves yet dare to demand money from others?¡± Nangong Shulan was quite angry after hearing this.

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s just that Xiao Yun was too impulsive. Why didn¡¯t he think of a better way to handle it?¡± Although Qin Lei didn¡¯t think that it was wrong for Qin Yun to beat people, he should have done it secretly by putting a hood over their heads so they wouldn¡¯t easily catch on.

    Because such irresponsible men like that deserved to be severely beaten with a hood on, to teach them what they should and shouldn¡¯t do.

    ¡°Dad, I think Brother Yun did the right thing.¡± Qin Yu, who had just come in with a bowl of noodles, heard his parents talking.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s wrong for Xiao Yun to fight back, but he shouldn¡¯t have let himself get caught. Now that he¡¯s been arrested, what do you suggest we do?¡± Qin Lei looked at his son and asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go talk to their family tomorrow and ask them to release Brother Yun.¡± Qin Yu, who had trained for one month in the army, had undergone significant changes in temperament and aura.

    ¡°How do you plan to make them release him?¡± Qin Lei asked his son.

    ¡°Dad, don¡¯t worry about it. I have my ways. I will make them understand that the Qin family is not to be messed with,¡± Qin Yu said coldly.

    Qin Lei was surprised by his son¡¯s changed demeanor, wondering how he could have changed so much in just a month. However, he didn¡¯t say anything, as his son¡¯s transformation was for the better.

    ¡°Alright, alright, let¡¯s eat our noodles before they become mushy,¡± Nangong Shulan called out to the father and son duo.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s eat.¡± Hearing his wife, Qin Lei and his family of three quietly ate their dinner.

    ¡°Mom and Dad, I¡¯m going to visit uncle¡¯s house for a while.¡± Qin Yu wanted to go and learn more about the situation.

    ¡°Let¡¯s all go together.¡± Nangong Shulan had a good relationship with Lin Cuiping and felt that she should go and see how they were doing now that such an incident had occurred.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go together.¡± Qin Yu had no objections, and neither did Qin Lei.

    The family of three picked up their flashlights and headed to Qin Chaoyang¡¯s house.

    Inside Qin Chaoyang¡¯s house, the family was discussing their plans.

    ¡°Dad, how about I go and see Li Kun tomorrow?¡± Qin Qiu felt terrible seeing her family worrying about her problems.

    ¡°What are you going to see him for? You¡¯re not allowed to ever see someone like that again,¡± Qin Chaoyang fumed, wondering how he had ever agreed to this marriage in the first place.

    ¡°But Dad, where are we going to get US$ 500 for the Lis if I don¡¯t go? What about Xiao Yun?¡± Qin Qiu was worried for her brother who was still being held at the police station.

    ¡°We¡¯ll find a way somehow, but you¡¯re absolutely forbidden to see him.¡± Qin Chaoyang knew his daughter still had feelings for Li Kun, but he couldn¡¯t allow her to marry someone like that, or else it would ruin her life.

    ¡°Dad¡­¡± Qin Qiu wanted to see Li Kun in hopes that his family would release her brother and to see if he could change his ways. After all, they had spent quite some time together and had developed strong feelings for each other.

    But how could she go against her father¡¯s firm resolve?

    Qin Chaoyang looked at his daughter, feeling somewhat disappointed in her.

    There was a knock on the door from the outside. ¡°Knock, knock¡±.

 Chapter 413

    Translator: 549690339

    Lin Cuiping heard someone knocking on the door and stood up to open it.

    ¡°Little Uncle, Shulan, Xiao Yu, how come you¡¯re here? Come in and sit down.¡± Lin Cuiping looked at her brother-in-law¡¯s family in surprise.

    Weren¡¯t they supposed to have gone to the army with their mother and son? Why would they be at their house?

    ¡°Sister-in-law, Xiao Yu and I just got back from visiting Qin Xue. We heard from Thunder that you all are back, so we came to see you.¡± Nangong Shulan saw Lin Cuiping¡¯s confusion and explained with a smile why they were here.

    ¡°So that¡¯s what happened. I was wondering why I didn¡¯t see you during lunch, and now you¡¯re here. Come in and sit down.¡± Lin Cuiping laughed and invited her brother-in-law¡¯s family in.

    ¡°Thank you, Sister-in-law.¡± Nangong Shulan thanked her with a smile.

    ¡°Thank you, Auntie.¡± Qin Yu also thanked her with a smile.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, and Xiao Yu is getting more and more handsome.¡± Lin Cuiping looked at her nephew and said with a grin.

    ¡°Auntie, you¡¯re too kind.¡± Qin Yu blushed a bit because of the compliment.

    It wasn¡¯t that he wasn¡¯t handsome, but it was still a little embarrassing to be praised like this.

    ¡°Mom, Dad, Brother, Xiao Qiu.¡± Nangong Shulan and Qin Lei exchanged greetings with their family.

    ¡°Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle, Auntie Qiu.¡± After his parents greeted the family, Qin Yu joined in.

    ¡°You¡¯re back, how¡¯s Qin Xue?¡± Mrs. Qin asked when she saw her daughter-in-law and son return.

    ¡°We¡¯re back, Qin Xue is expecting twins. Her due date is approaching, and we were afraid of any accidents, so she didn¡¯t come back with us.¡± Nangong Shulan answered her mother-in-law¡¯s question.

    ¡°Oh, twins! That¡¯s great, we¡¯re going to have two great-grandchildren at once.¡± Mrs. Qin laughed, her eyes crinkled with joy.

    ¡°Finally, something to be happy about.¡± Mr. Qin was also delighted to hear the news.

    ¡°Qiu, I wanted to ask about Yun¡¯s situation.¡± Qin Yu looked at his cousin and asked.

    ¡°Xiao Yun, he¡¯s just¡­¡± After listening, Qin Qiu explained everything to Qin Yu.

    ¡°Qiu, I¡¯ll go to Li¡¯s family tomorrow.¡± Qin Yu wanted to break Li Kun¡¯s other leg.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Qin Qiu quickly agreed when she heard Qin Yu¡¯s words.

    ¡°Great, you can make arrangements to meet him. I¡¯ll take care of the talking.¡± Qin Yu was worried about how to get Li Kun to meet up, so it was perfect that Qin Qiu wanted to go with him.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Qin Qiu nodded excitedly at the prospect of confronting Li Kun.

    ¡°Xiao Yu, this¡­¡± Qin Chaoyang looked at his nephew.

    ¡°Uncle, it¡¯s all right. Just let Qiu and me handle this. I promise we can bring Yun back.¡± Qin Yu was not a kind person.

    His principle was not to mess with others unless they messed with him, and if they did, he¡¯d make sure they paid.

    Otherwise, the person who plotted against Qin Xue would not have met such an end last time.

    ¡°All right, be careful. The Lis are not reasonable people.¡± Qin Chaoyang truly regretted involving his family with them, but luckily, they discovered their true nature early and avoided irreparable consequences.

    ¡°You two are back. What about Qin Xue?¡± Mrs. Qin asked her daughter-in-law once they settled everything.

    Nangong Shulan told her mother-in-law about their pre-arranged plans.

    ¡°That arrangement is fine. Otherwise, with Qin Xue by herself, Molin going on missions, he wouldn¡¯t be at ease.¡± Mrs. Qin nodded in agreement.

    ¡°Yes, Molin is also worried about Qin Xue like that.¡± Nangong Shulan did not ask about her son-in-law¡¯s family.

    The Qin family also did not seem to consider that aspect, focusing instead on giving their daughter happiness with their own efforts.

    ¡°Well then, Jiale will be back tomorrow. When you go out, come by my place, as I¡¯ve made a few sets of clothes for the baby.¡± Mrs. Qin had been making clothes since she learned her granddaughter was pregnant.

    She made several sets already, and luckily, she made enough. Otherwise, with two babies, it would be awkward if there were no clothes for them to wear.

    ¡°Mom, speaking of clothes, Qin Xue brought some for you and Dad too.¡± Nangong Shulan handed the parcel to her mother-in-law.

 Chapter 414

    Translator: 549690339

    Upon hearing this, Mrs. Qin felt very comforted, thinking that her granddaughter had finally grown up.

    ¡°Why did they bring us clothes? This must have cost quite a bit of money, right?¡± Mrs. Qin opened the package and was shocked. The quality of the clothes was excellent, and they looked stylish, undoubtedly very expensive.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Qin Xue said she would make even prettier clothes for you two in the future,¡± Nangong Shulan smiled and told her mother-in-law.

    ¡°What a silly child, spending so much money. We are old and don¡¯t need such fancy clothes,¡± Mrs. Qin said with a smile, her wrinkled face beaming with delight, looking very festive.

    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s our fault for not being able to provide a better life for you two,¡± Qin Lei and Qin Chaoyang said in unison.

    The two brothers exchanged glances, feeling genuinely ashamed of themselves.

    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? As long as our family is safe and healthy, nothing else matters,¡± Mrs. Qin scolded her sons after hearing their words.

    ¡°Mom, originally, Qin Xue wanted us all to move to S Province. She said she would find work for us, but since Big Brother and sister-in-law weren¡¯t home, I refused her offer.

    Now that this has happened to Big Brother¡¯s family, why don¡¯t we let Xiao Qiu and Xiao Yun go with her? We can ask Qin Xue to help them find a job when they get there,¡± Nangong Shulan suggested after some thought.

    ¡°Is that really a good idea?¡± Lin Cuiping, though happy that her sisters-in-law hadn¡¯t forgotten about them, was worried about causing trouble for Qin Xue.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Qin Xue can handle it,¡± Nangong Shulan knew her daughter¡¯s capabilities.

    ¡°I¡¯m just worried about causing trouble for Qin Xue,¡± Lin Cuiping pondered, as going there might give her children a different future.

    ¡°No worries, I¡¯ll give them some money to take with them. If there¡¯s no room at Qin Xue¡¯s place, they can just rent a place,¡± Nangong Shulan said generously.

    Since she joined the Qins, everyone treated her well, so she didn¡¯t hesitate to be good to them in return.

    ¡°Alright, once Xiao Yun¡¯s matter is settled, we¡¯ll let the two siblings go together,¡± Qin Chaoyang made the final decision.

    Mr. and Mrs. Qin exchanged glances, their eyes full of laughter. As they got older, what they wanted most was for their family to be harmonious and loving.

    After the two families settled on the decision, Qin Lei¡¯s family bid farewell and went home.

    ¡°Mom, should we inform Big Sister first, so she and brother-in-law can be prepared?¡± Qin Yu hadn¡¯t expected his mother to arrange two more people to go all at once.

    ¡°When you go to town tomorrow to pick up your little sister, send your sister a telegram,¡± Qin Lei agreed that it would be better to inform his daughter first.

    ¡°Alright, I got it,¡± Qin Yu responded readily.

    Upon returning home, the family boiled water, washed up, and went to bed, awaiting the arrival of the next day.

    Qin Xue and Chu Molin had been waiting outside the hospital room for Fang Xiu. Since they hadn¡¯t rested well the night before, Qin Xue fell asleep, leaning against Chu Molin.

    Feeling something amiss, Chu Molin looked down and realized that his little wife had already drifted off to sleep.

    He moved Qin Xue so she could lean against his chest, which was more comfortable than leaning on his side.

    Fang Xiu held her son and husband for a while, talking quite a bit.

    When she thought enough time had passed, Fang Xiu came out with her son, only to find that Qin Xue was asleep. Feeling a bit guilty, she figured that she had stayed too long.

    ¡°Mr. Chu, should I wake up Qin Xue?¡± Fang Xiu was unsure if she should disturb her.

    ¡°No need, let her sleep. Are you okay? I¡¯ll take you home,¡± Chu Molin asked Fang Xiu.

    ¡°Mr. Chu, can I stay here with Jing Xin?¡± Fang Xiu asked hesitantly.

    ¡°Yes, I brought you here to help him wake up,¡± Chu Molin agreed without objection.

 Chapter 415

    Translator: 549690339

    ¡°You can stay to take care of Jing Xin, but what about Jingtao?¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t object to Fang Xiu staying, but Jingtao was too young. She was taking care of such a small child alone while also caring for a patient, could she handle it?

    And the child was so young, with a weak resistance. After all, there were a lot of germs in the hospital, which wasn¡¯t good for the child¡¯s health.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what else to do, I can only bring him with me.¡± Fang Xiu could only resort to this method.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you plan to go back to the Jing family?¡± Chu Molin looked at Jingtao but asked Fang Xiu.

    ¡°No, the moment I was kicked out of the Jing family, I became Fang Xiu and was no longer a daughter-in-law of the Jing family.

    It was only after being kicked out that I found out I was pregnant. The Jings don¡¯t even know about this grandson¡¯s existence.

    So, my son and I will never go back to the Jing family in this lifetime. Now Jing Xin is lying there, and as his wife, I should take care of him. After he recovers, if he wants to go back, I won¡¯t make things difficult for him.¡± Fang Xiu thought very clearly, even if she had to beg for a living in her life, she would not go back to the Jing family with her child.

    She gave birth to this child and let him have Jing¡¯s last name so that Jing Xin could have a root. It had nothing to do with the Jing family.

    ¡°As long as you have thought it through, I will have Da Bao take care of Jing Xin first. You should go back and figure out what to do, and see how to arrange things for the child.¡± Chu Molin had already returned to the team, and Qin Xue had such a big belly. Taking care of Jingtao was impossible.

    ¡°Alright, thank you, Mr. Chu.¡± Fang Xiu thought Chu Molin¡¯s words made sense.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Chu Molin easily picked up Qin Xue, and Fang Xiu held the child and followed behind Chu Molin.

    As Chu Molin opened the car door and prepared to put Qin Xue in the back seat, Qin Xue woke up.

    ¡°Hmm, Chu Molin, has Fang Xiu come out yet?¡± Qin Xue asked Chu Molin somewhat groggily.

    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s out. I¡¯m about to take them home.¡± Chu Molin put Qin Xue on the seat.

    Only then did Qin Xue notice that they were already out of the hospital.

    ¡°Fang Xiu, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Qin Xue looked at the silent Fang Xiu and asked.

    ¡°Nothing, just thinking about some things.¡± Fang Xiu smiled at Qin Xue.

    ¡°Ya ya¡± Little Jingtao was more enthusiastic. Seeing Qin Xue wake up, he started to shout.

    ¡°Oh, our little Jingtao is so enthusiastic, do you miss your auntie?¡± Qin Xue teased Jingtao sitting beside her.

    ¡°Yiyi¡± Jingtao tried hard to pounce into Qin Xue¡¯s arms, his mouth kept shouting.

    ¡°Wow, can little Jingtao call me auntie now? Can you say it again for me to hear?¡± Qin Xue happily teased him after she heard Jingtao¡¯s words.

    ¡°Ya ya¡± Jingtao looked at Qin Xue with a slight grievance. He tried so hard to get to his auntie, so why didn¡¯t she hold him?

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, is it wrong to ask you to call me auntie?¡± Qin Xue looked at adorable Jingtao and said.

    Jingtao pouted. Auntie was a fool; he wanted to be held.

    Unfortunately, Qin Xue couldn¡¯t understand what he meant, so she didn¡¯t reach out to hold him.

    On the other hand, Chu Molin, who was driving, could see Jingtao¡¯s expression through the rearview mirror and guessed what he was thinking.

    However, he wouldn¡¯t remind his little wife. When Jingtao got excited, he exerted a lot of strength. Anything that might hurt Qin Xue and the baby in her belly, Chu Molin wouldn¡¯t let it happen. He had to stop it before it happened.

    Qin Xue stared at Jingtao with wide eyes, and Fang Xiu saw it and laughed.

    Fang Xiu couldn¡¯t help but burst out laughing.

    ¡°Qin Xue, do you have to be so funny?¡± Fang Xiu must have known what her son wanted to do, but Qin Xue didn¡¯t understand.

    Fang Xiu thought just like Chu Molin; she didn¡¯t dare let her son go over either.

 Chapter 416

    Translator: 549690339

    Xiao Qi returned to the company to make all the arrangements, and then began his journey back to the Imperial Capital.

    Sitting in the sleeper car, Xiao Qi gazed out the window at the passing scenery, lost in thought.

    From time to time, a beautiful figure would flash across his mind, making him feel agitated.

    Unconsciously, his hand reached into his pocket and touched the painting. The image in his mind became clearer, reflecting her calm and indifferent face. No flirtation, no pretense ¨C everything was just so natural. Perhaps that was what attracted him.

    Xiao Qi¡¯s eyes swept over a figure, and with a start, he stood up and followed her.

    ¡°Yingying.¡± Xiao Qi called out before his mind could catch up.

    ¡°Sir, do you need anything?¡± Gu Beilin turned her head and looked at the handsome man, but unfortunately, he was not as handsome as the man she had seen before.

    ¡°Ah, sorry, I mistaken you for someone else.¡± Xiao Qi, disappointed, left a sentence and turned away.

    ¡°Is there something wrong with this guy?¡± Gu Beilin muttered.

    ¡°Linlin, what are you doing? Why are you still not coming over?¡± Gu Beihan looked at his sister, who was standing there dumbfounded.

    ¡°Brother, I¡¯m coming right away.¡± Gu Beilin obediently replied, for she was afraid of no one but this brother.

    ¡°Hurry up.¡± Gu Beihan looked somewhat helplessly at his sister.

    For some reason, he couldn¡¯t feel close to this sister, always feeling as if something was missing.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m coming.¡± Gu Beilin dared not waste any more time and hurriedly followed her brother¡¯s footsteps.

    Xiao Qi returned to his seat, feeling agitated as he ran his fingers through his hair.

    The girl¡¯s silhouette just now really resembled that heartless woman.

    And the woman Xiao Qi was thinking of was also on this train.

    ¡°Cloud, does Daddy have any arrangements for us going back this time?¡± Chu Beiying looked at the scenery flying by outside the window and asked the Cloud beside her.

    ¡°Miss, we have not received any other orders.¡± Cloud answered her mistress¡¯s question coldly.

    ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Chu Beiying nodded.

    ¡°Miss, here is your lunch.¡± Thunder and Rain brought the food over.

    ¡°Put it there.¡± Chu Beiying walked over and sat down at the dining table.

    ¡°You all sit down and eat too.¡± Chu Beiying wasn¡¯t used to having people watch her while she ate.

    ¡°Thank you, Miss.¡± Wind, Cloud, Thunder, and Rain thanked her in unison.

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome, have your meal.¡± Chu Beiying took the lead in picking up her chopsticks and started eating.

    Wind, Cloud, Thunder, and Rain didn¡¯t hold back and sat at the other side of the table to start eating.

    They were in first-class seats with no other people around.

    Chu Beiying didn¡¯t know what she would face when she went back this time. But she had no other choice. Since she had taken over someone else¡¯s body, she had to face all the unknowns that lay ahead.

    Wind looked at Chu Beiying, hesitating to speak, but in the end, he didn¡¯t say anything.

    In fact, the silhouette Xiao Qi saw earlier was that of Chu Beiying. Just by a twist of fate, Gu Beilin and Gu Beihan had arrived at that moment. So, the two missed the opportunity to see each other.

    Xiao Qi kept staring out the window, trying hard to think about how to avoid the blind date arranged by his family once he returned.

    Even the youngest An Hao was getting married ¨C could his parents let him off the hook? That was impossible.

    So, Xiao Qi had to come up with a strategy beforehand to avoid falling into his family¡¯s arrangement.

    In the past, he could cope with his family¡¯s arrangement when he had no ideas of his own. But now, his heart belonged somewhere else, and he didn¡¯t want to compromise.

    He wanted to find the woman who had disturbed his inner peace, no matter what, he wanted to give it a try.

    Even if he were unsuccessful in the end, it would only mean they were not meant to be, and he would not have any regrets.

    Xiao Qi wondered why everything had changed overnight. But before, he had known that the woman was not an ordinary person, hadn¡¯t he?

 Chapter 417

    Translator: 549690339

    Chu Molin and Qin Xue took Fang Xiu back to the city, and the couple returned to the institute.

    Qin Xue had taken a nap at the hospital and now she was much more energetic, at least not falling asleep anymore.

    ¡°Chu Molin, do you think Fang Xiu can handle taking care of Jing Xin with Jingtao? Why don¡¯t you send someone else to help her out?

    As long as Fang Xiu spends some time with Jing Xin every day and chats with him, she doesn¡¯t need to be with him all day long.¡± Qin Xue knows that taking care of patients can be very tiring.

    ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s a good idea.¡± Chu Molin also knows that a woman taking care of such a small child can be very hard, and in the future, his wife will have to take care of two, which will be even harder.

    Thinking of this, Chu Molin reached out a hand to hold Qin Xue¡¯s hand.

    ¡°What are you doing? Drive carefully! Don¡¯t you know that safety comes first?¡± Qin Xue really wanted to slap him, because he was driving and still moving around.

    ¡°I¡¯m paying attention to the road.¡± Chu Molin wasn¡¯t a clueless person, so how could he not know about the dangers?

    ¡°Chu Molin, once Xiao Yu comes, I want him to learn business during the day and attend night school in the evening, then go to college. Otherwise, his limited education will be a disadvantage in the future. What do you think?¡± Although Qin Xue could make her own decisions, they were a married couple, and it¡¯s better to discuss things together.

    ¡°That¡¯s a great idea! I heard that Xiao Yu used to have excellent grades, but I¡¯m not sure why he dropped out.¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t ask for details, but it seemed like it was for his sister to be able to go to school or something like that.

    ¡°Really? That¡¯s great! Chu Molin, thank you.¡± Qin Xue was genuinely happy to have someone who understood her.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, I also have something to tell you. After this special training, I have to go to the Imperial Capital for a research institute.¡± Chu Molin tentatively brought up the matter of his military school quota.

    ¡°That¡¯s great! This way, you¡¯ll have a better future.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t see anything wrong with it, and in fact, it was a good thing.

    ¡°You really think so?¡± Chu Molin was surprised. Didn¡¯t she find it unexpected at all?

    ¡°Of course! You don¡¯t know how important education is in the future; without a good education, you can¡¯t find a decent job.

    Besides, college graduates will be everywhere in the future, and some of them might not even have jobs. When you face such a situation, you won¡¯t feel like it¡¯s a big deal.

    So, if you have the opportunity now, you must seize it. Because now, having a diploma is a guarantee of a job, but in the future, it will be just like everyone else.¡± Qin Xue smoothly mentioned the future situation, unaware of her own words.

    The more Chu Molin listened, the more puzzled he became. How did Qin Xue know all this? Or was she really from the future? But was that even possible? Chu Molin really wanted to ask Qin Xue, but he was afraid of scaring her, so he kept silent in the end.

    All the way, Qin Xue talked about the benefits of education.

    It wasn¡¯t until she got tired that she stopped, only to discover a bottle of water in front of her. Looking up, she saw Chu Molin smiling at her.

    Embarrassed, Qin Xue wondered what she had said. After carefully recalling her words, her face suddenly went pale.

    She had said everything she shouldn¡¯t have, which was equivalent to admitting directly that she was not the original Qin Xue. A village girl who had never left the village couldn¡¯t possibly know so much.

    Qin Xue bit her lip hard, her arms wrapped around herself in confusion. What should she do? What if he thought she was a demon and started disliking her? Could she still survive in this timeline?

    In an instant, Qin Xue thought of many, many things, biting her lip so hard she drew blood without even realizing it.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, let go of your lips, don¡¯t bite them anymore, you¡¯re bleeding.¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t understand how someone who had been so enthusiastic just now had suddenly changed and even bitten through her lips.

 Chapter 418

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue fell deep into her thoughts, automatically blocking out everything around her, and Chu Molin¡¯s cries could not wake her.

    Chu Molin had no choice but to stop the car, turn to hold Qin Xue in his arms and softly comfort her.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, be good, let go of your lips, okay?¡± Chu Molin tried to coax her while attempting to pry her lips apart with his hand, but Qin Xue remained unresponsive.

    ¡°Qin Xue, what are you doing?¡± Chu Molin suddenly shouted, startling her shivering.

    ¡°I¡¯m not a demon, really, Chu Molin, you have to believe me.¡± Qin Xue¡¯s eyes turned red, and tears began to fall.

    ¡°Qin Xue, Qin Xue, look at me.¡± Chu Molin¡¯s heart ached.

    ¡°I really didn¡¯t mean to hide it from you. I just didn¡¯t know how to tell you. I¡¯m really not a demon.¡± Qin Xue was frightened by Chu Molin and spoke to herself, her eyes empty and lifeless.

    Qin Xue¡¯s emotions got out of control, and she passed out with a roll of her eyes.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, wake up, don¡¯t scare me.¡± Chu Molin anxiously called out to Qin Xue, but she showed no sign of response.

    Panicking, Chu Molin sat Qin Xue up, got back in the car, and drove straight back to the hospital.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you, the family member? Don¡¯t you know that her current pregnancy is unstable? She just got stabilized and went home, only to be back here in less than two days.¡± Li Rong was a little annoyed at Chu Molin. She had originally planned to stabilize Qin Xue¡¯s pregnancy, but seeing her so agitated and fainting, it might be impossible to avoid premature birth.

    Chu Molin didn¡¯t say a word, just silently looked at Qin Xue.

    ¡°What happened? This girl, who is usually so cheerful and loves to smile, fainted straight into the hospital.¡± Li Rong couldn¡¯t bear to continue scolding the wooden-faced Chu Molin, especially after witnessing how much he loved his wife a few days ago.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. She was very happy at first, but then her face suddenly changed, and she fainted.¡± Chu Molin left out the words Qin Xue had said.

    He didn¡¯t want others to know about Qin Xue¡¯s difference.

    ¡°In that case, she must have thought of something bad. I¡¯ll try my best to stabilize the baby for her. If it doesn¡¯t work, we¡¯ll induce labor early. This can¡¯t go on like this.¡± Li Rong could only do her best to keep the baby until full term if possible, or deliver it early if necessary.

    ¡°Alright, thank you, Dr. Li.¡± Chu Molin barely managed to say thanks without even looking up.

    Li Rong shook her head and left. Chu Molin sat by the bed, took Qin Xue¡¯s hand, and placed it on his face.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, I know you¡¯re not a demon. Please wake up, okay? From the first moment I saw you, I knew about your changes. I never mentioned it for fear you would leave me, but I never thought badly of you or considered you a demon. I love you, Qin Xue, no matter what you are, my love is only for you.¡± Chu Molin murmured softly.

    At this time, Qin Xue found herself back in the modern world, looking at the familiar city and fast pace. She was somewhat lost and didn¡¯t know where she was.

    How could she be in the 1980s one moment and back here the next? Was this a dream or reality?

    Qin Xue couldn¡¯t understand, so she slowly walked along the street, suddenly feeling a pull, and she was brought to another place.

    Qin Xue saw the forest blanketing the hills, eerily quiet and still.

    ¡°Is anyone there?¡± Qin Xue shouted out loud.

    ¡°Is anyone there?¡± The echo reverberated through the mountains, shaking her question back to her.

 Chapter 419

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue walked forward feeling helpless, she continued walking until she could no longer take another step, and then sat down, patting her legs.

    Suddenly, Qin Xue stared at her hand. This was her hand, her familiar hand. Something occurred to Qin Xue. She stood up and looked at her stomach. Nothing. How could there be nothing?

    Where did her child go? Where was her child? Who had taken her child away?

    Qin Xue asked a series of questions. What on earth had happened? Why had everything changed? Yes, where was Chu Molin? Was the child with Chu Molin?

    ¡°Xuexue, Chenchen, save me.¡± Chu Beiying¡¯s voice reached Qin Xue¡¯s ears.

    ¡°Yingying, where are you?¡± Qin Xue was running and calling out, but the only answer she got was the same: ¡°Xuexue, Chenchen, save me.¡±

    ¡°Yingying, what¡¯s wrong with you, where are you?¡± Qin Xue was almost frantic.

    ¡°Xuexue, I want to go home.¡± Chu Beiying¡¯s voice came into Qin Xue¡¯s ears again.

    ¡°Yingying.¡± Qin Xue yelled at the cliff in front of her.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, wake up.¡± Chu Molin stared at Qin Xue silently shedding tears in her sleep. His heart ached so much that he could barely breathe.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, I beg you, wake up, please. You¡¯ve been sleeping for three days. You must be rested enough. Wake up and look at me. Don¡¯t you remember your baby? You said you wanted to be healthy and carry them to full term, didn¡¯t you?¡± Chu Molin, looking haggard, stroked his stubbly face with Qin Xue¡¯s hand.

    Qin Xue sat at the edge of the cliff, weeping at the sight of Chu Beiying disappearing.

    Suddenly, she heard a familiar voice. It was Chu Molin¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Chu Molin, are you here too? Speak up, don¡¯t leave me alone here, I¡¯m scared.¡± Qin Xue stood up and looked around.

    But no matter how hard she looked, no matter how much she asked, there was no sign of Chu Molin. It was just his voice that kept coming.

    Qin Xue followed the voice, she had to leave this place, she just had to. Chu Molin was looking for her, and their child. Yes, their child as well.

    Qin Xue firmly followed Chu Molin¡¯s voice, and after an unknown period of time, she finally saw the exit. And there, the man who had been incessantly calling out for her was standing, smiling at her.

    ¡°Chu Molin.¡± Qin Xue cried out and suddenly opened her eyes.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, you woke up.¡± Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue with surprise and joy.

    Hearing the voice, Qin Xue slowly turned her head and saw that man who had been constantly calling her.

    ¡°Chu Molin, I missed you so much.¡± Qin Xue suddenly sat up, hugging Chu Molin and cried out her longing.

    ¡°I missed you too.¡± Chu Molin gently embraced his beloved.

    Only after her tears had subsided did Qin Xue shyly rub against Chu Molin, smearing her tears and snot all over his clothes.

    ¡°Hehe, I¡¯m sorry, I dirtied your clothes.¡± Qin Xue said, looking embarrassedly at Chu Molin with her red eyes.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. If it gets dirty, we can wash it.¡± Even the germophobic Chu Molin could only laugh at this point.

    ¡°Chu Molin, why do you look like this, like a caveman?¡± Qin Xue looked at Chu Molin with distaste. Had it been that long since he¡¯d preened?

    ¡°You ungrateful girl, you scared me.¡± Chu Molin touched Qin Xue¡¯s face with his hand and spoke softly, afraid to scare her again.

    ¡°What happened to me?¡± Qin Xue asked tentatively.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, from now on, don¡¯t sleep for so long. I was really scared.¡± Chu Molin, who never knew fear before meeting Qin Xue, was now truly frightened.

 Chapter 420

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue just had a dream, but it seemed like she had slept for a very long time.

    ¡°Chu Molin, did I sleep for a long time?¡± Qin Xue asked uncertainly.

    ¡°Yeah, you slept for three whole days, you little sleepyhead,¡± Chu Molin said, tapping his little wife¡¯s nose.

    ¡°I just had a dream, but I slept for three days.¡± Qin Xue thought it was too unbelievable.

    ¡°Well, your dream was quite a long one. Can you tell me what you dreamt about?¡± Chu Molin realized after this incident that some things should be clarified and communicated well.

    ¡°I dreamt of Yingying. She wanted me to save her, but I didn¡¯t know where she was. I followed her voice, all the way to the edge of a cliff, where I saw Yingying fall. You know what? I just watched her disappear in front of my eyes, and I couldn¡¯t save her.¡± Qin Xue was truly heartbroken.

    Chu Molin held his little wife in his arms, gently patting her in silent comfort.

    ¡°Is Yingying really important to you?¡± Chu Molin couldn¡¯t directly ask his little wife who Yingying was, so he could only lead her on.

    ¡°Yes, she is one of my good friends.¡± Qin Xue said slowly.

    ¡°Do you want me to check and see if I can find out where she is?¡± Chu Molin suggested after listening.

    ¡°No need, you won¡¯t be able to find her,¡± Qin Xue said somewhat desolately. Chu Molin was in the eighties, so how could he possibly find Yingying in the present.

    Maybe at this time, Yingying¡¯s parents hadn¡¯t even gotten married yet, so where would Yingying come from for Chu Molin to find?

    ¡°Why can¡¯t she be found? As long as she¡¯s a person, someone will have seen her, and clues can be found,¡± Chu Molin guessed some things.

    ¡°Chu Molin, some things can¡¯t be found just because you want to find them,¡± Qin Xue said, looking at Chu Molin slowly.

    ¡°Like you?¡± Chu Molin asked, looking at Qin Xue quietly.

    ¡°Yeah, Yingying is just like me,¡± Qin Xue smiled.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, as long as you say Yingying is here, I will find her for you,¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t want to see Qin Xue unhappy. It was a bit hard to get used to seeing such a cheerful girl suddenly change her character.

    ¡°Uh-huh, thank you, but you really don¡¯t need to check,¡± Qin Xue thought it was just a dream. Yingying must be living a good life in the new era.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Chu Molin saw that Qin Xue insisted on not having him check, so he didn¡¯t. As a result, they missed their many years together.

    ¡°Chu Molin, I¡¯m hungry,¡± Qin Xue said, touching her stomach pitifully and looking at Chu Molin.

    ¡°You wait, I¡¯ll go buy some food for you,¡± Chu Molin told Qin Xue.

    ¡°Okay, buy more, and eat with me,¡± Qin Xue looked at Chu Molin, who probably hadn¡¯t eaten either.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Chu Molin agreed happily when he saw that Qin Xue was thinking of him as soon as she woke up.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get discharged from the hospital after we eat,¡± Qin Xue had noticed that they were in the hospital when she woke up. She checked her pulse and found that there was nothing wrong with her, so there was no need to stay in the hospital.

    What Qin Xue didn¡¯t know was that Chu Molin had been driven crazy by her fainting and would never have let her stay at home.

    ¡°Should I ask Dr. Li if we can get discharged?¡± Chu Molin thought that if she could go home, that would work, so he wouldn¡¯t have to run back and forth all the time.

    These past few days, he had been going to work when it was time, then staying at the hospital to keep Qin Xue company whenever he was free.

    He had no interest in caring for himself, which was the first time in many years that Chu Molin had paid so little attention to his own appearance.

 Chapter 421

    Translator: 549690339

    At this moment, Chu Beiying was also in a dream, where she saw the moment she arrived here.

    She shouldn¡¯t have listened to Chenchen and drawn that lot. A single lousy lot brought her here.

    Why do I say it was the lot that brought her? Because the one Chu Beiying drew stated clearly the specific date and time when she would come to find her destined person.

    Chu Beiying had been avoiding the date mentioned in the lot. However, on that day, she went out. She had wanted to leave earlier, but she was always delayed, which eventually led her there.

    Who would have thought that simply spotting the medicinal herbs she was looking for and tripping over the vines at her feet would cause her to fall over the cliff and end up here?

    Moreover, the moment she arrived, she was knocked down. When Chu Beiying thought of being knocked down, she remembered that cold man, Xiao Qi, who turned out to be rather nice to her.

    Chu Beiying secretly hoped that he would be safe and sound in the future.

    Chu Beiying didn¡¯t think about anything else. Since she came here for her destined person, she must meet them, so she couldn¡¯t think too much about other things or hold anyone back.

    Chu Beiying recalled that when she was dreaming earlier, she seemed to have seen Xuexue.

    It had been a long time since she last saw Xuexue and Chenchen. Now that she had inexplicably arrived here, she wondered how her two best friends were doing.

    In her dream, Chu Beiying tried to find her two good friends but could only catch a glimpse of Qin Xue before she disappeared. She wondered how Qin Xue was doing now. Was she still being bullied by that family?

    Suddenly, Chu Beiying saw a familiar silhouette. She wanted to run after him and see who he was, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn¡¯t catch up.

    Despite her best efforts, Chu Beiying couldn¡¯t keep up with the silhouette.

    Annoyed, she watched as the silhouette disappeared.

    Suddenly, Chu Beiying woke up with a jolt.

    When Chu Molin came back with food, Qin Xue was rubbing her belly and telling a story.

    ¡°You¡¯re back. Babies, Dad¡¯s back with food. I¡¯m starving!¡± Qin Xue rubbed her belly, she was famished.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, drink some porridge first. You just woke up and haven¡¯t eaten for a long time, so eating too much at once might hurt your stomach.¡± Qin Xue agreed and started eating the porridge handed to her by Chu Molin.

    Chu Molin began eating slowly after seeing her eat the porridge.

    After finishing their meal, the couple prepared to return to the military base. After all, it was more convenient to be at home as he could quickly come home from the office.

    When they asked Li Rong, they learned that they had to stay another day and could only be discharged tomorrow.

    Qin Xue obediently sat on the hospital bed. Alright, she¡¯ll stay one more day. She didn¡¯t care much because she spent most of her time in the hospital in her previous life.

    So Qin Xue was very familiar with the feeling of being in a hospital. It didn¡¯t feel strange at all.

    ¡°Chu Molin, go groom your beard.¡± Qin Xue couldn¡¯t stand his wild appearance.

    ¡°Alright, you lie down and behave. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± Chu Molin thought that as long as his wife didn¡¯t like it, he would shave it off.

    After all, he couldn¡¯t stand his sloppy appearance either.

    After Chu Molin left, Qin Xue communicated with Xue Ling in her space using her consciousness.

    ¡°Xue Ling, why did I have such a strange dream?¡± Qin Xue asked, puzzled.

    ¡°Maybe your good friend came here too,¡± Xue Ling didn¡¯t find it strange.

    After all, this is a parallel space-time; maybe others have come here too, and they can comprehend the mysteries of it.

 Chapter 422

    Translator: 549690339

    After hearing this, Qin Xue felt that Xue Ling had a point, but could it be possible? She came here because Xue Ling brought her, so what brought Yingying here?

    ¡°Xue Ling, you brought me here. How would others come here if they wish to?¡± Qin Xue felt that this world was really somewhat mystical.

    ¡°It depends on fate and opportunity, and that may come down to a single point.¡± Xue Ling knew that matters of fate were often mysterious.

    ¡°It¡¯s just incredible because I was only brought here after I died in a car accident. If someone else comes, do they have to die to come here as well?¡± Qin Xue asked.

    If that¡¯s the case, then Yingying appearing in his dream was not a coincidence.

    Perhaps Yingying was really in trouble, so she was calling for Qin Xue to save her in the dream.

    But where is Yingying now and what has happened to her?

    ¡°Master, it depends on each person¡¯s fate and opportunity, everyone¡¯s luck is different, and I do not know.¡± Xue Ling said helplessly.

    ¡°Forget it, if Yingying also comes here, we are bound to meet eventually.¡± Qin Xue did not want to make things difficult for Xue Ling.

    ¡°Master, if there is fate between you two, you will meet each other.¡± Xue Ling knew that Qin Xue¡¯s fate was profound, and whether it was personal connections or other aspects, she was far better than others.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what I think too. Xue Ling, I¡¯m going to step out for a bit before Chu Molin comes back.¡± Qin Xue had been inside for a while now, and Chu Molin had just gone to shave, which shouldn¡¯t take too long. It¡¯d be awkward if they run into each other.

    ¡°Alright, Master, you need to control your emotions, don¡¯t get too excited, otherwise the little one will come to this world earlier than planned.

    If that happens, it might change the original course of things, and no one knows what will happen then.¡± Xue Ling thought it should remind Qin Xue, so she doesn¡¯t change fate and change the course of things unknowingly.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll try my best to control myself.¡± Qin Xue answered after a moment of silence.

    It seems she has genuinely become more delicate than before; she was never like this in the past.

    It seems that people become weaker when they rely on others. Chu Molin is always thinking about her and pampering her. Where would she have the time to act delicate when she had to deal with everything alone in the past? Who would she act delicate for?

    So it¡¯s not that she has changed, but deep down she has always longed to be a petite woman, and she just didn¡¯t have the chance before, following her heart¡¯s desires to be herself.

    However, which woman doesn¡¯t want to be a petite woman? It¡¯s just that these women have yet to meet a man they can rely on. So don¡¯t blame women for being too strong, when there is no one to rely on, they can only rely on themselves. If they¡¯re not strong, they¡¯ll be eliminated.

    After Qin Xue explained to Xue Ling, she left the space and leaned against the window, thinking about what to do in the future.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, what are you thinking about?¡± Chu Molin entered and saw Qin Xue staring out the window, deep in thought.

    ¡°I¡¯m thinking about what to do in the future and what awaits us down the road.¡± Qin Xue looked at Chu Molin, and indeed, a clean-shaven face suited him better.

    ¡°Nice, very handsome.¡± Qin Xue complimented with a smile.

    ¡°Am I mesmerizing you?¡± Chu Molin casually asked after hearing his wife¡¯s words.

    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯ve completely captivated me, haha.¡± After saying that, Qin Xue couldn¡¯t help but laugh first.

    ¡°Then I should really thank my skin for that.¡± Chu Molin looked at his playful wife, thinking that a lively wife was cuter.

    ¡°Of course, your skin has attracted quite a bit of attention.¡± Qin Xue touched his face with her hand.

    ¡°You can¡¯t blame me for that; they stuck to me.¡± Chu Molin caught the hand causing mischief on his face.

 Chapter 423

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue pouted, thinking, it¡¯s not your fault, it¡¯s just that you¡¯re too handsome. This skin is the best weapon; you don¡¯t even have to bother with it yourself.

    ¡°Psh, you don¡¯t have to go around inviting trouble. There would be a bunch of peach blossoms even without you. If you took initiative, it would be endless! Or do you want to try being an emperor with a harem of three thousand beauties?¡± Qin Xue eyed Chu Molin dangerously.

    ¡°Not even three thousand concubines could compare to my Xue¡¯er.¡± Joking, one person already took up his whole heart; there was no room for another.

    ¡°Talk is cheap! Show me you can do it.¡± Qin Xue broke free from his grasp, her hand sweaty.

    ¡°What do you think?¡± Qin Xue glanced at him sharply.

    ¡°It seems that Xue¡¯er thinks I don¡¯t love her enough, that I haven¡¯t satisfied her, so she wants me to love her, right?¡± Chu Molin had already done everything for Qin Xue except for the final step; he had always accommodated her.

    ¡°You pervert.¡± Qin Xue glared at him with a flushed face. Was that what she meant? This man always distorted her words.

    ¡°How am I a pervert? What are you thinking? Ah, you must be thinking something naughty!¡± Chu Molin¡¯s expression was serious, his face stern, but the laughter in his eyes flicked for a moment, and he couldn¡¯t help but chuckle inwardly. Teasing his little wife was so much fun.

    ¡°You, hmph.¡± Qin Xue glared at him resentfully. He clearly meant it, yet blamed her for interpreting it the wrong way. How could there be such a person in the world?

    ¡°Silly girl.¡± Chu Molin chuckled and stroked her head.

    ¡°Hmph.¡± Qin Xue shook her head to avoid his touch.

    ¡°What, are you angry now?¡± Chu Molin¡¯s face was about to burst with laughter. What should he do?

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk to you anymore.¡± Qin Xue pouted and glared at Chu Molin.

    ¡°But what if I want to talk to you?¡± Chu Molin pinched her cheek and asked with a smile.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do!¡± Qin Xue slapped away his big hand pinching her face.

    God, someone tell her, why did this man change so much from the first time they met? He was so reserved back then, but now he teased her at every opportunity, flirting and provoking.

    Wuwu, who took her abstinence-based male god away? She wanted her abstinence-based male god back!

    ¡°Xue¡¯er knows; tell me, hmm?¡± Chu Molin gazed intently at Qin Xue, the last ¡°hmm¡± filled with tender affection, dragging the tail sound with a tempting taste.

    Qin Xue wanted to curse, damn it! This man was seducing her again.

    She fell for it every time, and yet she still fell for it.

    What should she do? She wanted to kiss him. Qin Xue licked her lips and moved her face closer and closer to Chu Molin¡¯s until they were pressed together. Only then did she realize the foolishness of her actions, as if she were throwing herself at him.

    Realizing her mistake, Qin Xue tried to retreat, but the moment she moved, Chu Molin caught her intentions. With one press of his hand, he held her down, and his mouth enveloped her cherry lips.

    What a joke! He wasn¡¯t going to let such a delicious treat get away.

    After the kiss, Qin Xue glared at Chu Molin, panting. How could she be so stupid, offering herself up for him to ¡°eat¡±? Unbeknownst to her, her face was flushed like rouge at the moment, her gaze seductive and enchanting, utterly breathtaking.

    Chu Molin¡¯s heart trembled. Did this girl know how beautiful she looked right now, daring to gaze at him with such eyes? Did she think his self-control was too good? Every time she ignited the flame but couldn¡¯t extinguish it, he feared that one day he wouldn¡¯t be able to hold back anymore.

 Chapter 424

    Translator: 549690339

    Chu Molin covered Qin Xue¡¯s eyes with his hand, not letting her look any further.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, don¡¯t look at me like that.¡± Chu Molin¡¯s voice was mellow and deep.

    As his voice trailed off, he removed his hand and rushed to the bathroom. He was afraid he wouldn¡¯t be able to resist choking Qin Xue, so it was better to wash his face and clear his head.

    Qin Xue laughed heartily, thinking that he wouldn¡¯t dare take advantage of her again.

    What Qin Xue didn¡¯t know was that, let alone doing it again, Chu Molin would do the same thing even if it happened regularly. There was no reason not to treat the woman he loved well.

    It could only be said that Qin Xue didn¡¯t understand men at all. Men could maintain their composure in front of women they didn¡¯t like but became different people in front of those they loved.

    Hearing the triumphant laughter behind him, Chu Molin ground his teeth with a grating sound, thinking Qin Xue was a heartless woman who knew he wouldn¡¯t bully her anymore.

    Nevertheless, he could only sigh internally, as he truly couldn¡¯t bring himself to mistreat her in her current state.

    Chu Molin could only silently wash his face with cold water to cool off the anger.

    Li Rong originally planned to make her rounds, but she happened to witness this loving and heartwarming scene. She wondered when she would find a man who loved her like that.

    Li Rong turned around and headed towards her office, deciding to come back later. She didn¡¯t want to disturb the couple at the moment.

    ¡°Hello, Dr. Li.¡± Ding Xi happened to round the corner and see Li Rong.

    ¡°Hello.¡± Li Rong nodded and greeted back.

    ¡°Dr. Li, are you going to visit the patient?¡± Ding Xi glanced at Li Rong and then behind her.

    ¡°I was, but not now,¡± Li Rong said with a smile.

    ¡°Why? Is the sister-in-law not here?¡± Ding Xi asked doubtfully. It should be impossible, given Mr. Chu would never have left work early if she wasn¡¯t around.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s just that Mr. Chu is also inside.¡± Li Rong thought she had made herself clear enough with those words.

    ¡°We can still go in even if Mr. Chu is there.¡± Ding Xi scratched his head in confusion. Wouldn¡¯t it be better if Mr. Chu was there, as they could then discuss things directly with him?

    ¡°Blockhead,¡± Li Rong uttered exasperatedly, leaving just those two words before walking away.

    ¡°What did I say wrong?¡± Ding Xi looked at Li Rong¡¯s retreating figure, unsure of what he had said incorrectly.

    He headed toward Qin Xue¡¯s ward to find Mr. Chu, and just as he raised his hand to knock on the door, he saw the situation inside. No wonder Li Rong had called him a blockhead.

    Even though Li Rong had made it so clear, he still didn¡¯t understand. Would this leave a bad impression of him as a slow-witted person in her mind? How could he start pursuing her now?

    He had left such a bad impression on her just the second time they met. Ding Xi felt like crying, thinking that Mr. Chu had screwed him over and wondering how he would ever pursue a wife in the future.

    Ding Xi turned around and left, deciding to come back later to find Mr. Chu.

    If he dared to enter now, Mr. Chu would surely give him a piece of his mind.

    What Ding Xi didn¡¯t know was that Li Rong didn¡¯t have a bad impression of him. On the contrary, she found him to be an adorably silly and lovable young man.

    ¡°Li Rong shook her head with a bemused smile, thinking she must be getting desperate for marriage. Did any man now seem adorable to her? The thought sent a shudder down her spine, and she rubbed her arms. This was too frightening. She should focus on improving her medical skills instead.

 Chapter 425

    Translator: 549690339

    Xiao Qi alighted from the train with his luggage, looking at the city he hadn¡¯t returned to in so many years, he felt a strange mix of emotions.

    If it hadn¡¯t been for An¡¯an¡¯s wedding this time, he estimated he still wouldn¡¯t have returned. Because what he had always thought was that if he were to return, it would be with the eldest.

    Xiao Qi stepped off the platform. The person who came to pick him up had been waiting outside the train station for some time.

    ¡°Young Master.¡± The moment Uncle Xiao spotted Xiao Qi, he shouted.

    ¡°Uncle Xiao, long time no see. How have you been these years?¡± Uncle Xiao had been his grandfather¡¯s attendant, so Xiao Qi was not at all unfamiliar with him.

    ¡°I¡¯m very well. I¡¯m flattered that you still remember this old man.¡± Uncle Xiao gave Xiao Qi a smile.

    Uncle Xiao put Xiao Qi¡¯s luggage in the car. After making sure Xiao Qi was settled, he started the car and drove him back to the Xiaos.

    Just as the car of the Xiaos left, a few people walked out of the exit. These people were Chu Beiying and her crew.

    Chu Beiying, Wind, Cloud, Thunder, and Rain stepped out, looking at this city that was both familiar yet unfamiliar, Chu Beiying felt no sense of belonging, her heart filled with desolation.

    Where on earth is her destined one? Can she return to the place she is familiar with?

    ¡°Miss, let¡¯s go.¡± Wind looked at their lady.

    The sight of her filled with sorrow and helplessness was heartbreaking. He couldn¡¯t understand why Miss was in such a negative mood just because she ventured out for one trip?

    After all, nothing out of the ordinary happened, except the day she disappeared for a half day. Is it because of those few hours, or is it because of that man?

    It¡¯s not that Wind didn¡¯t recognize Xiao Qi, it¡¯s because they didn¡¯t see Xiao Qi before he left, so it was normal for them not to recognize him.

    Moreover, because Xiao Qi didn¡¯t want to be a soldier, Grandpa Xiao was so angry that he didn¡¯t even mention his grandson Xiao Qi to anyone. Hence, outsiders are not familiar with Xiao Qi, even less likely for Wind and his team to know about Xiao Qi.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Chu Beiying suppressed the sorrow in her heart and said to Wind.

    Just as Chu Beiying and her group left, Gu Beihan and Gu Beilin arrived from behind.

    Three groups of strangers, on the same day, arrived at the same place via the same train.

    ¡°Brother, is anyone coming to pick us up?¡± Gu Beilin looked at the crowd and wondered if anyone from their family was sent to pick them up.

    ¡°He¡¯s here, let¡¯s go.¡± Gu Beihan spotted their butler standing by the car and told his sister.

    ¡°Young Master, Miss.¡± The moment Butler Gu saw Gu Beihan and his sister, he immediately came forward to help with their luggage.

    ¡°Thanks, Uncle Gu.¡± Gu Beihan smiled and thanked Butler Gu.

    ¡°Hello, Butler Gu.¡± Gu Beilin politely greeted Butler Gu in front of her brother.

    ¡°Hello, Miss. You must be tired from the trip. Let¡¯s get in the car.¡± After Butler Gu finished packing their luggage and seeing them settled in, he began to drive back to the Gus.

    ¡°Uncle Gu, why exactly did the family want me to come back this time?¡± Gu Beihan didn¡¯t believe it was just for a wedding ceremony. If that were the case, anyone from the family could attend, there was no need for him to return.

    ¡°It seems to be about Ms. Nangong.¡± Uncle Gu glanced at Gu Beihan through the rearview mirror and said.

    ¡°Ms. Nangong? Which one? I¡¯ve never heard of her.¡± Gu Beihan searched his entire memory but could not recall a Ms. Nangong.

    ¡°It¡¯s said that Ms. Nangong has been overseas all this while and only just returned.¡± Uncle Gu had also just heard about it vaguely, and wasn¡¯t entirely sure.

    This Ms. Nangong was indeed very mysterious. The entire Imperial Capital didn¡¯t know that there was a lady in the Nangongs. The Nangongs had hidden her too well. The world didn¡¯t know that they had such a pearl in their midst. If so many people didn¡¯t know, let alone a small butler like him.

 Chapter 426

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    ¡°So, does our family want me to be paired with this Ms. Nangong?¡± As soon as Gu Beihan heard Butler Gu¡¯s words, he understood their intentions.

    ¡°It seems that way, young master. Do you already have someone you fancy? If so, you should make it clear to your parents, otherwise, once you meet Ms. Nangong, you won¡¯t be able to change your mind. She¡¯s not just any ordinary young woman.¡± Mr. Gu knew that the Nangong family didn¡¯t have any daughters until now.

    The sudden appearance of a Ms. Nangong, who was the precious treasure of the Nangongs, had stirred up the entire Imperial Capital. Everyone wanted to see what kind of extraordinary person she was that could be hidden by the Nangong family for twenty years before returning to the country, and immediately causing a sensation in the entire Imperial Capital.

    ¡°No, Mr. Gu, you got it all wrong. I¡¯m just curious.¡± Gu Beihan didn¡¯t have any girl he liked; those women were just playing games and not suitable to be his wife.

    ¡°That¡¯s good then. You know your parents¡¯ temper well; creating any unpleasantness wouldn¡¯t be good for anyone,¡± Butler Gu kindly reminded him.

    ¡°I understand, thank you, Uncle Gu,¡± Gu Beihan thanked him for the reminder, as he had always respected Uncle Gu since he had taken care of Beihan in the past.

    ¡°You¡¯re too polite, young master,¡± Uncle Gu smiled at him.

    Gu Beilin sat in the back seat, pouting. It was just a butler, why bother being so polite to a servant?

    Gu Beihan noticed Gu Beilin¡¯s expression and movements. He cast her a cold glance, thinking that his sister was becoming more and more unreasonable as she grew up.

    Regardless, maintaining basic decency towards others was the least one could do.

    Though Uncle Gu and the others were servants, the success of certain matters often depended on them. Wasn¡¯t there a saying: a thousand-mile embankment can be destroyed by ants? It showed that failure often resulted from an insignificant person or event that ruined everything.

    For the time being, their conversation paused, the three of them sat in silence on their way back to the Gu¡¯s residence.

    Qin Xue looked at the restroom door and Chu Molin hadn¡¯t come out for a while. She started to worry that he was experiencing discomfort.

    Sitting there was so boring, and Qin Xue wished she could take out a book from her storage ring to read, but she knew she had to endure.

    She decided to think about her future path instead. Once the baby was born, she would have to take care of it and wouldn¡¯t have the chance to do business or other things. How could she achieve her goals then?

    She could arrange something for Xiao Yu, but what about herself?

    If she also went to night school, who would take care of the children? But if she didn¡¯t go, she wouldn¡¯t be able to get a college degree, and without it, people wouldn¡¯t trust her abilities as a doctor or a military doctor.

    She felt trapped between a rock and a hard place, and it wasn¡¯t clear whether she had chosen the wrong time to come to this world or if it was the wrong time for the children to be born. In any case, Qin Xue was finding it very difficult right now.

    It had been a while before Chu Molin washed his face and came out of the restroom. He saw that Qin Xue was musing to herself and murmuring something to herself.

    He found himself thinking that this wife of his was too troublesome. One day, he might just lose to her shenanigans.

    Since Qin Xue seemed engrossed in her thoughts, Chu Molin didn¡¯t disturb her and left the ward.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Chu Molin stopped at the corner and looked at Ding Xi, asking him.

    ¡°Deputy Chief, there¡¯s been an incident at Mr. Su¡¯s place,¡± Ding Xi glanced at his superior as he spoke.

    ¡°Oh.¡± Chu Molin simply responded with a nonchalant tone.

 Chapter 427

    Translator: 549690339

    Ding Xi didn¡¯t understand the meaning behind the sound his deputy director made just now. What did it mean?

    Wasn¡¯t he curious about what happened to the woman who almost became his daughter-in-law?

    ¡°Deputy Director, do we need to do anything?¡± Ding Xi asked, puzzled.

    ¡°Do what?¡± Chu Molin looked at Ding Xi and asked, what did he have to say about an unrelated woman?

    Well, Ding Xi was dumbfounded when he heard that. How would he know what the deputy director wanted to do?

    Chu Molin could tell what he was thinking, and he really wanted to kick him.

    ¡°If you¡¯re too idle, go back to work and run thirty kilometers with a load,¡± Chu Molin thought Ding Xi was completely idle.

    ¡°Deputy Director, that¡¯s not fair.¡± Ding Xi wailed. He just wanted to see what his deputy director would do after knowing that something happened to the woman who almost became their sister-in-law. He didn¡¯t expect that he would be punished.

    ¡°Perhaps I should discuss the current outlook on life with Dr. Li and mention someone¡¯s affairs by the way.¡± Chu Molin mercilessly said these words that would put his subordinates in danger.

    ¡°No, Deputy Director, I still need to chase after a wife.¡± Ding Xi no longer dared to speak recklessly.

    ¡°Tell me, what happened that was worth coming to tell me?¡± Chu Molin looked at him anxiously and stopped playing tricks on him.

    ¡°I heard she was harassed by two drunkards last night when she went out,¡± Ding Xi said solemnly. He had a good impression of Su Yun, and at that time, he thought she was a good match for their deputy director. Who knew that Qin Xue, their Cheng Yaojin, would emerge halfway?

    But now Ding Xi also had a very good impression of Qin Xue. She was not only gentle and beautiful, but also an excellent cook. Who wouldn¡¯t like such a woman?

    ¡°Did she lose her chastity?¡± Chu Molin thought this possibility was slim.

    ¡°No, it is said to be a close call.¡± Ding Xi made a close call gesture.

    ¡°Since she didn¡¯t lose her chastity, the rest will be taken care of by others. What does it have to do with me?¡± Chu Molin¡¯s tone was cold and ruthless.

    ¡°It¡¯s because Su Hua openly said in front of many people that she wanted to marry you.¡± Ding Xi also admired Su Yun¡¯s courage. Their deputy director was already married, but she still dared to say it.

    As a woman, Su Yun openly said in front of so many people that she wanted to marry their deputy director, wasn¡¯t it obvious that she wanted to destroy someone¡¯s marriage and steal their husband?

    One can imagine how explosive the consequences of this incident were.

    ¡°Just because she says she wants to marry me, I have to marry her?¡± Chu Molin¡¯s cold tone made people shiver.

    If that were the case, what would it make him? And where would it leave his wife?

    ¡°You don¡¯t know, Mr. Su was so angry that he raised his eyebrows and glared. And everyone present changed their faces.¡± All the good impressions Ding Xi had of Su Yun collapsed at that moment.

    Su Yun must have never imagined that her one sentence would wash away her carefully cultivated image of kindness and understanding.

    ¡°Failing to discipline one¡¯s child is the father¡¯s fault. Since they have spoiled her, they must bear the bitter consequences.¡± Chu Molin had no kindness in his heart towards this matter. No one could remain calm and deal with it when their marriage and family were about to be destroyed.

    ¡°Let¡¯s just watch and not interfere. Let¡¯s see what the final result is like,¡± Ding Xi thought for a moment and said.

    ¡°As long as the director doesn¡¯t say it¡¯s our business, we won¡¯t interfere.¡± Chu Molin¡¯s main task now is to take care of his wife and the child in her belly.

    All other unrelated people and things were pushed aside.

    ¡°Okay, Deputy Director, I know what to do.¡± Ding Xi said.

    ¡°If you know, then go.¡± Chu Molin gave him a kick. With his silly look, he wondered if Ding Xi could ever find a wife.

 Chapter 428

    Translator: 549690339

    Chu Molin watched as Ding Xi walked away, his mind refocusing.

    Although he didn¡¯t get involved in the battle for revenge against Su Yun, this outcome pleased Chu Molin nonetheless. No one who hurt Qin Xue would get off lightly.

    Turning around, Chu Molin returned to the hospital room where his young wife awaited him.

    At the Qins¡¯ village, Qin Yu and Qin Qiu set off early for the county town. They were going to see Li Kun before picking up their little sister, Qin Jiale.

    ¡°Qin Qiu, why are you only coming now? Look at the state I¡¯m in. Do you know what your brother has done to me?¡± As soon as the relatives arrived at the Lis¡¯, Li Kun urgently pressed Qin Qiu with questions.

    He never considered that all of this was his own doing. Qin Yun was merely outraged and had wanted to avenge her sister.

    ¡°Oh, what kind of injuries did you sustain? Let me take a look.¡± Qin Yu didn¡¯t buy into Li Kun¡¯s ploys. As he spoke, he grabbed the leg that had been broken.

    ¡°Ah, it hurts, let go!¡± Li Kun screamed in pain. Was this person insane? How could he treat him like this?

    ¡°If you don¡¯t want your other leg to be broken too, then you¡¯d better order your men to release Qin Yun now.¡± Qin Yu looked down at Li Kun, channeling an intimidating air.

    After a month of training, Qin Yu had changed significantly. He emanated a chilling presence that was enough to make one¡¯s heart pound.

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare.¡± Li Kun did not know what Qin Yu was capable of.

    ¡°You can try me and see if I dare.¡± Qin Yu glared coldly at Li Kun, his words unforgiving and ruthless. It left no room for doubt; what he said, he could do.

    ¡°Humph, if you want him to come out, you¡¯ll have to pay us $500 as my parents have said, otherwise there¡¯s no room for negotiation,¡± Li Kun still had a thing for Qin Qiu. He couldn¡¯t help himself but to commit infidelity because Qin Qiu wouldn¡¯t let him hold her hand.

    ¡°Is that so? Then, I¡¯ll break your other leg too.

    I might as well incapacitate your third leg while I¡¯m at it so you won¡¯t seduce women again and hurt my Qin Qiu¡¯s feelings.¡± As soon as Qin Yu finished speaking, he seized Li Kun¡¯s good leg and squeezed hard.

    Li Kun let out a scream like a pig being slaughtered. He looked at Qin Yu in shock and fear because he couldn¡¯t feel his foot anymore.

    Qin Yu pinched and then quickly released him, but from Li Kun¡¯s expression, he knew his scare tactic had worked.

    In reality, Qin Yu hadn¡¯t done much. He had merely pinched a certain pressure point on Li Kun¡¯s thigh.

    Qin Yu had discovered this by accident in one of the medical books Qin Xue used to read. His impressive memory allowed him to recall its contents, which came in handy now to intimidate Li Kun.

    ¡°What have you done to my leg?¡± Li Kun asked in terror.

    ¡°Nothing much. I just wanted you to get a taste of being immobile. Shall we see how your third leg feels now?¡± Qin Yu sneered, casting a glance at Li Kun¡¯s groin area.

    ¡°You dare, I¡¯ll have you arrested just like that Qin Yun kid.¡± Li Kun was so frightened that he quickly cupped his genitals with both hands.

    Qin Qiu reddened at the sight, finding the situation beyond words.

    ¡°Sure, you can have me arrested now. But bear in mind, before your men get to me, I¡¯ll make sure to ruin you first. I should live up to the reputation if I¡¯m getting arrested, right? It wouldn¡¯t be a loss then, don¡¯t you agree?¡± Although Qin Yu presented a carefree demeanor to Li Kun, his words sent a shiver down Li Kun¡¯s spine.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± Li Kun was a textbook example of a person who bullied the weak but feared the strong.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I make myself clear? I want you to release the person. Of course, you can choose not to. But when the day comes that all three of your legs are broken, it¡¯ll be too late.¡± Qin Yu spoke indifferently.

 Chapter 429

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    Qin Qiu opened her mouth to say something, but she didn¡¯t say anything when Qin Yu looked at her. Before coming, she had promised Qin Yu that she would not interrupt no matter what he said.

    ¡°What if I don¡¯t?¡± Li Kun looked at Qin Yu unwillingly and asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing really, just like what I just said. As for when this accident happens, it depends on my mood.¡± The most Qin Yu learned this month in the army were training and these psychological tactics.

    Who would call him Chu Molin¡¯s younger brother-in-law? The other soldiers taught him all kinds of skills. He didn¡¯t learn everything flawlessly, but he did grasp about seventy or eighty percent.

    For a scumbag like Li Kun, you have to be even more unscrupulous to suppress him, because only when he¡¯s afraid will he follow what you want him to do.

    ¡°Qin Yun did break my leg, so didn¡¯t he owe me some compensation?¡± Li Kun asked with a hint of expectation.

    ¡°Why did he hit you, don¡¯t you know? You dare to ask us for compensation after doing such a rotten thing? Who gave you the face? Or do you want¡­¡± Qin Yu bombarded Li Kun with several questions, making his face go pale, but that wasn¡¯t all.

    Qin Yu whispered something into Li Kun¡¯s ear, which scared Li Kun, and he stared at Qin Yu in disbelief. He wondered: how could he know about this?

    ¡°So, have you made up your mind?¡± Qin Yu asked Li Kun with a smile.

    ¡°Fine, I agree,¡± Li Kun yelled angrily.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this settled? What a waste of my breath.¡± Qin Yu touched his neck and coughed lightly, uttering a sentence that could make Li Kun spit blood from anger.

    ¡°I won¡¯t bother to see you out.¡± Li Kun really wanted to throw them out but didn¡¯t have the ability to do so.

    ¡°Remember, you have to send Qin Yun back unharmed and from now on, you will have no more dealings with my sister Qiu.¡± Qin Yu¡¯s face turned cold, ruthlessly severing the relationship between Qin Qiu and Li Kun.

    ¡°Xiao Yu, you¡­¡± Qin Qiu couldn¡¯t believe Qin Yu would do such a thing.

    ¡°Qiu sister, we¡¯ll talk about it back at home.¡± Qin Yu looked at Qin Qiu with disappointment. Wasn¡¯t he doing this for Qin Qiu¡¯s sake? But now, did Qin Qiu think he was meddling too much in her affairs?

    ¡°Li Kun, I want to see Qin Yun tonight. Otherwise, you won¡¯t be able to bear the consequences.¡± After saying that, Qin Yu took Qin Qiu and left.

    Li Kun was left alone, staring at Qin Yu and Qin Qiu¡¯s backs with a sinister look, thinking to himself, ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡±

    Qin Yu and Qin Qiu, who had left the Li¡¯s, were somewhat unhappy.

    ¡°Xiao Yu, how can you make decisions for me without asking me first?¡± Qin Qiu asked Qin Yu angrily.

    ¡°Qiu sister, if you want to go to the Li¡¯s and be the stepmother, then go ahead and consider what I just said as unsaid.¡± After saying that, Qin Yu left Qin Qiu standing there and walked away.

    He still had to pick up his little sister and didn¡¯t have the time or energy to argue with Qin Qiu here.

    ¡°Qin Yu, what do you mean? Explain it to me.¡± Qin Qiu was dumbfounded by Qin Yu¡¯s words.

    But Qin Yu walked on without even slowing down, not caring about Qin Qiu at all. If it weren¡¯t for the kindness the Qins had shown to their family of three, he wouldn¡¯t have bothered with any of this.

    And the result? The person in question was ungrateful. At this moment, Qin Yu had some thoughts in his mind.

    After all, their relationship was based on the friendship they shared as children. Over the years, everyone had grown up, and the Qiu siblings had followed their parents to work in the city, while he and his siblings remained in Qin Village, gradually drifting apart.

    Qin Yu waded into this muddy water purely out of respect for his grandparents, uncle, and aunt. If Qin Qiu continued with this attitude, he would advise his mother not to take Qin Qiu to her sister¡¯s place.

 Chapter 430

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    Qin Yu thought that with Qin Qiu¡¯s current mindset, going to her sister¡¯s place would only cause her trouble, with no benefits at all. It would be better not to go in the first place.

    He never expected that the sweet Qin Qiu from his childhood would change so much because of a man. He stood up for them today, considering it a repayment of the kindness their family had shown him. As for the future, they would try to get along if they could, otherwise they would just put on a facade.

    Qin Yu quickly headed to his younger sister¡¯s school, putting everything else aside. His main task now was to pick her up.

    ¡°Brother, brother, I¡¯m over here!¡± Many parents were at the school gate picking up their children. As soon as Qin Jiale saw her brother Qin Yu, she waved her hands excitedly and shouted.

    Qin Yu heard his sister¡¯s voice and smiled, walking towards her.

    ¡°Little sister, give me your luggage, let¡¯s go home.¡± Qin Yu took his sister¡¯s luggage and patted her head with his hand.

    ¡°Brother, I¡¯m not little anymore, don¡¯t touch my head. There are so many people around.¡± Qin Jiale said to her brother in a low voice, her face flushed.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, just let me pat your head. Why would I be afraid of others seeing?¡± Qin Yu said while forcefully ruffling her hair a couple of times.

    ¡°Brother, don¡¯t mess it up; it¡¯s all in a tangle now.¡± Qin Jiale covered her hair with her hands, feeling annoyed. She wondered why her brother had become so eager to tease her ever since her sister got married.

    ¡°Well, this messy hair actually suits you pretty well.¡± Leaving this remark, Qin Yu laughed and walked ahead.

    ¡°Brother, I¡¯ve noticed something.¡± Qin Jiale ran forward, catching up with her brother and looked at him as she spoke.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Qin Yu looked at his sister, puzzled.

    ¡°It¡¯s that you¡¯ve become bad, turned into a bad brother who likes to tease me.¡± Qin Jiale burst into laughter after saying this, covering her mouth and running ahead.

    Qin Yu was focused on listening to his sister¡¯s words, shaking his head helplessly when she said this, and he chased after her.

    ¡°Qin Jiale, are you heading home?¡± Qin Jiale hadn¡¯t gotten far when a classmate called her.

    ¡°Yeah, class president, are you going home too?¡± Qin Jiale turned her head and found that the person who called her was their class president, Xiao Han.

    ¡°Yes, is there someone picking you up?¡± Xiao Han looked at the young girl who rarely revealed her emotions.

    ¡°Yes, why?¡± Qin Jiale asked Xiao Han, confused.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing; I was just asking.¡± Xiao Han couldn¡¯t exactly tell Qin Jiale that if nobody came to pick her up, he would take her home himself.

    ¡°Oh, well, if there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll go ahead.¡± Seeing her brother almost catching up with her, Qin Jiale waved at Xiao Han and left.

    ¡°Okay, goodbye.¡± Xiao Han smiled and waved back at Qin Jiale.

    Qin Jiale spotted her cousin, Qin Qiu, not far away and ran to her happily.

    Xiao Han watched her leave and was about to turn around when he saw a very handsome man standing in front of him.

    ¡°Kid, I¡¯m warning you to stay away from Qin Jiale.¡± Qin Yu never thought that his little sister would already have boys interested in her. He could not allow her to have a puppy love relationship.

    Xiao Han didn¡¯t expect this cold-faced man to be waiting for him, and the man had just blurted out such a sentence.

    ¡°May I ask who you are?¡± Xiao Han looked at the military-trained man in front of him, feeling a sense of danger.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to know who I am; you just need to stay away from Qin Jiale.¡± Qin Yu looked at this young man, who had a decent appearance, but unfortunately, the person he was interested in was Qin Yu¡¯s sister.

    Qin Yu finished speaking and walked towards his sister, who was talking with their cousin . Picking up the pace, he approached them.

    ¡°What are you talking about, looking so happy?¡± Qin Yu smiled and asked the two little princesses of the Qin family.

 Chapter 431

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Jiale saw her brother coming and excitedly ran forward two steps, holding her brother¡¯s arm.

    ¡°Brother, Qin Qiu said we were going to our sister¡¯s place, right?¡± Qin Jiale hadn¡¯t seen her sister in half a year. As soon as she heard Qin Qiu mention it, she excitedly asked her brother.

    ¡°Yes, little girl, can we go home first?¡± Qin Yu shook the luggage in his hand, looking at his sister and asked.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Qin Jiale also wanted to get home quickly, as she hadn¡¯t seen her mother for a long time, and she missed her.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go home, Qin Qiu, let¡¯s go home.¡± Qin Yu patted his sister¡¯s head, and glanced at his cousin before speaking to her.

    ¡°Alright, but what about Xiao Yun? Will Li Kun really release him?¡± Qin Qiu asked with some worry.

    ¡°He will be released, let¡¯s go home.¡± Qin Yu didn¡¯t believe Li Kun would dare not release him.

    The Lis dared to do this only because one of their relatives was a police officer. They wouldn¡¯t be able to offend everyone else just for the Lis.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Qin Qiu realized that what she did earlier was somewhat inappropriate when Qin Yu walked away and ignored her just now.

    No matter how you put it, Qin Yu was doing it for her own good, and her questioning him was hurting him. It was no wonder he didn¡¯t want to pay attention to her anymore.

    ¡°Brother, what are you guys talking about? What happened to Qin Yun?¡± Qin Jiale had no idea what they were talking about, she was only half-understanding.

    ¡°Nothing, let¡¯s go home, so our parents don¡¯t worry.¡± Qin Yu looked at his lively sister and laughed.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go home! Brother, did you bring me any nice gifts?¡± Qin Jiale hoped they had brought gifts for her.

    ¡°We did. Our sister had someone bring you many beautiful clothes, you¡¯ll definitely love them when you see them.¡± Qin Yu thought everyone in the family loved the clothes their sister had sent; there was no way his sister wouldn¡¯t like them.

    ¡°Wow, really? That¡¯s great.¡± Qin Jiale had always worn her sister¡¯s old clothes. Even though she had never complained, who didn¡¯t want to wear new clothes?

    ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± Qin Qiu nodded affirmatively. The clothes for their grandparents were very beautiful, so there was no reason the clothes for her sister would be ugly, right?

    ¡°Qin Qiu, have you seen my clothes? Are they very beautiful?¡± Qin Jiale let go of her brother¡¯s arm and ran over to hold her cousin¡¯s arm and ask.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen your clothes, but I¡¯ve seen the clothes your sister gave our grandparents. Even their clothes are so beautiful, I bet yours are beautiful too,¡± Qin Qiu replied with a smile.

    She was really envious of her cousin, Qin Xue, who had married a good husband and could provide some material assistance to their family.

    ¡°Then I must dress up beautifully to show my sister.¡± Qin Jiale became even more excited when she heard this.

    Xiao Han watched Qin Jiale and the man interact intimately and laughed; he then turned and left the school.

    In the past, Qin Jiale was a quiet and unsmiling person in class.

    Unexpectedly, after this change, Xiao Han found Qin Jiale to be quite pretty.

    It was a pity that she was already taken. Xiao Han thought the girl was really beautiful, much more genuine than the delicate and affected female classmates he had seen before.

    Xiao Han shook his head, discarding the unrealistic thoughts. He should focus on studying and getting into a good university. With this in mind, he quickened his pace home.

    Xiao Han didn¡¯t expect that he would misunderstand Qin Yu as Qin Jiale¡¯s boyfriend, so he didn¡¯t make any other moves.

    Instead, he focused all his energy on his studies. When he saw Qin Jiale in the same university as him, he was greatly startled.

 Chapter 432

    Translator: 549690339

    When the siblings got home, their mother had already cooked dinner and was waiting for them.

    ¡°You¡¯re back! Go wash your hands and let¡¯s eat!¡± Nangong Shulan called out to her son and daughter as soon as she saw them return, telling them to wash their hands and eat.

    ¡°Okay, Mom, I missed you so much.¡± Qin Jiale ran over to hug her mother before going to wash her hands.

    ¡°This girl has become so much more cheerful.¡± Nangong Shulan remarked with a smile to her husband.

    ¡°Yes, she has become much more lively and talkative.¡± Qin Lei felt that his daughter seemed more popular in this manner. Before, she looked somewhat too stern for her age, exuding an air of seriousness unbefitting her youth.

    ¡°Mom, Dad, stop chatting and come eat.¡± Seeing his parents still talking after he finished preparing the food, Qin Yu went into the kitchen to call them to dinner.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go eat, everyone,¡± said Qin Lei with a smile, addressing his son and wife.

    The family of four sat down to eat together.

    ¡°Xiao Yu, how did the talk at the Li¡¯s go today?¡± Nangong Shulan inquired about their visit to the Li¡¯s that day.

    ¡°Everything¡¯s settled, no problems at all. Cloud should be able to come back tonight,¡± replied Qin Yu, after taking a bite of rice.

    ¡°Weren¡¯t the Li¡¯s supposed to be quite stubborn? How did you persuade them? You didn¡¯t do anything rash, did you?¡± Nangong Shulan worried about her son acting impulsively.

    ¡°No, Mom, don¡¯t worry.¡± Qin Yu was no longer an ignorant child who would do foolish things.

    ¡°That¡¯s good. How is Xiao Qiu dealing with all this?¡± Qin Lei asked about his niece¡¯s situation.

    ¡°Qin Qiu is still somewhat reluctant to let go of Li Kun. When I went today, she even got angry with me,¡± Qin Yu replied while continuing to eat, addressing his father¡¯s question.

    ¡°After all, they¡¯ve reached the stage of discussing marriage, it¡¯s only natural for her to feel reluctant. But if she doesn¡¯t let go now, she¡¯ll suffer for the rest of her life,¡± Qin Lei believed they couldn¡¯t just follow Qin Qiu¡¯s wishes.

    At her young age, she didn¡¯t know how to observe people or consider the consequences of her actions. But as adults, they couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch Qin Qiu jump into the fire.

    ¡°I¡¯ve made it clear to Li Kun, based on my uncle¡¯s wishes.

    And besides, if Qin Qiu doesn¡¯t agree, she¡¯s going to become a stepmother. You have no idea that woman is already pregnant,¡± said Qin Yu. He used this information to threaten Li Kun, because the latter was the only heir of the Li family. Now that the woman was pregnant, how could the Lis let go of the opportunity of having a grandchild?

    Qin Yu capitalized on this to threaten Li Kun.

    If he didn¡¯t let Qin Yun go, then no one could be blamed if the pregnant woman had a miscarriage.

    The Li family had thought that the Qins knew nothing about the pregnancy. Who would have imagined that Qin Yu would find out, and even use it against them?

    One could only imagine how furious Li Kun would be. But no matter how angry he got, Qin Yu would never let him keep hold of the Qin family¡¯s daughter.

    While this family happily enjoyed their meal, the Li family was plunged into chaos.

    ¡°Did the Qin family really say that?¡± Mr. Li asked, unable to believe it. When had the Qin family ever been this tough? They actually dared to threaten the Li family. But the Lis had no choice but to take the threat seriously, because they couldn¡¯t afford the gamble.

    ¡°Dad, just go to Uncle and ask him to release Qin Yun. The sooner the better,¡± said Li Kun, thinking of the tender body of the pregnant woman and the child growing inside her. He didn¡¯t want to have any ties with the Qin family any longer. However, he was determined to settle the matter of his broken leg with the Qins eventually.

    When had he, Li Kun, ever suffered such a loss? Would he still be Li Kun if he didn¡¯t regain his face?

 Chapter 433

    Translator: 549690339

    That day, Chu Molin and Qin Xue took their toiletries and completed their discharge procedures. Now the couple stood outside the hospital waiting for Ding Xi to pick them up.

    They didn¡¯t have to wait long before Ding Xi drove over.

    ¡°Deputy Director, Sister-in-law, please get in the car.¡± Ding Xi got out of the car and saluted Chu Molin.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, get in the car, be careful.¡± Chu Molin helped his wife get in the car first, and then got in himself.

    ¡°Take us straight to the residential building.¡± Chu Molin told Ding Xi who was driving.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Ding Xi looked around, not seeing the figure he wanted to meet.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look, Dr. Li is off duty today and not on call.¡± Qin Xue kindly reminded him.

    Yesterday, Li Rong came to see them before getting off work, and informed them about the situation. Then she said that she was not working today and they could directly go through the discharge procedures if they were discharged.

    So Qin Xue knew that Li Rong was not working today.

    ¡°Ah, no way.¡± Ding Xi wailed, he had planned to have an unexpected encounter today. But without anyone else at the hospital, how could he have this unexpected encounter?

    ¡°Next time.¡± Qin Xue said coolly, then turned her head to look at Chu Molin with a gentle smile.

    Chu Molin held Qin Xue¡¯s hand tightly in his.

    On the Qin family side, Qin Yun had just been released and looked like a wild man when he first arrived home, with a disheveled appearance.

    The Qin family was in a flurry, boiling water and cooking.

    ¡°Xiao Yun, you go take a shower first, then come back to eat.¡± Mrs. Qin said to her grandson.

    ¡°Okay, Grandma, I know.¡± Qin Yu felt there was nothing he couldn¡¯t talk about.

    When Qin Yun finished washing and grooming, he came out to see the whole family waiting to eat dinner.

    Qin Yun found his seat, then invited them to eat.

    ¡°Everyone, eat, no need to wait.¡± Qin Yun scratched his head in embarrassment.

    ¡°Eat, eat, don¡¯t let it get cold.¡± At Mr. Qin¡¯s command, everyone started eating.

    ¡°The food at home is the best.¡± Qin Yun picked up some food and put it in a white bun, enjoying the taste.

    ¡°If you like it, eat more, you¡¯ve suffered these past few days.¡± Lin Cuiping looked at her son with red-rimmed eyes.

    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m fine.¡± Qin Yun swallowed the food in his mouth before answering his mother¡¯s question.

    ¡°Yesterday your aunt said, Xiao Yu and Jiale are going to visit Qin Xue. They want you to go with them, so do you want to go with them for a visit or wait until your sister is stable before going?¡± Lin Cuiping asked her son.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go with them and see if there¡¯s any suitable work for us and find a job to do.¡± Qin Yun felt that playing at home was not going to help, so he might as well work hard and try his luck.

    He wanted to prove himself to those who looked down on him, especially the Lis, and make them regret treating his sister this way.

    ¡°Alright, don¡¯t worry about the things at home. Your mom and I will farm the land well and harvest more grain,¡± Qin Lei said and settled the matter.

    As soon as Qin Jiale¡¯s family finished eating, they started packing their luggage.

    Qin Jiale looked at the beautiful clothes and skirts, and she didn¡¯t even want to wear them, just wanted to lock them in a cabinet.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there are still more at sister¡¯s place. At first, we thought the luggage was too much, and we didn¡¯t want to bring it back, to avoid having to take it with us when we went. So we brought only two sets for you to change into, the rest are still at sister¡¯s place and not brought back.¡± Qin Yu said to his sister who was unwilling to part with them, with a bit of disdain in his voice, but his eyes flashed with a smile.

    ¡°Wow, so I¡¯ll have new clothes to wear in the future.¡± Qin Jiale said excitedly.

    ¡°Yes, you will have new clothes, and we will dress our little sister beautifully.¡± Nangong Shulan said, looking at her two children.

 Chapter 434

    Translator: 549690339

    Upon hearing that there were many new clothes to wear, Qin Jiale was absolutely delighted, feeling that her sister was really too good to her.

    ¡°Little sister, you dropped your money,¡± Qin Yu said out of the blue, watching Qin Jiale¡¯s happy expression.

    ¡°Where?¡± Qin Jiale looked down and around but didn¡¯t see any money.

    ¡°Hahaha, little sister, you¡¯re too cute.¡± Qin Yu couldn¡¯t help but burst into laughter at his sister¡¯s reaction.

    ¡°Brother, you¡¯re so bad,¡± Qin Jiale finally realized that she had been tricked.

    ¡°Even if I¡¯m bad, I¡¯m still your brother,¡± Qin Yu said arrogantly, looking at his sister.

    ¡°Mom, can we return him?¡± Qin Jiale ignored her brother and turned to ask her mother instead.

    ¡°No,¡± Nangong Shulan smiled as she watched her children teasing each other.

    ¡°Mom, why are you siding with my brother to bully me?¡± Qin Jiale pouted.

    ¡°Who told you to be the youngest in the family?¡± Qin Yu ruffled his sister¡¯s hair.

    ¡°Dad, look, my brother keeps messing up my hair, turning it into a bird¡¯s nest,¡± Qin Jiale complained, her eyes and face full of laughter.

    ¡°If it¡¯s messy, just go get a comb and comb it back into place,¡± Qin Lei said with a smile, looking at his daughter.

    ¡°Fine, you all gang up on me, I¡¯m just a little poor thing. I¡¯m going to tell my sister that you¡¯re all bullying me,¡± Qin Jiale said pitifully.

    ¡°Ah, she¡¯s become quite the tattletale,¡± Nangong Shu shook her head helplessly as she looked at her little daughter.

    ¡°That¡¯s because you all ganged up to bully me,¡± Qin Jiale huffed proudly.

    ¡°Alright, stop fooling around now. Clean up what needs to be cleaned up, and don¡¯t be late for the car tomorrow morning,¡± Nangong Shulan watched her happy family and felt contented.

    ¡°Yes, Mother,¡± Qin Jiale saluted her mother.

    ¡°This child, how come I never noticed how mischievous you were before?¡± Nangong Shulan wondered if someone had secretly replaced her little daughter.

    ¡°Back when my sister was at home, I didn¡¯t need to act silly. Now that my sister is married, it¡¯s my turn, right?¡± Qin Jiale said while folding clothes.

    ¡°We really neglected you,¡± Nangong Shulan felt a bit sad when her little daughter said this.

    ¡°Mom, what are you talking about? If both my sister and I had been so willful back then, you would have been worried sick,¡± Qin Jiale quickly clarified her meaning. She wasn¡¯t competing for favor, after all.

    ¡°No matter what, we are the ones who owe you. These years must have been very hard for you, right?¡± Nangong Shulan looked at her little daughter, tall and thin, her features resembling her own. She had her father¡¯s eyebrows and eyes, which made her look very heroic.

    ¡°Not hard at all, I¡¯ve been very happy,¡± Qin Jiale thought about the atmosphere in their family and felt contented.

    ¡°Silly girl,¡± Nangong Shulan looked at her little daughter and exchanged a glance with her husband.

    Everyone chatted and laughed as they cleaned up the clothes, and Qin Jiale put on the princess dress that her sister had made for her.

    ¡°Wow, little sister is so beautiful,¡± Qin Yu was the first to notice Qin Jiale, who had changed into her new dress.

    ¡°Very beautiful,¡± Qin Lei and Nangong Shulan turned their heads to look at their little daughter and praised her.

    ¡°It¡¯s my sister¡¯s design that makes the dress beautiful,¡± Qin Jiale said shyly as she listened to her family¡¯s compliments.

    ¡°The dress is beautiful, and so is the person wearing it,¡± Qin Yu honestly thought so.

    ¡°Shulan, Jiale really looks like you when you were young,¡± Qin Lei looked at his wife.

    ¡°I¡¯ve aged. Time spares no one,¡± Nangong Shulan touched her face, where some wrinkles were quite noticeable.

    ¡°In my heart, you¡¯ll always be the fairy I laid eyes on for the first time,¡± Qin Lei was attracted to Nangong Shulan the moment he first saw her and felt that she was the most beautiful woman in the world.

    For that reason, he was determined to marry Nangong Shulan. Therefore, even when she was pregnant at the time, he married her without a single regret. For this lifetime, having married her, he had no regrets.

 Chapter 435

    Translator: 549690339

    At Qin Chaoyang¡¯s house, Qin Qiu and her younger brother were also packing their clothes.

    ¡°Xiao Qiu, you must behave when you go to Qin Xue¡¯s place this time, and don¡¯t cause any trouble for her, alright?¡± Lin Cuiping reminded her daughter.

    ¡°Got it, Mom, we won¡¯t,¡± replied Qin Qiu, feeling somewhat unhappy. She wasn¡¯t eager to go in the first place.

    What about Li Kun? She had just found out that it was their father who asked Qin Yu to speak on her behalf at the Li¡¯s house.

    In other words, her father had already disapproved of her relationship with Li Kun. So, this trip to Qin Xue¡¯s house was meant to sever their ties, and she had no choice but to go.

    Therefore, even if Qin Qiu felt upset, she couldn¡¯t voice it, because she couldn¡¯t disobey her father¡¯s decision. She knew her parents were doing it for her own good, but she couldn¡¯t help but think about Li Kun.

    She remembered his kindness, his humor, but also his betrayal. Qin Qiu was packing her clothes with a gloomy expression.

    Qin Yun, on the other hand, was much happier. He hummed a tune as he packed his clothes, excited about finally having a chance to see the world outside. The two families were in different moods that night.

    As soon as Qin Xue arrived home, she went to the kitchen to find something to eat. She was hungry, feeling like she hadn¡¯t eaten in a very long time.

    Chu Molin watched his wife¡¯s actions from behind and couldn¡¯t help but sigh at how childlike she could be at times, especially when it came to finding food.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, what do you want to eat?¡± Chu Molin asked after putting away the things, seeing that Qin Xue was still looking for something to eat. Unfortunately, there was nothing in the house.

    ¡°Ah, why is there nothing to eat at home?¡± Qin Xue angrily asked.

    ¡°How could there be any food at home when you¡¯re not around?¡± Chu Molin wasn¡¯t the type to snack, so it made sense that their house wouldn¡¯t have such items stocked.

    Moreover, since Qin Xue had been staying in the hospital lately, he had been spending most of his time there, leaving no time to stock up on food at home. He didn¡¯t want the food to go bad.

    ¡°Chu Molin, your child is saying he¡¯s hungry,¡± Qin Xue plaintively said, rubbing her belly and looking at him.

    ¡°What do you want to eat? I¡¯ll make it for you,¡± Chu Molin said confidently. But he had forgotten that he could only cook noodles.

    ¡°What can you make?¡± Qin Xue had not forgotten the taste of the noodles he had made last time, and now she had a craving for Chu Molin¡¯s noodles.

    ¡°Boil noodles,¡± Chu Molin calmly replied.

    ¡°Well, that settles it then,¡± Qin Xue pouted. It was obvious that he could only cook noodles, so why bother asking her what she wanted to eat? Wasn¡¯t he just playing with her?

    ¡°I¡¯ll go cook some noodles, you go sit on the chair for a while. It¡¯ll be ready soon,¡± Chu Molin said, rolling up his sleeves and heading into the kitchen.

    Sure enough, delicious aroma quickly filled the air. Qin Xue took a deep breath, exclaiming, ¡°That smells heavenly!¡±

    Qin Xue stood up and went to the kitchen. She leaned against the door frame, watching Chu Molin, wearing an apron, bustling about.

    ¡°No wonder people say that good-looking people are always pleasing to the eye,¡± Qin Xue remarked with admiration.

    She must have saved the galaxy in her past life to have been gifted with such an excellent husband in this one.

    ¡°My wife is beautiful too,¡± said Chu Molin with a smile, after hearing Qin Xue¡¯s words.

    ¡°If I weren¡¯t beautiful, you wouldn¡¯t have been interested in me, right?¡± Qin Xue readily took Chu Molin¡¯s compliment.

    ¡°Even if you weren¡¯t, I would still want you,¡± Chu Molin replied, for he loved Qin Xue for who she was, not her appearance.

    ¡°If a man¡¯s words could be believed, pigs could climb trees,¡± Qin Xue scoffed, not believing that anyone wouldn¡¯t care about appearances.

    Regardless of how well they talked, when faced with a choice, people would always choose the more attractive one. Otherwise, there wouldn¡¯t be such high divorce rates in later generations.

    Wasn¡¯t it because they stuck to good-looking girls that they chose them? So, a man¡¯s words couldn¡¯t be taken entirely as the truth.

 Chapter 436

    Translator: 549690339

    Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue, unable to comprehend why she was so resistant to men.

    There didn¡¯t seem to be notable signs on ordinary days, but the moment it came to matters of the heart, her resistance was all too visible. No matter what he said or did, Qin Xue always seemed to have an excuse to convince herself, as if saying: Yes, just like that.

    She used all sorts of excuses to strengthen her sentiment, as if it was precisely as she made it seem.

    Chu Molin was comforted by the thought that his efforts weren¡¯t for naught, he could perceive Qin Xue¡¯s love for him.

    Otherwise, based on Qin Xue¡¯s character, she likely would have dismissed him long ago.

    Chu Molin did not argue with Qin Xue over whether a man¡¯s words could be trusted. He would prove it through his actions.

    Perhaps it was true that some men were not trustworthy, but he believed that the majority were indeed very responsible. And he considered himself to be a prime example of a good man.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, go sit in the living room. The noodles are ready.¡± Chu Molin spoke to his wife, carrying a bowl of noodles out of the kitchen.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Qin Xue, enticed by the fragrance of the meal, felt her stomach grumble hungrily.

    ¡°Wow, this dish is perfect! Not only does it look wonderful, it also tastes great.¡± Qin Xue lifted a tasteful noodle to her mouth, complimenting Molin as she ate.

    ¡°If you like it, eat more.¡± Chu Molin gave a gentle smile, enjoying his own bowl of noodles.

    He would make her more whenever he had free time as long as his wife liked it.

    The couple was relishing their noodles, unaware that their originally planned dinner party was being joined by two more unexpected guests.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, do you want to go for a walk?¡± It had been a while since Chu Molin and his wife went for a walk together.

    ¡°No, can you massage my feet instead?¡± Qin Xue¡¯s feet were horribly swollen and she wasn¡¯t in the mood to walk.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Do your feet hurt?¡± Chu Molin was taken aback by his dear wife declining his suggestion.

    ¡°They don¡¯t hurt, they¡¯re just uncomfortable.¡± Qin Xue rubbed her leg.

    ¡°Why are they so swollen?¡± Chu Molin sat down, placing her leg on his lap, asking with concern.

    ¡°It might be because the baby is too big. The enlarged uterus is pressing on my inferior vena cava, obstructing blood flow to my lower body. This causes my legs to swell. It doesn¡¯t affect the baby¡¯s growth or my health, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Qin Xue wasn¡¯t too bothered about her situation, just annoyed at the discomfort in her legs.

    ¡°Hmm.¡± Chu Molin only uttered a single word and carefully massaged her legs.

    ¡°Chu Molin.¡± Qin Xue called out to Chu Molin as she watched him.

    ¡°Hmm?¡± Chu Molin replied.

    ¡°Chu Molin¡­¡± Qin Xue repeated Chu Molin¡¯s name over and over, not saying anything else.

    ¡°Hmm.¡± No matter how many times Qin Xue called him, Chu Molin simply responded affirmatively each time.

    ¡°Are you silly? You just respond without asking why I¡¯m calling you?¡± Qin Xue reached over and gently touched the handsome face of the man across from her.

    ¡°As long as you like it, call me however you want, as many times as you want.¡± Chu Molin did not show any sign of impatience.

    ¡°Chu Molin, you¡¯re the best husband in the world.¡± Qin Xue laid it on thick without any hesitation.

    ¡°Do you like having a husband like me?¡± Chu Molin let go of her foot, sat up straight, and looked at her as he asked.

    What Chu Molin really wanted to know was why she was so resistant to men, but he just didn¡¯t know how to broach the topic.

 Chapter 437

    Translator: 549690339

    Chu Molin felt that his little wife was the most beautiful existence in this world.

    ¡°Chu Molin, affection is something that comes from spending time together, but I really do like you.¡± Qin Xue laughed after hearing Chu Molin¡¯s words.

    ¡°Silly girl, I like you too, no, I love you. I didn¡¯t know what it was like to love someone before, but now I know clearly that I just want you to be happy every day. I think that¡¯s love.¡± Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue and slowly spoke, tapping her nose with his hand.

    ¡°Chu Molin, I also hope you are happy every day.¡± Qin Xue felt that Chu Molin had too many things hidden in his heart, and she felt tired for him.

    ¡°Mmm, we both need to be happy.¡± Recently, his little wife had been spending too much time in the hospital. Chu Molin felt like it had been a long time since they had sat together like this and talked quietly.

    ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± Qin Xue nodded her head. Yes, they both needed to live well and happily.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, behave yourself and don¡¯t go to the hospital anymore.¡± Chu Molin was scared just thinking about how silent Qin Xue had been lying there in the hospital.

    ¡°Uhm, but what do I do when it¡¯s time to give birth?¡± Qin Xue looked at Chu Molin in surprise and asked.

    Chu Molin was really amused: ¡°Xue¡¯er, you know what I mean.¡±

    ¡°Okay, isn¡¯t it enough that I understand?¡± Qin Xue looked at the serious man and quickly replied.

    ¡°That¡¯s a good girl.¡± Chu Molin patted her head, praising Qin Xue.

    ¡°I¡¯ve always been good.¡± Qin Xue thought about how she had never been disobedient from childhood to adulthood.

    ¡°Mmm, so I¡¯ve decided to reward you.¡± As soon as Chu Molin finished speaking, Qin Xue felt a tingling sensation.

    ¡°What?¡± Qin Xue asked in puzzlement.

    ¡°From now on, when I¡¯m home, I¡¯ll do the cooking.¡± Chu Molin felt bad that she had to take care of him while carrying such a big belly, it was too tiring.

    Especially when he saw Qin Xue¡¯s feet swollen so badly, it made him feel even more heartbroken.

    ¡°You have to work every day, where will you find the time?¡± Qin Xue was scared when she thought Chu Molin was going to say something else, but it turned out he was just trying to empathize with her.

    Although Qin Xue was touched by Chu Molin¡¯s words, she couldn¡¯t bear the thought of him working so hard at his job, then coming home and still having to cook.

    ¡°My job is not as hard as you carrying our baby, look at how swollen your feet are.¡± Chu Molin picked up her foot and gave her a massage.

    ¡°This is just a normal part of pregnancy for every woman. Some experience it earlier, some later. As long as it¡¯s not too severe, there¡¯s no danger, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Qin Xue knew about edema.

    If it were too severe, it would be harmful to her body. She feared for any problems that might occur with the baby, but under normal circumstances, the swelling would subside, so there was no need to be too worried.

    ¡°I understand.¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t dwell on the issue with Qin Xue.

    Anyway, he knew in his heart that being pregnant was not easy for his wife.

    No matter whether his wife agreed to let him cook or not, as long as he had time, he would always try to do more so that she wouldn¡¯t be too exhausted.

    Qin Xue didn¡¯t know what Chu Molin was thinking, or else she would have been deeply touched again.

    How many men in this world could think so much? They all thought that it was a woman¡¯s duty to be pregnant, yet they didn¡¯t realize how much hardship and effort a woman had to go through to bring a child into this world.

    During these ten months of pregnancy, men could hardly understand how much suffering and hardship a woman had to endure.

    That¡¯s why it was truly rare for Chu Molin to have such thoughts.

 Chapter 438

    Translator: 549690339

    The Qin siblings got up early to go to the train station and catch a train to the city.

    Qin Lei carried their luggage and escorted them to the station, with each person carrying a bag. Among them, four were their own luggage, and only one was for Qin Xue.

    ¡°Dad, you don¡¯t have to send us off. I went there once before, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Qin Yu didn¡¯t want his father to make the extra trip.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll take you to the train, and I¡¯ll only be at ease once you¡¯re safely onboard.¡± As a father, Qin Lei was naturally concerned about his children going out.

    After hearing his father¡¯s words, Qin Yu didn¡¯t argue further.

    ¡°Jiale, when you get to your sister¡¯s, you need to listen to her. Got it?¡± Qin Lei cautiously reminded his young daughter.

    ¡°I know, Dad. You¡¯re almost as bad as my mom.¡± Qin Jiale thought about how her mother had given similar advice before leaving.

    ¡°You little girl, I¡¯m just worried about you. I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll cause trouble for your sister.¡± Qin Lei knew his eldest daughter was about to give birth and couldn¡¯t afford any accidents.

    ¡°Dad, don¡¯t worry. I promise to be good and listen to my sister.¡± Qin Jiale made a swearing gesture.

    Since Qin Yu had been there before, he knew what time their train was. When they arrived at the train station, it was quite crowded.

    ¡°You guys wait here, and I¡¯ll go buy the tickets.¡± Qin Lei put down their luggage and spoke to his children.

    ¡°Dad, you stay here and watch them. I¡¯ll go buy the tickets.¡± Qin Yu grabbed his father¡¯s hand, suggesting he watch the others instead.

    ¡°Alright, then hurry up and go.¡± Qin Lei let his son buy the tickets since he also knew where to go.

    Qin Yu walked quickly to the ticket counter. Last time he went with his mother, they bought sleeper tickets. This time, since it was just the young ones, he planned to buy seat tickets.

    ¡°Comrade, hello, I¡¯d like four train tickets to S Province.¡± Qin Yu handed over the money for the tickets to the ticket seller.

    ¡°Here.¡± The ticket seller handed Qin Yu the tickets.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± After expressing his gratitude, Qin Yu ran back to his father.

    ¡°Dad, I got the tickets. You can go back now, we¡¯ll go inside and wait.¡± Qin Yu spoke to his father.

    ¡°Alright, you guys be careful and watch out for thieves on the train.¡± Qin Lei repetitively reminded the children.

    ¡°Okay, Dad, we know. Be careful on your way back.¡± Qin Jiale waved at her father.

    ¡°Mhm, I know. You guys be more careful.¡± Qin Lei worried since among them, only Qin Yu had traveled far before. The other three were inexperienced, and he feared they might get into trouble with their youthful impulsiveness.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, go back now. We¡¯re going in.¡± Qin Yu picked up the luggage and spoke to his father.

    ¡°Uncle, go back, we¡¯ll be fine.¡± Qin Qiu chimed in as they lingered.

    ¡°Alright, go in. I¡¯ll watch you enter and then go back.¡± Qin Lei stood there, watching as they entered the station.

    It was only after he couldn¡¯t see them anymore that he turned around to send a telegram to his eldest daughter.

    ¡°Brother, how long will we be on the train?¡± Qin Jiale, full of curiosity, was looking around and asking her brother.

    ¡°One day and one night.¡± Qin Yu led them into the waiting room to find a place to sit while answering his sister¡¯s question.

    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s a long train ride!¡± Qin Jiale exclaimed. She had never taken a train before, other than the school bus, and she was excited.

    Qin Qiu and her sibling were also going on a long journey for the first time, and they were curious about many things. However, since they had lived in the city before, their curiosity wasn¡¯t as blatant as Qin Jiale¡¯s.

    ¡°Xiao Yu, is it really nice where Xiao Xue is?¡± Qin Qiu thought about Qin Xue, who had only been married for a few months and was able to send so many beautiful clothes to their family. She believed she could also make a lot of money and later make the Lis regret their actions.

 Chapter 439

    Translator: 549690339

    After hearing what Qin Qiu had to say, Qin Yu pondered for a moment before replying.

    ¡°It¡¯s not particularly great, the place they live in is quite remote,¡± said Qin Yu indifferently, his tone different from when he speak with his own younger sister.

    Qin Qiu and Qin Yun were too excited now to notice this, but Qin Jiale noticed the change in her brother.

    She didn¡¯t understand why her brother was so cold towards their cousins, their relationship was pretty good before, wasn¡¯t it?

    But Qin Jiale didn¡¯t have the urge to question her brother right now.

    ¡°So what does Qin Xue do over there?¡± Qin Qiu was curious about Qin Xue¡¯s situation.

    ¡°My sister is just a pregnant woman, what can she do?¡± Qin Yu glanced at Qin Qiu, his tone unchanged. But those who knew him well could tell he was getting impatient.

    ¡°Sis, why ask so much? We¡¯ll know when we get there.¡± Qin Yun didn¡¯t understand why his sister was asking so many questions about something they¡¯ll find out once they arrive.

    ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t ask anymore, satisfied?¡± Qin Qiu shot a glance at her younger brother.

    Qin Yun felt unjustly accused, he simply asked a question, why was his sister looking at him like this?

    Qin Yun couldn¡¯t understand, but Qin Yu did. Qin Qiu probably noticed the clothes they brought for their grandparents, and the clothes on Qin Jiale. That¡¯s why she was curious about what their sister was doing in S Province, and how she made her money.

    He never expected Qin Qiu to change so much. He wasn¡¯t particularly fond or disgusted by Qin Qiu, but he certainly didn¡¯t like her. He hoped she wouldn¡¯t cause trouble when they arrived.

    The siblings quickly huddled towards the train as soon as it arrived, as there were far too many people.

    ¡°Hold on to your tickets and stay close, don¡¯t get lost, got it?¡± Qin Yu said, holding onto their luggage and squeezing onto the train while holding his sister¡¯s hand.

    If it were only him and his sister, he would have bought sleeper tickets. But now, with four people and the money he had not being enough, Qin Qiu and her brother not contributing any money, even if he had the money, he didn¡¯t want to buy them.

    ¡°Brother, why are there so many people on the train?¡± Qin Jiale said in astonishment as they squeezed onto the crowded train.

    It was already crowded, add to that the holiday, some people were traveling, others were going home, weren¡¯t there too many people? Qin Yu still held his sister¡¯s hand and patiently answered her questions while squeezing onto the train.

    ¡°Was it this crowded when you and mom took the train last time?¡± Qin Jiale chuckled and asked her brother.

    ¡°Yes, but last time we were in the sleeper car. This time the money mom gave us was only enough for the two of us, but for the cousins¡¯ tickets, they didn¡¯t give me any money, so I had no choice but to buy four sitting tickets.¡± Qin Yu didn¡¯t know whether his siblings brought any money, but he had no choice but to buy their tickets.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, brother. I¡¯ll earn a lot of money for you in the future.¡± Qin Jiale tightened her grip on her brother¡¯s hand and smiled sweetly at him.

    ¡°Hmm, our little sister is the best,¡± Qin Yu praised his sister without hesitation.

    ¡°Of course, just look at whose sister I am,¡± Qin Jiale said proudly.

    ¡°Hehe, you¡¯re quite cheeky. Be careful and don¡¯t get lost,¡± Qin Yu said, finally finding their seats after struggling to pull himself and his sister through the crowd.

    But Qin Qiu and Qin Yun were nowhere to be found.

    ¡°Brother, do you think Qin Qiu and Qin Yun got lost?¡± Qin Jiale asked worriedly as she saw that her brother had finished arranging the luggage but their siblings haven¡¯t come yet.

    ¡°They won¡¯t get lost. They must have been separated by the crowd, but they¡¯ll be here soon,¡± Qin Yu thought; they had the tickets, and although he didn¡¯t have as much schooling as his siblings, he did graduate from junior high. If they get separated, they can find their way back according to the tickets. At worst, they would ask someone for directions. His siblings weren¡¯t stupid, they should be able to manage that at least.

 Chapter 440

    Translator: 549690339

    While discussing their separated siblings, the sibling duo of Qin Qiu and Qin Yun were in the crowd, struggling with their luggage.

    ¡°Sis, be careful.¡± Qin Yun tried to protect Qin Qiu from the pushing crowd.

    ¡°Xiao Yun, I¡¯m fine. Let¡¯s hurry and find Xiao Yu and the others.¡± Qin Qiu pushed hard toward the train carriage.

    ¡°Sis, Xiao Yu and the others must have gone to their seats. We should head for the carriage to find them.¡± Qin Yun thought that Qin Yu might have predicted the chaotic situation, which is why they held onto their own tickets. This would make it easier to find their seats later.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s do what you said.¡± Qin Qiu felt her brother¡¯s reasoning made sense.

    Harnessing all their strengths, the siblings finally found their designated carriage.

    ¡°Qin Qiu, Qin Yun we are here.¡± Qin Jiale, who had sharp eyes, spotted Qin Qiu and Qin Yun first, he waved and called out to them.

    ¡°Jiale, Xiao Yu.¡± On seeing her brother and sister, Qin Qiu heaved a sigh of relief.

    ¡°Sis, let¡¯s go there.¡± Qin Yun takes the luggage from his sister¡¯s hands.

    ¡°You guys got here quickly, we got quite squished in the crowd.¡± Qin Qiu hadn¡¯t anticipated that there would be so many people on the train, and boarding it would be quite a struggle.

    ¡°Wait until everyone boards the train, then you will know what ¡®crowded¡¯ truly means.¡± Qin Yu glanced at the passengers still flooding onto the train, speaking to Qin Qiu and Qin Yun.

    ¡°Why should we wait until everyone is on the train?¡± Qin Yun asked, confused.

    ¡°You¡¯ll find out soon.¡± Qin Yu realized he couldn¡¯t really explain it, deciding it would be better for Qin Yun to see for himself.

    ¡°Okay.¡± After Qin Yun put away the luggage, he sat down on the seat across from Qin Yu and Qin Jiale.

    ¡°Wow, this really is¡­¡± Noticing how crowded the train was, even in the aisles, Qin Yun finally understood what Qin Yu meant.

    ¡°Sis, it seems like we should get out more often. Just like this, we¡¯ve experienced so many new things.¡± Qin Yun remarked this thoughtfully to his sister.

    If they hadn¡¯t come on this trip, they would have never known that a train could accommodate so many people, and how many people are always rushing to and fro, seemingly always in a hurry.

    ¡°Hm.¡± Qin Qiu responded, at that moment she finally realized how narrow-minded she had been. In that moment, she felt like Li Kun was absolutely nothing.

    Since she¡¯s already gone out, she will find a good job. She also wants to earn a lot of money like Qin Xue and buy beautiful clothes for their family.

    ¡°Brother, look, the train is moving.¡± Qin Jiale looked at the landscape outside the window gradually speeding by, excitedly tugging at her brother¡¯s arm.

    ¡°Yes, now sit carefully and watch.¡± At that moment, Qin Yu noticed the lively side of his sister, a characteristic of her age. In the past, his sister was too mature and sensible, like she had to suppress her lively side.

    ¡°Brother, what do you think sister will look like when she sees us? Will she be happy?¡± It had been more than half a year since Qin Jiale last saw her sister. She wondered if her sister was still the same.

    ¡°She will be happy, she was the one who asked you to come spend the holidays with her.¡± Qin Yu gently patted his sister¡¯s head.

    ¡°Really? I thought it was because mom was coming back and there was no one to keep sister company, so she called me to come.¡± Upon hearing it was her sister who wanted her presence, Qin Jiale was so excited she nearly jumped up.

    ¡°Yes, she wanted you to accompany her.¡± Seeing his sister¡¯s joy, Qin Yu laughed. He had never seen her and their sister display such deep affection before. It seemed she had always kept these feelings to herself.

    ¡°So, is the baby going to be born soon?¡± The thing Qin Jiale wanted to see most was the baby in her sister¡¯s stomach. Because then, she wouldn¡¯t be the youngest in the family. How could she not be excited about this?

 Chapter 441

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue was recovering at home, and Chu Molin went to work.

    Feeling bored alone, Qin Xue bolted the door and entered her space.

    ¡°Master, you¡¯re here.¡± Xue Ling was happy to see Qin Xue and quickly ran to her.

    ¡°Xue Ling, what are you up to?¡± Qin Xue looked at the spiritual pet, whose fur seemed to be shinier.

    ¡°Master, I have been cultivating.¡± Xue Ling was about to break through a barrier, and once it succeeded, it could transform into a human.

    As long as it transformed into a human, it could leave the space and not have to stay inside all the time.

    Although its current magic power was low and it could only stay in the human form for twelve hours, it would be good to be able to breathe the air outside the space instead of suffocating here.

    Xue Ling thought that it was too boring to be the only immortal pet in the space. It would be better to go out and experience the world from different perspectives, which might help it break through.

    ¡°It seems like your fur is much shinier than when I last saw you. Are you about to break through?¡± Qin Xue touched its smooth and shiny fur, which was pure white and really beautiful.

    ¡°Yes, if I manage to break through this time, I will be able to transform into a human.¡± Xue Ling happily hopped around.

    ¡°Really? Congratulations!¡± Qin Xue was genuinely happy for Xue Ling.

    ¡°Thank you, master, but I haven¡¯t broken through yet.¡± Xue Ling said with a little embarrassment.

    ¡°No problem, you take your time. I believe you¡¯ll break through soon.¡± Qin Xue rubbed its fox-like head.

    ¡°Yes, master. I¡¯ll go and cultivate and try to break through and transform into a human as soon as possible.¡± Xue Ling thought it would be much more convenient to do things in human form.

    ¡°Go ahead, focus on your cultivation, and don¡¯t get distracted.¡± Qin Xue reminded.

    ¡°Yes, I will.¡± Xue Ling waved its fox paw at Qin Xue.

    Qin Xue harvested all the red chili peppers. Some were used for making chili sauce, while others were dried for seasoning.

    Last time, she didn¡¯t manage to buy the tools for making medicine, so she decided to use a clay pot instead. After all, it would be better to simmer the paste in a clay pot.

    Qin Xue started making her medicine pills right away, putting the chili peppers aside.

    Qin Xue checked the time. It was not yet the time for Chu Molin to finish work, so she brought a stove and began making her medicine pills peacefully.

    In the afternoon, Qin Xue made many hemostatic pills and also extracted two small vials of floral essential oil. Now she could just add a drop of essential oil to her bath.

    Qin Xue looked at the half-jar of pills and thought that it should be enough for Chu Molin.

    She still had a lot of medicinal materials. Instead of selling them directly and attracting attention, she decided to make all of them into pills and buy some small slender neck vases to package them separately. This would make the product appear more high-end and mysterious.

    Once she thought it through, Qin Xue put her idea into action.

    Since she had decided how to proceed, Qin Xue started producing the pills in large quantities.

    However, no matter how large the production scale, Qin Xue only had one stove and pot. The amount produced was not huge, but Qin Xue was very satisfied. Who could be as lucky as her? She had a cheating artifact at hand, making it possible for her to do whatever she wanted.

    Qin Xue not only applied the medical skills her grandfather taught her but also incorporated some content from the medical books in the space, making the pills even purer.

    So, Qin Xue followed these steps and slowly increased the production volume.

    She wanted to make hemostatic pills and beautifying pills so that she would no longer have to worry about her living expenses in the future.

 Chapter 442

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue was thinking about starting to make various kinds of pills one by one ¡ª making stop-bleeding and anti-aging pills for now, and later adding health care, cold treatment, and stomach-nurturing ones, among others. As long as she knew how to make them, she would make them all.

    Even if they didn¡¯t sell, she could always keep them in her space as a backup.

    After making the last jar of ointment into pills, Qin Xue tidied up the stove and left the space.

    It was time to cook. She took out a large jar of wine that she had made earlier and picked some vegetables. She caught a fish to make a pickled cabbage fish dish later.

    Pickled cabbage fish was one of Qin Xue¡¯s favorite dishes. Just thinking about the tender fish meat soaked in sour soup with the crispy pickled cabbage made her salivate.

    Qin Xue rinsed the rice and started marinating the sliced fish with potato starch, salt, ginger, scallion sections, and soy sauce.

    She took out the pickled cabbage and chopped it finely, stir-fried the spices in a washed pot, and added some chili peppers to fry until fragrant, causing Qin Xue to sneeze from the spicy smell.

    Qin Xue poured the pickled cabbage into the pot, stir-fried it a few times, added water, and stewed it. The purpose of stir-frying pickled cabbage is to increase its sourness. Since Chu Molin had not yet returned, she had no choice but to adjust the sourness of the pickled cabbage while waiting for him to finish work.

    If it were made for immediate consumption, there would be no need to stir-fry the pickled cabbage. Instead, boil water, pour the pickled cabbage, and fish bones into the pot to make a soup. This method would result in a delicious soup with a moderate sour taste.

    Thus, when making pickled cabbage fish, ingredients should be added in different stages depending on the time.

    Qin Xue made a pickled cabbage fish dish, then thought about it and made a cold cucumber salad and a stir-fried vegetable dish.

    Just as Qin Xue was placing the dishes on the table, Chu Molin came home from work.

    ¡°You¡¯re back. Go wash your hands and have dinner.¡± Qin Xue looked at the man who had just entered the house and smiled.

    ¡°Ok.¡± Chu Molin put his hat and belt away and went to the bathroom to wash up before eating.

    After talking to Chu Molin, Qin Xue went into the kitchen and added the fish slices to the pickled cabbage soup. Once it was boiling, it could be eaten  simple and convenient.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, don¡¯t carry it, leave it there, and I¡¯ll carry it.¡± Right when Qin Xue was about to carry the pot wrapped in cloth, Chu Molin entered the kitchen.

    Upon hearing this, Qin Xue promptly put the cloth down and let him take over. She loved it when someone else took care of things for her.

    Chu Molin carried the pickled cabbage fish out while Qin Xue took out bowls, chopsticks, and spoons.

    ¡°Did you go out today?¡± Chu Molin glanced at the dishes on the table and asked casually.

    ¡°No, why?¡± Qin Xue looked at Chu Molin, puzzled.

    ¡°Oh, nothing, just asking.¡± Chu Molin understood¡ªthis must be another one of Qin Xue¡¯s secrets.

    ¡°This fish is delicious.¡± Chu Molin picked up a piece of fish and put it in his mouth, his eyes lighting up.

    ¡°If it¡¯s good, eat more. I made plenty.¡± Qin Xue handed him a bowl of rice.

    ¡°Alright, you eat too.¡± Chu Molin picked out a piece of fish and gave it to Qin Xue.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s all eat.¡± Qin Xue glanced at Chu Molin with a smile.

    While the couple happily ate their dinner, Fang Xiu was still taking care of Jing Xin.

    ¡°Jing Xin, when will you wake up? You¡¯ve been asleep for so many days. I¡¯ve had to send Taotao to someone else¡¯s house. If you don¡¯t wake up soon, I¡¯ll have to bring Taotao here to take care of you.¡± At first, Fang Xiu brought Jingtao along while taking care of Jing Xin, but it was too much for her to handle.

    Later, she sent Jingtao to someone else¡¯s place. This was not a long-term solution, though.

    If Jing Xin didn¡¯t wake up soon, she wouldn¡¯t be able to keep sending Taotao elsewhere. People would start to have opinions about it. Moreover, this arrangement wasn¡¯t good for Taotao either. As his mother, she couldn¡¯t neglect her son. So what she hoped for the most now was for Jing Xin to wake up as soon as possible.

 Chapter 443

    Translator: 549690339

    ¡°Jing Xin, do you know? The moment the news of your sacrifice came, I was driven out. I¡¯m no longer a daughter-in-law of the Jing family, my current status is quite awkward.

    No matter what, you are still Taotao¡¯s father. I should be here to take care of you. However, if you keep sleeping like this, our lives will become difficult.

    Life for us mother and son was already hard. If we hadn¡¯t encountered Qin Xue, I do not know where our lives would have ended up. But you came back exactly when things were starting to turn around, and in a comatose state at that. How am I supposed to deal with this? Jing Xin, tell me, what should I do?¡± As Fang Xiu spoke, tears began to trickle down, falling onto the back of Jing Xin¡¯s hand.

    The scorching tears directly scorched Jing Xin¡¯s heart. He heard Fang Xiu¡¯s words, but he was trapped in the dark, unable to wake up. This was his wife, whom he had not been married to for long.

    What has his wife, who he hadn¡¯t gotten to spend much time with, experienced? How could she be so foolishly sad, and what did his family do to her?

    Now, all Jing Xin wanted to do was hold his wife in his arms. Even though they had not spent much time together, he didn¡¯t want to see her cry. Her crying hurt him.

    ¡°Jing Xin, I miss you so much. I thought of you when I had nowhere to turn, wondering how you could have abandoned us so heartlessly.

    I think of you in the dead of night, wondering why you didn¡¯t appear in my dreams to let me know whether you were okay wherever you were.

    Every time I take our child out and see other families with both a mom and a dad, while our Taotao only has a mom, I wonder: Jing Xin, do you know you have a son?

    I spend my days busy with work and my nights wondering: What should I tell our child when he grows up and asks where his father is? Should I tell him bluntly that you¡¯re dead, or should I make up a lie to deceive him?

    Just when I was starting to let go and stop thinking about you, you came back. Tell me, what do you want?¡± Fang Xiu shouted uncontrollably.

    ¡°Do you know? You are really selfish. How could you treat me like this? How could you¡­¡± Fang Xiu collapsed on the edge of Jing Xin¡¯s bed, crying bitterly, feeling as if her heart was being torn apart.

    ¡°Don¡¯t cry.¡±

    ¡°Wuu¡­do you know? I almost followed you, almost lost our child.

    Do you know how tired I am? I can¡¯t hold on much longer.¡± Fang Xiu didn¡¯t hear the words ¡®Don¡¯t cry¡¯, instead she continued to voice her feelings and cry out her grievances.

    ¡°Xiuxiu, don¡¯t cry, cough, cough.¡±, Jing Xin continued to call out to his wife in a hoarse voice.

    ¡°Gah.¡± Fang Xiu froze, then looked up at the man on the bed.

    The eyes of the two met: one filled with shock, the other with guilt.

    ¡°Are you awake? Are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere?¡± Fang Xiu hurriedly wiped away her tears with the back of her hand and asked anxiously.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry.¡± Jing Xin slowly shook his head and spoke slowly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t move around, I¡¯ll go find the doctor to have a look.¡± Fang Xiu stood up, intending to run out to find a doctor.

    ¡°Xiuxiu, stay with me.¡± Jing Xin held onto her hand.

    ¡°But you just woke up. The doctor should check on you first. Can I stay with you after that?¡± Upon seeing Jing Xin wake up, Fang Xiu completely forgot about her previous crying. Her eyes were red as a rabbit¡¯s.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Jing Xin nodded after making sure his wife wouldn¡¯t run off.

    ¡°Nurse, please get the doctor to come and check on Jing Xin. He¡¯s awake.¡± As soon as Fang Xiu left the ward, she rushed to find a nurse.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll let the doctor know right away.¡± The nurse was also very happy to hear the news, as the whole hospital knew Jing Xin was a hero.

    Now that their hero had woken up, they were naturally overjoyed.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Fang Xiu sincerely thanked these angels in white robes.

 Chapter 444

    Translator: 549690339

    The nurse smiled at Fang Xiu and said, ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡±

    When Fang Xiu returned to the door of the ward, she saw Jing Xin staring eagerly at the door, not knowing what he was looking at?

    As soon as Jing Xin saw Fang Xiu appear, his eyes lit up. He was afraid that his wife would run away like this, but fortunately, she came back and didn¡¯t leave.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Do you want some water?¡± Fang Xiu thought he was looking for someone to pour water for him.

    ¡°Yeah, I want some water.¡± Jing Xin couldn¡¯t tell her that he was afraid she¡¯d run away, anyway, he hadn¡¯t had water for so long, he was indeed thirsty, and this shouldn¡¯t be considered lying to her.

    ¡°Wait a moment, I¡¯ll pour it for you right away.¡± Fang Xiu picked up the cup, poured half a glass of boiled water, then poured half a glass of cold water, and mixed them together before handing it to Jing Xin to drink.

    ¡°Here, drink slowly.¡± Fang Xiu lifted Jing Xin¡¯s head a little to make it easier for him to drink.

    Jing Xin finished the whole glass of water in one breath, his dry throat was moisturized, and he felt much better.

    ¡°Xiuxiu, I¡¯ve finished.¡± Jing Xin looked at the large glass of water he had finished in one breath.

    ¡°Do you want some more?¡± Fang Xiu asked, picking up the cup.

    ¡°No need.¡± Jing Xin shook his head.

    ¡°Oh.¡± Fang Xiu didn¡¯t know what to say at this time.

    ¡°Xiuxiu, I heard what you said.¡± Jing Xin looked intently at Fang Xiu.

    ¡°Then, you¡­¡± Fang Xiu didn¡¯t know what to say. At that time, Jing Xin was unconscious, and she could blurt out what was in her heart without any scruples, venting her grievances.

    But now that Jing Xin was awake and looking at her like this, she didn¡¯t know what to say.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect them to go so far; I¡¯m sorry for you.¡± Jing Xin reached out and tried to take Fang Xiu¡¯s hand.

    ¡°How can you be blamed? What I said was a bit too much.¡± Fang Xiu didn¡¯t realize that Jing Xin, even in a coma, could hear all her words.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s my fault, Xiuxiu; I¡¯m sorry. I made you and our child suffer so much.¡± Jing Xin really felt guilty.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t say that anymore; you need to focus on your recovery, don¡¯t think too much.¡± Fang Xiu didn¡¯t want to discuss this topic with Jing Xin anymore.

    ¡°Xiuxiu, I¡­¡± Just as Jing Xin was about to speak, he saw the doctor coming in and closed his mouth in silence.

    ¡°The recovery is not bad; there are no other problems, just pay attention not to let the wound become infected.¡± Chen Hao finished checking and found that the constitution of these soldiers was exceptionally good.

    ¡°Alright, thank you, doctor.¡± Fang Xiu let out a sigh of relief after hearing that.

    ¡°If you need anything, go find a nurse or come to my office.¡± Chen Hao recorded the condition on the medical record and said to Fang Xiu.

    ¡°Okay, thank you, doctor.¡± Fang Xiu nodded to show that she understood.

    After Chen Hao and the nurse left, only the two of them were left in the ward. Suddenly, Fang Xiu felt a little uneasy because Jing Xin¡¯s gaze was too direct.

    But Fang Xiu didn¡¯t know what to say.

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    ¡°Xiuxiu, you will always be my Jing Xin¡¯s wife. As long as I don¡¯t reject you, no one else can deny you.¡± Fang Xiu had just said two words when Jing Xin interrupted her.

    ¡°But will your family approve of this? Your family probably doesn¡¯t even know you¡¯re still alive, do they?¡± Fang Xiu thought that she had been the only one taking care of Jing Xin recently, and she hadn¡¯t seen any of the Jings.

    Fang Xiu guessed that either the Jing family was afraid that Jing Xin would drag them down, or the army didn¡¯t notify them.

    But according to Fang Xiu¡¯s understanding of the Jing family, she thought it should be the former.

    And Fang Xiu didn¡¯t guess wrong. The Jing family had received the notification and knew that Jing Xin was not dead. But after the whole family decided not to visit Jing Xin, for fear that he would never wake up and drag them down.

 Chapter 445

    Translator: 549690339

    Fang Xiu saw that Jing Xin had woken up and seemed to be out of danger, so she wanted to go back to see her son.

    ¡°Jing Xin, um, if you need anything, you can ring the bell for the nurse, okay?¡± Fang Xiu asked Jing Xin.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Jing Xin had a sudden sinking feeling, guessing Fang Xiu¡¯s intention.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been leaving the child with someone else, and I¡¯m worried. Since you¡¯re awake now and there are no major problems, I don¡¯t think I need to stay here anymore. I need to go pick Taotao up.¡± Fang Xiu didn¡¯t take Jing Xin¡¯s previous words to heart.

    Right now, she no longer cared whether she belonged to the Jings or whether she was Jing Xin¡¯s wife. All she cared about was her son. As for Jing Xin, she had already done what she should have done, and she¡¯d deal with whatever came next when the time came.

    ¡°Xiuxiu, are you leaving me?¡± Jing Xin asked with bitterness.

    As a soldier, he had to obey orders. He did not know why he had been mistakenly reported as dead when he had been alive and well.

    Moreover, his family didn¡¯t treat Fang Xiu properly as his new bride, even if he had supposedly died. Instead, they treated her coldly, driving her away without mercy.

    What¡¯s more, after learning of Jing Xin¡¯s supposed death, Fang Xiu decided to bear his child while knowing she was pregnant. This alone showed that she was a compassionate and righteous woman.

    Why couldn¡¯t his family accept such a good woman? Was it because Jing Xin wasn¡¯t their own flesh and blood?

    That¡¯s right, Jing Xin was not the Jings¡¯ biological child but their adopted one ¨C a fact he had discovered by accident. All these years, he had tried to repay the Jings¡¯ kindness in raising him by meeting every expectation they had for him.

    He sent almost all of his salary home for family expenses and always lived frugally. He continued doing so after marrying Fang Xiu, giving half to her and half to his family.

    But in the second month of their marriage, he was sent on a mission and lost contact with his family. Only now did he learn how his wife and child had been living during those days. Was his devotion to the Jings correct or wrong? Jing Xin felt lost.

    ¡°Jing Xin, you will always be part of the Jing family. Now that you¡¯re awake, I think they will soon send someone to take care of you. As for me and our child, we¡¯ll go back to living our lives as we did before.

    Take good care of yourself and heal, and when you recover, I believe your future should be quite bright after experiencing this ordeal.¡± Fang Xiu spoke to Jing Xin with a calm expression.

    ¡°Xiuxiu, I want to see our child.¡± Jing Xin looked at Fang Xiu¡¯s determined expression, knowing that he shouldn¡¯t push her too hard.

    So he changed the subject, deciding to deal with everything after he had fully recovered.

    ¡°Okay, I will bring our child to see you. No matter what, Taotao is your son. I can¡¯t deprive you of the chance to see him.

    But I must remind you that the Jings don¡¯t know about Taotao. I hope you won¡¯t mention him when you see them.¡± Fang Xiu wasn¡¯t scared of whatever treatment or harm she¡¯d face herself.

    But she couldn¡¯t let her child suffer such injustice.

    She also couldn¡¯t bear for her child to be taken away from her.

    So the best thing to do was to keep Taotao¡¯s existence a secret from the Jings. As long as they didn¡¯t know about him, they wouldn¡¯t try to take him away from her.

    Just the thought of such a situation made Fang Xiu feel like she would go crazy.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I used to be too blindly loyal to the Jings, but not anymore.¡± Jing Xin felt that he had already done enough for the Jings, and had repaid their kindness many times over. In truth, he had been an unpaid laborer for them.

    Now that he had his own family, he would let things between him and the Jings take their own course. It would be nice if they could get along, but he wouldn¡¯t force them if they couldn¡¯t.

 Chapter 446

    Translator: 549690339

    When Chu Molin received the news that Jing Xin had woken up, he was still eating dinner with Qin Xue.

    ¡°Li Dabao, have you eaten yet?¡± Qin Xue asked the adorable soldier.

    ¡°No, sister-in-law, not yet.¡± Li Dabao had been assigned by Chu Molin to take care of Jing Xin. He was originally planning to ask Fang Xiu what she wanted to eat so he could buy it, but he happened to bump into Jing Xin waking up, so he reported to Chu Molin first. As a result, he missed dinner.

    ¡°Go wash your hands and come eat,¡± Qin Xue said, turning around to get a bowl and chopsticks.

    ¡°Deputy Chief.¡± Li Dabao looked at Chu Molin.

    ¡°Just eat.¡± Chu Molin wasn¡¯t an unkind person.

    ¡°Yes, thank you, sister-in-law.¡± Li Dabao was excited when he heard this; he had already smelled the delicious food at the door, which made him drool.

    Chu Molin really wanted to see what was in this fool¡¯s head. Was he swayed by just one meal?

    When Qin Xue brought the bowl over, she saw Li Dabao¡¯s happy face and smiled.

    ¡°This Li Dabao is quite interesting,¡± Qin Xue said as she placed the bowl and chopsticks on another seat.

    ¡°He¡¯s a dumb idiot,¡± Chu Molin said disdainfully.

    Actually, Li Dabao¡¯s work ability was quite good. It¡¯s just that any male who attracted his wife¡¯s attention needed to be belittled in Chu Molin¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°He¡¯s not dumb at all. He¡¯s a nice young man,¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t think Li Dabao was anything like a fool.

    ¡°If he¡¯s not a fool with that clueless head of his, then what is he?¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t want Qin Xue to be too kind to Li Dabao. His wife could only be kind to him.

    ¡°Chu Molin, are you immature?¡± Qin Xue knew full well what this man was fussing about.

    ¡°I¡¯m not immature.¡± Chu Molin wouldn¡¯t admit to being immature, only a fool would.

    ¡°I think you are extremely immature.¡± Qin Xue sometimes found Chu Molin¡¯s pettiness to be truly surprising.

    ¡°Hmm, whatever my wife says is right.¡± Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue with an indulgent expression. As long as his wife was happy, she could say whatever she wanted.

    ¡°Chu Molin, where¡¯s your integrity?¡± Qin Xue looked at Chu Molin with disdain.

    ¡°My integrity was eaten by a dog,¡± Chu Molin said, smiling at his wife.

    ¡°Do your parents know this about you?¡± Qin Xue quickly asked.

    Chu Molin¡¯s expression stiffened, and his eyes darkened.

    ¡°My mom is dead, and my dad probably forgot about me a long time ago.¡± Chu Molin remembered what Li Zhao said last time about Chu Yeting asking about him. But once a person¡¯s heart had become cold, it was hard to warm it up again.

    ¡°Chu Molin, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to say it like that.¡± Qin Xue said anxiously. How could she not understand the situation? She knew that Chu Molin must have had a falling out with his family, so why did she bring it up?

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s all in the past. From now on, you and the children are all I need,¡± Chu Molin said with a smile to his wife.

    ¡°Alright, from now on, we will accompany you.¡± Just as Qin Xue finished saying this, she saw Li Dabao coming over and didn¡¯t continue to tease Chu Molin.

    ¡°Sister-in-law, thank you. You don¡¯t know how much I miss your cooking. It¡¯s so delicious.¡± Li Dabao praised Qin Xue¡¯s culinary skills without reservation.

    ¡°Alright, just like your Deputy Chief. If you like it, eat more.¡± Qin Xue looked at the two of them, speechless. It was no wonder they were superior and subordinate.

    ¡°Mhm, thank you, sister-in-law.¡± Li Dabao accepted the meal Qin Xue handed him and thanked her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so polite. Just eat whatever you like. There isn¡¯t much food left.¡± Qin Xue looked at the remaining dishes, glad that Li Dabao had arrived early. Otherwise, there wouldn¡¯t be any food left for him.

    ¡°This is already great.¡± Li Dabao looked at the delicious-looking meal, and the aroma had already made him swallow his saliva countless times. It smelled so good. He picked up his chopsticks and put a piece of fish in his mouth. As expected, it was just as delicious as he had imagined.

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    After taking a bite of fish, Li Dabao found it delicious and sped up his eating, but his movements were not rude, and he didn¡¯t specifically pick the best parts to eat. This satisfied both Chu Molin and Qin Xue.

    This was also the reason why Qin Xue had always liked Li Dabao. One¡¯s upbringing also determined one¡¯s character, and Li Dabao¡¯s performance was the best proof. So they, as a couple, would not push away good people.

    The three of them went to the hospital to visit Jing Xin after they were full.

    When the three got to the hospital, Chen Hao had just come out after examining Jing Xin.

    Chen Hao¡¯s eyes lit up when he saw Qin Xue.

    ¡°Qin Xue, are you here to visit the patient?¡± Chen Hao asked as he approached them.

    ¡°Yes! Dr. Chen, did you just finish the examination? How is her recovery?¡± Qin Xue smiled and responded, also taking the opportunity to ask about Jing Xin¡¯s condition.

    ¡°She is recovering well. Just be careful not to let the wound get infected. I must say, the physical fitness of these soldiers is really good,¡± Chen Hao was quite impressed with their constitution.

    ¡°Their regular training makes their resistance stronger, and their recovery tends to be relatively faster,¡± Qin Xue was also very impressed with their physical fitness. Especially Chu Molin¡¯s self-healing ability, which was incredibly frightening.

    ¡°Yes, well, you can go ahead. When I have some free time, I would like to ask you a few questions. Would that be okay?¡± Chen Hao wanted to consult Qin Xue about some medical issues but had not found an opportunity.

    ¡°Of course it¡¯s okay. As long as I know the answer, there are no problems at all,¡± said Qin Xue, who was not stingy. She wouldn¡¯t refuse to teach someone else the knowledge she had, like some people would.

    ¡°Thank you, then. I¡¯ll go back to my office first,¡± Chen Hao felt a sharp gaze fixated on him as if trying to kill him.

    ¡°Alright, Dr. Chen, goodbye,¡± Qin Xue waved with a smile.

    ¡°Goodbye,¡± Chen Hao watched their departing figures, emptying his mind of unnecessary thoughts with a shake of his head.

    ¡°Dr. Chen, here¡¯s Jing Xin¡¯s report, please sign it.¡± Li Lan handed the pathology report to Chen Hao for his signature.

    ¡°Ms. Li, let me ask you a question,¡± Chen Hao began doubting himself.

    ¡°What is it? Just tell me,¡± Li Lan wasn¡¯t sure what Chen Hao wanted to ask.

    ¡°Do I look really ugly?¡± Chen Hao touched his face as he asked.

    ¡°No, you look quite handsome. What¡¯s the matter?¡± Li Lan looked at Chen Hao, puzzled.

    ¡°If I¡¯m good-looking, why does it seem that Qin Xue can¡¯t see me?¡± Chen Hao asked, puzzled.

    ¡°Dr. Chen, do you think you¡¯re handsomer than Mr. Chu?¡± Li Lan casually asked.

    ¡°Of course, Mr. Chu is more handsome,¡± Chen Hao initially intended to say he was more handsome, but seeing Li Lan¡¯s knowing gaze, he changed his tune and admitted Chu Molin was more handsome, because it was indeed true. Even as a man, he found Chu Molin, with his aloof expression, to be exceptionally manly.

    ¡°Then that¡¯s it. So, what¡¯s there to worry about?¡± Li Lan didn¡¯t even look at him as she walked away after saying this.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Chen Hao asked, chasing after Li Lan, confused.

    ¡°With such a handsome guy by Qin Xue¡¯s side, do you think anyone else could catch her eye?¡± Li Lan shook her head and walked away, as she observed the man digging himself deeper into his thoughts. It seemed he still had not given up, which made her feel a little sad.

    ¡°Sigh, Ms. Li, wait for me.¡± Chen Hao called out to the retreating Li Lan and trotted after her.

    As Qin Xue, Chu Molin, and Li Dabao arrived at the entrance of Jing Xin¡¯s ward, they overheard Fang Xiu speaking.

    Qin Xue turned to glance at Chu Molin and Li Dabao. All three of them silently agreed to wait outside the door without interrupting the couple¡¯s conversation. Some things needed to be said in order to communicate and solve them.

 Chapter 448

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    After Fang Xiu said everything she wanted to say, she left Jing Xin alone and was startled by the three people standing outside the door when she was about to leave. When did they come, and did they hear what she said to Jing Xin?

    ¡°Qin Xue, Mr. Chu, Mr. Li, when did you guys get here?¡± Fang Xiu awkwardly asked, wondering if what she said was too much.

    ¡°We just arrived, where are you heading?¡± Qin Xue pretended not to know and asked.

    ¡°Oh, well, Jing Xin is awake now, so I need to go pick up Taotao. It¡¯s not a solution to keep leaving him with others.¡± Fang Xiu usually gave people some money during the day to help take care of Taotao, and she would pick him up at night.

    She didn¡¯t know if it was just her imagination, but she found that Taotao seemed to be a little afraid of people. Although he didn¡¯t cry and didn¡¯t talk, Fang Xiu felt a sense of fear in his eyes.

    So no matter what, she couldn¡¯t keep leaving Taotao with others.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine, then why don¡¯t you bring Taotao to see his father? After all, Jing Xin hasn¡¯t met Taotao yet. Now that Jing Xin is awake, it¡¯s time for the father and son to meet, right?¡± Qin Xue said softly.

    ¡°Yes, I know. You guys go on in, I¡¯ll go pick up Taotao.¡± Fang Xiu certainly understood Qin Xue¡¯s meaning, but right now she really didn¡¯t know what the right thing to do was.

    ¡°Li Dabao, go and take Fang Xiu back, and bring Taotao here to see Mr. Jing after picking him up,¡± Chu Molin cooperated with Qin Xue and said to Li Dabao.

    ¡°Mr. Chu, that¡¯s not necessary, I can just take the shuttle bus back,¡± Fang Xiu hastily refused. She wouldn¡¯t dare let Li Dabao provide her transportation multiple times. She was just an ordinary person, not a big shot.

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Chu, I¡¯ll go start the car,¡± Li Dabao, of course, would listen to Chu Molin¡¯s words.

    ¡°Go ahead, be careful,¡± Chu Molin looked at Li Dabao and said.

    After saluting, Li Dabao left, and Fang Xiu opened her mouth to say something, but ultimately didn¡¯t speak.

    ¡°Just go, don¡¯t overthink things. Some things can¡¯t be figured out,¡± Qin Xue patted Fang Xiu¡¯s shoulder and said.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go. You guys go in; he¡¯s awake,¡± Fang Xiu nodded in response.

    ¡°Okay, go ahead,¡± Qin Xue spoke softly, hoping Fang Xiu wouldn¡¯t dwell on it.

    Fang Xiu nodded and left. Since she couldn¡¯t avoid it, facing it calmly was the only option.

    ¡°Chu Molin, do you think Jing Xin will understand what Fang Xiu did?¡± Qin Xue asked with some concern.

    ¡°Jing Xin will understand, he¡¯s a responsible man,¡± Chu Molin had spent a few years with Jing Xin and had some understanding of him.

    ¡°I hope so,¡± Qin Xue knew how Fang Xiu had struggled to raise her child on her own.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think too much, you shouldn¡¯t worry about other people¡¯s affairs. Just pay more attention to yourself,¡± Chu Molin looked at his wife helplessly. She always found a way to worry about others even when she had her own issues to deal with.

    ¡°I got it,¡± Qin Xue was a little embarrassed, as Chu Molin¡¯s words made her feel she might be overstepping.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go in and have a look,¡± Chu Molin took Qin Xue¡¯s hand and pushed open the door.

    ¡°Mr. Chu, what brings you here?¡± Jing Xin asked with some disappointment, as he had thought the door opening meant Fang Xiu had come back. But that wasn¡¯t the case.

    ¡°Why, you¡¯re very disappointed?¡± Chu Molin asked as he and Qin Xue walked to the bedside.

    ¡°No, I wouldn¡¯t dare be,¡± Jing Xin knew Chu Molin well, as he never held back when dealing with people.

    ¡°Good to know, how are you feeling?¡± Chu Molin pulled a chair over for Qin Xue to sit on and continued to ask Jing Xin.

    ¡°I¡¯m okay, who is this?¡± Jing Xin didn¡¯t know Qin Xue, as Chu Molin hadn¡¯t been married yet when Jing Xin went undercover.

 Chapter 449

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    Upon hearing Jing Xin¡¯s question, Chu Molin answered without a change in his expression.

    ¡°My wife, Qin Xue.¡± Chu Molin said without lifting his head, all his attention on Qin Xue, not caring what Jing Xin thought.

    ¡°You got married? When did this happen? What? You said her name is Qin Xue?¡± Jing Xin was stunned by Chu Molin¡¯s words and threw out a series of questions.

    ¡°Yes, my wife¡¯s name is Qin Xue. What¡¯s the matter? Is there a problem?¡± Chu Molin raised his eyebrows and looked at Jing Xin as he asked.

    ¡°No problem, I just didn¡¯t expect that the benefactor Fang Xiu has been mentioning turns out to be your wife. This really is fate, everything coming together.¡± Jing Xin thought to himself that this explained why Fang Xiu would know Chu Molin. So, it was Chu Molin¡¯s wife who had helped her. Jing Xin would keep this kindness in mind.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect it to be such a coincidence either. Luckily, I got to know my wife, or else you wouldn¡¯t know where to look for your wife and son.¡± Chu Molin said jokingly after hearing Jing Xin¡¯s words.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m very grateful for my sister-in-law¡¯s help to my wife and son. I will remember this kindness, and if you need anything in the future, just let me know. I, Jing Xin, will never hesitate.¡± Jing Xin had heard his wife Fang Xiu¡¯s words while he was in a coma, so he believed that everything she said was true.

    ¡°You¡¯re too kind. It¡¯s fate that I got to know Fang Xiu too.¡± Qin Xue said after listening.

    Had Jing Xin been undercover in a gang for too long? His words seemed rehearsed.

    ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t say more. Anyway, when you need me, just come to find me.¡± Jing Xin knew that saying more now wouldn¡¯t help, so it was better to say nothing.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Qin Xue said without hesitation, as there might be a chance they would need Jing Xin¡¯s help in the future.

    ¡°Yes, yes, Deputy Director, how are things going?¡± Jing Xin wanted to know the follow-up, and it was most appropriate to ask Chu Molin who was there.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, everything went well. You just focus on recovering.¡± Chu Molin knew that soldiers like them couldn¡¯t stand staying in the hospital. He had been able to stay there for so long only because of his wife Qin Xue¡¯s companionship, otherwise, he would have probably run away.

    ¡°Then I can rest assured.¡± Jing Xin was afraid that after all the sacrifices, everything would be in vain. Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t, otherwise how could he face the fact that he had been away from his wife for so long and missed his child¡¯s birth and growth.

    Li Dabao dropped Fang Xiu off, but the car couldn¡¯t fit down the narrow road, so he waited in the car while Fang Xiu went in to pick up her child.

    Fang Xiu heard the cursing from afar, and as she got closer, she was shaking with anger.

    ¡°You little bastard, who knows who your mother gave birth to you with. They say you¡¯re the dead husband¡¯s posthumous child, but who knows if it¡¯s true. If so, would the Jings not take you back, but let you and your mother roam outside?

    With your mother¡¯s foxy look, she must have hooked up with another man, that¡¯s why she dumped you here with us so she could go out and mess around with other men. Where else would a woman with a child get the money?¡± The harsh words pierced Fang Xiu¡¯s heart like needles.

    How come Taotao seemed a bit off these few days? So it was something like this that she didn¡¯t know about.

    ¡°Aunt Fang, may I ask which man did I hook up with that made you so indignantly accuse me and my son?¡± Fang Xiu couldn¡¯t stand it anymore.

    ¡°Xiuxiu, how did you get here?¡± Aunt Fang didn¡¯t expect Fang Xiu to come at this time. Didn¡¯t she always come after dark?

    ¡°Why? If I hadn¡¯t come, I wouldn¡¯t know what you really think of us, mother and son. No wonder I thought Taotao was a bit off these days. So it¡¯s all because of you.¡± Fang Xiu looked angrily at Aunt Fang.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything wrong. You¡¯ve been without your child these days, isn¡¯t it because you hooked up with other men? Just so it would be convenient for you to do things together.¡± Aunt Fang looked at Fang Xiu and spoke the heart-piercing words one after another.

 Chapter 450

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    Fang Xiu was directly enraged by Aunt Fang¡¯s words, almost losing her sanity. If she hadn¡¯t held back, she might have rushed up and beaten Aunt Fang.

    ¡°You were the one who promised to help me look after Taotao in the first place. How can you talk like this now?¡± Aunt Fang was an aunt from Fang Xiu¡¯s maternal family.

    At the time, Fang Xiu had to go take care of Jing Xin. Since she had Jingtao with her, it was inconvenient to look after a patient.

    So she found someone to help her look after Taotao and paid them daily for their assistance.

    Aunt Fang said she was willing to help look after Taotao, so Fang Xiu trusted her since they were family. But she never expected that what she saw a few days ago was just a fa?ade.

    The real truth was so hurtful. If she had known earlier, she would have borne the hardships and taken Taotao with her, rather than entrusting him to Aunt Fang.

    Taotao used to be so adorable and lively. But after just a few days, he looked somewhat silly and dull, much more timid than before. She truly regretted leaving Taotao at Aunt Fang¡¯s house.

    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for the money, who would want to take care of your bastard?¡± Aunt Fang looked at Fang Xiu with disdain. This seductive woman went to lure men and still expected her to properly take care of the child? How could that be possible?

    ¡°But you didn¡¯t say that at first. If you didn¡¯t want to do it, you should have never agreed in the first place. Since you took my money, you should have taken good care of Taotao. But look at what you¡¯ve done!¡± Fang Xiu walked over, hugged Jingtao, and was trembling with anger.

    ¡°I have been taking good care of him. He hasn¡¯t been injured or in danger, has he?¡± Aunt Fang said disdainfully. She was just belittling Fang Xiu with her words.

    ¡°But should you say these things in front of a child? What¡¯s the point of saying such insulting words?¡± Fang Xiu angrily asked.

    ¡°There¡¯s no meaning. I¡¯m just annoyed, so I cursed,¡± Aunt Fang casually replied.

    ¡°You¡¯ve gone too far. You¡¯re my own aunt! Doesn¡¯t your conscience hurt?¡± Fang Xiu asked with red eyes.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t! I didn¡¯t say anything wrong!¡± Aunt Fang said indifferently, uttering hurtful words.

    ¡°Aunt Fang, you¡¯re really too much!¡± Fang Xiu stepped forward and slapped Aunt Fang.

    ¡°Fang Xiu, you seductive woman, how dare you hit me!¡± Aunt Fang covered her face and looked at Fang Xiu in disbelief.

    ¡°Yes, I hit you! Do you know that slandering someone can land you in jail? This slap was actually mild compared to that!¡± Fang Xiu said fiercely.

    ¡°You, with the grass over your dead husband¡¯s grave so tall, what do you and your current situation count for? I¡¯m already looking up to you guys by saying that, and you still talk about slander!¡± Aunt Fang was initially scared when she heard the word slander and that it could land her in jail.

    But after hearing Yu Xiu¡¯s words, she was no longer afraid. Fang Xiu¡¯s husband was dead. Now, she had hooked up with another man. She was not clean at all. So why should she be afraid?

    ¡°Well, sorry to say, but the ¡®dead husband¡¯ you mentioned is still alive. I¡¯ve been taking care of him for the past few days. Not only are you slandering me, but also him. If you don¡¯t apologize, I¡¯ll have someone stand up for me,¡± Fang Xiu coldly looked at Aunt Fang and said.

    ¡°Humph, who cares about you? You said you went to take care of your dead husband. Is that even true? Who knows?¡± Aunt Fang said, and then hesitated, turning on her heel to enter the room. She slammed the door shut, leaving Fang Xiu and her son standing outside, staring at each other.

    ¡°Mommy,¡± suddenly Jingtao called out from Fang Xiu¡¯s arms.

    ¡°Taotao!¡± Fang Xiu¡¯s tears fell when she heard him speak.

    She didn¡¯t expect her son to start talking at such a time. Moreover, the first words he said were ¡°Mommy.¡±

    This made Fang Xiu¡¯s heart ache. Her child had always been well-behaved since he was in her belly, and he still was even now. It was heartbreaking to see him so good-natured.

 Chapter 451

    Translator: 549690339

    Li Dabao waited in the car for a while without seeing Fang Xiu and her child coming out, so he got out of the car to look for them and saw Fang Xiu holding her child, crying from a distance.

    Frightened, Li Dabao quickly walked up to them and approached Fang Xiu.

    ¡°Sister-in-law, what happened? Are you two alright?¡± Li Dabao wanted to take Jingtao from Fang Xiu, but Jingtao shrank back into his mother¡¯s embrace in fear, looking timidly at Li Dabao.

    Feeling her son¡¯s movements, Fang Xiu¡¯s heart ached. Her son used to be so lovely, but in just a few days, he had changed like this. It was all her fault as a mother for neglecting her child¡¯s transformation.

    ¡°Taotao, don¡¯t be afraid. He¡¯s a good uncle, your dad¡¯s friend. He won¡¯t hurt Taotao. We¡¯re not afraid, okay?¡± Fang Xiu softly coaxed her son, hoping to dispel his defenses.

    Jingtao clutched his mother¡¯s clothes tightly, hiding in her embrace. His big eyes stole a glance at Li Dabao. After hearing his mother¡¯s words, he looked up at her and then at Li Dabao, but still did not reach out to be held by him.

    ¡°Sister-in-law, has the child been frightened?¡± Li Dabao looked at the fear in the child¡¯s eyes and asked Fang Xiu.

    ¡°Mm, I¡¯ll hold him. Let¡¯s go back first,¡± Fang Xiu said, hoisting her son higher in her arms.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go. The car is parked outside,¡± Li Dabao pointed to the parking spot.

    ¡°Mm, let¡¯s go to the hospital,¡± Fang Xiu thought of Taotao¡¯s condition and wondered if Qin Xue would have a solution.

    ¡°Alright, get in the car, and we¡¯ll go now.¡± Li Dabao opened the back door for Fang Xiu and her son to get in.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Fang Xiu said, holding Taotao as they got in the car and sat down.

    ¡°No need to be so polite, sister-in-law.¡± Li Dabao closed the car door before returning to the driver¡¯s seat and driving back to the hospital.

    ¡°Qin Xue, take a look at Taotao for me,¡± said Fang Xiu, rushing into the ward as soon as they arrived at the hospital. Seeing that Qin Xue was still there, she spoke anxiously.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Qin Xue asked, looking at the anxious Fang Xiu.

    ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. Please check on Taotao,¡± Fang Xiu said as she cried, nearly consumed with guilt.

    ¡°Alright, let me take a look.¡± Qin Xue examined Taotao, sensing that something must have happened, but decided to examine the child first and talk about the rest later.

    ¡°Little Jingtao, can Auntie have a look? Is that okay?¡± Qin Xue noticed the change in Jingtao as soon as she saw him in Fang Xiu¡¯s arms and asked softly, with a smile.

    Jingtao raised his head timidly to look at Qin Xue, not making the usual happy babbling noises.

    ¡°Little Jingtao, don¡¯t you recognize Auntie anymore? Auntie is so heartbroken. In just a few days, Taotao doesn¡¯t want Auntie anymore.¡± Qin Xue pretended to cry sadly.

    From the corner of her eye, she stole glances at Jingtao¡¯s expression, noticing it change slightly.

    ¡°Little Jingtao, where¡¯s your walker? Are you used to it? Do you like it?¡± Qin Xue continued to speak with Jingtao.

    Qin Xue pulled Fang Xiu to the side, continuing to talk with Jingtao and tease him.

    ¡°Biya, waaaaaaaa.¡± Suddenly, Jingtao cried out, his mouth puckering, and his eyes reddening as he sobbed loudly.

    ¡°There, there, Auntie is here. Taotao, do you want Auntie to hold you?¡± Qin Xue tried to pick up Jingtao.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, you¡­¡± Chu Molin called out softly in worry.

    Qin Xue turned around and shook her head gently at Chu Molin.

    Ever since Fang Xiu and her child entered the room, Jing Xin had been stunned. Hearing Fang Xiu¡¯s anxious voice, he sensed that something was wrong with the child. So he stayed quiet for fear of scaring Jingtao.

    Seeing Qin Xue patiently coaxing Jingtao, his wife Fang Xiu weeping with reddened eyes, his heart ached terribly. He hated himself for being useless, for being unable to do anything but lie there and watch helplessly.

    He suddenly realized that he was truly not up to the task. As a husband, he hadn¡¯t given his wife the companionship and support she deserved, and as a father, he hadn¡¯t fulfilled even the smallest of responsibilities.

 Chapter 452

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue was still trying to talk to Jingtao to dispel his fear.

    ¡°Jingtao, do you want to come to auntie? Tell auntie what¡¯s wrong? Who bullied our Taotao?¡± Qin Xue asked patiently.

    ¡°Yi Yi.¡± Jingtao looked at Qin Xue grievously, and his cries gradually subsided.

    ¡°Come, let auntie hold you, our Taotao is the best, isn¡¯t he?¡± Qin Xue reached out and found that Jingtao didn¡¯t have his guard up against her anymore. She touched him first before picking him up.

    ¡°Our Taotao is so great, knowing how to call auntie already. Are you hungry? Auntie has some food for you, alright?¡± Qin Xue asked Jingtao.

    Jingtao¡¯s eyes lit up at the mention of food, looking at Qin Xue with some excitement.

    ¡°Chu Molin, there¡¯s food in my bag. Can you get some for Taotao?¡± Qin Xue always kept some food handy in case she got hungry and couldn¡¯t find anything to eat.

    Chu Molin listened and took a red date cake and a potato cake from Qin Xue¡¯s backpack and handed them to Jingtao.

    Jingtao looked at the food, then looked back at Chu Molin, and reached out for him to hold him.

    Chu Molin saw Jingtao¡¯s movement and took him with one hand while holding the bag with the other.

    ¡°Uncle, eat.¡± Jingtao stuffed the food into Chu Molin¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°Taotao, you eat. Uncle doesn¡¯t want any.¡± Chu Molin¡¯s expression softened a lot as he spoke softly to Jingtao.

    Jingtao looked at Chu Molin and then at the food before starting to eat it.

    Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when they saw this, as it seemed that Jingtao¡¯s problem had been alleviated for now.

    Chu Molin held Jingtao and went over to Jing Xin, sitting in the chair in front of the hospital bed without speaking. Jingtao sat on his lap, concentrating on eating his food.

    Qin Xue looked at Jingtao and then at Chu Molin, unable to understand why Jingtao liked Chu Molin despite his cold demeanor. She had spent quite some time coaxing him just to hold him, but Jingtao only needed to glance at Chu Molin before wanting him to hold him. What was it about Chu Molin that made Jingtao trust him?

    Qin Xue stared at Chu Molin thoughtfully, unable to figure it out no matter how hard she tried.

    Chu Molin felt Qin Xue¡¯s gaze and looked up at her, his eyes asking what was wrong.

    Qin Xue shook her head to indicate that it was nothing. She turned to Fang Xiu and asked what had happened.

    Fang Xiu slowly recounted the events to Qin Xue, who also became furious upon hearing it.

    ¡°What? There are actually people like that?¡± Qin Xue was outraged. What kind of person would treat such a cute child like this?

    When Jingtao heard Qin Xue¡¯s loud exclamation, he shrank back into Chu Molin¡¯s arms in fear.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, you scared Taotao.¡± Chu Molin hugged Jingtao tighter and whispered to Qin Xue.

    ¡°Ah, sorry Jingtao, auntie wasn¡¯t talking about you.¡± Qin Xue hastily smiled and reassured Jingtao, not wanting to scare him again after finally calming him down.

    Jingtao looked at Qin Xue and then at Chu Molin, and continued eating his snack.

    ¡°Commander, this child?¡± Jing Xin looked at the boy who resembled him greatly, almost as if they were cut from the same mold. They looked so much like father and son.

    ¡°Something must have happened, and he was frightened.¡± Chu Molin pursed his lips and said to Jing Xin.

    ¡°What is he usually like?¡± Jing Xin wanted to reach out and touch Jingtao, but he was afraid of scaring him.

    ¡°He¡¯s smart and cute, and quite sensible. I¡¯ve never seen him cry before.¡± Chu Molin said, as every time he saw Jingtao, he was well-behaved.

    ¡°You¡¯re called Taotao, right? Can I touch you?¡± Jing Xin asked Jingtao carefully, hoping his son wouldn¡¯t resist or be afraid of him.

    Jingtao heard someone calling him, looked at Jing Xin, and then at Chu Molin.

    Chu Molin looked at Jingtao, ¡°Do you want to play with him?¡±

    Jingtao lowered his head, glanced at the red date cake in his hand, then at Chu Molin, and handed it over to Jing Xin.

 Chapter 453

    Translator: 549690339

    Jing Xin¡¯s eyes reddened instantly; this was his son, the son he was seeing for the first time, and his son was willing to share his food with him.

    ¡°Taotao, you eat, Daddy doesn¡¯t want it.¡± Jing Xin¡¯s voice was choked.

    ¡°Uncle.¡± Jingtao called out and looked at Chu Molin.

    ¡°Taotao, he¡¯s your daddy, from now on you have to call him daddy, not uncle, you understand?¡± Chu Molin whispered to Jingtao. He couldn¡¯t describe how his heart felt; would his own child call him uncle after he was away from Qin Xue and her son for a long time?

    After hearing Chu Molin¡¯s words, Jingtao glanced at Jing Xin, bowed his head to eat his food, didn¡¯t speak, and didn¡¯t pay attention to anyone.

    ¡°Deputy department head, this ¡­¡± Jing Xin¡¯s eyes dimmed.

    ¡°Taotao, look at Uncle.¡± Chu Molin softly called out to Jingtao.

    Jingtao raised his head to look at Chu Molin, not knowing what he wanted.

    ¡°Taotao, do you like this person? Can you touch him?¡± Chu Molin looked at Jingtao and asked.

    Jingtao followed Chu Molin¡¯s finger and saw Jing Xin¡¯s expectant eyes. Unfortunately, Jingtao was too young to understand the meaning behind Jing Xin¡¯s gaze.

    He just stared at Jing Xin, and then reached out to him.

    ¡°Taotao.¡± Jing Xin held his son¡¯s little hand, his eyes red as his voice trembled with emotion.

    ¡°Daddy.¡± Jingtao remembered that Uncle said that this person was Daddy.

    ¡°Child, it¡¯s daddy who let you and your mother down.¡± Jing Xin didn¡¯t know how to express his guilt.

    ¡°Daddy.¡± Jingtao called out again.

    Fang Xiu covered her mouth and cried when she heard her son¡¯s call. Was it really blood ties and instincts that enabled her son to accept Jing Xin so quickly?

    Qin Xue gave a helpless sigh, gently hugged Fang Xiu¡¯s shoulders, and patted her back.

    ¡°Fang Xiu, you should be happy, right?¡± Qin Xue whispered softly.

    ¡°Mm.¡± Fang Xiu had a strong urge to vent all her unhappiness and cried uncontrollably.

    ¡°Sigh, just cry, it¡¯s better to get it all out.¡± Qin Xue thought it was better for Fang Xiu to cry it out than to keep it bottled up inside and get sick.

    Jing Xin clasped his son¡¯s hand, listening to his wife¡¯s muffled sobbing, his eyes red and tears streaming down his face.

    It is said that a man should not shed tears lightly, only when he is truly heartbroken. Jing Xin, a grown man, cried openly.

    Chu Molin immediately put Jingtao on the sickbed and helped Jing Xin sit up properly, placing a pillow behind his back for him to lean on.

    Chu Molin moved Jingtao closer to Jing Xin so that the father and son could be closer together.

    ¡°Deputy department head, thank you.¡± Jing Xin adjusted his emotions and said to Chu Molin.

    Now he was really grateful to Chu Molin and his wife. He could tell that they treated his wife and son very well under normal circumstances, otherwise, his son wouldn¡¯t have gotten better after Qin Xue¡¯s persuasion.

    Moreover, his son accepted him after the battalion commander spoke to him for a few words, which showed how reliant his son was on their battalion commander. So, Jing Xin was absolutely sincere in saying thank you.

    ¡°Take good care of your wounds. They need you.¡± Chu Molin said coldly.

    ¡°Yes, Deputy department head, I know, I will take good care of my wounds and strive to recover as soon as possible.¡± Jing Xin looked at his wife and then at his son. Indeed, his wife and son needed him, and he had already let them down enough; he would make up for it with the rest of his life.

    In the future, the three of them would live happily together. Since the Jings were so heartless, it was better to forget them. Anyway, he had done enough for the Jings over the years and had already repaid them enough.

    ¡°Hmm.¡± Chu Molin only replied with a single syllable, handing a napkin to Jing Xin after he finished eating the pastry to wipe his hands.

    ¡°Uncle.¡± Jingtao looked at Chu Molin with a desire in his eyes, wanting to drink but not saying it.

    ¡°Are you thirsty?¡± Chu Molin asked without guessing, knowing what Jingtao meant.

 Chapter 454

    Translator: 549690339

    Jingtao beamed at Chu Molin when he realized he had understood his meaning and started laughing.

    ¡°Little rascal, sit still and wait, I¡¯ll pour you some water.¡± Chu Molin told Jingtao, and looked towards Jing Xin, signaling him to keep an eye on Jingtao and not let him fall off the bed. Jing Xin nodded in understanding.

    ¡°Chu Molin, give him the water from my bag.¡± The water in Qin Xue¡¯s bag was from the spiritual spring, and it would be better for Jingtao¡¯s current condition to drink some.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Chu Molin understood Qin Xue¡¯s intention.

    ¡°Here, drink slowly, don¡¯t choke.¡± Chu Molin¡¯s voice was cold, but his words were tinged with concern.

    Qin Xue couldn¡¯t help but laugh out loud.

    ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± Fang Xiu, who had cried enough and was now just red-eyed, asked after hearing Qin Xue¡¯s laughter.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think Chu Molin is hilarious?¡± Qin Xue asked with a smile.

    ¡°Funny? I don¡¯t get it, what¡¯s funny?¡± Fang Xiu asked, not quite understanding.

    ¡°He¡¯s such a cold person, but see how much Jingtao relies on him? Look at how cold and emotionless he appears, with a cold face and cold voice. But then think about what he says to Jingtao. Did you figuring anything out?¡± Qin Xue asked Fang Xiu with a smile.

    ¡°Mr. Chu will be enslaved by children in the future.¡± Fang Xiu, after thinking about it, replied with a knowing expression.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if he¡¯ll be a child¡¯s slave, but I do know he¡¯ll be a great dad in the future.¡± Qin Xue looked at Chu Molin, and her heart felt especially sweet.

    ¡°Yes, he really is.¡± Fang Xiu agreed.

    ¡°So he¡¯s the kind of person who seems cold but actually has a warm heart, no wonder Jingtao likes him.¡± Qin Xue also now understood why Jingtao was so fond of him. After all, it¡¯s said that children never lie, and they know who¡¯s truly kind to them.

    ¡°Yeah, and thanks to both of you for helping us. Otherwise, my son and I wouldn¡¯t know what kind of life we¡¯d be in now.¡± Fang Xiu glanced at Qin Xue, then at Chu Molin, and finally her husband and son. Jing Xin might not be a true husband to her, but he was still her nominal husband.

    ¡°Leave the past behind, happiness is something you have to grasp for yourself, and some things can¡¯t be blamed on him.¡± Qin Xue gave Fang Xiu a gentle push.

    Fang Xiu looked at Qin Xue and nodded, then, with a smile, walked toward the father and son.

    ¡°Mr. Chu, sister-in-law, the food is here.¡± Li Dabao entered the hospital room carrying several meals.

    ¡°Okay, thank you.¡± Qin Xue took the food and thanked Li Dabao.

    Qin Xue remembered that when Li Dabao had reported to Chu Molin that Jing Xin was awake, he had said that he was going to ask Fang Xiu what she wanted to eat, and he would buy it.

    But then they found out Jing Xin had woken up, so he hadn¡¯t bought the food, and Li Dabao had eaten at their house. But Fang Xiu and the others hadn¡¯t eaten anything. So, when Li Dabao escorted Fang Xiu and her son to the hospital, Qin Xue asked him to buy some food for them.

    ¡°No need to thank me.¡± Li Dabao said shyly, thinking that Mr. Chu¡¯s sister-in-law was too polite.

    ¡°Xiu, come and eat. Chu Molin, bring this porridge to Jing Xin.¡± Qin Xue took out the food and spoke to Fang Xiu and Chu Molin.

    Fang Xiu didn¡¯t put on any airs and refused to eat as she was indeed hungry.

    Fang Xiu was going to feed Taotao first before she ate herself.

    Qin Xue stopped her: ¡°You eat yours, I¡¯ll feed Taotao.¡±

    ¡°Qin Xue, thank you.¡± Fang Xiu was truly grateful for Qin Xue¡¯s help. Ever since she had met Qin Xue, she had been constantly helping her and her son.

    ¡°Why the politeness? We¡¯re friends, aren¡¯t we? Or do you not want to acknowledge me as your friend?¡± Qin Xue stared at Fang Xiu and asked.

    ¡°Qin Xue, you know that¡¯s not what I meant.¡± Fang Xiu said anxiously.

    ¡°Alright, alright, I was just joking. Go eat.¡± Qin Xue quickly reassured Fang Xiu after seeing that she had been scared by her words.

 Chapter 455

    Translator: 549690339

    Meanwhile at the hospital, a father and son were recognizing each other.

    In the Imperial Capital, Li Zhao and An Hao¡¯s wedding was attended by numerous prominent families.

    Li Zhao and An Hao both wore a suit and bridal gown designed by Qin Xue.

    The couple¡¯s appearance attracted everyone¡¯s attention. Gasps filled the crowd; the groom was tall and handsome, while the bride was delicate and beautiful. They had never seen a wedding like this before.

    Wearing black clothing and a white dress at their wedding was unusual, but the combination not only looked harmonious but also incredibly beautiful.

    This left the unmarried women in the audience wondering if they could wear such a beautiful dress at their own weddings.

    After all, everyone wanted to be the most beautiful bride at their one and only wedding ceremony.

    Several well-known beauties gathered together, planning to ask An Hao after the wedding where she bought her dress. They also wanted to ask why she dared to wear white at her wedding ¨C weren¡¯t they afraid of gossip?

    Today¡¯s attendees included Gu Beihan and Gu Beilin from the Gus.

    When Gu Beilin saw An Hao¡¯s beautiful appearance, a hint of jealousy flashed in her eyes.

    After all, An Hao really looked stunning, especially in her white bridal gown.

    Although Gu Beilin was seeing a bridal gown for the first time, she¡¯d heard friends talk about them before.

    She never thought that a bridal gown would appear in Hua Country. She too wanted to wear a beautiful bridal gown and marry the man she loved. With that thought, she remembered the man she saw in the clothing store in S Province.

    Ever since that encounter, she couldn¡¯t forget him. Now, seeing An Hao looking so lovely, she imagined her own wedding with that man.

    As for his wife, she would find a way to make them divorce later. Such an outstanding man was only suited to her, Gu Beilin.

    With that thought, a fierce glint appeared in Gu Beilin¡¯s eyes, but she hid it well, not letting anyone notice her dark side.

    Gu Beihan also didn¡¯t expect to see a bridal gown in Hua Country. Had someone already seized a business opportunity related to it?

    He had returned this time to focus on his career. But what industry should he pursue? Seeing An Hao¡¯s bridal gown, he had a rough idea of what he wanted to do.

    However, how could he ask? He couldn¡¯t just directly approach the bride, could he?

    Gu Beihan was not very familiar with the people of the Imperial Capital and had taken on this task at the last minute. It seemed like he would have to find another opportunity if he wanted to get involved with bridal gowns.

    To thank Qin Xue, Li Zhao and An Hao had arranged for a famous photographer to take photos and videos of their wedding.

    The couple beamed with happiness throughout the event, making everyone envious.

    After entering the resting room, An Hao plopped down on the sofa.

    ¡°Oh my gosh, I¡¯m so tired. I never imagined that getting married would be so exhausting. I won¡¯t do it again even if you kill me!¡± An Hao exclaimed wearily.

    ¡°An¡¯an, are you implying that you¡¯re going to get married again?¡± Li Zhao asked dangerously, having heard his wife¡¯s words. She was already thinking about getting married again after their banquet ¨C did that mean they would divorce? Li Zhao couldn¡¯t possibly tolerate that without getting angry.

    ¡°Zhaozi, why are you nitpicking my words? That¡¯s not what I meant at all!¡± An Hao yelled angrily at Li Zhao.

    ¡°Then don¡¯t say things that people might misunderstand,¡± Li Zhao said helplessly, looking at his wife.

    ¡°It was just a casual remark, that¡¯s all,¡± An Hao said, feeling exhausted and not expecting Li Zhao to seize on her slip of the tongue.

 Chapter 456

    Translator: 549690339

    Looking at An Hao, who was hurriedly clarifying, Li Zhao felt both amused and frustrated. Is there anything she can¡¯t say?

    ¡°Think before you speak or do anything in the future. I know what kind of person you are, so I won¡¯t overthink it, but others don¡¯t know, you have to be more careful to avoid any misunderstanding,¡± Li Zhao said, pinching her cheek.

    ¡°I get it, such a hassle.¡± An Hao brushed his hand away, annoyed that her makeup was smudged. He ruined it, now she had to touch it up.

    ¡°Zhaozi, do you think we achieved our goal today?¡± An Hao asked, having been aware of the crowd¡¯s reactions.

    ¡°I think so, I saw quite a few people staring at your wedding dress. Perhaps someone might approach us after the banquet.¡± Li Zhao recalled the scene and responded slowly.

    ¡°Then, Qin Xue must be thrilled.¡± An Hao chuckled, imagining how excited Qin Xue would be.

    ¡°Whether she¡¯s overjoyed or not, I don¡¯t know. But I do know she¡¯s making a big profit from this,¡± Li Zhao admitted, admiring Qin Xue¡¯s acumen.

    Regarding her ability to come up with ideas, take their wedding for instance. Qin Xue only suggested an idea, she didn¡¯t even have to do much, but her goal was achieved. If they were enemies, it would be terrifying to have such a formidable opponent.

    ¡°No worries, her ability to make money is a testament to her capabilities. It makes me happy just thinking about it, that my friend is that impressive. Actually, wouldn¡¯t I be the most amazing person since I managed to befriend such an amazingly competent individual? Don¡¯t you think I¡¯m the most amazing?¡± An Hao bragged about her relationship with Qin Xue.

    ¡°Indeed, my wife is the best.¡± Li Zhao agreed. Not everyone could be friends with Qin Xue. If Qin Xue takes a liking to you, she is amiable; otherwise, it¡¯d be hard to get close to her.

    ¡°Of course, have you seen the faces of the people today when they saw us? It¡¯s so exhilarating, isn¡¯t it?¡± An Hao asked Li Zhao, unable to contain her glee.

    ¡°Yes, they were definitely shocked.¡± Li Zhao recalled the strong opposition from the family when they initially proposed the idea of An¡¯an wearing a white wedding dress. After persistent persuasion, they finally relented and approved. Once they saw An¡¯an in the wedding dress, she looked like a figure out of a painting and completely captivated both sides of the family.

    ¡°What are you two doing hiding here?¡± Xiao Qi said with some discontent.

    While they were taking it easy, he was left alone dealing with all the ladies. If he was still single, he might¡¯ve enjoyed it. But now, he was uninterested in getting involved with other women while searching for the woman who left him without saying a word.

    ¡°Old Third, instead of attending to the guests, what are you doing here?¡± Li Zhao asked Xiao Qi laughingly, knowing that today not only marked his and An¡¯an¡¯s wedding, but also served as a matchmaking event for Xiao Qi. If he found someone attractive, he could ask her out in the future.

    ¡°Disrespectful, call me ¡®Brother¡¯.¡± Xiao Qi was already unhappy and Li Zhao¡¯s teasing only added salt to the wound.

    ¡°Old Third, in terms of our relationship, it¡¯s settled. As for An¡¯an¡¯s side of the family, don¡¯t we get a say? Besides, this is just a matchmaking event, do you have to be so angry? Are you angry because none of the ladies caught your eye or because the one you like is ignoring you?¡± Li Zhao looked carefully at Xiao Qi¡¯s face, wondering why he was so disgruntled.

    If a man as quirky as Old Third could be so angered, things must not be so simple. Hmm, something is going on.

 Chapter 457

    Translator: 549690339

    Xiao Qi really wanted to punch this guy who was taking pleasure in his misfortune, talking as if he had no troubles himself.

    ¡°You¡¯re feeling smug?¡± Xiao Qi coldly asked Li Zhao.

    ¡°Hehe, what about me seems smug to you?¡± Li Zhao said, but in his heart, he was thinking that even if he were smug, he couldn¡¯t admit it.

    ¡°You better not be, or else I¡¯ll take An¡¯an back home with me to see her grandparents. They really miss An¡¯an, and as a filial grandchild, she should stay home a bit longer to spend time with them. An¡¯an, don¡¯t you agree?¡± Xiao Qi said gently, looking at An Hao.

    ¡°Yes, I do,¡± An Hao decided to stand with her brother.

    She knew her cousin well; he must have someone on his mind, or else he wouldn¡¯t be reacting this strongly. An Hao became curious about what kind of woman could make her outstanding cousin so lovesick. She really wanted to see what was so special about the woman her cousin had set his sights on.

    ¡°An¡¯an,¡± Li Zhao looked at his wife with a hint of sorrow.

    ¡°Hehe, my sister is the best,¡± Xiao Qi said smugly, looking at Li Zhao.

    The three of them bickered and chatted in the living room, while outside, things were getting chaotic.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you? Are you blind?¡± Gu Beilin yelled, pointing at the woman she had bumped into.

    The woman being pointed at was none other than Chu Beiying.

    Chu Beiying looked at Gu Beilin coldly. She was the victim here, just having entered when someone bumped into her. Instead of apologizing, the perpetrator was now making herself out to be the victim.

    ¡°What are you staring at? How dare you look at me like that after bumping into me!¡± Gu Beilin stepped forward, raising her hand to slap Chu Beiying¡¯s face.

    Chu Beiying stood still, not even attempting to dodge. It wasn¡¯t until the slap was just a few centimeters from her face that she raised her hand.

    ¡°Ah, it hurts so much! Let go of me!¡± Gu Beilin¡¯s face went pale from the pain.

    Chu Beiying coldly watched the once-arrogant Gu Beilin, who now looked like a ridiculous clown.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me telling you to let go?¡± Gu Beilin glared at Chu Beiying, feeling as if her hand was about to break.

    ¡°I heard you, but why should I listen to you?¡± Chu Beiying¡¯s words nearly made Gu Beilin choke in anger, while others around them burst into laughter.

    ¡°You¡­¡± Gu Beilin was too angry to speak.

    ¡°What about me?¡± Chu Beiying asked coldly, looking at Gu Beilin.

    ¡°Just let go, or else my Gu family won¡¯t let you go!¡± Gu Beilin angrily blurted out, forgetting that all the guests at the Li residence were important figures. Her Gu family was nothing in comparison.

    ¡°The Gu family? Which Gu family?¡± Chu Beiying asked in confusion. It wasn¡¯t her fault; she had just returned to the Imperial Capital from abroad and was unfamiliar with the place and its people. If her father hadn¡¯t forced her to come, she wouldn¡¯t have bothered.

    ¡°You actually don¡¯t know the Gu family? Are you even from the Imperial Capital?¡± Gu Beilin looked incredulously at Chu Beiying.

    ¡°Does it matter?¡± Chu Beiying asked in confusion.

    ¡°Of course it matters! Everyone in the Imperial Capital knows about the Gu family. How can you not know which Gu family I¡¯m talking about?¡± Gu Beilin had never been wronged like this before. Last time, she¡¯d been snubbed by a woman in a clothing store; this time, she was being humiliated by Chu Beiying, and she could do nothing about it.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Chu Beiying replied slowly.

    ¡°Ah, I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Gu Beilin shouted in anger.

    ¡°You want to kill me? Are you sure?¡± Chu Beiying wasn¡¯t underestimating Gu Beilin, but this arrogant woman seemed all bark and no bite, outwardly impressive but ultimately useless.

    ¡°It¡¯s true that the Gu family isn¡¯t the most powerful in the Imperial Capital, but they¡¯re still quite prominent. How can this young lady say she doesn¡¯t know them? I¡¯ve never seen her before; who is she, anyway?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s really unfamiliar. Who exactly is she?¡± The surrounding whispers reached Chu Beiying¡¯s ears.

 Chapter 458

    Translator: 549690339

    Beiying Chu raised her eyebrows without speaking. Of course, she was unfamiliar since she had only returned to the Imperial Capital a few days ago, so how could others not recognize her?

    Gu Beihan heard the commotion as if it was his sister¡¯s voice, so he followed it and found his sister¡¯s hand being held by someone.

    His sister was causing a ruckus like a shrew. Gu Beihan frowned.

    ¡°Miss, I am Gu Beihan. May I ask you to let go of my sister first?¡± Gu Beihan saw his sister¡¯s appearance and couldn¡¯t help but ask Beiying Chu.

    ¡°Let her go? So she can hit me? Do you think I¡¯m a fool?¡± Beiying Chu coldly glanced at Gu Beihan.

    ¡°Miss, maybe there¡¯s some misunderstanding? How could my sister possibly hit you?¡± Gu Beihan was also annoyed with Gu Beilin, but he had to help her in public, as she represented the Gus¡¯ reputation.

    ¡°You should ask her about that.¡± Beiying Chu lifted her chin, gesturing towards Gu Beilin.

    ¡°Beilin, what exactly did you do?¡± Gu Beihan looked at Beiying Chu¡¯s appearance, which didn¡¯t seem like she was lying. He then looked at the people around him and noticed some whispering. He then turned to Gu Beilin and asked.

    ¡°Brother, this woman bumped into me and then yelled at me. So I¡­¡± Gu Beilin¡¯s voice trailed off, meeting Gu Beihan¡¯s increasingly cold gaze.

    ¡°So you wanted to fight her just for that?¡± Gu Beihan looked at Gu Beilin with disappointment. It would have been fine if she could win the fight, but she was no match for the other party, which made her look foolish. She had lost all face for the Gus.

    ¡°Brother, I just lost my mind being angry at her. But I didn¡¯t actually hit her.¡± Gu Beilin looked pitifully at her brother. Wasn¡¯t she the one being bullied? Why would her brother side with an outsider and blame her?

    ¡°Apologize to her,¡± Gu Beihan sternly ordered Gu Beilin.

    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± Gu Beilin¡¯s eyes were red as she looked at her brother. Why should she apologize?

    ¡°If you don¡¯t apologize, you can go home now and never leave the house again.¡± Gu Beihan was utterly disappointed in his sister. Didn¡¯t she realize the importance of the situation?

    ¡°Miss, I apologize on behalf of my sister. Can you let go of her and let it pass just this once?¡± Although Gu Beihan hadn¡¯t met Beiying Chu before, he knew that anyone present at this event was not an ordinary person.

    Everyone here was a distinguished member of the upper class, ranking among the top families. Therefore, they couldn¡¯t be easily offended, especially a woman like Beiying Chu, who dared to take action, was even more extraordinary.

    ¡°I can let go, but I want her to apologize to me personally.¡± Beiying Chu pointed to Gu Beilin with her other hand.

    ¡°I refuse.¡± Gu Beilin looked at the crowd around her. If she apologized now, how could she ever hold her head up again?

    Gu Beilin had forgotten that the eyes of the crowd were sharp. Some had seen the beginning of the incident.

    Initially, Gu Beilin had bumped into Beiying Chu but instead blamed her, eventually trying to hit her. Now, Beiying Chu only asked for an apology, which was already lenient, but Gu Beilin refused.

    If Gu Beilin apologized now, she might still save some face. But she stubbornly refused.

    At that moment, everyone shared the same idea: never to associate with Miss Gu of the Gus again.

    If Gu Beilin knew the consequences of her refusal to apologize, she would surely regret it deeply.

 Chapter 459

    Translator: 549690339

    Chu Beiying looked at Gu Beilin as if she were an idiot, wondering what kind of family could raise such a foolish person.

    ¡°Gu Beihan, right? As you can see, it¡¯s not that I won¡¯t let go, but that some people just don¡¯t know what they did wrong.

    It¡¯s only because I¡¯m kind that I just grabbed her hand and didn¡¯t hit her. If it were someone else, I believe the outcome would be different. Don¡¯t you agree?¡± Chu Beiying said coldly to Gu Beihan.

    ¡°Gu Beilin, if you don¡¯t apologize today, I will tell Grandpa when we return, so you can go to H Province and never return to the Imperial Capital.¡± Gu Beihan was genuinely furious now.

    ¡°Brother, how can you do this? I¡¯m your sister, your own sister!¡± Gu Beilin looked incredulously at her brother, wondering how he could treat her like this.

    ¡°It¡¯s precisely because you are my sister that all I¡¯m asking for is an apology. Otherwise, you know the consequences,¡± Gu Beihan said, thinking that the punishment for offending the Gus wasn¡¯t something an ordinary person could bear.

    ¡°Fine, I apologize, alright?¡± After hearing Gu Beihan¡¯s words, Gu Beilin suddenly shivered, as if remembering something terrible.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Gu Beilin reluctantly said.

    ¡°What did you say? I didn¡¯t hear it,¡± Chu Beiying coolly said, her words almost infuriating Gu Beilin to death.

    ¡°You¡¯re going too far!¡± Gu Beilin thought that if it weren¡¯t for Chu Beiying holding her hand, she would have taught her a lesson.

    ¡°Am I overdoing it? Let¡¯s ask everyone here who¡¯s going too far, me or you?¡± Chu Beiying looked around at the surrounding crowd, leaving Gu Beilin speechless.

    ¡°I apologize!¡± Gu Beilin closed her eyes and shouted loudly.

    ¡°That¡¯s more like it. Remember, not everyone fears your Gus.¡± Chu Beiying let go of Gu Beilin¡¯s hand, took a handkerchief out of her pocket and wiped her hand, as if Gu Beilin were some dirty thing.

    ¡°You¡­!¡± Gu Beilin pointed at Chu Beiying, almost fuming with rage.

    ¡°You¡¯d better put your hand down and not point at me.

    I hate it when people point at me. Do you know what happens to those who point their fingers at me?¡± The cold light from Chu Beiying¡¯s eyes made Gu Beilin shiver all over.

    In that instant, Gu Beilin deeply understood what it meant to face a devil.

    Chu Beiying was that devil, with just a glance making people tremble in fear. Gu Beilin felt a murderous aura from her.

    If she didn¡¯t do as this woman said, Gu Beilin believed that she would carry out her threat and ruin her hand.

    Gu Beilin trembled as she lowered her hand, finding that woman terrifying. It was a good thing they didn¡¯t fight, or she would surely be at a disadvantage.

    ¡°Miss, I¡¯m truly sorry, it¡¯s my sister¡¯s fault for not understanding and making you angry. Please forgive her this one time as the saying goes ¡®Great people don¡¯t hold grudges with little people.''¡± Gu Beihan had also sensed the murderous aura from Chu Beiying.

    As he had guessed, this young lady wasn¡¯t an ordinary person. She wouldn¡¯t have that aura without a certain experience.

    ¡°I¡¯ll let it go this time, but if there¡¯s a next time, I won¡¯t let it go so easily. Take her home and watch her more closely in the future.

    The world doesn¡¯t belong to your Gus alone, so not everyone fears the name Gu.¡± Chu Beiying kindly reminded Gu Beihan to discipline Gu Beilin properly so she wouldn¡¯t cause trouble and bring misfortune upon herself one day.

    It would be beneath him to be angry with such a spoiled young lady.

 Chapter 460

    Translator: 549690339

    Although Gu Beihan felt humiliated, he had to accept it since it was his sister who made the mistake, no matter how much face he had to lose.

    ¡°Thank you for the reminder, Miss. I¡¯ll make sure to discipline her when we return,¡± Gu Beihan glared at Gu Beilin.

    ¡°Hmm.¡± Chu Beiying wiped her hands and threw the napkin into the trash, not stooping to the level of taking revenge on such a woman.

    ¡°Miss, what happened?¡± Wind, Cloud, Thunder and Rain approached Chu Beiying and asked.

    The four of them had just gone to take care of some business, so they had let Chu Beiying come in alone, but it seemed something had happened.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Have you dealt with the matter?¡± Chu Beiying looked at her four bodyguards and asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s been taken care of,¡± replied Wind, the team leader, to Chu Beiying¡¯s question.

    ¡°In that case, let¡¯s go back.¡± Chu Beiying had no desire to look at the bride and groom.

    The old man had merely asked her to attend the Li family¡¯s wedding. Since she had shown her face, she could leave.

    ¡°But Miss, won¡¯t you see the young master and young mistress of the Li¡¯s?¡± Rain spoke as she secretly glanced at their mistress.

    All four of them understood the old man¡¯s intention, which was for Chu Beiying¡¯s marriage. But it seemed their mistress was not happy with his arrangement.

    ¡°Do you want to stay and watch? If you do, then stay and watch. I¡¯ll go back alone, and you can return after you¡¯re done,¡± Chu Beiying believed in equal treatment for all.

    So she sincerely wanted to treat the four bodyguards who had been with her well.

    ¡°No, we have to stick with you the whole time. If you don¡¯t want to stay and want to go back, then let¡¯s all go back together,¡± Cloud, as the deputy captain, often followed Qin Xue as well.

    ¡°Fine, let¡¯s all go back.¡± Chu Beiying and her entourage discussed their next move as if others didn¡¯t exist.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go tell the host family, and you can wait for me outside,¡± Wind spoke slowly, looking at the group.

    ¡°Okay, you go quickly and come back quickly.¡± Chu Beiying also felt that if she wanted to leave, she should inform the host family.

    Wind nodded his head to Qin Xue and walked in another direction.

    Chu Beiying took the other three out the door, completely ignoring everyone else.

    ¡°Sigh, miss, you haven¡¯t even told me your name yet?¡± Gu Beihan¡¯s certainty in his guess grew as he watched the situation unfold.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to know my name, you just need to know that I¡¯m not afraid of your Gu family,¡± Chu Beiying coldly glanced at Gu Beihan. What good could a family that raised a daughter like this truly be?

    Chu Beiying left without addressing the abandoned crowd any further.

    Gu Beihan lost face, but he wasn¡¯t too upset about it.

    As for the scene at Li Zhao¡¯s wedding, Xiao Qi missed the chance to see Chu Beiying because the three of them had hidden to take a break.

    If Xiao Qi had known Chu Beiying was coming, he wouldn¡¯t have hidden no matter how annoyed he was by the gaggle of women around him. Unfortunately, there¡¯s no such thing as knowing in advance.

    Meanwhile, Li Zhao, An Hao, and Xiao Qi all knew nothing about what was happening. They were discussing whether or not to tell the Chu family about Chu Molin and Qin Xue¡¯s situation.

    ¡°Just tell them. As you all know, Qin Xue is heavily pregnant, and the elders will be happy,¡± An Hao, who had become more understanding of inner tenderness since becoming pregnant, encouraged them to share the news.

    ¡°What did the boss say when you went back?¡± Xiao Qi asked Li Zhao.

    ¡°The boss said that there¡¯s no need to deliberately talk about his matters. Those who are meant to know will know even if you don¡¯t inquire, and those who don¡¯t want to know will remain ignorant no matter how many times you tell them,¡± Li Zhao interpreted his commander¡¯s words as such.

 Chapter 461

    Translator: 549690339

    Upon hearing this, Xiao Qi immediately understood Chu Molin¡¯s intention.

    ¡°Alright then, let¡¯s just follow our eldest¡¯s idea.¡± Xiao Qi thought that since their eldest had already said it, they should just do it.

    While they were discussing Chu Molin¡¯s matter enthusiastically, what was Chu Molin himself doing?

    After Fang Xiu finished eating, she took the dishes to wash them, and Qin Xue looked at Chu Molin with a smile. This man might look cold on the outside, but he was warm at heart.

    ¡°What are you looking at me for?¡± Chu Molin asked his wife, puzzled. Had she somehow become entranced by his appearance?

    ¡°Because you¡¯re good-looking.¡± Qin Xue whispered, too embarrassed to say it aloud, lest she be laughed at.

    ¡°I know.¡± Chu Molin calmly nodded.

    ¡°Uh, not very modest, huh?¡± Qin Xue muttered softly.

    ¡°Of course not, how can I be modest when my wife praises me? Don¡¯t you agree?¡± Chu Molin looked at her and a hint of a smile passed through his eyes.

    ¡°Really? You could hear me even though I was speaking so softly?¡± Qin Xue looked at him incredulously. She wondered if she shouldn¡¯t whisper or talk to herself in the future. Otherwise, people might think she was a fool.

    ¡°Of course. As long as it¡¯s about you, no matter what it is, I¡¯ll feel it with all my heart. As long as I put my heart into it, I¡¯ll know what you¡¯re thinking.¡± Chu Molin gently patted her head. The foolish girl must really think he had heard her muttering.

    Actually, he had just seen her lips move. As long as he could see the shape her lips made, he would know what she was saying. In other words, Chu Molin understood lip-reading.

    ¡°Chu Molin, let¡¯s go home and let the three of them have some peace and quiet.¡± After watching Fang Xiu return to the ward, Qin Xue softly spoke to Chu Molin.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Chu Molin agreed with a nod.

    ¡°Xiuxiu, we¡¯re heading back first. If anything comes up, just discuss it openly among yourselves, and try to not be too stubborn about it, okay?¡± Qin Xue walked over and spoke to Fang Xiu.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I understand what you mean. I won¡¯t do anything extreme for Taotao¡¯s sake.¡± Fang Xiu looked at her considerate friend.

    She was truly grateful to the heavens for sending her such a good friend. It was rare to have a few true friends in life, and she was so fortunate to have met several.

    ¡°As long as you understand. Communication is key to resolving any issue.¡± Qin Xue patted her shoulder, speaking earnestly.

    ¡°Why are you worrying so much? I¡¯m older than you, so how come it feels like our roles have been reversed?¡± Fang Xiu laughed, looking at Qin Xue. It felt like Qin Xue was the older sister and she was the younger one, being protected by Qin Xue.

    ¡°Xiuxiu, there are some things you don¡¯t understand.¡± Qin Xue let go of her hand, leaving behind a sentence that Fang Xiu couldn¡¯t understand before walking away with Chu Molin.

    Watching the departing Qin Xue and her husband, Fang Xiu turned back to her son and husband. Seeing them staring at each other, especially her husband¡¯s somewhat at a loss expression, Fang Xiu couldn¡¯t help but find it amusing.

    ¡°What are you father and son doing?¡± Fang Xiu walked over and sat down on a chair, looking at them as she asked.

    ¡°Xiuxiu, from now on, it¡¯ll just be the three of us. After my injury heals, why don¡¯t you come with me and join the army?¡± Jing Xin held his wife¡¯s hand with one hand and his son¡¯s hand with the other, speaking softly.

    ¡°What about the Jings? Aren¡¯t you going back to them?¡± Fang Xiu was surprised by her husband¡¯s words. She knew that her husband was an exceptionally filial person, but now he was telling her that all they needed was to live together as their small family of three.

 Chapter 462

    Translator: 549690339

    Jing Xin looked at his wife worrying about the Jings at this time. Why couldn¡¯t such a kind woman be accepted by his family? Was it just because Xiuxiu was his wife, and he was not the Jings¡¯ biological child?

    ¡°I¡¯m not going back. From now on, I¡¯ll be wherever you two are.¡± The people who lived with Jing Xin were Fang Xiu and his son, not the Jings¡¯ family. So wherever his wife and son were, that¡¯s where his home would be.

    ¡°Jing Xin, think carefully. Don¡¯t make a decision you¡¯ll regret later.¡± Fang Xiu was very touched, but she was afraid that her husband would regret such a choice later. So she still wanted him to think carefully about what would be best for them?

    ¡°Xiuxiu, I won¡¯t regret it. My home is just with you and our son. Wherever you two go, I¡¯ll follow.¡± Jing Xin firmly grasped his wife¡¯s hand and said what he had in mind.

    ¡°Okay, I believe you. As long as you don¡¯t leave me, I won¡¯t abandon you.¡± Fang Xiu believed that Jing Xin would treat her well, just as he said.

    ¡°Never leave, never abandon.¡± Jing Xin finally opened his wife¡¯s heart and accepted him again.

    After the family of three talked things through, the atmosphere changed, and they got along harmoniously.

    Qin Xue and Chu Molin walked slowly out of the hospital, hand in hand as they left.

    ¡°Chu Molin, let¡¯s go buy ingredients and make something delicious.¡± Qin Xue was craving something.

    ¡°Alright. What do you want to eat? We¡¯ll buy whatever you want.¡± Chu Molin touched her head. As long as it¡¯s something his wife wanted, and he could find it, he would meet her needs.

    ¡°Chu Molin, you¡¯re too good to me. You¡¯ll spoil me.¡± Qin Xue was afraid that if Chu Molin continued to spoil her like this, she would get used to it.

    ¡°I like spoiling you. Spoiling you rotten is even better. No one else will spoil you as much as I do, so you¡¯ll never be able to leave me.¡± Chu Molin scraped her nose and said indulgently.

    This was the woman he would love for the rest of his life. How could he let go easily? The only exception would be if he died and had to leave.

    ¡°Hmm, no one in this world will pamper and love me like you do.¡± Qin Xue thought about the love from her family here and Chu Molin¡¯s love, two different feelings.

    ¡°Silly girl, how silly are you? You¡¯re my wife, who else should I spoil if not you?¡± Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue with some helplessness.

    ¡°Even if I am silly, I am still your wife, and you married this silly wife, so aren¡¯t you even sillier?¡± Qin Xue said, laughing and took a big step forward.

    ¡°Naughty girl.¡± Chu Molin took a big step and caught up with his wife¡¯s pace.

    The couple chatted and laughed as they went to the market to buy things.

    As for Qin Yu and the others, they were quite tired after sitting on the train all day long.

    ¡°Brother, when will we get to sister¡¯s place? I¡¯ve been sitting so long my whole body aches.¡± Qin Jiale stretched lazily and asked her brother.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be there tomorrow. Hang in there.¡± Qin Yu thought that if it hadn¡¯t been for the lack of money, he wouldn¡¯t have bought just seat tickets, but also sleeper tickets.

    ¡°It¡¯s still so far away.¡± Qin Jiale pouted her lips, really tired of sitting and her hips aching, and the corridor was also very noisy.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you tired?¡± Qin Yu looked at the fatigue on his sister¡¯s face and asked.

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s too noisy.¡± Qin Jiale was annoyed by all the noise.

    ¡°You can lean on my shoulder and sleep for a while.¡± Qin Yu patted his own shoulder and said to his sister.

    ¡°But you¡¯ll also be tired like this.¡± Qin Jiale was tempted, but she felt bad for her brother, who would also be uncomfortable.

    ¡°So now you¡¯re also worried about your brother? Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s fine. You just lean on and sleep.¡± After training with the army for over a month, Qin Yu¡¯s willpower and physical strength had improved a lot. Letting his sister lean on him for a while wouldn¡¯t be too tiring.

 Chapter 463

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Jiale glanced at his brother and took a look at the people around him and the noise. In the end, he couldn¡¯t resist the sleepiness and fell asleep on his brother¡¯s shoulder.

    Qin Yun watched his cousin sleep on his cousin¡¯s body, and looked at his sister¡¯s somewhat tired face.

    ¡°Sister, do you want to lean on and sleep for a while?¡± Qin Yun couldn¡¯t help but ask his sister.

    ¡°No need, I can hold on.¡± Qin Qiu looked at the people around her, refused her brother¡¯s kindness, and even if she was sleepy, she would sleep on the chair instead of on her brother.

    ¡°Alright then, if you feel sleepy, just let me know and don¡¯t force yourself.¡± Qin Yun didn¡¯t force her sister to sleep either.

    ¡°Alright, I got it.¡± Qin Qiu said indifferently.

    She was thinking about what to do after arriving in S Province, as the money her parents gave her was not much. If she couldn¡¯t find something to do, she wouldn¡¯t be able to hold on for long.

    Qin Yun was thinking about how to get by in S Province.

    Qin Yu looked at the brother and sister across from him, worried. He hoped that nothing would change in the future.

    The siblings had different thoughts and their own ideas, heading towards the unknown city for them.

    After buying the materials, Qin Xue and Chu Molin went home.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, do you want to rest a bit before doing it or do it now?¡± Chu Molin looked at the materials Qin Xue bought and didn¡¯t know what she was going to do.

    ¡°Let¡¯s rest for a while.¡± Qin Xue sat on the chair massaging her legs, her feet hurting.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is it the pain in your feet again?¡± Chu Molin looked at his wife¡¯s swollen feet and asked with concern.

    ¡°Mmm, it¡¯s a bit uncomfortable.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t deny it and directly admitted it.

    ¡°Is it because we walked too much?¡± Chu Molin thought that they had walked a long distance today. He kept thinking about what his wife had said about exercising more before childbirth, so he accompanied her on the walk without taking a car.

    ¡°It might be. Check if there¡¯s any water in the thermos and pour me some hot water, please.¡± Qin Xue thought that the quickest way to relieve foot fatigue was to soak them in hot water.

    ¡°Alright, wait for me to pour it.¡± Chu Molin immediately went to get the water.

    ¡°Chu Molin, thank you.¡± Qin Xue smiled at Chu Molin.

    ¡°If you want to thank me, do it with actions.¡± Chu Molin turned around and looked at Qin Xue with a somewhat charming smile.

    ¡°What actions?¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t understand what Chu Molin meant by ¡®actions¡¯.

    ¡°You¡¯ll know later. I¡¯ll come to collect.¡± Chu Molin¡¯s eyes were full of smiles.

    ¡°Tsk, keeping it a mystery.¡± Qin Xue pouted and said discontentedly.

    ¡°Come on, put your feet in and soak.¡± Chu Molin placed the foot basin on the floor, reached out to help Qin Xue take off her shoes, and soak her feet.

    Chu Molin stood up, went to fetch more water, and boiled it. It was so hot outside, and he went to boil water for his wife to wash and refresh herself. He had to go to work in the afternoon, so he had to check if those little brats had trained well.

    Qin Xue soaked her feet, closed her eyes comfortably, and leaned on the chair to replenish her energy.

    Neither knowing whether it was because the soak was too comfortable or she was too tired, Qin Xue fell asleep in a daze.

    Chu Molin listened to the quiet in the living room, then ignited the fire and put the water on the stove to boil. After leaving the kitchen, he found his wife asleep on the chair like that.

    Chu Molin felt the water, which was a bit cold already. She really didn¡¯t know how to take care of herself. Even soaking her feet, she could fall asleep. She must have been really tired.

    Chu Molin picked up Qin Xue and laid her on the bed in the room. Seeing that her clothes were soaked with sweat, he thought for a moment and found the pajamas she usually wore and put them on the bed.

    Chu Molin left the room again to find a basin, filled it with warm water, and returned to the room with Qin Xue¡¯s towel.

    Chu Molin closed the door, put the water on the chair, and prepared to wipe Qin Xue¡¯s body and change her clothes.

 Chapter 464

    Translator: 549690339

    Chu Molin looked at the towel in his hand and his wife on the bed, something he had never done in his entire life.

    But if he didn¡¯t do it, she wouldn¡¯t be comfortable sleeping in her sweat-soaked clothes. For her to sleep comfortably, he decided to take action.

    After a fierce mental struggle, Chu Molin finally resolved to help her.

    Chu Molin wiped the sweat off Qin Xue¡¯s face before starting to change her clothes.

    Qin Xue must have been really exhausted. She didn¡¯t even wake up as Chu Molin helped her change.

    Chu Molin held Qin Xue with one arm while using the other hand to wipe her down with the wet towel.

    Actually, doing this task was a real test of willpower, particularly for Chu Molin and Qin Xue, who started their marriage without any feelings for each other and gradually grew affectionate. For them, this was a form of torment.

    This was a torment of the soul, as he could see but not touch.

    Chu Molin had washed Qin Xue¡¯s clothes before and knew how to unfasten them, so with a flick of two fingers, he removed her clothes.

    He quickly wiped Qin Xue down with the wet towel, finally finishing the task.

    By the time it was done, Chu Molin was covered in sweat. He shook his head at the sight of his own perspiration.

    Chu Molin carried the basin and Qin Xue¡¯s dirty clothes to the bathroom, took a cold shower, and quickly washed both their clothes and hung them up to dry.

    He changed into a clean set of clothes, put on his belt and hat, and headed for the training ground.

    Completely oblivious, the soundly sleeping Qin Xue didn¡¯t know what had happened. Initially, she had been sleeping uncomfortably with a furrowed brow, but now she slept with a satisfied smile on her face.

    When Qin Xue woke up later, she realized something was amiss.

    Qin Xue usually changed her clothes before sleeping, so she didn¡¯t notice that detail immediately. However, she remembered that she had been soaking her feet while sitting in a chair. How come she was now in bed?

    With a puzzled expression, Qin Xue got out of bed, put on her shoes, left the room, and went to the bathroom to relieve herself. When she was washing her hands and saw her reflection in the mirror, she was shocked.

    ¡°This is¡­ this¡­,¡± Qin Xue pointed at her reflection in the mirror, unable to say a word for a long time.

    It was obvious who had changed her clothes. No wonder she had initially slept so uncomfortably, only to later sleep so soundly and comfortably.

    It turned out she was wearing her familiar cotton pajamas, which were soft and sweat-absorbent, making her feel comfortable sleeping in them.

    But now, Qin Xue felt like crying, ¡°Oh, poor me, I¡¯m so blue.¡±

    Looking at her pregnant figure wearing her pajamas, even Qin Xue felt a sense of happiness. She wondered how Chu Molin managed to change her clothes.

    Because she frequently soaked in spiritual spring water, the stretch marks that may have appeared on a pregnant woman¡¯s belly weren¡¯t visible.

    If it weren¡¯t for her round belly, Qin Xue herself almost couldn¡¯t believe she was pregnant.

    As Qin Xue smoothed out her clothes and prepared to go out, she suddenly got a scare.

    Qin Xue quickly looked down, breathed a sigh of relief after examining herself, and thought, ¡°Good, good, I¡¯m still wearing my original clothes.¡± This made her feel slightly better.

    What Qin Xue didn¡¯t know was that Chu Molin had been somewhat distracted all afternoon. He occasionally thought about her condition, not knowing what other women looked like during pregnancy.

    However, when he saw his pregnant wife, her beauty was like a flawless work of art.

    He never knew a woman could be so beautiful when pregnant, and it touched him deeply. The greatness of a woman was deeply etched in Chu Molin¡¯s heart at that moment.

 Chapter 465

    Translator: 549690339

    After Qin Xue finished getting distressed, she washed up, went back to her room, changed into another set of clothes, and came out to begin sorting out the ingredients they had bought in the afternoon.

    Qin Xue planned to make mochi and claypot rice cake. Mochi is a special snack in the Southern Region.

    There are two ways to make mochi, one is using glutinous rice flour, and the other is using glutinous rice. To make mochi with glutinous rice, one must wash the rice clean, steam it with water, then put it into a stone mortar to grind. After the rice is ground evenly, the stuffing can be added.

    Qin Xue took out the ingredients she planned to use for the stuffing. She wanted to make two flavors, one savory and the other sweet.

    For the savory filling, Qin Xue made vermicelli, jelly ear, and shredded radish. Qin Xue soaked the jelly ear and vermicelli in hot water. Then, she pulled a white radish out of her space, washed it, and finely chopped it into thin slices.

    After the jelly ear and vermicelli were soaked and washed, she drained the water and chopped them finely. She then fried the three chopped ingredients together, adding seasoning to create a fragrant and salty filling.

    For the sweet filling, Qin Xue used peanuts and sesame seeds that were roasted and crushed, then mixed it evenly with brown sugar.

    After the fillings were prepared, Qin Xue set them aside.

    She took out the glutinous rice flour, put it in a bowl, and mixed it evenly with boiling water.

    She shaped the dough into small pieces, flattened them, and filled them with the stuffing. She rolled them into rounds, flattened them again, and placed them in steamer trays lined with vegetable leaves to steam until they were cooked.

    In her previous life, her grandmother used to make mochi for her as well. When her grandmother made it, she would mix raw glutinous rice flour evenly, pinch it into dough balls, boil it, scoop it up, drain the water, grind it to a paste, and then directly eat it after filling it with stuffing.

    However, Qin Xue didn¡¯t have the strength to grind the cooked glutinous rice balls to an even paste using that method. If she didn¡¯t grind it evenly and there were lumps, it wouldn¡¯t taste good.

    As Chu Molin had to go to work and Qin Xue didn¡¯t want to hold him up, she gave up on her grandmother¡¯s method and chose the easiest and most convenient one ¨C steaming them directly.

    Qin Xue made quite a lot of mochi because she wanted to take some to Mr. Xie¡¯s and Mr. Xu¡¯s families after they were done.

    Recently, since she had been staying in the hospital, she hadn¡¯t been in contact with Fang Hong and Yu Xiu and didn¡¯t know how their businesses were doing.

    Especially Fang Hong, who had recently been running the business outside. Qin Xue also remembered that Fang Hong had finished her medicine.

    Logically, she should have consummated her marriage with Mr. Xie by now. Qin Xue wondered if she was pregnant?

    When Fang Hong came back, Qin Xue had to ask her about these matters and understand the situation.

    She couldn¡¯t just neglect these issues due to her own carelessness; that would be unfair to Fang Hong.

    Qin Xue also wondered how Nangong Shulan and her brother were doing after they went back home.

    Although Nangong Shulan wasn¡¯t Qin Xue¡¯s biological mother, she was the biological mother of the body she now inhabited. Especially since she looked so much like her mother from her previous life and was so good to her.

    Qin Xue always had a special feeling in her heart, as if Nangong Shulan was her mother in her previous life, and she had come to this time to find her mother.

    Now, whether Nangong Shulan was her mother or not, as long as her mother was living a happy life in this world, it was enough for Qin Xue.

    Because that¡¯s what she wanted to see, as long as her mother felt happy, she was willing to do anything.

    As Qin Xue made the mochi, she pondered various questions in her mind.

    In her previous life, she also had brothers and sisters, but she wasn¡¯t close to them and their relationship wasn¡¯t good. In this life, however, her siblings were very good to her.

    As long as her family was harmonious, Qin Xue didn¡¯t mind working hard. Wasn¡¯t what she had always longed for was the warmth of a family?

    Since she got her wish in this life, she wouldn¡¯t let anyone destroy it.

 Chapter 466

    Translator: 549690339

    Qin Xue thought that if there were any ignorant people, she wouldn¡¯t mind showing them the consequences of trying to destroy her happiness.

    It¡¯s not that Qin Xue was cruel, but she had come to understand a principle.

    If she didn¡¯t learn to fight back, she would be the one getting hurt.

    Since she had already experienced death once, there was nothing she wouldn¡¯t dare to do.

    However, she didn¡¯t know if Chu Molin would still love her as he did now if she turned bad.

    Chu Molin didn¡¯t know about Qin Xue¡¯s inner thoughts, because at this moment, the couple was thinking about different things.

    Qin Xue was thinking of how to change and become stronger, while Chu Molin was considering how to treat Qin Xue better in the future.

    Fang Hong had just finished a deal today and returned to the factory. As she was organizing the client¡¯s information to give to Guo Aiguo, she suddenly blacked out and collapsed.

    Her collapse scared Luo Yi and Li Xiaohong, who were in the same office.

    Luu Jun, who had just come back from a deal as well, quickly caught the falling Fang Hong, preventing her from falling straight to the ground.

    ¡°Fang Hong, wake up.¡± Luu Jun held Fang Hong in his arms and gently called out to her.

    Luo Yi and Li Xiaohong also gathered around, anxiously looking at the unconscious Fang Hong.

    The relationship between the four was quite good, because since they were responsible for different cities and areas, there was no competition between them.

    This allowed them to get along better, with a more genuine connection than others.

    ¡°Let¡¯s try pinching her philtrum.¡± Luo Yi had heard from the older generation that pinching the philtrum could wake an unconscious person.

    ¡°Is that effective?¡± Li Xiaohong had also heard of it but had never tried it, so she was skeptical.

    ¡°Let¡¯s give it a try. There¡¯s no danger in it anyway.¡± Luo Yi thought it was better to try.

    ¡°Alright, who will do the pinching?¡± Luu Jun, being a man with a stronger grip, worried about hurting Fang Hong, so he suggested letting one of the women with gentler hands pinch her.

    ¡°Luo Yi, you do it.¡± Li Xiaohong had never done it before and was unsure about the strength needed.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll do it.¡± Luo Yi stepped forward and firmly pinched Fang Hong¡¯s philtrum with her thumb.

    ¡°Mmm.¡± Fang Hong let out a moan and slowly regained consciousness.

    ¡°She¡¯s awake, she¡¯s awake!¡± The three excitedly shouted.

    ¡°What happened? Why are you all gathered around me?¡± Fang Hong asked, puzzled by the three people surrounding her.

    ¡°Well, you fainted, and it scared us to death!¡± Li Xiaohong blurted out.

    ¡°How could I have fainted?¡± Fang Hong rubbed her forehead and whispered.

    ¡°Have you not been resting well and are too tired lately?¡± Luo Yi asked, supporting Fang Hong.

    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be. I¡¯ve just been a little busier than usual.¡± Fang Hong admitted she had been working harder than before, closing more deals and getting less rest. It seemed that age had caught up with her and that these extra efforts finally wore her down.

    ¡°I think you shouldn¡¯t push yourself so hard. Rest is essential. Didn¡¯t Qin Xue say that health is the foundation of everything? If you exhaust yourself, how can you make money, right?¡± Luu Jun admired Fang Hong¡¯s abilities.

    Fang Hong was incredibly competent and hardworking, which was why she had the best performance among them.

    They all started from scratch, but Fang Hong put in several times more effort than the rest, so there was no reason for them to be jealous. They understood that more effort led to more rewards.

    Since they hadn¡¯t put in as much effort as Fang Hong, they didn¡¯t get as much in return. They were clear about this, otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t be witnessing Fang Hong¡¯s collapse due to overworking today.

 Chapter 467

    Luo Yi saw that Fang Hong¡¯s face was indeed a bit pale, so he advised, ¡°Yeah, Fang Hong, you need to pay more attention to rest. Your face looks terrible.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, we can¡¯t finish our work all at once, so let¡¯s take it slowly,¡± Li Xiaohong also advised.

    ¡°Alright, I got it, thank you guys.¡± Fang Hong smiled.

    ¡°Fang Hong, have some water.¡± Lu Jun poured a glass of water for Fang Hong.

    ¡°Thank you, Lu Jun.¡± Fang Hong took it and took a sip. She was touched when she realized the water had sugar in it ¨C it was sugar water.

    Fang Hong looked up at Lu Jun, unable to hide her gratitude from her eyes.

    Lu Jun nodded without saying anything, as his partner had dysmenorrhea. They had been to the doctor together about it.

    He remembered the doctor saying that brown sugar water could help relieve period pain, so he often prepared it for her, hoping she¡¯d feel more comfortable.

    Lu Jun recalled a time when his partner hadn¡¯t eaten breakfast and fainted. The doctor said it was because of low blood sugar from skipping breakfast, and told him to buy sugar to dissolve in water for her to drink.

    Since then, he had always carried sugar with him in case of emergencies. When he saw Fang Hong¡¯s condition, he naturally assumed it was due to low blood sugar.

    So, he took out the sugar he carried and dissolved it in water for Fang Hong to drink, hoping to alleviate her symptoms.

    ¡°Fang Hong, why don¡¯t you ask Mr. Guo for leave and go back to rest?¡± Luo Yi suggested to Fang Hong worriedly.

    ¡°I agree. After all, your order is settled, and all that¡¯s left is for Mr. Guo to arrange for the workshop to make the clothes,¡± Li Xiaohong thought Luo Yi¡¯s suggestion was a good one.

    ¡°Yeah, Fang Hong, go home and rest. If there¡¯s anything, we¡¯ll call you,¡± Lu Jun thought this arrangement wasn¡¯t bad either, as long as the order was settled, there wouldn¡¯t be any major issues left.

    ¡°Alright, I got it. I¡¯ll ask Mr. Guo for leave in a bit.¡± Fang Hong hadn¡¯t been home for over ten days, so it would be a good opportunity to go back and catch up.

    ¡°Okay, have a good rest, and we¡¯ll get back to work.¡± Luo Yi saw that Fang Hong¡¯s face looked much better, and he smiled.

    ¡°Alright, you guys go and get on with your work. I¡¯m fine,¡± Fang Hong smiled and said to the three of them.

    After hearing Fang Hong, Luo Yi and the others each went back to their own tasks.

    After finishing the water, Fang Hong took the customer¡¯s order and went to Mr. Guo¡¯s office.

    ¡°Mr. Guo, here is the customer¡¯s order.¡± When Fang Hong arrived at the office, only Guo Aiguo was there writing something. She knocked on the door and went in.

    ¡°Fang Hong, you¡¯re here! You settled the deal so soon? Great!¡± Guo Aiguo was pleased when he looked at the order.

    ¡°Fang Hong, you¡¯re really something. You managed to win over such a difficult person,¡± Guo Aiguo had heard about this customer before, who was said to be quite tough, but he didn¡¯t expect Fang Hong to handle him so quickly.

    ¡°It was alright,¡± Fang Hong smiled and said. In fact, it was far from that; she had put in quite a lot of effort.

    Initially, she had spent several days investigating this customer¡¯s background, even his hobbies and interests.

    In the end, Fang Hong found out that this customer was hen-pecked by his wife. Others might see it as hen-pecked, but in Fang Hong¡¯s eyes, he was a man who loved his wife deeply.

    So Fang Hong took the opportunity to get close to the customer¡¯s wife and win him over through her. As a result, Qin Xue even became good friends with the customer¡¯s wife.

    Guo Aiguo didn¡¯t know any of this, thinking everything was quite simple. Yet, Fang Hong¡¯s efforts were not easy at all. She couldn¡¯t tell Guo Aiguo all these details, so she simply smiled and brushed it off.

 Chapter 468

    Fang Hong was thinking about asking for leave later, so she didn¡¯t waste any time and spoke directly.

    ¡°Director, I want to ask for leave this afternoon.¡± Fang Hong looked at Guo Aiguo, hoping he would approve it.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Why do you need to ask for leave?¡± Guo Aiguo looked at Fang Hong in surprise.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been away for more than ten days without going home, now that I¡¯m back, I want to check on the situation at home.¡± Fang Hong couldn¡¯t really give up her family just because of work.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll approve your leave.¡± Guo Aiguo knew Fang Hong¡¯s potential meaning, and indeed, one shouldn¡¯t neglect their family because of work.

    ¡°Thank you, Director.¡± Fang Hong said happily. She had been sent out for work since the TV advertisement aired and had been running around outside ever since.

    She was out for more than ten days, wondering how Mr. Xie was doing.

    If she didn¡¯t go back soon, Mr. Xie might have opinions.

    ¡°Well, go back, be safe, finish up your work before leaving, and take an extra day off tomorrow to spend more time with your family.¡± Guo Aiguo was also a family man, and he knew that family members needed companionship.

    ¡°Really? Thank you, Director! I¡¯ll be leaving first then.¡± Fang Hong didn¡¯t expect Guo Aiguo to be so generous.

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s all for the sake of living.¡± Guo Aiguo watched the happy Fang Hong leave, shook his head, and said.

    Then he looked at the thick stack of orders on the table and felt so happy; he was making a killing this time.

    He was driving the rival Liangmei Clothing crazy, and everytime Li Dawei saw him, it seemed like he wanted to eat him alive.

    Thinking back to when they had almost driven him out of business, he felt so grateful to have met Qin Xue. Although the price he paid was a bit high, it was just like what Qin Xue said: one had to look at the long-term benefits, and now he had made a lot of money.

    Of course, as a shareholder, Qin Xue also made a lot of money, especially with Fang Hong on her team, who was far more capable than anyone else working here.

    If he had more people like Fang Hong here, he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about anything and wouldn¡¯t need to manage everything as much.

    Once Fang Hong received Guo Aiguo¡¯s approval, she happily went back to the office to pack her things and left the factory to go to the military region¡¯s bus station.

    After making the mochi, Qin Xue started making Rice Pudding Cake, a famous snack in the Southern City.

    Rice Pudding Cake is very simple to make, mainly using glutinous rice flour and wheat starch, and it is sweet in taste.

    Rice Pudding Cake has two main categories: traditional Rice Pudding Cake and crystal Rice Pudding Cake.

    Traditional Rice Pudding Cake was more common in the past, mainly made at home for consumption. Nowadays, crystal Rice Pudding Cake is more prevalent, mainly made to sell.

    Qin Xue wanted to make more Rice Pudding Cake so that everyone could have a taste.

    Qin Xue directly used 1 kg of glutinous rice flour and wheat starch to make Rice Pudding Cake.

    When Qin Xue was steaming the mochi, she also put the red beans in to steam them at the same time.

    So now, she could directly use the red beans to make Rice Pudding Cake.

    Qin Xue poured an appropriate amount of water into the flour to make a paste, then mixed an appropriate amount of white sugar with water to make a sugar syrup, and combined the two pastes, stirring until evenly mixed.

    Once the steaming cups were heated inside the steamer, Qin Xue put red beans into the cups then poured the paste over the red beans. She steamed it over high heat for twenty minutes, let it cool down and demolded it. If there was a refrigerator, she would put it in to chill before eating to improve the taste.

    In the end, Qin Xue made more than a hundred Rice Pudding Cake. Because the steaming cups she bought were small, she made a lot.

    However, since they were small, men could eat one in one bite and women in two bites, so more than a hundred seemed a lot, but still not enough for everyone to eat.

    After making them, Qin Xue couldn¡¯t help but put them in water to chill first, waiting for them to cool down so she could eat them. Thinking of this, Qin Xue felt so happy; it had been a long time since she had eaten these snacks.

 Chapter 469

    When Fang Hong returned home, she found it was about the same as when she left and thankfully, there wasn¡¯t a mess everywhere.

    She put the groceries in the kitchen and then cleaned the house before starting to cook.

    Meanwhile, Qin Xue had made lots of snacks today but wasn¡¯t planning to cook. Instead, she kneaded dough and let it rest until Chu Molin came back from work.

    Chu Molin couldn¡¯t believe how unproductive everyone seemed to be, given their apparent enthusiasm for work.

    He furrowed his eyebrows and called over the team leader, instructing him to keep an eye on everyone.

    ¡°Let¡¯s hear your thoughts,¡± Chu Molin said coldly.

    ¡°Deputy Chief, umm¡­¡± The team leaders were at a loss for words.

    ¡°Can¡¯t say anything?¡± Chu Molin looked expressionless as he waited for anyone to come up with a reason.

    ¡°Deputy Chief, I will start working right away,¡± Wei Shaohui declared first.

    ¡°Deputy Chief, we will go too,¡± chimed in the leaders of the first and second teams. They were eager to follow suit and not be left to face Chu Molin¡¯s wrath.

    Chu Molin just stared at them, watching them scurry away one by one. Did they think they could really escape?

    Had they forgotten the saying that you can¡¯t run away from a temple? Hmph, he had plenty of ways to deal with them.

    Chu Molin stood there watching them until it was time to go home for dinner.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Qin Xue asked as her husband walked through the door.

    ¡°Nothing. What delicious things did you make today? It smells great,¡± Chu Molin replied, not wanting to bring his bad mood home. He tried to change the topic by talking about food.

    ¡°Mochi, bowl rice pudding, noodles with fried bean sauce. Do you want to eat now?¡± Qin Xue asked Chu Molin.

    ¡°I¡¯ll shower first. I¡¯m all sweaty and stinky,¡± Chu Molin said, looking at his dirty clothes.

    ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll start getting the food ready,¡± Qin Xue agreed without hesitation. After all, it was hot outside and sweat could smell unbearable.

    ¡°Mm,¡± Chu Molin replied as he took off his belt and hat. He put them away before going to the bedroom to grab some clothes for his shower.

    Chu Molin was always quick with his showers, and today was no exception. In just a few minutes, he was done.

    ¡°Wow, look at that body!¡± Qin Xue whistled appreciatively when Molin stepped out of the shower.

    Her cheeky expression made her look like a rogue.

    It turned out that Chu Molin had only taken a pair of boxers with him to shower, so he was only wearing boxers when he came out.

    Chu Molin¡¯s bare upper body showcased his impressive muscles and sleek lines. If he were in a different era, he would¡¯ve been a heartthrob for sure.

    ¡°Try to maintain some semblance of dignity,¡± Chu Molin told Qin Xue, his eyebrows furrowed as he spoke coldly.

    ¡°Ah, even angry, you¡¯re so handsome!¡± Qin Xue stared at Chu Molin with starry eyes. Please forgive her for being smitten.

    At this moment, Chu Molin was simply too charming. She realized that he loved to use his good looks to his advantage. Unfortunately, she was just the type to fall for such tricks. After all, everyone loves beautiful things, right?

    ¡°How handsome am I?¡± Suddenly, Chu Molin felt like teasing Qin Xue.

    ¡°Mmm, very handsome. You¡¯re as good-looking as Pan An,¡± Qin Xue gushed with stars in her eyes.

    ¡°Really? So why haven¡¯t I managed to sweep you off your feet?¡± Chu Molin asked, smiling but not really.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m just afraid of tarnishing your image,¡± Qin Xue drawled. Almost choking Chu Molin on her response, he wondered whether she actually understood what ¡°tarnish¡± meant.

    ¡°What nonsense,¡± Chu Molin sighed, exasperated as he looked at his wife whose eyes betrayed her desires. Yet, she still pretended to be reserved.

 Chapter 470

    Chu Molin tossed the towel to the side and quickly moved to pull his wife into his arms.

    ¡°Is this to your satisfaction?¡± Chu Molin lowered his head to look at the tiny figure in his arms and asked.

    ¡°Hehehe, of course, I¡¯m satisfied. You¡¯re such a handsome man, just being held by you is as filling as a good meal.¡± Qin Xue answered cheerfully.

    My goodness! His body felt incredibly firm. The last time she attended to his surgery, she didn¡¯t really pay attention to it, and usually, he was always dressed, so she never really had the chance to truly scrutinize his physique.

    What Qin Xue was oblivious to was that Chu Molin had done this intentionally because that afternoon, while changing Qin Xue¡¯s clothes, he saw her completely naked.

    He had initially forgotten about his little incident with the meddling kids until he saw Qin Xue again, and fearing that she might be mad at him¡­

    So, he decided he would only wear his underwear to let Qin Xue have a look too. However, he didn¡¯t expect his wife to actually enjoy the show.

    If Qin Xue knew Chu Molin¡¯s true intentions, she would have burst into laughter because his efforts to let her have a peek were just too cute.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, stop fooling around.¡± Chu Molin grabbed her wandering hand.

    ¡°I¡¯m not fooling around.¡± Qin Xue looked up innocently at Chu Molin, her plump, rosy lips pursed.

    Chu Molin was having a mental breakdown. Why did he bring this upon himself?

    ¡°Hmph, what could possibly happen? The worst-case scenario would be a kiss.¡± Qin Xue continued murmuring softly.

    Looking at this nonsensical woman, Chu Molin used his fingers to lift her chin¡ªobserving her lips reddened even further by her own nibbling, he felt at his wits¡¯ end.

    Chu Molin realized he was becoming addicted to Qin Xue¡ªjust laying eyes on her made him want to hold her.

    ¡°Mmm.¡± Qin Xue, who predicted that the worst outcome would be a kiss, indeed got a kiss.

    But wasn¡¯t it meal-time now? After taking such pains to cook, wouldn¡¯t the food go to waste if not eaten?

    ¡°Chu Molin, time for dinner.¡± Qin Xue gave Chu Molin a resigned look. Had he become addicted to kissing?

    ¡°Alright, I want to taste the new dishes that my wife made.¡± Chu Molin complied instantly.

    ¡°What is this mochi made of? It¡¯s so glutinous, I enjoy its texture.¡± Chu Molin took a bite of the mochi; many of the foods Qin Xue prepared were entirely new to him.

    ¡°Glutinous rice powder.¡± Qin Xue responded while eating her bowl rice pudding.

    ¡°Hmm, I thought so. I didn¡¯t expect glutinous rice powder could be used in this way.¡± Chu Molin never imagined that glutinous rice powder could be cooked this way.

    ¡°There are so many different types of food in the world, and there are even more ways to prepare these foods. Over time, you will learn more.¡± Qin Xue swallowed the food in her mouth before she began talking.

    ¡°It does make sense. With my age, who knows how many delicacies I¡¯ve yet to try?¡± Chu Molin admitted candidly that he lacked the experience in trying different kinds of food.

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. I¡¯m just saying that it¡¯s already a luxury to have enough to eat in these rough times, let alone having the privilege to be picky.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t believe Chu Molin hadn¡¯t tried dishes made with glutinous rice flour before; she suspected that he was pretending.

    The more Qin Xue interacted with Chu Molin, the more she felt that she couldn¡¯t see through him.

    ¡°You¡¯re right, when everyone¡¯s struggling for basic needs, who will have the energy to be concerned about making fancy snacks.¡± Chu Molin nodded in agreement after hearing Qin Xue¡¯s words.

 Chapter 471

    So she was sleeping in the room. Xie Jun sat by the bed and looked at his weary wife, feeling guilty. It was his inability to provide a better life for her that forced her to work so hard outside.

    He reached out to touch her face before getting up to find clothes to shower.

    Fang Hong slept in a daze, feeling as if something was crawling on her face. When she struggled to open her eyes and touched her face, she saw nothing. She shook her head, put on her shoes, and got out of bed.

    Looking at the sky outside the window, she thought it should be time for Mr. Xie to get off work.

    ¡°Wife, be careful.¡± Fang Hong had just walked to the room¡¯s entrance when she nearly collided with Xie Jun coming in.

    Xie Jun reacted quickly and held onto his wife.

    ¡°Mr. Xie, you¡¯re off work. Why didn¡¯t you wake me up?¡± Fang Hong looked at her husband, still damp from the shower, likely just out of the bath.

    ¡°You were sound asleep, so I didn¡¯t want to disturb you. You¡¯ve been looking very tired lately.¡± Xie Jun lovingly touched the dark circles under her eyes.

    ¡°Oh, I must be tired from trying to get used to the food while talking with clients.¡± Fang Hong did indeed have a hard time adjusting to the cuisine there.

    ¡°Wife, I¡¯m sorry for causing you so much hardship. It¡¯s because I¡¯m useless that you have to work so hard.¡± Xie Jun¡¯s monthly allowance wasn¡¯t high, and he had to support a big family.

    ¡°What are you talking about? We¡¯re in this together, right? You¡¯re working hard, and of course, I have to try to catch up with you.¡± Fang Hong softly looked at her husband and smiled.

    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s work together to make our life better.¡± Xie Jun thought about how his silly wife had always had a hard life with him.

    ¡°Is Xiao Jie on vacation?¡± Fang Hong had been so busy lately that she couldn¡¯t remember when her son¡¯s holiday was.

    ¡°Yes, he¡¯ll be back the day after tomorrow.¡± Xie Jun thought about how his son always lived at school and rarely came home. Now the three of them were each in different places and could only occasionally get together.

    ¡°That¡¯s good. I don¡¯t have any work trips for a while, so our family can have a good reunion.¡± Fang Hong had just secured the client, so she had nothing else to do but provide after-sales service.

    ¡°That¡¯s great. I haven¡¯t seen you in so long, wife. I missed you.¡± Xie Jun and his wife had always had a great relationship, and they hadn¡¯t been separated for this long in many years.

    ¡°I missed you, too. Are you hungry? Let¡¯s eat.¡± Fang Hong said shyly, quickly changing the subject.

    ¡°Hehe.¡± Xie Jun looked at his wife¡¯s bashful expression, his heart itching.

    But he knew now wasn¡¯t the time, so he decided to eat first.

    ¡°Great, I haven¡¯t tasted my wife¡¯s cooking for so long. I¡¯ll finally have good food today.¡± Fortunately, Xie Jun didn¡¯t go to the cafeteria for dinner today; otherwise, no one would have eaten the food his wife cooked.

    ¡°Stop talking and eat.¡± Fang Hong noticed that every time she went on a trip and came back, her husband would change in one way or another, always for the better. For instance, he had become much better at sweet-talking.

    She would often hear sweet words and love talk she had never heard before. Is this what Qin Xue meant by ¡°absence makes the heart grow fonder¡±?

    However, Fang Hong thought the feeling was not bad, as it brought her and her husband closer together, and their relationship was better than ever.

    Perhaps no matter how good a couple¡¯s relationship is, a little distance is necessary, because it is needed to learn what it means to miss someone.

    In Fang Hong¡¯s view, this was the perfect way to keep someone¡¯s interest, especially for newlyweds or new couples, because it made them want what they couldn¡¯t have.

 Chapter 472

    ¡°Let¡¯s go down and have a look, or else it won¡¯t look good if it gets out of hand.¡± Xiao Qi stood up first and addressed Li Zhao and An Hao.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go and see who dares to give me this much face.¡± Li Zhao had not been seen in the Imperial Capital for many years, but that didn¡¯t mean he was no longer significant.

    ¡°An¡¯an, come, let¡¯s go down and have a look.¡± Li Zhao extended his hand to his wife.

    ¡°Yes, I want to see who dares to make a scene at our wedding banquet.¡± An Hao displayed a different momentum from her usual naive appearance at this moment.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, don¡¯t dawdle.¡± For some reason, Xiao Qi felt an urgent sense of haste urging him to hurry downstairs.

    When the three arrived downstairs, Chu Beiying and her four bodyguards had just left.

    Xiao Qi only caught a glimpse of a blurry figure from the back. He anxiously chased after but was one step too late. By the time he reached the door, he only saw a distant car driving away.

    For some reason, Xiao Qi felt emptiness in his heart. Staring at the disappearing car, he returned to the hall absent-mindedly.

    Li Zhao and An Hao went separately to investigate the situation.

    ¡°So, a mysterious girl who has never appeared before somehow made her way to my wedding and ends up starting a commotion with Ms. Gu?¡± An Hao asked the beauties gathered around.

    ¡°Actually, it wasn¡¯t the girl who started it. When she came in, she was accused by Ms. Gu of bumping into her. So Ms. Gu tried to hit her. However, Ms. Gu certainly didn¡¯t expect that the girl was much stronger than her, and had her defeated in an instant. But Ms. Gu had no self-awareness, so it became a big fuss.¡± Chu Xiaoqiao overheard An Hao and their conversation and told her what she had seen.

    ¡°Yes, we had no idea that Ms. Gu was that kind of person, blaming others for her own mistakes.¡± The beauties initially didn¡¯t dare to speak up about what they witnessed, worried about offending people.

    But now, seeing someone else leading the conversation, they all chimed in agreement.

    ¡°Ms. Chu, thank you for telling me what happened.¡± An Hao politely thanked Chu Xiaoqiao.

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome. I only told you the truth because I know you¡¯re a childhood friend of my brother.¡± Chu Xiaoqiao waved her hand.

    ¡°Anyway, thank you for being honest.¡± An Hao smiled gently and gracefully at Chu Xiaoqiao.

    ¡°Eh, you don¡¯t seem as silly as everyone says. Why do people say you¡¯re so naive?¡± Chu Xiaoqiao touched her chin and walked around An Hao, asking confusedly.

    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m silly?¡± An Hao raised her eyebrows and asked Chu Xiaoqiao. An Hao knew what people thought of her, but she used to be innocent indeed.

    Because she was pampered by her family back then, she didn¡¯t need to grow up.

    But now she was married and pregnant, and if she continued her old ways, her child would definitely be harmed. She could be hurt, but she couldn¡¯t let her child get hurt.

    So, An Hao had to change her previous lifestyle and revert to her original nature.

    ¡°Not silly at all. Instead, you¡¯re very clever.¡± Chu Xiaoqiao observed her thoroughly before reaching a conclusion.

    ¡°Hehe, thank you for the compliment, Ms. Chu.¡± An Hao was only acquainted with Chu Xiaoqiao and was not close to her, partly because of Chu Molin¡¯s presence.

    ¡°No need to thank, I just speak the truth.¡± Chu Xiaoqiao waved her hand generously, picked up a glass of wine, and walked away.

 Chapter 473

    Perhaps Qin Xue would be able to get along well with such a cousin.

    An Hao shook her head, casting those stray thoughts out of her mind. She decided to first go tell Zhaozi about what she had found out.

    ¡°An¡¯an, what have you found out from your investigation?¡± An Hao was going to look for Li Zhao, but before she turned around, Li Zhao appeared in front of her.

    ¡°Well¡­¡± An Hao reported everything she had learned.

    ¡°Hmm, what I found out is similar to what you said, but who is this unfamiliar lady?

    Why was she at our Li family¡¯s banquet? And why did she leave as soon as trouble started, and even more strange, nobody pursued her?¡± Li Zhao couldn¡¯t figure out who this lady, who had caused a stir with the Gus, was.

    As far as he knew, there were no young ladies in the Imperial Capital who walked around with bodyguards.

    Li Zhao was trying to think of any young lady in the Imperial Capital who had not appeared before the public. After running through the list, he did think of one ¨C Ms. Nangong, who had recently been the talk of the Imperial Capital. But could it be her?

    Li Zhao couldn¡¯t figure out the key point, but in any case, luckily no major commotion had occurred.

    Otherwise, this wedding would be a memorable event for them for a lifetime.

    ¡°Hey, Zhaozi, where¡¯s my brother?¡± An Hao didn¡¯t see Xiao Qi and asked in confusion.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know either. As soon as I arrived, he rushed out, as if chasing someone.¡± Li Zhao said somewhat distractedly.

    ¡°Chasing someone? Could it be¡­¡± An Hao muttered to herself, suddenly thinking of something.

    Li Zhao also noticed something amiss, and after exchanging a glance with his wife, they both understood at once.

    ¡°Hehe, Zhaozi, it seems that I will soon have a sister-in-law.¡± An Hao cheerfully told her husband.

    ¡°Mm, out of the three of us, two are already married with children. It¡¯s about time our youngest, who¡¯s the same age as us, found someone too. It¡¯s good, so our grandparents and uncle and aunt won¡¯t worry about him staying single.¡± Li Zhao felt a bit of sympathy for Xiao Qi, who got pushed into blind dates as soon as he returned. Now that he had a special someone, there would be no need for the family to force him into blind dates.

    ¡°Yeah, if our uncle and aunt knew, they would definitely be very happy.¡± An Hao knew very well how eager her family was for her brother¡¯s marriage.

    The blame was on their grandfather who made him enlist in the military instead of joining the family business. That created a rift resulting in Xiao Qi not returning home for several years. Now that everyone had finally reconciled, wouldn¡¯t the family be anxious?

    When An Hao was little, she got along best with Xiao Qi, so she sided with him. But since their grandfather loved her too, she didn¡¯t pick a side, choosing to remain neutral instead.

    ¡°An¡¯an, let¡¯s go and see if our youngest brother has caught up with the person he was chasing.¡± Li Zhao held his wife¡¯s hand as they walked towards the gate.

    Probably no other couple had as laid-back a wedding as them. As long as people showed up, they didn¡¯t have to deal with anything else.

    ¡°Zhaozi, isn¡¯t that my brother over there? Why is he alone? Could it be that he didn¡¯t catch up with the person?¡± An Hao asked her husband, a little disappointed.

    ¡°Looking at his dejected appearance, he definitely did not catch up.¡± As someone who had been through this, Li Zhao understood the loss and sorrow all too well.

    ¡°Then my brother must be feeling awful right now.¡± Seeing her cousin, who loved her the most since childhood, An Hao felt sad too.

    ¡°An¡¯an, you go back to the room and rest first, I¡¯ll go have a chat with our third brother.¡± After persuading his wife to leave, Li Zhao carried two glasses and a bottle of wine to find Xiao Qi.

 Chapter 474

    Qin Xue was reading her medical books, while Chu Molin was no longer reading the art of war and array, but military theory knowledge, as a preparation for his further studies in the Imperial Capital in two months.

    Chu Molin was struggling with a function problem, having never attended graduate school, he didn¡¯t know what it was like in the academy.

    Once he started studying, a promotion might be waiting for him after his time at the academy. In order give his wife and child a better life, he had to study hard and climb up the ladder.

    Seeing Chu Molin distressed, Qin Xue wondered where he was stuck.

    She put down her own medical book, took Chu Molin¡¯s book and glanced at it, then grabbed his paper and pen, looked at the problem he was solving, and started writing on the paper.

    ¡°Here you go.¡± Qin Xue handed the book, paper and pen to Chu Molin after she finished writing.

    After receiving his book back, Chu Molin watched Qin Xue¡¯s every move. As she wrote step by step, Chu Molin felt a sudden sense of enlightenment. No wonder he couldn¡¯t solve it; he was trapped by the problem¡¯s riddle.

    ¡°Thank you, Xue¡¯er. I have a few more questions, can you help me with them?¡± Chu Molin did not feel uncomfortable because his wife was more capable than him, but rather began consulting her on his challenges.

    Qin Xue looked at the questions Chu Molin found and analyzed and solved them one by one, with the couple teaching and learning from each other.

    It wasn¡¯t until Qin Xue yawned from exhaustion that Chu Molin reluctantly put away the book.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, go brush and sleep.¡± Chu Molin said to Qin Xue after putting away the book.

    ¡°So sleepy, don¡¯t want to move.¡± Qin Xue lazily leaned on the chair, squinting her eyes.

    Chu Molin shook his head, and then bent down to pick up Qin Xue.

    ¡°Ah, Chu Molin, what are you doing? You scared me!¡± Qin Xue, frightened, held onto Chu Molin¡¯s neck tightly with both hands and then stared at him, her hands slapping his chest in annoyance.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you don¡¯t feel like moving? I¡¯ll carry you and serve you personally.¡± Chu Molin pressed a kiss on her lips before answering Qin Xue¡¯s question.

    ¡°You can tell me first, don¡¯t you know that scaring people can kill them?¡± Qin Xue scolded the always unexpected man.

    ¡°Mm, my fault.¡± Chu Molin thought it¡¯s better to admit directly, no need to argue with his wife.

    ¡°Hmph, don¡¯t want to talk to you.¡± Qin Xue glanced at the man who always used this trick.

    ¡°If my wife doesn¡¯t want to talk to me, I¡¯ll just talk to her.¡± Chu Molin finished speaking and tickled Qin Xue¡¯s waist.

    ¡°Haha, um, Chu Molin, that tickles!¡± Qin Xue, who was ticklish, spoke in broken sentences.

    ¡°Are you awake now? Want to brush your teeth? I don¡¯t mind assisting you, you know.¡± Chu Molin stood Qin Xue up in front of the washstand and looked down at her asking.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± She teased, if Chu Molin helped her, she didn¡¯t know when she¡¯d be able to sleep tonight.

    This man¡¯s hidden nature was extremely ¡°wicked.¡±

    ¡°Here you go.¡± Chu Molin handed Qin Xue the toothbrush with toothpaste and a cup of water, then washed his own.

    Qin Xue started brushing her teeth, feeling like she was a person who couldn¡¯t do anything without this man around, he spoiled her in every way when he was at home, and she was really afraid that one day she would be completely spoiled by him.

    After Chu Molin finished washing, he noticed Qin Xue applying something on her face, so he went behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist, and rested his hands on her belly.

    He then leaned his head on Qin Xue¡¯s shoulder and looked at the two people in the mirror, smiling faintly.

    ¡°Why are you smiling?¡± Qin Xue looked at the smiling person in the mirror, puzzled.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, it¡¯s really nice to have you.¡± Chu Molin finished speaking and buried himself in her neck, inhaling deeply.

 Chapter 475

    ¡°Chu Molin, stop fooling around.¡± Qin Xue smeared some of her moisturizer on the man¡¯s face.

    ¡°Mmm, it feels nice,¡± Chu Molin said, closing his eyes and letting Qin Xue dab it on his face.

    ¡°Of course it feels nice. I made this with my own hands, you know. You can¡¯t buy this stuff outside,¡± Qin Xue bragged about the skincare product she had extracted while making pills last time.

    That was the advantage of being a doctor: she knew various medicinal principles. It was a piece of cake for Qin Xue to extract some moisturizer.

    ¡°My wife is the best,¡± Chu Molin praised Qin Xue.

    ¡°How could I be worthy of you if I weren¡¯t amazing?¡± Qin Xue hadn¡¯t forgotten why her original self had married Chu Molin. Although that wasn¡¯t her, she was now in this body, and she had to turn all the bad things around.

    ¡°Ouch! Why did you bite me again?¡± Qin Xue covered her bitten neck with her hand and glared at Chu Molin.

    ¡°Are you going to keep talking about this?¡± Chu Molin looked at the person in the mirror, danger evident in his eyes. He knew that this Qin Xue was not the same one from before, but he didn¡¯t want their past relationship to affect them now.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything wrong,¡± Qin Xue pouted, not jealous that someone other than her had slept with Chu Molin. This man, however, got angry first.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, although you¡¯re the same person, I love the you right now, not her. So don¡¯t ever say whether you¡¯re worthy of me or not. If anything, I¡¯m not worthy of you,¡± Chu Molin said, genuinely feeling this way.

    An outstanding genius like Qin Xue was a blessing he could only obtain after ten lifetimes of cultivation. How could he let her demean herself like this?

    ¡°Chu Molin, I understand. I won¡¯t say it again,¡± Qin Xue looked at the insecurity deep in Chu Molin¡¯s eyes and spoke reassuringly.

    ¡°Chu Molin, let¡¯s become a real husband and wife. I want to treat you even better,¡± Qin Xue was genuinely willing. Since they were already deeply in love with each other, there was no need to insist on their boundaries, right?

    ¡°No,¡± Chu Molin left a single word before releasing Qin Xue and leaving the bathroom first.

    ¡°Stupid man,¡± Qin Xue softly muttered a few words to herself while looking at her reflection in the mirror.

    When Qin Xue returned to their bedroom, Chu Molin was already lying in bed asleep. This was the first time he had gone to sleep without waiting for her since they began sharing a bed.

    However, Qin Xue didn¡¯t blame him. She knew what Chu Molin was trying to avoid, so if he didn¡¯t take the initiative, she would.

    Qin Xue turned off the lights, climbed into bed under the moonlight, and began to undress.

    At Qin Xue¡¯s movements, Chu Molin, who was pretending to sleep, lost his composure.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, please sleep well,¡± Chu Molin spoke up to stop her reluctantly.

    ¡°Alright.¡± But Qin Xue wouldn¡¯t listen to him. If she did, there would always be a gap between them.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, I¡¯m begging you, can you please stop messing around?¡± Chu Molin was struggling to control himself, but Qin Xue was testing his limits.

    Having no other choice, Qin Xue leaned into his ear and whispered something. Chu Molin skeptically asked, ¡°Are you really serious?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Would I joke about my own well-being and our child¡¯s?¡± Qin Xue was exasperated.

    ¡°Alright then.¡± Chu Molin could no longer resist.

    That night, the same thing happened in three households.

    The next morning, as soon as the wake-up whistle sounded, Chu Molin sprang up from bed, feeling refreshed. He looked at his wife, who was in a deep slumber, and gently kissed her cheek, ¡°Xue¡¯er, I¡¯ll never let you down in this lifetime.¡±

 Chapter 476

    Qin Xue¡¯s face flushed as she looked at herself in the mirror. The red marks on her neck made her wonder how she would face people today.

    Qin Xue touched the exposed hickey, feeling like she had brought this on herself. That damned man, was he trying to let everyone know what they did last night?

    It was such a hot day, even if she wanted to hide it, she couldn¡¯t.

    Out of options, Qin Xue went into her space and found some peach blossoms and a few herbs. She crushed them to extract the juices and then, facing the mirror, slowly painted over the marks with a brush.

    By the time Qin Xue stopped, a few delicate and enticing rose-like patterns appeared on her neck, connected by fine branches.

    Below her collarbone was a blooming rose, positioned right between her breast and collarbone. The dress she wore couldn¡¯t completely hide the flowers, which appeared and disappeared tantalizingly, making Qin Xue look ethereal.

    Qin Xue pinned up her hair, making herself look elegant and poised.

    Qin Xue looked at herself in the mirror and, satisfied, put away her brush.

    Qin Xue started to prepare breakfast, including mochi from yesterday that she hadn¡¯t sent to Mr. Xie and Mr. Xu¡¯s houses yet. Fearing they would spoil, she stored them in her space. Chu Molin could deliver them when everyone was home later on.

    Today, Qin Xue steamed buns, made fish fillet porridge, and Mandarin rolls.

    Qin Xue wanted to provide various options so people could choose what they preferred.

    When Chu Molin returned from work, Qin Xue was putting buns and Mandarin rolls into a basin.

    ¡°Go wash your hands and eat.¡± Hearing the door open, Qin Xue spoke without raising her head.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Chu Molin cheerfully agreed with his wife.

    Chu Molin didn¡¯t know that his cheerfulness had almost scared several small team leaders and others to pee their pants, especially the small team leaders. They thought that given what happened last night, they would definitely be severely punished today.

    Who would have expected that their deputy section chief would just give them an occasional smile throughout the morning? This was even more terrifying than if he had punished them directly. After all, who had ever seen their deputy section chief smile, let alone so uncharacteristically?

    So they were trembling in fear the entire morning, afraid that Deputy Chief Chu Molin would suddenly explode.

    Who would have guessed that after scaring them the whole morning, the deputy section chief did nothing?

    Until they were off training and having dinner, everyone still couldn¡¯t understand why their deputy section chief was acting so strange today.

    Even if they knew Chu Molin was acting strangely because of Qin Xue, they would definitely say: ¡°Heroes have always had difficulty passing the gates of beauty. Even our own Cold King Yama is no exception and has been captured by a beauty.¡±

    ¡°Wife, what delicious food did you make?¡± Chu Molin asked as he hugged Qin Xue from behind.

    ¡°Let go, go wash up for dinner.¡± Qin Xue slapped the hand resting on her belly and scolded. This man seemed to have become addicted to hugging her and took advantage whenever he could, touching and holding her.

    ¡°Hmm, I want to eat you.¡± Chu Molin now understood why those little bunnies always said they wanted their wives and so on. He didn¡¯t get the meaning of those dirty jokes before, but after last night, he understood.

    Those who have never tasted meat don¡¯t know how tempting it is. Once they had tasted it, they couldn¡¯t help but itch for more, thinking about how to eat it again.

    ¡°Chu Molin, that¡¯s enough.¡± Qin Xue¡¯s face flushed as if it could bleed. Had she made a mistake?

    ¡°Wife, you are so beautiful.¡± Chu Molin looked at the Qin Xue who turned around, his eyes full of awe. Qin Xue had always been beautiful, but she had lacked a bit of charm. After their intimate night, she looked different today, seeming more enchanting.

 Chapter 477

    Of course, Chu Molin knew what the flower on her body represented. He had discovered the mark he left on her skin when he woke up in the morning, but he didn¡¯t expect Qin Xue¡¯s skin to be so tender that a light kiss would leave such an obvious trace.

    It was already enough to make people think differently, but now, it was even more deadly.

    ¡°Wife, change your clothes later,¡± Chu Molin¡¯s voice was low and hoarse, as he felt his life was in danger.

    ¡°Why, is it dirty? Or is it not good-looking?¡± Qin Xue looked down at her dress, it wasn¡¯t dirty, so it must not be good-looking.

    ¡°Anyway, just change into another one,¡± Chu Molin let go of Qin Xue and walked out, only leaving the words for her to change clothes.

    ¡°Oh, I understand,¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t know why he wanted her to change clothes, but she didn¡¯t think too much about it. Changing clothes wasn¡¯t a big deal.

    ¡°By the way, Chu Molin, take these two sets of snacks to Mr. Xie¡¯s house and Mr. Xu¡¯s house,¡± Qin Xue came out holding two sets of mochi and bowl rice pudding.

    ¡°One set for each family,¡± Qin Xue put the things in Chu Molin¡¯s hands.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Chu Molin took them. Anyway, their three families lived close together, and they often sent each other food, so they weren¡¯t afraid of others thinking too much about it.

    ¡°Hurry up and come back,¡± Qin Xue shouted and then went back to the kitchen.

    She didn¡¯t need to prepare vegetables this morning, as pickles and pickled vegetables would do just fine with the meal. How convenient!

    ¡°That was quick,¡± Chu Molin was really fast. Qin Xue had just brought the dishes to the table when he returned.

    ¡°Yes, they were eating, I delivered the snacks and came back.¡± They had wanted to keep him for dinner, but he declined.

    ¡°Oh, then let¡¯s eat,¡± Qin Xue put a bowl of fish porridge in front of him.

    ¡°Fang Hong is back,¡± Chu Molin had seen the battalion commander with the same expression as him when he went to deliver the snacks earlier.

    ¡°Oh, I was just thinking yesterday that I would look for her when she returned,¡± Qin Xue thought it was like someone sending her a pillow when she wanted to sleep.

    ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t hear anything, and when she looked up, she found Chu Molin staring at her. She thought her face was dirty, so she touched it with her hand.

    ¡°Your face isn¡¯t dirty, it¡¯s very beautiful,¡± Chu Molin laughed as he watched his wife¡¯s actions.

    ¡°What are you looking at then?¡± Qin Xue had just checked that her clothes were not dirty, so what was he looking at?

    ¡°I noticed that you¡¯re different today.¡± Chu Molin loved her coquettish appearance.

    ¡°What¡¯s different about me? Did I grow an extra eye or mouth?¡± Qin Xue pouted.

    ¡°Neither, you just have an extra touch of shyness.¡± Actually, Chu Molin wanted to say ¡°spring¡± but was afraid Qin Xue would get angry, so he changed it to ¡°shyness¡± at the last moment.

    ¡°You¡­¡± Qin Xue was speechless. Was she supposed to argue with Chu Molin about where this shyness came from?

    ¡°Hehehe,¡± Chu Molin laughed out loud, looking at Qin Xue¡¯s blushing face. He couldn¡¯t remember how many years it had been since he had laughed like this, but now he just laughed out loud.

    ¡°Wow, the heavens and the earth have changed!¡± Qin Xue¡¯s eyes sparkled as she looked at Chu Molin¡¯s smiling face. So, this was what he looked like when he genuinely smiled.

    After getting together with Chu Molin, he often laughed, but he never laughed this openly. Suddenly, Qin Xue felt a little heartbroken for him. What had he experienced to make himself so closed off and suppress his feelings?

    ¡°Do you like it?¡± Chu Molin smiled as he asked Qin Xue.

    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful. I¡¯ve never seen a man as handsome as you in my life. Even XX stars aren¡¯t as handsome as you.¡± Qin Xue thought that no fresh meat from her previous life could compare to Chu Molin. This might be what they mean by ¡°beauty in the eyes of the beholder.¡± Once someone entered their heart, they became the best person in their world.

 Chapter 478

    They didn¡¯t inform their sister and brother-in-law about this visit, so no one would come to pick them up, hence they had to go to the station and take a bus to graduate school themselves.

    ¡°Bro, we¡¯ll be seeing sister soon, right?¡± Qin Jiale, forgetting about the fatigue of the journey, asked excitedly.

    ¡°Yes, we¡¯ll see her soon.¡± Qin Yu smiled at his cheerful little sister.

    ¡°Awesome, we¡¯re almost there.¡± Qin Jiale, too excited, almost fell off her seat.

    ¡°Xiao Yu, isn¡¯t there a car picking us up?¡± Qin Qiu, trailing behind Qin Yu with luggage, asked.

    ¡°No, our arrival was quite sudden, we didn¡¯t even have time to tell sister when we were coming.¡± The tone of Qin Yu¡¯s reply was noticeably different from when he was talking to his little sister.

    Qin Yun gave his sister a slight tug, feeling that her question was a bit over the line.

    He too had heard from their parents saying that initially, only Xiao Yu and Jiale were supposed to come.

    But it was due to their sister¡¯s impending marriage, that¡¯s why they, brother and sister, came together, they were here to prevent their sister from entangling further with Li Kun.

    Since they decided to come at the last minute, Qin Xue and her family must be unaware of their arrival, how could they arrange a car to pick them up?

    So, his sister¡¯s inquiry wasn¡¯t unreasonable, but it was enough to upset Xiao Yu.

    Everyone in their village knew, Xiao Yu cared overflowing for his sister, as if he were not the little brother, but the big brother.

    ¡°Xiao Yun, why are you pulling me?¡± Qin Qiu tried to break free from her brother¡¯s hold.

    ¡°Sis, you should say less.¡± Qin Yun couldn¡¯t understand how much his sister had changed, she wasn¡¯t like this before.

    ¡°What did I say? I just asked if a car was coming to pick us up, am I not even allowed to ask that?¡± Qin Qiu was upset, wondering why Xiao Yun was scolding her, she was his older sister after all.

    Upon hearing this, Qin Yu was left speechless, he shouldn¡¯t have brought her along, hopefully, she wouldn¡¯t cause trouble for his sister.

    Qin Jiale looked puzzled at her brother and cousins, feeling slightly uncomfortable.

    Despite her young age, she understood what their conversation meant.

    She didn¡¯t know why but she started to feel a bit dislike towards her cousin after hearing her words.

    ¡°Brother.¡± Qin Jiale tugged at her brother¡¯s arm.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Hold on to your luggage, let¡¯s get on the bus. Xiao Yun and Sister Qiu, keep up and don¡¯t get lost.¡± After speaking to Xiao Yun and Qin Qiu, Qin Yu led the way with Qin Jiale, holding their luggage.

    They all arrived at the graduate school after two hours.

    ¡°Comrade, hello, my name is Qin Yu, we are here to see Mr. Chu Molin.¡± Qin Yu had been here for a month, but he never left the military compound during that time, so the employees here didn¡¯t recognize him.

    ¡°You register here, I¡¯ll go find Mr. Chu.¡± One guard took on the task of registration, while the other went looking for Mr. Chu.

    ¡°Mr. Chu.¡± The guard who went to fetch him called out as soon as he saw Chu Molin in the workshop.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Chu Molin turned to ask the man.

    ¡°A few people outside are here to see you. One of them says his name is Qin Yu.¡± The guard informed him of their identities.

    ¡°Okay, I know, I¡¯ll go there right now.¡± Chu Molin hadn¡¯t expected Qin Yu to bring his younger brother and sister so soon. He had eaten meat that night and was just starting to eat vegetarian dishes today.

    Chu Molin quickly turned to go and greet his brother-in-law and sister-in-law.

    ¡°Sis, there¡¯s Brother-in-law.¡± Qin Yu spotted his brother-in-law from afar and told his little sister.

    ¡°Where?¡± Qin Jiale, who had been looking around, suddenly became alert after hearing her brother¡¯s words.

    ¡°Over there.¡± Qin Yu pointed to the slowly approaching Chu Molin.

    ¡°Wow, my sister sure has good taste. Brother-in-law is so handsome.¡± Qin Jiale exclaimed excitedly on seeing Chu Molin in his work attire.

 Chapter 479

    Seeing Chu Molin in his work clothes, Qin Yun¡¯s eyes lit up, as no woman could resist a handsome man.

    ¡°Xiao Yu.¡± Chu Molin greeted Qin Yu.

    ¡°Brother-in-law, this is my little sister, Qin Qiu, and my brother Qin Yun.¡± Qin Yu wasn¡¯t sure if Chu Molin recognized them, so he introduced them first.

    ¡°Little sister, Sister Qiu, Brother Yun, come on in. Xue¡¯er is at home.¡± Chu Molin offered to help with their luggage.

    ¡°Thank you, brother-in-law.¡± Qin Jiale cheerfully thanked him.

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± Chu Molin replied emotionlessly.

    Qin Yu led his little sister and their cousins, following their brother-in-law into the family building.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, Xiao Yu and the others are here.¡± Chu Molin called out to Qin Xue as soon as they entered the house.

    However, after waiting for a while, no one answered, and Chu Molin didn¡¯t find his wife in the bedroom either. He was surprised that she was not at home.

    ¡°Xiao Yu, your sister probably went to visit someone. Why don¡¯t you guys sit down and have some water? I¡¯ll go find her and bring her back.¡± Since his cousin had been living here for a month, Chu Molin didn¡¯t stand on ceremony.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, brother-in-law. If you¡¯re busy, you can go back to work. We¡¯ll wait for her.¡± Qin Yu knew how busy it was in the military, especially for a battalion commander like his brother-in-law.

    ¡°Well, are you hungry? Your sister made some snacks. I¡¯ll get them for you to nibble on first.¡± Chu Molin remembered that Qin Xue had made a lot of snacks.

    He went into the kitchen and found them as expected, taking out two plates of snacks, as well as some buns and Mandarin rolls. He also brought out four sets of bowls and chopsticks and a pot of water to place on the table.

    ¡°Eat some of these snacks first, and I¡¯ll go find your sister.¡± Chu Molin usually didn¡¯t talk much to others except Qin Xue, but he felt obliged to say a few words to his in-laws.

    ¡°Alright, thanks, brother-in-law.¡± Qin Yu nodded at him.

    At this time, Qin Xue was at Fang Hong¡¯s house. She had come over after Chu Molin left.

    ¡°Sister-in-law, have you not been resting well? You look so pale.¡± Qin Xue could immediately tell that Fang Hong was tired, as it was quite obvious.

    Fang Hong¡¯s face turned red upon hearing this. How could she tell Qin Xue that she had been kept up half of the night by her husband, Mr. Xie?

    ¡°Hehe, I didn¡¯t sleep well. Are you about to give birth soon?¡± Fang Hong looked at Qin Xue¡¯s belly, which had dropped lower.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s soon.¡± Qin Xue thought to herself that it was indeed fast approaching.

    ¡°Sister-in-law, how have you been doing on your recent business trips?¡± Qin Xue hadn¡¯t been involved in the factory affairs since the training and had completely left everything in others¡¯ hands.

    ¡°Business has been really good. I just came back from visiting one client yesterday. Everyone else is doing well too. You wouldn¡¯t believe how many orders we have lined up until next year.¡± Fang Hong¡¯s own orders were scheduled up until the holidays, let alone the others¡¯.

    ¡°It¡¯s great that business is doing well. That way, we can all earn a bit more money.¡± In this life, Qin Xue only wanted to be a freeloader and enjoy the beauty of life.

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s driving Liangmei Clothing across the street crazy. I¡¯ve been ambushed several times by them.¡± Fang Hong mentioned that she was often targeted by Liangmei Clothing, who were trying to get information on their designs and orders.

    Fang Hong wasn¡¯t foolish, so she didn¡¯t reveal anything to them.

    As a result, Liangmei Clothing¡¯s people always left empty-handed.

    ¡°Liangmei Clothing? With their internal affairs, it¡¯s no wonder they¡¯ve been surpassed.¡± Qin Xue thought about how she had approached Liangmei Clothing first, but they had brushed her off.

    Since that¡¯s the case, Qin Xue, of course, had to look for alternatives. She was even more grateful that Liangmei Clothing had rejected her, or else she wouldn¡¯t have had such a leisurely life now.

 Chapter 480

    She heard that the explosive situation was somewhat related to their Chenxi Clothing Factory.

    It was after the broadcast of their commercial that the orders started coming in.

    Liangmei¡¯s customers, who were initially snatched from the Ai¡¯guo Clothing Factory, all returned to place orders with Chenxi Clothing Factory, leaving Liangmei with no orders.

    Then, the factory director of Liangmei sent their sales director to find customers and orders.

    Who knew that the sales director was not well-behaved and ended up in bed with someone?

    Unexpectedly, the sales director got pregnant, and they didn¡¯t know about it beforehand, so they were too rough during sex.

    Afterward, she felt a pain in her stomach and only realized she was pregnant after going to the hospital.

    Because they were too intense during sex, there were signs of a miscarriage.

    The matter eventually escalated to the hospital, and as you can imagine, everyone found out.

    As it turns out, the sales director had a relationship with their factory director.

    The factory director had no children all along, and now that his lover was finally pregnant, she had an affair with another man, causing a miscarriage. One can imagine how explosive the situation was, so it blew up.

    Afterward, the client¡¯s wife learned that her husband was cheating, so she came to Liangmei¡¯s factory to cause a scene, which summoned the factory director¡¯s wife.

    Things got heated, and the factory director¡¯s wife finally found out that her husband was cheating and having affairs because of their child¡¯s issue.

    She couldn¡¯t let it go, so both women teamed up and went after the sales director.

    As soon as the two women arrived at the hospital, they dragged the director out of bed and beat her.

    The sales director, who originally had signs of a miscarriage, ended up miscarrying after the beating.

    Now, the sales director wouldn¡¯t let it go and insisted that the child was their factory director¡¯s and was aborted by his wife.

    The factory director must have been devastated. Although he was a bit guilty for being found out, when the child was gone, he became ruthless, and the couple started fighting on the spot.

    It is said that the chaos was only quelled because someone called the police, preventing it from escalating further.

    But after this incident, everyone knew about Liangmei¡¯s internal affairs and felt that they had poor character, so they canceled their orders and transferred them to Chenxi Clothing Factory.

    It can be said that Chenxi Clothing Factory picked up a great bargain, gaining many orders for free. With additional orders from other cities, they were booked until next year.

    ¡°Qin Xue, you didn¡¯t go out, so how do you know about their internal issues?¡± Fang Hong looked at Qin Xue strangely. Had the news about them spread to the army as well?

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I go to Liangmei first when I went to talk about orders for the first time? That¡¯s when I discovered it.¡± Qin Xue is not a gossiping person, so she never mentioned this incident.

    ¡°Oh, I thought you knew about what happened to Liangmei recently.¡± Fang Hong nodded, understanding.

    ¡°What happened to them? Was it the exposure of the relationship between their factory director and sales director?¡± Qin Xue guessed that this was probably the only possibility now.

    ¡°Yes, their orders are all gone. Ha ha, you definitely can¡¯t guess where their orders went.¡± Fang Hong said with a smile to Qin Xue.

    ¡°They went to our Chenxi Clothing Factory, of course.¡± Qin Xue said without thinking, taking over Fang Hong¡¯s words.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t even say it. How did you know?¡± Fang Hong thought Qin Xue was incredible.

    ¡°Do I even need to think about it? As soon as our TV commercial is broadcasted, anyone with a TV will know how beautiful the clothes made by our Chenxi Clothing Factory are.

    Anyone with eyes and a bit of business acumen will choose our Chenxi Clothing Factory to make clothes.¡± Qin Xue, who drew the design herself, would know the quality of the clothing.

 Chapter 481

    ¡°You¡¯re impressive.¡± Fang Hong gave Qin Xue a thumbs up in admiration, everything really went exactly as Qin Xue predicted.

    ¡°Sister-in-law, you must have finished your medicine for a while now, don¡¯t you? How do you feel?¡± Qin Xue did not forget the purpose of her visit today.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s been a while, I feel much lighter than before, didn¡¯t you notice how my complexion is much better than before? Especially the color of my face, it¡¯s a world of difference compared to before.¡± Fang Hong had noticed small changes in herself every day.

    ¡°Let me see your hand, I will take your pulse.¡± Qin Xue thought Fang Hong must be totally cured now, but wanted to confirm it.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Fang Hong folded a piece of clothing and put it on the table for Qin Xue to read her pulse.

    Qin Xue placed her hand on Fang Hong¡¯s wrist, after a while, Qin Xue looked at Fang Hong with a strange expression on her face.

    ¡°Sister-in-law, have you noticed anything unusual recently? Such as feeling easy to get tired, or wanting to sleep all the time?¡± Qin Xue switched to the other wrist, continuing to read Fang Hong¡¯s pulse.

    ¡°A little, do I have any problems?¡± It was true that Fang Hong had been feeling more tired recently.

    ¡°Hmm, no problems, just be mindful when making love, don¡¯t be too vigorous or frequent, so as to avoid harming the child and causing a miscarriage.¡± Qin Xue looked at Fang Hong, jokingly.

    No wonder Fang Hong looked so tired. Pregnancy usually makes people crave more sleep. Plus, if they engage in sex too frequently without proper rest, how could she not be tired?

    ¡°What did you say? Do you mean that I¡­¡± Fang Hong, in excited tone, asked while looking at Qin Xue.

    ¡°Yes, you have been pregnant for almost a month.¡± Qin Xue thought about it and realized that Fang Hong must have had sex with Xie Jun immediately after finishing her medicine.

    ¡°I, I¡¯m really pregnant?¡± Fang Hong choked with emotion, tears welling up in her eyes.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s true, as real as a pearl.¡± Qin Xue could understand Fang Hong¡¯s emotions.

    ¡°Sniff sniff, Qin Xue, thank you, you have no idea how much trouble I have gone through for this child, now I finally have it.¡± Fang Hong spoke between sobs.

    ¡°Hmm, I know it¡¯s hard for you, but you still need to be careful. If it wasn¡¯t for the medication I gave you recently, you might have miscarried.¡± The medicine Qin Xue gave Fang Hong was not only for conditioning but also for strengthening her body.

    In particular, each time the medicine is prepared with spiritual spring water, after being nourished by spiritual spring water, Fang Hong¡¯s body condition improved.

    Otherwise, their vigorous sexual activities would have led to the loss of the baby.

    ¡°Qin Xue, you¡­¡± Embarrassed by the repeated emphasis on her sex life, Fang Hong looked at Qin Xue.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that, your acts were so vigorous, and the fetus wasn¡¯t very stable, so I found it out through reading your pulse.

    I will write you a prescription later. Ask Mr. Xie to get it for you, rest more, and don¡¯t have sex in the first three months, wait until the fetus is stable.¡± Qin Xue emphasized.

    It¡¯s not that couples can¡¯t have sex during pregnancy, but in the early stages of pregnancy, the gestational sac is not stable, and sex can stimulate the gestational sac, potentially causing fluctuations leading to signs of miscarriage or even miscarriage.

    In the middle stage of pregnancy, appropriate sex is allowed, but if it¡¯s possible not to have sex in the late stage of pregnancy, then don¡¯t. The pleasurable sensations from sexual intercourse, the stimulation of semen, and the intense pleasure can cause contractions, which might result in placental abruption or premature labor.

    So there are many things to be cautious about when having sex during pregnancy.

    On thinking this, she kept reminding Fang Hong over and over again, but she herself still made a mistake last night, she shouldn¡¯t have let herself go.

 Chapter 482

    ¡°Alright, I understand.¡± Fang Hong knew Qin Xue was looking out for her, so she nodded and agreed directly.

    ¡°Do you have pen and paper here?¡± Qin Xue wondered if she had to go back home to fetch them if they didn¡¯t have any.

    ¡°Yes, let me get them.¡± Fang Hong¡¯s husband, Mr. Xie, was a regiment leader, so he often needed these supplies and had them at home.

    When Fang Hong brought the pen and paper, Qin Xue quickly wrote a prescription and handed it to her.

    ¡°Prepare three doses, drink it twice a day. Just avoid having sex, falling, or bumping your belly, and I guarantee this pregnancy will be stable.¡± Qin Xue said to Fang Hong with a smile.

    ¡°Qin Xue, once again thanks to you, otherwise we might have lost our chance with this child.¡± Fang Hong touched her still-flat belly and smiled at Qin Xue.

    ¡°We¡¯re friends, and our men are brothers, so don¡¯t be so polite with me all the time, right?¡± Qin Xue gestured toward Fang Hong.

    ¡°Yes, if you ever need anything, just let us know, and we will do our best to help.¡± Fang Hong truly felt that knowing Qin Xue in this lifetime was a true blessing.

    ¡°Alright, then I won¡¯t be polite.¡± Qin Xue said mischievously.

    ¡°No need to be polite with me, like you said, we¡¯re friends.¡± Fang Hong replied cheerfully.

    ¡°Mmm, ok, you go ahead and get busy, I should leave now.¡± Qin Xue noticed Fang Hong¡¯s fatigue, and if she stayed here, Fang Hong wouldn¡¯t be able to rest. It was best for her to go home.

    ¡°Alright, come over when you have time.¡± Fang Hong prepared to see Qin Xue out.

    ¡°No need to see me out, I can go back by myself.¡± Qin Xue thought it was just a few steps away and there was no need to be escorted.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Qin Xue was startled when she opened the door.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Fang Hong hurried over.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I was just startled by my husband Chu Molin standing outside.¡± Qin Xue glared at the man outside the door.

    ¡°Oh, Mr. Chu came to look for you. It¡¯s all my fault for keeping you too long.¡± Fang Hong apologized to Qin Xue and Chu Molin.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I just arrived. Turns out I didn¡¯t need to knock, the door opened.¡± Chu Molin, however, had been waiting outside for a while now, listening to the conversation inside. He felt awkward, so he didn¡¯t knock on the door and just stood outside.

    But he couldn¡¯t exactly tell them the truth, it would be embarrassing for everyone.

    It was really because the conversation between the two women was too embarrassing, so he could only claim that he had just arrived.

    ¡°Oh, alright. Since Mr. Chu is here, you should go back quickly.¡± Fang Hong nodded.

    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll catch up another time when you¡¯re free.¡± Qin Xue smiled at Fang Hong and then left with her husband.

    ¡°Did you hear our conversation?¡± Qin Xue quietly asked the man beside her after the door closed.

    ¡°Ahem, yes, I did.¡± Chu Molin replied awkwardly.

    ¡°What do you think?¡± When Qin Xue saw him at the door, she noticed his strange expression.

    So she guessed that Chu Molin must have heard their conversation, which had been all about sex.

    ¡°I will control myself before you give birth.¡± Chu Molin could no longer indulge himself in doing anything that might harm Qin Xue and their child.

    ¡°Uh, who asked you about that?¡± Qin Xue looked at him annoyed, teasingly.

    ¡°Then what do you mean by asking for my opinion?¡± Chu Molin asked, somewhat puzzled.

    ¡°I meant, what do you think about me treating Fang Hong?!¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t know why his mind went straight to their sex life could it be just because he heard her and Fang Hong talking about it?

 Chapter 483

    ¡°As long as it makes you happy, that¡¯s all that matters. Just be a bit more cautious in the future. Don¡¯t reveal your medical skills to people unless they are truly trustworthy.

    There are many people in this world with ulterior motives, and your abilities are difficult to verify. If someone takes advantage of you, you could end up getting hurt.

    So, Xue¡¯er, you have to protect yourself. Promise me you won¡¯t get hurt and give me something to worry about, okay?¡± Chu Molin pleads, holding her hands tightly.

    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll be careful. By the way, aren¡¯t you supposed to be at work? How come you¡¯re back home at this time?¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t understand how Chu Molin found time to come by. Had someone fallen ill?

    ¡°Xiao Yu and your little sister came by with two others claiming to be Qin Qiu and Qin Yun. You should go prepare some food for them. I¡¯ll send someone to check into a guesthouse for them, as there¡¯s not enough room for everyone here.¡± Chu Molin hadn¡¯t expected two more to join too.

    ¡°Huh, that¡¯s so sudden. Has something happened back home?¡± Qin Xue was surprised; her mother and little brother hadn¡¯t mentioned bringing anyone else along.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, why don¡¯t you go ask? I¡¯m not familiar with them, so it wouldn¡¯t be right for me to ask.¡± If it were just Qin Yu, Chu Molin wouldn¡¯t have to worry.

    After all, he had worked with Qin Yu before and was more familiar with him. Being Qin Xue¡¯s brother, their bond was naturally different than with others.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go see. You had better head back to work, don¡¯t let us keep you.¡± Qin Xue reasoned that she could just ask them herself.

    She wouldn¡¯t need to hold up her husband at work. She knew how busy he was. Because of her current state, he had already spent plenty of time at home lately.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll head to work now. Take good care of yourself.¡± Chu Molin left with a warning. He had thought everything was okay after their conversation the night before, but now with news that intercourse might cause a miscarriage, he became worried about her health.

    ¡°I know, don¡¯t worry. I am a doctor, after all, I know my own situation. Be careful yourself, okay? Don¡¯t get injured during training.¡± Qin Xue blushed, since it had been her initiating things last night.

    ¡°Sure, go inside now. I¡¯m off to work.¡± After he dropped his wife off at the entrance, Chu Molin left for work.

    As soon as Qin Xue opened the door with her key, she saw four people in the living room eating.

    The four of them turned to look at the door as soon as they heard it open.

    ¡°Sis, you¡¯re back! I¡¯ve missed you so much!¡± Upon seeing her sister, Qin Jiale jumped up and rushed over but narrowly managed to stop herself from hugging Qin Xue when she noticed her large belly.

    Seeing Qin Xue¡¯s swollen stomach, Jiale¡¯s eyes went wide, and she couldn¡¯t help but point at her, mouth wide open.

    ¡°What are you opening your mouth so wide for? It¡¯s as if you could fit a whole egg in there.¡± Qin Xue covered her sister¡¯s mouth and laughed teasingly.

    ¡°Annoying, sis, how come your stomach is so big? You look different from everyone else I¡¯ve seen.¡± Qin Jiale couldn¡¯t understand why her sister¡¯s belly was so large.

    ¡°What¡¯s so different about it? Isn¡¯t it just a baby bump?¡± Qin Xue shook her head, smiling. She liked her sister¡¯s reaction.

    ¡°Sis, I¡¯ve figured it out. Do you have two nieces or nephews in there?¡± An idea suddenly struck Qin Jiale, and she asked her sister excitedly.

    ¡°Yes, we¡¯ll be needing your help with the babies,¡± Qin Xue told her sister as she walked past her into the living room.

    ¡°Qin Qiu, Qin Yun.¡± Qin Xue greeted the two other people with a smile even though she had never met them. She knew their names because Chu Molin had mentioned them earlier.

 Chapter 484

    Her sister warmed up to her immediately upon seeing her, and the remaining two were naturally Qin Qiu and Qin Yun that Chu Molin mentioned earlier.

    ¡°Qin Xue is back.¡± Qin Qiu and her brother both smiled.

    ¡°Um, you guys sit down first. I¡¯ll go cook.¡± Qin Xue put away her keys and prepared to go into the kitchen.

    ¡°Sis, let me help you.¡± Qin Jiale heard this and thought, ¡°When did my sister learn how to cook? I dare not let her cook alone.¡±

    However, what Qin Jiale didn¡¯t know was that this Qin Xue was no longer the same Qin Xue, so her worry was unnecessary.

    ¡°Sure.¡± Qin Xue did not reject her sister¡¯s good intentions.

    The sisters entered the kitchen to cook, while the three in the living room sat down for some snacks.

    ¡°Li Dabao, go to the guest house and arrange for two rooms. Someone will be staying there tonight.¡± As soon as Chu Molin arrived at the training ground, he asked Li Dabao to arrange accommodations at the guest house.

    ¡°Yes, boss.¡± Li Dabao carried out the order without asking any questions.

    Chu Molin resumed his training after making the arrangements.

    ¡°Sis, when did you learn to cook?¡± Qin Jiale looked at her sister in surprise. The skilled movements were not like someone who didn¡¯t know how to cook.

    ¡°After joining the army with your brother-in-law, I started learning. Practice makes perfect; once you get used to it, you know how to do it.¡± Qin Xue smiled at her sister.

    ¡°Sis, you¡¯ve been through a lot.¡± Qin Jiale thought about her sister at home, who had never done such things before.

    ¡°Silly girl, what nonsense are you talking about? It¡¯s not like your sister could rely on mom and dad forever. I have to learn how to take care of myself. There¡¯s no such thing as suffering.¡± Qin Xue thought her sister¡¯s silliness was somewhat endearing.

    ¡°But¡­¡± Qin Jiale felt sorry for her sister.

    ¡°There are no buts. Marrying your brother-in-law was my choice. Since I chose to marry a soldier, I have to be prepared for hardships.

    Besides, isn¡¯t everything good now? I can cook for myself and not go hungry.

    I can also cook for your brother-in-law, so he doesn¡¯t have to worry about me not having food.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t want to live a useless life like the original body. She was an ambitious modern woman.

    ¡°I understand.¡± Qin Jiale nodded vaguely after listening to her sister¡¯s words.

    Qin Xue shook her head. Her sister didn¡¯t understand; she just didn¡¯t want to upset her by talking about it.

    Qin Xue felt warm in her heart, touched by her sister¡¯s actions.

    Only those who genuinely cared for her would consider her feelings in everything.

    ¡°You help me pick those vegetables.¡± Qin Xue pointed to the vegetables and beans in the corner and told her sister.

    The sisters cooked quickly together. After eating, they sat in the living room chatting.

    ¡°Are you and Yun here to play or to look for work?¡± Qin Xue asked directly.

    ¡°Qin Xue, my sister and I came here to find work.¡± Qin Yun quickly answered Qin Xue¡¯s question before his sister could.

    ¡°Have you thought about what kind of work you want to do?¡± Qin Xue thought for a while and asked them.

    ¡°We¡¯re not familiar with this place and don¡¯t know what kind of work is suitable. Qin Xue, do you have any suggestions?¡± Qin Qiu hurriedly replied, fearing her brother might say something thoughtless.

    ¡°Although I¡¯ve been here for more than half a year, I¡¯m not too familiar with the area either. However, I do know a factory manager who makes clothes.

    If you¡¯re interested, I can ask if they need more workers. What do you think?¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t mention owning a share of the clothing factory.

    It wasn¡¯t that she deliberately concealed it, but she knew that people tended to be competitive. When you¡¯re poor, people treat you kindly out of pity. On the other hand, once you¡¯re better off than them, they become jealous. So, you can¡¯t blame Qin Xue for not being candid.

 Chapter 485

    Being a modern female doctor, she observed their inner activities through their body language.

    In the end, Qin Xue chose a relatively conservative option¡ªthe clothing factory run by Guo Aiguo.

    However, she would tell Guo Aiguo in advance not to reveal her identity as a shareholder, so even if they go, they wouldn¡¯t think she isn¡¯t helping them because she has money.

    Instead, they would think that Qin Xue was just like them, without money, and this balanced perception wouldn¡¯t stir up jealousy.

    ¡°Sure, when do we go?¡± Qin Yun really wanted to make money, since they didn¡¯t bring much with them in this trip.

    If they didn¡¯t find something to do soon, he fears that the money they brought wouldn¡¯t last long. They couldn¡¯t keep feeding off Qin Xue.

    ¡°Tomorrow, I¡¯ll take you all to have a look tomorrow.¡± Qin Xue thought that helping them find jobs could be feasible.

    They all chatted for a while, and then Qin Qiu said she wanted to take a walk. Qin Xue, who usually didn¡¯t like wandering around the military family compound, simply told them not to go too far and to avoid prying into other¡¯s business. So, the two siblings, Qin Qiu and Xiao Yu, went out.

    ¡°Xiao Yu, did something happen at home? Why did you bring two more people?¡± Qin Xue directly asked her brother as soon as she found Qin Qiu and Xiao Yu weren¡¯t around.

    After hearing his sister¡¯s question, Xiao Yu then told Qin Xue about Qin Qiu and Li Kun.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying, Qin Qiu came here to cut off contact with Li Kun. But Qin Qiu still has feelings for Li Kun, is that it?¡± Qin Xue thought that was the case.

    They won¡¯t be able to stop it for the time being. However, Qin Qiu was obedient enough to listen to the family and come here.

    ¡°Yes, when I went to the Lis to plead for Qin Yun¡¯s freedom, Uncle asked me to also break off the engagement for Qin Qiu when I was there.

    Who would have thought that Qin Qiu would blame me for it, and was even angry at me. She almost made me burst with anger.

    I mean, I was doing her a favor, and she ended up blaming me for meddling. If it weren¡¯t for Uncle¡¯s sake, who would care about her issues?¡± Qin Yu was really infuriated by Qin Qiu back then.

    ¡°Xiao Yu, some people are not worth your anger. You¡¯ve done what you needed to do, and what happens next is up to them.

    From what you¡¯re saying, this Li Kun guy is a scum. He got someone pregnant while still discussing marriage here.

    Luckily, Uncle was decisive. Otherwise, Qin Qiu¡¯s life would have been tough.¡± Qin Xue thought of Li Kun, who was just like her father in her previous life, looking to trade up while still holding onto what they have.

    Qin Xue despised such scumbags the most. After all, she was a product of a jerk who shirked his responsibilities.

    Even though she was a child born within a lawful marriage in her previous life, her father¡¯s irresponsibility still made Qin Xue suffer a lot.

    ¡°But I don¡¯t think Qin Qiu appreciates it.¡± Qin Yu feels he shouldn¡¯t have broken off the engagement for Qin Qiu.

    He should have brought Uncle with him and let Uncle end the engagement. That way, Qin Qiu wouldn¡¯t have anything to say, and she would not be able to blame him.

    He regretted being too impulsive, and not thinking things through. After being away from them for so many years, what were their characters like now? Had they changed?

    Now that he¡¯s involved, no matter what, he has been blamed by Qin Qiu. He can only hope they can still support each other in the future, given that they¡¯re all from the Qin family.

 Chapter 486

    So, as long as Qin Qiu wasn¡¯t too excessive, he wouldn¡¯t hold it against her.

    ¡°Sis, I also noticed that Qin Qiu seems to be a bit different than before.¡± Qin Jiale thought back to when they were about to go to the bus station after getting off the train, and how Qin Qiu¡¯s words and tone made him feel uncomfortable.

    ¡°Kids like you, don¡¯t worry about adults¡¯ business.¡± Qin Xue patted her sister¡¯s head.

    ¡°Sis, I¡¯m not a kid anymore, so stop touching my head.

    Moreover, you aren¡¯t that much older than me. So how come I¡¯m a kid and you¡¯re an adult?¡± Qin Jiale expressed dissatisfaction with the unfairness in his heart, as they were only three years older than him.

    But every time they told him this, he felt like he was the smallest, and it made him feel frustrated.

    ¡°Because you¡¯re the youngest in the family.¡± Qin Xue looked at her sister amusedly.

    How come this girl just couldn¡¯t let this go? Being a child was so much better because people doted on and loved her, unlike her own childhood when she was a pitiful little girl who no one cared about.

    ¡°Not for long.¡± Qin Jiale glanced at Qin Xue¡¯s pregnant belly, hoping the babies would arrive soon.

    That way, she wouldn¡¯t be the youngest in the family anymore, and she¡¯d have someone to play with. It had been her wish since childhood, but her mother never gave her a younger brother or sister.

    Qin Xue looked at her sister speechlessly, wondering why the youngest one in the family always longs for someone even smaller.

    ¡°Xiao Yu, what do you plan to do?¡± Qin Xue asked her brother.

    ¡°Sis, I want to start a business.¡± Qin Yu shared his thoughts with his sister.

    ¡°Have you decided what kind of business?¡± Qin Xue also thought about what would suit her brother.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t figured it out yet. I don¡¯t know what kind of business to do.¡± Qin Yu didn¡¯t have any skills, and he didn¡¯t know what kind of business to start.

    ¡°So, do you want to set up a stall or open a store?¡± Qin Xue asked after thinking for a bit.

    ¡°I want to open a store, but I don¡¯t have the funds. That¡¯s why I want to find something first to prepare for the capital and then open the store.¡± Qin Yu didn¡¯t ask his sister for money to open the store.

    ¡°I can provide the money for the store, you just need to decide what you want to do, so I can estimate how much money is needed.¡± What Qin Xue had in mind was the money she earned from the garment factory, and she could spare a lot of it to give her brother the capital to open a store, but she needed to budget for how much it would cost.

    ¡°Sis, do you have any good ideas?¡± Qin Yu looked at his sister and asked.

    ¡°What are your strengths?¡± Qin Xue thought for a moment before asking.

    ¡°Does memorizing numbers count?¡± Qin Yu thought that as long as he saw something related to numbers, they would be firmly imprinted in his mind and he wouldn¡¯t forget them.

    ¡°Let¡¯s hear it.¡± Qin Xue wondered if it was what she thought.

    ¡°I can quickly spot the difference in many numbers and memorize them as well.¡± Qin Yu had always been particularly good at math and science subjects.

    ¡°Do you still want to go to school?¡± Qin Xue asked her brother.

    ¡°Sis, I won¡¯t go to school, save the money for my little sister.¡± Qin Yu looked at his sister, then at his little sister with a smile.

    ¡°Brother.¡± Qin Jiale called out emotionally.

    ¡°I mean for you to attend night school, not spend your entire day in school.¡± Qin Xue felt that it would be a pity not to go to school given his talent for numbers.

    ¡°But it would cost a lot of money to go to school.¡± Qin Yu thought it was already great to have finished high school, going to college was beyond expectation.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. You just need to say if you want to go or not.¡± If Qin Xue didn¡¯t even have that ability, she wouldn¡¯t have asked Qin Yu in the first place.

    ¡°I want to.¡± Qin Yu really wanted to go to school.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll pay the rent for a storefront, we¡¯ll buy some liquor to process and sell, and in the evening, you can attend night school.¡± Qin Xue made a decisive decision.

 Chapter 487

    The reason is very simple. Making food is too hard and Xiao Yu single-handedly cannot cope with it. If all the work is outsourced, there¡¯s no trusted person to keep an eye.

    However, selling alcohol is different. Liquor can be sold during the day, and the store can be closed at night. This way, Qin Yu would have time to attend night school.

    When there are no customers buying alcohol, Qin Yu can rest or read books in the store which would be more relaxing for him.

    ¡°Sis, is this okay?¡± Qin Yu asked Qin Xue uncertainly.

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s okay. It¡¯s the only way you can kill two birds with one stone, since you¡¯ve missed the college entrance examination.

    If you want to retake it, you will have to go back to school. Can you sit in a classroom with a bunch of students younger than you?¡± Qin Xue thought about the fact that neither of them had attended school for two years.

    Even if Qin Xue lets Qin Yu go, he probably wouldn¡¯t want to sit with students several years younger than him.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go to night school.¡± Qin Yu really didn¡¯t want to, not to mention that he remembered all the content, it would be a waste of time to go. The idea of studying with a bunch of young students made him resistant.

    ¡°There you have it, because selling alcohol gives you relative freedom of time, you can arrange it freely without wasting any time.

    But if you sell food, you have to work both during the day and night. So when will you have time to study?

    If you sell clothes, you¡¯ll have to spend a lot of time purchasing and displaying the goods.

    But selling alcohol is different. You just need to process the alcohol and let it ferment.

    Then order some nice looking bottles and pour the fermented alcohol into them for sale. So think about which one is more convenient and easier?¡± Qin Xue had the Golden Finger space-trick up her sleeve.

    At that time, she just needs to put the alcohol in the space to speed up the time flow, then put it in a dedicated wine storage room, and Qin Yu can directly take it for sale.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll listen to Sis.¡± Qin Yu thought his sister had a point, and she had considered all the factors. Selling alcohol really was the best choice.

    ¡°Great, my brother can finally go to school,¡± Qin Jiale¡¯s eyes turned red with excitement. Everyone had no idea how guilty she felt inside. Despite Qin Yu and Qin Xue having good grades, they had both given up on their futures to take care of her, with Qin Xue even choosing to marry early.

    All these things were weighing on Jiale¡¯s mind, filling her with guilt.

    Now that her brother could finally return to school, how could she not be happy?

    ¡°Yes, now that your brother is going to school, you don¡¯t have to feel guilty anymore,¡± Qin Yu gently said as he stroked his sister¡¯s head.

    ¡°Brother, you¡­¡± Qin Jiale thought no one knew her thoughts, but now she realized she had been thinking too simply.

    ¡°Yes, not only I, but sister also knows. Our sister is a kind and adorable young girl,¡± Qin Yu said as he watched his sister blame herself, driving herself hard to study so as not to disappoint they effort he and sister had gone through. It pained him, but he didn¡¯t know how to comfort her.

    After all, the reality of their home situation is there. They simply couldn¡¯t afford to support their education any longer. Thus, all he could do was watch his sister wallow in guilt.

    One of the main reasons he agreed to his sister¡¯s advice today was his little sister¡¯s feelings. She was too sensible. He couldn¡¯t bear to see her continue like this, so when his sister suggested him to go to night school, he agreed.

 Chapter 488

    In her previous life, she had never seen her half-sister and brother loving each other and being so considerate. However, in this life, right here, she felt a strong bond of siblings.

    Therefore, the atmosphere of a family is really essential. Considering their interaction and love for each other, Qin Xue could easily imagine how loving the Qins were.

    ¡°Alright, calm down, don¡¯t let Qiu and Yun know about this for now, you got it?¡± Qin Xue warned her brother and sister.

    ¡°Yes, sister, we understand.¡± They both replied in unison. They knew with Qin Qiu being as he currently was, any unnecessary trouble could arise if he found out. Therefore, to avoid causing their sister any hassleness, they would never spill the beans.

    ¡°Sis, when did you become so beautiful?¡± Qin Jiale stared closely at her sister¡¯s face.

    In fact, she wanted to ask as soon as she saw her sister today, but did not manage to because of everyone¡¯s presence.

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯ve been eating well since I got here and also maintaining myself carefully.¡± Qin Xue would not tell her sister that it was because of bathing in the spiritual spring water.

    ¡°You know, sis? You are much, much prettier than before.¡± Qin Jiale felt that her sister was now more beautiful and gentle, and had a much better temper than before.

    ¡°You little girl, are you implying I was not pretty before?¡± Qin Xue looked at her sister fiercely.

    ¡°No, my sister has always been the prettiest. It¡¯s just that she¡¯s prettier than before now.¡± Qin Jiale complimented her sister with a smile.

    ¡°You sharp-witted girl.¡± Qin Xue found her sister¡¯s personality to be very pleasing.

    Qin Yu watched his sister and little sister chatting and laughing. They hadn¡¯t spent time like this in ages, and it felt great to be able to laugh together again.

    Looking around the building slowly, Qin Qiu¡¯s siblings harboured feelings of admiration.

    ¡°Whose relatives are you?¡± Zhang Cuihua and a group of women gossiped and questioned Qin Qiu¡¯s siblings.

    ¡°We?¡± Qin Qiu pointed at Qin Yun and herself.

    ¡°Yes, you two.¡± Zhang Cuihua looked at Qin Qiu and her brother, puzzled as she hadn¡¯t heard of any military family members visiting recently.

    ¡°Oh, we are Qin Xue¡¯s family. We came to visit her.¡± Qin Qiu added with a smile.

    Truthfully, she didn¡¯t want to admit that they were there to visit Qin Xue, but she had no choice.

    ¡°Oh, you are relatives of Mr. Chu¡¯s wife? Just arrived? We haven¡¯t met you before.¡± Zhang Cuihua seemed a little unhappy. She was just jealous of Qin Xue.

    Qin Xue was often not with them and spent most of her time with the wives of the senior officers. Zhang Cuihua could not find any reason to criticize Qin Xue.

    ¡°Yes, we arrived at noon.¡± Qin Qiu wondered, did these women have nothing to do but sit there and chat?

    She envied their leisurely lives, as they seemingly had no work to do, could eat, and then meet up to chat and hang out. How comfortable!

    However, what Qin Qiu didn¡¯t know was how lonely these women were, especially when their husbands were out working and they had to live in constant fear.

    Qin Qiu only saw the good side of it and failed to see its cruel side.

    ¡°No wonder we hadn¡¯t seen you before. Is Mr. Chu¡¯s wife at home?¡± One of the women asked.

    ¡°Yes, she is. We siblings just finished our meal and came out for a walk to help digestion.¡± Qin Qiu didn¡¯t understand their intention.

    So she simply answered their questions.

    Qin Yun stood aside waiting for his sister. When he first arrived and saw the large group of women, he deliberately walked away to avoid getting too close.

    He didn¡¯t want to get involved in a group of women¡¯s gossip as it would be a waste of time. Besides, what would a man like him do in a group of women? Regardless of the situation, he should not intervene.

 Chapter 489

    ¡°Xiao Yun, let¡¯s go upstairs,¡± called Qin Qiu to her brother.

    ¡°Sis, what did you talk about? For so long,¡± Qin Yun was curious about what could be discussed for such a long time.

    ¡°Just some typical women¡¯s gossip,¡± Qin Qiu said nonchalantly, although the rumors these women had shared about Qin Xue left Qin Qiu unconvinced that her sister would be disloyal.

    Everybody else might not know about Qin Xue¡¯s marriage to Chu Molin, but as a member of the family, she knew the inside story.

    Qin Xue had given up her reputation to marry Chu Molin. It was improbable that she would disregard him and go after someone else.

    Exemplars like Chu Molin, handsome and exceptional, were every woman¡¯s dream husband. Yet, he was too aloof for Qin Qiu¡¯s liking.

    Her concern was what Qin Xue was doing outside, Did she really make money? Would she help her out too?

    After seeing the change in Qin Xue, Qin Qiu let go of her obsession. She wanted to earn money and strive to change herself. She wanted Li Kun to regret not choosing her and the Li family to know what a good girl she is.

    If Qin Xue could do it, there was no reason why she, Qin Qiu, could not achieve the same.

    Qin Yun did not press further when his sister remained silent, and they returned back to Qin Xue¡¯s house.

    ¡°Where did you and Yun go?¡± Qin Xue asked her sister and brother who had just returned.

    ¡°Nowhere specifically, we met a group of women downstairs and talked with them for a bit,¡± answered Qin Qiu with a smile to Qin Xue.

    Upon hearing, Qin Xue nodded knowingly. Indeed, wherever there were women, there was gossip. She hoped Qin Qiu would judge for herself and not believe in rumors.

    As long as Qin Qiu could make her judgement, Qin Xue would surely offer advice and help as family.

    After all, helping family also meant helping oneself. It would be best if everyone benefitted, and no jealousy or envy arose.

    ¡°These women gossip when they have nothing to do. Some of their words can be taken lightly, and should not be treated seriously,¡± said Qin Xue, candidly warning her siblings.

    If Qin Qiu had her judgement, she should understand her meaning.

    ¡°Okay, I got it Xiaoxue,¡± replied Qin Qiu, who had her thoughts. Now, she realized there were indeed issues after listening to Qin Xue.

    ¡°Since you¡¯re here, find some time to send a telegram home to reassure our parents,¡± suggested Qin Xue, feeling that it was really inconvenient without a phone at home.

    However, installing a phone was expensive during this period, costing thousands of dollars. She decided to wait until later.

    It wasn¡¯t that Qin Xue wasn¡¯t willing to spare the money, but more because she was about to give birth and didn¡¯t have the extra energy for other matters.

    The dividends of the clothing factory were saved for her brother to start a business, and she couldn¡¯t spare thousands of dollars for a phone.

    It was best to postpone until everything was settled.

    ¡°Sis, I got it. I¡¯ll send a telegram home tomorrow,¡± said Qin Yu, who had initially planned to do so to avoid causing worry at home.

    ¡°Good. Yun, Qin Qiu, tomorrow I¡¯ll take you guys to check out the clothing factory. If you find the work suitable, you can stay; otherwise, we can keep looking for jobs. What do you think?¡± Qin Xue proposed, wanting to first place them as ordinary workers to test their character.

    If they were capable and of good character, Qin Xue was willing to promote them to primary roles.

    ¡°Okay, thanks Xiao Xue,¡± Qin Yun replied happily, relieved now that their job was secured.

 Chapter 490

    It¡¯s not that Qin Xue can¡¯t let them stay, but her home can only accommodate so many people, and they would have to stay in a guest house anyway.

    Since they said they were here to find work, it¡¯s even better for her to arrange it. According to Fang Hong, the factory is in need of workers, so sending the siblings there can not only ease the workload but also help them out. Why not do it?

    ¡°Qin Xue, we understand, don¡¯t say it like that.¡± Qin Yun reassured her with a laugh.

    Qin Qiu also nodded and smiled. She had no objections to the matter since she had already decided to earn money and change her life for the better. Qin Xue¡¯s arrangement was just what she wanted.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s settle it then.¡± Qin Xue was glad they understood her intentions. For those who can¡¯t appreciate her efforts, she would only help once and never again. Thus, the attitude of Qin Qiu and her brother made Qin Xue very satisfied.

    ¡°Sis, I¡¯m going downstairs to check things out.¡± Qin Yu said to his sister, itching to take part in the activities. He hadn¡¯t trained for several days and wanted to see what was going on.

    ¡°Go ahead, just don¡¯t cause trouble for your brother-in-law.¡± Qin Xue knew what her brother was thinking and agreed with a simple reminder.

    ¡°Sis, don¡¯t worry, I know.¡± Qin Yu responded cheerfully and left.

    ¡°Sis, what is my brother going to do?¡± Qin Jiale didn¡¯t understand why his brother was so excited.

    ¡°He¡¯s going to find your brother-in-law.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t explain much, just casually mentioned it.

    Qin Xue never interfered with Chu Molin¡¯s work and wouldn¡¯t cause him trouble.

    Since Qin Yu knew where the training ground was, he went straight there.

    From a distance, he watched them train, and the cellular factor hidden in his body began to stir. He jogged over to Chu Molin, who was also training, and called out, ¡°Brother-in-law.¡±

    ¡°Go ahead.¡± Chu Molin looked up at Qin Yu without saying much.

    ¡°Yes, thank you, Mr. Chu.¡± Qin Yu immediately changed his attitude.

    Chu Molin looked at him with some regret, thinking that Qin Yu could have been a good soldier.

    Setting aside his distractions, Chu Molin devoted himself to the training.

    At the Xiao residence in the Imperial Capital, Xiao Qi woke up at nine o¡¯clock. He stretched out his hand to rub his aching temples, not remembering how much he had drunk the night before. He just wanted to drown out the frustration that had been weighing on his heart recently.

    So when Li Zhao brought him some alcohol, Xiao Qi didn¡¯t waste any words and started drinking. In the end, he couldn¡¯t even remember how he had gotten home.

    Xiao Qi got out of bed, put on his shoes, and went to the washroom to freshen up. Looking at his disheveled reflection in the mirror, he forced a bitter smile. He had never been so unkempt in his life.

    He never thought that the first time he¡¯d be intoxicated would be because of a heartless woman.

    Xiao Qi punched the nearby wall, vowing that this would be the first and last time he would indulge himself like this. He would never let it happen again.

    Though determined in his heart, Xiao Qi didn¡¯t know that it wasn¡¯t so easy to calm his chaotic emotions. The many times he saw Chu Beiying in the future, he would continue to break his own rules.

    In this love affair, he was completely taken in by Chu Beiying.

    Of course, that¡¯s a story for another time, so let¡¯s skip it for now.

    At the Li residence, An Hao glanced at Li Zhao sleeping beside her and the marks on her body. She wanted to kill him, thinking about the things he had done last night. How could she face people with these marks all over her?

 Chapter 491

    ¡°Wife, keep me company in bed for a while longer.¡± Li Zhao closed his eyes and rested his head on An Hao¡¯s thigh.

    ¡°Get up, it¡¯s already so late, and we¡¯ll be laughed at if you keep sleeping.¡± An Hao tried to move Li Zhao¡¯s head, wondering if he even knew what time it was.

    ¡°No, let¡¯s sleep a bit more.¡± Li Zhao skillfully pinned An Hao to the bed.

    ¡°Zhaozi, that¡¯s going too far.¡± An Hao tried to push Li Zhao away.

    ¡°Hmm, I¡¯ll only ever go too far with you.¡± He started eating more healthily ever since he found out that An Hao was pregnant. It hadn¡¯t been easy to get through the first trimester.

    ¡°Zhaozi, get up quickly.¡± An Hao called to Li Zhao.

    Li Zhao was genuinely unwilling to get up. He wanted his wife to quietly stay by his side so that he could rest for a while longer. However, even this wasn¡¯t allowed, and he felt frustrated.

    By the time An Hao got up, an hour had already passed.

    An Hao glared at Li Zhao, whose eyes were full of amusement, and angrily threw a pillow at him. He was overdoing it.

    ¡°Wife, let me help you get dressed.¡± Li Zhao put the pillow back in its place, picked up the clothes next to him, and cheerfully offered to help An Hao.

    ¡°Get lost.¡± An Hao snatched the clothes from his hands and began to dress herself.

    Li Zhao rubbed his nose and realized that An Hao must be genuinely upset. The usually gentle person had even blurted out the word ¡°get lost,¡± showing that she was quite angry.

    Li Zhao threw off the thin quilt and brazenly stood in front of An Hao, who was fuming. He yelled, ¡°Li Zhao!¡±

    ¡°Yes, wife? I¡¯m here. You don¡¯t have to yell so loudly; I can hear you.¡± Li Zhao looked at his furious wife with amusement, bent over, and carried her into the bathroom.

    ¡°I can do it myself. I don¡¯t need your help.¡± Soon, the sound of water flowing from the faucet could be heard from the bathroom, mixed with An Hao¡¯s annoyed voice.

    Meanwhile, the people of the Li family were still seated at the dining table, waiting for the slow-moving couple to come down for their meal.

    In the Qin village, Nangong Shulan was feeding the chickens while her husband was weaving a basket. She asked worriedly, ¡°Do you think Xiao Yu and the others have arrived? Could anything have gone wrong?¡±

    ¡°What could possibly go wrong? Relax. Xiao Yu just went there once, and he knows the way. I sent a telegram to Qin Xue before I returned, telling her that Xiao Yu would be taking Xiao Qiu and Xiao Yun with him. Don¡¯t worry, Xiao Yu will let us know as soon as they arrive, since he¡¯s afraid that we¡¯ll be worried.¡±

    Although Qin Lei reassured his wife like this, he was also worried in his heart.

    However, he believed that Qin Yu and the others would send them a message upon their arrival to assuage their worries.

    Nangong Shulan knew that her husband was right, but she couldn¡¯t help but worry.

    As the saying goes, a mother always worries about her children when they are away from home. Regardless of how their children are doing, as parents, they can¡¯t help but worry.

    Nangong Shulan, however, chose not to say anything else. She wanted her husband to be at ease and knew that he only said that to ease her burden.

    Perhaps her husband was just as worried as she was.

    Both husband and wife wanted to reassure the other, but their thoughts were with their children far away.

    That¡¯s what love is all about: being willing to take on the worries and burdens for each other.

    The married couple continued chatting while busying themselves with chores.

 Chapter 492

    After Gu Beihan and his sister returned home last night, Gu Beiying was scolded. Unexpectedly, when Mr. Gu asked Butler Gu to inquire about the woman from last night, he was nearly scared to death.

    ¡°Sir, I¡¯ve found out that the young lady who had a conflict with our young mistress at the Li family last night was the mysterious Ms. Nangong from the Nangong family.¡± Butler Gu reported the information he had painstakingly acquired.

    ¡°You disobedient girl, do you know you¡¯ve foiled my plans. How could the Gu family produce such a blockhead like you.¡± Mr. Gu was so angry that his hands trembled.

    ¡°Father, calm down, let¡¯s sit down and talk about this. Don¡¯t get angry.¡± Mr. Gu saw his father¡¯s fury and quickly tried to appease him by patting his back.

    ¡°Yes, father, calm down. Linlin did this out of ignorance, couldn¡¯t you forgive her inconsideration in light of her innocence? ¡± Mrs. Gu also tried to put in good words, pleading for their beloved daughter.

    ¡°You¡¯re all driving me mad. You can continue to spoil her. Let¡¯s see what you can do when she causes a big mess someday.¡± Mr. Gu¡¯s anger heightened after hearing this.

    His original plan was excellent, but now it was ruined by the foolish actions of Gu Beilin.

    ¡°Father and son, follow me to the study room.¡± An angry Mr. Gu left after uttering these words.

    ¡°Father, this¡­¡± Mr. Gu looked at his wife and daughter, and then followed his father¡¯s footsteps.

    Gu Beihan, however, said nothing and directly followed them to the study room.

    ¡°Mother.¡± Gu Beilin, feeling wronged, threw herself into Mrs. Gu¡¯s arms.

    ¡°There, there, it¡¯s okay. Your father and brother will handle this.¡± Mrs. Gu comforted her beloved daughter by patting her back.

    Gu Beilin cried pitifully, blaming that woman. If it weren¡¯t for her, she wouldn¡¯t be reprimanded by her grandfather.

    She vowed to make that woman pay the first chance she got, showing her the consequences of crossing Gu Beilin.

    Up to now, Gu Beilin still hadn¡¯t realized what she did wrong and where her mistake lay, she only blamed everyone else.

    In the study room, the three generations of Gu family sat on the sofa. Mr. Gu was silent, watching his son and grandson. Since Mr. Gu did not speak up, they too remained silent, waiting for him to speak.

    ¡°The reason I asked Beihan to come back this time, I presume you two can guess. Sadly, everything was destroyed by Linlin before it even started.

    Gu Chao, explain our family¡¯s current situation to Beihan.¡± Mr. Gu rubbed his temples tiredly.

    ¡°Beihan, your grandfather is right. The reason we called you back this time is because we wanted to form a marriage alliance with the Nangong family.¡± Gu Chao looked at his son and affirmed their plan.

    ¡°Why the Nangong family? Isn¡¯t the daughter of the Nangong family unknown to the world?¡± Gu Beihan had already been informed about this by Butler Gu in the car, so he wasn¡¯t surprised. What he didn¡¯t understand was why it had to be the Nangong family. Wouldn¡¯t other families do?

    ¡°Because our Gu family¡¯s current situation isn¡¯t as good as it seems on the surface.¡± Gu Chao looked at his son helplessly.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Gu Beihan, who had been away for years and hadn¡¯t dealt with family affairs, had no idea what had happened at home.

    ¡°Your uncle had some problems while working on a project, which damaged the reputation of our Gu family and caused us to lose many clients.

    Your uncle was hit hard and lost a large sum of money gambling. By the time we found out, he had already poured most of our family¡¯s funds into it. It can be said that our Gu family is now only glamorous on the surface, but hollow inside.¡± Gu Chao along with his brother was in charge of different regions.

 Chapter 493

    ¡°But it doesn¡¯t have to be the Nangong family.¡± Gu Beihan thought of the woman from last night, the cold detachment in her eyes was definitely not the virtuous wife he wanted.

    ¡°Because among the entire Imperial Capital, only the Nangongs have the ability to help the Gus.¡± Gu Chao also wanted his son to choose the person he truly desired.

    However, in their current family situation, they had no choice.

    ¡°Is it because the Nangong family only has one legitimate young lady?¡± Gu Beihan had inquired about some matters of the Nangong family after returning to the Imperial Capital.

    He found out that the Nangongs once lost a pair of twin boys, who later had other children, but they mysteriously died one after another.

    So there were no more legitimate young masters or young ladies born in the Nangong family. Instead, they directly adopted two young masters and young ladies from the branch family. Strangely enough, these two young masters and young ladies lived well and encountered no accidents.

    When Gu Beihan learned about these matters, he scoffed. Others might not understand the truth behind it, but he did. It seemed that every family had its dark history.

    But when he inquired about the Nangong family, he could not find any information about Ms. Nangong. Otherwise, he would have recognized the mysterious young lady from the Nangong family last night.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s because she¡¯s the only legitimate young lady. The Nangong family will be in her hands in the future, so if you can marry her, the problems of our Gu family will be solved.¡± Gu Chao knew that his son was smart and understood what was best for himself.

    ¡°Alright, I understand. I¡¯ll try to approach her, but I can¡¯t guarantee success.¡± Gu Beihan spoke frankly. He didn¡¯t depend on the Gu family for his living. He would do this only because he was a member of the Gu family.

    But that didn¡¯t mean he would definitely follow the arrangements of the family.

    ¡°No, you must succeed in winning over Ms. Nangong, otherwise the entire Gu family will be ruined.¡± Mr. Gu panicked upon hearing this.

    ¡°Then let Gu Beinuan marry her instead, don¡¯t make me do it.¡± Gu Beihan said indifferently. Didn¡¯t he know? The person Mr. Gu loved the most was clear to him, as well as who he wanted to give the Gu family to.

    Trying to use him, Gu Beihan, to seize benefits would only work if he was willing.

    ¡°You, do you want to be as ignorant as your sister, not satisfied until I¡¯m dead of anger?¡± Mr. Gu trembled with rage.

    ¡°Dad, don¡¯t be angry. Xiao Han doesn¡¯t mean that. He will do it, right, Xiao Han?¡± Gu Chao gestured to his son.

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I mean. Either let me arrange it myself or let Gu Beinuan marry her. That¡¯s it. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll go back to my room.¡± Gu Beihan coldly left these words and walked out.

    ¡°Look at your rebellious son and daughter, none of them are easy to manage. They really won¡¯t be satisfied until I¡¯m dead of anger.¡± Mr. Gu shouted at his son as he watched his grandson walk away.

    ¡°Dad, you and others should have paid more attention to Xiao Han. But none of you listened. It¡¯s normal for him to have ideas like this.

    Didn¡¯t you notice that he hasn¡¯t been home for years?¡± Gu Chao also spoke impatiently to his father. Did his father not know what was going on with Gu Beihan?

    Gu Beihan stood by the door, listening to the conversation inside the study. He glanced at the closed door with an unreadable smile and went downstairs.

    ¡°Young Master.¡± Butler Gu greeted Gu Beihan as he came down.

    ¡°Butler Gu, I¡¯m going out for a while. If anyone asks, just let them know.¡± Gu Beihan tugged at his shirt collar and instructed Butler Gu.

    ¡°Alright, young master, take care.¡± Butler Gu watched Gu Beihan¡¯s retreating figure and shook his head.

 Chapter 494

    ¡°Report, the team has assembled, please give your instructions.¡± Sun Wenbin stood in front of Chu Molin and reported.

    ¡°Get in line.¡± Chu Molin coldly looked at the team.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Sun Wenbin quickly ran back into the team!

    ¡°Attention, at ease!¡± Chu Molin looked seriously at the team.

    ¡°I hope that you can put your hearts into the upcoming training. If you don¡¯t work hard now and encounter danger during research missions, you may end up sacrificing your lives. By then, have you thought about your wives, children, and parents at home?

    As scientific researchers, our primary duty is to obey orders, and we are all working for the strength and interests of our country, followed by our families.

    But while doing all this, shouldn¡¯t we first ensure our own survival?¡± Chu Molin asked the team solemnly.

    ¡°Yes.¡± A loud and clear voice echoed throughout the entire arena.

    ¡°But I haven¡¯t seen any of you working hard or training properly. Some of you have even regressed. I want to know, what exactly are you all thinking?

    Those who don¡¯t want to perform well should get out of here as soon as possible. The day after tomorrow, there will be a special training session. Anyone who doesn¡¯t pass will be sent home to write a self-criticism report. Those who severely fail should just go home. We don¡¯t need useless people, especially in the special group. So whether you stay or go depends on yourselves. Dismissed.¡± Chu Molin finished speaking and left first after saying ¡°dismissed.¡±

    ¡°Captain, did Vice Minister Chu take some kind of stimulant? Why is he so angry?¡± Cheng Hu asked Wei Shaohui.

    ¡°You little brat, how can you talk like that? It¡¯s not just that Chu Molin took stimulants. If I had seen your performances like he did, I would have wanted to beat you all up too! What on earth is going on?

    Not only are you not making progress, but you¡¯re also regressing, and your performance is not as good as before!¡± Wei Shaohui had also stood in front and personally observed their progress yesterday, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t have known why Chu Molin was so angry.

    ¡°Captain, we¡¯ve been wronged! We¡¯ve been working hard, but we don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on either!¡± The members of the Third Team all cried out in injustice, as they really had been working hard. But they also didn¡¯t understand why things turned out this way.

    ¡°Alright, you think you¡¯ve been wronged? You all heard what Vice Minister Chu just said. Whether you are really wronged or not will be proven by your performance.¡± Wei Shaohui¡¯s face changed as he looked at these little rascals. He was ashamed of himself because he was their team captain.

    ¡°Yes, Captain! We will never let Team Three down!¡± The members of the Third Team shouted loudly, looking at the not-so-distant Teams One and Two.

    ¡°Whether you disappoint or not isn¡¯t determined by your words, but by your actual abilities. Alright, now go eat.¡± Wei Shaohui looked at the group of people with a headache.

    Teams One and Two looked angrily at Team Three and shouted that they would never disappoint their own teams after hearing their words.

    Good grief, by offending two groups at once, he had isolated himself. How could he compete against them? They were all a bunch of people digging a hole for their captain.

    ¡°Not bad, Mr. Wei, you¡¯ve got spirit.¡± The leader of Team One came over and patted Wei Shaohui on the shoulder.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Mr. Wei, let¡¯s all have a competition and see who¡¯s really going to lose face.¡± The leader of Team Two also came over and patted Wei Shaohui¡¯s other shoulder.

    Both the leaders of Team One and Team Two pressed down hard on Wei Shaohui¡¯s shoulders.

    ¡°Ah, come on, don¡¯t take those brats¡¯ words to heart. They¡¯re just messing around and don¡¯t know any better.¡± Wei Shaohui looked at the people on both sides of him with a helpless expression, feeling like he was about to be crushed. They all said that those rascals were trying to dig a hole for their captain, and now he had indeed attracted two plague gods.

    How could he deal with this situation? The rival teams could easily defeat his team in a matter of minutes. How could he fight against them?

    After Chu Molin left, Qin Yu also followed, so they were completely unaware of the competition among the teams behind them. However, if they knew, they wouldn¡¯t say anything because competition leads to winners and losers, and this generates fighting spirit.

 Chapter 495

    When Chu Molin and Qin Yu arrived home, the food had already been prepared, but both of them were dirty, so they took a shower before eating.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, here are the keys to the guesthouse.¡± Chu Molin handed Qin Xue two keys after he finished showering.

    Today, Li Dabao had arranged accommodations and came back with two keys.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s eat.¡± Qin Xue took the keys and smiled at her husband.

    After dinner, Qin Xue told them, ¡°These are the keys to the guesthouse. Our house is too small to accommodate everyone, so I arranged for you to stay at the guesthouse. You can rest there tonight.¡±

    Qin Xue gave the keys to Qin Qiu and her siblings: ¡°Qin Qiu, you and your sister can stay in one room, and Cloud and Xiao Yu can stay in another.¡± Originally, she wanted to let her sister stay at home, but in order not to make Qin Qiu feel like she was favoring her sister, she let her sister also go to the guesthouse. She would bring her sister back home after Qin Qiu and his brother started work.

    ¡°Okay, thank you, Qin Xue.¡± Qin Qiu took the keys, feeling that Qin Xue¡¯s arrangements were quite good.

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome. It¡¯s my duty.¡± Qin Xue smiled. There was no need to be too particular among family members. Since they were here, she would treat them well.

    ¡°Chu Molin, have someone take them to the guesthouse.¡± Qin Xue thought it would be better for someone to guide them since they hadn¡¯t been to the guesthouse and had their luggage.

    ¡°I¡¯ve told Li Dabao about it. He will come to our house later.¡± Chu Molin had already told Li Dabao beforehand. Even if Qin Xue didn¡¯t mention it, Li Dabao would come to take them to the guesthouse later.

    Qin Yu and Qin Jiale didn¡¯t have any objections. They would do whatever their sister arranged for them.

    The obedience of her younger brother and sister warmed Qin Xue¡¯s heart. This was what family was all about, not making her feel embarrassed.

    After discussing the accommodation issues, everyone sat in the living room, chatting and waiting for Li Dabao to arrive.

    Chu Molin opened the door when there was a knock.

    ¡°Deputy director, sister-in-law.¡± Li Dabao saluted as he entered.

    ¡°Dabao, please help take them to the guesthouse. I¡¯ll treat you to dinner another day.¡± Qin Xue looked at Li Dabao and asked for his help.

    ¡°Thank you, sister-in-law.¡± Li Dabao touched his head happily, grinning goofily.

    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± Qin Xue nodded.

    ¡°Jiale, when you¡¯re away from home, listen to your brother and sister. Don¡¯t go out by yourself, okay? If you need anything, go shopping with your sister tomorrow or have your brother buy it for you.¡± Qin Xue thought about how unsafe society might be nowadays, but first, they had to protect themselves.

    ¡°Sis, I know. I won¡¯t go out.¡± Qin Jiale obediently nodded in response to her sister¡¯s words.

    ¡°Then get some rest after you arrive at the guesthouse and find a job in the city tomorrow.¡± Qin Xue said before letting them leave.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, go take a shower.¡± After Chu Molin brought the hot water to the bathroom, he called his wife over.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Qin Xue fetched a short-sleeve pajama.

    When Qin Xue came out after showering, Chu Molin discovered that the red marks on his wife¡¯s body had not only deepened but also become more obvious. Was he too rough last night?

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, this¡­¡± Chu Molin pointed to Qin Xue¡¯s exposed skin.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think it would be so prominent. Let¡¯s put a warm egg on it later.¡± Qin Xue looked at her delicate skin and shook her head helplessly. It wasn¡¯t a good thing for her skin to be so delicate.

    No one else would probably need to use an egg to soothe the marks from sleeping in the same bed.

    ¡°Alright, you wait on the bed. I¡¯ll go boil an egg.¡± Chu Molin thought that he should be more gentle next time.

    Qin Xue lay on the bed without reading, and unknowingly fell asleep with her eyes closed.

    When Chu Molin brought an egg into the bedroom and saw his sweetly sleeping wife, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a little heartache. She must be exhausted today.

    Chu Molin didn¡¯t wake her. Instead, he took the egg and applied it to the marks on her body himself.

 Chapter 496

    Chu Molin hadn¡¯t intended to wake Qin Xue, but as soon as he placed the egg on her skin, she woke up.

    ¡°Mmm, Chu Molin.¡± Qin Xue opened her eyes and called out his name in a daze.

    ¡°Mmm, go back to sleep, I¡¯ll roll the egg for you.¡± Chu Molin said softly.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Qin Xue responded hazily, closing her eyes and getting ready to sleep. Then, suddenly, she remembered something, opened her eyes wide, and the dazed look in her eyes disappeared instantly.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, I can do it myself.¡± Qin Xue said blushing.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sleep. We already saw everything we should have seen last night. Isn¡¯t it a bit late to be shy now?¡± Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue with amusement, though he felt a little uneasy himself.

    ¡°Chu Molin, how come I never realized you were this kind of person before?¡± Qin Xue asked, no longer feeling shy due to his distractions.

    ¡°That¡¯s because you didn¡¯t know me well. I¡¯m like this only with you, nobody else has the fortune to see this side of me.¡± Chu Molin used to be fond of joking too, but he hadn¡¯t been like that since his mother¡¯s death and the woman entered the Chus, not smiling or talking much.

    ¡°Tsk, you¡¯re really full of yourself.¡± Qin Xue pouted.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need to be, I¡¯m naturally good-looking.¡± Chu Molin chatted with Qin Xue while rolling the egg on her love bites.

    ¡°Sss, it¡¯s a bit hot.¡± Qin Xue shrank back. The egg was just taken out, so it was normal for it to be hot. It was just an instinctive reaction; when the egg touched her skin, she shrank back.

    ¡°It needs to be hot to work, otherwise the marks won¡¯t fade.¡± Chu Molin¡¯s movements were a bit lighter than before.

    ¡°Who¡¯s to blame?¡± Qin Xue looked at the man speechlessly and asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s my fault.¡± Chu Molin had indeed not kissed with much force, but still left such deep marks, he could not help it.

    ¡°As long as you know.¡± Qin Xue glared at him.

    ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re as delicate as a flower, easily hurt even with a gentle touch. I won¡¯t dare to use force next time.¡± Chu Molin rolled the egg on all the visible spots.

    As for the marks inside her clothes, Chu Molin hadn¡¯t rolled the egg on them yet. He went to the kitchen and brought in another boiled egg.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, take off your clothes and roll the egg on the marks inside.¡± Chu Molin said, feeling somewhat uneasy.

    ¡°Oh, Chu Molin, I can really handle the rest myself.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t have the courage she¡¯d had the night before in this situation.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Chu Molin handed the egg to Qin Xue, picked up a book, and sat in a chair with his back to her, not looking at her.

    Qin Xue originally wanted to ask him to leave, but thought about it and let it be.

    He was already avoiding looking, and they were husband and wife. They had already broken through the last barrier the night before, so there was no need to be shy anymore.

    ¡°Alright, Chu Molin, get some rest. You must be tired from working all day, don¡¯t read anymore.¡± After fixing her clothes, Qin Xue called out to him.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Chu Molin quickly put away the book when he heard her.

    There were no TVs or phones here, so Qin Xue had developed the habit of going to bed early.

    At this time, she usually felt like resting, otherwise she¡¯d get sleepy.

    Chu Molin turned off the light, got into bed, and immediately pulled Qin Xue into his arms.

    ¡°Chu Molin, it¡¯s hot.¡± Qin Xue pushed the man whose body was as hot as a furnace. The weather was already hot, and his body temperature was even scarier. How could she sleep in this heat?

    ¡°Go to sleep.¡± Chu Molin held Qin Xue with one hand, while fanning her with the other.

    Qin Xue was speechless as she watched Chu Molin fan her, unwilling to let her go.

    Sigh, let him be. If he wanted to suffer, he could suffer. Thinking this, Qin Xue turned to face Chu Molin and slept with their faces side by side. The breeze coming from the fan hit their faces just right, cooling them down.

    Qin Xue had already fallen asleep out of fatigue earlier, and this time it didn¡¯t take her long to enter dreamland again.

    Chu Molin brushed away her hair from her face and planted a kiss on her forehead. Holding the girl in his arms, he whispered, ¡°Xue¡¯er, good night.¡±

 Chapter 497

    The next morning, Qin Xue went to the guesthouse to find her younger siblings.

    ¡°Sister, you¡¯re here.¡± Qin Jiale happily shouted when she saw Qin Xue.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m here to take you to the city. Let¡¯s eat breakfast in the city.¡± Qin Xue was planning to make it herself, but it¡¯s inconvenient. It¡¯s easier to just bring them to the city to eat, and it wouldn¡¯t cost much anyway.

    This is because Qin Xue has become accustomed to the pace of life in the new era, so she doesn¡¯t care as much about money and spends what she earns.

    However, if people from this era knew Qin Xue¡¯s thoughts, they would definitely think that Qin Xue is a woman who doesn¡¯t know how to live.

    ¡°Yeah! Sister, are we going to send a telegram to Dad and Mom later?¡± Qin Jiale thought that she needed to buy stationery and envelopes to write to her classmates.

    ¡°Yes, why?¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t understand what her sister wanted to do.

    ¡°Can I buy stationery and envelopes?¡± Qin Jiale asked her sister.

    ¡°Sure, I thought it was something big.¡± Qin Xue tapped her sister¡¯s forehead with her hand.

    ¡°Sister.¡± Qin Jiale rubbed her forehead and looked helplessly at her sister. How come her brother and sister are like this? Her sister used to not be close to her at all.

    ¡°Little girl, do you have anything to bring? If not, we¡¯re leaving.¡± Qin Xue asked her sister while looking at ready Qin Qiu.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Qin Jiale took out the money from her luggage and stuffed it in her pocket.

    ¡°Qiu sister, let¡¯s go call Xiao Yu and the others.¡± Qin Xue paused after seeing her sister¡¯s actions, realizing she had been careless. She would go to the store later to find Fang Xiu to make a purse for her sister.

    ¡°Sister, we¡¯re here.¡± Qin Yu and Cloud had just arrived at Qin Qiu¡¯s room when they heard Qin Xue¡¯s words.

    ¡°Perfect timing, let¡¯s go.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t need to go and call for them now.

    The group went to take a ride, and they directly went to the city. Qin Xue first took them to have breakfast, and then took them to Chenxi Clothing Factory.

    ¡°Uncle Li, good morning.¡± Qin Xue greeted the gatekeeper, Uncle Li, with a smile.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Qin Xue. The factory director is in the office. Go on in.¡± Uncle Li was familiar with Qin Xue, so he naturally answered her.

    ¡°Alright, thank you, Uncle Li.¡± Qin Xue waved her hand and took her siblings into the factory area with a smile.

    ¡°Uncle Guo, long time no see.¡± As soon as they arrived at the office, they saw Guo Aiguo busy writing something.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Qin Xue, long time no see.¡± Guo Aiguo was surprised after hearing Qin Xue¡¯s voice.

    Ever since completing the training, Qin Xue hadn¡¯t visited the factory. Anything she needed was communicated through Fang Hong, so seeing Qin Xue now felt unexpected.

    ¡°Uncle Guo, I heard from Fang Hong that you¡¯re hiring here lately, right? What are the requirements?¡± Qin Xue directly asked to remind Guo Aiguo not to mention her relationship with the factory.

    Guo Aiguo looked at Qin Xue somewhat confusedly, unsure why she asked such a question. Wasn¡¯t she very clear about what kind of people the factory needed?

    It wasn¡¯t until he looked at the people behind Qin Xue and processed her words again that he understood her intention.

    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s no specific requirement, as long as they have good character and can endure hardships. We can teach those who don¡¯t know, but their salary won¡¯t be as high as experienced workers¡¯.

    However, we¡¯re paid by the piece. As long as they¡¯re fast, they can completely catch up with the seniors and even make more than the seniors.¡± Guo Aiguo thought about how some people in their workshop learned and eventually earned higher wages than experienced workers with their quick hands.

    ¡°Uncle Guo, what do you think of these two? Can you accept them?¡± Qin Xue pointed at Qin Qiu and her brother while asking Guo Aiguo.

 Chapter 498

    ¡°Hey, since you, Qin Xue, brought them here, of course, I will give you this face and hire them. But let me be clear first.

    There is a one-month trial period, and of course, there will be a salary, just a lower one. Don¡¯t worry about working for free, but I¡¯ll keep those who do well and let go of those who don¡¯t.¡± Guo Aiguo smiled at them.

    ¡°Of course, I can¡¯t just push people onto you just because I know you. Just follow the rules and regulations here.¡± Qin Xue was very satisfied with Guo Aiguo¡¯s cooperation.

    No wonder Guo Aiguo was able to quickly build Chenxi Clothing Factory; he knew how to seize opportunities and believed in Qin Xue as an important asset.

    ¡°With your word, I¡¯m relieved. Are they experienced or newcomers?¡± Guo Aiguo looked at Qin Qiu and her brother.

    ¡°Qin Qiu, do you know how to make clothes?¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t know either, so she asked Qin Qiu.

    ¡°I know a little.¡± Qin Qiu knew how to mend clothes, but her skills might not be all that useful in the factory.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how.¡± Qin Yun scratched his head, feeling a little embarrassed.

    ¡°No worries, if you don¡¯t know, you can learn. Do you want to start working and learning today, or start tomorrow?¡± Guo Aiguo noticed there were some things Qin Xue found hard to say.

    ¡°Uncle Guo, let¡¯s start tomorrow. Today, I¡¯ll take them to buy daily necessities, and they¡¯ll need to stay in the dormitory. It¡¯s too far from my place, and I can¡¯t accommodate so many people; it¡¯s too inconvenient.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t want them to travel so far and stay in a hostel.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll have someone show them the workshop and dormitory, so they¡¯ll have a basic understanding when they come tomorrow.¡± Guo Aiguo said to them.

    ¡°Okay, thank you, Uncle Guo.¡± Qin Xue thought it would be better for someone to show them around so she could discuss things with Guo Aiguo privately.

    ¡°Sister, I want to go see the workshop too.¡± Qin Jiale wanted to see what the workshop looked like.

    ¡°Alright, but you can only look and not touch anything, understand?¡± Qin Xue allowed her younger sister to go. Only by letting them understand the difficulties of working would they cherish it.

    ¡°I know, sister, I¡¯ll go with them then. Just wait for me.¡± Qin Jiale said joyfully and then ran off.

    ¡°Sister, what about me¡­¡± Qin Yu looked at everyone else running off, leaving only him and his sister.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, just sit down and wait.¡± Qin Xue knew her brother was cautious, so she didn¡¯t plan to hide anything from him.

    ¡°Qin Xue, did you come here to check the accounts this time?¡± Guo Aiguo saw that Qin Xue¡¯s attitude towards Qin Yu was different from before, knowing she didn¡¯t need to avoid this young man anymore, so he went straight to the point.

    ¡°Yes and no.¡± Qin Xue smiled.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Guo Aiguo looked at Qin Xue, puzzled.

    ¡°I just want to see how much money I can take this time. I have an urgent need for cash, so I want to withdraw some first. As for checking the accounts, I trust Uncle Guo¡¯s character.¡± Qin Xue looked at Guo Aiguo and smiled.

    ¡°Haha, thank you for trusting me. We did make a lot of money this time, but some of it has already been reinvested, so there¡¯s not much left. How much do you need?¡± Guo Aiguo used some of the profits to buy more fabric.

    ¡°Twenty thousand. I need twenty thousand. If I can withdraw that much, please advance it to me. If not, at least ten thousand.¡± Qin Xue thought if there wasn¡¯t enough here, she¡¯d go to the clothing store and withdraw some.

    ¡°Twenty thousand is too much; that¡¯s really impossible. Ten thousand is barely feasible.¡± Guo Aiguo hesitated for a moment and said.

    ¡°Then give me ten thousand. Uncle Guo, please ask the finance department to advance it for me. Also, regarding my relationship with the factory, I hope you can keep it a secret for me.¡± Qin Xue went straight to the point and stated her requests. Dragging things out wasn¡¯t her style.

 Chapter 499

    Although Guo Aiguo didn¡¯t know why Qin Xue needed so much money, they had a total of US$ 10,000 together from their recent earnings.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll let the finance know. But can you tell me what you need all that money for?¡± Guo Aiguo believed Qin Xue wouldn¡¯t make a losing deal.

    ¡°My younger brother and sister are here, so I want to rent a store, renovate it, and let my brother sell alcohol.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t think it was a secret, and telling Guo Aiguo might even bring her more business.

    ¡°Qin Xue, how does your mind work? How do you come up with so many ideas?¡± Guo Aiguo really admired Qin Xue¡¯s mind.

    ¡°Uncle Guo, you¡¯re too kind. I¡¯m always thinking about making a living, so I have more ideas.¡± Qin Xue couldn¡¯t tell them that she wanted to use the space to process alcohol for a bar.

    ¡°Okay, let me know when you open for business, and I will bring some friends to patronize your place.¡± Guo Aiguo knew that the alcohol selection would be limited, but he believed Qin Xue had her plans, so he didn¡¯t say much else.

    ¡°That¡¯s great! Thank you, Uncle Guo. When you come, I will give you a 20% discount.¡± Qin Xue thought about the processed alcohol, and with a 20% discount, Guo Aiguo could save quite a bit of money.

    ¡°Alright, let me thank you in advance for your kindness. I will be sure to add to the atmosphere when I come.¡± Guo Aiguo agreed.

    ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Qin Xue thought that dealing with straightforward people was comfortable as there was no need to beat around the bush and guess their intentions.

    ¡°Uncle Guo, I¡¯ll let you get back to work, and we¡¯ll go for a walk.¡± Qin Xue thought that Guo Aiguo needed to work, and it wouldn¡¯t be good for her to disturb him all the time.

    ¡°Sure, you¡¯ve been here before, and you know your way around.¡± Guo Aiguo didn¡¯t restrict Qin Xue from wandering around.

    ¡°Alright, when they return, please ask them to wait for me at the security guard Uncle Li¡¯s station.¡± Qin Xue wanted to know more about the factory¡¯s situation.

    ¡°No problem, I¡¯ll let them know.¡± Guo Aiguo nodded in agreement.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Qin Xue left the office with her brother.

    ¡°Ask me if you have any doubts.¡± Qin Xue looked at her hesitant brother.

    ¡°Sis, why does it seem strange when you talk to the factory manager? You two wouldn¡¯t be¡­¡± Qin Yu didn¡¯t know how to continue.

    ¡°What in the world are you thinking? What could there be between him and me?

    If I have to say something, I own half of the shares in this factory. I¡¯m one of the factory¡¯s bosses.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t know how her brother would connect her with Guo Aiguo.

    Could Guo Aiguo be better than Chu Molin? She¡¯s not stupid enough to give up Molin for another man.

    ¡°Sis, are you serious?¡± Qin Yu asked in shock.

    ¡°Yes, I provided the drawings, and Mr. Guo invested the money and manpower.¡± Qin Xue thought that she had taken advantage of Guo Aiguo since, apart from giving training and drawings, Guo Aiguo managed everything else. Guo Aiguo had worked harder than her, yet they shared equally in the profits.

    ¡°You¡¯re so amazing! I thought the clothing store you mentioned was a small shop, not a factory.¡± Qin Yu really didn¡¯t expect his sister¡¯s shop to be a factory and suddenly understood why Qin Qiu didn¡¯t say anything earlier.

    ¡°Yes, you¡¯ll understand in due time. Pay attention to what¡¯s going on here, especially the management. It¡¯ll benefit you.¡± Qin Xue gave her brother advice, hoping he would learn from it and use these skills to help himself.

    ¡°Sis, I understand.¡± Qin Yu nodded in agreement.

    After Qin Xue and Qin Yu walked around the factory, they saw Qin Qiu and their younger sister waiting for them. The siblings walked a bit faster towards them.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go back. Uncle Li, we¡¯re leaving now.¡± Qin Xue waved at Uncle Li.

 Chapter 500

    Qin Xue didn¡¯t speak until they had walked some distance away.

    ¡°Qin Qiu, Qin Yun, what do you think about this job? If you don¡¯t want to do it, we can look for another one,¡± Qin Xue thought to herself.

    ¡°It¡¯s great, thank you Qin Xue,¡± Qin Qiu and her brother both thought the job was very good, especially since Qin Xue was so familiar with the factory director. In any case, they didn¡¯t have to worry about being cheated.

    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. If there¡¯s anything you don¡¯t know, just ask. They¡¯ll teach you,¡± Qin Xue thought this wasn¡¯t really a difficult thing to do, and once they got used to it, they would naturally become faster.

    ¡°Alright, we understand,¡± Qin Qiu was somewhat grateful to Qin Xue. Although she wasn¡¯t very enthusiastic about them, she was genuinely trying to help them.

    So Qin Qiu felt that Qin Xue was quite kind, willing to help her and her brother.

    ¡°Let me take you to buy some daily necessities first, and we also need to buy a mat. We can buy the quilt when winter comes. But other things we need must be bought, otherwise, we won¡¯t have anything to use,¡± Qin Xue thought there were still quite a few things to buy.

    ¡°Okay, we understand,¡± Qin Qiu and her brother said together.

    ¡°In fact, doing this job can also teach you skills, especially in the area of pattern making. That¡¯s a skill, so you need to learn well and strive to join the pattern making group,¡± Qin Xue thought that although the current pattern makers weren¡¯t as numerous as in later generations, they were hiding their skills away, making it difficult to learn.

    ¡°Alright, we will,¡± Qin Yun had also noticed the pattern makers in their workshop. They seemed to be making whole garments, while the others only made individual parts.

    It must be said that Qin Yun observed very carefully.

    After Qin Xue took them to buy the necessary items and arranged their beds in the dormitory, she took them back to the guest house, saying that she would make dumplings for her sister tomorrow. Anyway, she had to go rent a house and sell alcohol as well.

    Qin Xue went back to the military district after sending them back to the guest house.

    In the evening, when Chu Molin returned from work, he saw his wife busying herself in the kitchen.

    ¡°How was your day out?¡± Chu Molin hugged his wife from behind and asked.

    ¡°It was alright. I found a job for their brother and sister,¡± Qin Xue turned her head to look at the man who was hugging her. Why did he always want to hug her for no reason?

    ¡°Well then you can relax now,¡± Chu Molin saw that Qin Xue¡¯s attitude towards them was indifferent, but she truly cared for them.

    ¡°As long as they have good character, I will help them again,¡± Qin Xue would need more people for the things she would do later.

    ¡°Alright, just do as you please,¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t care about these matters, so as long as his wife was happy, she could do whatever she wanted.

    ¡°Go wash up; dinner will be ready soon,¡± Qin Xue looked at Chu Molin, who was a bit dirty. In the past, he always washed up before hugging her, but he didn¡¯t bother to do so today.

    ¡°Let¡¯s wash up together,¡± Chu Molin noticed that Qin Xue was still wearing the same clothes from the morning and hadn¡¯t taken a shower. That¡¯s why he hugged her directly; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have done so.

    ¡°What are you talking about? I¡¯m still cooking,¡± Qin Xue had never thought about taking a shower together with him.

    However, this man raised the idea. What was he thinking?

    ¡°Finish washing and then come back to cook,¡± Chu Molin put down the items in her hands and directly led Qin Xue out of the kitchen.

    ¡°Ah, Chu Molin, what are you doing? The bathroom is so small; there¡¯s no room for both of us to shower together,¡± The bathroom was indeed small, and having two people in there would be cramped. Most importantly, Qin Xue didn¡¯t want to shower with Chu Molin.

    Who knew what this man was thinking, suddenly wanting to pull her in with him?

    In fact, Chu Molin¡¯s thought was simple. He felt that his wife¡¯s belly was getting too big, making it inconvenient for her to bend down or squat, so he wanted to help her instead.

 Chapter 501

    Qin Xue didn¡¯t know what Chu Molin was thinking, so she didn¡¯t want to comply with his wishes. But in the end, she couldn¡¯t resist Chu Molin and was dragged into the bathroom by him.

    Chu Molin helped her wash her hair first, and then wanted to reach out to undress her.

    Seeing his outstretched hand, Qin Xue reflexively shielded her chest with both hands.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, are you planning to bathe with your clothes on?¡± Chu Molin asked Qin Xue with a smile.

    ¡°Um, Chu Molin, I can handle this myself,¡± said Qin Xue as she looked at him.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, are you sure?¡± Chu Molin stared at Qin Xue intently.

    Qin Xue bit her lip and nodded with certainty, ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Alright then.¡± Chu Molin looked at the struggling Qin Xue, feeling as if he was the bad guy.

    In Qin Xue¡¯s mind, wasn¡¯t Chu Molin being like a bad guy who would bully her?

    ¡°I can do it myself, turn around.¡± Qin Xue saw that she couldn¡¯t avoid the situation, so with a resigned sigh, she reached out to unzip her clothes.

    Chu Molin¡¯s eyes darkened as he turned around, but he didn¡¯t make any other moves, just quietly waiting for Qin Xue to finish her washing.

    Qin Xue didn¡¯t dare to look at Chu Molin and just grabbed a towel to wash herself.

    Throughout the process, Chu Molin didn¡¯t make any inappropriate gestures, just quietly stood by and waited.

    As soon as Qin Xue finished washing and got dressed, Chu Molin gasped for breath, nearly out of breath.

    Having his beloved woman washing herself behind him was a great test of his self-control, but he managed to restrain his impulses and keep himself in check, admiring his own restraint.

    Chu Molin relaxed a bit and started to undress himself, then took a cold shower under the faucet.

    As Qin Xue left the bathroom, her face remained flushed, and she couldn¡¯t help but feel agitated. Chu Molin had been well-behaved the whole time, but she couldn¡¯t help thinking back to what they did the night before last. Where had she gotten that courage to do such a bold thing?

    Looking back on it now, even Qin Xue found it incredible, but she had done it anyway.

    When Chu Molin came out, he saw Qin Xue blushing and lost in thought.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, what are you thinking about? Your face is so red; do you have a fever?¡± Chu Molin asked, reaching out to touch her forehead and check her temperature.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Qin Xue cried out in shock, stepping back and losing her balance, almost falling.

    With quick reflexes, Chu Molin caught Qin Xue in his arms and spun her around to steady her.

    ¡°Why are you so reckless? Don¡¯t you know that¡¯s dangerous?¡± Chu Molin scolded, his voice ringing in Qin Xue¡¯s ears.

    ¡°I¡­¡± Qin Xue was also frightened by the sudden turn of events. If Chu Molin hadn¡¯t reacted quickly to catch her, the consequences would be unimaginable.

    ¡°You¡¯re such a grown-up, yet you¡¯re still so impulsive. What would you do if you got hurt?¡± Chu Molin¡¯s heart was still pounding from the scare, and his admonishments spilled out one after another.

    Tears filled Qin Xue¡¯s eyes and streamed down her face.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, is something wrong? Did I touch your belly just now?¡± Seeing Qin Xue¡¯s tears, Chu Molin panicked and lost his temper.

    Qin Xue just stood there, head bowed, silently crying without making a sound.

    Chu Molin frantically assessed Qin Xue¡¯s condition, not knowing what was wrong with her.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, please speak. Tell me, is something uncomfortable?¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t dare to raise his voice.

    Could it be his movements were too rough, and he hurt the baby in her belly? However, he didn¡¯t think he had done that just now.

 Chapter 502

    But Qin Xue acted as if she didn¡¯t hear Chu Molin¡¯s words, just sobbing away.

    Chu Molin was really helpless, he wasn¡¯t afraid of Qin Xue being angry with him, he just feared her crying, especially this silent crying without speaking or moving.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, I¡¯m begging you, please say something, okay?¡± pleaded Chu Molin.

    But Qin Xue seemed to shut herself off, as if she couldn¡¯t hear Chu Molin¡¯s words at all.

    Chu Molin pulled Qin Xue into his arms and softly patted her back.

    Suddenly, Chu Molin¡¯s nose twitched, sniffed, and looked down to lift Qin Xue¡¯s chin, seeing blood flowing from her lips.

    Chu Molin used his hand to pull her lips out from between her teeth.

    But Qin Xue bit down too hard and Chu Molin¡¯s efforts were in vain.

    ¡°Qin Xue, stop biting, you¡¯re bleeding, open your mouth,¡± Chu Molin could only call out to Qin Xue.

    ¡°Wu Wu, Chu Molin, I almost hurt our baby.¡± Suddenly, Qin Xue seemed to wake up and held Chu Molin tightly while crying out.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, don¡¯t cry, just be more careful in the future,¡± said Chu Molin, though he was also quite frightened, but he had to suppress his emotions to comfort Qin Xue.

    ¡°Wu Wu, I¡¯m so irresponsible, I almost caused harm to our child. What would I do if something happened to the baby?¡± Qin Xue was truly terrified by the situation.

    ¡°Honey, it¡¯s fine now, please stop crying, okay?¡± Chu Molin softly comforted.

    Qin Xue raised her tear-filled eyes to look at Chu Molin, suddenly pulling his head down and kissing him.

    The force of it almost bit through Chu Molin¡¯s lips.

    Her wet and sticky tongue, tasting of blood, entered Chu Molin¡¯s mouth.

    Chu Molin was dazed by Qin Xue¡¯s unexpected move, standing still as he let her kiss him.

    As Qin Xue kissed and cried, the salty tears mixed with the taste of blood went into her mouth, but she seemed oblivious to it.

    Chu Molin sighed and slowly responded to Qin Xue¡¯s kiss, gently comforting and soothing her emotions with the tender kiss.

    When they stopped, Qin Xue fell asleep leaning against Chu Molin¡¯s body.

    Chu Molin felt Qin Xue slipping, quickly catching her in his arms and looking down, he silently bent down to carry her and placed her on the bed. But her hand still clutched his clothes tightly.

    Chu Molin simply skipped dinner and lay down beside the sleeping Qin Xue, feeling somewhat heartbroken. Every time she was overly anxious or frightened, Qin Xue would enter this self-enclosed state.

    Chu Molin didn¡¯t know what Qin Xue had been through, and since she was unwilling to tell him, he couldn¡¯t understand.

    He could only watch helplessly as she struggled.

    Qin Xue¡¯s sleep wasn¡¯t peaceful, her tightly furrowed brows showing her unease.

    ¡°Mom, why don¡¯t you want us?¡± The two little ones stared at Qin Xue with their big round eyes.

    ¡°Babies, Mommy never said she didn¡¯t want you, Mommy loves you so much that she can¡¯t bear it, how could she not want you?¡± Qin Xue hurriedly explained to the two little ones.

    ¡°But you wanted to drop us and kill us, that¡¯s why you did it!¡± The kids¡¯ accusatory words pierced Qin Xue¡¯s heart, making it painful for her to breathe.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that, I was just scared and not careful. I don¡¯t not want you!¡± Qin Xue pleaded with the children while her tears streamed down her face.

    ¡°You don¡¯t love us, if you did, you would protect us better, but you didn¡¯t!¡± The child¡¯s words stabbed Qin Xue¡¯s heart, making it hard for her to breathe.

    ¡°Brother, let¡¯s go¡± One of the little ones said to the other.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go.¡± The two little ones held hands and turned to leave.

    ¡°Don¡¯t go, don¡¯t leave me. I didn¡¯t not want you, don¡¯t leave!¡± Qin Xue anxiously cried out, trying to persuade them to stay. Tears flowed from the corners of her eyes into her hair.

    Chu Molin was suddenly awakened by Qin Xue¡¯s crying.

 Chapter 503

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Chu Molin called out to Qin Xue.

    However, Qin Xue didn¡¯t respond to him, only sobbing softly.

    Chu Molin tried to pull Qin Xue into his arms, but as soon as his hand touched her, the shock made him sit upright.

    When Chu Molin turned on the light, he saw Qin Xue had a fever, her face bright red, and tears kept falling from her eyes. The gibberish she was muttering was a dagger through Chu Molin¡¯s heart.

    Because what Qin Xue was saying was, ¡°Baby, mommy never meant to leave you all. Don¡¯t leave mommy. Mommy won¡¯t be so careless ever again.¡±

    The only reason Qin Xue was frightened to the point of almost falling was due to his sudden calling out and touching her. Had he not done that, she wouldn¡¯t have been scared.

    Chu Molin got up to find the medication Qin Xue kept. She had told him what each one was for.

    Once Chu Molin found the medication, he poured a glass of warm water for Qin Xue to take, it with but regardless of how he tried to feed it to her, the medication would spill out without entering her mouth.

    In the end, Chu Molin tilted his head to take the medicine in his mouth, then sealed Qin Xue¡¯s mouth with his and passed the medicine over to her slowly.

    After administering the medicine, Chu Molin found a towel to wipe Qin Xue¡¯s sweat and put on her forehead.

    Looking at Qin Xue¡¯s knitted brows and the occasional gibberish from her mouth, Chu Molin put her hand on his belly so she could feel the baby¡¯s movement herself.

    After an indefinite duration, Qin Xue¡¯s fever finally subsided, and her frowned eyebrows eased up.

    Only then did Chu Molin tidy up the medicine and towels, hugged Qin Xue and closed his eyes to rest.

    When Qin Xue woke up, her head ached. The harsh sunlight streamed into the room, hitting her face. It was so bright that she had to close her eyes once before opening them again.

    Seeing the familiar empty half of the bed, it was clear that Chu Molin had gone for training.

    She rubbed her grumbling stomach, and remembered that she hadn¡¯t had dinner before sleep last night. No wonder she was so hungry now.

    Qin Xue put on her shoes and left the room to wash up, then she started to prepare breakfast.

    Looking at the untouched rice and dishes in the kitchen, it appeared that after she fell asleep yesterday, Chu Molin didn¡¯t eat dinner either. She wondered how he found the energy to train this morning.

    Qin Xue decided to make scrambled eggs with fried rice, using the uneaten rice from last night.

    Yesterday¡¯s uncooked vegetables were just about right. Cooking them today wouldn¡¯t waste any food.

    Rubbing her aching head, Qin Xue started to cook. Later, she had to go to the city with her younger siblings. The tight schedule made her feel rushed.

    She quickly made breakfast and ate. She left Molin¡¯s portion warmed in the pot and left him a note. Then, she took her bag and went out the door.

    Chu Molin had no idea Qin Xue would be going out today. He assumed her to still be asleep.

    However, when he returned home, all was quiet. Upon entering the room, he saw no one there.

    Only when he came out and saw the note on the dining table did he realize that she went to meet her siblings. Despite being sick, she never rests and always insists on going to the city. She just never saves him any worries.

    On second thought, if she could run to the city, she must¡¯ve been getting better. Otherwise, where would she get the energy to go?

    Sighing, Chu Molin went into the kitchen, took out the food, and quietly began to eat alone.

    After arriving at the guesthouse and meeting her siblings, Qin Xue helped carry Qin Qiu¡¯s luggage and then checked out of one room.

    Why did she check out of one room and not two?

    Because Qin Xue planned to bring her sister home tonight, while her brother could continue staying in the guesthouse for another night.

    Besides sending Qin Qiu to work today, they also needed to rent a store-front. Once they found a house, her brother would move in. If not, her brother would continue staying at the guesthouse until she found a house.

 Chapter 504

    Qin Xue¡¯s actions were neither fearful nor willful, and they were somewhat incomprehensible to others. Yet the results seemed to be so natural and reasonable.

    ¡°Qin Qiu, here is US$ 50, you and Qin Yun are living in the factory, if you need anything, just go to buy it. I can¡¯t help you more, I hope you don¡¯t think it¡¯s too little.¡± Qin Xue took out US$ 50 and gave it to Qin Qiu and her brother.

    ¡°Qin Xue, we don¡¯t need it. We brought some money with us.¡± Qin Yun was surprised to see Qin Xue take out US$ 50, because the money their parents gave them when they left wasn¡¯t even that much.

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s too much, Qin Xue. You keep it. As long as we work hard, we should be able to make some money soon.¡± Seeing her brother rejecting it, Qin Qiu couldn¡¯t say anything, even if they didn¡¯t have any money, they couldn¡¯t take Qin Xue¡¯s money.

    ¡°Take it; this is the living expenses Chu Molin gave me. You need money when you just arrived.

    If you don¡¯t accept it, what should you do in case you need money urgently in this unfamiliar place?

    As for me, I¡¯m in the institute, and we have a plot of land for vegetables, we can still make a living if I work diligently and grow some crops.

    So don¡¯t worry about me not having enough food, just take it.¡± Qin Xue half-truthfully told them.

    ¡°Alright then, we¡¯ll consider this money as a loan from you. Once we start getting our wages, we will pay you back the transportation expenses and this money.¡± Hearing Qin Xue¡¯s explanation, Qin Yun thought it made sense.

    He, as a man, could endure some hardship, but his sister was a woman who would need money. He thought he might as well treat it as a loan.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine, if you think that¡¯s better, do it your way. Just pay me back when it¡¯s convenient for you.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t say they didn¡¯t need to repay her because she had no obligation to give them money unconditionally.

    Although US$ 50 wasn¡¯t much to Qin Xue, it could cover two months of living expenses for an ordinary family in this era.

    If she set this precedent, and then she said they didn¡¯t have to pay her back, wouldn¡¯t it be her fault when she couldn¡¯t give them money in the future?

    So Qin Xue intended to nip any potential troubles in the bud before they even began to sprout.

    What Qin Xue was doing might make her seem somewhat unapproachable, but in order to avoid any future troubles and live peacefully, Qin Xue was willing to be the ¡°bad person.¡±

    ¡°Alright, as soon as I get my wage, I¡¯ll pay you back right away. If my first salary isn¡¯t enough, I¡¯ll pay you back in two installments.¡± Qin Yun took the US$ 50 from Qin Xue¡¯s hand and promised.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to put too much pressure on yourself, I¡¯m not pregnant yet, so we¡¯re not in urgent need of money.¡± Qin Xue smiled, trying not to make it seem like she¡¯s pressuring them.

    ¡°Okay, all right.¡± Qin Yun was very grateful that Qin Xue had helped them find jobs and was now giving them money for urgent needs, he was touched.

    However, Qin Qiu felt a little self-conscious. Qin Xue could easily take out US$ 50, but when she and her brother arrived, they didn¡¯t even have that much with them. The huge difference made Qin Qiu feel a little inferior.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough. Let¡¯s not waste any more time, or you¡¯ll be late for work at the factory.¡± Qin Xue thought it was just a waste of time hanging around, they should rather go to the city and find jobs and a place to live.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go.¡± Qin Qiu was now eager to work and make money. She wanted to be the admirable Qin Qiu, a cut above the rest.

    Once in the city, Qin Xue helped Qin Qiu and her brother settle in the dormitory and arranged their bed. Then she took them to the factory to register. After everything was arranged, she let them go with her siblings.

 Chapter 505

    Actually, Qin Xue went to Guo Aiguo¡¯s place. After getting her advance payment, she brought her siblings to send a telegram home. She was too busy yesterday to send the telegram as promised, which was really not right as a daughter.

    After finishing the telegram, she bought some pastries and took her younger brother and sister to the shop.

    Qin Xue saw the business in the store. Although it was not as good as the first few days, it was now in a stable state, with an acceptable number of customers.

    ¡°Xiao Jingtao, auntie is here.¡± Qin Xue called out to Jingtao, who was sitting in the baby-walker.

    ¡°Yi Yi.¡± Jingtao was excited to see Qin Xue.

    Perhaps it was because he was back in a familiar place that Jingtao slowly recovered his timid nature since his return.

    ¡°Oh, are you that happy to see me? Where is your mom?¡± Qin Xue couldn¡¯t see Fang Xiu and took out the pastries she brought for Jingtao to eat.

    ¡°Qin Xue is here. Sit down. Who are these two?¡± Yu Xiu looked up when she heard the voice and saw Qin Xue talking to Jingtao.

    ¡°Sister-in-law, this is my brother and sister; how come it¡¯s just you? I didn¡¯t see Fang Xiu.¡± Qin Xue came to find Fang Xiu to help with the bags today.

    ¡°Her? She went to pick up her man from the hospital.¡± Yu Xiu knew about Jingtao¡¯s situation and felt heartbroken, so she was looking after the store and Jingtao at the same time.

    Today, Jing Xin could be discharged from the hospital, so Fang Xiu went to pick him up.

    ¡°Jing Xin can be discharged? I¡¯ve forgotten.¡± Qin Xue had a lot going on recently and didn¡¯t have time to focus on Fang Xiu¡¯s situation.

    ¡°Yes, the doctor said he can come home to rest. Fang Xiu can¡¯t keep running back and forth, so she wanted to bring Jing Xin back so she could take care of everything at once.¡± Yu Xiu thought about how hard Fang Xiu had been running around recently, and it made the already delicate person look even more frail and thin. Even she felt heartache seeing her like that.

    ¡°It¡¯s true. One person can¡¯t split their attention, and trying to take care of everything like that is really tough.¡± Qin Xue nodded in agreement with Yu Xiu¡¯s point.

    ¡°You guys sit down first. I¡¯ll hang up these clothes.¡± Yu Xiu looked at the pile of clothes that customers had brought in for a try-on, and she hadn¡¯t had time to hang them up before Qin Xue and her siblings came over.

    ¡°Okay, sister-in-law, you do your thing ¨C don¡¯t worry about us.¡± Qin Xue took her siblings and Jingtao to the neighboring room.

    ¡°You two sit and play with this kid. I¡¯ll be busy for a while, and then we¡¯ll go find a house.¡± After giving instructions to her siblings, Qin Xue picked a bright and lively piece of fabric, took out paper and a pen from her bag, and started to draw blueprints for a shoulder bag and a backpack.

    This way, her sister could choose whether to wear a single shoulder bag or a backpack depending on her outfit when she went out in the future.

    ¡°Sister, the bags you drew are so beautiful!¡± Jiale exclaimed after Qin Xue finished drawing, her eyes glowing with desire.

    ¡°Do you like them?¡± Qin Xue asked Jiale, holding the finished blueprints.

    ¡°I love them! How much would it cost to make one?¡± Jiale wondered if her pocket money would be enough to buy one.

    ¡°No need to pay.¡± Qin Xue smiled at her sister.

    ¡°Huh, no need to pay? Why don¡¯t you charge for such a pretty bag? Are you planning to give it away for free?¡± Jiale didn¡¯t understand her sister¡¯s thinking ¨C the bag should be popular if sold.

    ¡°Yes, no need to pay, because I drew these to make for you, not to sell. Or do you want to give me money?¡± Qin Xue smiled at her sister playfully.

    ¡°Ah, is it really for me?¡± Jiale hesitated, asking her sister. Just now, she was wondering if her pocket money would be enough to buy one, and now her sister told her it was free and for her. Wasn¡¯t happiness coming too suddenly?

 Chapter 506

    ¡°It¡¯s true. You¡¯re not a parrot, so why are you always repeating my words?¡± Qin Xue taps her little sister¡¯s forehead mockingly, teasing her for parroting her.

    ¡°Sis!¡± Qin Jiale looks at her sister in embarrassment.

    ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± Qin Xue chuckles, looking at her sister¡¯s shy expression. Such a cute little girl.

    Qin Yu sat, holding Jingtao, watching his two sisters laugh and tease each other. His heart felt warm. These two were the women he loved most. Seeing their happy smiles, Qin Yu¡¯s heart was full of emotion.

    ¡°Yiyi.¡± Jingtao looks at the playing Qin sisters, waving his arms and feet around, excited, wanting to go to Qin Xue.

    ¡°Little Jingtao, you¡¯re too young, you can¡¯t do it yet. Wait until you can walk then go play with them, okay? Here, uncle will get you some snacks to eat.¡± Qin Yu coaxes Jingtao, noting that he¡¯s finished his cake, so he takes out another piece from the bag next to him.

    ¡°Uncle bad.¡± Jingtao pouts, looking tearfully at Qin Yu, uttering three words that leave him both laughing and crying.

    ¡°Little Jingtao, that¡¯s not right, okay? How is uncle bad? Uncle did not let you go over there because you are too young.

    Tell uncle, how can you play with them when you can¡¯t even walk yet, huh?¡± Qin Yu communicates patiently with Jingtao.

    ¡°Yiyi.¡± Jingtao points to where Qin Xue is, looking wronged at Qin Yu.

    ¡°But you¡¯re too small.¡± Qin Yu is at a loss as to why this little tyke is so insistent on going over there.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Qin Xue notices the situation, and walks over to ask.

    ¡°Sis, this little rascal insists on going over and playing with you guys. But he¡¯s so small, how could he play?¡± Qin Yu gestures at Jingtao in his arms, looking helplessly at his sister.

    ¡°Xiao Yu, he doesn¡¯t want to play with me, he probably needs to pee or poop.¡± Qin Xue looks at Jingtao¡¯s almost-tearful expression and tells her brother.

    ¡°Ah, Sis, don¡¯t scare me.¡± Qin Yu flusteredly lifts Jingtao up to hand him to his sister, then remembers she¡¯s pregnant and ends up holding Jingtao against his chest again.

    ¡°What are you panicking about? Just take off his pants, isn¡¯t that enough?¡± Qin Xue looks at her panic-stricken brother and laughs. So, her brother has things he¡¯s afraid of too.

    It¡¯s pretty fun to see Qin Yu¡¯s reactions change, Qin Xue thinks.

    ¡°Sis, I don¡¯t know how to do it. Hurry up, or it¡¯s going to be all over his pants.¡± Qin Yu is on the verge of tears now.

    ¡°Embrace him while making him stand on your legs, remove his pants with one hand, and hold up one leg with the other hand. Yes, like that. Then while you are holding him, let him pee or poop.¡± Qin Xue directs Qin Yu as he follows her instructions.

    Actually, Qin Yu has seen villagers doing this before and thought it was simple. But now that it¡¯s his turn, he realizes that it¡¯s not as easy as it looks.

    Kids aren¡¯t stationary for you to handle. They wiggle and squirm. If you¡¯re not careful, the child could fall.

    So, something as simple as peeing becomes a great ordeal for Qin Yu.

    ¡°See, luckily, I came over. He was about to pee on you.¡± Qin Xue points at Jingtao who has finished peeing and says to her brother.

    ¡°No wonder this little guy said I was being mean. So he was upset because I was preventing him from peeing.¡± Qin Yu wipes off his imaginary sweat and says.

    ¡°What did you expect? This kid is smart. He¡¯s not even a year old and he¡¯s already starting to speak. Do you know how many children are as intelligent as him?¡± It¡¯s not without reason that Qin Xue adores Jingtao.

    Because this kid is well-behaved, doesn¡¯t cry or fuss and is extremely intelligent and adorable. Very few people can resist his charm.

    Now, Qin Xue hopes that the child in her womb can also be as intelligent and cute as Jingtao.

 Chapter 507

    Qin Xue and her younger siblings took Jingtao to play, and when it was almost eleven o¡¯clock, Fang Xiu hadn¡¯t returned yet.

    Qin Xue let her younger brother and sister accompany Jingtao while she went to the kitchen to cook.

    ¡°Sis, let brother accompany him alone ¨C I¡¯ll help you cook.¡± Qin Jiale couldn¡¯t bear to see her sister working with her pregnant belly.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t refuse his sister¡¯s good intentions.

    When the dishes were ready, her younger brother, sister, and Yu Xiu were eating, while Qin Xue took Jingtao to look after the shop.

    Before Fang Hong and Jing Xin arrived home, they could see Qin Xue feeding their son from afar.

    ¡°Mom.¡± Jingtao called out when he saw Fang Xiu.

    Qin Xue turned her head and saw Fang Xiu supporting Jing Xin as they walked in from outside.

    ¡°Qin Xue, when did you arrive?¡± Fang Xiu didn¡¯t see Qin Xue when she left earlier.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you for several hours.¡± Qin Xue spooned a mouthful of food for Jingtao, then handed the bowl to Fang Xiu.

    ¡°Mr. Jing, how¡¯s your injury healing? You¡¯re discharged so soon.¡± Qin Xue was the one who treated Jing Xin¡¯s injuries and knew the severity of them.

    She could understand why Chu Molin¡¯s injuries healed quickly since they were nourished by her spiritual spring water. But Jing Xin didn¡¯t have that, so how did he recover so fast?

    ¡°Thank you for your concern, sister-in-law, I¡¯m much better now.¡± Jing Xin smiled.

    ¡°Let¡¯s eat first. After that, I¡¯ll have a look at you.¡± Qin Xue wouldn¡¯t have wasted a few hours here waiting for them if she hadn¡¯t heard from Yu Xiu that Jing Xin was discharged.

    ¡°Sister-in-law, you¡­¡± Jing Xin looked uncertainly at Qin Xue.

    ¡°Yes, I saved your life. Just keep it a secret for me.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t tell her younger siblings about her medical skills, so she couldn¡¯t mess up her own cover story.

    Anyway, she¡¯s currently studying medical books, which her younger brother has seen. As she reads more, even if she exposes her medical skills, it wouldn¡¯t raise suspicions.

    ¡°Thank you for saving my life, sister-in-law.¡± Jing Xin didn¡¯t expect Qin Xue to be the one who saved him.

    ¡°No need to thank me. It was Chu Molin who asked me to save you. Later, I found out that you¡¯re Xiu¡¯s husband. It¡¯s really fate, as if I casually saved an acquaintance.¡± Qin Xue thought that if it weren¡¯t for Chu Molin asking her to save Jing Xin, she wouldn¡¯t have done it even if Chen Hao asked her.

    She revealed her medical skills because Chu Molin is her husband, and the father of her child ¨C no one else has the ability to make her risk her safety to save them.

    Later, Qin Xue understood that some things are predetermined, and she was very grateful that she saved Jing Xin at that time, avoiding any regrets.

    ¡°Go and have your meal. I left some food for you in the pot.¡± Qin Xue said to Fang Xiu and her husband.

    ¡°Have you eaten?¡± After all, Fang Xiu saw Qin Xue feeding her son just now.

    ¡°Just help me bring the bowl over.¡± Qin Xue handed the bowl she had finished to Fang Xiu.

    Qin Xue had brought two bowls of food over earlier, one for herself and one to feed Jingtao. She ate her own food, and waited for Jingtao¡¯s to cool down before feeding him. Now her bowl hadn¡¯t been cleared yet.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Fang Xiu took the bowl and led Jing Xin to the neighboring room for their meal.

    ¡°Fang Xiu, you¡¯re back! Come over and sit down, I¡¯ll get you some food.¡± Yu Xiu shouted as Fang Xiu and Jing Xin entered busy.

    ¡°No need, Yu Xiu, you keep eating. I¡¯ll go get it myself.¡± Fang Xiu was too embarrassed to have Yu Xiu serve her, since Yu Xiu was eating too.

    ¡°You¡¯re being polite with me?¡± Yu Xiu laughed.

    ¡°Jing Xin, go sit down. I¡¯ll get the food.¡± Fang Xiu pointed to a chair next to the table and told her husband to sit down. His injury hadn¡¯t healed completely, so she didn¡¯t want him to exert himself.

 Chapter 508

    After everyone was done eating, Qin Xue asked them to go over to the other shop, leaving only the couple, Fang Xiu, behind.

    ¡°Take off your clothes. I want to check your wound.¡± Qin Xue drew the curtain and spoke to Jing Xin who was sitting by the bed.

    Fang Xiu blushed upon hearing Qin Xue¡¯s bold statement. Qin Xue acted as if it was no big deal.

    ¡°Hurry up, what¡¯s taking so long?¡± Qin Xue spoke impatiently, wondering why he was acting all shy.

    Jing Xin was a bit uncomfortable doing this in front of two women, but after hearing Qin Xue¡¯s words, he gritted his teeth and started to unbutton his shirt.

    Once Jing Xin had removed his shirt, Qin Xue unwrapped his bandages. The new flesh around the wound was healing well. However, it was slightly reddened, either because of the hot weather or because Jing Xin had exposed it to water. It seemed to be a bit inflamed.

    They were way too bold. Did they want to die that they dared to leave the hospital and come home despite the infected wound?

    ¡°Did your wound come in contact with water?¡± Qin Xue looked at Jing Xin, somewhat displeased. She despised uncooperative patients the most.

    ¡°Um, it was too hot last night, so I took a bath and accidentally got the wound wet.¡± Jing Xin answered somewhat apprehensively, seeing Qin Xue and his wife¡¯s angry expressions.

    ¡°Do you realize your wound is infected? Yet, you still dare to leave the hospital. Are you planning on dying? If I¡¯d known you don¡¯t value your life, I wouldn¡¯t have made such a grand effort to save you.¡± Qin Xue was truly furious.

    How could he be so reckless? She had struggled with her big belly to save him. Moreover, she had only just been discharged from the hospital due to a fast heart rate.

    ¡°Qin Xue, please don¡¯t be angry. What should we do now?¡± Fang Xiu immediately sensed the gravity of Jing Xin¡¯s condition from Qin Xue¡¯s tone.

    ¡°What to do? Apply cold compression.¡± After leaving these words, Qin Xue went out to get some spiritual spring water for him to drink and clean his wound. She had anti-inflammatory medicine prepared in her space, but she couldn¡¯t take it out in front of Fang Xiu.

    ¡°Qin Xue.¡± Fang Xiu called her as she left, but Qin Xue just left without looking back.

    ¡°It¡¯s your fault! Didn¡¯t I tell you not to bathe so that the wound wouldn¡¯t get wet? Now, even Qin Xue is mad. It would be problematic if your wound becomes infected.¡± Fang Xiu yelled at Jing Xin with teary eyes.

    ¡°Xiuxiu, I¡¯m sorry, don¡¯t cry. I¡¯ll listen to you from now on, I won¡¯t let it get wet again.¡± Jing Xin panicked upon seeing Fang Xiu crying.

    ¡°Is there going to be a ¡®next time¡¯? Are you addicted to getting hurt?¡± Fang Xiu was almost amused out of anger by Jing Xin.

    ¡°Xiuxiu, I said the wrong thing. Can you please stop crying?¡± Jing Xin attempted to hold Fang Xiu¡¯s hand.

    While Fang Xiu was still mad, she wouldn¡¯t let him touch her easily. With a wave of her hand, she brushed off Jing Xin¡¯s arm.

    ¡°Ah, it hurts.¡± Jing Xin¡¯s cry of pain resounded in Fang Xiu¡¯s ears.

    ¡°Jing Xin, are you alright? You didn¡¯t get hurt, did you?¡± Fang Xiu quickly bent over to check Jing Xin¡¯s wound.

    Upon seeing that he had achieved his aim, Jing Xin pretended to be in extreme pain, covering his wound, and looked at Fang Xiu pitifully.

    ¡°Looking at me is useless. Don¡¯t you know you¡¯re injured? And still trying to touch me.¡± Fang Xiu was torn between being angry and not.

    ¡°Xiuxiu, I know I¡¯m wrong. Can you forgive me just this once?¡± Jing Xin held Fang Xiu¡¯s hand, tickled her palm, hesitated when his finger touched the callus on Fang Xiu¡¯s hand, then gripped her hand tightly.

    ¡°How can you be so shameless?¡± Fang Xiu felt as if she had just met Jing Xin. She had no idea he could be like this.

    ¡°I¡¯m only shameless towards you.¡± With that, Jing Xin pulled Fang Xiu into his embrace, leaned down, and kissed the lips he had been longing for.

    [Dear readers, I am deeply grateful for your support and companionship all this time. I¡¯ve set up a fan group on QQ (947814976). If you have any opinions or suggestions, please feel free to join the group to discuss. Thank you very much, smiling face, kisses.]

 Chapter 509

    Qin Xue took the spiritual spring water and medicine and prepared to enter the room, hearing the heavy panting inside. As someone who had been through it before, she definitely knew what that sound was.

    Forget it, she¡¯d just wait outside; going in would make all three of them awkward.

    ¡°Hmm.¡± Fang Xiu forcefully pushed Jing Xin away, wondering if this bastard knew he still had an injury.

    ¡°Xiuxiu.¡± Jing Xin laid on Fang Xiu¡¯s shoulder, panting heavily.

    ¡°Jing Xin, you bastard.¡± Fang Xiu was nearly angered to death by him.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m only a bastard to you.¡± Jing Xin breathed warm air into Fang Xiu¡¯s ear.

    Fang Xiu¡¯s face visibly reddened. She had only been with Jing Xin for half a month since they got married.

    After that came the news of his death, she was chased out of the house, then she gave birth to their child, and raised him alone.

    It had been nearly two years since she had been that close to a man. The breath Jing Xin blew made her shiver all over, her heart trembling.

    Seeing Fang Xiu¡¯s reaction, Jing Xin couldn¡¯t help but feel itchy. If it wasn¡¯t daytime and there weren¡¯t so many people outside, he would definitely push his wife down and love her regardless.

    It seemed that men were more attracted to sensitive women.

    How could Jing Xin resist his wife¡¯s shy appearance?

    Just as Jing Xin was about to pull his wife back for another kiss, Qin Xue pretended to cough.

    If Qin Xue didn¡¯t interrupt them, she wouldn¡¯t need to find a house today.

    Fang Xiu, frightened, pushed Jing Xin away with all her strength, her face burning hot.

    ¡°Xiuxiu.¡± Jing Xin covered his wound and called for his wife.

    ¡°Shut up.¡± Fang Xiu glared angrily at Jing Xin. She was so embarrassed.

    Jing Xin closed his mouth sullenly. He shouldn¡¯t speak now, or his wife might blow up and he¡¯d lose his benefits later.

    ¡°Qin Xue, come in.¡± Fang Xiu calmed her emotions and called for Qin Xue to enter.

    Qin Xue entered the room with the items, lifting the curtain and looking at the two inside, finding it amusing.

    ¡°I¡¯ll clean your wound first, then apply the medicine. But from now on, don¡¯t let the wound touch water until it heals, do you hear me?¡± Qin Xue poured spiritual spring water on a clean cloth to clean Jing Xin¡¯s wound.

    She didn¡¯t forget to remind him not to let the wound touch water. It was a good thing she found it in time, or prolonged exposure might cause local skin or muscle inflammation and severe necrosis.

    If the wound was deep, it might cause osteomyelitis, which would lead to bone necrosis.

    If the wound was on the limbs, it could cause limb necrosis and amputation might be necessary. After an infection, one should go to the general surgery department of the hospital for dressing and tetanus treatment.

    ¡°I know, I¡¯ll be careful and won¡¯t let the wound touch water again.¡± Jing Xin promised.

    ¡°That¡¯s good. You have to know that your life was saved with great difficulty. If you don¡¯t cherish it, I¡¯ll make you suffer.¡± Qin Xue said fiercely.

    ¡°Uh, alright, sister-in-law, I understand.¡± Jing Xin was helpless. He owed her a life after all.

    ¡°Qin Xue, will he be okay?¡± Fang Xiu asked nervously.

    ¡°It was discovered in time, he won¡¯t die.¡± Qin Xue said coldly.

    Jing Xin touched his nose, feeling guilty for some reason.

    He could understand feeling guilty towards Fang Xiu, but why did he feel that way towards Qin Xue as well?

    It felt like he had wronged her, a very confusing feeling.

    ¡°Qin Xue, thank you. If it weren¡¯t for you, who knows what the consequences would have been?¡± Fang Xiu thought about how Qin Xue had helped her once again, and she owed her more and more.

    ¡°No need to thank me. I¡¯m mad at him, not you. There¡¯s no need to act like I¡¯m scary, alright?¡± Qin Xue glanced at Fang Xiu after cleaning Jing Xin¡¯s wound.

 Chapter 510

    Qin Xue took out the medicine she had prepared, applied it to Jing Xin¡¯s wound, then bandaged it. After giving him instructions on what to avoid eating, she packed up the medicine in the bottle.

    ¡°Take this, Fang Xiu. Change the bandage the day after tomorrow in the morning. As long as it doesn¡¯t get wet, the wound should start to heal and form a scab.¡± The medicine Qin Xue used was enhanced with spiritual spring water from the space, making it dense with spiritual energy, considerably good for quickening the healing process.

    ¡°Alright. By the way, why did you come to see me today?¡± Fang Xiu asked about Qin Xue¡¯s purpose for visiting.

    ¡°Speaking of that, I almost forgot, I wanted you to make two bags for my sister. I¡¯ve left you the pattern and cloth.¡± Qin Xue pointed towards the drawer in the sewing machine as she spoke to Fang Xiu.

    ¡°You came all this way just to request two bags?¡± Fang Xiu was surprised, considering Qin Xue had to travel despite her pregnancy.

    ¡°The bags are just a side matter. I mainly came to rent a storefront. My younger brother doesn¡¯t have a job, so I thought of renting a place for him to start a store. He can run it during the day, then attend night school.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t feel she needed to hide this from Fang Xiu.

    ¡°Your plan sounds pretty good. He can work and study without compromise.¡± Fang Xiu also thought of furthering her own education.

    ¡°Once Taotao is old enough for preschool, you can attend night school and learn design.¡± Qin Xue also had this in mind.

    Night school usually came with boarding arrangements.

    Now that Jing Xin is back, he can look after Jingtao in the night while Fang Xiu studies.

    ¡°The child is still small and can¡¯t be left alone. We¡¯ll have to see later.¡± Fang Xiu was hesitant about leaving her young child at home.

    ¡°Yes, we can plan later.¡± Qin Xue herself had to attend night school for a certificate, and she was expecting twins. How could she make plans for Fang Xiu?

    ¡°Qin Xue, did you just mention wanting to rent a storefront?¡± Fang Xiu remembered there was a rental space across the street.

    ¡°Yes, do you know of any suitable places?¡± Qin Xue asked Fang Xiu.

    ¡°I can¡¯t give any great suggestions, but there is a place for rent across the street. It¡¯s located better than the place we¡¯re renting now, but it might be a bit more expensive.¡± Fang Xiu pointed out the rental place to Qin Xue.

    ¡°That place looks good, I¡¯ll go have a look. If it¡¯s suitable, then I¡¯ll rent it.¡± Qin Xue planned to sell liquor there, and the shop didn¡¯t have to be in the middle of the street.

    There¡¯s an old saying, a savory wine fears no dark alley. Wouldn¡¯t her high-quality wine be known by people?

    Not to mention the spiritual spring water from the space that could create a sensation in Hua Country. If she added a drop of spiritual spring water during the liquor processing, she could change the entire taste of the liquor.

    Qin Xue believes that once she opens her shop, it will cause even more sensation than her Chenxi Clothing Store.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll accompany you.¡± Fang Xiu had lived there longer and knew more than Qin Xue.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Qin Xue understood this and didn¡¯t refuse Fang Xiu¡¯s kind offer.

    ¡°Jing Xin, you rest here. I¡¯ll accompany Qin Xue to see the shop.¡± Fang Xiu told her husband, who was seated on the bed.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Jing Xin, feeling tired from his injury, complied with Fang Xiu¡¯s suggestion.

    Qin Xue thought about telling her younger siblings before leaving, to prevent them from worrying when they couldn¡¯t find her.

    ¡°Xiao Yu, Lele, Fang Xiu and I are going to see the storefront. Would you like to wait here or come with us?¡± Qin Xue asked her younger siblings.

    ¡°You guys go, I¡¯ll stay here and look after the child.¡± Qin Yu was still holding Jingtao in his arms.

    ¡°Alright, anyway, it¡¯s not far away.¡± Qin Xue nodded and went with Fang Xiu to inspect the rental shop.

 Chapter 511

    Xiao Qi returned to S Province right after attending Li Zhao¡¯s and An Hao¡¯s wedding.

    He was too lazy to deal with the blind dates arranged by his family at home. Facing those beauties, he would always unconsciously think of Chu Beiying.

    So the day after he sobered up, he attended a blind date arranged by his home and immediately bought a ticket to leave.

    After arriving here, he called home and almost made everyone furious.

    However, who is Xiao Qi? He wouldn¡¯t care, so they would eventually get over their anger.

    Li Zhao and An Hao had to go through the three-day-returning-door custom at home before they could come back to S Province, so they didn¡¯t return together.

    Gu Beihan arranged his affairs in the Imperial Capital and prepared to find an opportunity to approach Chu Beiying.

    At this time, Chu Beiying was dealing with many elders from the Nangong family.

    ¡°Head of the family, is this girl the niece you¡¯ve been trying so hard to hide?¡± The Nangong family had many branches. Because the main family had no children, they adopted two and thus attracted the other branches to come.

    ¡°Yingying, come and meet your uncles. When you take over the Nangong family in the future, you¡¯ll still have to rely on your uncles.¡± Nangong Kunpeng took the opportunity to clarify that the Nangong family would be handed over to his daughter in the future.

    ¡°Yingying has met all the uncles. If Yingying doesn¡¯t understand anything in the future, please advise me, uncles.¡± Chu Beiying coldly looked at various old men with active minds and thought the adopted brother and sister were not simple either.

    But would Chu Beiying be afraid? No, she has always been the one to be feared. When has she ever been weak?

    ¡°Fine, but head of the family, this young lady doesn¡¯t even know whether she¡¯s from our Nangong family or not.

    Can you really hand over the Nangong family to her? What are Jiahui and Jiabao supposed to do?¡± The second Nangong grandpa, who was also Nangong Jiahui¡¯s and Nangong Jiabao¡¯s biological grandfather, questioned Chu Beiying¡¯s identity.

    Second Nangong Grandpa was the illegitimate child of the old Nangong family head from outside and had been taken back but never favored by the legal wife.

    So now that the main family had no heir, they brought his grandchildren in. He was happy to take over the entire Nangong family, but then Nangong Beiying appeared, claiming to be the legitimate daughter. How could he accept it?

    ¡°Then how do you want to prove it?¡± Nangong Kunpeng looked at this second uncle steadily.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to prove it, but you all can just casually bring someone back and say she¡¯s a Nangong family daughter. Can I bring someone back and say he¡¯s the lost young master of the Nangong family?¡± The second Nangong grandpa signaled his sons.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, head of the family. You have to prove she¡¯s the real Nangong family daughter, you can¡¯t just randomly say anyone is our Nangong family daughter.¡± Others from the Nangong family, following the second grandpa¡¯s instruction, questioned in unison, all opposing the idea.

    Nangong Kunpeng just sat in the main seat and watched them coldly without speaking.

    Chu Beiying stood coldly on the side, neither speaking nor making any other moves.

    Wind, Cloud, Thunder, and Rain stood behind Chu Beiying, protecting her, paying close attention to the surrounding changes, and preventing any possibility of their young lady getting hurt.

    ¡°Are you all done talking?¡± Nangong Kunpeng asked only after everyone finished their arguments.

    ¡°Uh.¡± Everyone looked at each other then unanimously quieted down.

    ¡°There is no doubt that Yingying is my daughter. As for the proof you¡¯re talking about, does the Nangong family¡¯s mark count?¡± Nangong Kunpeng asked indifferently.

    Everyone was startled upon hearing it. Only the legitimate family members of the Nangong family had such a unique mark, regardless of gender. This was also the reason why the second grandpa was not favored by the legal wife back then.

    Because without that mark, one couldn¡¯t become a legitimate heir to the Nangong family.

 Chapter 512

    ¡°What? Don¡¯t believe it? You can send any women you trust to go check in the inner room to see if Yingying is indeed my, Nangong Kunpeng¡¯s, daughter.¡± Nangong Kunpeng spoke with some disappointment as he watched the chaotic scene unfold.

    How could the Nangong family have fallen this far? Just because his sons had disappeared or died?

    Did they really think they had Nangong Kunpeng under their control? Did they naively believe that he had been head of the family all these years for nothing?

    Eventually, several trustworthy women were sent into the inner chamber with Chu Beiying. The hopeful faces that entered came out with their heads drooped.

    Everyone felt a chill in their hearts as it dawned on them that they may have miscalculated. Who would have expected Nangong Kunpeng to have such a trump card?

    He had managed to hide this child without anyone knowing.

    ¡°Believe me now?¡± Nangong Kunpeng asked them, his tone icy.

    ¡°You¡¯re quite the strategist, master; you¡¯ve fooled us all.¡± The second elder could hardly breathe from anger.

    ¡°Oh, I could never plot as well as you, second uncle. Now that I have raised your grandson and granddaughter, wouldn¡¯t you like to take them back?¡± Nangong Kunpeng looked at the two children he had raised and spoke coldly, his words devoid of sentiment.

    But who could know of the bitterness in his heart? His child had disappeared when she was so young, and despite deploying countless people to find her, they had all returned empty-handed.

    His wife¡¯s subsequent sons had died in quick succession. If it hadn¡¯t been for the pretext that his wife needed rest due to the heartbreak of losing her children, he might have lost his daughter Yingying as well.

    Nangong Kunpeng was not a fool. He could regard his first son¡¯s disappearance as an accident, but how could he explain the deaths of his second and youngest sons?

    If he hadn¡¯t chosen to raise Nangong Jiabao and Nangong Jiahui back then, his daughter Yingying¡¯s existence would have been discovered, and she might not have been able to grow up.

    Did he, Nangong Kunpeng, not hate all this? Of course, he did, but what could he do? Kill them?

    ¡°Dad.¡± Nangong Jiabao and Nangong Jiahui were terrified and shouted simultaneously.

    ¡°Don¡¯t call me ¡®dad¡¯ anymore, isn¡¯t your father with you all the time?¡± Nangong Kunpeng looked at Nangong Kunming.

    ¡°Big brother, you¡­¡± Nangong Kunming was startled. Had their plan been under the control of the family head all along?

    ¡°Starting from now, Nangong Kunming¡¯s family will no longer be involved in family affairs. You will be given a certain amount of living expenses each month. Take care of yourselves. Don¡¯t rely on the Nangong family anymore; otherwise, don¡¯t blame me for being too harsh.¡± Just the thought of his sons¡¯ fate made Nangong Kunpeng wish he could explode.

    ¡°Master.¡± The second elder¡¯s family was in a panic. If they left the Nangong family, they would become nobodies. Their past sense of superiority would cease to exist, and those they had wronged could seek revenge against them.

    After all, Nangong Kunpeng had clearly said he would not take care of them anymore. It was as if he had already given up on them, so how could they not be afraid?

    In the end, no matter how desperately they pleaded, Nangong Kunpeng did not soften his heart to let them stay. If he couldn¡¯t grow familiar with them, then it was better to let go. All he did was for his daughter, to clear a path for her.

    Once everyone left, Nangong Kunpeng slumped in his seat, clutched his chest, and looked extremely unwell.

    Chu Beiying, unable to bear the sight, walked over to help him: ¡°Are you okay?¡±

 Chapter 513

    Chu Beiying placed her hand on Nangong Kunpeng¡¯s wrist and carefully took his pulse, her face growing more and more worried.

    ¡°Yingying, what¡¯s wrong? Does Daddy have some health problem?¡± Nangong Kunpeng asked, seeing his daughter¡¯s troubled expression.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been poisoned.¡± Chu Beiying looked at the middle-aged man with slightly graying temples and felt a pang of distress.

    Only after returning to the Nangong family did she learn how this man had struggled over the years.

    ¡°Daddy suspected it, so I asked you to come back to the country and to the Nangong family. That¡¯s why I just handed over the Nangong family to you in front of everyone ¨C I¡¯m afraid that if one day I suddenly die, you¡¯ll be left helpless and bullied, devoured until there¡¯s nothing left. Your eldest brother has been taken away and disappeared; we don¡¯t know if he¡¯s dead or alive. Your second and third brothers died young and tragically, leaving only you, a girl. Can you imagine how difficult it would be for you? Daddy didn¡¯t want to drag you into the Nangong family¡¯s vortex, but to ensure your survival, I had no choice but to bring you back. I hope you can forgive Daddy, and don¡¯t blame me for dragging you into this treacherous household.¡±

    Nangong Kunpeng clutched his daughter¡¯s hand, his voice filled with anguish.

    ¡°I don¡¯t blame you. Don¡¯t worry, as long as I¡¯m here, you won¡¯t die.¡± Chu Beiying excelled in medical skills, and her master and mentor had taught her extensively about various pathologies and toxicologies.

    She had spent years running through the mountains with her master, catching poisonous insects and snakes for research.

    So the poison in Nangong Kunpeng¡¯s system was no match for Chu Beiying.

    ¡°Seeing you become so successful and able to protect yourself now makes Daddy very happy. I¡¯ve lived a long life, so even if you can¡¯t save me, I have no regrets.¡± Nangong Kunpeng looked at his daughter with affection.

    But deep down, he still had regrets. In his lifetime, he probably wouldn¡¯t be able to see his lost eldest son and sister again, and he felt that he had failed his deceased wife and parents.

    ¡°Daddy, what are you talking about? I told you, you won¡¯t die, so there¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡± Chu Beiying didn¡¯t know why, but after hearing Nangong Kunpeng say such things, the word ¡°Daddy¡± slipped out effortlessly.

    Nangong Kunpeng¡¯s eyes instantly reddened. His daughter, who hadn¡¯t called him ¡°Daddy¡± since her return, finally did so. Even if he were to die now, he would have no regrets.

    ¡°Pingzhi, our daughter called me Daddy. Did you hear that?¡± Nangong Kunpeng looked at the distant sky, silently speaking in his heart.

    Back then, his wife got truly sick after being deeply hurt, and later, when she discovered she was pregnant again, Nangong Kunpeng sent her away out of fear for her safety. This was how their wife and child were saved, though regrets remained. Due to her past heartbreak, his wife¡¯s health suffered fundamentally, and after their daughter was born, her health deteriorated. She died when their daughter was only one year old.

    Upon hearing the news, Nangong Kunpeng rushed over just in time to see her one last time. After arranging for their daughter¡¯s care, he brought his wife¡¯s body back to the Nangong family for burial.

    He and his wife had always had a good relationship, so after her death, he didn¡¯t remarry. Instead, to keep people¡¯s suspicions at bay, he took in Jiabao and Jiahui and raised them by his side, simply to confuse others.

    In the end, his efforts were not in vain. He and Pingzhi¡¯s daughter grew up safe and sound, without meeting an untimely demise.

    Nangong Kunpeng kept his word. He fulfilled the promise he made to his wife, though he genuinely had no idea where his missing eldest son was. Over the years, the people he secretly dispatched to look for him always reported the same message, containing just one sentence: there was no trace of the eldest young master.

 Chapter 514

    He knew many soldiers had ambitions to distinguish themselves, but failure to train diligently would only result in sacrificing their lives.

    That¡¯s probably why some soldiers relaxed their training efforts after joining Wolf Fang, never even participating in missions.

    Therefore, the special training planned for tomorrow can proceed as scheduled.

    After inspecting the house, Qin Xue and Fang Hong were very pleased because apart from the shop front, there was an attached residential room. All they had to do was close the door and drop the curtains.

    This allowed the space to serve as both shop and living quarters, which was very convenient. Moreover, the house was spacious, and unlike the cramped and inconvenient accommodations Fang Xiu currently had.

    In the end, having negotiated the price, Qin Xue signed a five-year lease.

    Not signing a long-term lease could result in the homeowner seeing their profits and finding various reasons to evict them or increase the rent.

    For this reason, Qin Xue had signed a five-year contract with the homeowner, so she could refurbish and operate the business with peace of mind.

    Even if the homeowner did break the contract, they would have to pay Qin Xue a substantial penalty. Thus, she was not worried about the homeowner going back on their word because the homeowner was not foolish.

    ¡°Xiu, thank you. Without you, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to rent such a good house.¡± Qin Xue thanked Fang Xiu with a smile.

    ¡°What¡¯s there to thank? It was a simple task.¡± Fang Xiu waved her hand dismissively.

    ¡°Regardless, if you hadn¡¯t told me about it, I might have searched elsewhere. Renting here is close and easy to manage. If anything happens, a shout would be loud enough to be heard.¡± Qin Xue decided to rent this house also for this reason.

    ¡°That¡¯s true, there are advantages to being close, haha.¡± Fang Xiu couldn¡¯t agree more ¨C how convenient it was to simply shout over for assistance when so close!

    ¡°Keep an eye on Jing Xin¡¯s condition, especially at night. His wounds are somewhat inflamed and I¡¯m afraid he might get a fever.¡± Qin Xue just remembered she had forgotten to tell Fang Xiu this.

    ¡°Mhm, I will pay attention. Qin Xue, I¡¯m so glad to know you.¡± Fang Xiu softly gazed at Qin Xue.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. If you¡¯re going to gaze at someone, go look at Jing Xin at your house.¡± Qin Xue¡¯s skin crawled at Fang Xiu¡¯s overly tender gaze; it was cloyingly sweet.

    ¡°You silly girl.¡± Fang Xiu blushed.

    ¡°Xiu, be careful if you two do anything tonight. Don¡¯t let Jing Xin¡¯s wound burst open, or it¡¯ll be troublesome.¡± Qin Xue decided to remind Fang Xiu after seeing her blush.

    After all, the couple hadn¡¯t been together in a long time. It was inevitable that they couldn¡¯t contain their passion, and if they got overly vigorous, it¡¯d be disastrous if the wounds opened up.

    That¡¯s why she wanted to remind Fang Xiu in advance not to go overboard.

    ¡°Qin Xue, how can you even say such things.¡± Fang Xiu was so embarrassed she wanted to bury herself in the ground.

    ¡°Because I¡¯m a doctor, I¡¯m used to dealing with these things, even though I haven¡¯t witnessed any live combat situations.But I¡¯m very familiar with the male and female anatomies.¡± Qin Xue had seen plenty of explicit content in her previous life and had experienced a carnal relationship with Chu Molin in this one.

    She was a doctor speaking to Fang Xiu, a woman; there was nothing she couldn¡¯t say.

    If there was, it might only be telling Fang Xiu about her and Chu Molin¡¯s sexual encounters. But that was absolutely impossible, so overall, Qin Xue¡¯s cheek was still not as thick as a city wall.

 Chapter 515

    Once she got home, she sat in a chair and didn¡¯t want to move. These past few days she had been going out, and her already swollen and uncomfortable legs were hurting from all the walking.

    However, for her family, she had to fight on. In order to give her children a better life, she had to work hard. She hoped that she could provide them with a better life in the future.

    Now that she was about to give birth, if she didn¡¯t push herself to the limit, she would be in the confinement period and taking care of the baby, just relying on the income from the clothing store and factory would be far from enough to achieve her goals.

    They didn¡¯t even have a house now, and with the country¡¯s development and rapidly growing economy, prices would only get higher and housing more scarce. If she didn¡¯t seize the opportunity to make money when she could, when would be a better time?

    So no matter how hard or weary Qin Xue was, she had to grit her teeth and persevere. Who didn¡¯t know that being pregnant was exhausting and difficult? It wouldn¡¯t stop her from being a mother; she would just have to fight even harder because this was her lineage and legacy.

    Qin Xue wasn¡¯t born into a good family, so she had to rely on herself for everything. Before, she didn¡¯t understand why her roommate had said that pregnant women in her hometown would work until the day they gave birth.

    She remembered asking at the time: ¡°Isn¡¯t that tiring? Aren¡¯t you worried about giving birth in the field?¡±

    How had her roommate responded to her back then? It seemed like she said: ¡°When you have no strong support and have to rely on yourself, you¡¯ll do whatever it takes to survive.¡±

    ¡°Even if you give birth in the field, you¡¯ll still do it because, if you don¡¯t, you won¡¯t have food to eat, and your children will have to continue to suffer with you. So you¡¯ll definitely struggle and work hard.¡±

    ¡°Qin Xue, let me tell you, I¡¯ve seen a woman from a village who started having stomach pains while returning from work in the fields.¡±

    ¡°Since her home was too far away and she couldn¡¯t make it back in time, she went into a bamboo grove halfway and gave birth to her child there. She took off her clothes to wrap the baby, not even cutting the umbilical cord, and just headed home like that, leaving passersby in awe.¡±

    ¡°So I vowed to become a doctor. I want to learn more medical knowledge and help those who need it.¡±

    ¡°So, Qin Xue, when you get married, find someone wealthier, at least so you won¡¯t have to work so hard when you¡¯re pregnant and life won¡¯t be so difficult.¡±

    Qin Xue remembered that after she had listened to her roommate¡¯s words back then, she couldn¡¯t imagine that there could really be such a thing in this world. Would a mother really go to that extent?

    But now, Qin Xue believed it because she was now a mother herself. She would persevere for her children, no matter how difficult it was.

    At this moment, Qin Xue finally understood the meaning of a mother. A mother is not just someone who created you for their pleasure with a man; she is someone who would exchange her life for yours and pay any price for you, including her own life.

    Qin Xue touched her belly, ¡°Child, mom won¡¯t let you live on the streets. I will do my best to create a good living environment for you. But I won¡¯t spoil you, so you must live up to my expectations, understand?¡±

    ¡°Sis, have some water first.¡± Qin Jiale saw his sister sit down as soon as she got home, massaging her legs, and he felt very sorry for her. So, he went to the kitchen and poured her a glass of water to drink.

    ¡°Thank you, Lele. You guys have also been walking for half a day. Sit down and rest a bit. I¡¯ll make dinner in a while¡± Qin Xue smiled at her siblings.

    ¡°No need, sis. You rest. I¡¯ll make dinner. Although the taste might not be great, it¡¯ll do.¡± Qin Yu also felt sorry for their older sister who was still helping them with everything while pregnant.

    ¡°Oh, our Xiao Yu can cook now? That¡¯s great! I¡¯ll look forward to tasting your cooking tonight.¡± Qin Xue wasn¡¯t someone who would prevent others from showing what they could do, so she happily agreed when she heard her brother¡¯s words.

 Chapter 516

    Qin Xue thought that even if her younger brother couldn¡¯t cook well, it was just a meal, and she could just not let him cook in the future.

    ¡°Sis, I¡¯ll go help my brother,¡± Qin Jiale volunteered.

    ¡°Go ahead.¡± Qin Xue shook her head and chuckled. Her sister must be afraid she wouldn¡¯t rest and would start cooking instead. However, knowing her brother and sister cared about her made her feel so relieved, as it had not been in vain that she had worked so hard for them.

    Since she didn¡¯t need to cook, Qin Xue rubbed her legs to relieve the soreness and took out her pen and paper to start drawing renovation plans.

    Qin Xue¡¯s design was inspired by modern decoration styles which she liked in fancy hotels in her previous life. However, being a doctor back then, she didn¡¯t have time to open a bar.

    In this life, she had the advantage of Golden Finger, so she could use it to open her own hotel, one that specialized in selling various processed liquors with different tastes.

    Qin Xue was fully absorbed in her drawings, not even noticing when Chu Molin returned home.

    After what happened the previous night, Chu Molin didn¡¯t dare to disturb her and quietly sat to one side, reading a book. When Qin Yu and his sister finished cooking, they saw that Qin Xue was still drawing and didn¡¯t disturb her, but instead warmed the food and waited for her.

    It could be said that all three of them were accommodating Qin Xue.

    ¡°Eh, Chu Molin, when did you get here?¡± Qin Xue asked, catching a glimpse of the man sitting nearby as she looked up.

    ¡°I got off work. Did you finish the drawing? Once you¡¯re done, we can have dinner. Xiao Yu and the others are waiting for you.¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t mind waiting himself, but it didn¡¯t seem quite right to make his younger brother-in-law and sister-in-law wait too.

    ¡°Ah, is it that late already? Why didn¡¯t you guys eat dinner first, why are you waiting for me? I tend to forget the time when I¡¯m working; I don¡¯t want you to go hungry because of me.¡± Hearing her husband¡¯s words, Qin Xue looked at the sky outside, which was already dark. How long had she been drawing?

    ¡°As long as you know, don¡¯t do this again in the future, alright?¡± Chu Molin would be going to special training soon, so how could he leave her alone if she was always like this?

    ¡°I hear you.¡± Qin Xue replied with a sheepish smile.

    ¡°Such a worry.¡± Chu Molin said helplessly.

    ¡°How am I a worry?¡± Qin Xue retorted discontentedly.

    ¡°You¡¯re sure you¡¯re not a worry? Who was it that had a fever last night? Hmm?¡± Chu Molin really wanted to give her an earful.

    ¡°That was an accident,¡± Qin Xue murmured.

    ¡°Hmm, doesn¡¯t an accident mean you¡¯re a worry?¡± Chu Molin looked at this woman who wanted to deceive him.

    ¡°Yes, I understand, sir. Can we go eat now? I¡¯m hungry.¡± Qin Xue rubbed her stomach and pitifully looked at Chu Molin.

    ¡°You always use this trick on me,¡± Chu Molin said helplessly. But he couldn¡¯t resist her, so what else could he do?

    ¡°Hehe, as long as it works, I don¡¯t care what method I use.¡± Qin Xue pulled him towards the table.

    ¡°Xiao Yu, where¡¯s the food you made? Your sister is hungry; let¡¯s eat quickly!¡± Qin Xue called out to her brother as soon as she got to the table.

    ¡°Sis, I found out that you¡¯re almost turning into a child because of your husband.¡± Qin Yu looked at his sister and frowned. Their brother-in-law pampered his sister too much.

    ¡°What, you have a problem with that?¡± Qin Xue responded with a dangerous smile.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare.¡± Qin Yu quickly changed his original complaint after seeing his brother-in-law¡¯s dangerous expression.

    ¡°That¡¯s more like it. If you have a problem, find yourself a wife and take care of her however you like.¡± Qin Xue spoke to her brother like a boss.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to get married yet.¡± Qin Yu had a goal now, so he didn¡¯t want to get married so soon.

    ¡°Then keep your mouth shut, just watch, and don¡¯t comment.¡± Qin Xue thought she was quite domineering. Hehe.

    ¡°Brother-in-law, aren¡¯t you going to manage your wife?¡± Qin Yu couldn¡¯t believe his brother-in-law just let his sister go like this.

    ¡°I think my wife is perfect and doesn¡¯t need managing.¡± Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue with spoilage, completely ignoring his brother-in-law¡¯s expression.

 Chapter 517

    Qin Yu looked at the loving couple and decided it was best to keep his mouth shut and serve the food.

    ¡°Wow, in the future, I also want to find a husband who dotes on me like my brother-in-law does. Sis, I¡¯m so envious of you,¡± Qin Jiale whispered into her sister¡¯s ear.

    ¡°Your current task is to study hard and get rid of those messy thoughts from your mind. Do you hear me?¡± Qin Xue pushed her sister¡¯s head away and looked at her sternly.

    ¡°I know, sis, but you¡¯re so fierce. How can my brother-in-law stand you?¡± Qin Jiale teased her sister.

    ¡°You can ask him yourself.¡± Qin Xue pointed to Chu Molin.

    ¡°What are you asking me?¡± Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue and her sister in confusion.

    ¡°She¡¯s asking how I can stand your bad temper.¡± Qin Xue slowly spoke while eating a bite of food with her chopsticks.

    ¡°Your temper isn¡¯t bad.¡± Chu Molin honestly didn¡¯t think Qin Xue had a bad temper, only occasionally a little willful.

    ¡°Tsk, tsk, bro, does it feel sour to you?¡± Qin Jiale clicked her tongue.

    ¡°A little.¡± Qin Yu never expected the interaction between his sister and brother-in-law to be like this; it was beyond his expectations.

    Qin Yu was curious about how his brother-in-law, who appeared so cold, could have such a natural way of interacting with his sister.

    No matter how he looked at it, it seemed unacceptable, but then again, it seemed just right with his sister. It was a strange feeling. Qin Yu shivered and quickly served the food.

    ¡°Xiao Yu, can you stay at the guesthouse by yourself tonight?¡± Qin Xue asked her brother, glancing at the sky outside.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m a grown man. What could happen to me?¡± Qin Yu had participated in over a month of special training. If he wasn¡¯t already fundamentally strong, he wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it.

    ¡°Alright then, Lele will sleep in the room you¡¯ve been staying in this past month.¡± Qin Xue pointed at the room and looked at her younger sister.

    ¡°Okie dokie.¡± Qin Jiale didn¡¯t mind whether she stayed at the guesthouse or her sister¡¯s place.

    Chu Molin quietly listened to his wife¡¯s arrangements, thinking that he would still be able to stay at home in the future. Unfortunately, he had to go to the special training now, so he wouldn¡¯t be able to stay at home, rendering his wife¡¯s arrangement useless.

    While lying in bed that night, Chu Molin hugged Qin Xue, his head resting in the crook of her neck, and softly spoke up.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, I have to go for special training. You should stay with your little sister and have her keep you company. Don¡¯t stay alone, okay?¡± Chu Molin instructed Qin Xue uneasily.

    He found that whenever he was alone with Qin Xue, he would naturally become a chatterbox. With her, he always worried incessantly.

    ¡°Why do you have to go for special training again? Is it because of the training that was interrupted last time due to your injury?¡± Qin Xue turned to face Chu Molin and asked.

    ¡°Yes, this time the training will be closed off from the outside world. We can¡¯t communicate with anyone, and I don¡¯t know how long it¡¯ll take until I can be considered qualified and leave.¡± Chu Molin felt somewhat depressed when he received the notification.

    His wife was about to give birth, but he had to undergo closed-off training. The thought of it made him feel incredibly guilty towards her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯ll have Lele to keep me company, and Xiao Yu will also be here, so just focus on your training. When are you leaving?¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t want to be the wife who held her husband back.

    ¡°Tomorrow.¡± Chu Molin¡¯s voice was low as he responded to his wife¡¯s question.

    ¡°Then let me get you some medicine to take with you as a precaution.¡± Qin Xue pushed away the hand that was holding her and sat up.

    ¡°No need, we have supplies.¡± Chu Molin knew that they always had medicine handy during training since injuries might occur at any time. They never ran out.

    ¡°The medicine you have isn¡¯t as effective as mine. Just take it with you, so I won¡¯t worry while you¡¯re gone.¡± Qin Xue got up, pulled open the drawer, and took out some of the medicines she had prepared. After explaining the purpose and usage of the medicine to Chu Molin, she went back to bed to sleep.

 Chapter 518

    So Chu Molin¡¯s team went on a closed training session, and apart from the higher-ups, no one knew where they were.

    Qin Xue came to find Xiao Qi with the completed interior design and wine cabinet drawings.

    ¡°Hello, I need to speak to your Mr. Xiao,¡± Qin Xue explained her intention to the receptionist.

    ¡°Do you have an appointment?¡± The receptionist asked, looking at the pregnant Qin Xue, wondering why such a woman was looking for Mr. Xiao.

    ¡°No, just tell him that Qin Xue is here,¡± Qin Xue hated the times when there were no mobile phones.

    If there were mobile phones, she would have just called him, and there would be no need for all this awkwardness here.

    ¡°Please wait a moment,¡± the receptionist initially wanted to ignore Qin Xue, but after hearing her words, she thought that maybe this woman was really Mr. Xiao¡¯s important guest.

    If she dared to offend Mr. Xiao¡¯s friend, she might have to pack her bags and leave.

    ¡°Alright, thank you,¡± Qin Xue nodded.

    ¡°Mr. Xiao, we have a Miss Qin Xue here to see you.¡± The receptionist was about to inform Xiao Qi when she noticed him walking out from the inside.

    ¡°Sister-in-law, why did you come over?¡± Xiao Qi looked at Qin Xue after hearing the receptionist¡¯s words and found that it was indeed her.

    ¡°Hehe, I came to see you for something. Do you have time now?¡± Qin Xue looked at Xiao Qi, who seemed to be on his way out.

    ¡°If my sister-in-law comes to find me, I¡¯ll always make time,¡± Xiao Qi looked at Qin Xue ¨C even if he didn¡¯t have time, he would have to make time, as she was one of his partners.

    ¡°Actually, it won¡¯t take much time. We can talk over there,¡± Qin Xue looked around and pointed to the side.

    ¡°Sister-in-law, let¡¯s talk in my office,¡± Xiao Qi didn¡¯t want a pregnant woman standing while talking to him about work.

    ¡°It¡¯s not necessary; can you just check if this is doable here?¡± Qin Xue declined Xiao Qi¡¯s kindness and took out two design drawings from her bag.

    ¡°Did you draw this yourself?¡± Xiao Qi had already seen Qin Xue¡¯s designs, so he wasn¡¯t surprised by her drawings this time.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve rented a room opposite the original clothing store; you don¡¯t mind taking a look, do you?

    If possible, after you¡¯re done, just arrange for someone to do the renovation and wine cabinet,¡± Qin Xue explained her intention to Xiao Qi, so as not to interfere with his work.

    ¡°Alright, sister-in-law, I¡¯ll arrange it when I get back tonight,¡± Xiao Qi folded the drawings and put them in his pocket, giving Qin Xue a definitive answer.

    ¡°Great, I¡¯ll leave now so as not to disturb your work,¡± Qin Xue smiled.

    ¡°All right, where¡¯s our boss? How come it¡¯s just you?¡± Xiao Qi looked around but couldn¡¯t see Chu Molin.

    ¡°Ah, he has work to do. I¡¯ve been here before, so I came myself,¡± Qin Xue knew the regulations of the army and couldn¡¯t say too much about it.

    ¡°I figured as much, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t have let you come alone,¡± Xiao Qi knew that Chu Molin was domineering.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll go back now; you take care of your business,¡± Qin Xue smiled and bid farewell to Xiao Qi.

    ¡°All right, sister-in-law, take care,¡± Xiao Qi genuinely had no time to entertain Qin Xue now, and after seeing her leave, he left the company as well.

    Qin Xue now needed to see if she could still rent a room specifically for storing wine.

    Yesterday, she thought that the wine could just be stored in that room, with a partition for Qin Yu to live in, but she didn¡¯t anticipate one thing ¨C that she would soon have a child and need to go through the confinement period. That meant she wouldn¡¯t be able to manage these matters for a month.

    This was something she only thought about last night; she almost forgot about the confinement period, but if Nangong Shulan came, she would definitely make her go through it, so she had to prepare everything beforehand.

 Chapter 519

    Qin Xue remembered that not far from where she rented her house yesterday, there were other houses for rent. She decided to check them out and if they were suitable, it would be convenient for her to rent there, especially when she needed to transport liquor later on.

    Thinking led to action, and sure enough, there were houses available. Qin Xue rented two of them and also signed five-year leases.

    Now all she had to do was buy the liquor. Once it arrived, she could start the production process.

    Today, Qin Xue sent Qin Yu out to buy medicinal herbs. Although she had plenty of herbs in her space, she pondered over how she was going to explain to her siblings where they came from. So to distract them, she composed a list and sent Qin Yu to purchase the herbs.

    Later, she would simply discard the purchased herbs into her space.

    She wondered how her sister was doing at home all alone. Initially, her sister wanted to accompany her, but after much persuasion, Qin Xue managed to convince her to stay at home.

    Qin Lei arrived at the town today. He felt something was wrong when he received the telegram from Qin Xue yesterday.

    That day, after sending off Qin Yu and the others, he was certain that he sent a telegram to Qin Xue to inform them about it. But the reply telegram from Qin Xue only mentioned that Qin Yu and the others had arrived and that jobs were found for sister Qiu Qin and her brother. However, they seemed to be oblivious that sister Qiu Qin was supposed to be there in the first place.

    Today he specifically came to the town to figure out what was going on.

    ¡°Hello, I wanted to ask if you send out all the telegrams every day?¡± Qin Lei inquired the worker as soon as he spotted him.

    ¡°Yes, how may I help you?¡± The employee asked upon observing Qin Lei.

    ¡°I sent a telegram to the X Unit in S Province on a particular day but they did not receive it, so I came here to ask why that happened,¡± Qin Lei explained his purpose of visiting.

    ¡°Mister, how do you know they didn¡¯t receive your telegram?¡± the worker asked after listening to Qin Lei¡¯s question.

    ¡°You¡¯ll understand when you see the telegram they sent me.¡± Qin Lei took out the telegram that Qin Xue had sent and handed it to the worker.

    ¡°Look here, the telegram I sent informed the child that her four brothers had left, yet the child responds that she doesn¡¯t know they¡¯ve left. Don¡¯t you think there¡¯s something wrong here?¡± Qin Lei pointed out the problem.

    Upon assessing the content of the telegram, the worker was indeed troubled by the same suspicious point.

    ¡°Sir, please wait a moment, I¡¯ll investigate what happened?¡± The worker could hardly toleratethe thought that they could have made such a blunder.

    Upon hearing this, Qin Lei plonked himself on a nearby chair to wait.

    It was only after about ten minutes that the worker came over to Qin Lei.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, sir. We made a mistake. On the day we sent the telegram, an employee accidentally input one wrong character in the address, so it didn¡¯t get sent. Please accept our apology.¡± The worker put on a guilty smile, regretting their big mistake.

    ¡°You folks really need to be more careful with your work. Luckily in this case, it wasn¡¯t a life-and-death situation. Otherwise, wouldn¡¯t you have caused a delay?¡± Qin Lei spoke in frustration.

    ¡°Yes, yes, you are correct, sir. Can we offer you a refund for the cost of the telegram?¡± That was the instruction of the manager, so the employee had no choice but to relay it to Qin Lei.

    He himself didn¡¯t agree with this way of dealing with the situation. But since the mistake had been made, and it was indeed the fault of an employee, there was little he could do.

    Yet the manager hid away and left the resolution to him, a mere worker. If this man turned out to be difficult, it would be hard to settle.

    Upon seeing the worker before him being so cautious, Qin Lei thought that everyone has their difficulties and decided to acquiesce. However, he insisted that such mistakes must not occur again in the future. If it were to delay a life-and-death situation, they would be the ones responsible.

    Of course, the employee nodded and bowed repeatedly, promising that such errors would not be repeated.

 Chapter 520

    Xiao Qi brought people to help Qin Xue renovate her house, and Qin Xue and Qin Yu bought a lot of white wine and started processing it.

    Qin Xue and her siblings processed the wine and put it in a room. When they were done, Qin Xue asked her brother to wait for her at the clothing store under the pretext of needing his help. She moved all the wine into her spatial storage. After that, Qin Xue always found something for Qin Yu to do, preventing him from entering the room with the wine.

    Twenty-some days later, Qin Xue, with an increasingly unwieldy body, came to the wine storage and took the wine out. Looking at the two rooms full of wine, Qin Xue thought that this should last a long time.

    Qin Xue¡¯s body was too big to squat down and bottle the wine, so she had previously taught her siblings how to do it.

    The siblings finally managed to bottle all the wine and put it on shelves the day before the opening.

    Qin Xue set the prices based on different tastes and uses, all of which were not low and some even higher than expected.

    ¡°Sis, will people buy it at such a high price?¡± Qin Yu looked at his sister with some worry.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, as long as one person buys it, we¡¯ll do business.¡± Qin Xue had put so much effort, resources, and money into this wine that she couldn¡¯t possibly be making a loss. On the contrary, the higher the price she set, the better the sales would be.

    There definitely wouldn¡¯t be a situation where they couldn¡¯t sell the wine.

    Even if no one bought it for a while, the wine wouldn¡¯t go bad as it would get better with age. So what did she have to worry about?

    ¡°Alright.¡± Qin Yu didn¡¯t argue with his sister¡¯s decision.

    During the opening, Qin Xue didn¡¯t show up and left the business entirely to Qin Yu. In the month of preparation, Qin Xue had told her brother everything she knew about marketing strategies.

    So Qin Xue let go and let her brother handle things on his own, while she waited at home. She had a vague feeling that she was about to give birth.

    During this month, Chu Molin had truly cut off contact with the outside world, as he said. She didn¡¯t get any news from him at all.

    Through Xue Ling, Qin Xue knew that Chu Molin was safe and alive, so she suppressed her longing for him at the bottom of her heart.

    She just hoped that Chu Molin could return when she gave birth.

    Chu Molin, who was in closed training, was always missing his wife whenever he had free time. He wondered how her body was and if she was about to give birth.

    Qin Xue asked her sister to pack the things she would need for childbirth in her bag.

    ¡°Sis, why are we packing these right now?¡± Qin Jiale asked her sister in confusion.

    ¡°To go to the hospital and give birth.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t have the original body¡¯s memory and didn¡¯t know the exact due date.

    However, she calculated an approximate date through pulse diagnosis and B-ultrasounds.

    Now that her belly had dropped, she should be staying in the hospital. Otherwise, she would have no way to get to the hospital without Chu Molin at home.

    ¡°Ah, are we going now? Is your stomach hurting, sis?¡± Qin Jiale asked anxiously.

    She had read some medical books with her sister since coming here, so she knew a little about childbirth.

    ¡°No, don¡¯t worry. After you pack the things, help me bring a bucket of water to the bathroom. Put it on a stool in there, I need to take a bath.¡± Qin Xue had a strong feeling that the baby might be born that night.

    Upon hearing this, Qin Jiale hurriedly went to help her sister fetch water and take a shower.

    ¡°Lele, come and help me wash my hair.¡± Qin Xue couldn¡¯t bend over to wash her hair.

    Qin Jiale heard her sister¡¯s call and came over to help her wash her hair.

    In the end, Qin Jiale even helped her sister take a bath.

    ¡°Sis, your hair is almost dry. Shall I go cook something for you?¡± Qin Jiale asked her sister.

    ¡°Sure, cook some hard-boiled eggs too, we might need them tonight.¡± Qin Xue asked her sister to cook the eggs, as they would keep well and were easy to carry.

    ¡°Alright, sis. You just sit and wait.¡± Qin Jiale quickly went to cook.

 Chapter 521

    Qin Xue looked at her sister¡¯s obedient demeanor, softening her heart. Her sister had been a great help during this past month.

    Qin Xue took out pen and paper to leave a note on the table. She feared Chu Molin might worry if he came home to find her gone unexpectedly.

    She tidied up the pen and paper, looking around the house to see if there was anything she had overlooked.

    Having made sure everything important was accounted for, she finally let herself relax.

    ¡°Sister, let¡¯s eat.¡± Qin Jiale served two bowls of chicken noodle soup, one for her and one for her sister. Although she wasn¡¯t hungry, seeing her sister¡¯s current state made her anxious, so she prepared a small bowl for herself as well.

    ¡°Thank you, Lele.¡± Qin Xue smiled at her little sister, picking up her chopsticks to eat. Her sister¡¯s culinary skills had significantly improved over the past month.

    Both siblings had learned a lot from her during this time.

    Once Qin Xue had finished her noodles, Qin Jiale packed away the cooled boiled eggs into a bag and they headed to the hospital.

    ¡°Dr. Li, long time no see.¡± Immediately upon entering the doctor¡¯s office, Qin Xue and her sister were greeted by Li Rong.

    ¡°Is it you? Are you about to give birth?¡± Li Rong asked after seeing Qin Xue.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s why I¡¯m here to see Dr. Li.¡± Qin Xue replied with a smile.

    ¡°Has the pain started or¡­¡± Li Rong was taken aback by Qin Xue¡¯s belly, which seemed to be falling into the pelvic area. It appeared that childbirth was imminent.

    ¡°There¡¯s no pain, just a feeling. I think it may happen tonight, that¡¯s why I came.¡± Qin Xue spoke casually, without a hint of nervousness.

    ¡°Your mindset is excellent. How about this, I¡¯ll examine you first then arrange a bed for you to stay in.¡± Li Rong knew Qin Xue was a soldier¡¯s wife and therefore had priority. She could check in early and wait for labour to start.

    Seeing that Qin Xue had only brought her sister along, Li Rong guessed that her husband was probably away on duty.

    The drawback of being a soldier¡¯s wife was the heavy reliance on oneself. Regardless of the situation, they couldn¡¯t depend on their husbands who were defending everyone else. While the soldiers were guarding the country, the wives were guarding the home front.

    ¡°Sure, thank you, Dr. Li. Lele, wait for me here.¡± Qin Xue nodded at Li Rong and spoke to her sister.

    Li Rong led Qin Xue to the adjacent room for an examination, leaving Qin Jiale to wait as instructed.

    ¡°Qin Xue, your intuition is correct. These two little ones are ready to come out.¡± Li Rong stated after the examination.

    ¡°Yes, I had a strong feeling. They¡¯ve stayed in my belly long enough; it¡¯s time they came out and saw the world.¡± Qin Xue couldn¡¯t quite explain her calmness.

    By all means, she should be nervous as a first-time mother. However, she was exceptionally calm.

    Perhaps this had something to do with her being a doctor. At any time, it was essential to maintain composure to avoid making mistakes during operations.

    ¡°Has your husband been sent on another mission?¡± Li Rong couldn¡¯t resist asking.

    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s on assignment.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t blame Chu Molin for not being by her side.

    From the moment she was reborn in this body, she understood that she wouldn¡¯t be like other women, able to lean on their husbands and act spoiled.

    As the wife of a research scientist who frequently traveled, she was fully prepared to shoulder everything herself.

    By doing so, her husband could work outside without worries.

    Qin Xue was proud of herself and all women like her who uncomplainingly bore their burdens. She was grateful for their sacrifices and forbearance.

    Without their quiet dedication, men wouldn¡¯t be able to wholeheartedly carry out the research tasks entrusted to them by the country.

 Chapter 522

    Li Rong felt heartache for Qin Xue after hearing her answer. She was a woman who seemed fragile on the outside but was very strong on the inside.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll arrange a bed for you. But, are you okay with just your little sister accompanying you?¡± Li Rong looked at the youthful-looking Qin Jiale and asked Qin Xue.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Dr. Li, don¡¯t worry. My sister has learned a lot about this recently, just so she can take care of me when I give birth. She¡¯s amazing.¡± Qin Xue thought back to when her sister first mentioned learning; she was worried it would scare her, but to her surprise, her sister was quite successful at it.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be on duty tonight. If you feel uncomfortable, have your sister come find me.¡± Li Rong admired Qin Xue, so she was more caring towards her.

    ¡°Okay, thank you, Dr. Li.¡± After thanking Li Rong, Qin Xue and her sister went to the ward.

    Perhaps it was fate, but the bed assigned to her was the same one she stayed in the previous two times.

    After opening the shop, Qin Yu had been taking care of it. When Guo Aiguo said he would bring people for the opening, he did bring them.

    Qin Yu found a nice-looking wine glass, filled it with half a glass of wine, and placed it on the counter. The pale yellow color, seen through the transparent glass, looked very beautiful.

    Just this half glass of wine filled the room with the aroma of the wine, a mellow fragrance that was very pleasant to smell.

    ¡°Qin Yu, this wine is not bad.¡± Guo Aiguo could tell it was a good wine just by smelling the fragrance.

    ¡°Uncle Guo, I wouldn¡¯t sell bad wine, would I?¡± Qin Yu followed Qin Xue¡¯s lead and called Guo Aiguo ¡°Uncle Guo.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a smooth talker, a good businessman. It seems your sister has taught you a lot about business,¡± Guo Aiguo said with a satisfied smile while looking at Qin Yu.

    ¡°Uncle Guo, I¡¯m flattered. I still have a lot to learn compared to you in terms of business. I will need your guidance in the future,¡± Qin Yu replied with a smile.

    Over the past month, if Qin Yu had learned anything, it was marketing tactics and communication skills.

    His sister had trained him hard on these subjects.

    ¡°Alright, young man, introduce the wines to Uncle Guo,¡± Guo Aiguo said, becoming more and more satisfied with Qin Yu, thinking that his idea might be worth trying.

    ¡°Sure, Uncle Guo, right this way, please.¡± Qin Yu led Guo Aiguo and his guests to the wine cabinet for an introduction.

    Chu Molin, watching the month of hard training, cracked a smile. He could finally return home. He wondered what his wife was up to.

    ¡°Line up!¡± Chu Molin barked at those who participated in the special training.

    ¡°After more than a month of hard training, everyone has made significant progress. But I want you all not to be arrogant and to maintain your current mental state during future training. Can you do it?¡± Chu Molin asked the soldiers in the team.

    ¡°Yes, yes, yes.¡± The three ¡°yes¡¯s¡± echoed throughout the valley.

    ¡°Good, now get ready to return to your units.¡± Chu Molin¡¯s heart had already flown back home.

    As dusk settled in, Qin Xue watched quietly, waiting for the arrival of her child.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Qin Xue couldn¡¯t help but cry out in pain. She could bear it just a while ago, but now she couldn¡¯t hold back the pain any longer.

    ¡°Sis.¡± Qin Jiale looked anxiously at her sister.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Lele, don¡¯t worry. This is all normal.¡± Qin Xue clenched her teeth and smiled at her sister.

    Chu Molin returned home happily, expecting to see his wife¡¯s cheerful smile, but instead was greeted by silence throughout the house.

    Chu Molin switched on the light, wondering where his wife could be so late at night.

    After putting away his belt and hat and placing the keys on the table, Chu Molin noticed a note on the table. Picking it up, his hand trembled violently as he read it.

    He grabbed the keys on the table and rushed out of the house.

 Chapter 523

    Molin Chu merely closed the door behind him, leaving his belt and hat behind.

    ¡°Hey, Chu Molin, where are you going?¡± Xie Jun saw Chu Molin rushing out like the wind as soon as he returned to the office.

    Chu Molin¡¯s heart was now entirely focused on his wife, Qin Xue, and he didn¡¯t even hear Xie Jun calling him.

    ¡°This guy just got back, what¡¯s he up to? And why is he in such a hurry?¡± Xie Jun muttered while watching Chu Molin run off, shaking his head as he went back home, where his own pregnant wife was waiting.

    Chu Molin dashed to the hospital and bolted into the doctor¡¯s office that had treated Qin Xue last time.

    ¡°Doctor, which ward is Qin Xue in?¡± As soon as he saw Li Rong, Chu Molin asked her about Qin Xue¡¯s ward.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you. Have you just returned from a mission?¡± Li Rong was surprised to see Chu Molin suddenly appear before her.

    ¡°Which ward is my wife in?¡± Chu Molin had no patience to answer Li Rong¡¯s question; he wanted to know Qin Xue¡¯s situation.

    ¡°She¡¯s in the same ward as before, but she just¡­¡± Before Li Rong could finish her sentence, Chu Molin had already run off.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t finished speaking. She¡¯s just beginning to feel pain; it¡¯ll be a while before she gives birth.¡± Li Rong muttered to herself, the rest of her words left unsaid.

    Li Rong thought for a moment, then grabbed her hearing aid and followed him out as well.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er.¡± As soon as Chu Molin arrived at the ward, he saw the pained expression on Qin Xue¡¯s face.

    ¡°Brother-in-law, you¡¯re back.¡± Qin Jiale finally breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of Chu Molin¡¯s return; she was really nervous.

    ¡°Chu Molin, you¡¯re back.¡± Qin Xue looked up and saw Chu Molin half-kneeling in front of her as soon as she heard his voice.

    ¡°Mmm, I¡¯m back. How are you?¡± Chu Molin asked, holding her hand.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry.¡± Qin Xue forced an ugly smile; the pain was unbearable.

    Chu Molin felt the sweat in Qin Xue¡¯s palm, it was wet and clammy.

    ¡°Does it hurt a lot?¡± Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue¡¯s pained expression, wishing he could take the pain for her, but there was nothing he could do about it.

    ¡°I can bear it.¡± Qin Xue had never screamed during her contractions; she had been silently enduring the pain.

    Now the contractions were becoming more frequent, occurring every few minutes, and the pain was getting stronger. She bit her lip, her hand unconsciously gripping Chu Molin¡¯s tightly.

    Her grip was so strong it was hurting Chu Molin, but he didn¡¯t show it. If his wife was unconsciously hurting him this much, it showed just how much pain she was in.

    ¡°Ah, it hurts so much.¡± Qin Xue finally cried out in pain.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er.¡± All Chu Molin could do was watch helplessly.

    ¡°Mmm, ah, it hurts.¡± Qin Xue answered in between gasping for breath.

    ¡°You two go out for a moment; I¡¯ll check on her.¡± Li Rong came in to examine Qin Xue¡¯s condition.

    ¡°Doctor, I¡¯ll stay here with her.¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t let go of Qin Xue¡¯s hand.

    ¡°This¡­¡± The nurse looked at Chu Molin and then at Li Rong.

    ¡°I¡¯m just going to check how much her cervix has dilated. You can come back in and accompany her after I¡¯m done. Can¡¯t you see she¡¯s in so much pain?¡± Li Rong said helplessly to Chu Molin.

    Chu Molin hesitated, then finally took his sister-in-law outside with him after looking at Qin Xue and Li Rong.

    ¡°You¡¯re very lucky; your husband loves you dearly.¡± Li Rong softly said to Qin Xue.

    ¡°I know.¡± Qin Xue couldn¡¯t help but laugh when she saw the pain on her husband¡¯s face, even more than her own.

    ¡°Your cervix is dilated enough. Let¡¯s go to the delivery room. You two, take her to the delivery room.¡± Li Rong prepared the delivery room first after finishing with her examination.

    As two nurses pushed the wheelchair to help Qin Xue sit down, a pair of strong hands lifted Qin Xue up and gently placed her back on the wheelchair.

    ¡°Where to now?¡± Chu Molin asked the nurse, pushing the wheelchair.

 Chapter 524

    The two nurses came to their senses and led Qin Xue and the rest to the delivery room, followed by Qin Jiale carrying the supplies.

    No matter what, Chu Molin insisted on accompanying Qin Xue into the delivery room, and after much persuasion, Li Rong allowed him to stay.

    ¡°Ah.¡± Qin Xue let out a loud cry, followed by the wail of the baby.

    ¡°Qin Xue, you¡¯ve done extremely well, congratulations, you¡¯ve had a son.¡± After Li Rong cut the umbilical cord and tied it off, she handed it to the nurse, waiting for Qin Xue to give birth to the second child.

    ¡°Ah, it hurts so much.¡± Tears welled up in Qin Xue¡¯s eyes from the pain. She tightly held her husband¡¯s hand, veins bulging on her palms and beads of sweat, crystalline and transparent, fell from her skin.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, you¡¯ve suffered.¡± With his other hand, Chu Molin wiped the sweat from Qin Xue¡¯s forehead, his heart ached for her.

    ¡°Ah¡±, Qin Xue wanted to reassure her husband that she was alright, but she screamed in pain before she could finish her words.

    ¡°Congratulations, congratulations, it¡¯s another son.¡± Li Rong cut the umbilical cord while holding the baby.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t they daughters?¡± Chu Molin sounded disappointed upon hearing they were both boys.

    ¡°Huh, you are quite funny. Some people can¡¯t even have sons, and you¡¯re disappointed?¡± Li Rong was helpless. ¡°Are all fathers like Chu Molin?¡±

    She had never seen a man who preferred daughters over sons. If all men in the world thought like Chu Molin, then there wouldn¡¯t be so many children drowned or abandoned for being girls.

    ¡°I just like daughters.¡± Upon hearing that both were boys, Chu Molin didn¡¯t even glance at his sons. He just held his wife¡¯s hand, heart aching as he thought about how his sons dared to trouble his girl so much. He¡¯d show them!

    Qin Xue looked at her husband¡¯s disappointed face and felt speechless. She had thought he was joking when he mentioned his preference for daughters, but it seemed he really did prefer daughters over sons.

    ¡°Chu Molin, go and see your sons.¡± Qin Xue released his hand and gently pushed him.

    ¡°What¡¯s so great about seeing two boys.¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t budge. He continued to quietly gaze at his wife, wiping her sweat.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare be too much, Chu Molin. If you don¡¯t look, when I¡¯m discharged, I¡¯ll take them back to H Province. You can live here by yourself.¡± Qin Xue was so amused that she could barely suppress her laughter.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, don¡¯t be upset. Won¡¯t it do if I look?¡± Chu Molin panicked when he heard her threat. He could neglect his sons, but he certainly couldn¡¯t neglect his wife.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, why are they so ugly?¡± Chu Molin stared at the wrinkled, red-skinned children in sight and asked his wife. They looked like monkeys.

    ¡°Chu Molin, are you trying to piss me off?¡± Qin Xue looked at him, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

    ¡°Your children are beautiful, okay? If you saw other people¡¯s children, you wouldn¡¯t be saying this.

    Mr. Chu, you¡¯re being too obvious in your dislike. Be careful, or the two children might not recognize you in the future.¡± said Li Rong, looking at this handsome man and beautiful woman. With such great genes, how could their children be anything but beautiful?

    ¡°They wouldn¡¯t dare.¡± As Chu Molin watched the nurse holding his children, all he could think about was if his wife would still accept him.

    ¡°Chu Molin, who knew you had such a strong preference?¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t understand why this man disliked sons so much. Did he think only daughters belonged to him and not sons?

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, don¡¯t talk anymore. Rest well.¡± He brushed away the damp hair from his wife¡¯s forehead and whispered.

    ¡°Fine, Chu Molin, you are not allowed to dislike them, or I¡¯ll get angry with you.¡± Having stated her words, Qin Xue closed her eyes in exhaustion. She fell asleep in a while, not knowing when and how she was brought back to her room.

    ¡°Brother-in-law, you should eat something first.¡± Qin Jiale handed Chu Molin an egg he brought.

    ¡°Where did you get this egg from?¡± Chu Molin asked, looking at the egg in front of him.

 Chapter 525

    Qin Jiale gave all the eggs to his brother-in-law and then said, ¡°My sister asked me to cook them, saying that she might need them tonight. But after having the noodles, she didn¡¯t eat a single egg.¡±

    ¡°Did your sister eat something before she came?¡± Chu Molin turned to look at his sleeping wife.

    ¡°Yeah, you don¡¯t know what my sister did¡­¡± Qin Jiale told Chu Molin all about how Qin Xue arranged her food and hospitalization.

    ¡°Your sister is very strong.¡± Chu Molin put the eggs on the table and pulled his wife¡¯s hand to his face, feeling it.

    ¡°Mmm, I didn¡¯t know my sister could be so strong.¡± Qin Jiale felt like she had never really known her sister.

    Her sister now was so different from her sister before, but she really liked her sister now.

    ¡°It¡¯s because I couldn¡¯t be there for her, so she had to learn to be strong.¡± Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue, his eyes full of love and care for her.

    ¡°Brother-in-law, go eat something and drink some water first. I¡¯ll watch my sister. Otherwise, when she finds out you¡¯re not eating, she¡¯ll be mad.¡± Qin Jiale saw that her brother-in-law hadn¡¯t eaten the eggs on the table, so she tried to persuade him in Qin Xue¡¯s name.

    Chu Molin didn¡¯t say anything and didn¡¯t move away. He just silently let go of Qin Xue¡¯s hand and picked up the eggs on the table to eat.

    ¡°Brother-in-law, here¡¯s some water for you.¡± Qin Jiale saw that he didn¡¯t want to leave, so she went and got him a cup of water herself.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Chu Molin took the water, but didn¡¯t drink it. He just thanked his sister-in-law.

    ¡°You go rest on the bed over there. I¡¯ll watch your sister.¡± Chu Molin looked at the accompanying bed next to him and told Qin Jiale. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that it was late and unsafe for her as a girl, he would have sent her home to rest.

    Accompanying his wife was enough for him; there was no need for both of them to stay.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Qin Jiale didn¡¯t refuse. It was probably what her sister would want, having her husband by her side.

    Qin Jiale was tense enough today. Now that she relaxed, she felt sleepy. Her eyes closed and she quickly fell into a dream.

    Chu Molin¡¯s eyes were only filled with his wife.

    Chu Molin watched Qin Xue sleep sweetly. After making sure her temperature was normal, he simply held her hand and slept by her side.

    When Qin Xue woke up, she felt her hand being pressed. As she tried to pull it out, she thought of something and turned to look. Sure enough, it was Chu Molin holding her hand.

    Qin Xue looked at the exhaustion on his face and stroked his eyebrows with her heart aching. How long had it been since he¡¯d rested?

    This foolish man must have come to the hospital as soon as he saw her note when he returned.

    Fortunately, she had foresight. She didn¡¯t know when she might give birth, and would be held up in the hospital for a long time. She left a note, fearing he would worry when he came back.

    Qin Xue was now glad she had done so. If he came back and couldn¡¯t find her, who knows how anxious he would be?

    ¡°Mmm, Xue¡¯er.¡± Chu Molin caught the hand that was messing with his face and opened his eyes.

    ¡°Did I wake you up?¡± Qin Xue smiled sheepishly.

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t sleep well.¡± Chu Molin took Qin Xue¡¯s hand, kissed it, and said.

    ¡°Did you rush over to the hospital as soon as you got home?¡± Qin Xue looked at his camouflage outfit, which was still covered in mud.

    ¡°Yeah, I didn¡¯t see you when I got home. I was worried, so I looked at your note and came over.¡± Chu Molin¡¯s heart almost jumped out when he saw the note.

    ¡°Were you scared? Does this hurt?¡± Qin Xue looked at the scratches on his hand that had broken the skin.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt.¡± Chu Molin smiled.

    ¡°Nonsense, how can it not hurt when the skin is broken?¡± Qin Xue looked at this silly man with tears in her eyes.

    ¡°Silly girl, what¡¯s this pain compared to yours?¡± Chu Molin stroked her head. This silly woman.

 Chapter 526

    Qin Xue smiled awkwardly, as she didn¡¯t know what she had grabbed onto when she was in pain, she just felt that having something in her hand helped ease the pain.

    ¡°Good girl, go back to sleep for a while,¡± Chu Molin patted her hair and said soothingly.

    ¡°Okay, you should rest too,¡± Qin Xue said, pulling his hand under her cheek.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Chu Molin lay down on the bed, facing Qin Xue. The couple glanced at each other and smiled before closing their eyes to rest.

    When Qin Xue woke up again, it was the sound of the children crying that woke her.

    ¡°Chu Molin, bring the children to me,¡± Qin Xue sat up and leaned against the head of the bed.

    ¡°Sis, these two really seem to be in sync; one cries, and both cry,¡± Qin Jiale was almost crying too.

    ¡°Lele, give me the children. They must be hungry,¡± Qin Xue thought they hadn¡¯t had any milk since they were born.

    She wouldn¡¯t give up on giving them colostrum, which was the most nutritious.

    Qin Jiale held her nephew stiffly, afraid of hurting him with too much force.

    Chu Molin wasn¡¯t much better; he held the baby more poorly than Qin Jiale did.

    Seeing Qin Jiale hand over the baby, he slowly went over with the baby in his hands, but didn¡¯t give it to his wife.

    Qin Xue turned on her side to nurse one baby before accepting the other one from him.

    ¡°Which one is the elder and which one is the younger?¡± Qin Xue looked at the identical babies, unable to tell them apart.

    ¡°You¡¯re holding the elder one now, and the one in my hand is the younger one,¡± Chu Molin said, able to tell the difference between the two children at a glance.

    ¡°I think they look exactly the same. How do you tell them apart?¡± Qin Xue asked Chu Molin curiously.

    ¡°Look here,¡± Chu Molin pulled down the baby¡¯s clothes slightly.

    ¡°Wow, they both have it, and they¡¯re identical, just in different locations! Chu Molin, don¡¯t you think they¡¯re the same?¡± Qin Xue asked in surprise.

    ¡°Yes, they¡¯re the same. They are very similar to the one on your body. But your petal has one more petal than theirs,¡± Chu Molin was amazed when he first saw it. How could someone have a flower birthmark on their body? But since his wife had it and now their two sons had it, he didn¡¯t say anything.

    ¡°Wow, it truly is! It¡¯s identical to mine!¡± Qin Jiale exclaimed.

    ¡°Lele, you have it too?¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t have her original body¡¯s memory, so she didn¡¯t know someone in the family had it too.

    ¡°Yes, even my brother has it. It¡¯s just that his is like theirs and in the same location, while mine and yours are slightly different in location.

    Sis, all of us, except for Dad, even Mom, have it. Didn¡¯t you know?

    When we were little, you even said that if anyone in our family got lost, they could be found by this flower birthmark. Those were your words. You couldn¡¯t have forgotten this, could you?¡± Qin Jiale looked at the birthmark on her nephew, touching it with her hand.

    She was so absorbed in playing with her nephew that she didn¡¯t notice the strange look on Qin Xue¡¯s face.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Chu Molin noticed her odd expression.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing,¡± she couldn¡¯t say she had seen this mark on someone else before, could she?

    Could that person be related to their family? Or, more accurately, to her maternal grandmother?

    According to Qin Jiale, her father didn¡¯t have this mark, but her mother, Nangong Shulan, did. The three siblings had it, and now her two children had it too. But Qin Xue knew Chu Molin didn¡¯t have it. That other person also had this mark.

    So, it could be inferred that it was because of Nangong Shulan. There must be some connection between them.

    Everyone in their family had this mark, and except for the location, they all looked the same. Qin Xue¡¯s was unique because she was reborn. The extra petal in her mark was her blood.

 Chapter 527

    Qin Xue couldn¡¯t understand it; perhaps next time she sees her mother, Nangong Shulan, she could ask her about it.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s talk about other things later, I have to feed the baby first.¡± Qin Xue turned her body and started to breastfeed the child. Since it was just the beginning and she had been eating, there was very little milk.

    Qin Xue mainly wanted the baby to have the colostrum and clear the milk ducts so that milk would be produced.

    ¡°Chu Molin, take some money and buy a chicken to make a soup to increase milk production.¡± Qin Xue thought that if her milk didn¡¯t come in and she couldn¡¯t buy formula, it would be very difficult to raise two children.

    ¡°Alright, how should I cook it?¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t know about confinement meals.

    ¡°Clean and chop the chicken, then rinse and crush the ginger. Saute the ginger in oil and add the chicken pieces until they change color. Add water and simmer for twenty minutes. Add white wine and simmer for another ten minutes. Remember, don¡¯t add salt or seasoning.¡± Qin Xue almost forgot to tell Chu Molin about this.

    This confinement meal was a dish from a certain place in the Southern Region. Qin Xue¡¯s classmate had made it before, and its main function was to promote blood circulation and replenish qi.

    At that time, her classmate cooked it due to menstrual issues, and Qin Xue had tried it too.

    Now that she had given birth and had lochia, eating this could help clear the lochia, which was good.

    ¡°Alright, I got it. Is it okay for your little sister to stay here alone?¡± Chu Molin asked with concern as he looked at Qin Xue.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ve had a good rest and can help take care of the children.¡± Qin Xue checked the babies and found no abnormalities, so they didn¡¯t need to be separated from their mother. As long as there were no problems, newborns didn¡¯t need to be kept in an incubator.

    Thus, Qin Xue could help take care of the children without worrying. Moreover, shortly after they started crying from hunger, the babies fell asleep once they drank some milk. So far, the two children seemed easy to manage, but she didn¡¯t know how things would be later on.

    ¡°By the way, Chu Molin, you need to send a telegram to our families to announce that I¡¯ve given birth.¡± Qin Xue almost forgot to share the happy news with the family.

    ¡°Alright, rest then. I¡¯ll go back and prepare your meal.¡± Chu Molin thought this sounded simple to cook, but he still didn¡¯t know how to make it properly. He would buy the ingredients and try, but if things didn¡¯t work out, he¡¯d ask Fang Hong for help.

    If Fang Hong was at home, he would ask her to teach him how to make a confinement meal, and she probably wouldn¡¯t refuse.

    After Chu Molin left, Qin Xue got up to use the bathroom. As she walked, she felt some pain. Most women experience tearing during childbirth, but she considered her situation pretty good, as she was able to deliver twins without undergoing a cesarean section.

    Natural childbirth allowed for a faster recovery than a cesarean section, and it was better for the baby as well. So although Qin Xue had experienced some tearing, she should recover quickly.

    ¡°Lele, I can watch them here, you go and have breakfast in the cafeteria.¡± Qin Xue looked at her sister. She didn¡¯t know when Chu Molin would finish cooking and come back, so it was better to let her sister eat something first.

    ¡°Sister, are you sure you can manage alone?¡± Qin Jiale looked at her sister with concern.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, go ahead. If you¡¯re still worried, eat quickly and come back soon.¡± Qin Xue said it very casually and simply.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be back quickly.¡± Qin Jiale was still worried about her sister, especially since she had just given birth.

    ¡°Go on, I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Qin Xue looked at her sister helplessly. Why did they all treat her like a disabled person?

    Qin Jiale¡¯s trip to the cafeteria was indeed fast. She bought a bun and a bowl of porridge, finished them quickly, and hurried back to the ward.

    ¡°Lele, did you really eat?¡± Qin Xue looked at her sister, who had only been away for a short time.

    ¡°I ate.¡± Qin Jiale poured a glass of water for her sister.

    Qin Xue took a sip of the water and thought, okay, her sister was just worried about her, she should be glad.

    However, wouldn¡¯t eating like that hurt her sister¡¯s stomach? She hoped that her sister wouldn¡¯t do this again.

 Chapter 528

    Chu Molin went to the market and bought a chicken, dozens of eggs, a large bag of brown sugar and dates, and finally a little goji berries.

    Chu Molin looked at these things and hooked the corner of his mouth. His wife had worked so hard to give birth to the children. He should prepare some nourishment for her.

    ¡°Eh, Chu Molin, where are you coming back from?¡± Xie Jun saw Chu Molin returning from outside with several items in his hands when he reached the first floor on his way to work.

    ¡°Mr. Xie, didn¡¯t my wife give birth last night? I went to buy a chicken to make a soup for her.¡± Chu Molin smiled when he saw Xie Jun asking.

    ¡°Ah, Qin Xue gave birth? Congratulations, is it a boy or a girl?¡± Xie Jun had a son and hoped his wife would give birth to a daughter this time.

    ¡°Two boys.¡± Chu Molin was extremely disappointed as he yearned for a daughter.

    ¡°You¡¯re quite something! You got two sons at once, and you¡¯re still not satisfied?¡± Xie Jun patted him on the shoulder.

    ¡°Mr. Xie, what¡¯s so good about sons? I want a daughter, not sons.¡± Chu Molin couldn¡¯t understand why both the children weren¡¯t daughters. Even one daughter would have been fine, but they were both sons.

    ¡°You¡¯re just complaining. Some people can¡¯t even get one.¡± Xie Jun punched him, thinking that Chu Molin must be showing off.

    But Chu Molin was feeling bitter inside. He could spoil a daughter and take care of her, but sons would compete with him for his wife¡¯s attention.

    In the future, he would have to compete with his sons for his wife¡¯s attention, which would only bring more loss to him. How could he be happy about that?

    If Qin Xue knew about Chu Molin¡¯s thoughts, she would definitely kick him. A grown man feeling jealous of two children, how shameful!

    ¡°Mr. Xie, I don¡¯t care what others think, but I just want a daughter, imagine holding her soft, tender body, how delightful.¡± Chu Molin¡¯s face softened at the thought of a daughter.

    ¡°Yeah, I want a daughter too.¡± Upon hearing Chu Molin¡¯s words, Xie Jun wanted a daughter even more.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say sons are better? I hope your wife has another son for you.¡± After saying this, Chu Molin went upstairs, not wanting to be cornered by Xie Jun.

    ¡°Chu Molin, what kind of person are you? Just because your wife didn¡¯t give birth to a daughter, you won¡¯t let my wife give birth to one?¡± Xie Jun was infuriated by Chu Molin¡¯s words.

    ¡°By the way, Mr. Xie, I¡¯d like to take two days off to take care of my wife at the hospital. Please don¡¯t call me unless it¡¯s urgent.¡± Chu Molin had never taken a day off in all his years of working.

    Now that his special training was over, and there were no urgent matters that required him, he should be able to take a leave.

    ¡°Alright, I approve. Take good care of your wife and your two children.¡± Xie Jun knew that Qin Xue had no one to look after her, so it wouldn¡¯t be right if Chu Molin didn¡¯t care for her.

    However, Xie Jun genuinely thought Chu Molin¡¯s luck was incredible. He had fathered two sons in one go, making numerous families envious of his good fortune.

    ¡°Mr. Chu is buying so many blood-nourishing ingredients.¡± Fang Hong was about to go to work when she saw Chu Molin and thought that he was truly a good husband who cared for his wife.

    ¡°Yeah, are you going to work, Hong?¡± Chu Molin asked upon seeing Fang Hong¡¯s attire.

    ¡°Yes, why?¡± Fang Hong asked, puzzled.

    ¡°Do you know where Qin Yu is in the city?¡± Chu Molin knew that Qin Xue had made arrangements for her younger brother, but he hadn¡¯t had a chance to ask about the details.

    ¡°I know, do you have something for him? Do you want me to tell him to come back here tonight?¡± Fang Hong asked.

    ¡°No need, just tell him that his sister gave birth to two boys, so he should send a telegram back home to inform his parents.¡± Qin Xue had initially asked him to go, but he couldn¡¯t leave since he had to prepare food for her.

 Chapter 529

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll tell him. Congratulations to both of you! Can you cook this?¡± Fang Hong nodded in agreement and then asked, pointing at the things he was carrying.

    ¡°Qin Xue has told me how to make it.¡± Chu Molin saw Fang Hong leaving and didn¡¯t ask her for advice. Besides, it wouldn¡¯t look good for him, a grown man, to be alone with a married woman. So he said that Qin Xue had taught him already.

    ¡°Great, I¡¯ll head to work then. You should go in and cook for Qin Xue.¡± Fang Hong smiled and said.

    ¡°Alright, take care, sister-in-law.¡± Chu Molin opened the door, went inside, washed his hands, and started cooking the soup for his wife.

    Chu Molin tasted the food he had made with a spoon. Not bad, although tasteless, it had a good flavor and was at least edible.

    Chu Molin poured some white wine from the cupboard into the pot to thicken the stew and started eating. This way, the soup would be ready by the time he finished eating.

    After Chu Molin finished eating, he filled a thermos with soup and chicken and put rice into two separate containers, one for each sister.

    When Chu Molin arrived at the hospital, he saw Qin Xue changing the baby¡¯s diaper, but her sister was not around.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, let me change it. Tell me how to do it?¡± Chu Molin put the food on the table and walked over to his wife.

    ¡°Watch closely. First, use a wet wipe to clean the baby¡¯s bottom to prevent urine and feces from making the skin turn red.

    Then fold the diaper like this, insert it, and fasten it with the pants.¡± Qin Xue instructed Chu Molin step by step while explaining.

    ¡°Our older child needs a change too. You change him.¡± Qin Xue said to Chu Molin after finishing changing the younger one.

    ¡°Alright, you put the baby down and eat first, or it¡¯ll get cold later.¡± Chu Molin took a diaper and imitated Qin Xue¡¯s earlier actions.

    When watching Qin Xue, it looked simple, but when he tried it himself, he became stiff and clumsy, not as agile as he thought.

    Moreover, the child was too small. Chu Molin looked at his big hands and the child¡¯s tiny body, comparing the two. The child was so small, almost the same width as his palm. He was afraid of accidentally hurting the baby.

    Qin Xue noticed that Chu Molin¡¯s movements were awkward, but his approach was correct.

    She felt that this man¡¯s learning ability was very strong. She was pretty sure this was the first time he had done such things. But just by watching her, he could do it quite well, which was truly amazing.

    Qin Xue poured a bowl of chicken soup with the thermos lid, tasted it, and found it tasty. Although not as delicious as her classmate¡¯s, it was still quite good.

    After drinking a large lid full of soup, Qin Xue began eating her rice.

    ¡°Chu Molin, have you eaten?¡± Qin Xue asked him before putting the rice into her mouth.

    ¡°I ate at home. You go ahead and eat. There¡¯s also a portion for your younger sister.¡± Chu Molin hadn¡¯t seen Qin Jiale yet.

    ¡°Oh, she just got peed on by the baby, so I told her to change her clothes.¡± Indeed, because of her inexperience with children, she got peed on.

    Chu Molin didn¡¯t say anything and focused on completing the task at hand.

    Chu Molin looked at his handiwork and smiled with satisfaction.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, is this okay?¡± Chu Molin carefully placed the child on the bed and asked his wife.

    ¡°Yes, it looks great.¡± Qin Xue looked at the properly swaddled child. Although it took longer than usual, as long as the result was good, it was fine.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, eat more meat to replenish yourself.¡± Chu Molin couldn¡¯t help but wish he could bring all the good things in the world to Qin Xue whenever he thought about her condition from last night.

    ¡°Alright, you eat one too.¡± Qin Xue used another pair of chopsticks to pick up a piece of chicken and fed it to Chu Molin.

    ¡°Ah, open your mouth.¡± Qin Xue held the chopsticks and looked at Chu Molin as she spoke.

 Chapter 530

    It turned out that Chu Molin hadn¡¯t opened his mouth to accept the meat. He just stared at Qin Xue.

    ¡°Stop staring. Open your mouth and eat the meat,¡± Qin Xue was exasperated. She hadn¡¯t even used her own chopsticks to pick it up.

    Chu Molin didn¡¯t know what Qin Xue was thinking. In any case, he didn¡¯t open his mouth.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t want it, never mind.¡± Qin Xue, seeing that he wasn¡¯t eating, fed the meat into her own mouth instead.

    ¡°You should eat more, or the food for our two little ones will be scarce.¡± Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue¡¯s full chest and said.

    ¡°Whether or not I have milk isn¡¯t up to me.¡± Although Qin Xue was a doctor and knew some methods to stimulate milk production, she had never tried them.

    ¡°So you need to eat more and take care of your health.¡± Chu Molin looked at his somewhat childish wife and said with a smile.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t starve our two sons.¡± No matter what, Qin Xue still had space to help her, and it shouldn¡¯t be too bad with the support from space.

    ¡°Is that what I meant? I care about your health.¡± Chu Molin reached out and playfully scraped her nose.

    ¡°Uh, sis¡­brother-in-law¡­¡± Qin Jiale entered the room and saw this intimate scene, exclaiming awkwardly.

    ¡°Lele, come and eat. The food is still hot,¡± Qin Xue pointed to the lunchbox nearby.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Qin Jiale opened the lunchbox and ate. The taste wasn¡¯t as good as her cooking, but it was nice that her brother-in-law was willing to cook.

    ¡°Little sister, after you finish eating, you can go home. Just come by to bring food for your sister during meal times. I took two days off from my team, so I¡¯ll be here to take care of her,¡± Chu Molin said as he laid their older son on the bed and talked to his sister-in-law.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Qin Jiale had no objections. Although her brother-in-law was a man, he and her sister were husband and wife, so it was easier to discuss and solve any issues.

    After Qin Jiale finished eating, she tidied up the dishes and left, only coming back to deliver meals to her sister.

    ¡°Chu Molin, have you thought of any names for our children?¡± Qin Xue realized that they had never talked about the names of their children before.

    ¡°How about Chu Mengze and Chu Nanchun? ¡®As dawn breaks on a new day, the scenery of a thousand forests is covered in fresh snow, and wisps of cloud dream to greet the southern spring.''¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t expect his sons to be as ethereal and noble as the description in the poem, but he hoped they could learn from their spirit.

    ¡°Mengze and Nanchun, those sound nice. Should we give them nicknames?¡± Qin Xue raised a question.

    ¡°You can give them nicknames.¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t interfere with his wife¡¯s decision.

    ¡°How do Yu Chen and Yu Ze sound? Those just fit the scene described in the poem you mentioned,¡± Qin Xue pondered for a moment and said.

    ¡°Alright, as long as you like them,¡± Chu Molin said with a smile as he sat beside Qin Xue.

    ¡°Then it¡¯s settled. Their formal names will be Chu Mengze and Chu Nanchun, and their nicknames will be Yu Ze and Yu Chen. From now on, our oldest son will be known as Yu Ze,¡± Qin Xue looked at their two sons sleeping beside her.

    Qin Xue felt some regret. Her thinking was the same as Chu Molin¡¯s, as they both wanted daughters. She even thought that she might have two daughters or at least one of them would be a girl.

    However, she gave birth to two boys. But even if they were boys, they were still flesh and blood from her body.

    Besides, didn¡¯t the two little ones tell her on that night that the children in her belly were sons? She just thought it was a dream, so she didn¡¯t care about it.

    No matter what, being able to give birth to them safely was already a great fortune. Qin Xue was very grateful to the heavens. In her past life, most women carrying twins had caesarean sections, but Qin Xue was able to give birth naturally without leaving a hideous scar on her stomach, so how could she not be grateful to the heavens?

    ¡°Alright, as long as you¡¯ve decided,¡± Chu Molin took his wife¡¯s hand, kissed it a few times, and even playfully bit it with his teeth.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, we won¡¯t have any more children in the future,¡± Chu Molin had been frightened by Qin Xue¡¯s ordeal and didn¡¯t want her to suffer like that again.

    ¡°Ok,¡± Qin Xue agreed without hesitation.

 Chapter 531

    Qin Xue thought that in the future, even if you want to have a child, there would be no way to have one. As a worker, you can only have one child, and birth control is about to be implemented. She had heard how strict it would be when the time came.

    Although she had never been married and had children, she lived under this policy. In her previous life, the two-child policy was relaxed because aging in Hua Country was too serious.

    If new blood was not added, it would be eliminated or suppressed by other countries.

    ¡°In the future, our family of four will live happily together.¡± Chu Molin looked at his wife and the tender child with a heart full of emotion and excitement. From now on, he wouldn¡¯t be alone. He would have his wife and child to accompany him, and he would no longer be lonely.

    ¡°Yes, from now on, Mom and the three of us will be with you wherever you are,¡± Qin Xue said with a smile, looking at her husband. How could she not understand his heart?

    After getting used to being on his own, their sudden intrusion broke his tranquility. Now that Molin was used to being accompanied, he was afraid of being alone again. This showed that deep down, he was indeed lonely.

    ¡°With you guys in this life, I am content.¡± Chu Molin held his wife¡¯s face and kissed her lips.

    ¡°Um, this is a hospital,¡± Qin Xue said, pushing him away.

    ¡°No one will come.¡± After saying this, he kissed her again. Just now, it was really just a peck, but now it was a real kiss.

    Chu Molin had been thinking about this kiss for over a month. His heart was filled with thoughts of her sweetness.

    Now that he was back, and his wife had given birth, his heart could finally be at ease. With no outsiders around, why would Chu Molin let go of this perfect opportunity? He would seize the chance to express his longing.

    After arriving in the city, Fang Hong went straight to find Qin Yu.

    ¡°Is anyone there?¡± Fang Hong asked, looking at the open door but not seeing anyone.

    Qin Yu came out of the room after hearing the shout.

    ¡°Mrs. Xie, are you looking for me?¡± Qin Yu asked in surprise. He only knew Fang Hong but was not very familiar with her.

    ¡°Yeah, I have something to tell you. Your sister gave birth to twin boys. Your brother-in-law asked you to send a telegram to your parents and share the good news,¡± Fang Hong said everything in one breath.

    ¡°Really? Did my sister really give birth? Which hospital is she in?¡± Qin Yu¡¯s handsome face was filled with happiness, and it seemed like he was about to jump up in joy.

    ¡°She¡¯s in People¡¯s Hospital. I met your brother-in-law when I came to work this morning. He had to take care of your sister, so he didn¡¯t have time to tell you and let me pass the message.

    Since there¡¯s no one here now, you can close the door and send the telegram first to make your parents happy,¡± Fang Hong suggested, seeing that no one would come so early.

    ¡°Alright, thank you for coming here to deliver the message. Have you had breakfast? Let me treat you to breakfast,¡± Qin Yu said. He hadn¡¯t had much to do, so he opened his shop early. Now that he had something to do, he would open his shop later.

    ¡°No need, I¡¯ve already had breakfast before coming here,¡± Fang Hong said, as she now ate at home before coming to work.

    ¡°Then, alright, I¡¯ll go get ready to share the good news with my family. Thanks, sister-in-law,¡± Qin Yu said with a more polished manner, which he had acquired after recent experiences with more people.

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome, you go and get busy. I have to go to work too,¡± Fang Hong smiled and left.

    ¡°Great, my sister had a baby, and I¡¯m an uncle now!¡± Qin Yu clenched his fists and jumped up in excitement.

    Fang Hong, who hadn¡¯t gone far, heard the commotion behind her and shook her head with a smile. He¡¯s still a child, she thought.

    Qin Yu quickly closed the shop and went to the post office to send a telegram home with the good news.

    ¡°Hey, Hong, why did you come from that direction? Don¡¯t you have to work today?¡± Fang Xiu just came out of the kitchen, preparing to open her shop for business.

 Chapter 532

    Fang Hong looked at Fang Xiu and laughed, ¡°Didn¡¯t Qin Xue just have a baby? She asked me to come over and share the news with you and everyone at home. Are you cooking or doing business?¡±

    ¡°Just finished cooking, now we¡¯re open for business.¡± Fang Hong replied with a smile.

    ¡°You said Qin Xue gave birth. A boy or a girl?¡± Fang Xiu was relieved after expecting for so long.

    ¡°Two boys, isn¡¯t that lucky? Hahaha.¡± Fang Hong laughed after finishing her sentence. Having sons is not something people would disapprove of. She was genuinely happy for Qin Xue.

    ¡°Really! Fantastic! No way, I have to add an extra dish to celebrate. Have you eaten? If not, join us.¡± Fang Xiu was heartsick for Qin Xue. She had to add a dish to express her excited feelings.

    ¡°No, I just ate before coming here. And honestly, I wouldn¡¯t be able to eat anything now either.¡± Fang Hong had been suffering from severe morning sickness lately, vomiting out everything she ate. This has made Mr. Xie very worried, but besides worrying, there was nothing he could do. The word of his wife was law, he had to obey.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? It¡¯s only been a little while since we last met, and you¡¯ve lost so much weight? Is work too exhausting?¡± Fang Xiu questioned, looking at Fang Hong¡¯s somewhat pale face.

    ¡°No, not at all, it¡¯s just that I don¡¯t have an appetite, which resulted in this.¡± Fang Hong felt this pregnancy was harder than the first one. However, being busy with work made her feel more fulfilled than before.

    ¡°No appetite? Losing weight? Hong sister, is it turning out as you wished?¡± After muttering for a while, Fang Xiu suddenly asked with excitement.

    ¡°Yes, I am two months pregnant.¡± Fang Hong gently rubbed her barely noticeable bump and smiled tenderly.

    ¡°Congratulations! All news today has been good news. I need to celebrate more. Come in, let me cook a dish for you. You¡¯ll definitely love it.¡± Fang Xiu pulled Fang Hong into the house. Jing Xin had already returned to her unit, so only Jingtao was in the house.

    ¡°Taotao, say hello to auntie.¡± Fang Hong also liked Jingtao very much.

    ¡°Auntie.¡± Jingtao¡¯s pronunciation was much clearer now, but he still couldn¡¯t articulate long sentences.

    ¡°How considerate! Hasn¡¯t Mr. Jing come back yet?¡± After asking, Fang Hong felt she asked a silly question.

    Even if Jing Xin came back at night, he still had to return to the unit for training early in the morning.

    ¡°No, it was too tiring for him to travel back and forth, so I told him to move into the dormitory there.¡± Fang Xiu shook her head.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you apply to live in the family house as well?¡± Fang Hong thought that if Fang Xiu also moved to the unit, it would be convenient for their future gatherings.

    ¡°Jing Xin has mentioned this issue before, but I heard that family housing is in high demand now, we don¡¯t know if we can get one.¡± Fang Xiu was accustomed to living here with her son. But Jing Xin was not happy, wondering why he had to suffer alone when he has a wife and child.

    So he applied for housing, although they haven¡¯t received any confirmation just yet.

    ¡°Is that so? Don¡¯t worry, I heard that Mr. Jing is very meritorious, he should have the priority for housing accommodation.¡± Fang Hong also learnt about Jing Xin¡¯s contributions from Mr. Xie.

    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m indifferent about it. I think it¡¯s nice for my son and me to live here.¡± Fang Xiu found comfort in the small but cozy place, which had offered her warmth when she was helpless.

    ¡°The issue is not about what you care or not, you should consider Mr. Jing. He already works so hard at Bao Country. Now he also has to worry about you and your son. If given a choice, he would certainly prefer to have his family around, don¡¯t you agree?¡± Fang Hong expressed her feelings earnestly to Fang Xiu.

    ¡°I understand, Hong sister. If he can successfully apply for a house, I will move there with him. How¡¯s that?¡± Fang Xiu agreed. She didn¡¯t insist on living separately. If possible, she would also prefer to reunite with her family.

 Chapter 533

    Fang Xiu thought that if it were for her son¡¯s sake, she would also choose to keep the family together.

    ¡°That¡¯s good, now that Jing Xin is back home, do you still want a second child?¡± Fang Hong had heard some rumors, and if they didn¡¯t have a child now, they wouldn¡¯t be able to have one later.

    ¡°Let nature take its course,¡± Fang Xiu was not particularly attached to this idea.

    ¡°If you want to have one, you¡¯d better hurry up,¡± Fang Hong casually mentioned, after all, she had been thinking about this issue for more than ten years.

    Fang Xiu¡¯s situation was different from hers, so whether they wanted a second child was up to them.

    ¡°Hmm.¡± Fang Xiu¡¯s tone was indifferent, and she was not enthusiastic about the topic.

    Now, she just wanted to raise her son well. She really didn¡¯t think too much about anything else.

    ¡°Alright, I was just mentioning it. In the end, it¡¯s up to you guys to decide,¡± Fang Hong smiled.

    ¡°Sister Hong, the meal is ready. Let¡¯s eat.¡± Fang Xiu put a plate of spicy and sour radish slices in front of Fang Hong, along with a plate of sour pepper and cucumber mix.

    ¡°It smells really good.¡± Fang Hong¡¯s mouth watered as soon as she saw the food, and she wanted to eat it immediately.

    ¡°Try some.¡± Fang Xiu handed her a set of chopsticks and a bowl, inviting her to eat.

    ¡°Mmm, it¡¯s delicious and crunchy.¡± Fang Hong hadn¡¯t known before that radish could be used as a side dish. She had always eaten it by making soup or stir-frying it.

    ¡°If you like it, eat more.¡± Fang Xiu cooled a small bowl of porridge for her son and gave him a small spoon to eat by himself.

    ¡°Can he eat well on his own?¡± Fang Hong looked at Fang Xiu¡¯s method and asked.

    ¡°He can¡¯t eat well, but I just put a small amount for him. I¡¯m just training him. When I finish eating, I¡¯ll feed him more,¡± Fang Xiu looked at her son who stared at her eagerly. How could such a small child eat well on their own? She just wanted him to develop a habit of eating by himself.

    ¡°That makes sense; the child is young, so teach him slowly.¡± Fang Hong agreed with Fang Xiu¡¯s approach, as it¡¯s better not to spoil the child too much.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t Yu Xiu come today?¡± Fang Hong asked casually since she hadn¡¯t seen her at this time.

    ¡°Hmm, she¡¯s taking a day off today.¡± Fang Xiu and Yu Xiu had two days off a month, and they took turns taking time off.

    ¡°That¡¯s good; she can spend more time with her children at home.¡± Fang Hong nodded her head. Her son had been staying at home since his holidays started, and he didn¡¯t have anyone to play with, always staying at home. His father even wanted him to get out and wander around instead of staying at home all day.

    Yu Xiu¡¯s two children were too young and needed their parents¡¯ company.

    In the hospital, Chu Molin watched his wife drink chicken wine, and the faint smell of alcohol lingered in the ward, stimulating his nerves.

    ¡°You eat that one that hasn¡¯t been touched,¡± Qin Xue glanced at Chu Molin and pointed to the chicken wine on one side, indicating him to eat it.

    ¡°I won¡¯t eat it; you should eat more to nourish your body. These two kids have really made you suffer,¡± Chu Molin said, looking at his son.

    ¡°What are you talking about? It¡¯s not suffering; it¡¯s what I wanted,¡± Qin Xue was speechless. No mother would dislike their own child.

    ¡°Mhm, I know.¡± Of course, Chu Molin knew his wife wanted the child, or she wouldn¡¯t have given birth to him.

    No matter what, after carrying the baby for ten months and giving birth, her body was weakened. She needed to eat and recover her strength.

    Besides, how could he as a man compete with a maternal grandmother for food? If he did, what kind of person would he be?

 Chapter 534

    After sending the telegram, Qin Yu went to the market because he needed to buy some gifts for his sister and nephew that afternoon.

    Qin Yu bought brown sugar, dates, wolfberries, and dozens of eggs. These were the kinds of gifts that people would give each other when a baby was born in their hometown, so he bought these for his sister now.

    After purchasing these items, Qin Yu went back to his shop to open for business, planning to close up early in the afternoon to visit his sister.

    ¡°Qin Yu, where did you go so early in the morning?¡± Guo Aiguo asked with a smile when he saw Qin Yu.

    ¡°I sent a telegram to my family and bought some things on the way. What brings you here so early, Uncle Guo? Do you have any business with me, or are you looking to buy some wine?¡± Qin Yu asked, shaking the items in his hand with a smile.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to buy wine. You don¡¯t know how much my friends enjoyed the wine I bought from you for our gathering at my house.

    They drank so much that they wouldn¡¯t let go even when they were lying down. In the end, they took away all the wine I had bought.

    So now, I¡¯m here to buy a few more bottles to keep at home.¡± Guo Aiguo never expected the wine from Qin Yu¡¯s shop to be so good. After drinking it, people felt more energetic and their complexion improved, just as Qin Yu had described.

    Since it was such a good product, Guo Aiguo was, of course, going to stock up on it since wine doesn¡¯t spoil.

    ¡°Hehe, come on in, Uncle Guo. I didn¡¯t lie to you, did I?¡± Qin Yu didn¡¯t know exactly which medicinal herbs his sister had put into the wine.

    He only had a rough idea and hadn¡¯t memorized it all. It seemed that he would have to ask his sister for more information after she was discharged from the hospital. Only then could he sell the wine more effectively.

    ¡°No, no, how could anyone Qin Xue brings in deceive me? I just didn¡¯t expect the effect to be so good, haha.¡± There was one particular aspect that Guo Aiguo was most satisfied with.

    Sometimes, when he was intimate with his wife, he would feel a little powerless.

    But after drinking the wine that day, he had no such issues during his intimate time with his wife that night. Therefore, he really, really liked Qin Yu¡¯s wine. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t share this private matter.

    All that mattered was that this drink was beneficial to him, and it made sense for him to stock up on it. This way, his sex life would improve.

    ¡°Uncle Guo, what kind of wine with a specific function do you need?¡± Qin Yu asked Guo Aiguo after putting away the things in his room.

    ¡°Can I have some of each kind?¡± Guo Aiguo asked cautiously.

    ¡°You can, but you shouldn¡¯t mix the wines when you drink them.

    Many of them are brewed with medicinal liquor formulas. As you know, some medicines can be toxic when mixed together.

    I suggest you don¡¯t buy too many types at once. You can buy more in quantity but fewer in variety, it still serves the same purpose,¡± Qin Yu said after some contemplation.

    ¡°Alright then, get me the beautifying, blood-enriching, and kidney-nourishing wines¡­¡± Guo Aiguo quickly listed several types of wines with specific functions.

    Qin Yu carefully packaged each of them and even attached clear instructions, making it very convenient for people to know their uses at a glance.

    ¡°Uncle Guo, remember, drink in moderation because the aftereffect is strong.¡± Qin Yu reminded with a smile.

    ¡°Thank you, Qin Yu. Here¡¯s the money for the wine. Come and visit when you have time,¡± Guo Aiguo invited Qin Yu.

    ¡°Hehe, we¡¯ll see about that,¡± Qin Yu didn¡¯t make a commitment directly. He wasn¡¯t close to Guo Aiguo, so it wouldn¡¯t be proper for him to casually visit his home.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll let you get back to work. I¡¯ll be going now.¡± Guo Aiguo left with the wine, feeling very satisfied.

    After that, more and more people came to buy wine. Some had tried it and wanted to buy it as a gift, while others were referred by their friends. Although there weren¡¯t many customers, the amount of wine sold wasn¡¯t small at all.

 Chapter 535

    Of course, there were also people who came to Qin Yu¡¯s store to buy wine and found it expensive, so they just left after looking around.

    But Qin Yu remembered what his sister had told him, to clearly display the prices. No matter how much the customers purchased, the price should be consistent, but they could accumulate points to redeem gifts later.

    At the time, Qin Yu had asked his sister why this was necessary.

    What did his sister say then? Ah, he remembered. His sister had said, ¡°Once you set a price, it¡¯s not easy to adjust.

    If you sell at a low price, not only will it be a loss, but more importantly, people will question the quality of your products, assuming they are cheap because they are not good. This way, people will not trust the quality of your goods.

    Even if some people try your product and find it good, and become repeat customers, you still cannot raise the price, or else you will push them away.

    So sometimes, when you set a higher price in business, it¡¯s not that you won¡¯t make any business, but it reflects your taste and style, making people feel that your products are really good, which is why they are expensive.

    People will flock towards something high-end, because it¡¯s human nature to be competitive. And our job is to capture this competitive mindset to sell our products.¡±

    Qin Yu remembered that his sister looked very serious when she told him this.

    So, he took his sister¡¯s advice to heart.

    He unconditionally believed that what his sister said was right.

    When Nangong Shulan, from Qin Village, received her son¡¯s telegram, she was thrilled and rushed home.

    ¡°Husband, Xiao Yu has given birth, and she has had a pair of twin boys!¡± When Nangong Shulan arrived home, she excitedly called out to her husband.

    ¡°Really? That¡¯s great.¡± Qin Lei was overjoyed when he heard, and he began to laugh.

    ¡°It¡¯s in Xiao Yu¡¯s telegram. My husband, I want to go take care of Xiao Yu during her confinement period.¡± Nangong Shulan had said before that she would take care of her daughter during her confinement period after she gave birth.

    ¡°Sure, when do you want to go?¡± Qin Lei didn¡¯t object to his wife¡¯s plan but agreed with her instead.

    ¡°I was thinking of going tomorrow; what do you think?¡± Nangong Shulan looked at her husband, waiting for his answer.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll go let my parents know and ask them to come over and help look after our home. I¡¯ll take you there.¡± Qin Lei did not feel comfortable with his wife going to such a distant place alone.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that too much trouble? I can go alone.¡± Nangong Shulan looked at her husband, who doted on her like a child, and spoke softly.

    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble. I¡¯ll take you there, and I¡¯ll get to see Xiao Yu, too. It¡¯s been a long time since I last saw her. I¡¯ll also have the chance to see our grandkids.¡± Qin Lei put aside his work, stood up, dusting himself, and smiled at his wife.

    ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll start packing now.¡± Nangong Shulan thought her husband had a good point; she couldn¡¯t keep going to see their child while not allowing her husband to go.

    ¡°Okay, you pack, and I¡¯ll go talk to my parents, asking them to help look after the house for a few days.¡± Qin Lei thought since his older brother and sister-in-law were also available, their parents could come and help him look after their home without any problem.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Nangong Shulan had no objections. They had chickens and ducks at home, so they couldn¡¯t leave without someone watching them.

    Nangong Shulan went into their room to pack, and Qin Lei went to his older brother¡¯s house to ask for their parents¡¯ help.

    ¡°Older brother.¡± As soon as Qin Lei entered, he saw his older brother weaving a basket in the courtyard and called out to him.

    ¡°Lei is here. What brings you here at this time?¡± Qin Chaoyang looked at his younger brother and asked.

    ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s something I need to discuss.¡± Qin Lei found a stool and sat down in front of his brother.

    ¡°Lei, just say it. Anything I can do to help, I will.¡± Qin Chaoyang put down his work, not knowing what his brother was about to say.

    ¡°Actually, I just wanted to ask you to let our parents come over and look after my house for a few days.¡± Qin Lei slowly revealed his intention.

 Chapter 536

    ¡°Are you guys planning to go out?¡± Qin Chaoyang thought that this was the only possibility.

    ¡°We need to make a long trip. You see, Qin Xue just gave birth, and there¡¯s no one to take care of her during her confinement period. Shulan will go take care of her, but I¡¯m not at ease with Shulan going alone, so I¡¯ll send Shulan to Qin Xue¡¯s place and check on the kids along the way.

    As you know, there are things like chickens and ducks at home, so we can¡¯t have no one look after the house. That¡¯s why I came over to ask if Mom and Dad could stay at our place for a few days. What do you think?¡± Qin Lei¡¯s relationship with his elder brother had always been decent.

    Since they were the only siblings in the family, their relationship was quite good; at least there were no quarrels or fights like in other families, and they lived in peace.

    ¡°Ah, I thought it was something serious. There¡¯s no reason not to. Wait a moment, I¡¯ll call Mom and Dad out.¡± Qin Chaoyang originally thought something bad had happened, but it turned out to be good news.

    ¡°Thank you, big brother.¡± Qin Lei thanked his brother. Although their parents were also his, their parents lived with his elder brother, so he had to ask for his elder brother¡¯s approval to ask their parents for help to look after the house.

    Otherwise, a good thing might turn into a bad one, and that wouldn¡¯t be good.

    ¡°What¡¯s there to thank? We brothers don¡¯t need to be so polite.¡± Qin Chaoyang looked at his polite brother and didn¡¯t understand why they, who once had such a good relationship, now felt somewhat distant from each other.

    ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t mention it.¡± Qin Lei nodded.

    ¡°Wait here, I¡¯ll go call Mom and Dad out.¡± Qin Chaoyang went into the house, and it wasn¡¯t long before he came back out with his parents following behind.

    ¡°Mom, Dad.¡± Seeing his parents come out, Qin Lei stood up and greeted them.

    ¡°Your big brother told me about it; it¡¯s a happy event. Don¡¯t worry, we can take care of the house for you.¡± Mrs. Qin kindly looked at her younger son.

    ¡°Thank you, Mom and Dad. I appreciate your help.¡± Qin Lei looked at his mother, who had agreed to help without him even asking, her hair already turning gray.

    ¡°Why are you still being polite with your mother? When are you leaving?¡± Mrs. Qin asked so she could arrange for her and her husband to go there.

    ¡°We have to leave early tomorrow morning.¡± Qin Lei needed to catch a train.

    ¡°Alright, your father and I will come over early tomorrow morning.¡± Mrs. Qin thought for a moment and said.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine if it¡¯s a little later. We can take the keys when we leave.¡± Qin Lei¡¯s house was on the way when they left, so it wouldn¡¯t take up much time.

    ¡°That works too.¡± Mrs. Qin thought that was fine, as she and her husband could just go over and feed the chickens and ducks after breakfast.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go back now and see if there¡¯s anything I need to bring for Qin Xue.¡± Qin Lei bade farewell to his parents and elder brother before heading home.

    ¡°Husband, you¡¯re back.¡± Nangong Shulan heard the noise and came out to check.

    ¡°I¡¯m back. Is there anything valuable or blood-nourishing at home that we can bring for Qin Xue?¡± Qin Lei wondered if they had anything valuable at home, or anything that could nourish blood?

    ¡°No.¡± Nangong Shulan thought of what she could bring to her daughter, but they had already taken everything that could be brought during the previous two trips.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine. The journey is long and it¡¯s not convenient to bring too many things. We can buy anything she needs when we get there.¡± Qin Lei thought it was fine not to bring anything, since traveling by train was really inconvenient.

    It wasn¡¯t that Qin Lei had traveled many times and taken the train a lot, but rather that he had heard others talking about it, so he took it to heart after listening.

 Chapter 537

    Qin Jiale cooked a meal and brought it to the hospital for her sister and brother-in-law.

    ¡°Sis, brother-in-law, let¡¯s eat.¡± Qin Jiale put the food on the table. She gave her sister some leftover chicken and liquor rice from lunch, and her brother-in-law some green pepper stir-fried pork and Chinese cabbage.

    ¡°Lele, have you eaten yet?¡± Qin Xue asked, looking at her sister preparing the meal.

    ¡°Sis, I already ate at home before bringing the food here.¡± Qin Jiale had eaten while waiting for the chicken soup.

    ¡°That¡¯s good. Don¡¯t starve yourself.¡± Qin Xue then picked up her bowl and started eating.

    ¡°Baby, I¡¯m your little aunt.¡± Qin Jiale teased the older child.

    However, the child was too young to respond to her and didn¡¯t even react at all.

    ¡°Sis, have you given names to the two kids yet?¡± Qin Jiale asked, looking at her wrinkly-skinned nephews.

    ¡°Yes, the older one is Chu Mengze, his nickname is Yu Ze.

    The younger one is Chu Nanchun, his nickname is Yu Chen.¡± Qin Xue replied while eating and answering her sister¡¯s question.

    ¡°Yu Ze and Yu Chen are quite nice names ¨C they fit the occasion and sound good.¡± Qin Jiale looked at her nephews with a smile.

    ¡°I think these names are well chosen too. Otherwise, picking names like Doggy or Ironic would be really off-putting.¡± Qin Xue couldn¡¯t accept such names for her children no matter how hard she tried.

    So her children would just have casual names, which were still better than those strange ones.

    ¡°Haha, sis, if we were in our hometown, they might really have gotten those kinds of names.¡± Qin Jiale found it amusing.

    However, she couldn¡¯t let her nephews have names that could be found everywhere.

    Now their names suited her taste, otherwise, she would have given the children more pleasant sounding names.

    ¡°If these two kids really ended up with those names, I wouldn¡¯t be able to say them out loud.¡± Qin Xue shuddered at the thought. Chilling and terrifying, right?

    ¡°Sis, don¡¯t worry. Even if you wanted to, mom wouldn¡¯t have let you choose those names.¡± Qin Jiale knew her mother was a well-educated woman and wouldn¡¯t have chosen such vulgar names.

    Otherwise, the names of the three sisters and brothers wouldn¡¯t sound so nice.

    After the couple finished eating, Qin Jiale quickly cleaned up the dishes and returned to the military compound. It would be too late otherwise, and they would be worried about her walking on the road alone as a girl.

    As soon as Qin Jiale left, her younger brother Qin Yu arrived with some things.

    ¡°Sis, brother-in-law.¡± Qin Yu put the stuff he brought on the table.

    ¡°Why did you bring things when visiting your own sister?¡± Qin Xue looked at the things on the table, feeling that her brother bought too much.

    ¡°It¡¯s for you to replenish your body.¡± Qin Yu teased the children.

    Well, she had nothing to say ¨C who could blame her for needing to replenish her body now?

    ¡°How¡¯s the business?¡± Qin Xue leaned against the head of the bed, and Chu Molin put a pillow behind her back.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, people who bought once are coming back for a second purchase.¡± Qin Yu didn¡¯t even look up as he answered his sister¡¯s question, his eyes fixed only on his two adorable nephews.

    ¡°Which type of medicinal effects sells the most?¡± Qin Xue watched her brother play happily with her sons who were, in fact, mostly just sleeping since they were newborns, and wondered how they could have so much fun.

    Qin Yu told his sister about the situation after hearing her question.

    ¡°Fortunately, the medicinal wines I made didn¡¯t have any contradicting effects. Otherwise, if they bought and drank them like this, it would be a disaster.¡± Qin Xue commented after hearing her brother¡¯s answer.

    Luckily, she had thought of this in advance and didn¡¯t include potentially conflicting herbs when making the medicine. Otherwise, if the customers mixed different types of medicines and drank them together, it could be dangerous.

    ¡°Yes, I told them so, but they wouldn¡¯t listen. They said some were for gifts, not for their own consumption, so I sold them.¡± Qin Yu wasn¡¯t sure if what he did was right or not?

 Chapter 538

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the medicine I made won¡¯t counteract each other, but will greatly nourish their bodies. I¡¯m just afraid they might not be able to handle the invigoration,¡± replied Qin Xue, seemingly not worried about this issue.

    If they were buying kidney-enhancing or aphrodisiac wine, then their wives would be pretty lucky.

    However, Qin Xue surely couldn¡¯t say that in front of these two grown men.

    ¡°That¡¯s good. Sis, I sent the telegram. Mom and Dad should have received it by now.¡± Qin Yu mentioned it to them so they wouldn¡¯t forget.

    ¡°Alright, I got it. Have you eaten yet?¡± Qin Xue and Chu Molin had already dined.

    ¡°No, I rushed over as soon as I locked the door, didn¡¯t have time to grab a bite,¡± Qin Yu touched his bald head. He kept this haircut for convenience when training, but he liked it so much that he kept it even after the training ended.

    ¡°Then go home and eat, your sister is at home,¡± Chu Molin advised his chuckling brother-in-law. How could he be so absent-minded?

    Chu Molin didn¡¯t realize that whenever they were together, they were all acting a bit silly around Qin Xue.

    ¡°That works, I can stay at the guesthouse tonight,¡± Qin Yu currently had no ride back to town and would have to stay at the guesthouse.

    ¡°Alright, go back.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t object to Qin Yu staying at the guesthouse because she wasn¡¯t used to sharing her bed with others, not even her brother Qin Yu.

    Last time, she moved in with Nangong Shulan solely because she resembled her mother from a previous life, and since Qin Xue lacked a mother¡¯s love, she agreed to share the bed with Nangong Shulan.

    But Qin Yu was not her mother, so Qin Xue got uncomfortable.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m off. My sweeties, Uncle will come visit you another day.¡± Qin Yu gently poked the children¡¯s faces with his index finger.

    ¡°Molin, that¡¯s a normal expression of affection for children! With your icy face, it¡¯s good enough if you don¡¯t scare the kids,¡± Qin Xue teased her husband once Qin Yu had left.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine as long as I don¡¯t scare you,¡± Chu Molin wondered if his son could really be so timid.

    ¡°And what if I get scared?¡± Qin Xue, bored to death, wanted to tease her husband.

    ¡°What do you want to do about it?¡± Chu Molin stared at his wife¡¯s mischievous gaze, very calm.

    ¡°Cold salad,¡± Qin Xue pouted at her husband¡¯s lack of reaction. So boring.

    ¡°After the cold salad is prepared, will you eat it?¡± Chu Molin asked Qin Xue seriously.

    ¡°Nope. Didn¡¯t you know that I can¡¯t eat cold food now?¡± Qin Xue flipped her hair, refusing to be manipulated by his words.

    ¡°Hmm, weren¡¯t you the one who first mentioned the cold salad? And now you won¡¯t eat it?¡± Chu Molin gently asked, leaning his head on her shoulder.

    ¡°Haha, because you don¡¯t taste good,¡± Qin Xue turned her head slightly and laughed, looking at the man at her neck.

    She used her hand to push his head away, trying to make him stand up.

    Chu Molin disregarded her, his hand wrapped around her waist and pressed her into his arms. She dared to say he didn¡¯t taste good! Without a little punishment, she wouldn¡¯t know what could or couldn¡¯t be said. Only this woman would dare to yell at him like this.

    Chu Molin directly grabbed Qin Xue¡¯s hand and bit it slightly, leaving a clear teeth mark on her fair skin.

    Qin Xue used her hand to pry off the one wrapped around her waist, he was holding her too tightly.

    But the harder she tried, the tighter his grip became. This man was obviously doing it on purpose.

    Knowing that she wasn¡¯t as strong as him, he still acted like this. He must be toying with her.

 Chapter 539

    Chu Molin was deliberately teasing Qin Xue. He didn¡¯t know when it started, but he found that teasing his wife was quite an interesting thing to do, and at least it made him feel happy.

    Qin Xue gave up trying to resist and simply let herself go limp in his arms, like a person without bones, letting him hold her. Since he wasn¡¯t afraid of people bumping into them and gossiping, there was nothing for her to fear as a modern woman who had seen all kinds of embraces and kisses on the streets in her previous life. As long as she had thick skin, she would be invincible.

    Chu Molin raised his eyebrows and tightened his arms around the woman in his embrace, thinking about adjusting her to a more comfortable position. Was she compromising now? Did she mean she wouldn¡¯t argue with him anymore?

    Well, as long as he got to hold his soft and fragrant wife, that was all that mattered.

    Qin Xue comfortably leaned against Chu Molin, her thoughts drifting away as she unconsciously moved her hand.

    Chu Molin stiffened, feeling like he had brought this upon himself. Did this damn woman know what she was doing?

    Chu Molin lowered his head to see the woman in his arms deep in thought, her serious expression clearly telling him that she had no idea what she was doing.

    Seeing the small hand wreaking havoc on his chest, Chu Molin decisively used his hand to stop her.

    What was she thinking about, that she was so absorbed in it?

    At that moment, Qin Xue wasn¡¯t thinking about anything in particular. She was considering the future trends and developments.

    Chu Molin would soon be going to the Imperial Capital for military school. Would it be possible for her to bring her child with her?

    After all, as the center of Hua Country, the Imperial Capital¡¯s development was undoubtedly different and growing by the day. In the near future, the Imperial Capital would develop rapidly. She could take advantage of its current state to develop her own business.

    Without mentioning anything else, as long as she could buy a few courtyard houses in the Imperial Capital, she would eventually be a wealthy woman once it developed.

    Qin Xue thought about how much money she could get her hands on and realized she was really quite poor.

    ¡°Master, you¡¯re not poor. You have so many treasures. You would be rich just by selling one of them,¡± Xue Ling, who was in the middle of a breakthrough, couldn¡¯t help but remind her after feeling Qin Xue¡¯s thoughts.

    Did her master even know how abnormal her existence was?

    Just her homemade peach blossom wine alone could fetch a large sum of money for a small jug, right?

    And she had planted so many spiritual medicines, which were all top-grade. Even selling just one of them would fetch a high price. Could she even imagine how much money she would have if she sold all of them?

    Xue Ling suddenly felt that Qin Xue was wasting her resources, like owning a gold toilet but not using it.

    ¡°Are those things really valuable?¡± Qin Xue heard Xue Ling¡¯s voice in her head.

    ¡°Of course, that¡¯s spiritual medicine we¡¯re talking about. It¡¯s not something ordinary, and no one else in this world can get their hands on it apart from you. How could it not be valuable?¡± Xue Ling really wanted to pry open her master¡¯s head to see what it looked like inside, as she couldn¡¯t even think of the simplest things.

    ¡°So you mean that ordinary things become spiritual objects after being nurtured in the space?¡± Qin Xue asked in surprise.

    ¡°No.¡± Xue Ling thought that things weren¡¯t that easy.

    Xue Ling was at a loss for words. The spiritual medicines were brought in by Qin Xue and turned into spiritual medicines after being nurtured and transformed in the space. Whereas spiritual objects had to be originally present in the space, having undergone countless years of existence.

    Weren¡¯t they two completely different concepts?

    ¡°Then aren¡¯t you just talking nonsense?¡± Qin Xue thought that if she were in the space right now, she would definitely be unable to resist giving her a slap, constantly teasing her with nonsense.

 Chapter 540

    Xue Ling felt very wronged after hearing this, so it was her fault that she didn¡¯t understand it herself?

    ¡°Master, do you really understand their differences?¡± Xue Ling roared to Qin Xue.

    ¡°Uh, what could be the difference? Aren¡¯t they all the same?¡± Qin Xue¡¯s indifferent tone almost made Xue Ling spit blood.

    Can she return such a stupid master? Why did she feel that this master was sometimes so smart and terrifying, but sometimes so stupid?

    ¡°The difference is that one is altered in its internal structure or under the influence of time after going through space.

    The other is an inherent part of the space itself, growing up with the space, and forming after a long time of precipitation. Is there a difference between them?¡± Xue Ling shouted angrily, almost dying of anger.

    ¡°Pff, don¡¯t be angry, Xue Ling. Isn¡¯t it because I don¡¯t know? If I don¡¯t understand something, just tell me.¡± Qin Xue really wanted to see what Xue Ling looked like right now.

    She thought it must be adorable ¨C imagining how cute an angry spiritual pet would look.

    ¡°Master is a fool.¡± Xue Ling angrily cursed.

    ¡°Oh, getting bold now, huh? Dare to call me a fool!¡± Qin Xue thought she must have angered Xue Ling quite a bit, daring to scold her like that.

    ¡°Hmph.¡± Xue Ling didn¡¯t want to pay attention to this foolish master anymore.

    ¡°Alright, don¡¯t be angry anymore. I just don¡¯t understand these somewhat fantastical things, can¡¯t you forgive me this once?

    How about this, once my confinement period is over, I¡¯ll make you some delicious food, okay?¡± Qin Xue thought that she still needed to coax this proud little thing, and she couldn¡¯t offend her. Qin Xue was still waiting for Xue Ling to help her take care of the child.

    ¡°I want braised fish, grilled spiritual mouse, and crayfish.¡± Xue Ling heard about the benefits and immediately started ordering dishes.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll make them for you after my confinement period is over. Are you not angry now?¡± Qin Xue asked with a smile.

    For foodies, nothing can¡¯t be solved by a meal; if one meal doesn¡¯t work, then two meals, and if two meals doesn¡¯t work, then three meals, until it¡¯s resolved.

    ¡°Okay, Master, I can soon refine and take form. Can you take me out of the space then?¡± Xue Ling thought that she wouldn¡¯t have to be confined in the space for much longer.

    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about that later, I need to think of a good reason before I can take you out.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t immediately agree to Xue Ling¡¯s request.

    Even if Xue Ling refines herself and takes form, she can¡¯t just take her out without a proper explanation. Where would she say she got such a big child from?

    So, she still needed to think of a foolproof reason before she could simply agree to take her out.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Xue Ling knew the dangers of the human world, especially the unpredictability of human hearts.

    Although she was an immortal spirit, she had been sealed for so long that she was no longer the same immortal spirit. She could only refine and enhance her abilities again.

    ¡°Alright, then hurry up and refine yourself, so you can take form and help me with the baby.¡± Qin Xue left the thought behind and withdrew her mind.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Qin Xue looked at the handsome face close to hers and was startled, her heart beating rapidly as she patted her chest, fearing what would happen next.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I be asking you what you¡¯re thinking? You¡¯re smiling like a silly person all by yourself.¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t know what funny thing his wife was thinking about.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t thinking about anything.¡± Qin Xue shook her head.

    ¡°Then shouldn¡¯t you remove your claws?¡± Chu Molin looked at the claw kneading his chest, and his deep muffled voice vibrated Qin Xue¡¯s eardrums.

    ¡°Uh, haha, sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to do that.¡± Only when Qin Xue heard Chu Molin¡¯s words and followed his gaze did she realize what she had done.

    Woo woo, her dignity! She actually played with Chu Molin¡¯s chest without realizing it until her master reminded her. No one had ever lost face like she had, all the way to grandma¡¯s house.

 Chapter 541

    Qin Xue felt so embarrassed that she sat on the bed and buried her face in the blanket.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, be careful not to suffocate yourself,¡± Chu Molin said with a smile, looking at his wife.

    ¡°Mind your own business,¡± Qin Xue huffed.

    ¡°Come on out, don¡¯t really suffocate yourself. Do you even know what you¡¯re doing, it¡¯s so hot in here,¡± Chu Molin really wanted to smack her on the butt.

    ¡°Chu Molin, can you just not talk?¡± Qin Xue¡¯s muffled voice came from under the blanket.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Chu Molin was now trying hard to restrain himself, afraid that if he laughed out loud, he would annoy his wife.

    ¡°Wah wah wah.¡± Suddenly, a loud cry rang out through the whole room.

    ¡°Wah wah wah.¡± Another cry immediately followed, two loud sounds making both adults rigid with shock. These cries were so frightening, as if their lives depended on it.

    ¡°Chu Molin.¡± Qin Xue¡¯s stiff head turned to look at Chu Molin, almost in tears.

    She could handle major surgery, but not crying children.

    After seeing that Qin Xue had come out and sat down, Chu Molin walked over, picked up their elder son Yu Ze, and felt his butt. Okay, his diaper was wet.

    He put Yu Ze down on the bed, picked up their younger son, and touched his butt. It was dry, it seemed. The younger one must have been awakened by Yu Ze¡¯s crying, and the sorrowful crying was likely due to hunger.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, you feed this little guy first. I¡¯ll change the other one¡¯s diaper.¡± Chu Molin handed the younger son to Qin Xue and took a diaper to change Yu Ze¡¯s.

    After changing diapers a few times, Chu Molin¡¯s movements were much more proficient, and he quickly changed his son¡¯s diaper. When he looked up, his son was staring at him with wide eyes and giving him a little smile.

    His heart melted into a mess. It was only at this moment that Chu Molin¡¯s heart swelled with a sense of pride as a father. This was his son, his bloodline, his continuation.

    In fact, newborn children could not really smile at people. According to the elders, it was Guanyin who was giving them flowers and making them laugh.

    In some places, it is said that they were competing for flowers, winning and laughing, and losing and crying.

    Anyway, the customs and habits of different places differed.

    But Chu Molin didn¡¯t know that. He didn¡¯t understand the ways of this, so he thought his son was smiling happily at him. It has to be said that this misunderstanding was quite inexplicable.

    Chu Molin was holding his elder son and smiling contentedly.

    After Qin Xue fed the younger son and was about to ask Chu Molin if he had finished changing the diapers, she saw her husband holding their son with a tender smile on his face. It seemed that this man had finally found the feeling of being a father.

    In order not to disturb her husband¡¯s mood, she held her younger son, changed his diaper, and came back to see his gentle face that didn¡¯t look like him at all. She didn¡¯t expect that this man would also have such a side.

    It turned out she was right. Chu Molin was indeed a good father.

    ¡°Yu Chen, it looks like your daddy is not an ice-cold person after all. He is warm-hearted.¡± After placing her younger son in a comfortable position, Qin Xue leaned there, looking at the father and son, her face full of tenderness. It felt so wonderful for the whole family to be together.

    ¡°What are you laughing at?¡± Chu Molin felt his wife¡¯s gaze and looked up to ask.

    ¡°Nothing, just give Yu Ze to me to feed him.¡± Qin Xue looked at her son in his arms.

    How could this little guy be so well-behaved in his father¡¯s arms? He just looked at his father without making a fuss, with his eyes blinking repeatedly.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Chu Molin passed his elder son to his wife.

    ¡°Yu Ze, Mama will feed you now. Finish eating and then you can play with Daddy.¡± Qin Xue smiled and spoke to her son.

    ¡°Chu Molin, next time you change diapers, remember to wash his butt with water before changing, or it will turn into a diaper rash which could be painful. Children have tender skin, so don¡¯t ruin it.¡± Qin Xue hadn¡¯t noticed earlier whether Chu Molin washed or not, and when she thought about it, she just reminded him again.

    ¡°I already did,¡± Chu Molin remembered his wife¡¯s words, so he didn¡¯t forget.

 Chapter 542

    Qin Xue was surprised and looked at her husband, she hadn¡¯t noticed her husband¡¯s actions at all. Had she gone too far in what she said just now?

    ¡°I thought you forgot.¡± Qin Xue looked at her husband awkwardly.

    ¡°I remember everything you¡¯ve said.¡± How could Chu Molin possibly forget his wife¡¯s words?

    ¡°That¡¯s amazing.¡± Qin Xue looked at Chu Molin in shock.

    ¡°Mhmm.¡± Chu Molin felt a sense of admiration from his wife.

    ¡°Wow, my husband is so incredible.¡± Qin Xue looked at Chu Molin with stars in her eyes.

    ¡°Hehe.¡± Chu Molin chuckled as he looked at his wife¡¯s expression.

    ¡°Uh.¡± Qin Xue suddenly blushed.

    ¡°Hahaha.¡± Chu Molin burst into genuine laughter.

    ¡°Chu Molin, you look so good when you laugh.¡± Qin Xue looked at the man who was laughing heartily.

    ¡°You look good too.¡± Chu Molin looked at his wife with smiling eyes.

    ¡°With both of our excellent genes, these two boys are going to charm so many girls in the future.¡± Qin Xue touched her elder son¡¯s head and smiled proudly at her husband.

    ¡°You¡¯re already thinking about daughters-in-law when they¡¯re so young?¡± Chu Molin looked at his wife incredulously.

    ¡°You always nitpick me.¡± Qin Xue glared at her husband angrily.

    ¡°How can I nitpick if you don¡¯t say outrageous things?¡± Chu Molin raised an eyebrow as he looked at her.

    ¡°Fine, I should¡¯ve known better than to expect you to agree with me.¡± Qin Xue pretended to be unhappy as she looked at Chu Molin.

    Chu Molin just watched his wife¡¯s performance without interrupting her.

    Her aggrieved expression was quite convincing. If it wasn¡¯t for him watching her the whole time, he might¡¯ve actually believed it.

    Seeing that Chu Molin didn¡¯t believe her, Qin Xue gave up pretending.

    ¡°Chu Molin, look after them, I¡¯m going to rest.¡± Qin Xue hadn¡¯t rested all day, and now she wanted to sleep.

    ¡°Sure, go to sleep.¡± Chu Molin nodded. His wife should¡¯ve been resting more since she just gave birth. Now that the two children were full and wouldn¡¯t cry, it was a perfect time for her to rest.

    ¡°You watch them for a while, and if you get tired, go to bed too, alright?¡± Qin Xue reminded him worriedly, afraid that he wouldn¡¯t sleep all night to watch the kids, which would be too taxing on his body.

    ¡°I know, you sleep, don¡¯t worry about me.¡± Chu Molin was used to not sleeping for days on missions, so staying up one night wouldn¡¯t be a problem.

    ¡°No, you have to promise me you¡¯ll sleep later, or I won¡¯t sleep either.¡± Since Chu Molin was good to her, Qin Xue naturally wanted to be good to him as well.

    Chu Molin didn¡¯t say anything but stared at Qin Xue, who also stared back at him without blinking.

    Finally, Chu Molin sighed in his heart. Marrying a stubborn wife could sometimes become a mental burden just like now, as she was sure that he would compromise.

    ¡°Fine, go to sleep.¡± Chu Molin reluctantly pushed her down on the bed and covered her eyes with his hand, whispering softly.

    ¡°Keep your word, don¡¯t lie to me.¡± Qin Xue grabbed his hand and said.

    ¡°Mhmm, I won¡¯t lie to you.¡± Chu Molin held her hand in his palm.

    Qin Xue fell asleep peacefully, unaware of what would happen after she fell asleep.

    After watching her fall asleep, Chu Molin kissed her forehead, ¡°Goodnight, Xue¡¯er.¡±

    Chu Molin carried their two sons to the other side of the bed and lay down on the other half.

    Gazing at their two children, he seemed lost in his thoughts.

    Perhaps the children knew that their mother had gone through a lot of pain to give birth to them, so they were very quiet and didn¡¯t make any noise to disturb their mother¡¯s rest.

    Chu Molin was very satisfied with this. It seemed that having boys wasn¡¯t all bad, at least they were considerate of their mother even when they were so young, which was very good.

 Chapter 543

    Fang Xiu closed the shop as soon as it got dark, and after washing up, she and her son sat on the bed to play.

    ¡°Taotao, look, this is an apple,¡± Fang Xiu said, holding half an apple, ready for her son to bite into.

    ¡°Say it with mom, apple,¡± Fang Xiu taught her son slowly.

    However, Jingtao did not speak. He was quietly looking at the apple in his mother¡¯s hand.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t you want to say it?¡± Fang Xiu asked, looking at her son.

    Jingtao glanced at his mom and then at the apple, but he remained silent.

    ¡°Alright, tell mom, what¡¯s been troubling little Taotao today?¡± Fang Xiu gently asked, sitting in front of her son.

    ¡°Daddy.¡± Jingtao looked at his mother with a grievance.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Do you miss your dad?¡± Seeing the pitiful expression on her son¡¯s face, Fang Xiu felt a little bitter. She had been with him for so long, and his dad had only spent a few days with him. How come he could miss him so much after only two days of not seeing him?

    ¡°Taotao, dad can¡¯t always be with us. We have to get used to it, just like when it was only the two of us before,¡± said Fang Xiu patiently, trying to reason with her son.

    However, Jingtao was too small to understand such reasoning. All he knew was that he hadn¡¯t seen his dad for two days and that he missed him.

    ¡°Daddy,¡± Jingtao started crying outright.

    ¡°Taotao, please be good. How about we eat the apple and go sleep?¡± Fang Xiu looked at her son¡¯s tear-streaked face, feeling utterly helpless.

    ¡°Waa, Daddy.¡± No matter what Fang Xiu tried to do to coax him, Jingtao was only interested in his father.

    ¡°Jingtao, will you please behave? Your dad is in the military. I can¡¯t go fetch him now,¡± Fang Xiu was irked by Jingtao¡¯s crying.

    ¡°That damn man. I must owe you guys something,¡± Fantastic couldn¡¯t really decipher her feelings at the moment. Hearing her son¡¯s crying, Fang Xiu¡¯s tears rolled down her face.

    For a moment, the crying of the child and the suppressed voices of the adults seemed particularly abrupt in the silent night.

    Jing Xin had just arrived at the door when he heard the crying from inside the house. Scared, he wondered what had happened?

    He tried to push the door, but it was bolted from the inside. He had no idea what had happened to the mother and child.

    ¡°Xiuxiu, Xiuxiu, open the door,¡± Jing Xin knocked on the door and called his wife.

    Fang Xiu was startled by the noise outside, she didn¡¯t hear Jing Xin¡¯s voice because of her son¡¯s loud crying.

    On the other hand, Jingtao heard his father¡¯s voice.

    He was scrambling towards the side of the bed, crying out, ¡°Daddy.¡±

    ¡°Jingtao, you behave. Your dad is in the military,¡± Fang Xiu sternly reminded him.

    ¡°Xiuxiu, it¡¯s me. I¡¯m back. Open the door,¡± Jing Xin heard the scolding inside and hastily shouted out.

    This made Fang Xiu hear Jing Xin. But she didn¡¯t open the door right away.

    ¡°Jing Xin?¡± Fang Xiu asked tentatively from the door.

    ¡°Yes, Xiuxiu, I¡¯m back,¡± Jing Xin spoke more softly.

    ¡°Is it really you, Jing Xin?¡± Fang Xiu asked again, uncertain.

    ¡°Yes, Xiuxiu, didn¡¯t you remember what I told you on our wedding night? I said it was my first time, if it hurts you, I¡¯m sorry, and¡­¡± Jing Xin¡¯s words were cut off as the door swung open.

    ¡°Xiuxiu.¡± The moment Jing Xin saw his wife, he entered the room, bolted the door, and pulled his wife into a tight embrace. Her tear-streaked face, her helplessness in her eyes, all pierced his heart.

    ¡°Jing Xin, go hold your son. He¡¯s been looking for you all night, refusing to go to sleep,¡± Fang Xiu said, pushing Jing Xin towards their son, who had been seeking his father all night long.

    Upon hearing these words, Jing Xin slightly pulled away from Fang Xiu, but he didn¡¯t let go of her hand. Instead, he led her to their son¡¯s side.

    ¡°Daddy,¡± Jingtao said, looking at his father with a pitiful gaze, reaching out to hold his father¡¯s hand.

 Chapter 544

    Jing Xin looked at his son who had been crying so hard that his eyes were swollen. He hadn¡¯t seen his son cry like that ever since he returned. Why was he crying so hard tonight?

    Jing Xin placed his wife on the bed and then picked up his son.

    ¡°Taotao, tell Daddy what¡¯s wrong? Why are you crying so sadly?¡± Jing Xin gently patted his back, and then stroked it from top to bottom, giving him silent comfort.

    ¡°Daddy bad.¡± Jingtao felt like he hadn¡¯t seen his father in forever.

    Perhaps it was because he didn¡¯t have a father before, so Jingtao didn¡¯t know the significance of a father.

    However, since Jing Xin returned this time and spent more time with him while recovering from his injuries, Jingtao had become used to Jing Xin¡¯s presence and accepted the term ¡°father.¡±

    But when he got used to someone and they suddenly disappeared, whether an adult or a child, it was incredibly distressing.

    Especially for Jingtao, whose father had suddenly appeared and disappeared. It made him feel insecure.

    Children are inherently insecure, so it¡¯s natural for them to feel scared.

    So when he couldn¡¯t see his father for a few days, Jingtao missed him like crazy.

    ¡°Hmm, Daddy is bad. Daddy didn¡¯t stay with Taotao and Mommy. Sorry, son.¡± Jing Xin held his son with one hand and held his wife¡¯s hand with the other.

    He owed his wife and son so much that he could never repay them in this lifetime. All he could do was to love and cherish them more in the remaining years of his life.

    ¡°Daddy.¡± Jingtao had already been crying so much that he was exhausted. Now that he was in his father¡¯s embrace, he felt safe and could only nestle in his father¡¯s neck and fall asleep.

    ¡°Let me hold him while he sleeps. You¡¯ve had a hard day too.¡± Fang Xiu reached out to take her son.

    But Jing Xin didn¡¯t let her. Instead, he put the child down to sleep himself.

    ¡°Xiuxiu, is there water? I want to take a bath.¡± Jing Xin had run home and was sweaty and uncomfortable if he didn¡¯t wash.

    ¡°Yes, in the kitchen. I¡¯ll get it for you.¡± Fang Xiu said, wanting to go to the kitchen.

    ¡°No need, I can go myself.¡± Jing Xin put his hand on his wife¡¯s shoulder and gently pushed her back down then went to the kitchen himself.

    Fang Xiu decided to let him do it. She had been taking care of the child and the shop all day and was exhausted. So, she lay down on the outer side of the bed, with her son beside her to prevent him from falling off the bed while asleep.

    When Jing Xin came back after bathing, he saw his wife and son already asleep. He sat on the edge of the bed and looked at the dark circles under his wife¡¯s eyes, touching them lightly. How long had it been since she had a good rest?

    ¡°Xiuxiu, you¡¯ve worked so hard.¡± Jing Xin whispered softly.

    Jing Xin crawled to the inside of the bed and was about to lie down when he saw his son sleeping between him and his wife. He stretched out both hands and moved his son to the inside, then lay down between his son and wife.

    After covering his son¡¯s belly with a thin quilt, Jing Xin turned around and pulled his wife into his arms.

    Looking at his wife¡¯s peaceful sleeping face, a smile appeared at the corner of Jing Xin¡¯s mouth.

    How could Jing Xin let go of the delicacy within his reach?

    ¡­

    When Fang Xiu woke up, the man next to her was already gone.

    Fang Xiu got up, got dressed, and started making breakfast. Otherwise, once her child woke up, she wouldn¡¯t have time to cook, as it was quite busy to take care of her child and run the shop.

    However, the discomfort in her body made her purse her lips. That man was a wolf.

    Fang Xiu finished cooking the porridge and prepared some side dishes before checking if her son was awake so she could dress him.

    Sometimes, Fang Xiu felt like she was dreaming in this life, feeling a little unreal and dazed, afraid that one day she would wake up and find it had all been for nothing.

 Chapter 545

    When Qin Xue woke up, she saw Chu Molin with their two children sleeping in another hospital bed.

    Seeing them sleeping soundly, Qin Xue closed her eyes to continue sleeping. As long as Chu Molin wasn¡¯t lying to her, big or small matters, she didn¡¯t want him to deceive her, so she didn¡¯t sleep very deeply just now.

    Qin Xue was awakened again because Chu Molin called her.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, the children are hungry. Can you feed them?¡± If he wasn¡¯t afraid of frightening his wife, Chu Molin would have just directly fed the children himself.

    However, during the day, he had heard other nurses and relatives of the new mothers chatting, saying that if a woman who had just given birth was startled, her milk supply would be negatively affected. Then there would be no milk for the babies.

    Chu Molin looked at his wife who had no milk in the morning but started to produce milk after eating chicken soup for the entire day. So that¡¯s why he just woke her up to feed the children instead of doing it himself.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Qin Xue took her son and cradled him in her arms, then began to feed him.

    The child ate happily, while Qin Xue fell into a drowsy sleep.

    Chu Molin watched his wife¡¯s series of actions in astonishment, unsure how to react to her smooth movements.

    Seeing that Qin Xue was about to block their son¡¯s nose unintentionally, he quickly held their older son in one hand and used the other to move the child¡¯s head further away so he could eat milk without obstruction.

    It wasn¡¯t until their younger son had eaten enough that Chu Molin let go of his hand, wiped the sweat from his palm, and woke Qin Xue up to feed their older son.

    Qin Xue turned to the side and repeated the process to feed the other child.

    Chu Molin placed the sleeping younger son on the other hospital bed.

    He came over to watch the older son eat, afraid that the child¡¯s nose would be blocked like before. Chu Molin watched carefully as Qin Xue fed both children, feeling a bit envious of their exclusive access to his wife¡¯s attention.

    Qin Xue sleepily fed the children and, seeing that they were quiet, she turned and placed her hand to keep the child from falling before falling back asleep.

    Chu Molin watched his tired wife, covering her with a thin blanket. Then he carried their son back to the other bed to sleep.

    Qin Xue slept soundly that night, while Chu Molin woke up several times. Whenever the children made a sound, he would wake up and comfort them not to disturb Qin Xue¡¯s rest.

    It was rare to find a man like Chu Molin who cared so much for his wife.

    Qin Xue opened her eyes to see Chu Molin holding a child in each hand, comforting them.

    ¡°Chu Molin, give me one. Why didn¡¯t you call me?¡± Qin Xue looked at him sympathetically, thinking of him as a silly, loving man.

    ¡°You¡¯re tired, you were sleeping soundly.¡± Chu Molin handed the older child to his awakened wife.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you give me the younger one first this time?¡± Qin Xue laughed and asked.

    ¡°Yu Chen wet himself, Yu Ze didn¡¯t.¡± Chu Molin looked at her and answered.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll feed our Yu Ze first.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t mind Chu Molin being there and began to feed the child right away after checking that the door was closed and no one could see.

    Little Yu Ze immediately opened his mouth and started sucking as soon as he smelled the familiar scent.

    ¡°Yu Ze, eat slowly, don¡¯t choke.¡± Qin Xue patted the child¡¯s back nervously, afraid he might choke.

    After changing the diaper, Chu Molin held Yu Chen and waited.

    With one more child, even eating a meal required waiting in line. They were learning to queue up for food at such a young age; they would definitely grow up to be well-behaved and disciplined children.

    ¡°Take the older one away and give me the younger one.¡± Qin Xue put the older child back on the bed and told Chu Molin. It seemed like Qin Xue and Chu Molin had been taking turns holding and feeding the children one after the other.

    Qin Xue found it troubling to take care of both, and wondered how parents of triplets, quadruplets, and even quintuplets in later generations managed to raise their children.

    Had Qin Xue forgotten about the existence of baby formula at that moment?

 Chapter 546

    Today, Qin Jiale made crucian carp soup for her sister, as she had learned from Fang Hong yesterday that crucian carp soup was good for lactation.

    So, in order for her sister to recover and ensure her nephews have food, Qin Jiale went to the market early in the morning to buy crucian carp and make soup for her sister.

    ¡°Sis, Fang Hong said crucian carp soup is good, so I made crucian carp soup for you today.¡± Qin Jiale told her sister about today¡¯s meal as soon as she saw her.

    ¡°Thank you, Lele, you¡¯ve worked hard.¡± Qin Xue looked at her not-so-old sister, who seemed to have grown up all at once, taking care of her diet attentively.

    ¡°What are you talking about, sister? This is what I should do. Don¡¯t say such things in the future, understand?¡± Qin Jiale didn¡¯t want her sister to be so polite and distant with her.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m used to saying this. I¡¯ll pay attention in the future.¡± Qin Xue was really used to it, without realizing any difference, but people of her era wouldn¡¯t think that way.

    They might feel too polite and not warm enough, but it¡¯s very common in modern times for people in a community not to know each other, let alone know everyone on the same floor of a building.

    However, Qin Xue grew up in that era, so her actions and habits naturally developed based on that time¡¯s style and customs.

    As they say, the environment shapes a person, what kind of environment one lives in can be seen in one¡¯s daily life.

    Especially when it comes to upbringing, Qin Xue remembered once encountering a mother and son on the bus. Although the two weren¡¯t dressed very well and were despised by others on the bus, the child did not show any reaction, just holding his mother¡¯s hand and sitting quietly.

    Later, at a stop, a mother and daughter came on, both of them dressed well and fashionable.

    Since there were no extra seats on the bus at the time, the girl complained about how annoying it was that there were no available seats.

    The poor-dressed child then stood up and offered his seat, but instead of gratitude, he received disdain from the well-dressed girl.

    Qin Xue remembered it like this: ¡°Who asked you to give up your seat? You¡¯re dressed so shabbily and ragged, who knows if you have any diseases or if you¡¯ll spread infection?¡± As soon as the well-dressed girl spoke, her poor upbringing was exposed.

    But the mother of the poorly-dressed child just shook her head, smiled, patted his head, and gave him a thumbs-up to avoid further unfair treatment. Before the child had a chance to speak, she said, ¡°Kid, you did very well. You just did what you thought was right, and that¡¯s great. I¡¯m proud of you.¡±

    Then the child looked at his mother and smiled sweetly with a very confident face.

    And then the people on the bus stared at the well-dressed mother and daughter, making them too embarrassed to continue riding and got off early in shame.

    Although it was a small incident, it reflected how important a person¡¯s family upbringing is.

    Although the mother and son were not as well off as the other pair, they had decent manners, were willing to help others, and did not argue or fight when insulted.

    It¡¯s not that they were afraid, but rather they didn¡¯t want to bother. After all, if a dog bites you, are you going to bite the dog back?

    From this incident, Qin Xue deeply understood a principle: it is kindness if someone helps you, but it¡¯s also their duty if they don¡¯t.

    That is, don¡¯t squander other people¡¯s kindness towards you. Once it¡¯s gone, it¡¯s gone for good.

    This saying also applies to friendships, as some people take advantage of your kindness to demand or hurt you. But no one is a fool who willingly helps you time after time, only to be used by you, right?

    So, whether it¡¯s friendship, kinship, or love, cherish the person who is good to you. Don¡¯t trample on their feelings without care.

 Chapter 547

    After work, Qin Qiu returned to her dormitory, massaging her aching arms before heading for a shower. It had been a long night shift, and she was fairly exhausted.

    Having worked for so long, she could finally collect her first salary today. She wondered how much it would end up to be.

    When she first started learning how to make clothes, the experienced craftsmen were unwilling to teach her. It was only later that team leader Chen Xiao painstakingly taught her everything.

    Originally, both Chen Xiao and Chen Xiang were supposed to go outdoors for business, but they couldn¡¯t both leave home at the same time. One needed to stay near home to help with family affairs, and the workload in the factory was too immense to handle alone.

    So, after discussing it with each other, the siblings decided that sister Chen Xiao would continue her role as team leader in the workshop, while brother Chen Xiang would run the business in another province.

    In this way, the siblings not only took care of their home but also earned money.

    Through the siblings¡¯ joint efforts, their family¡¯s economic conditions improved, and their standard of living improved significantly.

    When Yang Xiao learned that Qin Qiu was Qin Xue¡¯s cousin, he appreciated Qin Xue¡¯s cultivation of him and his sister. Hence, he passionately taught Qin Qiu about making clothes.

    Qin Qiu was a quick learner. After ten days of instruction, she was able to slowly make clothes on her own. Now, more than a month afterward, Qin Qiu¡¯s pace was even faster than those experienced workers.

    Qin Qiu wasn¡¯t aware that Chen Xiao¡¯s dedicated teaching stemmed from Qin Xue¡¯s influence.

    Qin Qiu was determined to change herself, so she studied fiercely during her training period.

    It was only when she managed to work faster than those experienced hands that she felt her hard work had not been in vain.

    Since she was paid by piece-rate, Qin Qiu did not rest while she worked.

    As a result, after she finished work every day, her hands ached terribly.

    She knew that to alleviate the aching, she had to apply heat to the sore areas.

    After showering, Qin Qiu went straight to bed. Once she received her salary, she would ask her brother if they could start repaying Qin Xue.

    Only after coming here did Qin Qiu realize that society wasn¡¯t what she had imagined it to be.

    She thought the competition she had seen before was fierce, but she had learned more in the short span of a little over a month than the previous one-third she knew of.

    Thanks to Chen Xiao¡¯s help, she wasn¡¯t ridiculed by others. Otherwise, she didn¡¯t know what she would have become.

    Luckily, she had persevered, and other people couldn¡¯t target her as they did in the beginning.

    After contemplating all these thoughts, Qin Qiu began to rest. She had to collect her wages in the afternoon and work at night. She couldn¡¯t afford to waste any more time.

    The work Qin Yun did here was somewhat akin to doing odd jobs.

    Wherever they were short-handed, that¡¯s where he¡¯d be working.

    The advantage of such a job was that he could learn how to handle any role.

    The arrangement was specifically made by Guo Aiguo.

    The reason Guo Aiguo assigned Qin Yun rather than Qin Qiu was that Qin Qiu was restless. In contrast, Qin Yun could settle down and work diligently. Such a person, when promoted, could make something of themselves.

    So, Guo Aiguo wanted to cultivate Qin Yun. In his opinion, such an honest and low-skilled person, would probably work with gratefulness once he learned the ropes.

    What Guo Aiguo valued was precisely this mentality and character of Qin Yun¡¯s.

    He believed that Qing Xue placing the siblings in this environment must have hoped to observe and mold them. Given their common interests, Guo Aiguo was happy to help Qin Xue.

    Qin Xue was unaware that Guo Aiguo had grasped her intentions without any hints and was cooperating so well.

 Chapter 548

    Three days passed quickly and it was time for Qin Xue and her family to leave the hospital. Early in the morning, Qin Yu, his sister, and Chu Molin helped carry the children and toiletries together.

    Qin Xue wrapped herself in long sleeves, long pants, and sneakers, holding tight to her baby.

    She sat in the hospital bed, waiting for Chu Molin to handle the discharge paperwork.

    ¡°Qin Xue, do you know what to avoid during your confinement period?¡± Li Rong asked Qin Xue after she saw her outfit.

    ¡°Yes, I know. Thank you, Dr. Li.¡± Qin Xue herself was a doctor, so she understood all these matters.

    At times, Qin Xue admired foreigners because they did not observe confinement practices.

    In her previous life, when she worked at the hospital, she would often hear people talk about how strong foreign women were as they did not have to follow confinement rules. They would return to work straight after giving birth.

    Only Hua Country¡¯s women were sensitive, needing a month of confinement after childbirth.

    Foreigners did not even hold their babies much ¨C they would let the children cry it out instead. On the other hand, they would pick up and play with their kids when they were not crying. Could a Hua Country person do that? No, right?

    Thus, different rules apply to different situations and cultures. Foreigners raise independent and strong children, whereas the Hua Country produces many ¡°giant babies.¡± They often cannot cook a meal even after they are old and live away from their parents.

    In truth, practicing confinement is heavily influenced by a country¡¯s climate.

    Additionally, people have different constitutions. If someone does not follow the confinement practices properly, they can fall sick easily, especially as they grow older.

    During confinement, one¡¯s constitution is weaker than usual, and their resistance also decreases significantly.

    If they fall sick, not only will they be unable to breastfeed, but they may also catch a virus

    Light symptoms may leave lingering health issues, while severe cases might even lead to death.

    Therefore, it is crucial to practice confinement properly, for the sake of one¡¯s own health and the baby¡¯s. After all, a month will go by quickly.

    After listening, Li Rong nodded and returned to her office after packing up her things.

    It was almost half a day before Chu Molin finished the discharge procedures.

    Chu Molin carried the eldest child, Qin Yu carried the second, and Qin Jiale carried toiletries. Only Qin Xue walked with empty hands as they left the hospital in a grand march.

    When they reached the entrance of the hospital, the ambulance was already waiting there.

    They were going to travel back to the military area in the ambulance.

    Although they did not believe in superstitions, such as the myth that a maternal should not ride in other people¡¯s cars, they unanimously agreed not to ask Li Dabao to pick them up in the military vehicle.

    When they were near the military area, they saw from afar that their mother, Nangong Shulan, and Qin Lei were waiting for them.

    ¡°Dad and mom, you are here so early!¡± Qin Yu, holding Yu Chen, was the first to get off the car. He spoke as soon as he saw his parents.

    According to their speed, the parents should have appeared at the entrance of the military compound by now.

    There was only one explanation ¨C as soon as they reported their return, the parents began to prepare for their departure the next day. That was why they were able to arrive in such a short time.

    ¡°Dad and mom, you¡¯re here,¡± Chu Molin and the others got off the car and greeted the parents one after another.

    After greeting his in-laws, Chu Molin went to the guardhouse to register.

    When Qin Xue heard them call out to their parents, she joined in as well.

    When Qin Xue saw Qin Lei¡¯s face, she was astonished and covered her mouth. How could this be possible?

    It was an accident that she appeared here, and Nangong Shulan, who was just like her mother, could be considered a coincidence. But what was going on with the man who looked exactly like Uncle Lei? This couldn¡¯t be a coincidence, right?

    Uncle Lei was the man who loved her mother all his life and never married. She remembered that Uncle Lei was really good to her when she was a child. He always bought her food and toys. Even after her mother passed away, he would still visit her and give her money, although Qin Xue never took it.

 Chapter 549

    She didn¡¯t understand Uncle Lei¡¯s feelings when she was younger, and only realized them when she grew up. It¡¯s a pity that her mother chose a jerk and gave up on such an outstanding Uncle Lei.

    Speaking of the previous life, both her mother and Uncle Lei were pitiful people, unable to obtain the love they desired and wasted their entire lives.

    Could this be the reason why Uncle Lei also appeared here? Why is history different from the next life?

    In this life, Uncle Lei and her mother actually got married.

    ¡°Qin Xue, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Nangong Shulan asked, looking at the expression on Qin Xue¡¯s face.

    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m fine.¡± Qin Xue came back to her senses from the shock and answered her mother¡¯s question.

    ¡°Since you¡¯re fine, let¡¯s go upstairs, don¡¯t stand here in the wind.¡± Nangong Shulan checked Qin Xue¡¯s complexion and nodded.

    ¡°Kids, help carry the luggage!¡± Nangong Shulan instructed her husband to carry the luggage.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Qin Lei had no objection, happily coming over to help carry the luggage when his wife asked him to.

    The guards greeted Chu Molin when they saw him carrying a child: ¡°Mr. Chu.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Chu Molin held his son with one hand and responded with the other hand.

    ¡°Mr. Chu, is this your child?¡± Deng Kai came out to collect mail, saw Chu Molin holding a child, and approached to ask.

    ¡°Mhm.¡± Chu Molin hooked the corner of his mouth and responded with a single syllable.

    ¡°Can I take a look?¡± Deng Kai was curious about what his deputy director¡¯s child looked like.

    ¡°No.¡± Chu Molin flatly refused Deng Kai.

    ¡°Why not?¡± Deng Kai asked, confused. Why couldn¡¯t he take a look? It¡¯s not like he would take a chunk of flesh from the child.

    ¡°Because we are outdoors now, the child is too young to be exposed to wind.¡± Chu Molin glanced at him and said.

    ¡°I see. Well, I¡¯ll visit your home some other time.¡± Deng Kai, realizing the reason, didn¡¯t insist on seeing the child.

    ¡°I¡¯ll treat all of you to a meal someday.¡± Chu Molin thought about inviting a few good colleagues to dinner at the research institute even if he didn¡¯t have a banquet.

    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Chu.¡± Deng Kai was delighted when he heard about it. He had been craving his sister-in-law¡¯s spicy crayfish.

    ¡°When the time is decided, I will inform all of you.¡± Chu Molin looked at Deng Kai, amused by his eagerness over food, and wondered when his colleagues had become so food-driven.

    ¡°Alright, Mr. Chu, I¡¯ll get back to work now.¡± Deng Kai joyfully ran off after saying that, planning to tell Wei Shaohui and the others, so they could envy him.

    ¡°What did you say to him? Why is he so happy?¡± Qin Xue walked to her husband¡¯s side and asked.

    ¡°I said I¡¯d treat him to a meal.¡± Chu Molin looked at the big family behind him.

    This family really spoils his wife, with everyone showing up.

    As the family walked upstairs, they still caught the curiosity of others.

    Especially the group of women downstairs, each with wide eyes staring at them.

    They all stared at Qin Xue¡¯s belly, wondering when Mr. Chu¡¯s family had given birth. How come they never heard about it?

    ¡°Mr. Chu, congratulations on the new addition to your family!¡± The more eloquent woman had already started complimenting Chu Molin.

    ¡°Congratulations, congratulations.¡± One person led the way, and the others followed suit.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Chu Molin replied in a nonchalant tone and then went upstairs.

    He didn¡¯t want to waste time on this group of women who gossiped all day.

    ¡°Turns out Mr. Chu¡¯s family had twins. No wonder her belly was so big.¡± Envious voices spread through the crowd.

    ¡°So what if it¡¯s twins? What if they¡¯re both girls?¡± Zhang Cuihua ground her teeth in anger. How could Qin Xue be so lucky? Getting such a high-quality man and having two children at once! How could all the good things happen to her?

    ¡°Zhang Cuihua, watch your mouth.¡± Su Xiaoyan chided, annoyed by her words.

    ¡°Su Xiaoyan, what does my speech have to do with you? Why are you everywhere?¡± Zhang Cuihua was most annoyed by Qin Xue and Su Xiaoyan in the entire residential area.

 Chapter 550

    Every time she¡¯d say something, Su Xiaoyan would refute her. Wasn¡¯t it just to please Mr. Chu and find benefits for her husband Wei Shaohui? But that didn¡¯t mean she had to attack her at every turn.

    ¡°If you weren¡¯t constantly stirring up trouble for no reason, who would have time for you?¡± Su Xiaoyan smirked. She wasn¡¯t doing this out of boredom.

    ¡°How am I stirring up trouble when what I said is true?¡± Zhang Cuihua looked at Su Xiaoyan speechlessly.

    ¡°Did you see that Mr. Chu¡¯s two children were girls? Or did Mr. Chu and his wife tell you?¡± Su Xiaoyan looked at the group of women.

    Everyone probably didn¡¯t know that Mr. Chu¡¯s sister-in-law had already given birth. Since they only just found out, they couldn¡¯t just randomly guess.

    Although it didn¡¯t matter how they speculated or what they said among themselves. But if someone intentionally says and guides the conversation towards a negative outcome, wouldn¡¯t it be different? Don¡¯t these people know that slandering others is a crime too?

    Su Xiaoyan looked helplessly at the group of women who spent their days gossiping together. As a member of this community, she found it difficult to handle.

    If she didn¡¯t join their gossipy family, she¡¯d be ostracized. But if she did join, she couldn¡¯t get past her conscience. So every time she saw Zhang Cuihua talking about Mr. Chu¡¯s family, she couldn¡¯t help but argue with her.

    ¡°No.¡± Zhang Cuihua replied, somewhat lacking in confidence.

    ¡°If not, then what right do you have to say such things? Do you realize the consequences of your words affecting everyone in the residential building? The consequences could be severe.¡± Su Xiaoyan angrily looked at the group of women who particularly loved to spread gossip and scolded them.

    ¡°We didn¡¯t say anything.¡± A few women quickly dodged Su Xiaoyan¡¯s gaze once she looked at them, fearing to be involved in this escalating situation.

    ¡°Don¡¯t exaggerate, Su Xiaoyan,¡± Zhang Cuihua yelled, feeling guilty.

    That¡¯s because she had been warned by her husband, Sun Wenbin, not to gossip and cause trouble, especially when it came to Mr. Chu¡¯s family.

    But every time Zhang Cuihua saw Qin Xue, she couldn¡¯t help but think how such a handsome man had been snatched by her.

    Frankly, Zhang Cuihua was jealous of Qin Xue, believing herself to be prettier and more capable. Why couldn¡¯t she find a man like Chu Molin, instead of marrying a rough man like Sun Wenbin?

    Despite having an elegant name, Sun Wenbin was far from refined and was both burly and unattentive.

    Thus, every time she saw Qin Xue¡¯s happy face, she couldn¡¯t resist trying to bring her down. Why did Qin Xue alone deserve Heaven¡¯s favor, always outdoing her?

    ¡°Do you or don¡¯t you know what you¡¯ve done, Zhang Cuihua? I¡¯m only suggesting you watch what you say and don¡¯t bring trouble upon yourself.¡± Su Xiaoyan left them with that comment and headed upstairs.

    Su Xiaoyan remembered her husband, Mr. Wei, warning her not to get involved with these people. She could be friends with Qin Xue, Yu Xiu, and Fang Hong, but she was not allowed to gossip like the others.

    Although Su Xiaoyan couldn¡¯t get close to the three, she carefully remembered Mr. Wei¡¯s words. So now, she kept to herself without getting close to anyone else.

    Once Su Xiaoyan had left, the remaining women looked at each other and tacitly dispersed.

    Zhang Cuihua stared at the now-empty surroundings, gritting her teeth.

    A bunch of spineless people who only take advantage when it suits them. But she was powerless because her husband worked under their husbands. So she had no choice but to accept her fate and return home.

 Chapter 551

    After Chu Molin opened the door, the whole family was sitting on chairs.

    ¡°Mom, hold Yu Ze for a moment, I¡¯ll go make the bed for Xue¡¯er to rest.¡± Chu Molin placed his son in his mother-in-law¡¯s arms and went to the bedroom to prepare the bed for his wife to rest.

    ¡°Here, hold Yu Chen for a moment.¡± Qin Yu put Yu Chen in his father¡¯s arms when he saw his brother-in-law¡¯s actions.

    ¡°Look how energetic these two kids are!¡± Nangong Shulan looked at her two grandsons with a big smile.

    These were the first and second grandsons of their generation in the family.

    ¡°They are indeed energetic, and both children look exactly alike.¡± Qin Lei looked at the identical grandsons ¨C Qin Xue and Qin Yu didn¡¯t look alike when they were little, and if he hadn¡¯t seen the two children being born, he would have thought they were switched.

    After Molin finished making the bed, he took the changed sheets to the bathroom.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, the bed is ready, go and rest.¡± Chu Molin came out of the bathroom, stood by his wife¡¯s side and softly spoke to her.

    ¡°Okay, Mom and Dad, I¡¯ll go and rest; if you guys are tired, take a break too.¡± Qin Xue gently smiled at her husband.

    Qin Xue didn¡¯t mind her parents holding her son ¨C they were happy holding him.

    She just hoped the children wouldn¡¯t be spoiled, or she would suffer in the future.

    It¡¯s easy for babies to become accustomed to being held ¨C just a few extra cuddles and they can¡¯t be separated. If they¡¯re not held, they cry fiercely, which can drive people crazy.

    ¡°Go on, rest well and take care of yourself; I¡¯ll call you when dinner is ready.¡± Nangong Shulan looked at her eldest daughter tenderly and smiled.

    ¡°Okay, thank you, Mom.¡± Without hesitation, Qin Xue knew her task now was to rest and recuperate so she could do what she wanted.

    ¡°Mom, Dad, Xiao Yu, and Xiao Mei, I¡¯m going to work now; please take care of the children and Xue¡¯er.¡± Chu Molin only took two days off, and today he should have reported back for training. However, he worried about his wife and child, so he asked Mr. Xie for half a day off.

    ¡°Okay, go on, we¡¯re here at home; don¡¯t worry about the kids and Qin Xue ¨C we¡¯ll take good care of them.¡± Qin Lei reassured his son-in-law.

    ¡°Okay, thank you, Dad.¡± Chu Molin said before grabbing his hat and belt and leaving.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go cook.¡± Qin Jiale stood up and announced.

    ¡°Lele can cook now?¡± Nangong Shulan smiled at her youngest daughter.

    ¡°Yes, my sister taught me.¡± Qin Jiale didn¡¯t deny it ¨C of course, the taste of her food wasn¡¯t as delicious as her sister¡¯s. But her progress was very impressive.

    ¡°Our Lele is so capable.¡± Nangong Shulan gave her daughter a thumbs up.

    ¡°Mom.¡± Qin Jiale¡¯s face turned red; she was rarely praised like this by her parents.

    ¡°Hehe, you¡¯re shy now?¡± Nangong Shulan laughed as she watched her youngest daughter walk away.

    ¡°Mom and Dad, did you rush over as soon as you received the telegram I sent home?¡± Qin Yu sat next to his parents.

    ¡°Yes, we were worried that you and your sister wouldn¡¯t be able to take care of your elder sister properly.¡± Qin Lei answered his son.

    ¡°Dad, are my little sister and I so bad that you can¡¯t trust us?¡± Qin Yu was a bit helpless.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that you¡¯re bad, it¡¯s just that after all, your sister has given birth and needs proper care; otherwise, she might develop health problems later.¡± Nangong Shulan explained to her son.

    ¡°I see. Fortunately, my brother-in-law has been on leave these past two days and hasn¡¯t needed to work; otherwise, my little sister would be too busy on her own.¡± Qin Yu felt it was exhausting to take care of three people alone.

    ¡°What about you? Why are you leaving it all to your sister?¡± Qin Lei asked with a stern face.

    ¡°Dad, don¡¯t be angry; my sister opened a shop for me, and I have to look after it.¡± Qin Yu felt helpless ¨C why did sons have a lower status than daughters in their family?

    ¡°When did this happen?¡± Nangong Shulan asked her son.

    ¡°It happened recently.¡± Qin Yu told his parents the story of how Qin Xue helped him open a shop.

 Chapter 552

    ¡°Your sister is getting more and more capable.¡± Qin Lei was happy for his eldest daughter.

    ¡°Yeah, my sister is the best.¡± Qin Yu¡¯s sister complex surfaced.

    ¡°Since your sister helped you open a store, you should work hard at it. Don¡¯t let her down.¡± Nangong Shulan was surprised that Qin Xue had done so many things after going back for such a short while. Could it be that her daughter was really here to repay her kindness?

    Qin Jiale prepared the meal and brought it to her sister¡¯s room.

    ¡°Sis, wake up, it¡¯s time to eat.¡± Qin Jiale woke her sister up.

    ¡°Lele, is the food ready? I fell asleep.¡± Qin Xue rubbed her temples.

    ¡°It¡¯s ready. Let¡¯s eat first, then you can continue sleeping.¡± Qin Jiale put the food on the table for her to eat.

    ¡°Why did you bring the food into the room?¡± Qin Xue looked at the food on the table and asked, as she wasn¡¯t used to eating in her room.

    ¡°Mom said that from today on, all your meals will be in your room until your confinement is over.¡± Qin Jiale was just carrying out her mother¡¯s orders, how could she dare to disobey?

    ¡°Really? It¡¯s so stuffy eating in the room.¡± Qin Xue wailed.

    ¡°Can¡¯t help it even if it¡¯s stuffy.¡± Qin Jiale couldn¡¯t disobey her mother¡¯s orders.

    ¡°Can¡¯t I go outside to eat?¡± Qin Xue asked with hope.

    ¡°Mom said no.¡± Qin Jiale¡¯s words nailed Qin Xue¡¯s hopes down.

    ¡°Alright, then. I¡¯ll eat in the room.¡± Qin Xue got up to sit and started eating with her chopsticks.

    ¡°Where are the kids?¡± Qin Xue looked at the empty bed and asked.

    ¡°They¡¯re in the next room. Mom said not to disturb your rest, so they¡¯re sleeping in the next room.¡± Qin Jiale sat on a chair watching her sister eat.

    ¡°Have you eaten? Go ahead, you don¡¯t have to watch me eat.¡± Qin Xue looked at her sister helplessly.

    ¡°Alright then, just leave your plate here when you¡¯re done, I¡¯ll come pick it up later.¡± Qin Jiale hadn¡¯t eaten yet.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Qin Xue nodded in agreement, and Qin Jiale left the room.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er.¡± As soon as Qin Jiale left, Chu Molin came in.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? None of you need to eat?¡± Qin Xue looked at the door, checking if anyone else was coming in.

    ¡°We¡¯re eating, just wanted to ask how you¡¯re feeling?¡± Chu Molin remembered that she didn¡¯t sleep well in the hospital.

    ¡°Not bad, it¡¯s more comfortable at home.¡± Qin Xue felt refreshed after her nap.

    ¡°That¡¯s good, take your time eating. I¡¯ll go eat as well.¡± Chu Molin patted her head.

    ¡°Go ahead, I¡¯m not a child. Why is everyone so worried about me?¡± Qin Xue grumbled.

    ¡°You¡¯re not a child, but you never rest properly.¡± Chu Molin quietly commented.

    ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯m worried you can¡¯t handle both kids alone.¡± Qin Xue took a sip of the fish soup.

    After drinking the crucian carp soup two or three times, she could clearly feel the swelling in her chest.

    It seemed that the crucian carp soup was excellent for stimulating milk production. The two young children couldn¡¯t eat enough now, but once they¡¯re older, they probably won¡¯t be able to get enough even if fed at the same time.

    Qin Xue looked down at her breasts, considering whether to add some supplementary food when feeding the children in the future.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Chu Molin followed Qin Xue¡¯s gaze to her chest.

    ¡°It¡¯s swelling and uncomfortable.¡± Qin Xue answered without thinking.

    ¡°Finish your meal first, then feed the kids.¡± Chu Molin touched his nose and said softly.

    ¡°Ah, okay, heh heh.¡± Qin Xue realized that she was becoming more and more at ease around Chu Molin.

    It seemed that she could say anything without feeling embarrassed.

    Did this indicate that she had completely accepted Chu Molin as one of her own?

 Chapter 553

    At night, Qin Lei and Qin Yu moved to the guest house, and Nangong Shulan shared a room with their younger daughter. Chu Molin naturally stayed with Qin Xue and their two kids.

    Chu Molin gazed at the two sons sleeping in the crib, grateful for his foresight. When he had Uncle Li build a walker for Jingtao, he also had him make this baby crib.

    He had Li Da Bao bring it back from the hospital just a few days ago when Qin Xue was admitted. It was being put to good use now.

    Chu Molin positioned the crib perfectly before turning off the lights to sleep.

    Waking up four or five times a night to change diapers and feed, Qin Xue felt guilty seeing Chu Molin¡¯s weariness.

    ¡°Chu Molin, how about you start staying in the dorm from tomorrow on? You¡¯re not getting any rest here at home. It will affect your training,¡± Qin Xue whispered into Chu Molin¡¯s embrace after putting their sleeping son gently down.

    ¡°It¡¯s OK, I can take it,¡± Chu Molin tightened the arm he had around his wife.

    ¡°Why are you so stubborn?¡± Qin Xue gazed up at Chu Molin¡¯s determined jawline.

    ¡°If I¡¯m not home, it¡¯ll be tough on you alone,¡± Chu Molin said gently, his gaze meeting hers.

    ¡°Chu Molin, I love you,¡± Qin Xue murmured, burrowing her face into his chest. Her words were barely audible.

    Chu Molin tightened his embrace: Xue¡¯er, I love you too, much more than you love me.

    When Qin Xue woke up, Chu Molin was already gone from their bed. The sound of activity echoed from the outside, probably her mother or younger sister making breakfast, she guessed?

    When Qin Xue walked out in her slippers, she saw her mother busily working in the kitchen.

    ¡°Mom, good morning!¡± As she expected, her mother was making breakfast.

    ¡°Why are you up so early, Xiao Xue?¡± Hearing her daughter¡¯s voice, Nangong Shulan looked up and asked.

    ¡°I slept too much. Can¡¯t sleep anymore,¡± Qin Xue answered with a smile.

    ¡°Was last night rough on you?¡± Nangong Shulan had heard the commotion but didn¡¯t intervene as her son-in-law was in the room.

    ¡°It was OK, Molin handled it all,¡± Qin Xue replied. She hadn¡¯t done much, just breastfeeding.

    ¡°Molin can¡¯t sustain this. His health will be affected. How about I take care of the kids tonight?¡± Nangong Shulan considered Molin¡¯s day training schedule.

    ¡°I told him to stay in the dorm. He won¡¯t go,¡± Qin Xue sighed helplessly. She was worried for him as much as he was for her, that stubborn man.

    ¡°Molin doesn¡¯t want you to be overburdened. He¡¯s a good child and he¡¯s been trying hard for you, just like your father,¡± Nangong Shulan softly spoke for Molin.

    ¡°Oh, so Dad took care of you during your confinement period?¡± Qin Xue perked up hearing this.

    ¡°Yes, he took care of me wholeheartedly,¡± Nangong Shulan shared with a smile, looking at her curious daughter.

    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s wonderful,¡± Qin Xue was delighted to hear how her father in his past life, who remained single all his life for her mother, treated her mother in this life.

    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s wonderful to all of us,¡± Nangong Shulan had no qualms sharing this with her daughter. Her husband was genuinely kind to them, especially to Xiao Xue and Xiao Yu. He treated them even better than Lele.

    Nangong Shulan doubted whether any other man could match Qin Lei¡¯s dedication. It was why she was determined to live a happy life with Qin Lei, putting all past grievances behind her.

    ¡°Yes, I can feel it,¡± Qin Xue nodded. Though she had limited interaction with Qin Lei, she could see it in his eyes.

    One¡¯s love for another could often be discerned from their gaze and body language.

    She saw in Qin Lei¡¯s eyes his deep love for Nangong Shulan. It was a good thing. The happiness her mother had missed out on in her past life, she got in this one. Qin Xue was happy for Qin Lei and Nangong Shulan.

    Seeing the happy smile on her mother¡¯s face, Qin Xue silently wished in her heart, ¡°You must be very, very happy.¡±

 Chapter 554

    After work, Chu Molin did not go home first, but went to the communication room instead.

    ¡°Mr. Chu.¡± The communications officer stood up as soon as he saw Chu Molin.

    ¡°Thank you for your hard work.¡± Chu Molin said in response.

    ¡°Mr. Chu, what brings you here?¡± The officer looked at the so-called ¡®Cold King¡¯ in front of him.

    ¡°I want to make a phone call.¡± Chu Molin pointed to a phone nearby.

    ¡°Mr. Chu, feel free to use the phone.¡± The officer stepped aside and said. He was curious, who could the Cold King possibly be calling? In all the time he¡¯d been here, he had never seen the Cold King make a call. His curiosity was definitely piqued.

    ¡°Um, Mr. Chu, I¡¯ll wait outside.¡± The officer said hurriedly, recoiling at the frosty glare from Chu Molin.

    Even though he was burning with curiosity about the content of the Cold King¡¯s conversation, he did not have the guts to stay and listen.

    ¡°Hello, Xiao Qi speaking.¡± Xiao Qi casually picked up the phone as it rang on his desk.

    ¡°Brother, it¡¯s me.¡± The cold voice of Chu Molin echoed from the other side.

    ¡°Brother, why are you calling? Is something wrong?¡± Xiao Qi put down his pen, leaning back in his chair, and asked Chu Molin on the other end.

    ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong, just calling to say, my wife has had a baby. I¡¯m a father now.¡± Chu Molin¡¯s voice finally warmed up a little.

    ¡°Really? That¡¯s great, congratulations, brother.¡± Xiao Qi was shocked, last time he saw Qin Xue she was not even close to due date, yet now he was receiving news of birth.

    ¡°Thank you, I¡¯ll invite you and Zhaozi for drinks soon.¡± Chu Molin sat in his chair, one foot propped up on the table, his hand fiddling with the hook and eye.

    ¡°Sure, you decide when.¡± Xiao Qi¡¯s voice came from the other end.

    ¡°What¡¯s Zhaozi up to these days?¡± Chu Molin thought, realizing he hadn¡¯t seen his childhood friends in a while.

    ¡°He should be around. Ever since he got married to An¡¯an and moved back to the Imperial Capital, he has been running back and forth. I haven¡¯t seen him in a while either.¡± Xiao Qi quickly returned home after their wedding, not having the energy to cope with the pressure from his family.

    ¡°Let¡¯s call him out for a gather round soon. When my wife finishes her confinement period, I¡¯ll be transferring to the Imperial Capital. I need to decide whether to move with them or leave them here.¡±

    ¡°Sure, brother. You sound like you have something else on your mind?¡± Xiao Qi straightened his posture as soon as he heard this and asked Chu Molin on the other end of the line.

    ¡°Brother, after Xue¡¯er finishes her confinement period, I¡¯m going back to the Imperial Capital.¡± Chu Molin¡¯s indifferent words passed through the receiver into Xiao Qi¡¯s ears.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll arrange things here and accompany you back.¡± Xiao Qi said after a short silence.

    ¡°No need, you don¡¯t have to do that. I¡¯m capable of handling it myself.¡± Chu Molin was no longer the dependent person he used to be.

    ¡°Brother, I¡¯ll arrange things as quickly as possible and then join you. If necessary, I¡¯ll move the company back to the Imperial Capital.¡± Xiao Qi was not one to abandon his friends.

    ¡°Okay, thanks brother.¡± Chu Molin did not refuse since Xiao Qi was so insistent.

    ¡°Brother, we¡¯re more than friends, we¡¯re brothers.¡± Xiao Qi truly grew up alongside Chu Molin, like they were two peas in a pod.

    ¡°Mmm, brothers. Let Zhaozi know, I¡¯ll find both of you there.¡± Chu Molin¡¯s voice was much softer than at the start.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll let him know.¡± Xiao Qi responded from his end.

    ¡°Hanging up.¡± After hearing Xiao Qi¡¯s reply, Chu Molin left these two words and hung up the phone.

    Xiao Qi listened to the dial tone, his expression darkened; they were finally going back to the Imperial Capital.

 Chapter 555

    Xiao Qi withdrew his gaze and started to dial with his other hand.

    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m looking for Li Zhao.¡± As soon as the call was connected, Xiao Qi¡¯s emotionless voice came through.

    ¡°Hey, Little Third, what¡¯s going on?¡± Li Zhao asked as soon as he heard Xiao Qi¡¯s familiar voice that hadn¡¯t changed in ten years.

    ¡°My sister-in-law gave birth, Big Brother wants to invite us for a drink.¡± Xiao Qi didn¡¯t beat around the bush.

    ¡°Why did Big Brother call you instead of calling me?¡± Li Zhao instinctively asked Xiao Qi, without paying attention to the other words, simply by hearing Chu Molin¡¯s name.

    ¡°Who knows if you¡¯re here or in the Imperial Capital, do you think Big Brother has nothing else to do all day?¡± Xiao Qi threw a jab at Li Zhao¡¯s stupidity over the phone.

    ¡°Wait a minute, Little Third, did you just say something about my sister-in-law giving birth and that¡¯s why Big Brother wants to treat us to a drink?¡± Li Zhao¡¯s cautious voice crept into Xiao Qi¡¯s ear.

    Xiao Qi did not respond, wondering how slow Li Zhao could be.

    How on earth did this guy ever get into Big Brother¡¯s inner circle with his slow reflexes not getting him killed by enemies, was a miracle.

    ¡°Ah ah ah, Little Third, is it really like that? So it means Big Brother should treat us to a drink, right?¡± Li Zhao figured out Xiao Qi was not joking from his silence at the other end.

    ¡°I¡¯ll follow Big Brother back to the Imperial Capital in a month, you can arrange things by yourself.¡± Xiao Qi left this sentence and hung up the phone, too lazy to deal with the foolish Li Zhao on the other end.

    ¡°Hello? Hello? Little Third?¡± Li Zhao listened to the beeping tone of the call, wishing he could beat Xiao Qi up. What did he mean by he¡¯s going back with Big Brother and leaving him to arrange things?

    Since both of them are going back, of course, he would go back as well and develop in the Imperial Capital.

    At worst, they could just leave their business here as a branch office or a headquarters.

    Li Zhao quickly started arranging work matters after hanging up the call.

    Xiao Qi made another call back to the Imperial Capital after hanging up with Li Zhao.

    ¡°Find me two houses, one for the company and another for living. Right, don¡¯t let my family know about it, okay, thank you.¡± After hanging up the phone, Xiao Qi lazily sat in his office chair, pondering how to carry out his work after returning to the Imperial Capital.

    When Chu Molin returned home, he found that everyone was waiting for him to have breakfast, except for Qin Xue.

    ¡°Molin, go wash up and eat.¡± Nangong Shulan spoke as soon as she saw her son-in-law come in.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Chu Molin put down his hat and belt and went into the bathroom.

    ¡°Mom, dad, you go ahead and eat. I¡¯m going to check on Xue¡¯er.¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t sit down to eat immediately after washing up but went to see his wife and child.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, have you eaten?¡± Chu Molin came in to see his wife lying there, smiling at their two sons.

    ¡°I¡¯ve eaten, you go ahead and eat.¡± Qin Xue smiled at her husband. She noticed that as the children grew day by day, their facial features became more and more similar to Chu Molin¡¯s.

    Hehe.¡± The thought of having two identical people and one larger version standing in front of her made her feel happy.

    ¡°What are you laughing at?¡± Chu Molin sat on the edge of the bed, stroked her hair, and asked.

    ¡°Chu Molin, look at the children¡¯s appearance.¡± Qin Xue gestured for her husband to look at their two children.

    ¡°Nothing, they¡¯re fine.¡± Chu Molin looked and didn¡¯t see anything special, their faces still somewhat wrinkled.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you look carefully?¡± Qin Xue stared at her feigning ignorance husband.

    ¡°They¡¯re fine.¡± Chu Molin glanced again and replied.

    ¡°Forget it, I don¡¯t want to talk to you. Just go and eat.¡± Qin Xue decided to just look herself and not rely on him anymore.

    ¡°Silly girl, what¡¯s there to laugh about this? They¡¯re my sons, isn¡¯t that normal?¡± Chu Molin shook his head helplessly.

    ¡°You don¡¯t understand.¡± That wasn¡¯t what Qin Xue meant.

 Chapter 556

    ¡°Okay, I don¡¯t understand, so you can be silly by yourself, I¡¯m going to eat,¡± Chu Molin patted her head, stood up, and went out to eat.

    ¡°Yu Ze, Yu Chen, is your dad a dummy? You guys are his offspring. If you don¡¯t look like him but like someone else, wouldn¡¯t that be a problem? You guys agree, right?¡± Qin Xue whispered to her two sons after Chu Molin left.

    Although many nephews often resemble their uncles, they still mostly look like their parents, especially more like their fathers than their mothers.

    After Chu Molin finished his meal, he left, leaving the care of the household to his father-in-law and mother-in-law.

    Qin Qiu was on leave today, and she came to find Qin Xue with her and her brother¡¯s salary.

    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m looking for Qin Xue,¡± Qin Qiu, who had visited before, knew she needed to register first and wait for someone to help her find the person she was looking for.

    ¡°Please register first, and I¡¯ll help you find someone,¡± the guard handed her the registration book.

    ¡°Okay, thank you,¡± Qin Qiu thanked the guard and started filling in the information.

    ¡°Qin Qiu,¡± Qin Jiale came down to pick up the guest after receiving the guard¡¯s notice.

    ¡°Lele,¡± Qin Qiu smiled at Qin Jiale after handing the completed registration information to the guard.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go upstairs,¡± Qin Jiale said after Qin Qiu finished registering.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Qin Qiu didn¡¯t ask why she was the one picking up the guest and where Qin Xue was.

    ¡°Xiao Qiu is here, come in and sit down,¡± Nangong Shulan greeted her niece warmly when she saw her.

    ¡°Thank you, aunt, uncle,¡± Qin Qiu was surprised to see her uncle and aunt here, and wondered why they both came.

    ¡°Okay, sit down. Have you eaten?¡± Nangong Shulan put a cup of water in front of Qin Qiu and asked.

    ¡°Aunt, I¡¯ve already eaten,¡± Qin Qiu had breakfast at the factory before coming out.

    ¡°How is work going? Have you learned everything? Have you been bullied?¡± Nangong Shulan asked her niece several questions in a row.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ve learned everything and got my first month¡¯s salary yesterday,¡± Qin Qiu was still a little reserved in front of Nangong Shulan and Qin Lei.

    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Nangong Shulan nodded after hearing her answer.

    ¡°Aunt, where¡¯s Qin Xue? Why haven¡¯t I seen her?¡± Qin Qiu looked around, not having seen Qin Xue since she arrived.

    ¡°You¡¯re asking about Qin Xue. She gave birth and is in her room during her confinement period,¡± Nangong Shulan smiled and explained to Qin Qiu why Qin Xue hadn¡¯t appeared.

    ¡°Huh, she had the baby already? When did she give birth? I¡¯ve been working every day and haven¡¯t left the workshop, I didn¡¯t know,¡± Qin Qiu was embarrassed, as she had come empty-handed this time.

    Qin Xue was in her confinement period, and Qin Qiu had come empty-handed, not bringing anything. What would her uncle and aunt think of her?

    Also, since Qin Xue and her family notified her uncle and aunt who were far away in Qin village, why didn¡¯t they send someone to the factory to tell her about it?

    She ended up coming empty-handed and in front of her elders, no less.

    Qin Qiu felt uncomfortable in her heart, but she didn¡¯t realize it was her own fault. Shouldn¡¯t you bring something when visiting someone else¡¯s house?

    Plainly speaking, it was Qin Qiu¡¯s own fault, and now she¡¯s blaming others for not notifying her.

    It¡¯s worth noting that Qin Xue took the blame too, because Fang Hong knew Qin Xue had given birth, and the news spread through the factory.

    It was just that Qin Qiu was a bit arrogant, especially after learning how to make clothes and not being very familiar with other people. That¡¯s why no one told her about it.

    ¡°It happened a few days ago, but she just got back from the hospital yesterday,¡± Nangong Shulan and Qin Lei arrived right on time after receiving the news.

    ¡°Did she have a boy or a girl? Both Qin Xue and her husband look so good, the baby must be very beautiful too,¡± Qin Qiu agreed with this point.

    ¡°She had two boys, and they¡¯re quite lively,¡± Nangong Shulan thought of her two nephews with a softness in her heart.

    [Dear readers, Wanwan is very grateful for your support and company over the years. I¡¯ve set up a fan QQ group, 947814976, for you to discuss any ideas or suggestions. Thank you, smile, and kisses.]

 Chapter 557

    Upon hearing this, Qin Qiu clenched her teeth. Why was she the one who was betrayed, while Qin Xue was so fortunate to have two sons in her life?

    ¡°Can I go see Qin Xue?¡± Qin Qiu suppressed her emotions and asked Nangong Shulan.

    ¡°Of course, you can. Jiale, take your cousin Qiu to see your sister and the baby,¡± Nangong Shulan agreed without much thought.

    ¡°Mom, I got it. Qin Qiu, this way,¡± Qin Jiale stood up after hearing his mother¡¯s words.

    Qin Qiu followed Qin Jiale to Qin Xue¡¯s room and saw her sleeping with a peaceful and happy smile on her face.

    This smile irritated Qin Qiu¡¯s heart, making her feel that she shouldn¡¯t have come to Qin Xue¡¯s house at this time.

    ¡°Qin Xue, wake up,¡± Qin Qiu reached out and pushed Qin Xue.

    ¡°Uh, Qin Qiu, when did you come?¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t expect to see Qin Qiu when she opened her eyes.

    ¡°I just arrived a while ago,¡± Qin Qiu replied indifferently to Qin Xue¡¯s question.

    ¡°How come you have time to come over today?¡± Qin Xue knew that there was no rest when working in the workshop.

    ¡°We got our wages yesterday, so I took half a day off to come and pay you back,¡± Qin Qiu took the money out of her pocket.

    She counted the bus fare and borrowed US$ 50 and placed it in Qin Xue¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Qin Qiu, if you don¡¯t have money to use, keep it for now and pay me back later,¡± Qin Xue looked at the money in her hand and then at Qin Qiu.

    ¡°No need, the money Xiao Yun and I brought from home is enough for us,¡± Qin Qiu and her siblings still had some money left from home.

    So she didn¡¯t want to continue using Qin Xue¡¯s money, or else she didn¡¯t know when she would be able to pay her back.

    ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll keep it. If you ever need money, remember to tell me, and I¡¯ll help as much as I can,¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t say more since Qin Qiu refused so firmly.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll let you know if there¡¯s anything,¡± Qin Xue stopped pushing the matter.

    ¡°How is it in the factory? Have you been bullied?¡± Qin Xue leaned against the headboard and asked Qin Qiu.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, no one bullied me. They just didn¡¯t want to teach me at first,¡± Qin Qiu thought about how she still managed to learn and even did better than them, getting paid more.

    She remembered what the old employees said when they got paid yesterday: ¡°Why does a newcomer get more money than us?¡± The team leader had replied, ¡°Because she¡¯s faster and does more work.¡±

    Truth be told, Qin Qiu was quite grateful to Chen Xiao in the factory. If it weren¡¯t for Chen Xiao teaching her step by step, she might not have learned until now.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t they want to teach you?¡± Qin Xue knew that some people were unwilling to teach their skills to others, but in the factory, these things weren¡¯t secrets. To complete the garments, every worker needed to know how to do the work.

    But if they didn¡¯t teach one person, the production would be halted, and the goods wouldn¡¯t be finished.

    ¡°Because they¡¯re afraid that I¡¯ll do better than them once I learn,¡± Qin Qiu said with a scoff.

    ¡°Have you learned it now?¡± Qin Xue thought that if she hadn¡¯t, she could ask Fang Hong to talk to Guo Aiguo.

    ¡°Yes, I have. Otherwise, how could I have the wages to pay you back?¡± Qin Qiu replied indifferently.

    Qin Xue was left speechless. What was wrong with Qin Qiu? It wasn¡¯t like Qin Xue refused to teach her; why did she act like it was her fault? Wasn¡¯t she afraid of offending someone with this attitude?

    At this moment, Qin Xue seemed to understand why others didn¡¯t want to teach Qin Qiu.

    It was because her attitude made people uncomfortable. Even Qin Xue herself didn¡¯t want to deal with her if it weren¡¯t for the fact that Qin Qiu was her cousin. As for others, they didn¡¯t owe her anything; why use such an attitude?

 Chapter 558

    After talking with Qin Qiu for a while, Qin Xue made an excuse that she was tired and wanted to rest. Once Qin Qiu left, Qin Xue lay down, unable to believe that Qin Qiu was really like this.

    Was she like this because of the betrayal and canceled marriage or was she always like this? She needed to ask her mother or brother about it.

    Qin Xue needed to figure it out since she didn¡¯t want to have too much contact with such people. Not only would she not get any reward for her efforts, but she would also face complaints.

    Qin Xue always tried her best to avoid contact with people with such characteristics.

    Thinking about this, Qin Xue saw that her child was sleeping well, so she closed her eyes and rested as well.

    ¡°Auntie, I¡¯m going back,¡± Qin Qiu said to Nangong Shulan as soon as she came out.

    ¡°Why not stay and have a meal before you go?¡± Nangong Shulan stood up.

    ¡°No, Auntie, I have to go to work in the afternoon.¡± Qin Qiu didn¡¯t want to stay any longer and preferred to go back to the factory.

    ¡°Well, then that¡¯s fine,¡± Nangong Shulan said, not wanting to insist any further.

    ¡°Uncle, Auntie, I¡¯m leaving now.¡± Qin Qiu took her leave and left.

    ¡°Husband, don¡¯t you think Xiao Qiu is too polite?¡± Nangong Shulan asked her husband.

    ¡°Shulan, you don¡¯t need to worry about the kids¡¯ affairs. They¡¯ll handle it themselves.¡± Qin Lei saw through Qin Qiu¡¯s mindset and reminded his wife.

    ¡°Alright, then,¡± Nangong Shulan nodded while looking at her husband¡¯s expression.

    Luu Xiao¡¯ai, accompanied by her grandfather, came to visit the Lis. She was chatting and having tea with An Hao at the moment in the living room.

    ¡°An Hao, how many months are you into your pregnancy?¡± Luu Xiao¡¯ai asked, looking at An Hao¡¯s belly.

    ¡°Four months,¡± An Hao gently touched her belly, smiling sweetly.

    ¡°It must be nice,¡± Luu Xiao¡¯ai looked at An Hao enviously, wondering when Molin would come back and marry her.

    ¡°Haha, you¡¯ll have your turn. No need to envy me,¡± An Hao laughed while looking at Luu Xiao¡¯ai.

    ¡°Hopefully. I don¡¯t even know where Molin is right now. It¡¯s been so many years since he left home. Why hasn¡¯t he come back yet?¡± Luu Xiao¡¯ai seemed to ask An Hao, but it was more like she was talking to herself.

    An Hao smiled awkwardly after hearing this. How was she supposed to answer Luu Xiao¡¯ai¡¯s question? Nevermind, she decided to pretend she didn¡¯t hear it.

    ¡°Ring, ring, ring,¡± the phone in the living room rang just as An Hao was feeling awkward and unsure of what to do.

    ¡°Hello, this is the Li family in the Imperial Capital,¡± An Hao answered the phone.

    ¡°An¡¯an, it¡¯s me,¡± Li Zhao recognized his wife¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Zhaozi, how¡¯s it going over there?¡± Ever since their wedding, Li Zhao left for work in S Province, leaving An Hao alone at home. Occasionally, she would go visit her grandmother, but it was quite boring.

    ¡°It¡¯s all good. I just miss you,¡± Li Zhao said, knowing that he would be reunited with his wife soon.

    ¡°I miss you too,¡± An Hao replied shyly.

    ¡°An¡¯an, I have some good news for you. Qin Xue just gave birth. Your brother-in-law said he¡¯ll be back in the Imperial Capital in a month,¡± Li Zhao called his wife with the news right after receiving it, knowing that she and Qin Xue were close.

    ¡°Really? That¡¯s great! Did Qin Xue have a boy or a girl?¡± An Hao asked.

    ¡°Uh, An¡¯an, I¡¯m sorry, but I didn¡¯t ask,¡± Li Zhao said to his wife, looking embarrassed.

    ¡°Come on, Zhaozi. You didn¡¯t even ask such an important question? You¡¯re so inconsiderate!¡± An Hao really wanted to scold her husband.

    ¡°It was Qiqi who told me, so I didn¡¯t think to ask,¡± Li Zhao said, feeling wronged.

    ¡°So, how did you know that Molin was coming back? Did Qiqi tell you that too?¡± An Hao asked her husband, completely forgetting that Luu Xiao¡¯ai was still sitting next to her.

    And so, she inadvertently leaked the important news.

 Chapter 559

    Li Zhao listened to his wife¡¯s question, which was exactly what Xiao Qi had told him, causing him to disappoint his wife. However, he couldn¡¯t lie.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. He said that his eldest brother called him to tell him that his sister-in-law has given birth, and he wants to invite us for a drink. He also said that he will return to the Imperial Capital in a month and asked me to make arrangements. What arrangements will I have to make? If they all come back, I will naturally come back as well. Don¡¯t you think so, An¡¯an?¡± Li Zhao didn¡¯t want to stay in S Province alone, feeling lonely.

    ¡°Hmm, do I need to do anything?¡± An Hao asked softly.

    ¡°Take a look and see if there are any suitable houses. Find one.

    Eldest brother probably won¡¯t be returning to the Chu family¡¯s place, and since he hasn¡¯t been in the Imperial Capital for so many years, he will definitely need a place to stay when he comes back.

    Also, considering that he will be bringing Qin Xue and their child, they will need a place to live. So, when you go shopping, see if there are any suitable houses for rent or purchase.¡± Li Zhao thought this was the extent of his help for Chu Molin.

    What Li Zhao didn¡¯t know was that Xiao Qi had also arranged for the same thing.

    ¡°Alright, I got it. I¡¯ll be able to be with Qin Xue when they come back. Just thinking about it makes me happy.¡± An Hao got along well with Qin Xue, she was looking forward to spending time with her.

    ¡°Okay, thank you, my dear wife.¡± Li Zhao spoke tenderly to his wife on the phone.

    ¡°You too, work hard.¡± An Hao smiled sweetly.

    ¡°An¡¯an, I¡¯ll hang up now. I need to arrange some other things.¡± Li Zhao reluctantly told his wife.

    ¡°Alright, goodbye.¡± An Hao ended the call, turned around, and was startled. The smile on her face froze.

    Luu Xiao¡¯ai, did she hear everything An Hao just said?

    ¡°An Hao, the Molin you just mentioned, is it Chu Molin?¡± Luu Xiao¡¯ai¡¯s sharp eyes were staring at An Hao¡¯s expression.

    ¡°Xiao¡¯ai, hear me out.¡± An Hao wondered how best to approach this topic.

    ¡°Just tell me if it is him or not.¡± Luu Xiao¡¯ai asked excitedly.

    ¡°Yes.¡± An Hao figured that Xiao¡¯ai would find out about it sooner or later anyway, so she might as well be honest.

    ¡°So you all knew where Molin was this whole time?¡± Luu Xiao¡¯ai asked angrily.

    ¡°No, I found out later too.¡± An Hao, seeing the emotional outburst from Luu Xiao¡¯ai, couldn¡¯t help but regret not being more careful.

    ¡°When did you find out? Why have you been hiding it from me? You know I¡¯ve been waiting for him all this time.¡± Luu Xiao¡¯ai cried out.

    ¡°What can you do with this information? He won¡¯t come back for you.¡± An Hao lost her temper too.

    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t he marry me? I¡¯m his fianc¨¦e!¡± Luu Xiao¡¯ai cried.

    Upon hearing about Chu Molin, Luu Xiao¡¯ai cried, not out of happiness but out of the pain of waiting for him all these years.

    ¡°Fianc¨¦e? That¡¯s just what you think. Did Molin acknowledge it? Did he admit that you are his fianc¨¦e?¡± An Hao asked harshly.

    ¡°But Grandpa Chu and Uncle Chu agreed, so I am Molin¡¯s fianc¨¦e.¡± Luu Xiao¡¯ai said while wiping away her tears with the back of her hand.

    ¡°Ha, Xiao¡¯ai, they aren¡¯t Molin. They can¡¯t decide for him. Do you want to marry the Chu family members who agreed to this instead?¡± An Hao gazed at Luu Xiao¡¯ai, barely managing a smile. She wasn¡¯t going to just stand by while this spoiled princess tried to steal her best friend¡¯s husband. She must be dreaming!

    ¡°Grandpa Chu said that once Molin comes back, we¡¯ll get married. Both families agreed on this, how can it not be true?¡± Luu Xiao¡¯ai insisted that Chu Molin would come back to marry her. She had loved Molin for many years, and now he was finally coming back for her.

 Chapter 560

    An Hao silently stared at Luu Xiao¡¯ai, wondering how this woman could be so hard to reason with.

    ¡°Luu Xiao¡¯ai, should I call you naive or just naive?¡± An Hao really wanted to slap her awake, so she wouldn¡¯t keep daydreaming.

    Molin is already married to Qin Xue, and they even have a child now. Do you really think Molin will come back to marry you?

    ¡°An Hao, what do you mean?¡± Luu Xiao¡¯ai finally caught on to the subtle underlying message in An Hao¡¯s words.

    ¡°It means nothing more than to face reality and let go of your unrealistic hopes,¡± An Hao pursed her lips, thinking that if Luu Xiao¡¯ai were not slightly different from before, she would not bother with her at all.

    An Hao still remembered how Luu Xiao¡¯ai had once played tricks on her, just because Luu Xiao¡¯ai thought she liked Molin and made her life miserable.

    If it weren¡¯t for Xiao Qi protecting her back then, she didn¡¯t know what might have happened to her now.

    ¡°What do you mean by unrealistic hopes, An Hao? Make yourself clear.¡± Luu Xiao¡¯ai grabbed An Hao¡¯s hand, asking excitedly.

    How could the hope she had been waiting for more than a decade become unrealistic?

    ¡°Because there are things and people you just can¡¯t have, no matter how much you wish for them.¡± An Hao used her fingers to pry Luu Xiao¡¯ai¡¯s hand off her.

    ¡°An Hao, do you know something? Please tell me?¡± Luu Xiao¡¯ai was now very sure that An Hao knew some inside information.

    ¡°You¡¯ll find out when Molin returns. I still advise you to let go of your obsession sooner or later, or else you¡¯ll only hurt yourself and others. I¡¯m a little tired now, so you should go home.¡± An Hao left behind these words and went upstairs.

    She was afraid that if she didn¡¯t leave, what if Luu Xiao¡¯ai went crazy and hurt her and her child?

    Luu Xiao¡¯ai watched An Hao leave, dried her tears with her hand, and went home. She had to find someone to investigate and find out where exactly Molin was.

    After returning to her room, An Hao patted her chest, feeling terrified.

    Because of her carelessness, she had leaked Molin¡¯s whereabouts, not knowing if it would cause trouble for Molin and Qin Xue.

    How could she be so careless? Now that Qin Xue was in her confinement period, what would happen if Luu Xiao¡¯ai went to find her?

    ¡°Knock, knock,¡± there was a knock on the door.

    ¡°Who is it?¡± An Hao looked at the door and asked, wondering who would knock at this hour.

    ¡°Young Mistress, the Master wants you to come downstairs.¡± Mrs. Xu¡¯s voice came through the door and into An Hao¡¯s ears.

    ¡°Has Grandpa returned?¡± An Hao looked in the direction of the door and asked.

    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s downstairs waiting for you now.¡± Mrs. Xu patiently waited for her Young Mistress to respond.

    ¡°Alright, I understand, I¡¯ll be right down.¡± An Hao stood up, composed herself, and then went downstairs.

    An Hao thought that the reason her grandfather had called her as soon as he returned must be that he knew about Luu Xiao¡¯ai¡¯s situation.

    That¡¯s good too, so she didn¡¯t have to hide it anymore. Maybe it was even a good thing for Molin and Qin Xue.

    ¡°Grandpa, you wanted to see me?¡± An Hao stood respectfully at the side.

    ¡°Sit down and we¡¯ll talk, don¡¯t just stand there.¡± Li Changshan looked at his granddaughter-in-law and pointed to the chair beside him, signaling her to sit.

    ¡°Why did you come back so early today, Grandpa?¡± Following her grandfather¡¯s lead, An Hao sat down on the chair and asked Li Changshan.

    ¡°An¡¯an, tell your grandpa what happened. Why did that Luu girl run crying from our house?¡± Li Changshan showed no signs of blaming his granddaughter-in-law.

    ¡°Grandpa, she had an emotional breakdown after learning about Molin¡¯s news.¡± An Hao also felt helpless.

    ¡°What happened? Tell me about it.¡± Li Changshan had a protective side, even if it was Luu Xiao¡¯ai who had run crying from their house, he would not allow anyone to bully his own family.

    No wonder An Hao thought herself lucky, for the Lis were quite easy-going, which was why she willingly stayed with them without any other thoughts.

 Chapter 561

    An Hao gathered her thoughts and briefly told Li Changshan about Chu Molin and Qin Xue¡¯s situation.

    ¡°So, the young lady from the Chu family has given birth, and they¡¯ll return to the Imperial Capital after the baby¡¯s full moon celebration?¡± Li Changshan asked after hearing the story.

    ¡°That¡¯s what Zhaozi said.¡± An Hao nodded.

    ¡°This is going to be quite a show then, at least it won¡¯t be easy on Mr. Luu¡¯s side.¡± Li Changshan thought about how much Mr. Luu cherished his daughter. The marriage arrangement between him and Mr. Chu had been set for more than a decade; it wouldn¡¯t be so easy to give it up.

    So, the return of the Chu family¡¯s young master would definitely cause a storm of ¡°blood and gore.¡±

    ¡°Why is that, Grandpa?¡± An Hao didn¡¯t understand what would be so interesting about Molin¡¯s return.

    ¡°You¡¯ll see when the time comes. As for the house, just buy one if you find a suitable one. If you don¡¯t have enough money, come to me for some. Help him if you can.¡± Li Changshan didn¡¯t oppose the idea; in fact, he was very supportive.

    This young master of the Chu family had managed to climb to his current position in such a short time, so his future prospects were definitely bright.

    No wonder Mr. Luu had been keeping an eye on him relentlessly. Unfortunately, they had miscalculated his resistance. Now, the young man had secretly married and had a child. It was a good thing for his grandson to spend more time with him and learn from him.

    At this moment, the Luu household was also bustling with activity. Luu Xiao¡¯ai had run home crying and locked herself in her room to cry on her bed.

    She understood An Hao¡¯s meaning now: Molin had someone else outside, and he would never marry her.

    ¡°Xiao¡¯ai, wouldn¡¯t you open the door? If you have any problems, tell your Grandpa and Grandma. Don¡¯t lock yourself up.¡± Grandma Luu coaxed her granddaughter.

    Luu Xiao¡¯ai sank into her thoughts and didn¡¯t respond to her grandmother¡¯s words.

    ¡°Girl, open the door. Tell Grandpa who bullied you, and Grandpa will teach him a lesson.¡± Grandpa Luu was playing chess with some people in the pavilion when he saw his granddaughter crying and rushing back home. It frightened everyone around. What was wrong with her? She was crying her heart out.

    So Grandpa Luu stopped playing chess and hurried home. Who dared to bully his granddaughter? They must be itching for a beating.

    ¡°Grandpa, Molin has someone else outside. He doesn¡¯t want me and won¡¯t marry me.¡± Luu Xiao¡¯ai opened the door and hugged her grandpa, crying.

    ¡°Who said that? What happened? Tell Grandpa about it.¡± Mr. Luu was heartbroken. The whole family only had this precious daughter; how could he not be heartbroken?

    So, Luu Xiao¡¯ai told her grandpa about the incident that happened at the Li¡¯s house.

    ¡°That Chu Molin is so outrageous! How dare he! Xiao¡¯ai, be good. When he returns to the Imperial Capital, Grandpa will definitely help you teach him a lesson.¡± Mr. Luu comforted his granddaughter. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t want to discipline Chu Molin now, but no one could find out Chu Molin¡¯s whereabouts.

    It was as if Chu Molin didn¡¯t exist in this world, and no clues could be found about him. Otherwise, do you think the Chu family wouldn¡¯t want to find him?

    ¡°Grandpa, you must help me when the time comes. I want to marry Molin.¡± Luu Xiao¡¯ai cried to her grandpa. He was the one who loved her most in the family.

    ¡°Alright, Grandpa will definitely teach him a lesson and make him marry you. Now, go wash your face with Grandma. You¡¯ve been crying so much that you look like a tabby cat.¡± Grandma Luu teased her from the side.

    ¡°Oh, Grandma.¡± Luu Xiao¡¯ai couldn¡¯t help but laugh at her grandmother¡¯s words.

    ¡°You silly girl, let¡¯s go.¡± Grandma Luu took her granddaughter to wash her face.

    Meanwhile, Mr. Luu stood there deep in thought, wondering who was protecting the Chu family¡¯s young master and why he couldn¡¯t find any information on him.

    Ten years had passed, and now they only had a little bit of news about him. Was this information deliberately leaked or was there another purpose behind it?

    Although Mr. Luu was retired, it didn¡¯t mean he didn¡¯t understand the situation. It seemed that some things were about to change.

 Chapter 562

    The Chu family was in chaos at the moment, only finding out the news through rumors.

    After all, in the entire military region, who didn¡¯t know how much Mr. Luu adored his granddaughter? There had never been any junior who dared to bully her.

    Because those who had bullied Luu Xiao¡¯ai in the past had been taught a lesson, and no one dared to provoke her ever since.

    ¡°Grandpa, I heard there¡¯s news about big brother.¡± Chu Yi had just returned from outside and immediately told his grandfather in the living room.

    ¡°Chu Yi, what have you heard?¡± Chu Zhan had just heard the news himself, was there any new information from his grandson?

    ¡°I don¡¯t know the specifics, but I heard he¡¯s coming back.¡± Chu Yi said casually.

    ¡°What kind of posture is that? Stand up straight.¡± Chu Zhan glared at his grandson, who was neither standing nor sitting properly, never looking serious.

    ¡°Grandpa, just leave me alone. I¡¯m not big brother. You should think about where big brother might be instead.¡± After leaving the message, Chu Yi went upstairs to his room.

    ¡°That kid.¡± Chu Zhan looked at his disappearing grandson in anger, huffing and puffing.

    It didn¡¯t feel like a family anymore, and he didn¡¯t know why things had become like this.

    Miao Qingqing took the chance and sneaked out. She wanted to find her eldest grandson, as she felt that he was somewhere in S Province. She had been there before, but since her husband didn¡¯t let her go, she decided to go secretly.

    After leaving the main courtyard, Miao Qingqing hailed a taxi and went straight to the train station. She bought a ticket for S Province and waited to board the train to look for her grandson, unaware that her departure had nearly capsized the Chu family in anxiety.

    Chu Molin went to the city to see Xiao Qi and Li Zhao today.

    ¡°Old man, you sure know how to catch people off guard. If you don¡¯t show up, you don¡¯t show up, but when you do, it¡¯s a bombshell.¡± Li Zhao looked at Chu Molin and said.

    ¡°Yeah, old man, this is too bold of you, having two kids all at once.¡± Xiao Qi also found out that Chu Molin suddenly had two sons.

    ¡°If you¡¯re jealous, go have your own.¡± Chu Molin said lazily, leaning back on the sofa, holding a glass of wine, looking at his two brothers, and uttered a cold sentence.

    ¡°Old man, don¡¯t be like that, don¡¯t show off in front of us.¡± Li Zhao held up a glass of wine and clinked it with Chu Molin¡¯s glass.

    ¡°Serious talk, next month I will be sent back to the Imperial Military Academy for study, and I want to take Xue¡¯er and the children with me.¡± Chu Molin initially wanted his wife to wait for him to settle down in the Imperial Capital before bringing her.

    But seeing his wife after giving birth, he changed his mind. As long as he was around, he wanted his wife and children close by.

    ¡°So what¡¯s your specific plan?¡± Xiao Qi asked after pondering for a moment.

    ¡°I plan to rent a house for Xue¡¯er and the children in the Imperial Capital, and come back here to develop after I finish my studies.¡± Chu Molin hadn¡¯t planned to settle down in the Imperial Capital, but he had to go there.

    However, Chu Molin didn¡¯t know that his plans would be thwarted due to various reasons, and that the things that happened would catch him off guard.

    Of course, all of this will be discussed later. Now, let¡¯s talk about the present situation.

    ¡°Old man, is your final plan still to settle down here? I was thinking about expanding our company to the Imperial Capital, so we would have support no matter what.¡± Xiao Qi had already told people to find a location there.

    These years they had earned enough money to open a branch company.

    Even if the money wasn¡¯t enough, it would be like when they first started ¨C open a small workshop first, and then open a company when the fame came later.

    ¡°Yeah, old man, I¡¯m also planning to move my business back to the Imperial Capital. No matter what, both of us will accompany you.¡± Li Zhao¡¯s business was easier to handle, and moving back to the Imperial Capital would be simpler than Xiao Qi¡¯s plan.

    Li Zhao also planned to find someone to take care of the business here, so he would only have to come back and check on it occasionally.

 Chapter 563

    Chu Molin was touched as he watched these two old friends of his. Originally, he just used his savings to help them make ends meet, but now he had gained the powerful support of both of them.

    ¡°Good brothers.¡± Chu Molin stretched out his palm, no amount of words could express the friendship between them.

    ¡°Good brothers.¡± Li Zhao also stretched out his palm to hold Chu Molin¡¯s.

    ¡°Good brothers.¡± Xiao Qi directly put his hand on top of their clasped palms.

    At this moment, the relationship between the three childhood friends grew even stronger. In the future, no matter how big the temptations and provocations were, they would not misunderstand and turn against each other.

    When Chu Molin returned home, he found Qin Xue still asleep. His father-in-law had gone back to the Qins¡¯ village yesterday, while his mother-in-law and sister-in-law were still here to take care of his wife during her confinement period.

    ¡°Molin, you¡¯re back. Have you eaten?¡± Nangong Shulan noticed the odd mealtime and heated the portion she had saved for her son-in-law in the pot.

    ¡°Mom, is there still food?¡± Chu Molin only had some drinks with them, without eating, so he was really hungry.

    ¡°Yes, go wash up and I¡¯ll get it for you.¡± Nangong Shulan put the wool in her hands down on the chair and went into the kitchen to get the dishes.

    ¡°Chu Molin, you¡¯re back.¡± Qin Xue woke up and came out of the bedroom when she heard the voices.

    ¡°Did our talking wake you up?¡± Chu Molin swallowed his food before replying to his wife.

    ¡°No, I¡¯ve slept enough. I¡¯ve been eating and sleeping so much that I¡¯m turning into a pig.¡± Qin Xue looked at her body that had gained some weight in just half a month.

    Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue from head to toe after hearing her words, then his gaze returned to her chest, his eyes darkened, and he coughed before saying: ¡°This is quite good.¡±

    He lowered his head to continue eating, but his pace had noticeably quickened, and nobody noticed his slightly flushed ears.

    ¡°Huh, I¡¯ve gained so much weight, and you say it¡¯s okay?¡± Qin Xue widened her eyes, estimating that she had gained more than 5 kg since before, and this man actually said it was good. She thought, ¡°God, may thunder strike me down.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, good, being fat is better than being skinny, all soft and chubby.¡± Chu Molin saw his mother-in-law sitting far away, moved a little closer to his wife, and whispered.

    ¡°*cough* *cough* *cough*.¡± Qin Xue choked on her saliva, scared by his sudden words. So he thought it was good because he wanted to take advantage of her. Did he not like skinny beauties like Tang Xuanzong and instead loved chubby girls?

    Qin Xue suddenly shivered at the thought and felt afraid when imagining her chubby self.

    It¡¯s not that Qin Xue hated or discriminated against fat people, but overweight people were more likely to get sick, like high blood pressure, diabetes, coronary heart disease, etc. The risks were too great, and Qin Xue was afraid of suffering after getting sick, so she should pay attention to her postnatal recovery and become slim again.

    ¡°Chu Molin, where¡¯s your decency?¡± Qin Xue moved back a little, scared by this shameless man.

    How did she change this man from a cold-faced person who could freeze people to death to what he is now?

    Qin Xue thought it over and didn¡¯t think she had done anything to change him, so how did she turn her abstinent male god/man?

    ¡°My decency was eaten by a dog.¡± Chu Molin swallowed his last mouthful of rice languidly.

    ¡°I think so too, which dog ate it, give it back to me.¡± Qin Xue playfully made a exaggerated face at Chu Molin.

 Chapter 564

    Chu Molin shook his head and laughed at his wife¡¯s playful expression, seeing her become like a mischievous child at this moment.

    ¡°Are the kids well-behaved?¡± Chu Molin asked, looking at his wife¡¯s face.

    ¡°Not bad, they¡¯re not too rowdy.¡± Qin Xue thought of her two children, who really weren¡¯t too noisy. She remembered when she was a doctor and often heard her colleagues complaining about how rowdy their children were.

    At that time, she didn¡¯t feel much about it since she hadn¡¯t thought about getting married in her previous life and therefore, didn¡¯t care about such matters. Little did she know that in this life, she would become a mother directly.

    ¡°It seems that these two little guys still have some conscience, knowing that their mom is tired.¡± Chu Molin hooked his mouth in a grin.

    ¡°Wah wah wah.¡± As soon as Chu Molin finished praising them, the two children started singing.

    ¡°Ah, Chu Molin, your sons can¡¯t take compliments.¡± Qin Xue sat in her chair, leisurely laughing at Chu Molin.

    ¡°Really no respect.¡± Chu Molin quickly collected the bowls, washed them in the kitchen, and came back.

    It¡¯s not that he didn¡¯t care about the children, but he had just seen his mother-in-law go into the room.

    Chu Molin wiped his hands dry, entered the room, and saw his wife changing the children¡¯s diapers. As he didn¡¯t see his mother-in-law, he approached his elder son and said, ¡°Yu Ze, come and let Dad hold you.¡±

    Chu Molin bent down and picked up his son.

    ¡°Where¡¯s mom?¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t see his mother-in-law go out.

    ¡°She went to get diapers.¡± Qin Xue watched her younger son kick his legs, having fun with his bare buttocks.

    ¡°This little guy will definitely be very tough in the future.¡± Chu Molin looked at his younger son and silently said.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think Yu Ze is too quiet?¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t know whom the two children took after. One was frighteningly quiet, and the other was too active.

    If it weren¡¯t for the fact that Qin Xue was a doctor, she would have taken the children to see a doctor directly.

    At the beginning, Qin Xue had checked both children and found that everything was normal, so she wasn¡¯t too worried.

    ¡°Here, Qin Xue, change the baby.¡± Nangong Shulan brought the diapers in.

    ¡°Okay, mom, you do it.¡± Qin Xue gave her the space to change the diapers.

    ¡°Okay, come on, grandma will change Yu Chen¡¯s diaper.¡± Nangong Shulan walked over and started changing her grandson¡¯s diaper.

    ¡°Mom, let me tell you something.¡± Chu Molin wanted to tell them about his transfer to the Imperial Capital in advance so they could prepare themselves.

    ¡°What is it? You can tell.¡± Nangong Shulan continued changing the diaper while talking.

    ¡°I¡¯m being transferred to the Imperial Capital. It¡¯ll be just after Xue¡¯er¡¯s full moon celebration, so I¡¯d like to take my wife and child with me.¡± Chu Molin said it all at once; dragging it out wasn¡¯t his style.

    ¡°Sure, go ahead.¡± Nangong Shulan didn¡¯t object. Since Qin Xue was married to Chu Molin as his wife, if he could take her and their child with him, Nangong Shulan would support them.

    ¡°Mom, thank you.¡± Chu Molin was initially afraid that his mother-in-law wouldn¡¯t be happy about going to the faraway Imperial Capital, but he didn¡¯t expect her to be so supportive.

    ¡°Silly child, don¡¯t say such silly things.¡± Nangong Shulan smiled.

    Some things can¡¯t be avoided, so it¡¯s better just to face them. She hadn¡¯t been in the Imperial Capital for many years and originally thought she could live a peaceful life, but twenty years later, her daughter got married and had to go back. Besides, her daughter might not necessarily encounter the same troubles as her parents, right?

    ¡°Mom, you and Dad should come with us.¡± Qin Xue held her mother¡¯s arm.

    ¡°You silly girl, let go, I¡¯m holding a child in my hand.¡± Nangong Shulan was helpless; Qin Xue was still so impulsive even after becoming a mother herself.

    ¡°Mom, please agree.¡± To get Nangong Shulan¡¯s consent, Qin Xue acted spoiled to the best of her ability. It was chilling. She couldn¡¯t remember when was the last time she had spoken in such a tone.

    ¡°No, you guys go ahead. We common folks are used to the simple life in the countryside. We wouldn¡¯t adapt to the big city.

    Your father and I will stay at home, taking care of the house and sending your sister to school. You can just come back and visit us more often.¡± Nangong Shulan had barely escaped the Imperial Capital and wasn¡¯t stupid enough to go back.

 Chapter 565

    ¡°After getting off the train, Miao Qingqing looked around, not knowing which way to go.

    Last time she was here, she walked aimlessly. What should she do this time?

    For a moment, she was truly lost. Where was her grandson?

    Miao Qingqing walked aimlessly until she was tired and hungry and stopped to eat a bowl of noodles.

    This time she only brought some money and a water cup, which was left by the person who saved her last time.

    She didn¡¯t know if she would bump into that kind-hearted person who saved her this time.

    After paying for the noodles, Miao Qingqing started to wander again like a headless fly.

    ¡°Ouch!¡± Suddenly, a painful cry escaped from Miao Qingqing.

    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry, it was not intentional. Are you alright, mam?¡± Qin Yu anxiously turned to the person he had bumped into and asked.

    ¡°Young man, why are you in such a hurry?¡± Miao Qingqing tried to stand up, but failed to do so after several attempts.

    ¡°Mam, are you okay? Let me take you to the hospital.¡± Qin Yu quickly put down the things in his hand to help Miao Qingqing up.

    ¡°Ouch, I¡¯m too old and useless.¡± Miao Qingqing got up with the help from Qin Yu¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Mam, is there anything uncomfortable? If there is, tell me and I¡¯ll take you to the hospital.¡± Qin Yu hadn¡¯t paid attention to the oncoming people while rushing about earlier.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I just need rest. Young man, be careful next time when you walk, you¡¯re not always so lucky, you know?¡± Miao Qingqing looked up at Qin Yu and gave him a lecture.

    But the moment she saw Qin Yu¡¯s face, she paused for a second. He looked so similar.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, mam, I was in a rush and didn¡¯t pay attention to the people around. My fault.¡± Qin Yu wasn¡¯t a person who didn¡¯t admit his mistakes.

    ¡°Never mind, why are you in such a rush?¡± Miao Qingqing asked Qin Yu, shaking her sore arm and leg.

    ¡°My sister just gave birth, I bought her some eggs and was hurrying back with them, so I was in a bit of a hurry.¡± Qin Yu was indeed rushing to catch the bus.

    ¡°Oh I see, congratulations! You can go now, I¡¯m fine.¡± Miao Qingqing only hit her side when she fell down, so she didn¡¯t hurt anywhere else but was just in pain.

    ¡°Mam, where do you live? Let me take you home?¡± Qin Yu looked at Miao Qingqing, who was of advanced age yet kind-looking, and decided he should take her home.

    ¡°No need, my home is not around here, I am searching for someone.¡± Miao Qingqing looked closely at him and revealed her purpose without hiding anything.

    ¡°Ah, I see, have you found that person yet?¡± Qin Yu did not expect such an answer.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t know where he is. I came here before and I felt like I was close to finding him, but my husband insisted that he was not here and took me back home.

    Now, I heard news that someone had seen him here, so I came again.¡± Miao Qingqing was sure the news she heard was correct, but this place was also massive, how was she supposed to search?

    ¡°Well, where are you staying? Let me give you a ride.¡± Qin Yu listened and thought he should definitely take her home.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have a place to stay yet. Do you have a place for me to stay, young man?¡± Miao Qingqing awkwardly asked. What had she become? She was becoming something of a moocher and it felt a little like she was giving him no choice.

    ¡°Um¡± Qin Yu was speechless. Could this be a liar? Was the search for someone just a story to deceive him?

    ¡°Is it difficult for you? Alright, I will find a place to stay myself. Just remember to watch your steps next time.¡± Miao Qingqing looked at the distressed expression on Qin Yu¡¯s face and smiled.

    ¡°Mam, I can¡¯t go back now because I have to deliver something to my sister. How about you come with me to see my sister? When I come back, I will take you to find a place to stay. Can we do this?¡± Qin Yu thought of that he was going to the military base now and taking her to the solemn military base would possibly reveal her true intentions if she was a liar.

 Chapter 566

    Qin Yu was thinking about taking Miao Qingqing to test her, while Miao Qingqing wanted to accompany him to see what was going on for the sake of his face.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine, thank you, young man.¡± Miao Qingqing thought it was a good idea since she hadn¡¯t found her grandson yet, and it was nice to have someone willing to talk to her.

    ¡°Old lady, just call me Xiao Yu, don¡¯t call me young man anymore.¡± Qin Yu said to Miao Qingqing with a smile.

    ¡°Okay, then Xiao Yu, don¡¯t call me old lady either, if you don¡¯t mind call me Grandma Miao.¡± Miao Qingqing also wasn¡¯t used to being called old lady.

    ¡°Alright, Grandma Miao, let¡¯s go and take the car. Please walk slowly.¡± Qin Yu picked up the things on the ground and reminded Miao Qingqing not to forget.

    Miao Qingqing smiled and followed Qin Yu to the bus station.

    When Miao Qingqing saw the research institute, she was surprised. Was this Xiao Yu a national worker? Although he looked a bit like it, she could tell he was not.

    So he said earlier that he was here to see his sister, which means that his sister lives here.

    ¡°Xiao Yu, is your sister inside?¡± Miao Qingqing turned and looked at Qin Yu and asked.

    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s inside. We¡¯ll go in after registering.¡± Qin Yu saw the surprise on Miao Qingqing¡¯s face, but no guilt. Had he misunderstood her?

    ¡°Alright.¡± Miao Qingqing went with Qin Yu to register at the guard¡¯s station.

    ¡°Qin Yu, why did you bring someone today?¡± The guard had seen Qin Yu several times and was quite familiar with him.

    ¡°She is a distant relative of mine, and she¡¯s here to visit my sister with me.¡± Qin Yu said with a smile.

    ¡°Oh, I see. Alright, go in after you register.¡± The guard collected the registration book and told Qin Yu and Miao Qingqing.

    ¡°Okay, thank you.¡± Qin Yu led Miao Qingqing to his sister¡¯s house.

    ¡°Xiao Yu, you seem to be very familiar with this place. Do you come here often?¡± Miao Qingqing observed that this place was quite different from the Imperial Capital.

    ¡°Yes, I lived here for a while.¡± Qin Yu casually mentioned his hardships over the past month.

    Miao Qingqing didn¡¯t ask any further since Qin Yu didn¡¯t want to talk about it.

    ¡°Knock knock¡± Qin Yu knocked on his sister¡¯s door.

    ¡°Xiao Yu, why are you here at this time?¡± Nangong Shulan asked after hearing the knocking and seeing that it was her son.

    ¡°Mom, I brought some food for my sister.¡± Qin Yu showed the things in his hand to his mother.

    ¡°Come in. And who is this?¡± Nangong Shulan then noticed Miao Qingqing behind Qin Yu.

    ¡°I met her on the street. She said she¡¯s looking for her grandson, so I thought I¡¯d take her to the guesthouse later.¡± Qin Yu explained to his mother why there was an extra person.

    ¡°I see, come on in.¡± Nangong Shulan moved aside.

    ¡°Auntie, have a seat. I¡¯ll get you a glass of water.¡± Nangong Shulan smiled at Miao Qingqing.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Miao Qingqing sat down on the chair in the living room.

    ¡°Mom, is my sister in her room?¡± Qin Yu asked his mother.¡±

    ¡°Yes, she is. If you have something to say, go ahead and talk to her.¡± Nangong Shulan looked at her son¡¯s expression and spoke directly.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go find my sister.¡± Qin Yu couldn¡¯t wait.

    ¡°Sis.¡± Qin Yu knocked on the door first.

    ¡°Xiao Yu, come in. What¡¯s up?¡± Qin Xue sat up and asked her brother.

    ¡°My night school application went through, I can go to class now.¡± Qin Yu wanted to tell his sister about this today.

    ¡°That¡¯s great. Just arrange the store affairs yourself.¡± Qin Xue is a hands-off boss and doesn¡¯t interfere with these things.

    ¡°Alright, I know. Sis, this is the money from selling the wine.¡± Qin Yu took out the passbook he was carrying and showed it to his sister.

 Chapter 567

    After discussing with his sister, Qin Yu looked at his nephews who had changed a lot.

    ¡°Sis, these two kids really look like their father.¡± Qin Yu said to his sister while looking at the children¡¯s faces, they looked so alike, their genetics were strong enough, so handsome.

    ¡°Yes, they don¡¯t look like me at all.¡± Qin Xue looked at her two sons, and people who had seen Chu Molin outside would know they were his offspring as soon as they saw these two children. But if other people saw her, Qin Xue, they might not know that she was Chu Molin¡¯s wife.

    So sometimes, genetics can be really hard to explain.

    ¡°But looking like their father is also good, their father is handsome.¡± Qin Yu poked the faces of the children and said.

    ¡°So you mean your sister is not good-looking?¡± Qin Xue looked at her foolish younger brother; anybody ever praised others in front of the person concerned?

    ¡°Not at all, my sister is the most beautiful sister in the world.¡± Qin Yu, who instantly became a sister-obsessed, said with a smile.

    ¡°Of course, just see whose sister I am.¡± Qin Xue said arrogantly.

    ¡°Of course, you are my sister.¡± Qin Yu didn¡¯t show any modesty and nodded his head.

    After finishing the last question in her room, Qin Jiale stretched her waist. She had just heard her brother¡¯s voice, but her sister had said that she wouldn¡¯t let her out of the room unless she finished the questions.

    So during this period, except for going to the bathroom, she spent the rest of the time doing questions in her room. If she couldn¡¯t do it, she would ask her sister for help.

    As a result, Qin Jiale found that the difficult questions were easy to understand after her sister¡¯s explanation, and she could even ask further questions based on them.

    Her sister¡¯s explanations were better and more detailed than the teachers¡¯.

    That¡¯s why Qin Jiale could quickly master the key points of knowledge. From spending half a day at the beginning to just one or two hours now, her progress was incredibly fast.

    ¡°Huh, Mom, do we have guests?¡± Qin Jiale had just vaguely heard her brother¡¯s voice, but didn¡¯t seem to hear anyone else¡¯s.

    ¡°Yes, are you done writing?¡± Nangong Shulan asked her youngest daughter.

    The youngest daughter had been stumbling over the questions her elder sister had given her all week, doing them whenever she had time.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m done. Are my brother and sister in their room?¡± Qin Jiale heard the sound of talking in the room.

    ¡°Yes, don¡¯t be too noisy, you know not to wake the children.¡± Nangong Shulan knew that the three children¡¯s relationship was now good, so she just warned her daughter and didn¡¯t say much.

    ¡°I know, Mom, grandma, you guys can chat slowly, I am going to find my brother and sister.¡± Qin Jiale waved her hand to her mother and Miao Qingqing and went to find her brother and sister.

    ¡°Your daughter is really beautiful.¡± Miao Qingqing had also been like this when she was young ¨C a little naive. She had changed a lot after joining the army and gaining more experience.

    ¡°Auntie, you are too kind.¡± Nangong Shulan smiled.

    ¡°Sis, are you serious?¡± Qin Jiale looked at her sister in shock.

    ¡°Of course, why would I lie to you?¡± Qin Xue looked at her surprised brother and sister, finding it quite amusing. Was it necessary to be that shocked?

    ¡°Wow, in a short while, my sister can go to Imperial Capital. Can I come and visit you when I have vacations?¡± Qin Jiale had no other ideas, only feeling that the Imperial Capital was too remote. Now that she heard her sister was going there, how could she not be excited?

    ¡°Of course, as long as you study well, you can go to Imperial Capital anytime in the future.¡± Qin Xue looked at her happy sister and said with a smile.

    ¡°Sis, you are the best.¡± Qin Jiale hugged her sister¡¯s arm and said with a smile.

    ¡°So, if I don¡¯t agree, I¡¯m not good?¡± Qin Xue looked at Qin Jiale with a half-smiling expression.

    ¡°How can that be? My sister is the best sister in the world.¡± Qin Jiale flattered her sister.

    ¡°Fine, you two say the same thing.¡± Qin Xue had just discussed this issue with Qin Yu.

 Chapter 568

    Laughter filled the room, showing the close relationship among the people inside.

    ¡°Your children have such a good relationship.¡± Miao Qingqing looked enviously towards the room¡¯s entrance, wishing her own family had the same atmosphere.

    Unfortunately, that was impossible, as her eldest grandson was no longer at home and the younger two wouldn¡¯t laugh and talk like this.

    ¡°Their relationship is quite good.¡± Nangong Shu didn¡¯t deny it; after all, it¡¯s the wish of every parent to see their children get along well.

    ¡°Your children are so sensible and well-behaved. You¡¯ll surely enjoy your blessings later.¡± Miao Qingqing said with a smile.

    ¡°Whether I enjoy my blessings or not, I just want the three of them to be safe and happy.¡± To Nangong Shulan, peace and happiness was more important for her children than anything else.

    ¡°That¡¯s true, children are parent¡¯s debts, some are here to repay kindness, while some are here to demand repayment.¡± Miao Qingqing also hoped that her family would be safe and happy, but some things were out of her control.

    At the very least, she couldn¡¯t do anything about her absent eldest grandson.

    But her greatest concern was still this grandson who hadn¡¯t sent any news in more than a decade. Had he not figured things out after all these years?

    Lost in her thoughts, Miao Qingqing went silent, and Nangong Shulan, not knowing what to say since it was their first meeting, made the atmosphere a bit cold.

    It wasn¡¯t until the sound of a child crying broke the awkwardness.

    ¡°The child¡¯s cry is so loud, seems like he has good lung capacity.¡± Miao Qingqing felt inexplicably happy upon hearing the crying.

    ¡°That¡¯s Yu Chen¡¯s cry, the second child, he¡¯s always been loud when crying.¡± Nangong Shulan also thought that the little boy was like a big speaker.

    Qin Xue picked up Yu Chen and felt his wet bottom; he was a child who wouldn¡¯t tolerate any discomfort and would cry loudly whenever he became even slightly wet.

    After Qin Xue changed his diaper, the loud crying finally stopped, and Yu Chen looked around with his big eyes.

    When he noticed people nearby, he looked at them quietly, occasionally blinking his eyes. It was so adorable.

    ¡°Sister, he is so cute.¡± Qin Jiale was very happy to see him awake as he usually was asleep when she finished her schoolwork.

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t think he¡¯s cute when he cries.¡± Qin Xue was grateful that her two children were relatively easy to care for and didn¡¯t cry too much; otherwise, she would have had a hard time.

    ¡°How could that be? Right, Yu Chen? You¡¯re always cute.¡± Qin Jiale spoke with a smug smile.

    ¡°Keep complimenting him.¡± Qin Xue looked at her sister speechlessly, wondering if she had a baby obsession.

    ¡°Sister, I¡¯m going back to the shop now. I¡¯ve been delayed for half a day.¡± Qin Yu decided it was time to return to the store.

    ¡°Alright, just make sure to arrange your night school before handling the shop¡¯s business, and remember that money can never be earned completely.¡± Qin Xue reminded her brother, worried.

    ¡°Got it, sister.¡± Qin Yu knew he would be attending night school soon, and managing the shop would leave him with little time to be distracted.

    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m going back to the shop.¡± Qin Yu went out and told his mother.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you waiting for dinner?¡± Nangong Shulan asked, looking at her son.

    ¡°No, I¡¯ve delayed half a day already.¡± Qin Yu thought that he had to attend night school soon and needed to arrange things properly.

    ¡°Alright, be careful on the road.¡± Nangong Shulan reminded her son.

    ¡°Alright, I know. Grandma Miao, let¡¯s go.¡± Qin Yu didn¡¯t forget to bring along the guest he had invited.

    ¡°Ah, alright.¡± Miao Qingqing stood up.

    ¡°Mom, we¡¯re leaving.¡± Qin Yu waved his phone at his mother.

    Miao Qingqing didn¡¯t know why, but she didn¡¯t want to leave this place. She felt as if the person she was looking for was almost within her grasp.

    However, there was nowhere for her to stay in this small area, and no one would allow an unfamiliar person like her to stay in the army base.

 Chapter 569

    Despite her reluctance, Miao Qingqing had to leave, casting a longing glance at the door of the room.

    The person who had given birth never appeared.

    Thus, Miao Qingqing didn¡¯t see Qin Xue and the two children.

    What she didn¡¯t know was that after she left, the Chu family went into chaos.

    ¡°Have you found her?¡± Chu Zhan asked the people in the living room.

    ¡°No,¡± the Chu family members replied in unison.

    ¡°Where did she go? With so many people in the house, we still couldn¡¯t keep an eye on an old woman?¡± Chu Zhan said angrily to everyone present.

    Despite her age, Miao Qingqing hardly ever goes out by herself. She was either accompanied by him or a driver from the family, and never left on her own. Today¡¯s situation had never happened before.

    It¡¯s not that Miao Qingqing is a child or anything, but she has a heart condition. They¡¯re afraid of what happened in S Province happening again if she went out alone. At that time, no one knew if they would be as lucky as before and have someone save her.

    Last time¡­ that¡¯s right! Did she go back to S Province to find her grandson again?

    ¡°Chu Yi, go ask the guards when your grandma left.¡± Chu Zhan instructed his little grandson to find clues.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go right away.¡± Chu Yi headed out immediately.

    ¡°Li Chao, let¡¯s get ready to go to S Province,¡± Chu Zhan told his bodyguard.

    ¡°Old Master, do you mean the Old Madam has gone to find the eldest young master again?¡± Li Chao tentatively asked.

    ¡°Other than this, I can¡¯t think of any other reason. And I noticed that she didn¡¯t take anything with her, just the water cup.¡± Chu Zhan thought his wife must have wanted to see if she could find the person who saved her life.

    ¡°Old Master, I understand.¡± Li Chao nodded and went to make preparations.

    ¡°Dad, where are you going?¡± Chu Yeting asked his father, puzzled.

    ¡°To find your mom,¡± Chu Zhan replied, annoyed.

    Chu Yeting was really confused, as he wasn¡¯t even aware of the exact situation.

    He felt a bit helpless about being dragged into this, but finding his mother was more important at the moment.

    Meanwhile, Miao Qingqing was brought back to the store. Looking at the rows of wine, she felt that they were beautiful and nodded with satisfaction.

    ¡°Grandma Miao, sit down. I¡¯ll take you to where you¡¯ll be staying later,¡± Qin Yu poured a glass of water and placed it in front of Miao Qingqing.

    ¡°Okay, thank you.¡± Miao Qingqing didn¡¯t refuse, since Qin Yu had no obligation to keep helping her. The only regret was not seeing her sister and brother-in-law.

    Miao Qingqing looked at Qin Yu¡¯s serious expression and found it a bit amusing. Was he afraid that she would eat his family¡¯s food?

    Actually, Qin Yu didn¡¯t think that way at all. He just felt that Miao Qingqing was a quite easygoing person, and he would feel more at ease finding a place for her to stay himself.

    So, without Qin Xue and Chu Molin knowing, Miao Qingqing had come to their house, browsed around, and left.

    When Chu Molin came home, he would, as usual, check on his wife and two children first.

    ¡°How was today?¡± Chu Molin asked his wife.

    ¡°It was good, don¡¯t worry. My mom and Lele are here, and they¡¯ve taken care of everything. All I have to do is lie down and rest.¡± Qin Xue smiled at her husband.

    ¡°Well, now that Mom and the others are taking care of you, otherwise, once we get to the Imperial Capital, you¡¯ll have to take care of the children yourself.¡± Chu Molin knew from the past few days of waking up at night that raising children was not easy. He felt sorry for his wife, but at the same time, he had no choice but to take care of the children.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯ll be fine.¡± Qin Xue hadn¡¯t forgotten about Xue Ling ¡ª she was still waiting for it to take form and help her with the children.

    In the space, Xue Ling sneezed. Who was cursing it? Once it made this breakthrough, it would be free.

    It would be better once it left the space¡­ For now, it needed to focus on its cultivation.

 Chapter 570

    Chu Zhan and Li Chao arrived in S Province and began searching for Miao Qingqing¡¯s whereabouts.

    Seeing the somewhat dilapidated building, Chu Zhan stepped in.

    ¡°Ah, excuse me, are you looking for a place to stay?¡± The hotel staff stopped Chu Zhan and Li Chao as they wanted to enter.

    ¡°We¡¯re looking for Miao Qingqing,¡± Chu Zhan explained.

    ¡°Oh, I see.¡± The staff member didn¡¯t expect that to be their purpose.

    ¡°Is she in her room?¡± Chu Zhan, who had fought in the war and had killed people, had an imposing presence that ordinary people couldn¡¯t withstand.

    ¡°Oh, yes, she is.¡± The staff member hastily replied, finding them quite intimidating.

    Chu Zhan and Li Chao were dressed in civilian clothes today, not military uniforms. Apart from their extraordinary presence and standing upright, there was no other difference between them and others.

    The staff member¡¯s strong reaction could only mean she had not seen much of the world.

    The sound of knocking echoed through the room, and Miao Qingqing got out of bed and put on her shoes.

    ¡°Who is it?¡± Miao Qingqing wondered who would come looking for her at this time. Could it be Xiao Yu?

    ¡°Qingqing, it¡¯s me.¡± Chu Zhan¡¯s serious and stern voice came through the door.

    ¡°Old man, why did he come?¡± Miao Qing mumbled to herself upon hearing this.

    ¡°Old partner, how did you get here?¡± Miao Qingqing opened the door to see Chu Zhan with an ashen face and Li Chao hurriedly signaling her with his eyes. She hesitantly asked.

    ¡°How did I get here? How can you even ask that? Do you know how worried everyone was when you left like this?¡± Chu Zhan was truly infuriated by his old wife.

    ¡°Who told you not to help me find my dear grandson?¡± Miao Qingqing was so angry her eyes turned red. None of them wanted to help her find her eldest grandson, and she didn¡¯t know how much longer she had left to live.

    What was wrong with her wanting to find her grandson? If they didn¡¯t want the grandson, could she not look for him herself?

    ¡°You¡¯re being unreasonable.¡± Chu Zhan knew it would be like this but couldn¡¯t understand why she had become so insistent on finding the grandson who had left home over ten years ago.

    ¡°So what if I¡¯m unreasonable? Get out, all of you! Anyone who tries to stop me from finding my grandson, don¡¯t blame me for getting angry. Go, go, go! Get out of here!¡± Miao Qingqing was a spirited and straightforward person in her youth, becoming more subdued after marrying Chu Zhan and following him around.

    Now, she was so angry that she chased everyone away. No one was allowed to stand in her way of finding her grandson.

    ¡°Qingqing, can¡¯t you listen to me?¡± Chu Zhan looked at his wife with a headache.

    ¡°No, Chu Zhan, let me make this clear to you. I won¡¯t go back until I find my grandson. Don¡¯t bother trying to lecture me on anything.¡± Miao Qingqing wasn¡¯t afraid of Chu Zhan.

    ¡°Qingqing, your body can¡¯t handle this. Can you please come back with me?¡± Chu Zhan softened his voice and pleaded with his old wife.

    ¡°No, you guys can go back. I won¡¯t go with you.¡± Miao Qingqing was determined not to give up this opportunity. She had a feeling that she would soon see her grandson.

    ¡°Then, you can take your time searching. We¡¯ll leave.¡± Chu Zhan was so furious that he couldn¡¯t reason with her anymore.

    Chu Zhan left with Li Chao, and Miao Qingqing slammed the door shut.

    She knew her grandson felt wronged, so he didn¡¯t want to go home, but he should have told her, his grandmother.

    ¡°Old man, are we really going to leave the old lady here alone and go back?¡± Li Chao looked worriedly at Chu Zhan and asked.

    ¡°You stay with her, and I¡¯ll go back.¡± Chu Zhan was frustrated. How was he chased away by his old partner with just a few words?

    ¡°No, I can¡¯t let you go back alone. It seems that the old lady is relatively safe here. I¡¯ll send you back first, then come back and follow her. What do you think?¡± Li Chao made a suggestion.

    Taking care of Chu Zhan was his responsibility, and he couldn¡¯t neglect his duty.

 Chapter 571

    After hearing this, Chu Zhan didn¡¯t have any objections. They had set out in a hurry this time, not considering other things. Now that he had seen his old wife and knew she was safe, he could rest easy.

    As Li Chao had said, two days¡¯ time shouldn¡¯t pose any problems, so he nodded in agreement.

    Just like that, Miao Qingqing came to the shop every day looking for Qin Yu.

    The two gradually became familiar with each other. Only then did Qin Yu understand why she was so desperate to find her grandson.

    ¡°Grandma Miao, where is your grandson? Do you have any clues?¡± Qin Yu asked Miao Qingqing, who came to report to him every day.

    ¡°I don¡¯t. All I know is that he¡¯s in S Province.¡± If Miao Qingqing knew where it was, she would have gone there directly. Was there any need to wander aimlessly like a headless fly?

    ¡°Then, how are you certain he¡¯s here in such a big province?¡± This was what Qin Yu was curious about.

    ¡°Because I¡¯ve been here looking for him before, and I have a feeling that he¡¯s here. This feeling is very strong and it¡¯s never wrong.¡± Miao Qingqing¡¯s premonitions were quite accurate.

    Perhaps, if she hadn¡¯t been taken back by the old man last time, she might have found her grandson by now.

    ¡°Alright then, I hope you find the person you¡¯re looking for soon.¡± Qin Yu didn¡¯t have any other choice. The old lady had latched onto him, coming to chat with him about anything and everything every day.

    Only then did Qin Yu discover that Miao Qingqing¡¯s conversation and insights were pretty remarkable.

    ¡°Thank you, Xiao Yu. Here¡¯s hoping for your good luck. I too wish to find him soon.¡± Miao Qingqing laughed heartily.

    Thus, one of them didn¡¯t ask, and the other didn¡¯t tell. The two family members missed an earlier opportunity to see their grandson because of this.

    A few days went by like this, with Qin Yu busy attending night school and not having visited his sister for a long time.

    Today, he planned to pay his sister and nephew a visit.

    Just as he had finished packing, Miao Qingqing came to Qin Yu¡¯s shop again.

    ¡°Xiao Yu, are you going out?¡± Miao Qingqing asked as soon as she saw Qin Yu.

    ¡°Yes, I haven¡¯t visited my sister in a long time, so I thought I would go to see them.¡± While he spoke, Qin Yu was packing the items he had bought for his sister.

    ¡°Xiao Yu, can I come with you? I didn¡¯t get to meet your sister last time, and would like to get to know her.¡± Miao Qingqing asked a bit shyly, realizing this was a bit of an overstep.

    ¡°Sure.¡± Thinking that it wasn¡¯t something he should hide, Qin Yu agreed.

    Miao Qingqing sighed a sigh of relief. She didn¡¯t quite understand why she had been feeling so anxious?

    But after hearing Qin Yu¡¯s words, she genuinely felt at ease.

    And thus Miao Qingqing followed Qin Yu to XX Research Institute and into Qin Xue¡¯s house for the second time.

    ¡°Brother, Grandma, how are you?¡± Qin Jiale opened the door for them.

    Qin Jiale didn¡¯t know why this grandma was coming to their house with his brother again.

    ¡°Lele, where are Mom and Sister?¡± Qin Yu asked, noticing that the living room was empty.

    ¡°They¡¯re in the room, changing the baby¡¯s diaper.¡± Qin Jiale couldn¡¯t help out, so he had been idle.

    ¡°Hello Lele.¡± Miao Qingqing greeted Qin Jiale.

    ¡°Hello Grandma, come in and sit down.¡± After Qin Jiale let his brother and Miao Qingqing in, he closed the door.

    ¡°Ah, Xiao Yu is here. Look Yu Chen, your Uncle is here.¡± Nangong Shulan was holding the second child when she came out.

    ¡°Auntie?¡± After greeting, Nangong Shulan noticed there was another person. If it wasn¡¯t Miao Qingqing who had come a few days back, then who could it be?

    ¡°Hello, Mrs. Qin, sorry for the disturbance again.¡± Miao Qingqing replied with a smile.

    ¡°Have a seat, Lele, go bring some water for Grandma and your brother, let them rest a bit.¡± Nangong Shulan sat on a chair holding her nephew.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Qin Jiale answered his mother¡¯s command. He went into the kitchen to pour water. After all, the kettle in the living room was empty.

    ¡°Mom, let me hold Yu Chen. I¡¯ve missed them so much after not seeing them for a few days.¡± Qin Yu walked over, sat next to his mother, and said to her.

 Chapter 572

    Qin Yu held his nephew and showed his face.

    Miao Qingqing was smiling at them, but when the child¡¯s face appeared, her eyes turned red. This child, why does he look so much like her grandson?

    ¡°Xiao Yu, can I hold this child?¡± Miao Qingqing asked anxiously.

    Qin Yu didn¡¯t understand why Miao Qingqing reacted so strongly and why she was so emotional.

    Qin Yu looked at Miao Qingqing and his mother, nodded, and agreed.

    ¡°Sure.¡± Qin Yu handed the baby in his arms to Miao Qingqing¡¯s embrace.

    As Miao Qingqing took the baby, she saw the familiar eyebrows and eyes, though young and innocent, but they were so familiar. She had missed this face for over ten years. Could this child be her own grandchild?

    At the thought of this, Miao Qingqing laughed and cried, almost scaring Nangong Shulan and others.

    ¡°Auntie, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Nangong Shulan was the first to react and asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m just happy to see this child looks so good. It¡¯s a pleasure to see.¡± Miao Qingqing didn¡¯t say anything else.

    ¡°Is that so? You¡¯re really alright?¡± Nangong Shulan doubted Miao Qingqing¡¯s words as she remembered her to be quite a sensible person before. Why did she suddenly cry just from seeing a child?

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine. This child is so good-looking.¡± Miao Qingqing hesitated to touch the child¡¯s face, worried that it might hurt him.

    Yu Chen didn¡¯t feel afraid. He stared at Miao Qingqing with his big, black eyes, even laughed a little.

    ¡°The child looks like his father, very handsome.¡± Nangong Shulan, although advanced in age, couldn¡¯t help but admit that her son-in-law was really good-looking. Otherwise, her daughter wouldn¡¯t have insisted on marrying him.

    ¡°Really? That¡¯s great.¡± Now Miao Qingqing was 70% sure that this was her grandson¡¯s child because people without blood ties wouldn¡¯t look so alike.

    ¡°Mom, what¡¯s going on?¡± Qin Xue came out holding Yu Ze, having heard the commotion in the living room.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. This grandmother said Yu Chen is good-looking, she¡¯s just happy.¡± Nangong Shulan looked at her eldest daughter who had just come out and said with a smile.

    ¡°Oh, okay. I¡¯m glad it¡¯s nothing.¡± Qin Xue glanced at the direction of her mother¡¯s finger and felt a sense of familiarity. Where had she seen this person before?

    Qin Xue searched her memory. That¡¯s right. Wasn¡¯t this the patient she had given emergency aid to on the street when she first arrived here? But why was she in her house now? Did she come looking for her specifically or was there another purpose?

    Qin Xue quietly held her child and sat in the chair, not speaking while watching Miao Qingqing.

    ¡°Ah, is there another one? Are they twins?¡± Miao Qingqing didn¡¯t notice Qin Xue¡¯s gaze. Her eyes had been attracted by the child Qin Xue was holding ever since she came out.

    ¡°Yes, they¡¯re twins, two boys.¡± Nangong Shulan laughed.

    ¡°Ah, two boys? Why isn¡¯t there a girl?¡± Miao Qingqing asked with a bit of disappointment.

    ¡°This¡­¡± Miao Qingqing¡¯s words stunned everyone present. It didn¡¯t seem to be her business whether there were girls or not, so why was she disappointed?

    ¡°Ah, I didn¡¯t mean it like that. I meant to say, why are both of them boys? If one of them were a girl, they¡¯d have both a son and a daughter, making a perfect match.¡± Miao Qingqing realized she misspoke and hurriedly tried to remedy the situation. She couldn¡¯t afford to offend these people who could possibly be her in-laws.

    ¡°Oh, I see. It¡¯s okay.¡± Nangong Shulan laughed it off, not minding Miao Qingqing¡¯s meaning. She wasn¡¯t always at their home anyway. As long as she didn¡¯t harbor ill intentions, it was fine.

    However, what Nangong Shulan didn¡¯t know was that ever since Miao Qingqing saw the child¡¯s face, she wanted to stay here and not leave. If that was the case, could she soon see her grandson?

 Chapter 573

    Qin Xue observed Miao Qingqing silently, noticing that apart from her emotional state, there was no other expression or movement. She slightly lowered her guard but continued to monitor her from time to time.

    ¡°Mrs. Qin, may I hold the other child?¡± Miao Qingqing asked, looking at the child in Qin Xue¡¯s arms.

    ¡°Um¡­¡± Nangong Shulan hesitated, glancing at Miao Qingqing and then at her daughter without saying anything.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, I was being too abrupt.¡± Miao Qingqing had been too excited earlier, but now, she realized she had overstepped their boundaries after seeing the expressions on the family members¡¯ faces.

    ¡°It is inappropriate, give Yu Chen to Xiao Yu, and I¡¯ll let you hold Yu Ze,¡± Qin Xue said calmly.

    ¡°Daughter-in-law, you¡­¡± Miao Qingqing hurriedly covered her mouth; she blurted out the words in her excitement.

    ¡°Daughter-in-law?¡± Qin Xue noticed Miao Qingqing¡¯s words. She looked at her mother and brother, guessing they had heard it too.

    ¡°Hehe, I came here to look for my grandson, and I felt a close bond with you at first sight. I also like this child, so I impulsively called you my daughter-in-law.¡± Miao Qingqing quickly tried to salvage the situation, fearing to leave a bad impression since she still wanted to see her separated grandson.

    ¡°So that¡¯s the reason. No wonder,¡± Qin Xue had not expected this explanation. If that was the case, it could certainly explain Miao Qingqing¡¯s strange behavior.

    ¡°Yes, my grandson has been away from home for more than ten years. I come out to search for him every year but get caught and brought back by my husband each time.¡±

    This time he came too, but I drove him away in anger. I¡¯m already old, and if I don¡¯t find my grandson soon, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to see him one last time before I pass away.¡± Miao Qingqing held Yu Ze in her hands; this child looked even more like her own grandson. In that moment, tears began streaming down her face.

    ¡°Ah, Granny, don¡¯t cry. We believe you will find your grandson,¡± Qin Xue stared at the elderly woman who had just started crying out of the blue.

    ¡°Yes, Auntie, you¡¯re such a good person; I believe heaven won¡¯t be so cruel. You will definitely find your grandson; please stop crying, okay?¡± Nangong Shulan handed a handkerchief to Miao Qingqing.

    ¡°Thank you, you are all kind-hearted people.¡± Miao Qingqing took the handkerchief and wiped her tears, feeling slightly embarrassed. How could someone her age cry like a young girl?

    ¡°Auntie, why don¡¯t you have dinner with us? My son-in-law will be back soon, and I can introduce you to him,¡± Nangong Shulan warmly invited Miao Qingqing.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that too much trouble for you?¡± Miao Qingqing¡¯s eyes lit up at the prospect of meeting her grandson but worried that it might inconvenience the family.

    ¡°No problem, we were going to have dinner anyway, and it¡¯s just an extra pair of chopsticks,¡± Nangong Shulan casually waved her hand and smiled.

    ¡°Thank you so much, you are all such good people.¡± Miao Qingqing¡¯s impression of their family was already good, and now it became even better.

    ¡°You¡¯re too polite. Please sit down, and I will go and cook,¡± Nangong Shulan saw that it was almost time for dinner and pulled her younger daughter into the kitchen to prepare the meal together.

    ¡°Daughter-in-law, what are your two children¡¯s names?¡± Miao Qingqing looked at Qin Xue and asked.

    ¡°Granny, please don¡¯t call me daughter-in-law; just call me Qin Xue,¡± Qin Xue blushed, feeling awkward that Miao Qingqing treated her like a daughter-in-law.

    ¡°Oh, alright. Qin Xue, what are the names of your two children?¡± Miao Qingqing, worried that Qin Xue might get angry, changed her words accordingly.

    ¡°The elder one¡¯s name is Chu Mengze, and the younger one is Chu Nanchun,¡± Qin Xue smiled and told Miao Qingqing the children¡¯s names. She only revealed the information because she saw that Miao Qingqing had no ulterior motives; otherwise, she would not have shared it as a way to protect her children.

 Chapter 574

    Upon hearing the surname Chu, Miao Qingqing became even more certain in her heart.

    ¡°The new year¡¯s morning dew invokes visions of the dream clouds connected to the south of a thousand woods. The name is well chosen.¡± Miao Qingqing recited a line of poetry upon hearing the name.

    ¡°Huh, you said the same thing as my husband.¡± Qin Xue recalled that Chu Molin had also recited the same lines of poetry when he had chosen the name. Now this old woman was saying the same thing.

    ¡°Really? That¡¯s great. It means we¡¯re on the same wavelength.¡± Miao Qingqing chuckled upon hearing this.

    As usual, Chu Molin took off his belt and hat after work.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, I¡¯m home,¡± Chu Molin said to his wife.

    Miao Qingqing had her back to the door, so Chu Molin didn¡¯t see her.

    ¡°Xiao Yu is here. Didn¡¯t you open the door today?¡± Chu Molin asked his brother-in-law upon seeing him.

    ¡°Brother-in-law, I didn¡¯t. I came to see my sister and my nephews.¡± Qin Yu smiled and replied.

    ¡°Molin is back. Perfect timing. Go wash your hands and have dinner,¡± Nangong Shulan called out from the kitchen after hearing his voice.

    ¡°Okay, Mom. We have a guest today.¡± Chu Molin noticed Miao Qingqing but only saw the back of her head.

    ¡°Yes, go wash up and have dinner,¡± Nangong Shulan smiled at her son-in-law and replied.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Chu Molin went to wash up without any objections.

    Miao Qingqing¡¯s excitement grew when she heard the door open. Although the voice had changed somewhat, she was one hundred percent certain that this was her grandson.

    ¡°Why isn¡¯t anyone eating?¡± Chu Molin¡¯s gentle face stiffened when he saw Miao Qingqing. What was she doing here?

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is there a problem?¡± Qin Xue noticed Chu Molin¡¯s expression and asked him.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Let¡¯s eat,¡± Chu Molin said to his wife with a strained smile.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Qin Xue thought that it wasn¡¯t a good time to ask questions with so many people around. It would be better to wait until they were back in their room.

    Miao Qingqing wanted to say something, but seeing her grandson act as if he didn¡¯t know her, she hesitated and ultimately didn¡¯t speak.

    The meal was consumed in an inexplicable silence by all.

    Throughout the entire meal, Chu Molin only interacted with Qin Xue, not even glancing at Miao Qingqing.

    Qin Xue still ate her confinement meal but simply joined everyone else at the table. The food she ate was different from the others.

    So Chu Molin didn¡¯t serve her any dishes, but he tended to her emotions.

    After dinner, while everyone else chatted in the living room, Chu Molin felt stifled.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, I have work to do in my office. I¡¯m going back to work now,¡± Chu Molin said to his wife before grabbing his hat and belt and leaving.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Molin? He seems a bit off,¡± Nangong Shulan asked her daughter.

    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s nothing. Isn¡¯t he always like this? Maybe it¡¯s just the stress of going to the Imperial Capital soon.¡± Qin Xue tried to smooth things over for her husband.

    ¡°Mom, my sister is right. It must be the pressure. Don¡¯t overthink it, or else you¡¯ll make my brother-in-law more stressed,¡± Qin Yu sided with his brother-in-law.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯ve never seen any change in my brother-in-law¡¯s expression. He¡¯s always cold-faced.

    There¡¯s one exception: when he¡¯s facing my sister, there¡¯s a hint of a smile. Otherwise, he¡¯s always the same.¡± Qin Jiale thought that being with his brother-in-law was like being frozen, and he didn¡¯t know how his sister could stand it.

    Only Miao Qingqing knew what was going on with Chu Molin. He was still resentful of his family.

    Was he resentful of his mother for passing away early or angry at himself for not stopping his father from marrying a stepmother?

    Miao Qingqing didn¡¯t know what her grandson was thinking. She only hoped he could understand.

    It was time for him to return home after so many years. But looking at this family, they clearly knew nothing, which meant her grandson hadn¡¯t told them anything.

 Chapter 575

    Chu Molin did not go to the office, but instead went to the mountain behind his house.

    There¡¯s a place within the mountain known only to him, a place he discovered by chance.

    Chu Molin laid on a rock, drifting into his memories.

    He clearly remembered his childhood, when his mother was the one sweeping him off his feet. He spent most of his time with her till he was six, barely seeing his father.

    ¡°Mom, why are we here?¡± young Chu Molin asked his mother.

    ¡°Linlin, we¡¯re waiting for your father. He said he¡¯d come to pick us up,¡± Gong Xinya gently ran her fingers through her son¡¯s hair.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t dad come to pick us up in the first place?¡± Little Chu Molin failed to understand the inherent intricacy.

    He could only remember how his mother¡¯s smile felt bittersweet as she squatted before him to say: ¡°Linlin, remember, no matter what happens in the future, always stay strong and aim to attain a position higher than a platoon chief, do you understand?¡±

    Young Chu Molin, still a child back then, did not grasp why his mother would say such things to him, but being an obedient child, he nodded in agreement.

    Mother continued that ritual every single day, standing with him at the entrance of the village, to the point where the villagers thought her a fool.

    Little Chu Molin did not understand why the villagers would talk like that, until he overheard their comments that his mother was an unwanted, illegitimate child of the Gong family, who got pregnant before marriage. So, the villagers looked down on her.

    But she loved him dearly, never able to bear the slightest hint of hardship.

    His mother, in Chu Molin¡¯s opinion, was the best person in the world.

    So he picked a fight with the villagers when he heard their words. When he returned home, he expected her to scold him, but she didn¡¯t.

    All she did was pat his head with compassion and tell him: ¡°Linlin, sometimes, martial arts aren¡¯t the solution to every problem. You must learn to use your head and figure out the trick to one-move victories.¡±

    Young Chu Molin watched her in confusion, hoping she would explain herself more clearly.

    But she didn¡¯t add anything else, simply telling him he would understand when he was older.

    Not until he turned seven, when he was taken back by the Chu family, bearing their name, did he live under their roof ¨C until he left home at sixteen.

    Chu Molin remembered how ecstatic he was then, finally able to live with his father, no longer having to keep a far distance from him.

    He was overwhelmed with joy, but how did he not notice his mother¡¯s reluctance in joining the Chu family then? If he had noticed, would she not have left him?

    However, little Chu Molin, back then was solely focused on living with his father, neglecting the subtle unhappiness his mother exhibited since they moved in. He rarely saw that pure smile on his mother¡¯s face any longer.

    Sometimes, he could even see her secretly crying.

    But he didn¡¯t dare to ask her what was wrong.

    When he was eight, his mother fell seriously ill.

    Holding his hand she said: ¡°Linlin, you must study hard in the future, strive for success, aim high ¨C do you understand? And don¡¯t blame your father, it¡¯s me who failed him.¡± Chu Molin took her words to heart as he thought her condition was salvagable and nodded in agreement.

    Later, she passed away with a smile, as if she was going to see someone else.

    Six months later, his father brought home his new wife, Zhao Xuezhi, and their son, Chu Yi, and moved into Chu¡¯s house.

    He felt angry and hostile back then, so he started skipping school, climbing over the wall, climbing trees, rebelling in every possible way.

    His father couldn¡¯t handle him, not to mention his new wife

    However, the child she brought with her kept calling him ¡®brother¡¯, no matter how much he scolded or hit him, he just clung to him calling him ¡®brother¡¯.

    Eventually, Chu Molin learned to ignore him and never responded to him, until the birth of his younger sister, Chu Xiaoqiao, which caught his attention.

 Chapter 576

    As Chu Molin thought about all these things, he felt a great deal of discomfort in his heart. He found that as he grew older, his thoughts matured, and he couldn¡¯t even bring himself to hate Zhao Xuezhi anymore.

    Besides giving birth to a child named Chu Yi with his father, Zhao Xuezhi had been good in all other aspects, especially treating him even better than her own son. However, Chu Molin always refused her kindness and deliberately antagonized her.

    It wasn¡¯t until Chu Molin turned 16 and could apply for an ID card that he chose to leave home.

    At that time, he had no money and no tickets, so he had to rely on walking and doing odd jobs to earn money and food.

    One day, after saving someone, that person took him home, and a new chapter in his life began.

    He remembered the person saying, ¡°You¡¯ve saved my life by helping me keep these things. You can make a request; as long as it¡¯s not too unreasonable, I¡¯ll agree to it.¡±

    Chu Molin only made one request: ¡°Since you can take me home, you must have the ability to make it impossible for anyone to find out that I¡¯m here, right?¡±

    The person remained silent and stared at Chu Molin for a long time, while Chu Molin stared back, unafraid. Finally, just before Chu Molin couldn¡¯t hold on anymore, the person agreed to his request.

    ¡°I can block your information so no one can find you, but you must tell me why you¡¯re doing this,¡± the person asked him.

    How had he responded at the time? It seemed to be something like, ¡°With the one who loved me gone, fleeing is my only option.¡±

    After hearing this, the person nodded silently, patted his shoulder, and left.

    After that, he resumed his studies, then enlisted in the military, and eventually joined a research institute.

    Chu Molin jumped off the rock, put on his hat, and started descending the mountain.

    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m going with Grandma Miao now,¡± Qin Yu and Miao Qingqing waved to Nangong Shulan as they stood at the door.

    ¡°Be careful on the road,¡± Nangong Shulan reminded them.

    ¡°I know,¡± Qin Yu replied loudly.

    That night, as Chu Molin held Qin Xue, she wanted to ask him about what happened, but he silenced her before she could speak.

    He embraced her as if he wanted to meld her into his body.

    Qin Xue sensed that Chu Molin was not himself, but instead of crying out in pain, she pressed on his Hegu and Taichong acupoints in a rhythmic pattern.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er.¡± Chu Molin regained his composure and let go of Qin Xue, but rested his head on her shoulder.

    ¡°Go to sleep; I won¡¯t ask anymore,¡± Qin Xue whispered, gently patting his back.

    ¡°Hmm, I¡¯ll tell you in the future.¡± Chu Molin had been caught off guard by Miao Qingqing¡¯s presence today, and recalling some of his childhood memories had caused him to lose control of his emotions when Qin Xue tried to question him earlier.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, let me take a look.¡± Chu Molin remembered that he had been holding her quite tightly earlier and was sure he must have hurt her.

    ¡°No need, I¡¯m fine. Just go to sleep,¡± Qin Xue said. Although she felt like she had been taken apart and put back together, she knew she was really fine.

    ¡°No, I have to check on you,¡± Chu Molin insisted, preparing to lift his wife¡¯s clothes to inspect her.

    Frightened, Qin Xue quickly held down her clothes. There was no way she could let him examine her, especially now when she wasn¡¯t pregnant anymore. Moreover, Qin Xue had recovered well, almost regaining her original figure in just half of her confinement period.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, be good, let me check you. Don¡¯t resist, or else mom and little sister will hear us and think we¡¯re doing something else,¡± Chu Molin whispered into her ear, his warm breath tickling her earlobe, sending shivers down her spine.

 Chapter 577

    Qin Xue was driven to helplessness by Chu Molin, so she could only give in.

    ¡°Chu Molin, I¡¯ll let you see, can¡¯t I just let you see?¡± Qin Xue surrendered.

    ¡°Hmm, you agree to let me check?¡± Chu Molin raised his head to look at the blushing woman and asked.

    ¡°Mm-hmm, I agree.¡± Qin Xue nodded like a little chick pecking at rice.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, I¡¯m sorry.¡± After getting his wife¡¯s permission, Chu Molin lifted her clothes and saw two red marks, with two marks on her waist turning black and blue, showing how hard he¡¯d been earlier.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, you didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡± Qin Xue knew that she couldn¡¯t avoid this after letting him check.

    ¡°Wait here, I¡¯ll go get some medicine to apply on you.¡± Chu Molin wanted to get up and fetch the medicine.

    ¡°No, there¡¯s no need. I¡¯m not that badly hurt. Don¡¯t bother getting it, just lie down with me and rest.¡± Qin Xue pulled him down to lie beside her, not letting him get up to find medicine.

    Chu Molin saw the two children sleeping soundly in the baby crib, then held Qin Xue and adjusted her to a comfortable position, kissing her forehead: ¡°Wife, good night.¡±

    After hearing this, Qin Xue sweetly smiled and soon fell asleep.

    Chu Molin gently raised Qin Xue¡¯s head, withdrew his hand, and then put on his shoes and went to find the medicine.

    Chu Molin found the anti-swelling medicine among the bottles and applied it to his wife after returning to her bedside.

    After applying the medicine, Chu Molin went back on the bed and held his wife as they both rested.

    Ever since Miao Qingqing left Qin Xue¡¯s house that day, she had been visiting their home from time to time.

    She claimed, ¡°I just love these two kids, and I don¡¯t have anything else to do, so I came to see them.¡±

    Chu Molin¡¯s attitude towards Miao Qingqing changed from initial resistance to indifference later on, but neither of them pressed the issue, and it continued like this until Qin Xue¡¯s one-month-old celebration.

    The day before the celebration, Miao Qingqing came again, bringing some beautiful items along.

    ¡°Qin Xue, take this jade bracelet and these two pairs of silver bracelets for the children.¡± Miao Qingqing pulled out the gifts she brought and handed them to Qin Xue.

    ¡°Grandma, I can¡¯t accept this, it¡¯s too precious. Please keep it,¡± said Qin Xue. Although she didn¡¯t know much about jade, she could tell that this pair of bracelets was valuable.

    ¡°Just take it. It was meant to be passed down to the daughter-in-law.¡± Miao Qingqing was even more satisfied with Qin Xue; she was kind-hearted and not greedy.

    ¡°Grandma, this is too precious. I really can¡¯t accept it. As you said, it should be passed down to your daughter-in-law. You should keep it and give it to her later. What would people think if I, an outsider, took it? Don¡¯t you agree?¡± Qin Xue said with a smile.

    ¡°Qin Xue, just take it. This was left behind by my daughter-in-law, intended for her own daughter-in-law,¡± Miao Qingqing insisted, putting the jade bracelet into Qin Xue¡¯s hand.

    Qin Xue felt overwhelmed and immediately sensed that something was off about Miao Qingqing¡¯s words.

    Just when Qin Xue wanted to give it back, Chu Molin spoke up: ¡°Xue¡¯er, just keep it. It¡¯s rightfully yours, after all.¡±

    Chu Molin had recognized his mother¡¯s jade bracelet as soon as Miao Qingqing took it out.

    It must be his mother¡¯s last heirloom.

    Chu Molin remembered that it had been his mother¡¯s favorite jade bracelet. She had never let it leave her side when he was young, and he hadn¡¯t expected it to be with his grandmother now.

    He recalled asking his mother back then what was so special about the bracelet that made her so happy. She had told him, ¡°It¡¯s an heirloom passed down through the generations in our family. It was given to me, and I will pass it on to your wife.¡±

 Chapter 578

    At the time, Chu Molin didn¡¯t understand what his mother was talking about, so he just nodded in acknowledgment.

    Now, the fact that his grandmother gave the bracelet to Qin Xue rather than Zhao Xuezhi made him feel somewhat better, no matter how he thought about it.

    Upon seeing that Qin Xue did not want to accept the bracelet, he refrained from saying anything. However, when they continued to pass the bracelet back and forth, Chu Molin, fearing that the bracelet would be damaged, insisted that his wife accept it.

    ¡°Thanks, grandma.¡± After thanking Miao Qingqing, Qin Xue looked at her husband, not understanding why he insisted she accept the pair of jade bracelets.

    Chu Molin took the bracelets and quickly slipped them onto Qin Xue¡¯s wrists.

    ¡°Chu Molin, don¡¯t you want to explain what this is about?¡± Qin Xue watched her husband¡¯s actions without trying to stop him.

    ¡°These were my mom¡¯s. She said they should be passed down to my wife.¡± Chu Molin clarified the situation with this statement.

    ¡°So you mean, she is your¡­ blood mother?¡± Qin Xue found it incredible.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Chu Molin, who no longer returned to the Chu family home, felt that whether he acknowledged it or not made no difference at this point.

    ¡°So, this is why I always felt that something was off, and I couldn¡¯t quite put a finger on it. Well, I suppose obedience is the best course of action.¡± Qin Xue stared at the jade bracelet on her fair wrist.

    She had always heard that jade had nourishing properties. Now she would have a chance to experience this first-hand.

    That day, the two children were dressed in matching red robes, so different from the simple attire they had been wearing when they were born.

    They didn¡¯t throw a huge party, just invited some close friends including the Xie and Xu families, and the Jing Xin family. It can only be described as fortunate.

    Jing Xin had finally gotten a house and moved Fang Xiu and her son to the research institute. A few of Chu Molin¡¯s close colleagues also came over to share a meal at their home.

    Despite the small number of invitees, there were still two tables of guests. So early in the morning, Nangong Shulan, Yu Xiu, and Fang Hong started preparing various dishes, including crispy pork and fried meatballs, which were everyone¡¯s favorites.

    The crayfish that Cui Da had brought were kept in three large basins, and Qin Xue would occasionally add some spiritual spring water to prevent them from dying. If she hadn¡¯t been afraid of other people finding out, she would have brought them directly from her interspatial storage, and wouldn¡¯t have had to secretly go to such lengths.

    Seeing that Miao Qingqing had arrived early, Qin Xue asked her to look after the children, and started working on the crayfish herself. She remembered that this group of people loved spicy crayfish, so she decided to make a lot more today.

    But when would she be able to finish preparing so many?

    Chu Molin was at work, so he was unable to help. Her gaze swept the room and landed on her sister.

    ¡°Lele, come help me wash these crayfish.¡± Qin Xue called out to her sister.

    ¡°Sis, what¡¯s the point in eating these big shells? What¡¯s the use of washing them?¡± Qin Jiale muttered, but she still started to help.

    ¡°You¡¯ll see once they¡¯re cooked. I guarantee you¡¯ll want more.¡± Qin Xue thought about how many people expressed that sentiment when they first saw crayfish, but couldn¡¯t stop eating after having a taste.

    ¡°You mean I¡¯ll want more of this shellfish? Are you trying to fool me?¡± Qin Jiale looked at Qin Xue skeptically.

    ¡°Yes, these shellfish. If you don¡¯t believe me, just wait and see.¡± Qin Xue said mysteriously.

    After hearing what Qin Xue said, Qin Jiale¡¯s curiosity was indeed piqued. Could they really be that tasty?

    The two sisters chatted and laughed as they cleaned the crayfish.

    Qin Xue thought about making extra so she could take it to the cafeteria and add it to the soldiers¡¯ meals.

    As a result, the two sisters ended up cleaning all three big basins of crayfish and crabs, leaving them ready to be cooked.

    Miao Qingqing was looking after the children. Today was their first full moon, and she hadn¡¯t told Chu Zhan or her son and daughter-in-law about her visit. She wanted certain issues to resolve naturally over time. As for the resentment her grandson held, she believed that he would understand eventually.

 Chapter 579

    Nangong Shulan and the others took care of all the other dishes, leaving only the crayfish for Qin Xue to handle herself. With several tens of kilograms split into three large basins, Qin Xue had to cook them in several pots as one was not enough.

    She pulled her sister aside to teach her how to make spicy crayfish.

    Qin Xue had been eating bland, unseasoned food for a month, so when she saw the spicy crayfish, she couldn¡¯t help but salivate. After cooking them, she couldn¡¯t resist picking one up to taste it, claiming that she was just checking if the flavor was strong enough.

    As soon as the crayfish entered her mouth, it awakened Qin Xue¡¯s taste buds with its spicy and fragrant flavors.

    Once Qin Xue finished cooking, she saw that it was almost mealtime, so she had Qin Yu take two-thirds of the spicy crayfish to the cafeteria, leaving only a small portion for their family.

    Qin Xue picked up a crayfish and stuffed it into her sister¡¯s mouth before watching her sister¡¯s expression with amusement.

    ¡°Wow, sis, this is really delicious!¡± Qin Jiale suddenly laughed with delight. Her sister wasn¡¯t kidding ¨C the spicy crayfish was truly tasty.

    From now on, she could catch them herself when she returned to the Qin Village and cook them as an extra treat.

    ¡°I told you it was good, but you didn¡¯t believe me. When have I ever lied to you?¡± Qin Xue looked at her sister, who was laughing happily.

    ¡°It¡¯s just because I¡¯ve never eaten this before! I had no idea that something without meat and with a hard shell like this could taste so good,¡± said Qin Jiale, knowing that these hard-shelled creatures were plentiful in the creeks of the countryside.

    When she went back, she could cook them for her family, or maybe even sell them to earn some pocket money.

    ¡°There¡¯s a lot you don¡¯t know. You¡¯ll understand once you finish your studies and enter society,¡± said Qin Xue, leaving the last bit without cooking.

    ¡°Sis, why aren¡¯t you cooking the last bit?¡± Qin Jiale asked, puzzled.

    ¡°What did I ask you to do? Just watch? Now it¡¯s your turn,¡± Qin Xue said as she untied her apron and handed it to her sister.

    ¡°Sis, come on! You could¡¯ve just cooked it yourself!¡± Qin Jiale whined. She¡¯d only watched for a little while ¨C how was she supposed to know how to do it?

    ¡°Do you remember the steps I just took?¡± Qin Xue asked, ignoring her sister¡¯s complaints.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Qin Jiale nodded in response.

    ¡°As long as you remember, just follow those steps. If what you make isn¡¯t tasty, then you can deal with it yourself,¡± said Qin Xue. Although she didn¡¯t want her sister to learn too much from the kitchen, Qin Xue knew that her sister would one day grow up, get married, and need these skills.

    That¡¯s why Qin Xue was happy to teach her sister these things, after all, no one would complain about knowing too many things, right?

    ¡°Sis¡­¡± Qin Jiale dragged out her sister¡¯s title, hoping that she would take over and not make her do it.

    ¡°Your tactics won¡¯t work on me. Get started,¡± said Qin Xue, folding her arms and watching her sister from the sidelines.

    Having no choice, Qin Jiale started tying her apron and began to cook the crayfish according to the steps her sister had shown her.

    ¡°See, you¡¯re doing an excellent job! You need to have more confidence in yourself,¡± said Qin Xue, looking at her sister. Just observing her sister¡¯s cooking progress, it was obvious she had a natural talent.

    ¡°Hehe, don¡¯t praise me yet, sis. I don¡¯t even know how it tastes!¡± Qin Jiale sniffed the aroma in the air and laughed as she spoke to her sister.

    ¡°Just by smelling it, you can tell it¡¯s good. Go on and finish the rest the way you were doing it. I¡¯m going to check on the children,¡± said Qin Xue, completely letting go of her responsibilities.

    ¡°Sis, aren¡¯t you going to watch me cook? What if I mess up?¡± Qin Jiale asked nervously.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, if you mess up, just eat it all yourself,¡± Qin Xue glanced back at her sister and even blew her a playful kiss before leaving.

    Qin Jiale looked after her unscrupulous sister with tears in her eyes, then picked up the spatula and resigned herself to finishing the crayfish, making her own spicy crayfish dish.

 Chapter 580

    As there were not enough tables and chairs in Qin Xue¡¯s house, some were borrowed from Fang Hong¡¯s and Yu Xiu¡¯s homes to set up two additional tables.

    As soon as Chu Molin and the others returned from work, they were greeted by a strong and delicious aroma.

    ¡°Wow, we¡¯re in for a treat today!¡± Li Dabao exclaimed with excitement.

    ¡°Yeah, and they even have my favorite crayfish!¡± Ding Xi and Deng Kai exclaimed at the same time.

    Feeling today was their lucky day, everyone put the items they had brought to the side and lined up to wash their hands and wait for dinner.

    Qin Xue had her brother bring the wine from the shop, as she couldn¡¯t just take it out of the space. So, she had to resort to this sneaky method.

    When the men came out, there was a bowl of wine at each seat, and yes, it was a bowl.

    Qin Xue knew they loved wine and couldn¡¯t usually enjoy it, so she decided to let them have their fill today.

    ¡°What a fragrant wine,¡± Jing Xin said, lifting the bowl to take a whiff.

    This voice caught Nangong Shulan¡¯s attention.

    Seeing Jing Xin, Nangong Shulan thought he looked like someone from her past, only not as young. It seemed that time really had taken its toll on him, as everyone seemed to think he resembled the person in their memories.

    Nangong Shulan shook her head with a smile and began to invite everyone to sit and eat.

    ¡°Today is my son¡¯s full moon celebration. You¡¯re allowed to drink a bit of wine, but don¡¯t get drunk, you hear?¡± Chu Molin said while holding up his wine bowl.

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Everyone stood up, clinked their bowls, and downed the wine in one gulp.

    ¡°Great wine!¡± praises could be heard everywhere.

    ¡°Eat some food, don¡¯t just drink!¡± Xie Jun urged everyone to eat.

    ¡°Sister-in-law, where¡¯s your son?¡± Qin Xue asked with a smile, not seeing Fang Hong¡¯s son.

    ¡°He couldn¡¯t make it,¡± she replied, her son was a bit bashful, so she didn¡¯t insist on him coming.

    ¡°Then take some food home for him later.¡± Qin Xue nodded, not saying much, but before they started eating, she prepared a plate of food and asked Fang Hong to take it home for her son.

    ¡°Thank you, Qin Xue.¡± Fang Hong was grateful. Since her son couldn¡¯t come, Qin Xue had immediately made a plate of food for him. This respect for them and their children was precious.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to thank me. Take the food home for your child, let him eat it hot, and we can all have a peaceful meal.¡± Qin Xue waved with a smile.

    Fang Hong took the plate and went home, heeding Qin Xue¡¯s advice on letting her son eat the food while it was still hot.

    While Fang Hong was away, no one touched their chopsticks. Even Xu Jia and Xu Hu obediently sat waiting for her return.

    ¡°Why isn¡¯t anyone eating?¡± Fang Hong asked when she returned to see nobody had started eating.

    ¡°Let¡¯s eat!¡± Nangong Shulan took the initiative and said.

    With much laughter and chatter, the lively meal eventually came to an end.

    Despite the initial warning not to get drunk, several people still got intoxicated.

    Looking at the men with flushed faces, Qin Xue wondered just how much alcohol had been consumed.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, Xue¡¯er,¡± Chu Molin was dazed but his mind was surprisingly clear.

    ¡°I¡¯m here, let me help you inside to rest a bit, and then you can take a shower,¡± Qin Xue said, struggling as she helped Chu Molin, feeling his entire weight pressing against her.

    It took all of Qin Xue¡¯s strength to finally get Chu Molin to the bed.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, I love you,¡± Chu Molin mumbled in his stupor.

    ¡°It¡¯s only when you¡¯re like this that you would say you love me,¡± Qin Xue replied, taking off his shoes and covering him with a thin blanket before leaving the room.

    ¡°How is he? Is Molin okay?¡± both Nangong Shulan and Miao Qingqing asked, as Chu Molin never told them to call Miao Qingqing mom, so she followed Nangong Shulan in calling him Molin.

    ¡°He¡¯s fine. When he¡¯s drunk, he just sleeps quietly and won¡¯t do anything else. Don¡¯t worry,¡± Qin Xue reassured the two elders with a smile.

 Chapter 581

    By the time Chu Molin woke up, he saw his wife leaning against the head of the bed, engrossed in her book. Their two sons were asleep in the crib, and everything outside was silent. It seemed all the visitors had left. He must have had too much to drink this time.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, what time is it?¡± Chu Molin rolled over and asked his wife.

    ¡°You¡¯re awake. Why did you drink so much? Does your head hurt?¡± Qin Xue looked down at him, reaching out to touch his forehead.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine ¡ª I unintentionally drank too much in my joy.¡± Chu Molin took her hand from his forehead, brought it to his lips, and kissed it.

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it you who was adamantly wanting a daughter? Now, you¡¯re getting drunk in celebration. Chu Molin, which of your words should I believe?¡± Qin Xue looked at him, her expression a mix of amusement and annoyance.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, does it mean that I am not even allowed to celebrate the fact that you didn¡¯t give me a daughter?¡± Chu Molin tucked his head against Qin Xue¡¯s thigh, gazing up at his wife.

    ¡°Chu Molin, are you reasonable at all? The gender of a child isn¡¯t determined by us women, but by you men, do you know that?

    It¡¯s scary how ignorance is bliss. No wonder people always say it¡¯s terrible to be uneducated ¡ª they¡¯re talking about men like you.

    Let me tell you, chromosomes in a male and a female are different. A man¡¯s sperm has two combinations, X and Y, while a woman¡¯s egg only has one X. When a man¡¯s sperm merges with a woman¡¯s egg, it selects either the carried X or Y chromosome to combine with the other.

    This forms a fertilized egg with a chromosome set of either XY or XX. XY is male, while XX is female. So, the gender of the baby is determined by the man¡¯s sperm, not by the woman¡¯s egg.

    So, for future references when it comes to child reproduction, could you men please be clear about this? Don¡¯t blame us women for not delivering a boy; it should be you men who are to blame.

    Please, stop shifting the inability to bear a boy onto women¡¯s shoulders. Women are being driven to death by these moral obligations and the like.¡± Qin Xue had witnessed too many instances of such unfair treatment in her past life.

    Parents-in-law only curse their daughters-in-law for not bearing sons, but they don¡¯t understand that the power of decision is not in the daughter-in-law¡¯s hands, but rather it¡¯s in their own son¡¯s. They never blame their son for not being able to deliver a boy, only blaming their daughter-in-law. Frankly, they are corroded by feudalism and lack scientific knowledge.

    Many women have to endure harsh lives because they don¡¯t have a son. They are blamed for family break-ups, and some are beaten by their husbands for not bearing sons, unable to show their faces at their in-law¡¯s house.

    Qin Xue, as a woman, was truly furious. But what could she do alone? She had published articles on this issue, but to no avail.

    Now, upon hearing Chu Molin making such a remark, she exploded in anger.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, calm down. I said the wrong thing. I didn¡¯t mean to blame you. I just think that daughters are more tender and cute. I can spoil you guys. Sons are too robust ¡ª it can be exhausting for you. I definitely, absolutely do not blame you.¡± Chu Molin looked at his wife, who was furious like a fire-breathing dragon, and was taken aback. What on earth had he said?

    Why was his wife so wrathful that he had no other option but to surrender?

    However, he was also against families who preferred boys over girls. It was unfair to both women and children. But like his wife mentioned, people didn¡¯t understand what the X and Y chromosomes were. They only knew to blame the women, even he was hearing about this profound knowledge for the first time.

    How could he expect others to understand, even when he, who was free from gender bias, couldn¡¯t grasp it?

    However, Chu Molin saw another side of his wife. She despised men¡¯s dominance and the ideology of favouring boys over girls.

    Fortunately, he, Chu Molin, never held such biases. Otherwise, he would¡¯ve been kicked out by his wife.

    Thinking about the consequences gave him a chill. He realised he was quite content holding his tender wife in his arms, as that brought him the most comfort.

 Chapter 582

    Qin Xue glared at the somewhat flattering Chu Molin and said, ¡°How dare you? If you do, I¡¯ll take the kids and go back to my parents¡¯ house, and let you live by yourself or marry someone else. I¡¯m not going to live with someone who looks down on me. I can support myself and the children just fine.¡±

    ¡°Wife, please spare me, okay? I haven¡¯t said or done anything.¡± Chu Molin was most afraid that Qin Xue might think like this, and his fear came true.

    ¡°Oh, so what else are you going to think and do? Tell me.¡± Qin Xue stared at him.

    ¡°Wife, my plan is to hold you and eat you up.¡± Chu Molin lifted his hands and encircled Qin Xue¡¯s neck, and with a little force, their lips met in an angry kiss.

    ¡°Bastard, go take a shower! You¡¯re all sweaty and stinky. I should have left you outside to sleep.¡± Qin Xue pushed Chu Molin away and yelled.

    In fact, he didn¡¯t smell bad. It was just that Qin Xue had a germaphobia and couldn¡¯t stand him without taking a shower.

    ¡°Yes, dear, wait for me.¡± Chu Molin jumped down from the bed and went to grab his clothes and shower.

    ¡°Get out!¡± Qin Xue really wanted to kick him.

    ¡°Wife, I don¡¯t know how to roll, so why don¡¯t you demonstrate for me once and then I¡¯ll roll for you.¡± Chu Molin looked at his wife¡¯s teeth-gritted expression, and his eyes were full of laughter.

    ¡°Chu Molin, do you believe that I¡¯ll make you sleep in the dormitory tonight?¡± Qin Xue looked at the annoying man who dared to tease her.

    ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll stop talking, okay? Don¡¯t be mad. The dormitory bed is too hard, it¡¯s not comfortable like holding my soft wife. You know what I mean.¡± Chu Molin hurried to shower, fearing that if he teased her any more, he would end up sleeping in the dormitory tonight.

    ¡°What a shameless guy.¡± Qin Xue smiled helplessly and continued reading her book.

    ¡°Wah wah.¡± The children¡¯s crying started.

    ¡°Little ancestors, please keep it down, okay? Grandma and auntie need to rest too.¡± Qin Xue tried to soothe the two kids.

    ¡°Yu Ze, let daddy hold you.¡± Chu Molin appeared in front of Qin Xue before his mother-in-law could be disturbed by the crying.

    ¡°Did you already take a shower?¡± Qin Xue looked at him in disbelief. It had only been half a minute.

    ¡°No, even if I were fast, I couldn¡¯t possibly be that quick. I just heard the children crying, so I came out first to comfort them.¡± Chu Molin gave Qin Xue a speechless look. Even if he were extremely fast, it would be impossible to finish within a minute.

    ¡°Fine, just soothe him and don¡¯t wake up your mother and the others.¡± Qin Xue nursed the younger son while speaking to Chu Molin.

    ¡°Mmm, I got it. Yu Ze, be a good boy, daddy¡¯s going to change your diaper.¡± Chu Molin grabbed a diaper and began changing his son.

    After changing him, he finally calmed down the crying older son.

    ¡°Our Yu Ze must be hungry, once your little brother is finished, it¡¯s your turn. Wait for a bit, okay?¡± Qin Xue nursed Yu Chen while talking and soothing the older son.

    Chu Molin held Yu Ze on a chair, and with one hand, held a book and read it to him. Surprisingly, Yu Ze stopped crying and quietly listened to Chu Molin reading.

    Chu Molin continued reading, occasionally looking at his son, and the more he noticed he enjoyed it, the more he got into it.

    Then, he realized his son seemed to be laughing, which made Chu Molin¡¯s heart melt.

    It turns out that being with one¡¯s children brings such contentment. No wonder people say that having a son makes everything enough.

    ¡°Chu Molin, give me the child to nurse, and you go take a shower,¡± Qin Xue said after she had fed the younger one and was ready to feed the older one.

    ¡°Alright, Yu Ze, go to mom and nurse. Dad will take a shower and come back to accompany you.¡± Chu Molin teased his son, placed him in his wife¡¯s arms, and left the room to shower.

    As the children grew older, they began to sleep less, and their wakeful hours increased.

 Chapter 583

    After Chu Molin finished taking a shower, the two little ones were still wide-eyed, looking around curiously with their rolling black eyes.

    When they saw Chu Molin coming in, they turned to look at him.

    ¡°What, do you both want me to hold you?¡± Chu Molin was about to reach out to hold the children.

    ¡°Smack!¡± Qin Xue slapped Chu Molin¡¯s outstretched hand.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, why are you hitting me?¡± Chu Molin looked at his wife, puzzled.

    ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to hold them. If you get them used to it, how am I supposed to take care of them on my own later?¡± Qin Xue wouldn¡¯t let Chu Molin spoil them. She wouldn¡¯t be able to carry both of them by herself if they got used to it.

    ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be a problem. I just want to hold them for a while.¡± Chu Molin looked at his son¡¯s clear eyes staring at him, feeling an itch in his heart since he wasn¡¯t allowed to hold him.

    ¡°I said no means no. Just play with them like this. I¡¯m tired; I¡¯m going to sleep first. Call me when you get sleepy.¡± Qin Xue yawned after she finished speaking.

    ¡°Go to sleep; I¡¯ll watch them.¡± Chu Molin softly spoke, seeing his wife¡¯s tired expression.

    ¡°Mmm, goodnight.¡± Qin Xue kissed the two children on their faces before saying goodnight.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, did you forget someone?¡± Chu Molin saw that his wife kissed both sons but left him out, and he wasn¡¯t happy about it.

    ¡°Arguing with a child, how immature,¡± Qin Xue shot him a glance and prepared to lie down to sleep.

    ¡°Ah, what are you doing?¡± Suddenly, Qin Xue felt weightless and was startled.

    ¡°I just wanted to hold you.¡± Chu Molin chuckled softly.

    Not until Chu Molin had enough of holding her did he let go, looking down at Qin Xue, ¡°Comfortable or not?¡±

    ¡°Who cares about you?¡± Qin Xue answered, pressing hard on one of his acupoints.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, are you planning to murder your own husband?¡± Chu Molin looked at his ruthless wife and asked her with a grin.

    ¡°Yep, after I kill you, I¡¯ll remarry.¡± Qin Xue stuck out her tongue at him in a playful way.

    ¡°You just want to piss me off, huh?¡± Chu Molin grabbed her chin and asked Qin Xue threateningly.

    ¡°Well, if you die from anger, I won¡¯t even have to carry the guilt.¡± Qin Xue blinked at him and even flirted with him.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re sure I won¡¯t do anything to you, huh? Hmm¡­¡± Chu Molin¡¯s eyes clearly conveyed a dangerous message.

    But Qin Xue didn¡¯t hold back; she even challenged him provocatively.

    Suddenly, Chu Molin¡¯s face turned extremely ugly as he stared fiercely at Qin Xue while gritting his teeth, ¡°Xue¡¯er, just you wait. There will be a time when you¡¯ll beg for mercy.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, we¡¯ll see who begs who then.¡± Qin Xue provocatively defied death.

    Qin Xue¡¯s attitude greatly irritated Chu Molin. He really wanted to grab her and spank her butt, but what should he do?

    As he thought about it, he did just that. He pulled Qin Xue into his arms, flipped her over, and smacked her raised buttocks twice.

    Qin Xue¡¯s face turned bright red. This man actually spanked her butt ¨C she was already so old yet still got her butt spanked.

    ¡°Chu Molin, you bastard!¡± Qin Xue was utterly embarrassed.

    ¡°Do you want another spanking?¡± Chu Molin¡¯s cold voice sounded.

    ¡°Chu Molin, I¡¯m already this old, and you¡¯re still spanking me.¡± Qin Xue said, and then tears started falling. If her two best friends found out she got spanked, they would definitely make fun of her.

    ¡°Why are you crying? Did it hurt?¡± Chu Molin couldn¡¯t stand to see Qin Xue cry. As soon as she shed a tear, he got anxious and scratched his hair, regretting his actions.

    As he thought about it, he went to pull down Qin Xue¡¯s pants, scaring her into tightly gripping her waistband with both hands, not daring to let go.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Qin Xue thought he couldn¡¯t possibly be that cruel; she had only just finished her confinement period after all.

 Chapter 584

    Chu Molin looked at her as if she were guarding against a thief. Qin Xue couldn¡¯t help but laugh. After holding back for so long, would he really take advantage of her when her body hadn¡¯t fully recovered?

    So he said irritably, ¡°I just want to see if you¡¯re hurt.¡±

    ¡°No need, I¡¯m fine now.¡± Qin Xue was so scared that she didn¡¯t dare cry.

    ¡°Silly girl, what¡¯s going on in your head?¡± Chu Molin tapped her forehead and then leaned forward to wipe away her tears.

    ¡°Tell me, did I really hurt you?¡± Chu Molin held his wife in his arms, looking down at her as he asked.

    ¡°No! I¡¯m just angry, okay? Who gets spanked at this age? How am I supposed to live if anyone finds out?¡± Qin Xue said with a mournful face. As she spoke, she felt like crying again. It was just too depressing.

    ¡°Would you tell anyone about it?¡± Chu Molin was relieved to hear that she wasn¡¯t hurt, so he held Qin Xue against the head of the bed, looking down at her, while their two children were by his feet.

    ¡°Of course not.¡± Qin Xue wasn¡¯t stupid. She wouldn¡¯t share such a shameful story.

    ¡°So that¡¯s settled. If you don¡¯t tell, and I don¡¯t tell, no one will know.¡± Chu Molin smiled as he watched his wife falling into his trap.

    ¡°You¡¯re right, but I feel like there¡¯s something wrong.¡± Qin Xue was deep in thought, rubbing her chin, but couldn¡¯t figure out what was amiss.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong. You¡¯re just overthinking it.¡± Chu Molin couldn¡¯t possibly tell her that he had set her up.

    ¡°No, there must be something I overlooked.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t follow Chu Molin¡¯s words but continued to think.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, stop thinking. You won¡¯t figure it out. Just look at me.¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t let her dwell on it. Instead, he lifted her chin to make her look at him.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± A confused Qin Xue blinked her eyes and asked.

    ¡°Do you think your husband is handsome?¡± Chu Molin gazed at his innocent wife, using his deep, mellow voice to tempt her.

    ¡°Handsome!¡± Qin Xue¡¯s eyes sparkled as she looked at the alluring man.

    There¡¯s a saying that only women can be enchanting, but men can be enchanting too. Like Chu Molin right now, full of temptation. If not careful, one could be bewitched, just like how Qin Xue was seduced by his charm.

    ¡°So, who¡¯s this handsome guy?¡± A hint of amusement flickered in Chu Molin¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Qin Xue¡¯s husband.¡± Qin Xue¡¯s response made Chu Molin pause, realizing he was Qin Xue¡¯s husband, not her husband.

    ¡°Would I ever deceive you?¡± Chu Molin¡¯s voice grew even softer.

    ¡°No.¡± Qin Xue mechanically replied, her eyes and heart full of Chu Molin. She might not even know what she had said.

    ¡°So, you don¡¯t need to be on guard against me, okay? The last person in this world who would hurt you is me. I would rather lose my life than hurt you.¡± Chu Molin¡¯s voice suddenly changed.

    It was only when Qin Xue snapped out of her trance that she realized she¡¯d covered his mouth with her hand.

    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? We¡¯ll both be fine.¡± Qin Xue suddenly panicked, not knowing why Chu Molin had said such things.

    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ll be fine.¡± Chu Molin said, though he didn¡¯t know if he really would be. Soon, he would return to that ruthless place, and he had no confidence.

    He had no power, no ability, and was afraid he couldn¡¯t protect his wife and children. But he also didn¡¯t want to leave them here. He had never felt so lost, and this confusion surfaced amid the warmth of his wife¡¯s embrace.

    ¡°Chu Molin, be yourself again. Be the Chu Molin I first knew. Then, no one will ever be able to hurt you.¡± Qin Xue reached out to hug him, gently stroking his back with her hand, providing silent comfort.

 Chapter 585

    Qin Xue¡¯s words gradually flowed into Chu Molin¡¯s ears.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, there¡¯s no turning back. From the moment I met you, I knew we could never go back. All I care about is you and our child being safe.¡± Chu Molin held her tightly in his arms, determined to protect her and their child from any harm. If anyone dared to hurt them, he¡¯d confront them no matter who they were.

    Without her and their child, Chu Molin would just be a soulless body, with absolutely no meaning to his life.

    Unsurprisingly, Chu Molin¡¯s intuition was correct. The atmosphere in the Imperial Capital had changed to a different note as soon as it was known he would be returning soon.

    ¡°Chu Molin, in this life, we are meant to be husband and wife. Nobody can tear us apart.¡± Qin Xue had speculated something after she got to know that Miao Qingqing was Chu Molin¡¯s grandmother.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s stand together as husband and wife.¡± Chu Molin, holding his wife¡¯s hand, looked at her.

    And Qin Xue looked back at him too, then both of them said in unison, ¡°With united hearts, we can break gold.¡±

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, having you in my life is enough.¡± Chu Molin leaned his chin on top of Qin Xue¡¯s head, whispering softly.

    ¡°Stop talking nonsense. Don¡¯t forget about Yu Ze and Yu Chen.¡± Qin Xue playfully pushed him away, reaching towards their two sons, and asked with a laugh.

    ¡°Right, having you and our two sons in my life is all that I need. Is that better?¡± Chu Molin smiled back at his wife.

    ¡°Of course, that¡¯s better, right my little ones?¡± Qin Xue gently shook their little hands.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, go to sleep. It¡¯s late.¡± Chu Molin noticed that his wife, who had earlier remarked about being sleepy, had now completely forgotten about it amidst their little chit-chat.

    Qin Xue took the chance and lied down on the other side of their sons, with Chu Molin on their side.

    ¡°You¡¯re just going to sleep like that, Xue¡¯er?¡± Chu Molin looked at his wife helplessly.

    ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m tired, and I think it¡¯s quite nice to sleep like this.¡± Qin Xue replied without even opening her eyes.

    Chu Molin got up, attended to their sons for a while, and then returned them to their cribs. When he came back to bed, Qin Xue was already sound asleep.

    Chu Molin lifted Qin Xue gently, adjusting her position to a more comfortable one. He then smoothed out the lines of worry etched on her forehead, ¡°Xue¡¯er, you¡¯re frightened, aren¡¯t you? That¡¯s why you¡¯re restless even in your sleep.

    You don¡¯t have to worry, I¡¯m here. Worst comes to worst, I¡¯ll just request to stay in S province for good.¡± Chu Molin thought that resigning from the military was the worst-case scenario, but as long as he could be with his wife and children, he didn¡¯t care about being a soldier.

    Although he would be regretful if he quit the military, he would definitely not regret it. But if he let go of Qin Xue and their children, he would regret it wholeheartedly.

    Thus, Chu Molin had made plans for every scenario and had instructed Li Zhao and Xiao Qi to make arrangements.

    Now, they were all set to return to the Imperial Capital. He just hoped they won¡¯t stand out too much.

    But that was impossible for Chu Molin because his whole purpose of studying in the Imperial Capital was to take up the post of Deputy Director.

    Many people were wondering about the identity and capability of this parachuted Deputy Director who was going to be their boss.

    But Chu Molin remained silent, continuing to train his soldiers and adhering to his principle that silence is golden.

    Because the results of his previous special training were excellent, he was specially appointed to go to Imperial Capital to take over the research institute in B Area.

    The new blood that will be selected later will be sent directly to B Area for training. So Chu Molin would be settling down there.

    But he couldn¡¯t tell Qin Xue all these things, lest she worry.

    Originally, he was parachuted back, blocking many people¡¯s advancement, so he was already a thorn in their eyes. He had no idea how they would all join together to give him a hard time when he returned. He certainly couldn¡¯t involve his wife and children in this.

 Chapter 586

    Chu Molin had considered all these things, so he was prepared for any outcome and would not let it affect his wife and children¡¯s lives.

    The next day, Qin Xue woke up to find her husband¡¯s figure missing.

    Qin Xue put on her shoes and got out of bed, truly admiring her husband¡¯s energy. He had slept so late last night, and in the middle of the night, both children were crying and wanting to be fed ¨C it was also him who took care of them. And this early in the morning, he had already gone to train.

    Indeed, there was a big difference between women and men. Take Qin Xue herself for instance; when she was a doctor on duty, she could rest as long as there were no patients, but sometimes even that felt exhausting.

    But in the past month, Chu Molin had basically taken care of the children at night and trained during the day. This was much more tiring than what she had gone through. The only good thing was that their two children, except for crying when they were wet or hungry, were well-behaved the rest of the time.

    Seeing that the two children were sleeping soundly, Qin Xue gently left the room.

    ¡°Mom, good morning Lele.¡± Qin Xue yawned and greeted her mother and sister.

    ¡°Good morning, big sister.¡± Qin Jiale put down her book and greeted her sister.

    ¡°What¡¯s up? Is there something you don¡¯t understand?¡± Qin Xue asked her sister, since the morning was the best time for people to remember things, so she did not ask her sister why she was studying so early.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s just that Mom and I are going back to the Qins¡¯ village tomorrow.¡± Qin Jiale had learned a lot during her summer vacation with her sister and was even more reluctant to part with her.

    ¡°Why are you going back so soon?¡± Qin Xue was shocked by the news.

    ¡°It¡¯s not too soon. After we go back, we¡¯ll have just two or three days before we have to go to school. If we go back too late, I¡¯m afraid we won¡¯t make it before the start of the semester.¡± Qin Jiale was very upset.

    It was really fun to be with her sister, and she taught her a lot more knowledge than the teachers did. Whenever she learned something new, she could remember it right away.

    ¡°Time really flies.¡± Qin Xue suddenly felt very emotional.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it? You¡¯ve been married for over a year and you¡¯re already a mother.¡± Nangong Shulan brought out breakfast.

    Qin Xue took it, placed it on the table, and then washed up.

    ¡°Lele, don¡¯t look so sad. We won¡¯t be here for long before we go to the Imperial Capital. When we do, you can come visit us with Mom and Dad.

    And you can even take the entrance exam for a university in the Imperial Capital. That way, we can spend more time together, right?¡± Qin Xue laughed at her sister¡¯s expression. Although she, too, was reluctant, her sister had to go to school, and she couldn¡¯t always be with her.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s a great idea. I¡¯ll go back, study hard, and then go to a university in the Imperial Capital.¡± Qin Jiale seemed to have had a shot of adrenaline, full of fighting spirit.

    Qin Xue shook her head and laughed, thinking that her sister was still a child.

    ¡°I¡¯m back,¡± Chu Molin¡¯s voice was heard as soon as the key turned, opening the door.

    ¡°Wash your hands and eat. And I also have something to tell you all.¡± Nangong Shu put a bowl of porridge in front of everyone.

    ¡°Mom, what¡¯s going on?¡± Qin Xue asked curiously.

    ¡°Tomorrow, I¡¯m going back to the Qins¡¯ village with Lele and won¡¯t go to the Imperial Capital. If you can¡¯t bring the children, we¡¯ll take them back to the Qins¡¯ village and I¡¯ll take care of them for you. You can do whatever you like.¡± Nangong Shulan looked at everyone sitting down and shared her plan.

    ¡°Mom, Lele is going back to school. Why are you going back? Just call Dad over, and then the whole family won¡¯t have to be apart.¡± Qin Xue truly trusted this intelligent and wise woman.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, I¡¯m used to my own life, and I don¡¯t like living elsewhere, so I want to go back. Child, take this jade pendant and take good care of it. Don¡¯t lose it.¡± Nangong Shulan took out a jade pendant and handed it to Qin Xue.

 Chapter 587

    Qin Xue looked at the jade pendant in her hand. It was exactly the same as the one from her previous life, which had been unsealed by her blood to become a space. What was the story behind this one?

    ¡°Mom, this¡­¡± Qin Xue wanted to return the jade pendant to Nangong Shulan.

    ¡°Keep it, you¡¯ll need it in the future.¡± Nangong Shulan said no more, but it only piqued the curiosity of others.

    But no matter how Qin Xue asked, Nangong Shulan remained silent.

    Seeing that she could not get an answer, Qin Xue quietly put away the jade pendant and continued eating.

    After they finished eating, Qin Xue wanted to go to town to get some clothes for her mother and sister. She wanted to bring some food as well. So, after feeding the baby, she told her mother.

    ¡°Mom, watch the baby for a while, I¡¯m going to town.¡± Qin Xue thought that since she had a child, she should leave early and return early.

    ¡°Alright, just make sure to come back early, otherwise the baby will cry from hunger.¡± Nangong Shulan agreed, sharing the same concern as Qin Xue.

    ¡°Okay, I got it.¡± Qin Xue promised, put the baby to sleep, grabbed her backpack, and left.

    When Qin Xue arrived in town, she first went to the market to buy some things, then went to the store to pick up some clothes and put them on credit.

    ¡°Qin Xue, why are you taking so many clothes?¡± Fang Xiu asked, puzzled.

    ¡°My mom and sister are going back home, and my sister needs to attend school. I want to make their lives better now that I have the ability. I¡¯m getting them a couple of sets of clothes to wear back home.¡± Qin Xue felt that a few sets of clothes were nothing compared to using someone else¡¯s body.

    ¡°That¡¯s true. It¡¯s the start of the school year already, huh? Time really flies.¡± Fang Xiu couldn¡¯t help but think how fast time was passing ¡ª Taotao could already walk, and her husband had been back for a few months.

    ¡°Fang Xiu, why are you suddenly so sentimental?¡± Qin Xue asked, looking at Fang Xiu.

    ¡°Just moved by the moment, I¡¯m fine.¡± Fang Xiu waved her hand.

    But Qin Xue didn¡¯t think she was fine, it seemed like there was a problem, and not a small one.

    ¡°Fang Xiu, is there something you can¡¯t tell me?¡± Qin Xue sat down next to her and asked.

    ¡°Qin Xue, the people from the Jing family came. Somehow they heard about our shop making a lot of money, and they claim Taotao is their grandson, so they want to take him back. What should I do now?¡± Fang Xiu started crying as she spoke.

    ¡°Fang Xiu, does Jing Xin know about this?¡± Qin Xue found the Jing family quite ridiculous ¡ª when they thought their son was dead, they didn¡¯t even want their daughter-in-law or grandson.

    Now that they knew their son was not only alive but also about to be promoted to a position in a camp, they clung to them like leeches, even using the child as a threat.

    Probably only the Jing family could do such a thing.

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t know yet. The Jing family approached me first, probably because they thought I was soft-hearted and easily bullied. They wanted to deal with me before confronting Jing Xin.¡± At the time, Fang Xiu had been so angry that she¡¯d chased them out with a broom.

    ¡°You should have told Jing Xin first. What if he wants to go back?¡± Qin Xue unintentionally buried Jing Xin with her comment. How could he want to go back when he¡¯d told his wife that their small family of three was enough?

    But they didn¡¯t know that the Jing family had seized the opportunity of Jing Xin¡¯s promotion to make their move.

    Jing Xin couldn¡¯t ignore them if he wanted to be promoted, as the research institute¡¯s assessment focused on a person¡¯s comprehensive quality evaluation.

    So, if Jing Xin wanted to advance his career, he¡¯d really have to comply with their wishes.

    ¡°Whether he goes back or not, the Jing family will get what they want this time.¡± Fang Xiu gazed into the distance and uttered solemnly.

    ¡°Why?¡± Qin Xue asked in confusion.

    ¡°Because Jing Xin wants to climb higher, and if he doesn¡¯t cooperate, the Jing family will make a scene at the research institute, ruining his future.¡± This was what Fang Xiu couldn¡¯t accept.

 Chapter 588

    Upon hearing Fang Xiu¡¯s words, Qin Xue remembered that it did seem to be the case.

    Qin Xue was speechless now. It seemed that there were all sorts of people in this world ¨C those who would go to any lengths to achieve their goals, not considering the consequences, only seeking their own interests and not caring about the lives of others.

    ¡°Then let Jing Xin directly tell them to make a fuss. In the end, everyone will suffer, and who will lose out?¡± In fact, Qin Xue knew that Jing Xin would be at a disadvantage, but she wanted to gamble that the Jings didn¡¯t understand the intricacies of this situation.

    ¡°It¡¯s useless; the Jings are very familiar with this kind of situation; they won¡¯t compromise.¡± Fang Xiu felt exhausted, both mentally and physically.

    ¡°So what should we do? Do we really have to go back?¡± Qin Xue asked dejectedly.

    ¡°For the sake of his future, there¡¯s no other choice.¡± Fang Xiu couldn¡¯t give up on her son, but Jing Xin couldn¡¯t divorce her either. Returning to the Jings seemed to be their only option.

    ¡°But it¡¯s so frustrating.¡± Qin Xue said resentfully.

    ¡°You can say that again.¡± Fang Xiu bitterly smiled, having learned many things in the past two years.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think too much about it. Your complexion doesn¡¯t look good. Is it because these matters are weighing on your heart?¡± Just yesterday, when she was invited to their baby¡¯s one-month celebration dinner, Fang Xiu hadn¡¯t mentioned any of this.

    ¡°Not entirely.¡± Fang Xiu just felt a bit weary, perhaps from being too tired.

    ¡°Give me your hand; let me see.¡± Qin Xue thought of a possibility.

    ¡°No need, you can go on with your business; go home early, so the child doesn¡¯t get hungry and cry.¡± Fang Xiu knew her own body, and aside from feeling tired, she didn¡¯t have any other discomforts.

    ¡°Your health is more important than any of this.¡± Qin Xue made her sit down.

    She grabbed a piece of clothing, folded it and put it on the table as padding. She started to take Fang Xiu¡¯s pulse and found a slippery pulse.

    This silly girl probably didn¡¯t know yet. It seemed like she hadn¡¯t thought about this possibility. If she continued like this, she might fall into depression.

    ¡°Fang Xiu, when was the last time you had your period?¡± Qin Xue knew she had to tell her about her condition.

    ¡°Qin Xue, are you saying that I¡¯m pregnant?¡± Fang Xiu couldn¡¯t believe it as she placed her hand on her stomach and asked Qin Xue.

    ¡°First, tell me when your last period was.¡± Qin Xue seriously asked Fang Xiu.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a week late now; I thought it was just because I¡¯ve been too tired lately and that¡¯s why it hasn¡¯t come.¡± Fang Xiu calculated the days in her head and spoke.

    ¡°You sure have a big heart.¡± Qin Xue looked at Fang Xiu speechlessly.

    ¡°I¡¯ve said before that I don¡¯t want any more children, so we¡¯ve been careful to avoid it. How could I still be¡­¡± Fang Xiu remembered that Jing Xin always ejaculated outside, so how come she was pregnant?

    Wait, she remembered there was a time when she had angered Jing Xin, and he punished her by making love to her multiple times. Not only did he take her hard and multiple times, but he also seemed to always ejaculate inside her. Could it be that she had overlooked this, which led to her getting pregnant?

    ¡°So, have you figured it out?¡± Seeing Fang Xiu¡¯s weird expression, Qin Xue knew she had remembered how it happened.

    ¡°Hmm.¡± Fang Xiu wanted to cry. She had always been very careful. How could she still get pregnant? It was all Jing Xin¡¯s fault for not stopping that night, only relenting when the sky started to turn bright. She had been so tired she had fallen asleep right away, and Jing Xin had even cleaned her up.

    Now she had another child inside her stomach, and she truly didn¡¯t want it. She was content with taking care of Taotao.

    ¡°Qin Xue, if I don¡¯t want this child, do you have any way to help me?¡± Fang Xiu couldn¡¯t help but feel some regret as she asked Qin Xue. After all, the child was flesh and blood.

    Wanting to give up, but how could her heart be at peace?

    ¡°Won¡¯t you discuss this with Jing Xin first? It¡¯s not fair to him.¡± Qin Xue reasoned. If Fang Xiu wanted to have an abortion, a dose of medicine from Qin Xue would¡¯ve made it happen, but what about Jing Xin? He had a share in the child too.

 Chapter 589

    Fang Xiu was thinking about the man who had been good to her, but she felt so tired, especially when thinking about returning to the Jing family. Her heart was so burdened she could barely breathe.

    ¡°He probably won¡¯t let me abort it.¡± Fang Xiu knew how much the man liked children, Taotao had almost been spoiled rotten by him since he returned.

    ¡°So you know I disagree, but you still want to proceed?¡± Jing Xin had noticed something was off about his wife¡¯s demeanor, so he took half a day off to find out what had happened.

    Unexpectedly, he overheard her conversation with Qin Xue. He waited outside, but he had no idea he would hear such joyful news. But before he could even revel in his happiness, he heard his wife did not want the child. His heart instantly turned cold.

    Fang Xiu and Qin Xue heard a voice. They simultaneously looked toward the door and saw a visibly distressed Jing Xin walk in.

    ¡°Jing Xin, I¡­¡± Fang Xiu stammered, knowing Jing Xin was angry. Every time he got angry, his fingers would unconsciously curl around each other.

    ¡°Qin Xue, you should go first. I want to talk to her.¡± Jing Xin ignore Fang Xiu, and spoke softly to Qin Xue.

    ¡°Alright, you two talk things through. Be careful with your words, don¡¯t go overboard. She¡¯s pregnant, so dramatic emotional changes are not good. We should share everything and talk it through to solve problems.¡± Qin Xue decided to leave to avoid adding more trouble.

    ¡°Qin Xue, thank you.¡± Jing Xin expressed his sincere gratitude.

    ¡°Don¡¯t say that. Xiuxiu, I¡¯m going. Make sure you talk things through.¡± Qin Xue waved at Fang Xiu.

    ¡°Okay, take care on the way.¡± Fang Xiu tried to force a smile.

    ¡°Stop it, your fake smile is worse than crying. I¡¯m leaving.¡± Qin Xue commented on Fang Xiu¡¯s forced expression.

    She even closed the door for them. It¡¯s better not to let others overhear their conversation. The door would be closed temporarily. Business felt sloppy.

    ¡°Xiuxiu, is there something you want to tell me?¡± Jing Xin sat in the chair previously occupied by Qin Xue, quietly waiting for his wife to speak. But after a long while, she said nothing, so he couldn¡¯t help but speak up first.

    ¡°Jing Xin, I don¡¯t want this baby.¡± After hesitating for a bit, Fang Xiu decided to put it out there.

    Her words pierced through Jing Xin¡¯s heart like a knife.

    ¡°Why?¡± Jing Xin asked with a painful look on his face.

    ¡°I just don¡¯t want it! Why does there have to be a reason?¡± Fang Xiu yelled strenuously.

    ¡°You¡¯re really cold-hearted. You were willing to give birth to Taotao even when you thought I was dead. Why do you want to get rid of this baby now that I¡¯ve come back? How can you do this to me?¡± Jing Xin asked Fang Xhiu in a hoarse voice, expressing the pain he felt inside. The agony in his voice made Fang Xiu¡¯s heart ache.

    ¡°If I knew you were still alive, I wouldn¡¯t have given birth to Taotao.¡± Upon hearing this, Fang Xiu became angry. All the grievances she had endured over the years came flooding back. Why should she suffer so much because of him? What right did he have to blame her?

    ¡°Mama, Daddy.¡± Taotao woke up, rubbing his eyes and mumbling at his parents.

    ¡°Taotao, did mama wake you up?¡± As soon as Fang Xiu heard her son¡¯s voice, she wiped away her tears using the back of her hand and tried to smile while asking him.

    ¡°Mama, don¡¯t cry.¡± Taotao sat up and helped his mother wipe her tears using his baby hands.

    Hearing her son¡¯s innocent words, Fang Xiu¡¯s tears fell like broken pearls, even harder than before.

    ¡°Daddy, mama¡¯s crying.¡± Taotao looked helplessly at his father, hoping he could help.

    ¡°Enough, stop crying. You can decide for yourself. If you really don¡¯t want it, then do it. I have to go back to work.¡± Jing Xin tried to suppress the pain in his heart, looking at the mother and son crying pitifully on the bed, and spoke bluntly.

 Chapter 590

    Jing Xin didn¡¯t know what was going on in his wife¡¯s mind, but he thought that she had been able to give birth to Taotao under pressure when she thought he was dead. Maybe her heartache was even worse than his.

    Perhaps she really had her reasons for not wanting this child.

    Let it be. If she didn¡¯t want the child, they still had their son Taotao, right?

    ¡°You go to work.¡± Fang Xiu didn¡¯t say much, her mind in a mess.

    Originally, finding out that she was pregnant was an accident, and she didn¡¯t want this child because it was so sudden, but she never thought that Jing Xin would find out so easily.

    She even felt that fate was playing with her, with everything happening all at once.

    After hearing this, Jing Xin went over to hug his son, wiped his wife¡¯s tears, gave her a gentle hug and let go. He sighed and walked out, closing the door behind him.

    Fang Xiu watched her husband, his face full of pain and helplessness, and his desolate figure as he walked away, and she couldn¡¯t help but burst into tears.

    Seeing his mother cry, Taotao also started wailing.

    For a moment, the heartbreaking sobs of mother and son reached Jing Xin, who was still standing at the door, and he couldn¡¯t help but turn red-eyed. No one knew how much he wanted his own child.

    Ever since he found out he wasn¡¯t born into the Jings, he understood why he was always bullied and excluded, made to work more and eat less. He finally got married and was sent undercover, barely surviving to come back and find out that his wife had given him a son, making him truly happy.

    He hadn¡¯t even had the chance to be happy about his wife¡¯s pregnancy when he heard that she wanted to abort the child. The pain he felt was beyond anyone¡¯s understanding, but he couldn¡¯t ignore his wife¡¯s thoughts.

    So, in the end, he compromised. If it was meant to be this way, so be it. He still had his wife and son, didn¡¯t he?

    Jing Xin wiped his eyes with his hand and hurriedly ran to his unit, trying to vent his inner turmoil.

    As soon as Qin Xue got home, she heard the children crying and hurriedly opened the door, put her things on the table, went to wash her hands and face, and came back to pick up her son.

    ¡°Mom, let me hug one.¡± Qin Xue saw her mother changing diapers and said to her.

    ¡°You rest first before breastfeeding, or else if you rush, the baby might get diarrhea.¡± Nangong Shulan warned her daughter.

    ¡°Really, mom? I¡¯ve never heard that before.¡± Qin Xue was a doctor, but she wasn¡¯t specialized in pediatrics or gynecology, so she didn¡¯t know a lot of things.

    ¡°Of course. You know, a wet nurse¡¯s milk is transformed from her blood and energy, which is related to the emotions. That¡¯s why people say that breast milk is the mother¡¯s blood essence.

    If the wet nurse has an imbalance of yin and yang, and her circulation is abnormal, the milk she secretes will be affected, even directly affecting the health and growth of the newborn, causing illness in the child.

    You better rest, wait for about 10 or 20 minutes and then express some milk before you feed the baby, so you won¡¯t make the child sick.¡± Nangong Shulan looked at her unknowledgeable daughter.

    She was worried about how the two clueless new parents would handle raising two children.

    But she didn¡¯t want to go to the Imperial Capital, which was really worrying.

    ¡°I know, mom. I¡¯ll take the baby to the living room for a while.¡± Qin Xue said, looking at her crying child.

    ¡°Good, you can try giving him some water to see if he wants to drink.¡± Nangong Shulan reminded her daughter.

    ¡°I know. Yu Ze, would you like to drink some water with mommy?¡± Qin Xue asked her son, and while holding him with one hand, she poured some water and slowly fed him with a spoon.

 Chapter 591

    This spiritual spring water was brought out by Qin Xue, mainly to adjust her mother and sister¡¯s constitution, now it was timely to start adjusting a child¡¯s constitution from a young age.

    ¡°Yu Ze, is the water good?¡± Qin Xue looked at her son sucking water from his lips and asked with a smile.

    But the kid is too young to respond to her, not even giving her a glance, just opening his mouth to suck the water from the spoon.

    ¡°Wow, our Yu Ze is really strong, he drank so much water, he must have been starving.¡± Qin Xue looked as if half a bowl of water had almost been finished.

    ¡°What do you mean by starving?¡± Chu Molin heard these words as soon as he walked through the door.

    ¡°I went into the city today and came back late. The kid was crying from hunger. Mother said I couldn¡¯t breastfeed as soon as I got back. The kid cried so much that mother told me to feed him some water. See, he drank so much.¡± Qin Xue pointed at the bowl and explained to Chu Molin.

    ¡°Is that so? Our Yu Ze is indeed strong, he knows that mommy can¡¯t feed him yet, so he takes water instead.¡± Chu Molin laughed at his wife, but he was actually talking to his son.

    ¡°Stop kidding around, go freshen up, I have to tell you something.¡± Qin Xue thought she should talk to Chu Molin about Jing Xin¡¯s condition, after all, Jing Xin¡¯s reaction was somewhat unusual.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Chu Molin asked.

    ¡°Go freshen up first.¡± Qin Xue nudged his calf with her foot, urging him to hurry up.

    ¡°Yes, my dear wife.¡± Chu Molin quickly stole a kiss on his wife¡¯s cheek.

    ¡°Don¡¯t play around, my mother is in the room.¡± Qin Xue glared at Chu Molin, it would be embarrassing if her mother saw them.

    Chu Molin mouthed the words ¡®I know¡¯ and then went to freshen up.

    Qin Xue handed the elder son to her mother and held the younger son to feed him water. She wanted to improve both at the same time. After feeding the elder one, she started feeding the younger one.

    ¡°Alright, what is it?¡± Chu Molin took the child and the spoon from Qin Xue and learned to feed the child water.

    ¡°Today when I went into the city, I found that something was wrong with Fang Xiu, so I talked to her, do you know what she said? She said¡­¡± Qin Xue told Chu Molin everything Fang Xiu had told her.

    ¡°I guess Fang Xiu doesn¡¯t want the baby, probably because of the Jings. She must be thinking about going back to the Jing family, who were too awful to her in the past, so she doesn¡¯t want the baby.

    But Jing Xin doesn¡¯t know that the Jing family is going to take Fang Xiu and Taotao back, so you should talk to Jing Xin when you have time to see what his attitude is.

    Not to mention Fang Xiu, I don¡¯t know what I would do if it happened to me. If anyone tries to separate me and my child, I¡¯ll dig up their ancestors¡¯ graves, would you believe that?¡± Qin Xue propped her chin on her hand and asked Chu Molin.

    ¡°I believe it.¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t hesitate to answer. Not to mention his wife, if he faced this kind of person, he wouldn¡¯t let them live a peaceful life.

    As for Jing Xin¡¯s couple¡¯s issue, Chu Molin was silent for a while before nodding and promising he would talk to Jing Xin.

    ¡°I should go cook, it¡¯s been a while since I cooked, I hope my cooking ability hasn¡¯t degraded.¡± Qin Xue saw Chu Molin feeding Yu Chen, her mother was with Yu Ze, and her sister was probably locked in her room studying again.

    Ever since she mentioned that her sister could apply to Imperial University, her sister has been reading books and doing exercises whenever she has time, even ignoring Qin Xue¡¯s suggestion to balance work and rest. Qin Xue just let her sister do her own thing seeing that her advice was not heeded.

    ¡°Alright, I want Biang Biang noodles.¡± Chu Molin directly ordered his meal. Although the food cooked by his mother-in-law was also delicious, his wife¡¯s cooking was more to his taste.

    Now that his wife was out of the confinement period and wanted to cook, of course, he would be enthusiastic about it.

    ¡°Since you want to eat noodles, let¡¯s all have noodles. I¡¯ll make Zhajiang noodles for mom and Lele, I also want Biang Biang noodles.¡± After eating a month of plain food, Qin Xue had also lost interest in food.

 Chapter 592

    Since they had already decided on what to eat, preparing the meal was quick.

    As Qin Xue poured the hot oil onto the noodles, the room was filled with the aroma of garlic. The scent alone could make anyone¡¯s stomach rumble, not to mention the taste of the dish itself.

    ¡°Wow, what¡¯s this delicious aroma? It smells so good.¡± Qin Jiale threw her pen down and opened her bedroom door to ask.

    ¡°I¡¯m making noodles. Did the smell finally tempt you to come out of your room?¡± Qin Xue asked her sister with an amused smile.

    ¡°Sis, I want to eat that too.¡± Qin Jiale swallowed and stared at the noodles in front of her sister, asking for some.

    ¡°Ah, you want to eat this too? It¡¯s spicy, I was planning to make fried sauce noodles for you and mom.¡± Qin Xue looked at her sister in surprise, as her oil splashed noodles were very spicy.

    ¡°Yeah, I want this.¡± Qin Jiale was incredibly tempted, not caring if it was spicy or not.

    ¡°Alright, but don¡¯t blame me if you cry from the spiciness.¡± Qin Xue relented and prepared her sister¡¯s dish with the spicy oil as well.

    By the time the four bowls of noodles were ready, Qin Jiale had already eagerly placed the pickled cucumbers that Qin Xue had picked out onto the table.

    ¡°Mom, brother-in-law, come have dinner! Sis, do we have more of these pickled cucumbers? Can I take some back to school?¡± After calling her mother and sister to have dinner, Qin Jiale leaned in to ask her sister in a low voice.

    ¡°Sure, we have plenty. But can you carry it all?¡± Qin Xue looked at her sister¡¯s small frame and wondered if she could really handle lugging around so many jars of pickles and preserved vegetables.

    If Qin Jiale could carry the load, she was welcome to take as much as she wanted. However, Qin Xue remained doubtful, since clothing could be mailed back, but Jiale would have to carry the pickles herself, which was quite heavy.

    ¡°Really? I thought we were almost out after eating them all summer long!¡± Qin Jiale looked at her sister in surprise.

    ¡°No, there¡¯s still plenty. If you don¡¯t believe me, go check under the kitchen table. Just lift the paper cover and you¡¯ll see.¡± Qin Xue would occasionally switch the empty jars with the full ones from her space.

    With this rotating system, there was no way they could ever run out of pickles.

    To finish them all, the vegetables in her space would have to stop appearing.

    But to Qin Xue, that was impossible.

    When Qin Jiale entered the kitchen to check, she indeed found that they had only eaten from the two outer jars, and there were still plenty left inside.

    ¡°Sis, it¡¯s true! But how come we haven¡¯t finished the pickles yet?¡± Qin Jiale asked, puzzled.

    ¡°What¡¯s there to be puzzled about? I added more vegetables when you were doing your assignments in your room. If you don¡¯t believe me, ask mom.¡± To stop her family from asking questions, Qin Xue sometimes really did add more vegetables to the jars.

    ¡°Yes, your sister is right.¡± Nangong Shulan came out and heard their conversation, supporting Qin Xue¡¯s claim.

    Chu Molin held Yu Chen in his arms, watching the sisters bicker, and only he knew the truth.

    ¡°Let¡¯s eat before the noodles get clumped together and lose their taste.¡± Qin Xue stopped her sister from asking any further questions with one sentence, knowing she loved to eat.

    ¡°Phew, it¡¯s so spicy, but so satisfying!¡± The sisters took a bite and chimed in unison.

    ¡°Can you two eat properly? And you, Qin Xue, you have to breastfeed the baby. Don¡¯t eat so many chilies from now on.¡± Nangong Shulan was speechless as she stared at their three red bowls. The sight alone was enough to make her feel the spiciness. How could they eat that?

    ¡°Yes, mother.¡± Qin Xue took a bite of noodles, smiling at Nangong Shulan.

    ¡°Just keep acting naughty. You¡¯re already a mom, and you¡¯re still acting like a child. We¡¯ll see how you manage in the future.¡± Nangong Shulan shook her head and laughed, her words scolding but her eyes betraying her amusement.

 Chapter 593

    Qin Xue teasingly kicked Chu Molin and raised her chin, ¡°Did you hear that? Mom¡¯s asking you what to do in the future!¡±

    ¡°Hey, you little girl, am I talking to you or Molin? Can¡¯t you hear?¡± Nangong Shulan got so annoyed that she slapped her on the back.

    ¡°Ouch, mom, please calm down, I¡¯m sorry, okay?¡± Qin Xue cried with a pained expression.

    ¡°Hmph, keep pretending,¡± Nangong Shulan said, looking at her eldest daughter speechlessly.

    Chu Molin wanted to speak up for his wife, but when he heard his mother-in-law¡¯s words, he decisively gave up and just sat there eating his noodles.

    ¡°Mom, can you stop ruining my image?¡± Qin Xue looked at her mother pitifully.

    ¡°No.¡± Nangong Shulan glared at her.

    ¡°Sis, I think you should say, ¡®Mom, can you save some face for me in front of our Molin? My face has been thrown into the Pacific Ocean. Hahaha.''¡± Qin Jiale imitated Qin Xue¡¯s voice and burst into laughter before she could finish her sentence.

    ¡°Yeah, mom, Lele is right, you really should save some face for me. What if your son-in-law bullies me in the future?¡± Although Qin Xue was talking about being bullied by Chu Molin, she kicked him under the table again for not helping her. Hmph, I¡¯ll kick you to death.

    But Qin Xue¡¯s luck turned sour as her kicking leg got caught by a big hand.

    Qin Xue glared at Chu Molin, hoping he¡¯d let her go, but he seemed to ignore her. Fine, just wait till they¡¯re back in their room, and she¡¯ll show him!.

    But Qin Xue didn¡¯t know who would show whom when the time came.

    ¡°Sis, what¡¯s wrong with you? Is your eye twitching?¡± Qin Jiale asked, looking at her sister¡¯s face in confusion.

    ¡°Pfft, *cough* *cough* *cough*, Qin Jiale, what are you talking about? Which of your eyes saw my eye twitching?¡± Qin Xue spat out a mouthful of noodles, choking on the spicy chili pepper.

    ¡°Huh, sis, aren¡¯t you dirty? My two eyes both saw it.¡± Qin Jiale looked at her sister disdainfully and moved her bowl farther away to avoid getting splattered.

    ¡°Mom, brother-in-law, aren¡¯t you guys going to move away too?¡± After moving her own bowl, Qin Jiale called her mother and brother-in-law to do the same, making Qin Xue so angry she almost spat blood.

    ¡°Qin Jiale, you ungrateful ¡®white-eyed wolf¡¯, I¡¯m your older sister! Do you have to ridicule me like this?¡± Qin Xue was so angry she wanted to scream. How could she not know that her sister could be even more annoying than her?

    ¡°It¡¯s precisely because you¡¯re my sister that I can¡¯t help but speak up. Why should I care about others?¡± Qin Jiale smirked and chuckled.

    ¡°Mom, your youngest daughter is bullying people, she¡¯s so disrespectful to the elders and the young.¡± Qin Xue directly complained to her mother.

    Chu Molin¡¯s lips curled up. His wife was really playing tricks, and he could hardly hold back his laughter.

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother me with your sisterly quarrels. I didn¡¯t see or hear anything,¡± Nangong Shulan said with a smile, her worried heart being distracted by her eldest daughter¡¯s antics.

    She¡¯s really grown up, knowing how to use tactics to comfort others.

    ¡°Ah, it seems I¡¯m a poor, neglected little thing. Chu Molin, am I pitiful?¡± Qin Xue looked pitifully at Chu Molin, who still held her foot.

    ¡°Sweetie, you¡¯re not pitiful.¡± Chu Molin put down his chopsticks, patted her head, and said coolly.

    ¡°Pfft, brother-in-law, are you petting a puppy?¡± Qin Jiale couldn¡¯t hold back her laughter, mocking Qin Xue for pretending to be pitiful.

    ¡°Little sister, there¡¯s a saying: ¡®what¡¯s understood need not be explained.¡¯ Have you remembered it?¡± Chu Molin smiled and looked at Qin Xue.

    ¡°Sigh, it seems I really am a pitiful, unloved worm. You guys just gang up and bully me.¡± Qin Xue shook her head, lowered her head to eat her noodles, while the corners of her mouth were still smiling.

    It¡¯s great to have a family like this, but it¡¯s a pity they have to go home soon, and they¡¯re going to the Imperial Capital. Who knows when they¡¯ll have time to get together again?

 Chapter 594

    The meal was finished in a cheerful atmosphere between the sisters. After cleaning up the dishes, Chu Molin went to take a nap with the children, while Qin Xue helped her mother pack up the things they needed to bring back.

    ¡°Qin Xue, don¡¯t pack too much. It¡¯ll be difficult to carry.¡± Nangong Shulan looked at her daughter¡¯s preparations, exclaiming as if she wanted to bring everything in the house back with them.

    ¡°Mom, I can just mail these things back tomorrow, and you don¡¯t have to carry them. You can take these,¡± Qin Xue said, pointing at the items she had prepared.

    ¡°Mailing is so expensive,¡± Shulan said with concern. Although she rarely saw her daughter working to earn money here, she often noticed Qin Xue writing and drawing.

    She was not an ignorant rural woman; she knew that Qin Xue was working through her writing and drawing. It wasn¡¯t easy for her daughter to make money, so she couldn¡¯t afford to be wasteful.

    ¡°Mom, money is meant to be spent, not saved. After it¡¯s spent, I can always earn more. What¡¯s the point of earning money if I don¡¯t spend it?¡± Qin Xue said helplessly.

    ¡°Even so, we shouldn¡¯t waste it like this. It¡¯s not easy to make money,¡± Shulan said, having been conditioned by her past to be frugal.

    ¡°Mom, do you want to earn some money? Are you afraid of hard work?¡± Qin Xue asked, noticing her mother¡¯s unwillingness to spend money.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m not afraid of hard work. What¡¯s the matter?¡± Shulan asked, looking at her daughter curiously.

    ¡°But you¡¯ll have to get up very early, and since our house is far from town, you¡¯ll probably have to start preparing at three or four in the morning. It¡¯s really tough,¡± Qin Xue prewarned her mother.

    ¡°Tell me, what should I do?¡± Shulan¡¯s interest was piqued.

    ¡°Egg-filled pancakes and Chinese pancakes. If you want to make them, I can write down the instructions for you. I can teach you how to make egg-filled pancakes, but there won¡¯t be enough time for Chinese pancakes because you need a special pan to make them,¡± Qin Xue thought. If only her mother had mentioned her idea sooner, she would¡¯ve had time to teach her.

    She enjoyed eating both dishes for breakfast, which was why she had learned to make them in the first place.

    That was one of Qin Xue¡¯s strengths¡ªshe always took action when she wanted to do something.

    ¡°Okay, teach me,¡± Shulan decided, thinking that if she could learn the skill, that would be ideal. If not, she could always figure it out when she went back.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s finish packing up and then I¡¯ll teach you,¡± Qin Xue said, speeding up her packing to help her mother.

    After packing, Qin Xue taught her mother how to make the dough for egg-filled pancakes and what to pay attention to during the process.

    When Chu Molin got up to go to work, he was greeted by a delicious smell filling the house.

    ¡°Mom, Xue¡¯er, what are you making that smells so good?¡± Chu Molin asked as he approached the kitchen.

    ¡°You¡¯re up; come taste it and see if it¡¯s good,¡± Qin Xue said, using chopsticks to pick up a piece of pancake and feed it to Chu Molin.

    ¡°Cough, cough, Qin Xue, I can do it myself,¡± Chu Molin said, his face slightly red as he noticed his mother-in-law nearby. His wife seemed to have no problem expressing her affection for him in front of others.

    However, some discretion was necessary, especially when dealing with his mother-in-law.

    ¡°Oh, right. Here you go,¡± Qin Xue handed a plate with the pancake to Chu Molin.

    ¡°It¡¯s delicious and fragrant. Not bad at all,¡± Chu Molin said after taking a bite and providing a favorable evaluation.

    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought too. Mom, even Chu Molin said it¡¯s good. Are you feeling confident now?¡± Qin Xue asked her mother.

    ¡°Yes, I believe I can do it well.¡± Nangong Shulan tasted the pancake after hearing her son-in-law¡¯s comment and said with full confidence.

    ¡°Right, my mom is the best. Isn¡¯t that right, Chu Molin?¡± Qin Xue not only praised her mother but also wanted her husband¡¯s approval.

    ¡°Mhm,¡± Chu Molin replied simply.

    ¡°Mom, Xue¡¯er, I¡¯m going to work now. Don¡¯t forget to change the children¡¯s diapers later,¡± Chu Molin said, thinking about the baby bed sheets that had to be washed and dried every day. Luckily, they had enough at home to replace them. Otherwise, their children wouldn¡¯t even have a clean place to sleep.

 Chapter 595

    Jing Xin ran desperately, venting the depression and pain in his heart.

    He ran until he was exhausted and didn¡¯t even stop for lunch.

    Chu Molin didn¡¯t see Jing Xin when he went to work, and later heard from others that he went to the small woods.

    Chu Molin told them to continue working and went to find Jing Xin himself, but before he found him, he saw someone up ahead.

    Chu Molin quickly hid behind a big tree, concealing himself.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you not to call me here?¡± A girl¡¯s anxious voice rang out.

    ¡°What, scared of being seen by others?¡± A careless, irresponsible voice replied.

    ¡°Let me tell you, if you screw this up for me, I¡¯ll make you pay! Got it?¡± The girl¡¯s voice sounded furious.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t mess it up. But shouldn¡¯t you give me some interest first, huh?¡± The careless voice changed, and so did the atmosphere.

    ¡°Aiyo, you¡¯ve already taken my innocence. What else can I do?¡± The girl¡¯s voice turned flattering, completely different from her previous ferocity.

    ¡°As long as you know, if you hadn¡¯t let me do things to you, do you think you could order me around? Let me tell you, it¡¯s not that I¡¯m afraid of you, it¡¯s because I¡¯m interested in you now, got it? Hurry up, less damn talk, if you make me feel good, we can talk about anything. If not, I¡¯ll keep going until I¡¯m satisfied, got it?¡± The man¡¯s voice was filled with lustful desire.

    ¡°I got it.¡± As the girl¡¯s flattering voice trailed off, the sound of rustling clothing could be heard, followed by a mix of moans and heavy breathing.

    Chu Molin hid there without moving, silently listening to the sounds coming from nearby. His ears were forced to listen to a live erotic scene.

    One might wonder why Chu Molin didn¡¯t interrupt them ¨C it was because he had recognized the girl¡¯s voice. Since she had chosen to deal with a dangerous person, she would have to bear the consequences. Chu Molin had never been a kind man.

    While the couple was at the height of their passion, Chu Molin quietly sneaked away to the other side.

    He found Jing Xin in the woods on the other side as well.

    ¡°Deputy Chief, what brings you here?¡± Jing Xin opened his eyes and asked when he heard footsteps.

    ¡°Let¡¯s talk.¡± Chu Molin sat beside him and spoke softly.

    ¡°What about?¡± Jing Xin sat up and asked.

    ¡°About your thoughts.¡± Chu Molin glanced at him and began.

    There¡¯s nothing to talk about.¡± Jing Xin lowered his head, picked up a blade of grass and wound it around his finger, then unwound it and repeated the action over and over.

    ¡°Is it because you have nothing to say or because you don¡¯t know how to say it?¡± Chu Molin looked into the distance, speaking quietly.

    Jing Xin stayed silent ¨C what was he thinking?

    You must not have heard the first part of the conversation between Xue¡¯er and your wife.¡± Chu Molin, seeing Jing Xin like this, confidently asked.

    Jing Xin looked up at Chu Molin for a moment, then lowered his eyes to the ground again, still silent.

    ¡°Jing Xin, don¡¯t you want to know why your wife doesn¡¯t want this child? If you don¡¯t want to know, then just pretend I never came.¡± Chu Molin stood up, dusted the grass off his pants, and prepared to leave.

    ¡°Deputy Chief, tell me why. You don¡¯t know how happy I was when I heard that Xiuxiu was pregnant. I wanted to hold her tightly in my arms right away.

    But before I could finish being happy, I heard her say she didn¡¯t want the child in her belly. Deputy Chief, do you know how much that hurt me? At that moment, I could barely control myself from hurting her.¡± Jing Xin covered his face with his hands, tears streaming through his fingers.

    Who said men shouldn¡¯t shed tears? It¡¯s just that they haven¡¯t reached the point of heartbreak.

    Even a tough guy like Jing Xin cried, showing just how heartbroken and distraught he was.

 Chapter 596

    Chu Molin looked at Jing Xin¡¯s pained expression and patted him on the shoulder with a gentle sigh, ¡°It¡¯s fortunate you didn¡¯t hurt her physically, or you would regret it for the rest of your life.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, in hindsight, I¡¯m really glad I controlled my temper.¡± Jing Xin was truly grateful for this.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er returned and told me about the issue between you two. She was the one who asked me to come and find you.¡± Chu Molin glanced at him and sat down.

    ¡°Please thank Qin Xue for me.¡± Jing Xin guessed it must have been Qin Xue who had spoken up, otherwise, how would the company commander have known to address this issue immediately upon arrival?

    ¡°She said that during their conversation, Fang Xiu mentioned that someone from the Jings had approached her, asking her to take the child and return to the Jings with you, but she refused¡­¡± Chu Molin recounted the conversation between Qin Xue and Fang Xiu to Jing Xin.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t she tell me about these things?¡± Jing Xin had no idea she had been carrying so much on her mind.

    ¡°Perhaps she didn¡¯t want to put you in a difficult position,¡± Chu Molin said after some contemplation.

    ¡°She¡¯s really too silly. If she¡¯d told me, this wouldn¡¯t have happened.¡± Jing Xin thought to himself that the Jings really dared to speak up ¨C even if they wanted to separate mother and child, they needed to ask for his consent. Did they still think he was that powerless man from before?

    ¡°A woman¡¯s thoughts might be different from ours, and besides, she might have been going through all that because she cares about you. She must have hidden her suffering because she didn¡¯t want to burden you. Now that you know what happened, you should talk it over with her when you get back.

    As soldiers, we already owe our families, especially our wives. So if there¡¯s any issue, just talk it out ¨C don¡¯t allow it to create a rift between husband and wife. Go back to work, and have a good talk with Fang Xiu tonight,¡± Chu Molin said as he patted Jing Xin¡¯s shoulder and stood up.

    ¡°Alright, Deputy Chief, thank you.¡± Jing Xin was grateful to Chu Molin. Even though it was at Qin Xue¡¯s request and the deputy chief couldn¡¯t refuse, he could still avoid having that conversation if he didn¡¯t want to, right?

    ¡°We¡¯re not just colleagues, but also brothers who¡¯ve shared life and death together.¡± Chu Molin left those words and walked away.

    ¡°Deputy Chief, wait for me.¡± Jing Xin hurriedly chased after him.

    ¡°Deputy Chief, why are you going this way? Isn¡¯t it closer that way?¡± Jing Xin asked after catching up to Chu Molin.

    Chu Molin took a different route to avoid bumping into the lovebirds in the field.

    ¡°Oh, that way? I saw some filth earlier, and to prevent you from dirtying your eyes, I decided to take this route instead.¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t reveal the real reason.

    ¡°I see. It doesn¡¯t matter which way we take anyway; it¡¯s all the same to us.¡± Jing Xin shrugged nonchalantly.

    After crying her heart out, Fang Xiu opened the door to fetch water and wash her son¡¯s face. She waited until her eyes didn¡¯t look too bad before opening the door to attend to her business. She didn¡¯t plan to return to the military compound that night, as she didn¡¯t know how to face Jing Xin.

    She didn¡¯t know how to tell Jing Xin about her thoughts and feelings.

    ¡°Mommy hurts.¡± Jingtao tugged at his mother¡¯s clothes.

    ¡°Taotao, where does it hurt? Tell mommy.¡± Fang Xiu asked her son, concerned.

    ¡°Mommy hurts.¡± Jingtao pointed to his mother¡¯s belly with his little hand.

    Fang Xiu followed his finger and froze, realizing that her hand had subconsciously been rubbing her flat stomach ¨C her son must have thought she had a stomachache.

    So she couldn¡¯t bear to part with the child either, and her heart truly loved the child. That¡¯s why she unconsciously touched her belly, just to be closer to the child.

    Thinking of Jing Xin¡¯s words, Fang Xiu wondered why she had the courage to give birth to Taotao alone yet lacked the courage to have a second child after Jing Xin returned?

    This question lingered in Fang Xiu¡¯s mind and refused to fade away.

    ¡°No, mommy is not in pain. Mommy¡¯s just hungry. Let¡¯s go eat, shall we?¡± Fang Xiu lowered her hand, picked up her son, and spoke softly.

 Chapter 597

    The next day before dawn, Qin Xue got up and made some pastries and food for her mother and sister to eat on the road.

    ¡°Qin Xue, why did you get up so early?¡± Nangong Shulan saw that Qin Xue had already made a lot of food and asked with concern.

    ¡°Mom, I thought it would be more hygienic to make our own food, so I made some for you to eat on the way.¡± Qin Xue replied while busying herself with her work.

    ¡°You should have let me help you. It must have taken you a long time to make all this by yourself. It must have been tiring!¡± Nangong Shulan felt that her eldest daughter was doing so much more since becoming independent, taking charge of everything.

    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s not a big deal. It¡¯s just a bit of work. I just feel bad that you and my sister have to carry everything.¡± Qin Xue put the last pot on the stove to steam and turned to her mother.

    ¡°There¡¯s no choice if there¡¯s food to carry.¡± Nangong Shulan shook her head and laughed.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Chu Molin will take you to the train, help you with the luggage, then send a telegram to dad to pick you up at the station. Mom, you need to be careful on the train and pay attention to your surroundings, so no thieves target you, alright?¡± Qin Xue was worried about the two women traveling alone.

    But since her brother had to watch the shop during the day and attend night school, she couldn¡¯t leave the two children, and Chu Molin had training, so she had no choice but to send her mom and sister home alone.

    ¡°I know, why are you fussing so much? I¡¯m not a little child who knows nothing.¡± Nangong Shulan was at a loss for words. It was as if she had never traveled far.

    ¡°Mom, come here,¡± Qin Xue pulled her mother into the bedroom and took out US$300 to give her.

    ¡°Qin Xue, what are you doing? Keep it!¡± Nangong Shulan was shocked by her daughter¡¯s sudden gesture. Last time, she had given her hundreds of dollars, and now she was giving more. Nangong Shulan hurriedly pushed the money back, not wanting to take her daughter¡¯s money.

    ¡°Mom, please take it. Use it to pay for Lele¡¯s school fees and living expenses. You want to make money through small businesses, right? You need capital to buy things, don¡¯t you?

    Before, I was useless and always made you worry. Now I can make my own money, so you should enjoy the benefits of having a daughter.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t take the money back but placed it in her mother¡¯s hand, hoping she would accept it.

    ¡°But you have two children to raise, and a home to manage. You can¡¯t always think of us. This will cause a rift between you and Molin in the future.¡± Nangong Shulan was happy her daughter thought of her family, but what she wanted most was for her daughter to be happy and get along well with her son-in-law.

    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry, Chu Molin knows about this. He¡¯s the one who told me to give it to you. Please take it.¡± Qin Xue dragged Chu Molin into the conversation to make her mother feel at ease. In fact, since Chu Molin handed over the family finances to her, he never interfered with how she used the money.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll accept it this time, but don¡¯t do this again. Understand?¡± Nangong Shulan really needed start-up capital. She would consider this a loan and repay her daughter once she made money.

    ¡°Yes, yes. Also, this is ginseng, tuber fleeceflower, and Panax notoginseng. When you get back, give a smaller portion to grandpa and grandma, and take out a little to make medicinal wine for dad to drink. Keep the rest at home, alright?¡± Qin Xue handed the packed herbs to her mother.

    Nangong Shulan was nearly frightened to death. This was even more shocking than receiving the US$300.

    ¡°Qin Xue, have you done something wrong? Don¡¯t do anything foolish, alright?¡± Nangong Shulan couldn¡¯t afford even a gram of Panax notoginseng, let alone ginseng.

    That¡¯s because it was a rare commodity, hard to find and expensive.

    ¡°Mom, what are you thinking? I needed these for the shop when I bought medicinal herbs last time, so I asked someone to find them.¡± Qin Xue looked at her mother with a bitter smile, wondering where her thoughts went. These herbs were actually grown in her space.

 Chapter 598

    Qin Xue explained everything that needed to be said, and to anyone who didn¡¯t know better, it would seem like she was the mother and Nangong Shulan was her daughter.

    ¡°I understand, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be mindful,¡± Nangong Shulan couldn¡¯t argue with her daughter, so she accepted Qin Xue¡¯s offerings and put them away before calling her youngest daughter for breakfast.

    ¡°Lele, make sure to do the exercises assigned to you when you go back. It¡¯ll be good for you, understand?¡± After advising her mother, Qin Xue began instructing her younger sister.

    ¡°Okay, sis, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be coming to the Imperial Capital to find you too.¡± Qin Jiale nodded after taking a bite of her steamed bun.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting for you in the Imperial Capital.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t say anything more, seeing that her sister seemed to understand.

    After the three finished their meal, they brought their belongings to the living room, waiting for Chu Molin to return.

    When Chu Molin came back, he had a quick bite to eat, grabbed the luggage, and went downstairs to drive his mother-in-law and aunt to the station.

    After a long silence, Nangong Shulan finally couldn¡¯t help but speak:

    ¡°Molin, Qin Xue can be stubborn, and she doesn¡¯t always think things through. If she says or does something wrong, please be patient with her. Just tell me if there¡¯s a problem, and I¡¯ll deal with her. Don¡¯t get mad or argue with her, okay?¡±

    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t get mad or argue with her,¡± Chu Molin replied after listening to her words.

    He cherished her far too much to engage in an argument; his mother-in-law was merely overthinking things.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad. When you move to the Imperial Capital, make sure to keep Ping and An updated so we don¡¯t worry, okay?¡± Nangong Shulan advised her son-in-law with concern.

    ¡°Of course. Please take care of yourselves. If there¡¯s anything, write to us. We¡¯ll give you our address once we¡¯ve settled down in the Imperial Capital.¡± Chu Molin spoke a few more words than usual just to assure his mother-in-law.

    ¡°Alright, will do.¡± Nangong Shulan nodded.

    No one spoke during the rest of the ride, and the car fell silent.

    When they arrived at the station, Chu Molin helped carry the luggage inside, bought tickets for his mother-in-law and sister-in-law, and sent them off before sending a telegram to his father-in-law. Only then did he return to his wife to report back.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, I¡¯m back,¡± Chu Molin called out to his wife in the room as soon as he got home.

    ¡°Did you take them to the train?¡± Qin Xue asked, nursing their baby and unable to do more than call out.

    ¡°Yes, I came back after getting them settled,¡± Chu Molin replied, putting away the keys before entering the room.

    ¡°Alright, thank you.¡± Qin Xue smiled and said.

    ¡°I deserve a reward.¡± Chu Molin leaned in closer.

    ¡°Hey, be careful. Our child is here.¡± Qin Xue shielded her son in her arms.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t touch the baby.¡± Chu Molin lifted Qin Xue¡¯s chin with his hand and pressed a kiss on her lips.

    ¡°Enough, go to work. Don¡¯t let anyone find fault with you.¡± Qin Xue pushed him away with her hand.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, pack up the important things in the next few days, and get rid of anything else that¡¯s not useful. We¡¯ll be moving to the Imperial Capital in three or four days at the most.¡± Chu Molin had come back to tell Qin Xue about this.

    ¡°Okay, I got it.¡± Qin Xue nodded, knowing that she could carry more if she needed to, but she had to leave some things behind so as not to arouse suspicion.

    ¡°Alright, do as you see fit. I¡¯m off to work.¡± Chu Molin tousled her hair.

    ¡°You really plan to treat me like a child, always wanting to touch my head.¡± Qin Xue looked at him helplessly.

    ¡°Mhm, pampering you like a child and loving you like a wife.¡± Chu Molin hooked the corner of his mouth, leaving a remark before leaving.

    He was such an annoying tease, always provoking her.

 Chapter 599

    Time passed quickly, and two days flew by. Today, Qin Xue had to go to the city to talk to her brother and also check on Fang Xiu.

    Qin Xue found it troublesome to manage both children by herself. She couldn¡¯t carry both of them at once, but since they were too small to be carried on her back, she hesitated to put them in her spatial tool for fear of being questioned.

    In the end, Qin Xue used a baby stroller to take the children out by car, running into Miao Qingqing at the entrance of the military region who had come to see the children.

    ¡°Qin Xue, are you going out?¡± Miao Qingqing stopped her.

    ¡°Oh, Grandma, are you coming to our place?¡± Qin Xue thought that Miao Qingqing seemed familiar with their home.

    ¡°Yes, I haven¡¯t seen the children for several days, so I came to visit them,¡± Miao Qingqing said while looking at the children in the stroller.

    ¡°Um, Grandma, I have some things to do in town, and there¡¯s nobody home,¡± Qin Xue said awkwardly.

    ¡°That¡¯s alright, can I go with you? You can¡¯t take care of both children by yourself, can you?¡± Miao Qingqing asked Qin Xue with hope.

    ¡°Well, okay, it¡¯s just a bit of a burden for you,¡± Qin Xue agreed. Due to Miao Qingqing¡¯s presence, Qin Xue and Miao Qingqing each held one child, and the stroller was left at the security guard¡¯s room.

    Qin Xue had a good impression of Miao Qingqing, and Chu Molin hadn¡¯t said anything or tried to stop her from visiting the children, indicating that he didn¡¯t have strong objections to Miao Qingqing.

    So Qin Xue respected Miao Qingqing, who had a good attitude after all.

    ¡°Thank you, Qin Xue,¡± Miao Qingqing was touched. Although her daughter-in-law hadn¡¯t acknowledged her yet, she hadn¡¯t done anything nasty to her either.

    Miao Qingqing assumed that Qin Xue was considering her grandson¡¯s feelings, so she had no complaints and was more satisfied with Qin Xue.

    Only a woman who considers her husband can live a life with him.

    ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m not worthy of your thanks. Although I don¡¯t know the reason for some things, that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m clueless,¡± Qin Xue smiled.

    ¡°Ha ha, I was wondering why you didn¡¯t have your guard up against me. I¡¯ll tell you about it when I have the chance,¡± Miao Qingqing understood after hearing Qin Xue¡¯s words.

    At first, she thought Qin Xue wasn¡¯t very vigilant and had a low sense of caution, but it turned out that she knew Miao Qingqing was Chu Molin¡¯s biological grandmother and the children¡¯s great-grandmother. It all made sense now.

    ¡°It¡¯s up to you, but we¡¯re leaving for the Imperial Capital tomorrow, so it may not be convenient later,¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t know where Chu Molin¡¯s hometown was.

    This was embarrassing for her since she didn¡¯t understand a thing about her husband¡¯s family. She had set up Chu Molin without understanding him, and ended up marrying him, barely knowing anything. Fortunately, Chu Molin was a good man; otherwise, she would have been the one suffering. After all her efforts, she benefited from it.

    As for the matter of Chu Molin¡¯s marriage, Qin Xue¡¯s feelings were mixed. Although she took possession of the woman¡¯s body after her death, the hard-earned husband was indeed her merit, and in the end, she was the one who gained from it.

    Qin Xue resolved to raise her two children well as payback for taking the woman¡¯s body and hoped that the original occupant could be reborn in a good family and live a good life.

    ¡°Oh? You¡¯re going to the Imperial Capital? What for?¡± Miao Qingqing asked excitedly.

    ¡°Chu Molin is going to study there, and he doesn¡¯t want us to stay here without him, so we¡¯re going together,¡± Qin Xue thought she might as well tell Miao Qingqing since there was nothing to hide.

    ¡°So, Lin Lin has taken a position in the Imperial Capital?¡± Miao Qingqing asked.

    ¡°It seems so, but I¡¯m not entirely sure about the specifics. Why?¡± Qin Xue indeed wasn¡¯t fully aware of Chu Molin¡¯s job, but since he wanted to take her and their children with him, that must be how it was, right?

 Chapter 600

    Miao Qingqing thought that since her grandson¡¯s family was going to the Imperial Capital, she could go back too.

    Her husband and daughter-in-law at home didn¡¯t know how many times they had urged her to go back. Her husband even sent his security guards to take care of her.

    ¡°Then we¡¯ll meet in the Imperial Capital.¡± Miao Qingqing smiled.

    ¡°Grandma, are you going to the Imperial Capital too?¡± Qin Xue thought it was unnecessary to go that far. Were they really going to follow them to the Imperial Capital?

    ¡°Yes, since you¡¯re going back to the Imperial Capital, I should also go home and see my family. They¡¯ve urged me many times. I just wanted to be closer to you, so I didn¡¯t go back.¡±

    ¡°Ah, Grandma, your family is from the Imperial Capital, then Chu Molin¡­¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t know that Chu Molin actually came from the Imperial Capital. His family must be wealthy, no wonder his temperament and cultivation were so good.

    ¡°Yes, Linlin left home because he blames his father for his mother¡¯s death. He has been away for more than ten years and hasn¡¯t been back once.¡± Miao Qingqing looked ahead and then slowly told Qin Xue.

    ¡°The car is here.¡± Qin Xue wanted to ask something but saw the car coming and ended up not asking.

    ¡°Grandma, you go first, be careful.¡± Qin Xue let Miao Qingqing go first, and she got in after her.

    When the three generations were seated, the driver started the car. After all, the elderly and the young should be taken care of.

    Qin Xue was grateful for this because she had noticed the driver watching them in the rearview mirror before starting the car. His behavior warmed her heart.

    After reaching the city, Qin Xue and her family went to find her younger brother Qin Yu first.

    ¡°Sis, why are you here?¡± Qin Yu was packing gift boxes for guests. He saw his sister and asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to talk to you about something. You finish your work first, and we¡¯ll talk later.¡± Qin Xue said, and then she went inside with the child and Miao Qingqing.

    ¡°Grandma, can you watch the child here? I¡¯ll help my brother with his work.¡± Qin Xue put the child to sleep on the bed and asked Miao Qingqing.

    ¡°Of course. You go ahead and take care of your things.¡± Miao Qingqing couldn¡¯t wait to spend more time with the child, so she was happy to help. How could she refuse?

    ¡°Thank you, Grandma.¡± Qin Xue said her thanks and went out.

    Qin Xue didn¡¯t go to the front but went to the storeroom.

    After opening the door with the key, she bolted the door, and then moved the unprocessed white wine into the space, and changed the processed wine out.

    After changing the wine, she entered the space to process the newly moved in wine. As soon as she entered, she was scared by the sight in front of her.

    ¡°Little girl, where are you from?¡± Qin Xue stared in shock at the little girl in front of her and asked.

    This little girl was too pretty, with an exquisite face like a doll.

    Why was she naked? Where were her clothes?

    ¡°Master, it¡¯s me.¡± Xue Ling said shyly.

    ¡°Xue Ling?¡± Qin Xue asked tentatively.

    ¡°Yeah, do I look bad?¡± Xue Ling tugged at her silvery-white hair.

    ¡°No, you¡¯re very beautiful, but why aren¡¯t you wearing clothes?¡± Qin Xue pointed at her naked body and asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any clothes.¡± Xue Ling was also quite aggrieved, as she never expected that after taking form, she would have the body of a five or six-year-old child from the mortal world.

    She had thought that she would at least be a Fox Fairy, with an adult¡¯s body. There was a gap between her expectations and reality.

    It truly hurt her young heart.

    ¡°Huh, aren¡¯t you a Fox Fairy? Can¡¯t you transform?¡± Qin Xue said disdainfully, thinking the Fox Fairy didn¡¯t seem very useful after all.

 Chapter 601

    Xue Ling looked at Qin Xue with grief after hearing that. It didn¡¯t want to be like this either.

    ¡°Master, it¡¯s your fault. I am a Fox Fairy, true, but my mana is depleted.

    I only managed to take shape after tirelessly practicing to remove the seal.¡± Xue Ling thought it was the most miserable fairy. Not only did it have nothing, but it was also despised after finally taking shape. Who else was like this?

    ¡°Alright, I don¡¯t have any clothes for you to wear now. I¡¯ll make you some when I get back, okay?¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t know where to find clothes right now; she could only do so after returning home.

    ¡°Sure, anyway, there¡¯s no one here besides you and some spiritual objects.¡± Xue Ling didn¡¯t care anymore.

    ¡°So, now that you¡¯ve taken shape, isn¡¯t it time to start working?¡± Qin Xue gave it a glance.

    ¡°Master, that¡¯s child exploitation,¡± Xue Ling complained, staring at Qin Xue dissatisfiedly.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m exploiting you, because you are a fairy, not a human. And you have little mana.¡± Qin Xue looked triumphantly at Xue Ling.

    ¡°How did I end up with such an unscrupulous master?¡± Xue Ling wailed tearlessly.

    ¡°No choice, but it¡¯s because I¡¯m unscrupulous that I unsealed you,¡± Qin Xue shook her head and unconsciously spoke in a manner that irritated others.

    ¡°Hmph, let¡¯s get to work!¡± Xue Ling turned to deal with the medicinal materials because after discovering that the materials could speed up its cultivation once consumed, it had been eating while planting them.

    Since Qin Xue was lazy and seldom took care of the space, Xue Ling had reaped the benefits.

    Qin Xue, seeing that Xue Ling was working with the medicinal materials, didn¡¯t bother it anymore and busied herself with the liquor. She didn¡¯t want to delay any longer, fearing that her child might cry or her brother might come looking for her.

    Qin Xue was so exhausted after finishing the liquor that her waist could barely straighten up.

    As soon as she opened the door, she saw her brother approaching. She felt lucky to have moved quickly.

    ¡°Are you done?¡± Qin Xue turned to lock the door.

    There were only two keys to the warehouse, one for each sibling.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m finished. Did you finish up in there?¡± Qin Yu pointed to the warehouse.

    ¡°Done.¡± Qin Xue nodded, and they both went to the front of the store.

    ¡°Xiao Yu, we¡¯re going to the Imperial Capital tomorrow, and you¡¯ll be left here alone. If anything happens, you can seek help from Jing Xin and Fang Xiu,¡± Qin Xue said. There was no other option, as no one else would be available to help.

    ¡°I understand. Don¡¯t worry,¡± Qin Yu had learned a lot over the past months and was no longer the naive country boy he had been.

    ¡°Also, when your night school courses are finished, you should study at Imperial University. That way, we can take care of each other,¡± Qin Xue suggested, thinking of her sister¡¯s plan to study in the Imperial Capital and deciding that her brother might as well enroll there, too.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll study hard,¡± Qin Yu had a keen sense of familiarity, so Qin Xue recommended that he study engineering design.

    That would be advantageous for Qin Yu to become an engineer later on.

    Qin Yu believed his sister¡¯s reasoning and decided to learn engineering design.

    ¡°Do you have money with you?¡± Qin Xue asked.

    ¡°Yes, how much do you need?¡± Qin Yu recalled how their store¡¯s reputation had recently spread, attracting envious eyes. Others had come to cause trouble, and their problems were solved only when Jing Xin stepped in to help.

    ¡°Apart from what we need for the business, leave some for emergencies and give the rest to me,¡± Qin Xue thought about how they would need money in the Imperial Capital, and it was important not to be without cash.

    ¡°All right, wait here. I¡¯ll get it for you,¡± Qin Yu opened a drawer and handed Qin Xue a bankbook.

    ¡°The money is in there. The password is your wedding date.¡± Qin Yu had initially wanted to use their birthdays as the password, but then chose his sister¡¯s wedding anniversary instead.

    Qin Xue couldn¡¯t help but smile awkwardly, as she wasn¡¯t the original owner and had no idea when she had gotten married.

 Chapter 602

    Qin Xue flipped through the US$2,000 and thought that the business could only be considered average with this income in just over a month. However, at this time, it was an excellent income.

    After all, how many people couldn¡¯t make US$2,000 in a year?

    So Qin Xue should feel satisfied with this income instead of comparing it to the money in the future. Nowadays, US$100 can support an ordinary family for two months, while in the future, US$100 may not even be enough for a meal when dining out.

    ¡°You take some out for me and keep the rest for emergencies,¡± Qin Xue handed the deposit book back to her brother.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the shop, and you go get the money,¡± Qin Yu thought about it and agreed, taking out the money and leaving it to his sister to save, which would be more convenient for her to use.

    ¡°Alright, go ahead,¡± Qin Xue nodded in agreement.

    In the end, Qin Yu took out US$1,500 for his sister and left US$500 for himself.

    ¡°You take care of your health, and if you can¡¯t handle it, take more rest. It doesn¡¯t matter if you open the shop a little later, the wine won¡¯t go bad, and it¡¯s not like other goods, so you don¡¯t have to open the door too early in the morning,¡± Qin Xue only asked him to delay the opening time, not to not open at all.

    Running a business requires persistence, or customers will slowly be lost.

    ¡°I know, and when you get there, write me a letter, okay?¡± Qin Yu was afraid his sister would forget about him.

    ¡°I got it, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m going to the clothing store to check on things. If you need me, come find me there,¡± Qin Xue collected the money, stood up, and left.

    ¡°Alright, I got it,¡± Qin Yu nodded in agreement.

    ¡°Fang Xiu,¡± Qin Xue arrived at the store and saw Fang Xiu sewing clothes while Jingtao was playing there.

    ¡°Qin Xue, why are you free to come here? Where¡¯s your child?¡± Fang Xiu looked puzzled, Qin Xue should be watching her child at this time and would not be free to come.

    ¡°He¡¯s with my brother. I just came to see you, how are you two? Have you sorted things out?¡± Qin Xue sat next to her and asked.

    ¡°No,¡± Fang Xiu paused and said.

    ¡°Why not? Did you two have a fight?¡± Qin Xue asked worriedly.

    ¡°No, I just didn¡¯t go back to the military district that day, and the next day when he came here, he just apologized to me, saying he was selfish and only thought about himself, not considering my feelings. Then he said I could make the decision,¡± Fang Xiu recalled what Jing Xin had said.

    ¡°So, tell me the truth, do you really want to abort this child?¡± Qin Xue asked Fang Xiu slowly.

    ¡°I do, but I can¡¯t bear it,¡± Fang Xiu said after a moment of silence.

    ¡°Why do you want to get rid of it if you can¡¯t bear it? Just because of those weird people?

    It¡¯s your life, not theirs. You don¡¯t need them to help you live, the child is yours, not theirs. You have a job now that can support you and the child, and you don¡¯t need to rely on their food and face anymore.

    You don¡¯t need them at all, so why let them affect your mood and decisions?¡± Qin Xue tried to persuade Fang Xiu earnestly.

    Qin Xue mainly thought that Fang Xiu was too soft-hearted. She had been driven out by The Jings and was taking care of herself. If Jing Xin didn¡¯t care about his family, then it would be better not to have such a man.

    But now Jing Xin was on Fang Xiu¡¯s side, so why bother considering so much?

    ¡°Qin Xue, I¡­¡± Fang Xiu looked at Qin Xue for a moment and didn¡¯t know what to say.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think too much, just follow your heart. If you really want to abort the child, you can look for Dr. Li Rong in the military district, she¡¯s a nice person.

    But personally, I hope you can think carefully and not abort the child, or you¡¯ll regret it later,¡± Qin Xue sighed.

    ¡°Fang Xiu, we¡¯re going to Imperial Capital tomorrow. If you¡¯re not happy here, when we¡¯re settled down, you can bring Taotao to visit and relax. But don¡¯t make such a hasty decision, okay?¡± Qin Xue looked steadily at Fang Xiu.

 Chapter 603

    Fang Xiu fell silent for a moment after hearing Qin Xue¡¯s words, then nodded: ¡°Qin Xue, I¡¯ll listen to you. I¡¯ve decided to keep this child. No matter what, I will give birth to her. No matter how difficult it is, I¡¯ll take good care of Taotao and this child.¡±

    After Fang Xiu had made up her mind, she realized Qin Xue was right. Why should she let others determine the fate of her child? She had already given birth to Taotao in the past two years and raised him well without their help.

    Worst case, if she couldn¡¯t handle it anymore, she would just part ways with Jing Xin.

    After all, she had skills, and she could rely on Qin Xue for food, not necessarily Jing Xin.

    In the end, she was raising her child and supporting herself with her own hands.

    ¡°That¡¯s good. Children are gifts from heaven. We must cherish them. Many people want them but can¡¯t have them.¡± Qin Xue, pleased, patted Fang Xiu¡¯s shoulder. Her efforts in persuading Fang Xiu hadn¡¯t been wasted.

    ¡°Qin Xue, actually, I¡¯m not willing to give up this child either. It¡¯s just that her arrival was too sudden and unexpected.¡±

    ¡°That day, I thought the heavens were playing tricks on me, wave after wave of unfair situations, so exhausting.¡±

    ¡°Who would have thought that, by such chance, Jing Xin would return and hear everything? There wasn¡¯t even time for me to react, how could anyone not be stunned?¡± Fang Xiu hadn¡¯t had a chance to talk properly with her husband in several days.

    ¡°Hmm, women think of a lot of things, so men don¡¯t understand these matters. Men and women think differently, and if you don¡¯t communicate in time, the conflict will get worse.¡± Qin Xue knew that no matter what, open discussion was the only way to solve problems.

    ¡°I think so too. Anyway, I¡¯ve already decided to keep the child. As for future matters, we¡¯ll deal with them later.¡± Fang Xiu looked at Qin Xue after packing away clothes and said this.

    ¡°Mhm, if you encounter any difficulties, just tell me. I¡¯ll definitely help if I can.¡± Qin Xue smiled.

    ¡°Okay, thank you in advance. Thanks for your support and encouragement all this time. Having you as a friend in this life is my good fortune.¡± Fang Xiu laughed, showing her first genuine smile in a long time.

    Qin Xue obtained the information she wanted from Fang Xiu, then took some cloth back to her younger brother. She was afraid that the children might wake up and cry.

    ¡°Yu Ze, I¡¯m your uncle, remember? Don¡¯t forget to recognize me when you go to the Imperial Capital, or else I¡¯ll spank your little bottom, you hear?¡± Just as Qin Xue approached the door, she saw her younger brother Qin Yu holding Yu Ze and talking to himself.

    Meanwhile, Miao Qingqing was holding Yu Chen, playing and teasing him. The two adults must have thought the child, barely over a month old, could understand them. Qin Xue was very skeptical of this.

    ¡°Sis, you¡¯re back.¡± Qin Yu asked when he saw his sister come in.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m back. Do you think your nephew is a genius? Understanding your words at that age.¡± Qin Xue shook her head and smiled.

    ¡°Maybe if I talk to him more, he¡¯ll remember.¡± Qin Yu, without lifting his head, replied with a grin while looking at his nephew.

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible. Have you ever heard of the saying about how children recognize people? It goes: at one month, a child only cries; at two months, they learn to smile; at three months, they recognize their mother¡¯s scent and image;

    By four months, they laugh out loud when teased, and it¡¯s especially cute¡­ ¡± Qin Xue gave a lesson on child cognition to her brother.

    ¡°There¡¯s so much to it, raising a child is really not easy.¡± After hearing his sister¡¯s words, Qin Yu sighed.

    ¡°Exactly, there¡¯s a lot to learn. And there¡¯s also a lot more you have to pay attention to. That¡¯s why it¡¯s not easy for parents to raise us.¡± Qin Xue also deeply understood the difficulties of being a parent after becoming a mother herself.

 Chapter 604

    ¡°You look after the child, I¡¯m going to buy groceries and cook.¡± Qin Xue said to her younger brother, looking at the sky.

    ¡°No need to buy, I bought them this morning.¡± Qin Yu cooked for himself, so he would buy groceries every day.

    ¡°Then I¡¯m going to cook.¡± Qin Xue decided not to breastfeed the children as they weren¡¯t crying.

    ¡°Okay, Yu Ze, Uncle will take care of you while your mom cooks. Be good, okay?¡± Qin Yu teased his nephew.

    When the meal was ready, Qin Xue picked up the child to feed him, so as to eat in peace later.

    ¡°Xiao Yu, can you take the dishes to the table? It¡¯s time for dinner.¡± Qin Xue shouted from the other room to Qin Yu.

    ¡°All right.¡± Qin Yu checked there were no customers, and then went to the kitchen to put dishes on the table.

    After they finished eating, Qin Xue discussed precautionary measures with her brother before she and Miao Qingqing took the child and drove back to the military zone.

    Many things at home have been sorted and put away by Qin Xue, but of course, she did not touch anything familiar to Chu Molin.

    ¡°Grandma, come in. The house is a mess.¡± After opening the door, Qin Xue called Miao Qingqing to come inside.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, moving is always like this. We¡¯ll tidy up properly when we settle down at the new place.¡± Miao Qingqing waved her hand nonchalantly.

    Qin Xue nodded. She tidied up the house and put things in the living room for now so that others could live there later.

    Chu Molin has been transferred and probably won¡¯t be coming back here. So, they won¡¯t be living here anymore.

    ¡°Grandma, why don¡¯t you stay here tonight and go back to the city tomorrow morning? It¡¯s too exhausting for you to travel back and forth so much.¡± Qin Xue thought about how much she had travelled today. She was tired even though she was younger than Miao Qingqing.

    ¡°Can I do that?¡± Miao Qingqing was surprised to hear this, she wanted to stay, but was afraid her grandson would be unhappy.

    ¡°Yes, I will talk to Chu Molin.¡± Qin Xue said, putting the cleaned items aside.

    When Chu Molin returned from work, he saw Miao Qingqing but didn¡¯t say anything.

    ¡°Chu Molin, go clean up and eat.¡± Qin Xue called out when she heard the door open.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Chu Molin responded faintly.

    ¡°Where were you today?¡± Chu Molin asked, looking at his wife from the dining table.

    ¡°I went to tell Xiao Yu about our move, so he doesn¡¯t get confused and can¡¯t find us later.¡± Qin Xue handed him a bowl of rice.

    Chu Molin took the bowl and nodded in understanding.

    ¡°Grandma, let¡¯s eat. Here¡¯s an egg.¡± Qin Xue gave Miao Qingqing a piece of egg with her chopsticks.

    ¡°Okay, thank you, Qin Xue, you eat too.¡± Miao Qingqing smiled. Her grandson ignored her, but she didn¡¯t feel awkward. She still had a granddaughter-in-law.

    Later in bed, Chu Molin pulled Qin Xue into his arms, his head resting against her neck before he finally spoke: ¡°Xue¡¯er, you¡¯ve worked hard.¡±

    ¡°Stop talking nonsense. I didn¡¯t do anything exhaustive. On the other hand, you¡¯re the one who¡¯s tired.¡± Qin Xue softly touched his slightly thinner face.

    ¡°You have to leave a place you¡¯re familiar with and follow me to a strange place, are you scared?¡± Chu Molin took her hand, which was gently stroking his face, and bit it lightly.

    ¡°Are you a dog?¡± Qin Xue asked with a laugh.

    ¡°Hm, only biting you.¡± Chu Molin said, then bit her neck lightly.

    ¡°Hehe, that tickles.¡± Qin Xue tried to move away, but how far could she run while being held? So, she just snuggled closer into his arms.

    ¡°One minute you¡¯re a dog, now you¡¯re a vampire.¡± Qin Xue said, giggling.

    ¡°Even as a vampire, I would only suck your blood.¡± Chu Molin tightened his hold on Qin Xue, who was squirming towards him.

    ¡°Why does it always have to be me, can¡¯t we change it up a bit?¡± Qin Xue turned over so that they were face-to-face.

 Chapter 605

    Chu Molin touched her ear with his hand, soft and pleasant to the touch.

    ¡°No, I only do this to my own wife.¡± Chu Molin shook his head, he wasn¡¯t a womanizer.

    ¡°Hehe, you wouldn¡¯t dare to do this to someone else, otherwise you know the consequences, hmph.¡± Qin Xue pouted haughtily.

    ¡°Yeah, I know.¡± Chu Molin believed he had some understanding of Qin Xue¡¯s bottom line, so he wouldn¡¯t cross it.

    ¡°Chu Molin.¡± Qin Xue called out to the man.

    ¡°Hmm.¡± Chu Molin lowered his head to look at her, unsure of why she called him.

    ¡°If I keep Grandma here, will you blame me?¡± Qin Xue hesitated before asking.

    ¡°No, I know you¡¯re doing it for my sake. How could I blame you?¡± Chu Molin wasn¡¯t stupid; he understood his wife¡¯s intentions.

    ¡°Chu Molin, don¡¯t live with regrets like ¡®when children want to provide, parents are gone.¡¯ Do you understand?¡± Qin Xue wrapped her arms around his strong and lean waist.

    ¡°Actually, I¡¯m not upset with her. I just didn¡¯t know what to say after all these years.¡± After all, he was already so grown up when he first returned to the Chus.

    ¡°Then think carefully about what your heart truly desires, alright?¡± Qin Xue pulled herself slightly away from him and looked up at him.

    ¡°Hmm.¡± Chu Molin noticed her movement and looked down at her.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er.¡± Chu Molin¡¯s voice deepened slightly as he softly called his wife.

    ¡°Hmm.¡± Qin Xue looked at him, unsure of what he wanted.

    ¡°Your button is undone.¡± Chu Molin quietly watched her, curious to see her reaction.

    Qin Xue checked her clothes and realized her button really was undone. She pulled her clothes together and buttoned up, smiling openly.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, you¡¯re mischievous.¡± Chu Molin swallowed, his voice hoarse and deep.

    Qin Xue smiled enchantingly, looking at Chu Molin.

    Qin Xue could clearly feel the man change in an instant.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, you¡­¡± Chu Molin tried his best to control himself.

    ¡°Idiot.¡± Qin Xue scolded.

    Since they were moving, Chu Molin didn¡¯t go to work but stayed with his wife and slept in until daylight for once.

    Chu Molin saw the exhaustion on his wife¡¯s face and got up to make breakfast.

    Miao Qingqing heard the noise and got up as well. She was surprised to see Chu Molin making breakfast: ¡°Linlin.¡±

    ¡°Good morning, Grandma.¡± Chu Molin rarely addressed someone like this.

    ¡°Linlin, aren¡¯t you angry anymore?¡± Miao Qingqing asked with trembling voice.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t angry in the first place, I just didn¡¯t know what to say.¡± Chu Molin¡¯s mood was good today, so he spoke more than usual.

    ¡°Good, that¡¯s good.¡± Miao Qingqing¡¯s eyes turned red.

    In the past decade or so, their family had been living with guilt, constantly worrying about whether their eldest grandson, who left home, was eating well and keeping warm.

    Why did he leave home? If there were any issues, it could be discussed and resolved as a family. Even if he didn¡¯t like his daughter-in-law, he could simply ignore her.

    However, this grandson had left without anyone knowing why.

    She once thought that he had gotten into an accident and that was why he didn¡¯t return home for so many years, but she refused to believe that fate could be so cruel.

    Now she had finally seen her grandson, and today she could at last hear him call her ¡°Grandma¡± again.

    Miao Qingqing felt that she could die without regrets now.

    Not only had she found her grandson, but she had also gained his approval. She could now face the ancestors of the Chu family with a clear conscience.

 Chapter 606

    Chu Molin knew that Qin Xue was exhausted, so he sent Miao Qingqing back to the city after breakfast.

    When leaving, Miao Qingqing gave him a meaningful glance. Chu Molin pretended not to notice his grandmother¡¯s knowing look.

    He waited until the proper time before waking his good wife up.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, it¡¯s time to get up, or we¡¯ll be late,¡± Chu Molin called out to Qin Xue.

    Qin Xue groggily opened her eyes for a glance, then closed them again.

    Chu Molin laughed, seeing that she was really exhausted.

    He brought his wife¡¯s clothes and helped her get dressed.

    Chu Molin looked at his wife who had fallen asleep again and felt helpless, deciding to let her rest.

    If Qin Xue knew what he was thinking, she would curse him for being shameless and taking advantage of the situation.

    In the end, Chu Molin loaded everything into the car himself, and only when it really couldn¡¯t be delayed any longer did he call out to Qin Xue again. However, this time he called for her to get up in a more formal manner, fearing that if he laid hands on her, they wouldn¡¯t be able to leave today at all.

    Qin Xue was really sleepy and her body ached all over. She knew what had happened, of course. This wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing had puzzled her last time, but it turned out that he had been considerate because she was pregnant then. Now that there were no more concerns, he was roughing her up.

    ¡°Chu Molin, you¡¯re such a bastard!¡± Qin Xue tried to get up, but she felt so weak.

    ¡°Mhm, I¡¯m a bastard.¡± Chu Molin wasn¡¯t a fool; he didn¡¯t argue with the obviously angry Qin Xue at this moment.

    ¡°I really want to kill you!¡± Qin Xue glared at him.

    ¡°Mhm, go ahead, but do you really have the heart to do that? Besides, it¡¯s because you¡¯re too beautiful,¡± Chu Molin nodded as he looked at Qin Xue.

    ¡°So it¡¯s my fault, then?¡± Qin Xue angrily stared at Chu Molin as she asked.

    ¡°How could it be? It¡¯s just that I can¡¯t resist you. It¡¯s my fault,¡± Chu Molin gazed at his wife. Despite having two children, she still looked like a high school student. Youth is truly wonderful.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Grandma?¡± Qin Xue slowly sat up, pulling the quilt over her and asked.

    ¡°She went back.¡± Chu Molin brought her clothes over and was ready to help.

    ¡°I can do it myself. If I let you help, I won¡¯t be able to get dressed until it¡¯s dark,¡± Qin Xue took the clothes and tried to put them on.

    ¡°Chu Molin, is there any hot water?¡± She thought it would be better to take a shower first.

    ¡°Yes, wait a moment; I¡¯ll go get the water for you.¡± Chu Molin left the room.

    Qin Xue tried to stand up, but she almost fell over.

    ¡°Careful.¡± Chu Molin had just walked in and saw this scene, swiftly scooping her into his arms.

    ¡°Whose fault is it?¡± Qin Xue punched him with all her strength.

    Chu Molin knew he had gone too far, so he didn¡¯t say a word of nonsense. After setting Qin Xue down in a chair, he went straight out to get the hot water.

    By the time Qin Xue had finished her shower and eaten, half a day had passed.

    Qin Xue looked at the place where she had lived for a year. Here, there were hardships, tears, growth, and the connection she had fostered with the original owner of the body.

    The original owner¡¯s fate had changed her own, and now Qin Xue had happiness and people she wanted to protect. She would cherish this opportunity.

    ¡°Qin Xue, I¡¯ll take care of your child and husband from now on. I¡¯ll help you accomplish what you couldn¡¯t. I hope you can find happiness in another world,¡± Qin Xue silently recited.

    Though Qin Xue truly hoped that the original owner could also be reborn like her, she knew that some things couldn¡¯t happen just because she wanted them to. She had come here because of Xue Ling, so if the original owner wanted to be reborn, how would it happen? Qin Xue really didn¡¯t know.

 Chapter 607

    By the time Qin Xue was ready, it was almost eleven o¡¯clock. Fortunately, they had a designated car, and the research institute¡¯s vehicle took them to the city, before they headed on their way with Xiao Qi.

    ¡°Chu Molin, I¡¯m going to call Fang Hong to see if there¡¯s anything inside that she can use.¡± Qin Xue¡¯s legs were trembling as she walked and only improved after a few steps.

    ¡°Go ahead, I¡¯ll watch the kids.¡± Chu Molin agreed with a nod.

    Qin Xue went out to call Fang Hong, while Chu Molin looked at the two children lying on the bed, their big eyes wide open, staring around curiously.

    Chu Molin chuckled and moved the two children further in.

    The baby crib could be folded, and Qin Xue put it in the space. Chu Molin knew she had a secret, and he had never mentioned it, so Qin Xue started using it semi-privately.

    As for those luggage items that weren¡¯t put in, they were for show.

    ¡°Knock, knock, knock.¡± Qin Xue knocked on Fang Hong¡¯s door.

    ¡°Qin Xue, aren¡¯t you guys going to the Imperial Capital today? Why haven¡¯t you left yet?¡± Fang Hong thought they would have left early.

    ¡°Hehe, we¡¯re leaving soon. We have some stuff that we can¡¯t move. If you don¡¯t mind, you can take a look and see if there¡¯s anything you need.¡± Qin Xue said with a somewhat embarrassed smile. Could it be that she had to tell Fang Hong that they hadn¡¯t left yet because of their indulgence?

    She didn¡¯t want to, it would be too embarrassing. What would Fang Hong think of her then?

    ¡°Oh, why not? There¡¯s nothing to mind about.¡± Fang Hong figured much of their stuff came from various people. If she were to be picky, where would she get the money to buy everything?

    ¡°Alright, then you go over. We¡¯ll be leaving soon.¡± Qin Xue had wanted to call Fang Hong yesterday, but she was working, so she decided to try her luck this morning.

    Unexpectedly, she really found Fang Hong at home.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll come with you now.¡± Fang Hong turned around to get her keys. Although the two families were on the same floor and very close.

    However, they were afraid that sometimes they might accidentally close the door and be unable to open it, so they had to take the keys when they went out.

    In the end, Fang Hong picked out what she needed, leaving behind some of the things she already had. Qin Xue put the remaining items together, so if a new resident moved in and needed them, they could use them. If they didn¡¯t want to, the most that would happen is that someone would have to throw them away.

    Qin Xue and Chu Molin each carried a child and went downstairs.

    Originally, Chu Molin wanted to carry both children in one arm, but Qin Xue didn¡¯t let him, so they carried one child each.

    ¡°Deputy Chief Chu, Sister-in-law.¡± Li Da Bao was waiting in the car. When he saw them coming down, he hurriedly got out of the car to greet them.

    That was the rule around here, with higher-ups being able to enjoy such treatment from their subordinates at any time and place.

    ¡°Da Bao, thank you for all your hard work.¡± Qin Xue smiled and greeted Li Da Bao.

    ¡°Sister-in-law, you¡¯re too kind. This is my duty.¡± Li Da Bao showed his silly smile again.

    ¡°Hehe.¡± Qin Xue thought Li Da Bao was just too cute.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Chu Molin opened the car door for Qin Xue and the children.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Qin Xue smiled back at her husband.

    On the way to the city, Li Da Bao kept glancing at the rearview mirror, hesitating whether to speak up.

    ¡°If you have something to say, just say it.¡± Chu Molin¡¯s cold voice sounded.

    ¡°Deputy Chief Chu, I¡¯m really reluctant to see you go.¡± Li Da Bao gritted his teeth and said what he wanted to say.

    ¡°If you¡¯re reluctant, then work hard and climb up the ladder. Strive to request a transfer as soon as possible.¡± Chu Molin looked at Li Da Bao, who had been following him since he joined the research institute, and coldly spat out a sentence.

    ¡°Yes, Deputy Chief Chu, I will work hard and never disappoint you.¡± Li Da Bao did not get angry at Chu Molin¡¯s words. Instead, he happily agreed. Those familiar with Chu Molin knew that he was trying his best to hide his emotions.

    How could Li Da Bao not be happy when he saw his Deputy Chief Chu showing reluctance to leave him?

 Chapter 608

    After Li Dabao dropped them off at Xiao Qi¡¯s place, he helped load their luggage into Xiao Qi¡¯s car.

    ¡°Boss, sister-in-law, are these my two nephews?¡± Xiao Qi asked, looking at Chu Molin and Qin Xue.

    ¡°Stupid question.¡± Chu Molin wanted nothing to do with this blockhead.

    ¡°Boss, I just asked a question, what¡¯s with the disdain?¡± Xiao Qi helplessly looked at Chu Molin¡¯s contemptuous expression and asked in silence.

    ¡°You had to ask.¡± Chu Molin kicked him, Xiao Qi dodged quickly.

    He¡¯d be shedding tears if he got kicked by his boss, the guy¡¯s kicks could kill.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get in the car. We¡¯ve been waiting for you for quite some time. Speaking of which, boss, what were you doing? Why are you so late?¡± Xiao Qi knew his boss was usually punctual. This kind of mistake should not happen.

    Qin Xue was dumbfounded. Fang Hong had asked her this earlier, and now Xiao Qi asked the same. It seems like today they couldn¡¯t escape this question.

    ¡°Just drive, stop the chit chat,¡± Chu Molin glared at him, couldn¡¯t he see that his wife was already quite embarrassed?

    ¡°Boss, not cool. You¡¯re late, but we¡¯re not allowed to ask?¡± Xiao Qi voiced his dissatisfaction.

    ¡°Well, sorry. I overslept and held things up,¡± Qin Xue spoke up shyly.

    ¡°Ah, haha, hehe, we can¡¯t blame our sister-in-law. It¡¯s normal for a woman to sleep in,¡± Xiao Qi didn¡¯t expect the delay was because of Qin Xue. He felt so awkward that he didn¡¯t know how to react.

    Chu Molin gave Xiao Qi a look as if he were an idiot.

    Xiao Qi felt truly wronged. How was he to know the delay was due to this reason? But his boss was really too indulgent of his sister-in-law. He broke his usual punctuality just so she could have a good sleep.

    If Xiao Qi knew why Chu Molin broke this principle, he would surely disdain him.

    ¡°Boss, sister-in-law, you¡¯re all seated now,¡± Xiao Qi reminded them, and then began driving.

    In a place they can¡¯t see, pairs of resentful eyes stared at their departing car, ¡°You wait and see. If I can¡¯t have it, neither can you.¡±

    During the journey, Xiao Qi and Chu Molin took turns driving.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, if you¡¯re tired, lean on me and take a nap, I¡¯ll hold Da Ha,¡± Chu Molin said softly to his yawning wife.

    ¡°No need. You should rest for a while. You¡¯ll have to drive later. We can¡¯t risk driving while tired. Our safety depends on the driver,¡± Qin Xue was thinking about how many people died from fatigued driving in the modern world. They couldn¡¯t make that mistake.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t say what he originally intended to, and only replied with an ¡°okay,¡± then closed his eyes to rest.

    Xiao Qi looked at them from the rearview mirror, wondering where that carless woman was and what she was doing.

    The woman Xiao Qi was thinking of was currently straightening out affairs within her family.

    ¡°Miss, these are the documents showing the secondary elder¡¯s family embezzled public funds from the group,¡± Feng handed a stack of documents to Chu Beiying, or as she now should be called: Nangong Beiying.

    ¡°Miss, these are the files of descendants from various noble families and their ladies,¡± Yun also gave Nangong Beiying a stack of documents.

    ¡°Miss, these are the medicinal herbs you wanted,¡± Lei put a bag of herbs in front of Nangong Beiying.

    ¡°Miss, there¡¯s still no news about the eldest young master,¡± Rain spoke with some dejection. She was best at locating people, but why couldn¡¯t she find a single clue?

    Their young master seemed to have completely vanished from the mortal world, without leaving a trace.

 Chapter 609

    Nangong Beiying flipped through the pages of information collected by her four subordinates.

    After a while, she finally spoke, ¡°Feng, handle the affairs of the old man¡¯s family as you see fit, let them know that if they can¡¯t unite as members of the Nangong family, they will be completely removed.

    Cloud, select some talented individuals who want to form alliances or marriages with the Nangong family, and arrange a time for us to meet.

    Thunder, prepare the medicinal bath for my father according to this prescription, and this one is for his internal use.

    Rain, we can leave the eldest young master¡¯s affairs alone for now, we¡¯ll meet if it¡¯s meant to be.

    Now I have a task for you, take this and go to the old district, buy all the siheyuans there, and any larger pieces of land that are available.¡± Nangong Beiying instructed one by one.

    ¡°Yes, Miss, we¡¯ll take care of it now,¡± Feng, Cloud, and Thunder answered unanimously, but Rain remained silent.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Any issues?¡± Nangong Beiying looked at the youngest, Rain, and asked.

    ¡°Miss, why am I in charge of purchasing these? I¡¯m good at finding people, but our leader is better at purchasing. Why doesn¡¯t he do it?¡± Rain asked, puzzled.

    ¡°Feng has his own tasks. Why did I assign you to purchase? It¡¯s because you are good at gathering inside information, and your innocent and adorable appearance won¡¯t make people as defensive. You need to learn how to use your advantages to accomplish what you need to do.

    As long as you know how to take advantage of your strengths, you can achieve twice the result with half the effort. Do you still have any questions after hearing this?¡± Although Nangong Beiying studied medicine, her parents were in business.

    She grew up under the influence of her parents and couldn¡¯t help but understand these things. Her father said she would inherit everything from the Chu family, but who would have thought, before she could do that, she ended up here dealing with this mess.

    ¡°No more questions, Miss. I¡¯ll get to it now.¡± Rain took the passbook handed over by Nangong Beiying.

    ¡°Miss, we¡¯ll go too.¡± The other three spoke in unison.

    ¡°Go ahead.¡± Nangong Beiying said faintly. After they left, she rubbed her brow.

    Suddenly, she felt exhausted, her heart tired. This huge mess was really enough to keep her busy.

    She now believed that heaven had not sent her here to find her destiny but to do hard labor.

    She wondered if the man understood the meaning of her leaving that plant behind.

    No matter if he understood or not, she shouldn¡¯t disturb his life. It will be what it will be. Whatever was meant to come, would come eventually.

    Nangong Beiying went to the storeroom and prepared some pills, intending to start a new business for the Nangong family ¨C selling medicinal pills.

    Once Nangong Beiying focused her mind on her work, she would forget everything else until it was done.

    Thus, matters of men and trivialities were forgotten.

    ¡°Boss, you take the wheel, I¡¯ll rest.¡± Xiao Qi had grown tired of driving and asked Chu Molin to take over while he held their child.

    Just like Qin Xue said, safety comes first, not trying to show off.

    ¡°Alright, Yu Ze, go to Uncle, let Daddy drive.¡± Chu Molin looked at his son¡¯s big eyes and spoke to him.

    ¡°Boss, I¡¯m really envious of you.¡± Xiao Qi suddenly wanted to get married and have children too.

    ¡°If you¡¯re envious, go find a woman and have children. I¡¯m sure your family would be thrilled.¡± Chu Molin got out of the car, handed the child to Xiao Qi, and got into the driver¡¯s seat.

    ¡°I¡¯ll pass on that for now, we can talk about it later.¡± Xiao Qi didn¡¯t want to just find any woman to marry; life was too long for that, and he wasn¡¯t willing to settle.

    ¡°I knew you¡¯d say that. Marriage isn¡¯t actually that terrifying, it¡¯s quite wonderful instead.¡± Chu Molin glanced at his dozing wife through the rearview mirror. His wife was sleeping, but her hand held their child tightly. Maybe this was maternal love ¨C the first reaction was always to protect their child, no matter the circumstance.

 Chapter 610

    Chu Molin felt a bit sorry for his wife; they still had several hours till they arrived. But there was no other option. All he could do was save his sympathy for later and let her rest when they got there.

    No matter what Chu Molin said, Xiao Qi simply didn¡¯t want to get married right now, but if he found that heartless woman, he might consider it.

    As for others, he might have a change of heart if someone could move him, but otherwise, he would never settle. After all, he had many brothers in the family, so they wouldn¡¯t miss just one of them.

    Qin Xue was dreaming. She dreamt that Yingying was unhappy, and she wanted to hug her, but she couldn¡¯t touch her no matter how hard she tried.

    Then the situation changed. She saw someone hiring a killer to hurt Yingying, who was oblivious to the danger. As the bullet was about to hit Yingying, Qin Xue was so anxious that she screamed, ¡°Yingying!¡±

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, wake up. Are you having a nightmare?¡± Chu Molin called out to her from the front after hearing Qin Xue¡¯s cry.

    Xiao Qi was also dreaming. He saw the heartless woman in danger, and he ran to push her out of the way, but instead, she pushed him away. He watched helplessly as she fell, injured. Her smile was so beautiful, unlike any he had ever seen before, and Xiao Qi felt such pain that he could hardly breathe, praying that nothing would happen to her: ¡°No!¡±

    Xiao Qi screamed in fear, waking Qin Xue and causing the two children to burst into tears, which also startled Chu Molin, who was driving.

    ¡°What the hell are you yelling about, third brother? Look, you scared the kids so much that they¡¯re crying!¡± Chu Molin scolded Xiao Qi.

    ¡°Yu Chen, baby, don¡¯t be scared, mommy is here. Yu Ze, don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Qin Xue patted both Yu Chen and Yu Ze.

    ¡°Big brother, I¡¯m sorry, I¡­¡± Xiao Qi apologized, feeling frustrated and flustered.

    ¡°Hurry up and comfort the kids!¡± Chu Molin was really irritated by Xiao Qi; couldn¡¯t he hear how hard the children were crying?

    ¡°Big brother, I got it.¡± Xiao Qi hastily tried to soothe the children.

    ¡°Baby, don¡¯t cry. It¡¯s all uncle¡¯s fault. Will you stop crying, please?¡± Xiao Qi clumsily tried to comfort the kids.

    Chu Molin couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and pulled the car over to the side of the road, ¡°You drive, and I¡¯ll hold the kids.¡±

    With no other choice, Xiao Qi got out and switched places with Chu Molin since he was the one who had scared the children.

    ¡°Yu Ze, baby, don¡¯t cry, daddy¡¯s got you.¡± Chu Molin¡¯s voice was still cold, but it was slightly lower than usual. He didn¡¯t want to scare the kids anymore.

    Strangely enough, Chu Molin only had to pat them a few times and say a few words, and the children stopped crying. It was just that they had sobbed so hard that they were still hiccupping.

    Qin Xue hid behind the back seat feeding the children. After feeding Yu Chen, she handed him to Chu Molin and then brought Yu Ze in to feed him.

    ¡°Our poor Yu Ze was crying so hard. Are you scared, baby? It¡¯s okay, mommy and daddy are here. Be good, alright?¡± Qin Xue stroked the child¡¯s forehead and then began to breastfeed him.

    ¡°Xiao Qi, what were you yelling ¡®no¡¯ about?¡± Qin Xue was curious about what he had dreamt.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just a bad dream.¡± Xiao Qi didn¡¯t want to bring up Chu Beiying in front of the others for now.

    Because Xiao Qi didn¡¯t tell Qin Xue about Chu Beiying, they missed out on many opportunities to meet her later on.

    Qin Xue didn¡¯t push him to talk about it when she saw he didn¡¯t want to.

    Qin Xue wondered whether her dream was merely a coincidence or a hint that Yingying was in danger?

    She rubbed her forehead, suddenly feeling very tired.

    What if Yingying were in danger? She didn¡¯t know where Yingying was, so how could she help her? A series of questions weighed heavily on Qin Xue¡¯s heart in an instant.

 Chapter 611

    Nangong Beiying ran quickly, the pursuers behind her getting closer and closer. However, the four bodyguards she brought with her were sent on other tasks, and they were nowhere near her. What could she do? Was she really going to die today?

    Nangong Beiying dashed into an alleyway and glanced at the walls on both sides. She leaped up, grabbing onto the wall and flipped over it.

    ¡°Eh, where is she? We clearly saw her come in here, so why can¡¯t we find her?¡± Nangong Beiying listened to the voices coming from outside.

    ¡°Everyone, split up and search. We can¡¯t let her go, or you all know what the consequences will be.¡± As the command was given, the footsteps slowly faded away.

    Only then did Nangong Beiying breathe a sigh of relief. Gritting her teeth, she rolled up her sleeve. Damn, it was so painful, the injury was bigger than she thought.

    If she hadn¡¯t been carrying coagulant medicine, she would have probably gone into shock from excessive blood loss by now.

    Nangong Beiying thought of the faintly heard mention of ¡°Second Old Master.¡± Had they been driven to a corner? Well, since they refused to toast, she wouldn¡¯t mind serving a bitter cup. She would not be lenient anymore.

    She would pay them back double for what they had done to her, making sure they knew Mr. Ma was not to be reckoned with.

    Nangong Beiying tore off a piece of cloth, wound it around her arm a couple of times and tied it as a makeshift bandage.

    It was only after a while that Nangong Beiying slowly stood up. By the moonlight, she looked around and realized she was in an uninhabited courtyard. The owner seemed to have gone on a long journey, as the courtyard was overgrown with weeds.

    Nangong Beiying leaped back onto the wall and jumped down. Since this was an uninhabited place, sooner or later, those people would return once they found out, and by that time, she wouldn¡¯t be able to leave. So there was no better time than now to escape.

    Dodging left and right, Nangong Beiying finally arrived home.

    ¡°Miss, are you alright?¡± The team of four had just returned to find Nangong Beiying missing, and they were about to go out and search for her when they saw her return, looking disheveled and injured. The team of four were horrified.

    If anything happened to their young mistress, even death could not repay their negligence. Her current injury was already a dereliction of duty for them.

    ¡°Miss, do you know who did this?¡± Feng¡¯s icy voice asked, glaring at the four of them. He was furious. Whoever dared to hurt his young mistress would surely regret it.

    ¡°It should have been the second house that had someone do it. I guess the events of the day drove them to desperation,¡± Nangong Beiying replied calmly, taking a sip of water.

    ¡°The Second Old Master? Seems like you were too lenient today,¡± Cloud said coldly, looking at Feng.

    ¡°It was my fault,¡± Feng pursed his lips and uttered this sentence.

    ¡°Cloud, don¡¯t blame Feng. He did it according to my wishes. It¡¯s not entirely his fault but mine. I thought that they were family, so I didn¡¯t want to go too far. But it turns out they never saw me as family.

    Feng, from now on, cut off all resources and supplies to the Second Old Master¡¯s side. Then issue a statement saying that the Nangong second house has nothing to do with our Nangong family from now on, and their actions will only represent themselves, never being attributed to the Nangong family.¡± Nangong Beiying could be quite ruthless when provoked.

    If they didn¡¯t mess with her, everything was negotiable. But if they did, they had better be prepared for her retaliation. She, Chu Beiying, was not the weak Nangong Beiying who thought families should live in harmony.

    Reality had taught her not to be soft-hearted. In this world, the weak were bullied, and the strong ruled. Although there were laws, they were far from comprehensive. For powerful families like theirs, the law did not have much effect because the saying went, ¡°Money can make ghosts work for you.¡± As long as they were willing to pay the price, many things could be settled.

 Chapter 612

    Nangong Beiying went back to her room, took a shower, and then treated her wound.

    ¡°Miss, let me help you.¡± Cloud shook her head as she watched her young mistress struggle with the task.

    ¡°Here.¡± Upon hearing this, Nangong Beiying immediately handed everything in her hand to Cloud.

    ¡°It¡¯s going to hurt, so just bear with it.¡± Cloud used a cotton swab dipped in iodine to disinfect the wound for her.

    ¡°Shit, fuck, it hurts so much.¡± Nangong Beiying cursed out loud, damn, it was killing her.

    ¡°Miss, the wound is quite deep. We need to clean the blood inside thoroughly, otherwise, I¡¯m afraid it will get infected.¡± Cloud said gently while looking at her mistress¡¯ distorted face.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I can endure it. Just go ahead and clean it.¡± Nangong Beiying¡¯s hand clutched tightly onto the pants of her knee, the pain making her veins bulge.

    Cloud nodded, feeling sorry for her young mistress who had to shoulder the burden of the entire family at such a young age.

    She had just started handling the family affairs and already encountered revenge. Who knows what would happen in the future?

    ¡°Miss, in the future, don¡¯t send all four of us out at the same time, in case something like today happens again.¡± Cloud was somewhat angry at her mistress for ignoring her own safety.

    She was too careless with her own life. Didn¡¯t she know what she meant to the Nangongs?

    Nangong Beiying was both a lifesaver for the Nangongs and a thorn in the side of some people, who wanted to get rid of her as soon as possible.

    ¡°Got it, housekeeper lady. Speaking of which, when are you going to marry Feng? Don¡¯t forget to give me some wedding candy.¡± Nangong Beiying looked at the frosty beauty in front of her, a true ice queen.

    What a pity for Feng¡¯s passion, always going unreciprocated.

    ¡°Miss, you should manage yourself before meddling in your subordinates¡¯ affairs.¡± Cloud put down the alcohol, and then clapped her hands and stood up.

    ¡°Come on, tell me about your relationship with Feng.¡± Nangong Beiying grabbed the arm of Cloud, who was about to leave, with her uninjured hand.

    Nangong Beiying was very curious about how the cold Feng could fall in love with the equally cold Cloud.

    According to chemistry, shouldn¡¯t Feng be attracted to someone like Rain? Why did he choose someone as cold as Cloud?

    ¡°Miss, you¡¯re being too nosy.¡± Cloud stared at Qin Xue coldly and then glanced at the hand holding hers.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be stingy, just tell your mistress what¡¯s going on between you and Feng. Be honest, leniency for confession and strictness for resistance.¡± Nangong Beiying had a rare gossiping mood.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to say, haven¡¯t you already seen everything?¡± Cloud also didn¡¯t know why Feng would fall for her.

    So, she really didn¡¯t know how to answer her mistress¡¯ question.

    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Nangong Beiying asked listlessly.

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s that simple.¡± Cloud didn¡¯t plan on getting married and having children. In their line of work, danger might strike at any time, and when they had free time, they would think about how to improve their skills. There was no time for romance.

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll let you off today. But I¡¯m telling you, you won¡¯t be so lucky next time.¡± Nangong Beiying waved her hands, motioning for Cloud to leave.

    ¡°Well then, Miss, I¡¯ll be outside. Just call me if you need anything.¡± Cloud left a message and then opened the door and walked out.

    Nangong Beiying lay in bed, silently staring at the ceiling.

    One by one, people around her were getting taken. It made her feel depressed. In her previous life, she devoted herself to medicine, spending every day with her master to collect herbs and study pathology in the mountains. Now in this world, she not only has to deal with a big mess but also faces retaliation. Oh heavens, it feels like she¡¯s being played with.

    They said it was all about fate. She thought it was more like monkey shit. Where were the people she was supposed to meet? She hoped she wouldn¡¯t die before finding them.

 Chapter 613

    Nangong Beiying tossed and turned, looking at the moon outside the window. She thought of Xuexue and Chenchen, wondering what the two naughty girls were doing and whether they missed her.

    As Nangong Beiying¡¯s thoughts wandered, she drifted off to sleep without realizing it. In her dreams, she saw her two best friends playing and frolicking together, a sweet smile spreading across her sleeping face, quite unlike her usual cold and indifferent demeanor.

    Chu Molin¡¯s family finally arrived at the Imperial Capital at dawn, and Xiao Qi led them directly to the courtyard house he had purchased.

    ¡°Boss, this is the house I just bought. You can live here from now on. It¡¯s close to the military school, so it¡¯ll be convenient for you to commute.¡± Xiao Qi handed the keys to Chu Molin.

    ¡°How much did this house cost? I¡¯ll give you the money.¡± Chu Molin asked as he took the keys.

    ¡°No need, I bought it in your wife¡¯s name and paid for it with your dividends. Just know that you won¡¯t have much money left for the next six months.¡± Xiao Qi knew Chu Molin¡¯s character, so he wisely made the purchase under his wife¡¯s name from the start.

    Since Chu Molin was a soldier, it was inconvenient for him to handle such matters, so Qin Xue¡¯s name had to be used.

    ¡°Alright, thank you.¡± Chu Molin felt reassured because he knew his wife had always wanted a house of their own. When they were in S Province, she had mentioned wanting to buy one, but they didn¡¯t have enough money. Now that they were in the Imperial Capital, Xiao Qi¡¯s actions were perfectly timed.

    ¡°Boss, we¡¯re brothers; there¡¯s no need for such formalities. See that house over there? That¡¯s mine.¡± Xiao Qi pointed to a house in the same row as theirs.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going home?¡± Chu Molin raised an eyebrow at him.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not. I¡¯m always forced to go on blind dates when I¡¯m home, which is no fun. I¡¯d rather live here and be neighbors with you while also mooching some meals.¡± Xiao Qi didn¡¯t want to live at home; could he even have peaceful days there? It was simply impossible.

    ¡°Fine, suit yourself. Have you arranged everything for the company?¡± Chu Molin decided to ask about business matters.

    ¡°I had someone arrange it as soon as I heard you were coming back. It should be ready; I¡¯ll take a quick rest and then head over to check it out so we can start operating as soon as possible.¡± Xiao Qi trusted the person he assigned to do the job, so he was confident that everything would be handled well.

    ¡°Alright, you go rest. We¡¯ll rest too and then go out at noon to buy some furniture.¡± Chu Molin thought they could handle other things later, but they needed to buy necessities for eating first.

    ¡°Okay, Boss, sister-in-law, you both should get some rest too. Let me know if you need anything. I¡¯m going to get some rest as well; driving for so long really takes its toll.¡± After waving goodbye and helping the family move their luggage in, Xiao Qi left.

    Qin Xue held her child as she looked around the courtyard, her heart feeling more at ease. They finally had a home of their own, and the courtyard was quite spacious; they could plant vegetables, flowers, and even a grapevine with a swing. She imagined sitting under the grapevine, sipping tea and enjoying the coolness of summer, it felt wonderful just thinking about it.

    ¡°What are you thinking about? You¡¯re smiling so happily.¡± Chu Molin held their child with one arm and carried a suitcase with the other as he asked his wife.

    ¡°I really like it here.¡± Qin Xue looked at Chu Molin and smiled sweetly.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you like it. Let¡¯s go inside, freshen up, and take a break. You look exhausted.¡± Chu Molin urged Qin Xue.

    ¡°Alright, even though I can¡¯t make these plans come true now, I¡¯ll take my time to plan for the future.¡± Qin Xue thought she had gotten ahead of herself since they had just arrived, and nothing was in place yet.

    It would take some time to turn this place into their dream home.

 Chapter 614

    Qin Xue carried the child in and looked around the rooms, all of which were quite clean. It seemed that Xiao Qi had arranged for someone to tidy up beforehand.

    Qin Xue chose a room with good sunlight exposure.

    ¡°Chu Molin, come and hold the child.¡± Qin Xue handed the child to Chu Molin, and then took out the bed sheets and other bedding items from her bag.

    ¡°Well, it looks more like home now.¡± Qin Xue clapped her hands and nodded.

    ¡°It will feel even more like home once we settle down.¡± Chu Molin laughed as he looked at his wife. He didn¡¯t see her acting like this in S Province. Women¡¯s minds are truly complex and difficult to guess.

    ¡°Mm, when do you have to report for work?¡± Qin Xue sat in a chair, watching her husband, and didn¡¯t reach out to take the child, letting him hold both.

    ¡°Tomorrow.¡± Chu Molin glanced up at his wife. He didn¡¯t even have time to go shopping with her.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s quite tight on time.¡± Qin Xue hadn¡¯t expected them to be cutting it close.

    ¡°Mm.¡± Chu Molin responded with a faint monosyllable.

    ¡°Alright, then rest up and we¡¯ll go out to buy things after.¡± Qin Xue thought they could rest for half the day, and spend the other half buying essentials.

    ¡°Okay, you go wash up.¡± Chu Molin put the kids on the bed and then told Qin Xue.

    ¡°Mm, alright.¡± Qin Xue had no objections, as she was really tired from sitting in the car for over ten hours, holding the kids the whole time.

    After both husband and wife had washed up, the family of four lay down on the bed to rest.

    At first, Qin Xue was on the inside, the kids in the middle, and Chu Molin on the outside.

    Later, Chu Molin wanted to hold his wife, so he moved the kids further in, leaving Qin Xue in the middle and himself still on the outside.

    ¡°Chu Molin, you¡¯re so childish.¡± Qin Xue pursed her lips.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with me holding my wife.¡± Chu Molin contentedly held his wife in his arms, not caring what she said.

    ¡°But there are children here, can¡¯t you be more mindful?¡± Qin Xue turned to look at the man, feeling hopeless.

    ¡°How am I not being mindful, hmm?¡± Chu Molin asked in a low voice.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to set a bad example for them.¡± Qin Xue muttered.

    ¡°No, they¡¯ll just think there¡¯s a lot of love in our family, and it will only get better.¡± Chu Molin¡¯s twisted reasoning never ceased.

    Chu Molin looked satisfied with his wife and children, holding his wife close as he closed his eyes to rest.

    When Qin Xue woke up, she felt extremely hungry.

    ¡°Awake?¡± Chu Molin looked down at the woman in his arms with a smile.

    ¡°Chu Molin, you rascal.¡± Qin Xue glared furiously at the grinning man, who was showing no self-control.

    ¡°Watch your language. Whose ¡®old lady¡¯ are you? Hmm.¡± Chu Molin looked at her dangerously as if he wanted to go for another round; he was more than happy to do so.

    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m Yu Ze and Yu Chen¡¯s ¡®old lady¡¯.¡± Qin Xue instantly backed down.

    ¡°Alright, get up. Let¡¯s go eat and buy some furniture.¡± Chu Molin released his hold on his wife.

    ¡°Mm.¡± Qin Xue agreed. There were indeed many things to purchase upon arrival. She just didn¡¯t know if they¡¯d have enough time today.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, you¡­¡± Chu Molin whispered something into Qin Xue¡¯s ear.

    ¡°How dare you say that, who was the one messing around?¡± Qin Xue fumed.

    ¡°It was me.¡± Chu Molin laughed heartily.

    Chu Molin happily got dressed and left the room, not caring whether Qin Xue was resting or getting up. He was just glad to have done it, and didn¡¯t really mind how his wife felt as long as she was happy.

 Chapter 615

    Chu Molin got up to wash and went out to buy some food with cash in hand.

    Chu Molin looked around at the neighborhood. He hadn¡¯t been back in many years and the changes were quite significant.

    Chu Molin chose a crowded restaurant to enter and ordered several signature dishes. After telling the owner to pack them up, he sat down and waited.

    ¡°Eh, handsome, it¡¯s really you,¡± a surprised and shy female voice sounded in front of Chu Molin.

    Chu Molin looked up at the sound but didn¡¯t recognize the woman, so he turned his head to continue looking at the scenery outside the window.

    ¡°Hey, why are you ignoring me? I¡¯m Gu Beilin. We met at Chenxi Clothing Store in S Province, remember?¡± Gu Beilin asked Chu Molin anxiously.

    Upon hearing the word ¡°Chenxi,¡± Chu Molin recalled the almost insane woman who had almost caused his wife to stop talking to him. However, remembering her didn¡¯t change his plans to keep quiet. His facial expression only grew colder.

    ¡°Why are you still ignoring me after I told you who I am? By the way, where is that pregnant woman of yours? Did she upset you? I knew it, a bad-tempered woman like her doesn¡¯t deserve you.¡± Gu Beilin continued talking to herself, oblivious to Chu Molin¡¯s dangerous gaze.

    ¡°Handsome, do you know that I¡¯m from Imperial Capital, so you purposely came to find me, right?

    I¡¯m telling you, it¡¯s right for you not to want her. She has a seductive face and is restless.

    Comparatively, look at me. I¡¯m pretty and I¡¯ve been thinking about you all this time. See, we¡¯ve met again now, let¡¯s go eat together.¡± As Gu Beilin spoke, she tried to grab Chu Molin¡¯s arm.

    ¡°Miss, please maintain your dignity.¡± Chu Molin dodged her outstretched hand. Did this woman have a mental problem? Hadn¡¯t she noticed that he wasn¡¯t keen on talking to her?

    She could talk so much and even insulted Chu Molin¡¯s wife, who had given her the courage to do this?

    ¡°Hey, why did you dodge me? Don¡¯t worry, no one will laugh at you. Look, no one is laughing. So, don¡¯t be shy.¡± Gu Beilin either didn¡¯t understand Chu Molin¡¯s meaning or pretended not to understand. She pointed at a couple holding hands nearby and spoke to Chu Molin.

    Chu Molin glanced at the foolish woman, full of disgust, and walked past her towards the waiter carrying the packed food.

    As a result, just as he stepped forward, someone grabbed him. Chu Molin reflexively raised his hand to shake off Gu Beilin, pushing her onto a chair nearby.

    ¡°Miss, please maintain your dignity.¡± Chu Molin patted the touched arm, feeling disgusted.

    After witnessing Chu Molin¡¯s actions, Gu Beilin felt insulted. Did he think she was dirty? Fine, she had vowed to conquer him. It wouldn¡¯t be so easy to get rid of her.

    ¡°Darling, don¡¯t be angry, okay? It¡¯s all my fault. I shouldn¡¯t have been late and made you wait. I just wanted to make sure you could see my beautiful self, so I spent too much time getting dressed. Please don¡¯t be angry, okay?¡± Gu Beilin looked pitifully at Chu Molin.

    Tears hung on her eyelashes, making her look lovely and pitiful. Unfortunately for her, she had encountered Chu Molin, a man with a cold and scary demeanor. No woman other than the one named Qin Xue could evoke any sympathy from him.

    ¡°Do you have any shame?¡± Chu Molin¡¯s voice was as cold as ice and piercingly sharp. But Gu Beilin was determined to win Chu Molin over, so how could she back down over such a trivial matter?

 Chapter 616

    Gu Beilin lowered her head, subtly adjusting her emotions where others couldn¡¯t see, then raised her head with an even more pitiful expression to look at Chu Molin.

    ¡°Darling, I really know I was wrong, I won¡¯t be late again, please forgive me this time, I love you.¡± Gu Beilin saw that the people around her were starting to whisper, most of them siding with her, so she put more effort into her performance.

    ¡°Miss, if you¡¯re sick, go see a doctor instead of running around scaring others. And I don¡¯t know you, so please don¡¯t climb up on relationships.¡± Chu Molin took the food from the waiter and walked away.

    Hearing Chu Molin¡¯s words, the people around looked suspiciously at Gu Beilin. Had they wronged this man? Did he really not know this woman?

    Gu Beilin started to cry after seeing everyone¡¯s doubtful eyes.

    ¡°Darling, do you not love me anymore because of that woman, right?

    I knew it! It must be because of her. How can you forget me and fall in love with someone else!¡± Gu Beilin cried pitifully and chased after him. She didn¡¯t want to stay and be treated like a fool.

    ¡°This poor woman, still so devoted even after being cheated on. That man is so lucky to have such a good partner and doesn¡¯t even cherish her.¡± The people around were discussing one after another.

    Nangong Beiying glanced at the people and walked inside.

    ¡°Miss.¡± The manager bowed respectfully as soon as he saw Nangong Beiying.

    ¡°What just happened?¡± Nangong Beiying asked coldly.

    ¡°Well, that man came in to order takeout, paid for it, and I let him sit and wait. Then that woman saw him, greeted him happily, and after that¡­¡± The manager reported everything he had seen to Nangong Beiying.

    ¡°Alright, I got it. You can go back to work. Comfort the guests so that it doesn¡¯t affect their dining mood.¡± Nangong Beiying instructed as the manager was about to leave.

    ¡°Okay, Miss, I understand.¡± The manager wiped the non-existent sweat from his forehead and went to comfort the guests.

    The young lady¡¯s aura was so terrifying and oppressive, just like the Nangong family head. At such a young age, she already had such an imposing presence. Her future actions should not be underestimated.

    ¡°Everyone, I¡¯m very sorry. It was our restaurant¡¯s fault for letting this incident happen. To make it up to you all, we will offer a 20% discount on all dishes today. We hope you enjoy your meal.¡± The manager said with a smile as he gestured his hand.

    ¡°Manager, is the 20% discount for all dishes or just those we already ordered?¡± Someone from the crowd asked.

    ¡°Of course it¡¯s for all dishes. We, Yuxuan Restaurant, have never said one thing and done another.¡± The manager replied.

    ¡°That¡¯s great! Let¡¯s go eat! I¡¯ve always wanted to try this dish but never did because I thought it was too expensive.

    Today, with the 20% discount, the price is acceptable. I have to order some of the dishes I never dared to taste before. Otherwise, I¡¯d feel like I¡¯m missing out on the manager¡¯s generosity.¡± The voices gradually moved further away.

    Hearing this, people returned to their seats and continued eating, ordering dishes they had always wanted to try. The kitchen became incredibly busy in no time.

    The manager felt a huge impact from the situation. It seemed that they would make less money today.

    However, at the same time, it would make their guests feel more comfortable, and they would like to come to Yuxuan Restaurant more in the future. The young lady¡¯s strategy was really useful, as she had completely grasped people¡¯s psychology.

 Chapter 617

    It seems that Ms. Nangong, who has only recently returned, is truly a rare talent. Following her will surely lead to great achievements.

    After witnessing Nangong Beiying¡¯s actions today, the conscientious and kind manager wholeheartedly decided to properly manage Yuxuan Restaurant and work with Beiying.

    So much so that when he later became the person in charge of all Yuxuan Restaurants nationwide, he couldn¡¯t help but marvel at his wise decision back then.

    The manager went to the kitchen and saw that everyone was bustling around, preparing dishes for the customers as if they were facing a formidable enemy.

    ¡°Everyone, work hard, and there will be bonuses at the end of the month,¡± the manager said with a smile.

    ¡°Really? That¡¯s great! By the way, manager, how much is the bonus?¡± Chef A asked with a smile.

    ¡°Just focus on cooking your dish well, as if you could get less for doing a good job,¡± the head chef said with a laugh, slapping him playfully.

    ¡°That¡¯s true. Our manager is such a good person; he definitely won¡¯t treat us unfairly. Right, everyone?¡± Chef A asked with a smile.

    ¡°Right!¡± The kitchen momentarily became a bustling and harmonious scene, truly heartwarming.

    The manager was deeply moved by this situation, realizing that uniting everyone wasn¡¯t as difficult as he initially thought.

    Nangong Beiying stood by the window, watching the people coming and going outside, feeling a bit lost about which path to take in the future.

    ¡°Miss, don¡¯t you think that man just now is really unlucky, being entangled by that kind of woman?¡± Rain asked indignantly.

    ¡°That¡¯s how it is. Outstanding people always attract inexplicable attention, and that woman is simply insane,¡± Nangong Beiying recognized the woman as the one she had dealt with before.

    ¡°Miss, do you know that woman?¡± Rain asked curiously.

    ¡°She¡¯s the crazy woman I dealt with during the Li¡¯s wedding last time,¡± Nangong Beiying glanced at Rain and replied indifferently.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier? I could have intercepted her just now and had some fun,¡± Rain said discontentedly, looking at Nangong Beiying.

    ¡°She¡¯s from the Gus. Although we¡¯re not afraid of them, we¡¯ve just returned, and there¡¯s no need to provoke conflict between the two families,¡± Nangong Beiying simply found it troublesome.

    ¡°Oh,¡± Rain replied sulkily, feeling dispirited.

    ¡°Don¡¯t make such an unhappy face. As long as no one provokes us, everything is negotiable. Otherwise, fight back. Of course, you¡¯re not allowed to start trouble on your own. Understand?¡± Nangong Beiying¡¯s tone changed abruptly as she asked sternly.

    ¡°Yes, Miss. We understand,¡± the group of four responded in unison.

    ¡°Tell me your results,¡± Nangong Beiying turned and sat down, watching them.

    ¡°I¡¯ve followed your instructions and informed outsiders of the Nangongs¡¯ intentions, and prepared for the response,¡± Feng¡¯s icy voice echoed in the room.

    ¡°The family head¡¯s medicinal bath has been prepared, and he is taking the medicine. His complexion has improved significantly, and I believe he should recover soon,¡± Thunder reported emotionlessly.

    ¡°I¡¯ve arranged meetings with the young masters and beauties of the various aristocratic families. They¡¯ve all promised to be punctual,¡± Cloud¡¯s emotionless voice rang out, making Nangong Beiying look at her specifically.

    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Cloud asked upon noticing Nangong Beiying¡¯s gaze.

    ¡°Cloud, tell me, how did you talk to them? Were you also cold and emotionless like this?¡± Nangong Beiying asked, stroking her chin and looking at Cloud with great interest.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± Cloud¡¯s confident tone made Nangong Beiying realize that she had indeed approached the situation in such a manner.

 Chapter 618

    Nangong Beiying admiringly gave Cloud a thumbs-up, ¡°You¡¯re amazing. Besides Rain, could you three show some facial expression? Don¡¯t you know I¡¯m afraid of the cold?¡± Nangong Beiying said, rubbing her own arms.

    They looked at each other, then tried to make a face.

    Nangong Beiying shivered. Was it her expectations were too high, or were these three clueless about how to smile?

    ¡°Forget it, don¡¯t smile anymore. Your smiles are uglier than crying. Why are all of you so poker-faced? You¡¯re turning me into one too!¡± After saying that, Nangong Beiying pulled at her own cheeks.

    ¡°Hahaha, you guys are hilarious!¡± Rain pointed at them, laughing with her hands on her belly.

    ¡°You should ask your wife in your dreams.¡± Cloud gave Rain a cold glance and then responded to Nangong Beiying.

    ¡°But at that time, you guys were only three or four years old, the age when kids are supposed to be naughty! How did my mother turn you all into poker faces?¡± Nangong Beiying was extremely curious.

    She had the original body¡¯s memories, so she knew that this group of four had grown up together; otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t dare to use such intimate tones in front of her.

    Upon mentioning this, the four instantly remained silent. Even Rain, who was laughing loudly, immediately shut her mouth.

    ¡°Well, it seems I won¡¯t be getting the answer I want again.¡± Nangong Beiying knew it was hopeless.

    When Chu Molin brought the food home, Qin Xue was still sleeping¡ªshe must have been exhausted. However, she would have to get up to eat and then go shopping.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, wake up, let¡¯s eat,¡± Chu Molin softly called to Qin Xue.

    But before Qin Xue could wake up, Chu Molin saw the two children looking at him with wide eyes. Then, their little mouths pouted, and they began to cry loudly together.

    ¡°Baby, be good, don¡¯t cry,¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t even open her eyes, just reaching out to hold the children and comfort them.

    Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue¡¯s actions, feeling pity for her. His wife was exhausted, but her first instinct was still to care for the children.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, wake up, let¡¯s eat. Look, the children are crying.¡± Chu Molin picked up Yu Chen. Why didn¡¯t he hold Yu Ze this time? That¡¯s because Yu Ze was already in his wife¡¯s arms.

    ¡°Mmm, so tired,¡± Qin Xue muttered and slowly opened her eyes. She saw a handsome face up close, which startled her. Reflexively, she swung a slap.

    With a ¡°smack,¡± Qin Xue got so frightened that she was wide awake.

    ¡°Are you stupid? Why didn¡¯t you dodge it? And why did you get so close to me?¡± Qin Xue remorsefully stroked his face, feeling sorry for him being slapped for no reason.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, it doesn¡¯t hurt,¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t react in time. He didn¡¯t expect his wife to have such a strong reaction and such quick reflexes¡ªit seemed like she had training!

    What Chu Molin didn¡¯t know was that Qin Xue did have training in her past life. She, Chu Beiying, and An Xiaochen were all Judo Kudan! They were saint-level masters, and ordinary people had no chance of beating them.

    As for why they learned Judo, it¡¯s because Qin Xue was always bullied. She later met Chu Beiying and then An Xiaochen in town. The three had similar personalities and quickly bonded. They decided to learn martial arts together.

    They signed up for Taekwondo, but the coach thought they were better suited for Judo. Little did he know, they excelled in it, practiced for many years, and eventually KO-ed their coach!

 Chapter 619

    Her coach would always scold them for being too disrespectful, but at the same time, he praised them for being so skilled. He said that he had nothing more to teach them and advised them to find a more talented teacher. So, they went in search of one and eventually found him.

    He had studied Judo in the island country and set up his own martial arts center to teach it when he returned.

    His center boasted many students, and when Qin Xue and her friends arrived, they were initially looked down upon. But once they demonstrated their skills, no one other than the teacher could match them.

    Seeing that the three girls were so capable and still sought to learn from stronger opponents, he took them in. He let them become coaches for the other students while teaching them more advanced techniques.

    Thus, the trio learned and taught simultaneously, eventually reaching Judo Kudan, one level higher than their teacher.

    They even represented their school in a national Judo competition and won the championship.

    So, Chu Molin¡¯s feeling about Qin Xue was absolutely correct.

    ¡°How could it not hurt? Look, it¡¯s turning red.¡± Annoyed, Qin Xue wanted to slap him on the other side of his face to even it out, and see if he felt pain then.

    ¡°My skin is thick and rough; I¡¯m fine. It¡¯ll be better soon.¡± Chu Molin lowered his hand that was touching his face and spoke softly.

    He had no choice but to endure the pain since it had already happened. If it were anyone else, he might have gotten angry and hit back. But this was his wife, so all he could do was bear the pain and comfort her. What else could he do?

    ¡°Idiot, big idiot.¡± Angrily, Qin Xue hugged his waist while their two children stared at them with wide, teary eyes, looking pitiful.

    Chu Molin held his wife in his arms, then looked down at her naked body. He felt a stirring of desire again.

    He hurriedly covered her with a blanket, never knowing how weak he could be towards a woman.

    It was almost addictive, not just the teasing and flirting, but also the sight of her completely exposed to him, which he couldn¡¯t resist.

    Thus, his wife, Qin Xue, had completely become his weak spot.

    ¡°Let¡¯s eat and then go shopping.¡± Chu Molin helped her get dressed and changed the subject.

    ¡°Alright, but first, let me apply some medicine to your face. And don¡¯t come too close to me when I¡¯m asleep, okay?¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t know how she would react.

    ¡°Okay, I got it.¡± Chu Molin hadn¡¯t expected it this time, but in the future, he would definitely react immediately.

    ¡°Wow, the food from this place is pretty good.¡± After applying medicine to Chu Molin¡¯s face, they washed up and started eating. Qin Xue praised the food after just one bite.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t tried it yet. It should be good. I saw a lot of people eating there, so I bought from them.¡± Chu Molin thought that the food was probably good since so many people were eating there, too.

    ¡°You should try it. It¡¯s really fantastic.¡± Qin Xue offered him some stir-fried pork tripe.

    ¡°It is excellent. Next time, I¡¯ll take you to try their other dishes.¡± Chu Molin spoke while eating.

    ¡°Sure, try this.¡± Qin Xue smiled sweetly and fed Chu Molin a bite of food.

    ¡°Mmm, delicious.¡± Chu Molin looked at his charming wife ambiguously, making Qin Xue wonder if he referred to the food or to her.

    Either way, Qin Xue blushed a bit, feeling her heart skip a beat involuntarily.

    Qin Xue felt a mix of joy and worry when thinking about this man¡¯s prowess.

 Chapter 620

    After the couple finished dinner, each of them holding a child, they set off for shopping.

    The couple headed straight to the place where tables, chairs, bowls and chopsticks were sold.

    Once Qin Xue picked a table and some chairs and asked the shop owner to deliver them, they moved on to buying cookware, bowls, dishes, and spices.

    By the time they had bought everything, half a day had passed.

    ¡°Chu Molin, is there anything else you want to buy?¡± Qin Xue asked Molin while holding their child. She was somewhat tired and wanted to find somewhere to sit and rest.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need anything. You? Do you want to buy anything else?¡± Molin was going to the military school tomorrow. Everything he needed was provided there and he had no need to buy other stuff.

    ¡°Nope, let¡¯s find a place to sit. I¡¯m exhausted.¡± Qin Xue said, instantly changing her expression.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s head towards the front. I saw a tea house there earlier.¡± Molin pointed ahead.

    ¡°Sounds good, my arms are so sore.¡± Qin Xue grumbled.

    ¡°Let me hold our son, you can walk on your own.¡± Molin extended his hand to take the child.

    ¡°But are you sure you can handle him?¡± Qin Xue asked doubtfully.

    ¡°Does our son weigh 30 kg?¡± Molin calmly asked his wife.

    ¡°No, he¡¯s not that heavy.¡± said Qin Xue.`

    ¡°Then do you still doubt my capability? Besides, aren¡¯t you already well aware of what I can do?¡± Molin whispered into Qin Xue¡¯s ear, causing her to blush.

    ¡°You jerk, take the kid.¡± Qin Xue looked at him, this man was turning out to be in stark contrast from the cool, restrained image she had of him initially.

    ¡°I¡¯m only a jerk to you, no one else is so fortunate.¡± Molin took the kid from Qin Xue with a calm expression.

    ¡°I¡¯m not arguing with you over this. I¡¯ll go find a spot first, what kind of tea would you like?¡± Qin Xue asked Molin.

    ¡°Anything you want, whatever tea you order is fine with me.¡± Molin didn¡¯t really mind which type of tea they got.

    ¡°Remember what you said.¡± Qin Xue preferred drinking green tea and pu¡¯er tea, with no preference in other choices.

    ¡°Yeah, I remember.¡± Molin smiled, looking at his playful wife.

    Qin Xue ran off laughing while Molin followed slowly while carrying a child.

    ¡°Hello, welcome!¡± The attendant greeted Qin Xue with a smile.

    ¡°Eh? The service here is this attentive at this time?¡± Qin Xue was rather taken aback, this was far more progressive than she thought possible.

    ¡°Miss, what did you say?¡± The waiter asked Qin Xue with a smile.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. Are there any smaller private rooms available?¡± Qin Xue glanced around at the tables that were nearly all occupied.

    Why so many tables? Because they were arranged separately, each area only had two to three tables, none had more than four, but all were occupied. Some had one or two people, some had four, but these were fewer.

    ¡°Yes, we do. Please follow me,¡± the waiter led Qin Xue.

    ¡°Oh, I was wondering who it was. Did your guy dump you? No wonder he was alone this morning. And now you¡¯re alone.¡± Gu Beilin, who had planned to meet a friend for tea, didn¡¯t expect to run into Qin Xue. This reminded her of the embarrassing scene in the morning, so she couldn¡¯t help but taunt.

    As Qin Xue was about to follow the waiter in, she bumped into an annoying person.

    ¡°Who are you? Do I know you?¡± Qin Xue raised her eyebrows and looked at the familiar woman.

    ¡°Of course you don¡¯t know. Could I know everyone?¡± Gu Beilin confidently played with her hanging hair.

    ¡°You must be crazy.¡± Qin Xue was speechless.

    ¡°Who are you calling crazy?¡± Gu Beilin looked at this woman. Why did her attitude sound so similar to her husband¡¯s?

 Chapter 621

    Qin Xue was helpless, thinking that this person must not only be crazy but also deaf.

    ¡°Whoever picked it up should be the one to say it.¡± Qin Xue calmly said, looking at Gu Beilin as she threw out a sentence.

    ¡°Hmph, I¡¯m not going to argue with you about that. Did you give birth to a child, a daughter, and get dumped because of it? Makes sense, since such a vibrant and handsome man is not meant for you.¡± Gu Beiying looked disdainfully at Qin Xue as she spoke.

    ¡°Who are you, anyway?¡± Qin Xue was truly surprised upon hearing this. Did this woman really know her and that¡¯s how she knew about her pregnancy and giving birth? But she was sure she didn¡¯t know this woman.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who I am. As long as you know my darling can¡¯t be tamed by you. I¡¯ll pay for your tea today since you got dumped by my darling.¡± Gu Beilin said, and then left with her friend.

    ¡°Wait, I got dumped? Do you even know what ¡®getting dumped¡¯ means? Someone as pretty and cute as me being dumped? You must be kidding.¡± Qin Xue was both amused and irritated by this ridiculous woman.

    As for her darling, it seemed that Chu Molin had attracted another admirer. What a great ¡°darling¡± indeed. Hmph.

    ¡°Miss, do you still need a private room?¡± The waiter felt awkward, as no one would expect to encounter a fight between a lover and a wife like this.

    But she had to remain polite. During training, they were always told that no matter what happens, they must maintain grace and a smile.

    As an employee of Yuxuan Restaurant, she couldn¡¯t do anything that would tarnish their reputation. So even if she feels embarrassed, she couldn¡¯t show it.

    ¡°Not bad, being able to maintain such an attitude at this time, it seems that your boss manages things well.¡± Qin Xue said, smiling at the waiter.

    ¡°Thank you, Miss.¡± The waiter looked at this woman with a totally different thought process, thinking if it was really appropriate to say all that?

    ¡°No need to thank me. I really think it¡¯s good that there is such quality of service here. I clearly didn¡¯t know enough about this place.¡± Qin Xue muttered to herself.

    ¡°Take me to the private room.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t want to let these matters affect her mood.

    As for men having affairs, it was a very common thing in the future. In Qin Xue¡¯s opinion, if a man cheated on her, she¡¯d just kick him out; no need to worry. Finding a new man was as easy as finding a three-legged frog: there are plenty of two-legged men out there.

    ¡°Miss, please, what kind of tea would you like?¡± After the waiter opened the door to the private room, she asked Qin Xue after she had taken a seat.

    ¡°A pot of pu¡¯er tea, also, a man with two babies will be coming later, just lead him here, thank you.¡± Qin Xue ordered pu¡¯er tea, which was milder compared to other teas, but it was good for the stomach and beautifying.

    ¡°Alright, Miss, please wait, someone will bring your tea shortly.¡± The waitress nodded and smiled.

    ¡°Okay, thanks, beautiful.¡± Qin Xue waved and smiled.

    After the waitress left, Qin Xue stood up and looked at the d¨¦cor and design of the tea room, finding it quite bizarre.

    She had a bold idea in her mind but was it possible?

    ¡°Sir, the young lady is in this private room. Please.¡± Just as Qin Xue was lost in thought, a voice sounded, and before long, Chu Molin entered the room, cradling the babies.

    ¡°You¡¯re so slow.¡± Qin Xue looked disdainfully at Chu Molin.

 Chapter 622

    Chu Molin sat down holding the child, his gaze amusingly directed at his wife. Something seemed to have provoked her.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Chu Molin first looked at the big eyes of the two children, then raised his gaze to his wife, questioning.

    ¡°Your lover came to provoke me. How come you have flings everywhere?¡± Qin Xue wondered. There were already so many back in S Province, how come there were some in the Imperial Capital too? Wasn¡¯t it said that he hadn¡¯t been here for over ten years?

    Where did these flings come from? They even knew that she was pregnant and had a child. They must be very well-informed about their situation.

    ¡°What lover? Don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡± Chu Molin¡¯s heart tightened at this. No wonder she was venting her frustrations on him. Which reckless woman was seeking her own doom this time? He wished this doom on no one especially himself. He had put in a lot of efforts to reach where he was today, and he didn¡¯t want her to ruin it now.

    ¡°I¡¯m talking nonsense? You can ask the waitress here, am I talking nonsense?¡± Qin Xue was truly irritated. It would have been better if he had admitted it honestly, but he dared to argue and even accused her of talking nonsense. Did she really need to frame him using such words?

    ¡°Is what she said true? Did someone really come to provoke her?¡± Chu Molin looked at the waitress busily arranging the cups.

    ¡°Sir, this¡­¡± The waitress stuttered when she heard his question. How was she to respond?

    ¡°Just tell the truth.¡± Chu Molin figured out that it seemed to be true, after glancing at the waitress.

    ¡°Yes, sir. Not long after the Miss arrived, another woman came who had a long argument with her. I didn¡¯t hear what they were saying though. Ring the bell if you need anything.¡± The waitress pointed to a rope on the side and said.

    ¡°Alright, thank you.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t want to make a joke of herself any longer. She had acted impulsively just now.

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome. It¡¯s our duty.¡± the waitress retreated with a smile.

    ¡°Well? Didn¡¯t I tell you that I wasn¡¯t making any false accusations?¡± Qin Xue spoke while nibbling on a piece of pastry, a familiar taste. It was her favorite, egg yolk crisps.

    ¡°You did.¡± Chu Molin stared at his wife who was eating one pastry after another before finally speaking.

    ¡°What? So now, I¡¯ve wronged you? So do tell, how exactly have I wronged you?¡± Qin Xue nearly choked on her pastry.

    ¡°Eat slowly. Nobody¡¯s going to snatch your food. Have some water.¡± Chu Molin was holding the child with one hand, so he couldn¡¯t serve her tea. He could only give verbal chiding and gaze meaningfully.

    ¡°Nobody¡¯s snatching food from me; it¡¯s just that you scared me.¡± Qin Xue picked up her cup and gulped her tea. She was choked and had no time to enjoy her tea.

    ¡°Firstly, I have not returned to the Imperial Capital in so long, so I don¡¯t know who you¡¯re talking about.

    Secondly, don¡¯t you know what kind of a person I am? Do you think just anyone could catch my eye?

    Thirdly, my kindness extends to you, and you alone. To me, other women are no different from men.

    After saying all that I have, do you still think that you haven¡¯t wronged me?¡± Chu Molin posed a series of arguments and questions.

    ¡°Even if you¡¯re right, it¡¯s you who¡¯s attracted these troublesome women. Please, if you must attract admirers, do not bring them to me.¡± Qin Xue leisurely poured herself a cup of tea.

    ¡°You woman, it seems that I haven¡¯t done enough. You¡¯re still doubting me. So, tell me, Xue¡¯er, how should I appease you?¡± Chu Molin¡¯s voice was very calm, but Qin Xue knew he was angry. He was upset because she didn¡¯t trust him and was doubting him.

    ¡°Hehe, I do trust you, but they are really annoying. It¡¯s all your fault. Why do you have to be so handsome?¡± Qin Xue laughed pleasingly, not forgetting to add a bit of complaint.

    ¡°Haha, so now it¡¯s my fault, is it? Do I now have to slash my face with a knife? Hmm,¡± he dragged the last word out with such a dangerous tone.

 Chapter 623

    Upon hearing that, Qin Xue thought, ¡°My, how terrifying this man can be when he¡¯s angry! Other people show their anger on their faces, but his anger is invisible. You can only judge it by the tone of his voice ¨C the calmer his face, the angrier he is.¡±

    ¡°Darling, you know what they say, ¡®Flies don¡¯t bite seamless eggs.''¡± Qin Xue calmly picked up her teacup and took a sip. ¡°Hmm, this tea is brewed quite well ¨C tasteless at first, then sweet and refreshing.¡±

    ¡°But I don¡¯t see you showing much interest in my cracked egg either,¡± Chu Molin said, sitting sideways, straightening his legs and placing the two children on top of them, embracing them with one hand, and picking up the tea with the other. After sipping it, he spoke leisurely.

    ¡°Oh, Chu Molin, don¡¯t be like that! Do you think I¡¯m a shallow woman? If I were, you wouldn¡¯t be interested in me,¡± Qin Xue picked up a pastry and took another bite.

    Thinking of tidying up later, she wanted to make it herself. This small plate cost several dollars here, right?

    Although she wasn¡¯t short on money, she had to carry the two children all that way just to eat it. She didn¡¯t want to run and couldn¡¯t carry both children, so it was more convenient to make it herself.

    Qin Xue bit into the pastry with satisfaction, her eyes filled with delight.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s true. But I don¡¯t care about others. I just hope you pay more attention to my cracked egg, especially by showing me more concern.¡± Chu Molin watched Qin Xue enjoying her food, and also took a bite of the pastry. It was crispy but too sweet.

    Chu Molin took a bite and put it aside. He ate some sweets but rarely indulged in sweet pastries.

    ¡°Cough, cough, cough.¡± Qin Xue felt a sharp pain in her trachea, genuinely choking. What did he mean by that? Was he blaming her for neglecting him?

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so excited. Don¡¯t worry, I welcome your interruptions anytime,¡± Chu Molin said, a glint of laughter in his eyes as he looked at his speechless wife.

    ¡°Excited, my ass!¡± Qin Xue glared angrily at him, fed up with his teasing.

    ¡°Hahaha,¡± Chu Molin laughed heartily.

    ¡°Laugh, laugh, just laugh yourself to death,¡± puffed Qin Xue.

    ¡°I can¡¯t do that. If I die, who will take care of the children for you?¡± Chu Molin leaned across the table towards his angry wife.

    ¡°Chu Molin, that¡¯s enough! How did you change like this?¡± Qin Xue really wanted to slap him.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Chu Molin smiled and, indeed, did not continue speaking, lest his wife¡¯s anger turned ugly, which would not benefit him.

    ¡°Tell me, what¡¯s the deal with that woman you mentioned?¡± Chu Molin¡¯s expression changed, and he asked his wife coldly.

    ¡°How would I know? I don¡¯t even know her! But she came up and said you were her darling and started talking about how I must have had a daughter and that¡¯s why you dumped me.¡±

    She probably didn¡¯t know that this man was crazy about having a daughter, and Qin Xue scoffed, ¡°She¡¯s insane to think that having a daughter led to our breakup.¡±

    ¡°Is this pastry really that good? I see you¡¯ve eaten several. Aren¡¯t you tired of it?¡± Chu Molin watched as she didn¡¯t mind his half-eaten pastry, although it looked greasy.

    ¡°Nope,¡± Qin Xue swallowed the last bite of pastry and sat up to enjoy her tea properly.

    ¡°Good, as long as you enjoy it. Just don¡¯t eat until you¡¯re sick of it and never want it again,¡± Chu Molin poured half a cup of tea into her empty cup, following the ancestral etiquette of serving tea.

    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Qin Xue was confident.</p

 Chapter 624

    Chu Molin nodded after listening, it was good that she had a clear understanding of her own thoughts. However, according to what Qin Xue said, the word ¡°Darling¡± sounded very familiar.

    How could it not be? In the morning, he had been entangled by Gu Beilin¡¯s nagging and calling him ¡°Darling.¡±

    ¡°I know who you¡¯re talking about now. Do you remember what happened the first time I went to your clothing store with you?

    There was a crazy woman in your store who vowed to defeat and snatch me away.¡± Chu Molin reminded his wife that the woman really had nothing better to do and was looking for attention, but didn¡¯t she realize that his wife couldn¡¯t even remember who she was, like some stray cat or dog?

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s her. No wonder she knows about my pregnancy. Our paths must have crossed at that time, and I¡¯ve been wondering how she could know about our situation if I don¡¯t recognize her.¡± After Chu Molin¡¯s reminder, Qin Xue thought about it and finally recalled that there was such an incident.

    ¡°Yes, I met her when I bought breakfast this morning, and then she started spouting nonsense and going on and on¡­¡± Chu Molin recounted the morning¡¯s events to Qin Xue.

    ¡°Why do some people like to show off their existence so much that they might end up wiping themselves out one day?¡± Qin Xue stood up and carried her elder son.

    Watching him snuggle against her chest and continuously smacking his lips, she said,

    ¡°You greedy cat, are you hungry for food?¡± Qin Xue pinched his little face and asked with a smile.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll feed you. Is that okay?¡± Qin Xue turned around to feed her child.

    As soon as Yu Ze smelled the familiar scent, he began to eat vigorously.

    ¡°It seems that I¡¯ve starved our Yu Ze. It¡¯s my fault.¡± Qin Xue said gently as she fed him, stroking his head.

    Chu Molin sat and drank tea, listening to his wife¡¯s murmurings.

    Then he looked at his younger son and stood up while holding him.

    ¡°Come, hold Yu Ze. Give Yu Chen to me.¡± Qin Xue glanced up at the man in front of her and handed over her elder son.

    ¡°Get out of the way! How am I supposed to feed him with you standing here?¡± Qin Xue glared at the man in front and rolled her eyes.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Chu Molin raised an eyebrow at Qin Xue, but he still obediently walked away.

    Chu Molin sat back in his seat with his elder son and drank tea.

    A glowing woman is the most beautiful, and his wife had a fatal attraction when she was like that. He was hopelessly in love with her.

    ¡°Yu Chen, it¡¯s your turn now. After we finish eating, we should go home, or it will get dark.¡± Qin Xue looked out the window as she spoke.

    The sky was getting dark, and they had been out for quite a while. She didn¡¯t know if they would have time to tidy up the house when they got back.

    ¡°Chu Molin, take Yu Ze and make him pee so he doesn¡¯t wet his pants and diaper.¡± Qin Xue thought that she had been dry during breastfeeding, and if she didn¡¯t make him pee now, he might wet his diaper later.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Chu Molin nodded and took the child out to pee.

    ¡°Yu Chen, do you think your dad¡¯s automatic pheromones will attract that white lotus flower again?¡± Qin Xue touched her younger son¡¯s face and gently asked.

    Chu Molin didn¡¯t encounter Gu Beilin when he went out but instead ran into Nangong Beiying. Unfortunately, they didn¡¯t recognize each other. Otherwise, Qin Xue could have met Yingying, and perhaps it¡¯s because their fate hadn¡¯t yet arrived that the sisters hadn¡¯t seen each other.

    After Chu Molin took his son to pee, he prepared to return to the teahouse. However, as he turned the corner, he nearly collided with Nangong Beiying.

    Luckily, both of them reacted swiftly and stopped in time.

 Chapter 625

    Chu Molin tightly held his son and looked at the people who had just arrived, feeling surprised. It was the same people he saw this morning. Why were they appearing here now?

    As the captain of Wolf Fang, Chu Molin had a professional instinct. After seeing Nangong Beiying, he immediately analyzed in his heart: was this a coincidence or an intentional arrangement? Chu Molin put a question mark in his heart.

    Nangong Beiying was also very surprised to run into Chu Molin here. It was such a coincidence. She had just seen him that morning at her restaurant, and now she saw him again in her tea house. Was this a coincidence or was it done on purpose? Nangong Beiying similarly raised a question mark in her heart.

    However, the two just nodded to each other, then both moved a step to the side and walked away. From beginning to end, everyone kept quiet and did not say a word.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± After Chu Molin entered the tea house with his son, Qin Xue glanced at him. She handed him their younger son and took their older son into her arms.

    ¡°Nothing, I¡¯m just taking Chenchen to the bathroom.¡± Chu Molin said nothing more and took their younger son out.

    ¡°Yu Ze, what happened to your father? Did you really run into that white lotus flower?¡± Qin Xue looked at the closed door of the tea house, mumbling inexplicably.

    From the upstairs, Nangong Beiying looked down and saw Chu Molin walking towards the bathroom carrying a child.

    Nangong Beiying raised her eyebrows and became interested. She initially thought the woman from this morning was lying, but it turned out that this man really had a child. What kind of woman could tame such a cold-hearted man?

    At this moment, Nangong Beiying was curious about the woman behind him. Not for any other reason, just to add some fun to her boring life.

    ¡°Hey, Miss, that guy! Didn¡¯t he just go that way? How come¡­¡± Rain was daydreaming and didn¡¯t see Chu Molin going by, but she saw him walking towards the bathroom now.

    ¡°Hmm¡± Nangong Beiying looked at the slow-reacting Rain. Fortunately, it was not a dangerous moment, or else Rain would regret it.

    ¡°Hey, Miss, did you find out earlier?¡± Rain looked at her Miss¡¯s expression and felt somewhat looked down upon.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t pay attention, I won¡¯t take you out next time.¡± Nangong Beiying turned around and returned to her office.

    ¡°No, Miss, I won¡¯t dare to slack off again!¡± Rain wailed.

    This move of Miss was too cruel. She knew Rain wanted to follow her closely, but she still said that.

    ¡°Just this once, not again.¡± Nangong Beiying picked up the tea and snacks that the waiter had just brought.

    Yolk pastry and cream cake were both introduced after she took over this tea house. Drinking tea alone was too monotonous, and sometimes women and children would come together. It was better to have these pastries to go with the tea, so when they were hungry, they could have some snacks, and when they were full, they could just drink tea.

    Yolk pastry was what Xuexue liked to eat, while cream cake was Chenchen¡¯s favorite.

    So when she took over this tea house, she immediately introduced these two pastries without hesitation.

    As a way of commemorating their brief friendship.

    It also gave her something to remember in this era so she wouldn¡¯t be so lonely.

    Nangong Beiying cut a piece of cake with a small plate, then grabbed a yolk pastry and dipped it onto the cake to eat.

    There was no other choice. When the three of them spent time together, Xuexue liked yolk pastry and Chenchen liked cream cake, so she had to eat both to satisfy both parties. Eventually, it became a habit. Whenever yolk pastry and cream cake appeared at the same time, Nangong Beiying would eat them in this way.

    This remained unchanged for many years. If Qin Xue were here to see Nangong Beiying¡¯s way of eating, even if she couldn¡¯t recognize her appearance, she would be suspicious because this eating method was known only to the three of them.

 Chapter 626

    Nangong Beiying enjoyed the unique taste of these pastries, reminding her of the times they had spent together.

    ¡°Eh, miss, is it delicious to eat like that?¡± Rain asked, seeing Nangong Beiying¡¯s peculiar way of eating.

    ¡°It¡¯s delicious, do you want to try?¡± Nangong Beiying calmly took another bite, finding it truly tasty.

    ¡°I¡¯d rather not.¡± Rain didn¡¯t agree with the taste, let alone trying it.

    ¡°You really don¡¯t know what¡¯s good.¡± Nangong Beiying shook her head, wondering why they didn¡¯t believe her.

    In the private room, Qin Xue rang the bell. That woman just said she would pay the bill for her, right?

    Hehe, Qin Xue was happy to let her be the good person. Besides, she was poor. If she didn¡¯t let the woman help her out, she¡¯d feel guilty.

    There was a ¡°knock¡± on the door. Qin Xue thought this was quite fast.

    ¡°Please come in.¡± Qin Xue sat there casually, holding her son and drinking tea.

    ¡°What can I do for you, miss?¡± The waiter asked with a smile.

    ¡°Has the woman who said she would pay for me left?¡± As Qin Xue put the teacup down, she asked the waiter, looking very calm.

    ¡°Not yet. Are you looking for her? Do you need me to call her over here?¡± The waiter asked Qin Xue.

    ¡°No need. She said she wanted to treat me to tea, didn¡¯t she? I should give her face, should¡¯t I? Besides egg yolk pastry, do you have any other dim-sums or cakes here?¡±

    Qin Xue thought that a tea house should at least have a few varieties.

    ¡°We do. We have cream cake, mung bean cake, red bean cake, chestnut cake, and rose cake.¡± The server listed the signature pastries of the store.

    Huh, those were all familiar and her favorite types of pastries.

    ¡°Excuse me, who is the owner of your cafe?¡± Qin Xue couldn¡¯t help but ask.

    ¡°Are you referring to the owner of Yuxuan Restaurant?¡± the waiter asked.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Qin Xue nodded. Who else could she be asking for, except for the one who owned this place?

    ¡°Our boss is the master of the Nangong family.¡± The waiter said, nodding.

    ¡°Is it a man or a woman?¡± Qin Xue thought, why was the surname Nangong when she thought it should be Chu?

    ¡°A man.¡± The waiter looked at Qin Xue strangely, as if there was any problem.

    ¡°Oh, I see. Can you pack a portion of each cake you just mentioned and add a pot of tea?

    If that woman comes out to pay, let her pay for us too. If she asks, just say we¡¯ve left already.¡±

    Qin Xue thought she wanted to show off, huh? She¡¯d make her pay fully.

    ¡°Okay, miss, please wait a moment. We will pack it up for you right away.¡±

    The waiter thought to herself that this woman was ruthless. She had overheard the conversation earlier, otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t dare to follow Qin Xue¡¯s order like this.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m not in a hurry, take your time to pack it up.¡± Qin Xue waved her hand, saying indifferently.

    ¡°My baby son, today someone wants to treat your mother and me to pastries and tea. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a bit of a pity for me to order only these few things?¡±

    Qin Xue touched her chin and looked at her son.

    With her ordering so much, the cost was enough for a whole month¡¯s living expenses for an ordinary family.

    And she still thought it was too little. Did she know how expensive Yuxuan Restaurant¡¯s pastries were?

    ¡°Yu Ze, do you think Mom is very bad for doing this?¡± Qin Xue smiled and pinched her son¡¯s face.

    ¡°What¡¯s making you so happy?¡± Chu Molin noticed his wife¡¯s good mood as soon as he entered.

    ¡°Of course I¡¯m happy! Someone is treating us, how can I not be happy?¡± Qin Xue smiled at Chu Molin.

    ¡°Who¡¯s treating us?¡± Chu Molin glanced around the room, only seeing the two of them.

 Chapter 627

    Qin Xue just smiled and looked at Chu Molin without telling him what was going on.

    ¡°Are you playing coy again?¡± Chu Molin chuckled as he looked at his wife¡¯s mysterious demeanor.

    ¡°Hm, is that not allowed?¡± Qin Xue placed their child on her lap, leaning against her body.

    ¡°Of course it¡¯s allowed; I just want to know who was so unlucky to be taken advantage of by you.¡± Chu Molin poured himself a cup of tea. The temperature had cooled, and it was a bit astringent.

    ¡°Your rotten peach blossom, who else?¡± Qin Xue laughed, looking at Chu Molin to see his reaction.

    ¡°What do you mean ¡®my rotten peach blossom¡¯? As if I could stop them. But since she¡¯s treating, you should have a good meal, and we don¡¯t have to cook when we get home.¡± Chu Molin hadn¡¯t eaten anything except the tea.

    But judging by his wife¡¯s appearance, she should¡¯ve eaten her fill.

    ¡°I don¡¯t really care, but what about you? Aren¡¯t you going to eat?¡± Qin Xue looked at the empty plate and licked her lips. She had eaten all six egg yolk pastries by herself.

    It was embarrassing to have been unable to resist the sight of familiar food and overeaten.

    ¡°I¡¯ll just have a bowl of noodles when we leave.¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t say he would cook at home since some of the items they purchased would only be delivered tomorrow.

    ¡°That works too.¡± Qin Xue had also thought about this issue.

    The knock on the door sounded again, signaling that the waiter had finished packing her order.

    ¡°Come in,¡± Qin Xue called out.

    ¡°Miss, your pastries and tea have been packed.¡± The waiter placed the items on the table and informed Qin Xue.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Qin Xue nodded her head.

    ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡± The waiter nodded and prepared to turn to leave.

    ¡°Wait, has that woman paid yet?¡± Qin Xue asked.

    ¡°Not yet,¡± the waiter smiled.

    ¡°Do you have any staple foods here, like rice or noodles?¡± Qin Xue wondered how they could leave if that woman didn¡¯t pay. All she could do was inquire.

    ¡°Miss, I¡¯m truly sorry, but our tea room does not offer those items for sale.¡± The waiter explained to Qin Xue.

    ¡°Alright, I understand, thank you.¡± Qin Xue waved her hand to stop her from continuing, as she was well aware that modern tea rooms didn¡¯t serve staple foods like rice and noodles.

    But she had thought that they might have staples in this era, but it seemed they didn¡¯t.

    After the waiter left, Chu Molin looked at the packed pastries and pressed his lips without saying anything.

    ¡°Ah, when will that woman finally leave?¡± Qin Xue cried out, resting her head on the table.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Can¡¯t we leave if she doesn¡¯t?¡± Chu Molin found it hard to guess his wife¡¯s intentions.

    Her train of thought was just too peculiar, and he couldn¡¯t fathom her motives. She was especially cunning.

    ¡°Right, what if we leave and she doesn¡¯t pay? What if they call the police, and we¡¯re accused of dining and dashing?¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t want to shoulder such an unpleasant accusation.

    ¡°What if she never leaves?¡± Chu Molin asked his wife after finishing the cup of water.

    ¡°How could that be possible?¡± Qin Xue looked at Chu Molin, thinking how silly he was. They had no choice, but the shop would eventually close.

    If they didn¡¯t leave, the staff would likely have to find them and ask them to leave.

    After eating and drinking her fill, Qin Xue sat there, sulking.

    ¡°Alright, don¡¯t make such a bitter face. They should have left by now.¡± Chu Molin quietly listened to the receding footsteps outside before comforting his wife.

    ¡°How do you know they left? Did you see them?¡± Qin Xue asked Chu Molin, supporting her chin with her hand.

 Chapter 628

    Qin Xue was curious, she didn¡¯t know that Gu Beilin and the others had already left.

    ¡°I heard the sound of two women walking past,¡± Chu Molin pointed to his ear as he spoke.

    ¡°You could hear that?¡± Qin Xue widened her eyes and asked him.

    ¡°Yes, the sound of a man walking is different from a woman¡¯s,¡± said Chu Molin, who was trained to discern such details.

    ¡°I know their footfall is different, but I always feel as if the difference isn¡¯t huge. If you don¡¯t pay close attention you can¡¯t tell,¡± said Qin Xue, a medical student, who knew about this but had trouble discerning the difference.

    ¡°A man¡¯s body scent is also different from a woman¡¯s, you can judge based on these two factors together,¡± Chu Molin softly told his wife, who alternated between shrewdness and silliness.

    ¡°Oh.¡± Qin Xue could tell the difference when they were close, but from afar she couldn¡¯t discern as accurately as Chu Molin just did.

    ¡°Alright, stop dwelling on it. Let¡¯s pack up and head back,¡± Chu Molin said with a smile to his wife.

    ¡°Okay, Gu Beilin¡¯s face will definitely be priceless in a moment,¡± Qin Xue thought cheerily. ¡°Serve her right for unnecessarily angering me. If she doesn¡¯t know about my capabilities, she won¡¯t feel scared.¡±

    ¡°You naughty girl,¡± Chu Molin fondly looked at his wife.

    ¡°Do you like me this way?¡± Qin Xue eagerly asked Chu Molin.

    ¡°Come over here and I¡¯ll tell you,¡± Chu Molin said as he beckoned Qin Xue with his fingers.

    ¡°I¡¯m not coming over,¡± Qin Xue was no fool; she knew there¡¯s mischief in store for her.

    Chu Molin chuckled at her words, this girl has learned some tricks. But did she really think she could escape?

    ¡°Hehe, what are you afraid of?¡± Chu Molin chuckled as he looked at Qin Xue.

    ¡°Who said I¡¯m afraid?¡± Qin Xue retorted.

    ¡°If you¡¯re not scared, then why don¡¯t you dare come over?¡± Chu Molin asked, as calm as possible.

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll come over,¡± Qin Xue muttered. She knew Chu Molin must be up to something, but she couldn¡¯t resist his provocation.

    ¡°What a good girl.¡± Chu Molin tenderly rubbed her head.

    ¡°Hurry up and say it.¡± Qin Xue was annoyed.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll tell you.¡± Chu Molin leaned in close to her ear and spoke, word by word.

    Chu Molin observed as Qin Xue¡¯s face slowly changed color, a smile playing on his lips.

    ¡°Eh, are you sure?¡± Qin Xue asked, unable to believe what she had heard.

    ¡°Of course.¡± Chu Molin affirmed with a smile.

    ¡°Fine, I trust you.¡± Qin Xue nodded.

    ¡°Hahaha,¡± Chu Molin chuckled mirthfully. His wife was just too cute.

    ¡°Stop laughing.¡± Qin Xue felt embarrassed. This man was simply¡­

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, come here.¡± Chu Molin¡¯s eyes shone with mirth.

    ¡°What?¡± Qin Xue moved closer, unsure of what he wanted.

    ¡°Nothing, let¡¯s go home,¡± Chu Molin flicked her forehead with a smile.

    ¡°Ouch! That hurts!¡± Qin Xue glared at him.

    ¡°That¡¯s the point.¡± Chu Molin helped her with the packed pastries.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Qin Xue was slightly confused about Chu Molin¡¯s behavior.

    ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it. Let¡¯s hurry up, it¡¯s getting dark,¡± Chu Molin pointed outside the window and said to Qin Xue.

    ¡°Has it been that long since we came out?¡± Qin Xue felt that they hadn¡¯t been out for too long.

    ¡°Think about how much tea and how many snacks you had.¡± Chu Molin noticed that even though Qin Xue ate a lot, she didn¡¯t seem to gain weight.

    ¡°Ehehe.¡± Qin Xue responded with an embarrassed laugh upon hearing his words.

    At the cash register, Gu Beilin and her friend were informed that they had to pay for another set of ordered items.

    ¡°Why do I have to pay for this? We didn¡¯t order any of these items,¡± a furious Gu Beilin retorted back to the cashier.

 Chapter 629

    ¡°That lady said it was you who offered to pay for her bill today, and we had someone hear your conversation at the time. That¡¯s why we didn¡¯t stop her when she left.

    If you hadn¡¯t said you would pay for her from the beginning, we would have definitely asked her to pay for herself and wouldn¡¯t let her go.¡± The cashier knew Gu Beilin¡¯s character well.

    She relied on her family¡¯s wealth and power, bullying others was a common occurrence. So the cashier cooperated with Qin Xue to teach her a lesson, letting her know not everyone could be trampled on by her.

    ¡°I said it at the time because¡­¡± Gu Beilin looked at the onlookers around her, how could she say she just wanted to humiliate Qin Xue and never planned to actually pay for her?

    Gu Beilin stared at all the important-looking people around and couldn¡¯t bring herself to say it, otherwise, her family would know and surely not let her off the hook.

    She had offended Ms. Nangong last time and was heavily punished. If she caused trouble in the Nangong¡¯s territory again, she would definitely suffer the consequences.

    Thinking of this, Gu Beilin could only suppress her anger and ask resentfully, ¡°How much is the total?¡±

    ¡°Ms. Gu, the total for both bills is US$ 138.¡± The cashier smiled at Gu Beilin, waiting for her to pay.

    ¡°What? How could it be that much?¡± Gu Beilin couldn¡¯t believe what she had heard.

    ¡°How much did you think it would be, Ms. Gu?¡± The cashier calmly looked at Gu Beilin and asked.

    Now, who in the Imperial Capital doesn¡¯t know about their Yuxuan Restaurant? It¡¯s a unique and prestigious establishment that people are proud to visit.

    To see Gu Beilin making such a face over a hundred dollars, it was obvious that the Gus hadn¡¯t raised her well.

    ¡°I, I didn¡¯t have any expectations. Take this money,¡± Gu Beilin listened to the whispers around her and finally realized that she must have made a big fool of herself.

    ¡°Ms. Gu, here¡¯s your change, and these are the receipts for both orders. Please keep them safe. Thank you very much for your patronage, and we hope to see you again next time. Thank you!¡± The cashier¡¯s polite words poured out as if they were free.

    It choked Gu Beilin so much that she couldn¡¯t let out her anger, trembling with rage.

    ¡°Linlin, let¡¯s go,¡± the girl who came with Gu Beilin, seeing the situation, gently pulled Gu Beilin¡¯s hand and whispered.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Gu Beilin wanted to shake off the girl¡¯s hand, but she couldn¡¯t. This girl was not someone she could offend; on the contrary, she needed to please her. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have brought her to Yuxuan Restaurant.

    Gu Beilin had heard that the pastries at Yuxuan Restaurant were delicious and hard to come by. Their daily pastries were always different, and she had heard that this girl particularly liked the egg yolk pastry from Yuxuan.

    So, she seized this opportunity and had booked the private room many days in advance.

    As the rumors had it, the girl loved the egg yolk pastry, and they had chatted very happily. Who would have thought that she would have such bad luck and not only run into Qin Xue but also be played by her? She would definitely take revenge; no one had ever dared treat her Gu Beilin this way before.

    Gu Beilin seemed to forget that she had been dealt with by Nangong Beiying last time.

    After Gu Beilin and her companion left, Qin Xue, holding her child, and Chu Molin came out.

    They had watched the drama from behind the crowd with great interest.

    Qin Xue had thought that Gu Beilin would make a scene, but it was easily resolved by the woman who came with her. This woman seemed extraordinary.

    Just on their first day in the Imperial Capital, they were already in so much trouble. They could already imagine how lively their future would be.

 Chapter 630

    Qin Xue walked to the cashier and handed over the money for the tea.

    ¡°Miss, the lady just now has already paid for you. You can take this money back,¡± the cashier said, looking at the money in front of her.

    ¡°No need, we¡¯ll pay for ourselves. We just wanted that woman to pay to teach her a lesson. Take our money and donate the money that woman gave to a poor family. Consider it as her doing a good deed,¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t want Gu Beilin to pay for her, she was afraid of indigestion.

    ¡°Alright then.¡± The cashier accepted Qin Xue¡¯s money, settled their bill, and gave her the change.

    ¡°Miss, here¡¯s your change and the bill,¡± the cashier handed the money and bill to Qin Xue.

    ¡°Alright, thank you.¡± Qin Xue took the money and bill, and left with Chu Molin.

    ¡°Wow, that guy just now is so handsome and stylish!¡± someone in the crowd said, and then the conversation revolved around Qin Xue and Chu Molin.

    However, the couple didn¡¯t know, and even if they did, they wouldn¡¯t care. They¡¯d rather go home early and get some sleep with their American kung fu instead.

    After leaving Yuxuan Restaurant, Qin Xue and Chu Molin found a clean place to eat and ordered two bowls of noodles.

    After eating and returning home, Qin Xue was exhausted. After placing their child on the bed, she collapsed onto the bed too.

    Qin Xue sighed, feeling so tired, it seemed like shopping was not for everyone; not everyone enjoyed it.

    At least Qin Xue didn¡¯t like it very much, she only bought necessities when she went out.

    Chu Molin shook his head, watching his wife¡¯s actions without speaking.

    He placed their child on the bed, then pulled a chair over and sat next to the bed.

    Chu Molin picked up her feet and placed them on his lap, then massaged the pressure points on her legs.

    ¡°Mmm, so comfortable,¡± Qin Xue sighed with her eyes closed. It was great to have an all-capable husband.

    ¡°Feeling better?¡± Chu Molin pressed harder.

    ¡°Yes, comfortable, ah!¡± Qin Xue had barely finished speaking when Chu Molin suddenly pressed even harder, and she screamed in pain.

    ¡°Does it hurt a lot?¡± Chu Molin stroked her somewhat stiff calf.

    ¡°Yes, it hurts.¡± Qin Xue replied.

    ¡°Bear with it, I¡¯ll help you work it out,¡± Chu Molin firmly rubbed Qin Xue¡¯s calf.

    ¡°Alright.¡± With her eyes closed, Qin Xue enjoyed Chu Molin¡¯s thoughtful service.

    She didn¡¯t even know when she fell asleep.

    After the massage, Chu Molin looked at Qin Xue, who had fallen asleep, and sighed helplessly. He went to boil some water for a shower, deciding to let her sleep first, as she seemed exhausted.

    Chu Molin carried her to the bathroom, then called for Qin Xue to wash up.

    ¡°Chu Molin, I¡¯m sleepy, I want to sleep, don¡¯t disturb me,¡± Qin Xue spoke without opening her eyes.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t get up, I¡¯ll do it for you,¡± Chu Molin picked Qin Xue up.

    ¡°Mmm.¡± Qin Xue replied and fell asleep again.

    Chu Molin laughed, hoping she could remain this calm later on.

    Of course, Chu Molin wouldn¡¯t do anything. These two days had been tiring for his wife, and today¡¯s shopping had made her dog-tired.

    He discovered a big problem: women seemed to love shopping. Even if they complained about being tired, they couldn¡¯t stop shopping and buying.

    Though he had no complaints, Chu Molin couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for his wife¡¯s feet. How much weight and distance did they have to bear after a whole day?

    After washing up, Chu Molin let Qin Xue rest well.

 Chapter 631

    The second day after waking up, Qin Xue opened her eyes and saw that Chu Molin wasn¡¯t there. There was a note on the table telling her that breakfast was in the living room and he had gone to report to school.

    Qin Xue put down the note and got up, her body feeling as if it had been run over by a car.

    Qin Xue really, really wanted to curse at someone.

    No, she couldn¡¯t let him continue like this; otherwise, she would truly cry.

    Resolved, Qin Xue dressed herself and watched her son playing with his fingers obediently.

    Qin Xue was extremely delighted and kissed both children on their faces before changing their wet diapers.

    ¡°My babies, Mommy is going to eat breakfast, so wait until I finish before I feed you, okay? Behave, alright?¡± Qin Xue said earnestly to the two children.

    Qin Xue was utterly clueless that her current behavior was lowering her IQ ¨C the children were so young, it would be strange if they could understand her.

    After breakfast, Qin Xue washed the dishes and then nursed the children. Once she fed them and made sure the door was properly locked, she carried a bundle and entered the magical space with the two children.

    ¡°Master, you brought the little masters in!¡± Xue Ling rushed over upon seeing Qin Xue and eagerly asked her about the two children.

    ¡°Xue Ling, help me watch the children while I tidy up the house. We just moved in and I didn¡¯t have time to clean, so it¡¯s very messy.¡± Qin Xue placed the children on the bed in the bamboo house and turned to Xue Ling.

    ¡°Yes, Master, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll take good care of the little masters.¡± Xue Ling assured her.

    ¡°Hmm, thank you. Here, I made you some clothes. Go put them on.¡± Qin Xue handed the bundle to Xue Ling.

    ¡°Thank you, Master.¡± Xue Ling took the bundle, opened it, and took out a dress to wear.

    ¡°Hmm, very beautiful.¡± Qin Xue looked at Xue Ling who had put on the clothing, and she was truly stunning, like a little princess from a fairy tale.

    ¡°Thank you, Master, I really like it.¡± Xue Ling found the feeling of wearing clothes very comfortable, more so than being naked, so she happily thanked Qin Xue.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t have time to make you anything else for now. When I have time, I¡¯ll make new styles and even better-looking clothes for you.¡± Qin Xue stroked her head, finding the silver hair very soft and comfortable to touch.

    If it had been black hair, it would likely be even cuter. If she were to take her out like this, would people be able to accept it? Xue Ling currently looked like a child with albinism in the modern era, with white hair from head to toe, standing out significantly.

    Even in the 21st century, there were people pointing fingers at her, let alone in this more backward era. She wondered how people would see this adorable little problem and if she could accept others pointing fingers at her after transforming into a human.

    For now, she had other things to worry about, like tidying up the house. Otherwise, when the goods they bought yesterday came, there would be no space anywhere.

    ¡°Hmm, Master is the best.¡± Xue Ling shook Qin Xue¡¯s hand.

    Qin Xue looked down at the spiritual pet and sighed; this was supposed to be an immortal, but it was just a little naive. She decided to teach her slowly.

    ¡°Hmm, you¡¯re welcome. I¡¯ll leave the children to you. I¡¯m going out, and when I have time, I¡¯ll make you something delicious.¡± Qin Xue patted her head and left the space, lest delivery people think no one was home and cause trouble.

    After leaving the space, Qin Xue first stood and checked out the living room¡¯s overall structure, then stood at the entrance to the yard and surveyed it. With a clear idea in mind, she began cleaning.

 Chapter 632

    As the things Qin Xue bought yesterday were delivered one after another, she put them in place one by one. By the time she finished tidying up, she could hardly straighten her back ¨C it was so exhausting.

    It¡¯s good to live in a big house, but cleaning it is no small feat. It¡¯s just too tiring.

    Qin Xue looked around the now homey space and smiled, showing her teeth. She finally had a home of her own.

    She looked at the kitchen and thought she should buy some meat to season the new pan, or else it would be difficult to use.

    As soon as she thought of it, she did it. Qin Xue wondered what Chu Molin was doing at this time since he hadn¡¯t come back yet, and probably wouldn¡¯t return until evening at the earliest.

    Chu Molin was taking exams. After reporting this morning, several teachers had given him test papers to answer. This was already his fourth test paper, and he was only allowed a fifteen-minute break between each one before continuing with the next. Seeing that there were several papers left to do, Chu Molin estimated that it would take until the afternoon to finish them all.

    He couldn¡¯t help but wonder if his wife had gotten up yet, if the kids were crying, and if the things they¡¯d purchased had been delivered. A series of questions appeared in Chu Molin¡¯s mind, which made it difficult for him to concentrate on the exams.

    Chu Molin shook his head to clear his confused thoughts and focused solely on finishing the exams quickly so he could go home and help his wife. And thus, he began to concentrate on answering the questions again.

    Quite a few of the questions were ones he¡¯d asked Qin Xue before, so Chu Molin followed her method step by step and found his writing becoming smoother as he went along.

    ¡°Report, I¡¯ve finished answering the questions on this test paper.¡± Chu Molin checked it once more before putting down his pen and announcing that he had finished.

    ¡°So quickly?¡± The proctoring teacher was very surprised. Although Chu Molin had previously finished several other test papers ahead of time, they had taken about the same amount of time. But this one was finished in less than half the time. The teacher wondered if he had just breezed through it carelessly.

    Doubtful, the proctoring teacher walked over to Chu Molin, picked up his test paper, and glanced through it. Just a quick look left the teacher¡¯s heart unsettled for quite some time.

    Not to mention that the test paper was neatly written, but most importantly, the answers. Although the teacher hadn¡¯t looked closely yet, about eighty percent of the answers seemed correct.

    Who exactly was this man who came to study at their academy? He had a team of their most experienced teachers creating test papers and proctoring just for him.

    Besides knowing that his name was Chu Molin, they knew nothing else about him.

    It was said that even their school¡¯s principal was not particularly familiar with this man¡¯s background, which only added to his air of mystery.

    With these thoughts in mind, the proctoring teacher took the test paper, intending to let Chu Molin take a break before continuing with the exam. But before he could speak, Chu Molin beat him to it.

    ¡°Report, I don¡¯t need resting time. Can I continue answering questions?¡± Chu Molin was thinking that he¡¯d only left a note for his wife telling her where he¡¯d gone, but he hadn¡¯t mentioned when he¡¯d be back.

    His wife, accompanied by two young children in this unfamiliar place, made him feel uneasy. He¡¯d rather go back home sooner to arrange everything for them before he could study in peace.

    ¡°Is this arrangement too tight?¡± The proctoring teacher asked Chu Molin uncertainly.

    ¡°No, just give me the questions, please. I¡¯ll let you know if I can¡¯t take it anymore,¡± Chu Molin reassured. Who was he, after all? He had taken on many difficult tasks before and completed them very well. This small challenge was nothing to him.

    ¡°Well, if you insist, we¡¯ll follow your suggestion.¡± The other proctors were also curious about Chu Molin¡¯s abilities and wanted to see just how much Moshui this young man had. After listening to his request, they hesitated for a moment before agreeing.

 Chapter 633

    After handing the exam paper to Chu Molin, the several invigilating teachers began to review and grade Chu Molin¡¯s answers.

    With every question they read, the more baffled they became, as a lot of these questions were conceived by themselves, and it was highly unlikely that others would have got the answers and leaked them to Chu Molin beforehand.

    That is to say, these questions did not exist before; they were randomly created by these teachers after they received the news yesterday. Therefore, it was impossible for Chu Molin to have cheated, and the only explanation for this situation is that the Major named Chu Molin has encountered similar questions before.

    Or, he has been exposed to this kind of problem-solving model, especially this method of solving problems, which is exceptionally innovative and easy to understand.

    The few teachers each graded the subjects they were familiar with. All were considering asking Chu Molin whether this problem-solving method was his own invention or taught by someone else.

    On the other side, Chu Molin was racing through the answers on his paper.

    On the other side, Qin Xue locked the door with her keys and headed for the market.

    As Qin Xue walked, she took note of the landmarks and buildings along the way and finally found the market after asking several people for directions.

    The difference between a big city and a small town is significant; there are so many more varieties of goods to be sold here.

    Qin Xue found the meat counter. She planned to cook more dishes for this meal and invite Xiao Qi over to eat as their house-warming party.

    Qin Xue bought a large chunk of meat, ribs, lean meat, fatty meat, and plenty more. Seeing that there were pig intestines and stomach for sale she ordered a set of those too.

    Qin Xue hadn¡¯t had pickled vegetables and spicy intestines for a long time; she salivated at the thought of it.

    Qin Xue didn¡¯t need to buy vegetables because she had plenty in her space.

    During her one-month confinement period, she didn¡¯t have any reason to eat the vegetables from her space. She craved for them since the tastes were very different. Luckily, she is not a picky eater, or else she would have cried out.

    Qin Xue struggled to carry a lot of purchases; unfortunately, she could not throw them into her space.

    Seeing people passing by, all Qin Xue could do was groan and slowly walk home.

    ¡°Ah, my vegetables.¡± Qin Xue screamed.

    She was knocked over by someone at the corner. Thankfully, her fast reaction made her move aside quickly, but her groceries were not so lucky and were scattered all over the ground, stained with mud.

    Qin Xue angrily looked at the perpetrator, but immediately noticed that something was amiss.

    Because the person had actually fainted. She couldn¡¯t believe it; not only did the person scatter her groceries, but he also had the audacity to pass out.

    She reached out and tried to wake him up, but when she realized he had indeed fainted, she checked his pulse.

    Qin Xue looked at the man lying on the ground in bewilderment, he had actually fainted due to excessive blood loss.

    Qin Xue looked in the direction he came from, but didn¡¯t see any blood. Where was he injured?

    There was only one explanation if he was losing a lot of blood but there was no blood on the ground. His wound has been bandaged, maybe he had just received treatment and then rushed out.

    Qin Xue looked at this trouble and then looked at the meat scattered all over the ground. She really wanted to kick him. This was her warming house meal, and now it was covered in dirt. How was she supposed to clean it?

    After worrying for a while, Qin Xue picked up the meat and found a blind spot around the corner that would not be noticed by anyone. She quickly threw everything into her space.

    After a moment, and seeing that no one was coming in this direction, Qin Xue came out. She squatted next to the unconscious man, checked him thoroughly to confirm what had happened. After some consideration, she brought out bandages and hemostatic drugs from her bag.

    She figured she was just doing a good deed and hoped this man wouldn¡¯t turn out to be an ingrate.

 Chapter 634

    Do not ask why Qin Xue, being a doctor, would not save a dying person.

    In her previous life, Qin Xue was a doctor, but not in this one. She does not want to get into trouble, but since she has come across someone in need, she must help. If she doesn¡¯t, the thought will haunt her. So, Qin Xue cannot resist her sense of justice and decides to save the person.

    Qin Xue drags the man to a corner and starts to unbutton his clothes.

    As soon as the buttons are undone, she sees his blood-soaked shirt.

    Looks like he¡¯s from a wealthy family.

    Qin Xue looks at the expensive clothes and wounds, feeling a bit regretful for her impulsiveness.

    She takes out cotton swabs from her purse, wets them with iodine, and disinfects his wounds. Then she applies medicine and bandages them.

    ¡°Handsome guy, you¡¯re lucky to have met me. If it weren¡¯t for me, your fainting would have worsened your condition, and you could have died from tetanus,¡± Qin Xue says. After tidying up, she looks at the surroundings, covers the man with some obstacles, and leaves.

    Not long after Qin Xue leaves, someone comes looking for the man.

    ¡°Where could the young master have gone? We¡¯ve searched everywhere but still haven¡¯t found him,¡± Gu Yi asks.

    ¡°Let¡¯s split up and search. We don¡¯t want anything to go wrong,¡± Gu Jia suggests after looking at Gu Yi.

    The young master is injured, and if they don¡¯t find him soon, something bad might happen. They don¡¯t know why he ventured out at this time, but since he did, they must fulfill their duty to protect his safety.

    The two split up, and eventually find Beihan among a pile of obstacles. But how did he end up here?

    Gu Jia and Gu Yi carry their master back to his residence, not the Gus¡¯ mansion, but Beihan¡¯s private residence in the Imperial Capital.

    Neither of them is a servant of the Gus, but two who have been with Beihan since his time abroad. They have loyally served him for many years, attending to his orders and tasks when needed.

    Under the Gus¡¯ unawareness, Beihan has built a significant business empire, making it a fool¡¯s dream to control him now.

    ¡°What happened to the young master?¡± A questioning voice sounds as soon as they bring Beihan in.

    ¡°Ms. Ying, the young master fainted,¡± Gu Jia looks up and replies.

    ¡°How could he? Wasn¡¯t he fine earlier?¡± Ying anxiously examines Beihan¡¯s injuries, then breathes a sigh of relief. But who helped bandage him? She doesn¡¯t remember doing it that way.

    ¡°We don¡¯t know either. When we went to search for him, he had disappeared. We eventually found him at the alley with obstacles,¡± Gu Yi continues.

    ¡°Carry the young master to his room, and we¡¯ll discuss the rest afterward,¡± Ying orders sternly. How could they be so careless? What if an enemy had attacked?

    ¡°Understood, Ms. Ying,¡± Gu Jia and Gu Yi answer simultaneously, not daring to disobey her. Though Ying also addresses Beihan as ¡°young master,¡± it is not the same meaning as when they use it.

    They still don¡¯t know her background, and only met her when Beihan returned to the Imperial Capital. However, her position is much higher than either of them, and even Beihan listens to her words. So, even if they¡¯re unhappy with her authority, they have no choice but to obey.

 Chapter 635

    After returning home, Qin Xue entered the space once. Only after she saw Xue Ling and the two children playing happily, she came out and started tidying up the meat she had bought today in the kitchen.

    There was just too much dirt and sand, she didn¡¯t know how many times she would need to clean the meat before it would be thoroughly clean.

    Qin Xue took the meat out of the space and started washing it slowly after heating up a pot of water with coal balls. The sight of the sand and dirt in the washbasin left her speechless.

    What on earth happened today? Going out to buy meat was supposed to be a good thing, yet it turned out like this.

    I wonder whether that man woke up yet? Getting shot in Hua Country is no minor incident.

    However, looking at him appearing out in public, Qin Xue thought he probably wasn¡¯t a wanted criminal. So in a moment of compassion, she saved him, hoping her decision was right.

    While Qin Xue was trying to figure out if Gu Beihan was a bad man, Gu Beihan woke up on the other side.

    ¡°Young master, you are awake. How are you feeling? Is there anywhere that¡¯s uncomfortable?¡± Ying asked joyfully after seeing Gu Beihan wake up.

    ¡°How did I get back here?¡± Gu Beihan asked, sitting up with effort.

    ¡°Gu Jia and Gu Yi helped you return, is anything wrong?¡± Ying asked, puzzled.

    ¡°Nothing.¡± For some reason, Gu Beihan didn¡¯t want to tell Ying about the events of the day.

    ¡°Are you hungry, young master? Would you like something to eat now?¡± Jing asked Gu Beihan. She was captivated by him since their first meeting, so she helped him with everything unconditionally, hoping to be by his side and be close to him.

    ¡°No need, you can leave first. I want to rest a bit more.¡± Gu Beihan smiled at Ying.

    ¡°Alright, rest well then. Call me if you need anything.¡± Ying saw Gu Beihan¡¯s smile and felt overjoyed. She believed the young master treated her differently.

    However, what Ying did not know was that although Gu Beihan treated her differently, it was not in the way she imagined.

    It¡¯s because Gu Beihan was thankful for her help all along, even though he treats her differently, it¡¯s only as a brother would treat a sister, not as a man would treat a woman.

    It¡¯s unfortunate that Ying didn¡¯t understand Gu Beihan¡¯s intentions, leading to so many happenings later on. But this is a story for another time, so let¡¯s not discuss it now.

    Returning to the present, after Ying left the room, Gu Beihan started thinking about the previous events. He remembered receiving a note that claimed to know who was out to get him and told him to go to XX Alley immediately if he wanted to know more.

    But as he arrived at the corner of the alley, he bumped into someone. He clearly saw a very beautiful girl scream. Does her pile of vegetables matter more than him?

    But before he could react, he was knocked out by a bag of vegetables. If people found out about this, he would be laughed at.

    He looked down at his chest wound. He had already felt faint from losing too much blood, and had run a long distance after that. He remembered his shirt being soaked with blood. Did Ying change his shirt for him after they returned?

    He had known Ying for many years, and this was not the first time something like this happen. He had told Ying about it, but she always ignored him. However, he decided to stop reminding her as long as she doesn¡¯t cross the line. He had his own principles and persistence, he doesn¡¯t want to break them before its time.

    But the knot on his bandages doesn¡¯t look like Ying¡¯s handwork. Did Gu Jia get somebody else to treat his wound before helping him back?

    If that¡¯s the case, there is someone who knows about his gunshot wound, an occurrence that is almost impossible in Hua Country. This might cause issues soon. No, he needs to address this before it becomes more complicated.

    After thinking for a while, Gu Beihan was still uneasy, so he decided to call in Gu Jia for questioning: ¡°Gu Jia.¡±

 Chapter 636

    ¡°Young Master, is there something you need?¡± Ying was the first to come in upon hearing Gu Beihan¡¯s voice.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing much, I just want to ask Gu Jia something.¡± Gu Beihan thought that Ying was sometimes too persistent with him, even though he had told her before, but she just wouldn¡¯t listen, and there was nothing he could do.

    Gu Beihan just didn¡¯t have that thrilling feeling for Ying, otherwise she would make an excellent wife.

    Sometimes Gu Beihan would think that if he couldn¡¯t find a woman who could make his heart race in the future, he would marry Ying. After all, he had to marry someone, so why not marry a woman who was good to him and wholly devoted to him.

    Gu Beihan didn¡¯t want to waste Ying¡¯s youth, so he had asked her to go back to her family. But who knew that this woman was so stubborn and wouldn¡¯t listen to his advice?

    Sometimes, Gu Beihan wondered what kind of virtues he had to be able to make such an able and beautiful woman so devoted to him. He must have saved the galaxy in his previous life to be blessed with such love.

    Perhaps it was because they were too familiar with each other that Gu Beihan couldn¡¯t feel anything beyond sibling affection for her.

    ¡°Young Master, you¡¯re looking for me?¡± Gu Jia entered and heard his master¡¯s words.

    ¡°Mm, Ying, I suddenly feel like having some porridge. Can you cook me some? I¡¯m talking about that lily porridge you make.¡± Gu Beihan genuinely loved the lily porridge that Ying cooked, so she went out as soon as she heard his request.

    She knew that Gu Beihan was just using this as an excuse to send her away, but it didn¡¯t matter as long as he really wanted to eat the porridge she cooked.

    Her love was so humble, and Gu Beihan was good to her in every way except for loving her the same way she did. Sometimes Ying wanted to ruin this goodness, but she couldn¡¯t bear to, so she could only carry on like this.

    After Ying had left, Gu Beihan began to ask, ¡°Where did you find me?¡±

    ¡°We found you in XX Alley, you were covered by a pile of debris¡­¡± Gu Jia explained how they had found Gu Beihan.

    ¡°So you mean when you found me, I was already like this and you guys didn¡¯t take me to get my wounds treated, right?¡± Gu Beihan wondered if he had guessed wrong.

    ¡°Yes, is something wrong, Young Master? Oh, by the way, we didn¡¯t touch any of your things except for the clothes you¡¯re wearing right now.¡± Gu Jia almost forgot that he and Gu Yi had changed his master¡¯s clothes.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, you can go. Suppress the news about my injury, don¡¯t let anyone else know, especially people from the Gus.¡± Gu Beihan knew what the Gus were thinking¡ªthey wanted to use him to pave the way for Gu Beinuan, but only if he was willing.

    If they found out about his gunshot wound, they would definitely use it to threaten him. He wasn¡¯t afraid of their threats, but they were annoying, especially when they came from family members.

    ¡°Young Master, I understand. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll go deal with gang matters.¡± That¡¯s right, gang matters.

    Gu Beihan was the helmsman of Qingfeng Gang, a criminal organization, but no one in the Imperial Capital knew that.

    ¡°You can go. By the way, who else knows about me being here besides the three of you?¡± Gu Beihan thought about the note and asked Gu Jia.

    ¡°Young Master, no one else knows except for us three. Did something happen?¡± Gu Jia didn¡¯t understand why his Young Master would ask such a question. Could it be related to his trip this time? How could their information leak and make them completely unaware of it? Was there a mole among them?

 Chapter 637

    ¡°Young Master, I¡¯ll look into it immediately.¡± Gu Jia became very serious after reacting to the situation, as if his thoughts were true and the young master was in danger. He must not allow such a thing to happen under his watch, otherwise, even having another life wouldn¡¯t be enough to die for.

    ¡°Go ahead, be careful.¡± Gu Beihan waved his hand, and after Gu Jia left, he rubbed his eyebrows, feeling overwhelmed by the many issues that had arisen during this trip.

    Gu Beihan wondered, since his wound wasn¡¯t bandaged by any of the three men, was it the girl who had seen him faint and bandaged him?

    But what kind of family upbringing would produce a child who carried medicine for injuries with them all the time? Was she like him, living in an environment where danger could happen at any moment?

    If such a pretty girl was involved in a gang like him, she would need to be vigilant at all times, lest she lose her life without even realizing it.

    Qin Xue had no idea that she had somehow been assumed to be involved with the underworld. She was busy making roast pork and cooking, noticing the time, Chu Molin should be back soon. She had to hurry up and finish cooking and bring her children out.

    Qin Xue didn¡¯t know how Xue Ling had managed to take care of the children all this time. She would go in from time to time to check on them and tried to breastfeed the two children, but they wouldn¡¯t eat, just staring at Xue Ling with their eyes rolling.

    Seeing her children like this, Qin Xue stopped bothering them, assuming they were not hungry. So, she let Xue Ling look after them while she continued cooking.

    After Qin Xue left, Xue Ling smiled at the two little masters: ¡°Little masters, your mom must think you¡¯re not hungry, hehe. She doesn¡¯t even know I fed you spiritual bamboo pith. Your mom is really clueless, with all the good things in her space yet not even trying to use them, wasting such great resources. Let me tell you two, you should not be as foolish as her, okay? I don¡¯t know how such a smart man like your dad ended up marrying such a foolish woman like your mom. No, your mom was sent here by me, a smart Fox Fairy, so it should be a foolish master I ended up with. You two should learn more from your dad; he¡¯s a cunning fellow, just that my foolish master hasn¡¯t noticed yet. Luckily, they are a couple and not enemies. Otherwise, with your mom¡¯s foolishness, she would¡¯ve been obliterated long ago.¡±

    Xue Ling thought it was not everyone who could have such good luck to casually stumble upon such a high-quality man. It was a shame that she was a Fox Fairy and not human, otherwise, Qin Xue would have had no chance.

    Yu Ze and Yu Chen watched Xue Ling laugh. No one knew that these two children had been taught by Xue Ling to be both mischievous and naughty, and at the same time, one of them was a dangerous and ruthless trickster, making people who dealt with them always cautious. However, no matter how guarded they were, they would still fall into the trap. Of course, hindsight is not discussed for now; let¡¯s focus on the present.

    Chu Molin couldn¡¯t wait to go home after finishing his test, as he had never felt such urgency before. He was worried about Qin Xue and the children, so he rushed through the exam just so he could return home quickly.

    However, things didn¡¯t go as planned. The more anxious he was, the more things seemed to slow him down and delay him.

    ¡°Chu Molin, the principal would like to see you in his office.¡± Chu Molin had just handed in his test paper when someone called out to him. The person had been waiting there all along, making the proctor teacher, who wanted to ask Chu Molin about his studies, unable to do so. They couldn¡¯t possibly compete with the principal, so they could only find another time to talk to him.

    ¡°Understood, thank you.¡± Chu Molin stood up, straightened his slightly wrinkled clothes, and left the classroom to head to the principal¡¯s office.

 Chapter 638

    Chu Molin arrived at the principal¡¯s office and knocked on the door: ¡°Knock Knock.¡±

    ¡°Come in.¡± The principal raised his head upon hearing the knock and nodded on seeing it was Chu Molin.

    ¡°Reporting, principal, you summoned me.¡± Chu Molin saluted then stood in front of the desk.

    ¡°Hmm, sit.¡± The principal of the institution also held a high-rank, thus Chu Molin seemed relatively insignificant in his presence.

    ¡°Principal, may I ask why you wanted to see me?¡± Chu Molin sat down on a chair at one side, his back straight as a rod. If Qin Xue would see him, she might ask, isn¡¯t that tiring?

    ¡°Your visit to our school is on a superior¡¯s order. None of us know what you mainly study, so I asked our fellow seniors to put forward a topic to test where your weak area lies.

    However, I have heard that you are good at many different areas, so I wanted to ask you, what¡¯s your take on this matter?¡± The principal had never handled such a case before.

    This situation with Chu Molin was a first, so he thought he should ask for clarity about it.

    ¡°Principal, you don¡¯t need to make any special arrangements, just let me study with them in the same manner.¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t want to be singled out, he preferred to keep a low profile.

    But even if Chu Molin wanted to keep a low profile, he just couldn¡¯t, because he was notified of his transfer along with the order.

    ¡°Comrade Chu Molin, the transfer order came with news that you¡¯d be the vice director of a research institute in Imperial Capital, so your course content would differ. Based on your profile, you could add one foreign language course, & the rest would be same. What do you think?¡± The principal also had no choice but to arrange as per the issued order.

    Actually, after reviewing Chu Molin¡¯s profile, the principal realized that Chu Molin was studying at their school mainly for the degree, he had the ability, qualifications, and a lot of achievements, but insufficient experience.

    If he wanted to take over the position at Imperial Capital¡¯s research department, he really had to study hard. To complete a three year course in one year was not an easy task.

    This high-level order not only caused immense pressure for Chu Molin, but also for the principal.

    Because the principal knew that producing a talent like Chu Molin was not easy, but the flaws in his personal history necessitated this method.

    The principal sought Chu Molin¡¯s opinion, if he disagreed they could only look for other solutions, after all, neither of them could ignore the order. But who was to say how they were supposed to study?

    ¡°Fine, I will go by the principal¡¯s arrangement.¡± It seemed that Chu Molin had no objections, after all, most things were taught to him by Qin Xue.

    Except for the theoretical knowledge from the research institute, he mostly learned by self-study and tutoring from his wife.

    So Chu Molin had no fear of the foreign language course suggested by the principal because the methodology used by his wife was quite effective.

    ¡°Alright then, there¡¯s nothing else for you. Your file states that you¡¯re married, right?¡± The principal asked, feeling slightly regretful because such a capable man was already taken.

    ¡°Yes, our child just turned a month old.¡± Chu Molin¡¯s cold face softened a bit as he mentioned his wife and child.

    ¡°Really? Then I must congratulate you, with fatherhood comes even greater responsibility.¡± The principal didn¡¯t expect this development.

    ¡°Thank you, principal. I didn¡¯t inform them about my situation when I left today, I will arrange everything when I return home, and can start attending classes normally from tomorrow. However, principal, could I ask you for a favor?¡± Chu Molin pursed his lips and started speaking.

 Chapter 639

    The principal became interested upon hearing this and asked, ¡°What is your request?¡±

    ¡°It is that no one should be told why I am here, what I am doing, or what position I hold while I am studying. Can you do that?¡± Chu Molin mainly didn¡¯t want those people to know.

    There were some things he would go and find out the answers to himself, but before that, he didn¡¯t want anyone to disturb their peaceful lives.

    ¡°Why?¡± The principal was somewhat puzzled, as most people wanted others to know about their background, right?

    ¡°It¡¯s bothersome.¡± Chu Molin¡¯s voice was cold, different from when he was talking about his wife and children earlier.

    ¡°I can do that.¡± The principal looked at Chu Molin and thought that this should be his true nature; otherwise, how could he make such a ¡°capricious¡± decision just because he was bothered?

    His main purpose should be to observe the character of these people. After all, some of them would also be working with him in the future.

    It was indeed a good thing to get to know these people in advance. The principal nodded, thinking that Chu Molin indeed had a long-term vision, which was why his superiors appreciated him so much.

    After all, it was extremely difficult to become a deputy director in the Imperial Capital, a position that many people pursued their entire lives without success, let alone someone as young as Chu Molin.

    ¡°Thank you, Principal. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll go back now.¡± Chu Molin¡¯s thoughts were guessed by the principal, but only halfway.

    Because he did think like that; he didn¡¯t know many people in the Imperial Capital, and most were strangers. If he didn¡¯t take advantage of this opportunity to learn more about them, it would be difficult for him to carry out his work in the future.

    ¡°Okay, go back and take care of your family matters, then return to school. You have a heavy study load ahead, so I hope you won¡¯t be distracted.¡± The principal advised Chu Molin earnestly.

    ¡°I understand, Principal. I¡¯ll go back now. If you need me, you can send someone to find me at x Street, x Number.¡± Chu Molin was only going to stay at home for one night and would come back to school the next day, so it should be impossible for anyone to find him. However, he did have a day off every week, so telling the principal where he lived would make it easier to contact him.

    ¡°Alright, I know. Go back and come early tomorrow for registration and class.¡± The principal waved his hand, reminding Chu Molin not to be late the next morning.

    ¡°Okay, I understand, Principal.¡± Chu Molin stood up, saluted, and left.

    Looking at Chu Molin¡¯s file, the principal laughed, finding him quite interesting, especially the family member section.

    No one had ever kept their enrollment information as confidential as Chu Molin¡¯s.

    In Chu Molin¡¯s file, all family members except for his wife, Qin Xue, were blank.

    To be able to do this, it either meant that Chu Molin¡¯s ability was very great, and no one beneath his superiors was eligible to know his identity, or it meant that Chu Molin¡¯s parents were people the country needed to protect, so their enemies wouldn¡¯t know who they were and target them in retaliation, thus threatening Chu Molin himself. Either way, the principal became even more interested in Chu Molin.

    The principal picked up the phone, dialed a number, spoke a few words, and hung up.

    He then put Chu Molin¡¯s file in a safe where there were some other people¡¯s files. Some of them were dead; some were hiding somewhere, waiting for a notification from higher-ups or for the completion of their tasks before they could return.

    The principal thought about the heavy responsibility of being a researcher, even tougher for their loved ones looking out for the larger and smaller families.

    Once Chu Molin could finally go home, he stepped out of the school gate and strode toward his home, missing his wife and children.

 Chapter 640

    When Chu Molin arrived home, he saw Qin Xue busily cooking.

    ¡°Wife, I¡¯m home.¡± Chu Molin entered by climbing over the wall.

    ¡°Ah, you scared me!¡± Qin Xue was suddenly hugged, and she let out a scream.

    Did this man really not know that scaring someone could startle them to death?

    ¡°Did you miss me?¡± Chu Molin kissed her neck and asked.

    ¡°No.¡± Qin Xue tried to dodge his kisses, feeling ticklish.

    ¡°Tell the truth, did you miss me?¡± Chu Molin held her and wouldn¡¯t let her dodge, breathing on and kissing her neck.

    ¡°I missed you, I missed you.¡± Qin Xue said while dodging. She did miss him, but she wanted him to restrain himself and not indulge too much in their romance, lest it would hurt his body.

    She wondered what Chu Molin would think if he knew the reason.

    ¡°That¡¯s more like it. I missed you and our son.¡± Chu Molin took the spatula from her hand and stirred the vegetables in the wok.

    ¡°Chu Molin, let me do this. Go see if Xiao Qi is home, call him to dinner. This meal is our housewarming feast.¡± Qin Xue pointed at the sumptuous meal on the table and told Chu Molin.

    ¡°Wow, so many dishes, did you go out today?¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t remember them having all these ingredients.

    ¡°Yes, I went out to buy groceries. Where else would you think they came from?¡± Qin Xue gave him a glance, as if asking if he thought they were blown in by the wind.

    ¡°I thought they fell from the sky.¡± Chu Molin smirked.

    ¡°You wish. Too bad the heavens didn¡¯t hear your prayers.¡± Qin Xue playfully replied.

    ¡°Right, it¡¯s a bit sad. The heavens can drop me a wife, but they can¡¯t drop me some meat?? Wife, you agree, right?¡± Chu Molin wrapped his arms around her waist and asked.

    However, his hands started to massage her waist. He had just noticed that her movements seemed a bit off.

    ¡°Mmm, that feels good. To the left a bit, yes, right there, press harder, wow, this hurts so much.¡± Qin Xue could hardly hold back from jumping. Was it because she sprained her waist when dodging that man in the afternoon? This pain was unbearable.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, you didn¡¯t hurt the bone, just the muscle. It¡¯s a little strained. How did you do this?¡± Chu Molin realized why her movements looked so weird earlier.

    ¡°I almost bumped into someone while buying groceries this afternoon. I twisted to avoid them, and ouch, it hurts.¡± Qin Xue felt tears from the pain welling up in her eyes.

    ¡°Endure it, I¡¯ll massage it open, and you¡¯ll feel better. Otherwise, it will hurt even more tomorrow.¡± Chu Molin slightly reduced his strength.

    ¡°Alright, just massage it.¡± Qin Xue gritted her teeth and let Chu Molin massage her until she gradually felt the pain easing. She tried moving her waist, and the soreness was gone. She originally thought it was because Chu Molin wanted her too much, but it turned out she had just twisted it.

    Luckily Chu Molin had come home; she hadn¡¯t thought about this aspect, even though she was a doctor herself. It was really ridiculous that she had been injured and wasn¡¯t aware of it.

    ¡°Be careful these days, and don¡¯t exert yourself.¡± Chu Molin reminded her.

    ¡°I know, go call everyone.¡± Qin Xue quickly stirred the vegetables in the wok, almost burning them.

    ¡°Where are the kids?¡± Chu Molin didn¡¯t seem to be in a hurry; he didn¡¯t really want Xiao Qi to disturb their world of just the two of them.

    ¡°They¡¯re in the room.¡± Qin Xue had guessed Chu Molin would be coming back soon, so she had taken the kids out of the space in advance, otherwise if they weren¡¯t there, she really wouldn¡¯t know how to explain.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go check on the kids.¡± Chu Molin turned around and went back to the room.

    ¡°Ah, Chu Molin, go call everyone first! The food is almost ready.¡± Qin Xue hurriedly yelled, but Chu Molin acted as if he hadn¡¯t heard her.

    Qin Xue was really helpless, wondering why this man suddenly became so unreliable.

 Chapter 641

    Chu Molin was not just unreliable; he was extremely unreliable.

    Because, deep down, he didn¡¯t want Xiao Qi to come over at all. What if he started coming over often to freeload? Chu Molin only had one day off every Saturday. If Xiao Qi, the ¡°human light bulb¡±, wanted to join in, how would Chu Molin get any alone time with his wife?

    Qin Xue would definitely laugh at his face if she knew what he was thinking, and she would be eager to invite more people over.

    ¡°Chu Molin, if you don¡¯t invite him, I¡¯ll go myself,¡± Qin Xue thought. This was a housewarming party after all. They had to invite some outsiders, or else what would they celebrate with just the two of them?

    ¡°I¡¯ll go; you watch the child,¡± Chu Molin reluctantly agreed, knowing that it would not look good to have his wife, a woman, inviting other men over. It was better for him to do it himself.

    Qin Xue just placed the dishes on the table and hadn¡¯t served the rice yet. They were probably going to drink, so they could serve the rice after finishing the drinks.

    ¡°Xue Ling, this is for you,¡± Qin Xue brought a plate of braised pork into the space for Xue Ling.

    ¡°Wow, thank you, Master! You¡¯re the best,¡± Xue Ling was drooling; although the pork outside wasn¡¯t as delicious and full of spiritual energy as the pork in the space, it was still meat.

    That¡¯s why Xue Ling felt very lucky.

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome. Enjoy your meal,¡± Qin Xue patted her head. Xue Ling¡¯s white hair was so soft and smooth. It had an incredible texture.

    ¡°Mm-hmm,¡± Xue Ling quickly continued eating without paying much attention to Qin Xue.

    Qin Xue didn¡¯t mind being ignored, and she left the space to check on the baby and feed her. She then waited for the two men to come back for dinner.

    ¡°Hey, boss, what brings you here?¡± Xiao Qi had just returned and hadn¡¯t had time to change his clothes when Chu Molin arrived.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er cooked dinner and wants to have a housewarming party. She invited you,¡± Chu Molin glanced at him indifferently.

    ¡°That¡¯s great! Can we bring two more people, though?¡± Xiao Qi asked as he planned to change his clothes and go out for dinner.

    ¡°Who?¡± Chu Molin guessed who it would be, but he wanted confirmation.

    ¡°Zhaozi and An¡¯an. Who else could it be?¡± Xiao Qi casually answered as he took off his suit.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. They can come too,¡± Chu Molin thought that since they already had Xiao Qi, the ¡°human light bulb¡±, it wouldn¡¯t make much of a difference to have two more people.

    ¡°They¡¯ll be here soon,¡± Xiao Qi checked the time and said.

    ¡°Mm.¡± Chu Molin sat down on a chair nearby.

    ¡°How¡¯s your preparation going?¡± Chu Molin asked.

    ¡°Just a little bit more, and we¡¯ll be ready. However, since we just started working here, it might take some time to transition,¡± Xiao Qi took off his tie, glanced at Chu Molin, and said

    ¡°Take your time,¡± Xiao Qi wasn¡¯t worried, and he had confidence in doing it well.

    ¡°As long as you know what you¡¯re doing, that¡¯s fine. You know I can¡¯t be involved in this,¡± Chu Molin was completely hands-off, only taking dividends and not interfering in anything else.

    This was actually a great outcome for managers since there would be no conflicts in opinions, and any decision could be made swiftly without dragging on.

    ¡°When do you plan to let them know you¡¯ve come to the Imperial Capital?¡± Xiao Qi poured a glass of water for Chu Molin.

    ¡°They might already know by now. Do you think their intelligence is so outdated?¡± Chu Molin scoffed, thinking that Xiao Qi was too naive. For people like them, they would know about any movements in the Imperial Capital as soon as they occurred. Would they still be in the dark up until now?

    ¡°You¡¯re right; I was overthinking it,¡± Xiao Qi rubbed his nose, admitting that Chu Molin was right. Those women at home might come to catch him in a few days.

 Chapter 642

    Actually, Chu Molin was not afraid of anything else; he just worried about others affecting Qin Xue and her children. After all, he was going to join the military school and would not be home often. If someone came to trouble them, who would help them? So, it was best if they didn¡¯t involve anyone else.

    However, they knew that was impossible, and it was only a matter of time. For now, he just hoped that his wife could live a peaceful life, undisturbed by these things. Then, he would be grateful.

    ¡°Did you tell Zhaozi we¡¯ve arrived, or has he also gotten here already?¡± Chu Molin thought about how their spouses would definitely join the fun together after they arrived.

    If his wife could be with An Hao, at least they would have company. This would ease his mind and he wouldn¡¯t have to worry too much about her not being able to take care of the child alone.

    ¡°He knows, I told him the date when I came back, so he came back too.

    You wouldn¡¯t believe how fast he acted. As soon as I said I¡¯d come back, he immediately made arrangements, and we arrived in Imperial Capital one right after the other,¡± said Xiao Qi with a smile.

    Though sometimes a bit silly, this guy was mostly reliable, or else the years he spent in the army would have been wasted, right?

    If Li Zhao knew how little these two men thought of him, he might have wondered whether he¡¯d made a mistake in keeping them as friends.

    Chu Molin took this opportunity to ask Xiao Qi to help take care of his wife and child: ¡°Qiqi, I only have one day of rest a week.

    If Xue¡¯er and her children need anything, please help them. If there¡¯s anything they can¡¯t solve, I¡¯ll deal with it when I come back.¡±

    ¡°Big brother, do you really need to remind me of that? I¡¯ll definitely help as soon as my sister-in-law asks. I¡¯ll also bring you news, so don¡¯t worry,¡± Xiao Qi replied confidently.

    ¡°Brother, thank you. Let¡¯s go,¡± Chu Molin stood up.

    ¡°Big brother, they haven¡¯t arrived yet?¡± Xiao Qi asked.

    ¡°They¡¯re already here, we¡¯ll meet them just as we go out,¡± Chu Molin took the lead and walked out.

    Xiao Qi was a bit skeptical but followed him out. As soon as he opened the door, he saw three people walking towards them.

    Chu Molin gave him a ¡®told-you-so¡¯ look, but when he saw one of them, his face turned cold.

    ¡°Big brother, we¡¯re here!¡± Li Zhao shouted as he saw Chu Molin.

    ¡°Molin, Xiao Qi,¡± An Hao, heavily pregnant, walked slowly.

    ¡°Big brother, Qiqi,¡± Chu Xiaoqiao was very excited to see her big brother after so many years but felt sad when she saw his cold expression. Why couldn¡¯t her big brother accept her?

    Even if there was a problem, it was between their parents. What did it have to do with her? It had been her childhood dream to be close to her big brother.

    ¡°Big brother, about this¡­¡± Li Zhao didn¡¯t know what to do either. Chu Xiaoqiao was playing at their house, and when she heard they were going to visit Xiao Qi, she wanted to come too.

    If there was a lame excuse, she claimed she hadn¡¯t seen Xiao Qi for many years. It¡¯s a bluff; she clearly saw him at their wedding last time. The real reason for coming was hearing that Chu Molin was nearby.

    But everyone knew that these siblings didn¡¯t get along, and Li Zhao brought her along at the risk of being beaten by Chu Molin. He just hoped that he wouldn¡¯t take it out on him.

    ¡°Since you¡¯re all here, let¡¯s go,¡± Chu Molin finally spoke, neither inviting nor rejecting Chu Xiaoqiao¡¯s presence.

    So is Chu Xiaoqiao allowed to come along or not? Can you give a clear answer, big brother? Li Zhao was inwardly panicked. If he had known earlier, he would never have let her come along.

 Chapter 643

    ¡°What are you waiting for? Let¡¯s go!¡± Chu Molin said when they didn¡¯t move.

    ¡°Ah, okay, let¡¯s go.¡± Li Zhao was happy when he heard this, did that mean there was no opposition?

    ¡°Idiot.¡± An Hao couldn¡¯t help but laugh and scold at her husband¡¯s foolish look.

    ¡°An¡¯an, you¡¯re just realizing now that he¡¯s an idiot? Isn¡¯t it a bit too late for that?¡± Xiao Qi joked with An Hao.

    ¡°I really didn¡¯t know back then. I wonder if it¡¯s too late to regret now?¡± An Hao spoke softly.

    ¡°An¡¯an, don¡¯t listen to their nonsense. You know how I treat you, you can¡¯t dump me.¡± Li Zhao glared at Xiao Qi hatefully. It was always like this, and his little heart couldn¡¯t take it, okay?

    Chu Xiaoqiao was envious as she watched them, wishing she could be part of their atmosphere.

    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± An Hao asked, seeing Chu Xiaoqiao deep in thought.

    ¡°An Hao, you guys are so great together,¡± Chu Xiaoqiao said with longing.

    ¡°What¡¯s so great about it? Let me tell you, your brother¡¯s opinion doesn¡¯t matter; it¡¯s your sister-in-law¡¯s opinion that counts.

    If you want to get on good terms with your brother, just treat your sister-in-law well.¡± An Hao was thinking about the rare moments when Qin Xue was pleased with Molin. As long as Qin Xue was pleased, there would be no problem here.

    ¡°Really? Will my sister-in-law like me?¡± Chu Xiaoqiao asked with some concern.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Qin Xue is great. But she is very protective of her family, and she treats your brother very well.

    As long as you are sincere to both of them, she won¡¯t do anything to you.¡± An Hao knew that Qin Xue truly cared for Chu Molin.

    Those who dared to mistreat Chu Molin would never win Qin Xue¡¯s favor, so Chu Xiaoqiao had to be sincere if she wanted to mend her relationship with Chu Molin.

    ¡°After hearing that, I¡¯m really curious about my sister-in-law. I want to meet her as soon as possible.¡± Chu Xiaoqiao wasn¡¯t a bad person; it¡¯s just that many people didn¡¯t understand her.

    Upon hearing about her family background, others assumed she was difficult to get along with. But that¡¯s because those people were too fake most of the time.

    Chu Xiaoqiao didn¡¯t bother playing with them, resulting in rumors that she was too arrogant and looked down on others.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll see her soon.¡± An Hao patted her arm and smiled.

    Chu Molin listened to their conversation and felt somewhat uncomfortable. What was all this about?

    ¡°You¡¯re so inconsiderate, Third Brother. I was planning to buy a house for Big Brother, but you beat me to it. Why do you always oppose me?¡± Li Zhao complained to Xiao Qi with dissatisfaction. He just loved being at odds with him.

    ¡°You can¡¯t blame me for that. Big Brother bought the house himself, I just instructed someone to buy it. If you don¡¯t believe it, ask Big Brother yourself.¡± Xiao Qi knew Chu Molin¡¯s character well.

    If he interfered, it would hurt their relationship, so he wouldn¡¯t do such an unthankful job.

    ¡°Big Brother, is what Third Brother said true?¡± Li Zhao asked Chu Molin, having been deceived by the cunning Xiao Qi too many times.

    ¡°Mm.¡± Chu Molin glanced at him and replied with a single tone.

    ¡°You could have told me, and I could have bought a house to be with you all.¡± Li Zhao thought about it; the house they bought wasn¡¯t in the same area.

    ¡°Just sell that one and buy a new one here. Is it really worth getting so distressed over?¡± Xiao Qi looked at him, puzzled.

    ¡°Easy for you to say. Do you think it¡¯s that easy to sell that house and buy a new one?¡± Li Zhao really wanted to punch him.

 Chapter 644

    ¡°It¡¯s not that hard, you can ask your family for money to buy it first, keep the other ones, and I¡¯m telling you, that house might make you a profit in the future.¡± Xiao Qi was saying from his personal point of view.

    Unexpectedly, Li Zhao took it to heart, and in the end, he really did make a profit.

    Chu Molin didn¡¯t respond to their conversation because he also agreed with Xiao Qi¡¯s idea. If it weren¡¯t for his identity not allowing it, he would want to make good money and buy a few sets himself.

    Qin Xue was waiting for them at home, wondering why it was taking them so long to return.

    She didn¡¯t know why both children suddenly started crying, so she changed their diapers and then held them one in each arm while sitting in a chair.

    It¡¯s not that she didn¡¯t want Xue Ling to come out, but she hadn¡¯t found a good reason yet. After all, who would believe that she found such a big, beautiful child just the second day after coming here?

    From a distance, Chu Molin heard his son crying and hurried his pace. The others didn¡¯t understand why but followed faster as well.

    By the time they appeared at the door, they saw Qin Xue holding one child in each hand, trying to soothe them.

    ¡°What happened? Why are they crying so hard?¡± Chu Molin hurriedly stepped forward to take one of the children from her.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, they just suddenly started crying, I have no idea what happened.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t know either, okay?

    ¡°Yu Ze, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Chu Molin held his older son and asked, but how could such a young child answer him?

    ¡°Okay, he¡¯s too young to understand what you mean. Bring them back to me, and I¡¯ll take a look.¡± Qin Xue had been confused just now.

    She¡¯s a doctor. Even if she¡¯s a surgeon, hasn¡¯t she been studying medicine in the space for so long? So, she wasn¡¯t afraid that she couldn¡¯t see any minor issues, her concern was just confusing her.

    ¡°Alright, you all sit down for a while, let us see what¡¯s wrong with the kids first, then we can have dinner later.¡± After responding to Qin Xue, Chu Molin turned and spoke to the people behind him.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, you guys take care of the children first, we¡¯ll just wait here.¡± An Hao knew that the children were the main priority, so they could wait for a while.

    ¡°Alright then, please make yourselves comfortable.¡± Chu Molin nodded and didn¡¯t bother being polite with them anymore, taking the children and his wife into the inner room.

    Qin Xue placed the children on the bed and began checking their bodies, but she couldn¡¯t find anything wrong after several checks. What was the reason for their crying? Was it because her skills were lacking that she couldn¡¯t find anything?

    ¡°Master, the young masters are fine. Don¡¯t worry, they will stop crying when they¡¯re done.¡± Xue Ling thought she should explain herself, or else Qin Xue would be angry with her later, and she wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it.

    ¡°Why?¡± Qin Xue asked.

    ¡°What do you mean why?¡± Chu Molin asked in confusion.

    ¡°Shut up, I wasn¡¯t asking you.¡± Qin Xue interrupted him and scolded angrily.

    Chu Molin pursed his lips and said nothing, just holding the child and standing aside.

    ¡°Tell me, why?¡± Qin Xue was really angry, people who cut others off mid-sentence are really annoying.

    Especially when she didn¡¯t know the reason, it was even more annoying for her words to be interrupted. She wanted to hit someone, do they know that?

    Her children¡¯s crying broke her heart¡ªany mother wouldn¡¯t want to see her children cry like this. But did they know how frustrated she was at this point?

    She felt so useless. The children were crying, and she had no solutions, only panic. Why wouldn¡¯t she be angry about it?

    But hearing Qin Xue¡¯s words, Xue Ling¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Oh no, the master was angry, would she be punished severely?

 Chapter 645

    After a moment of hesitation, Xue Ling, seeing Qin Xue¡¯s anger, finally decided to clear things up with her master in order to avoid any trouble if Qin Xue were to really fly off the handle at her.

    ¡°Master, they¡¯ve been drinking the spiritual bamboo pith while inside the dimension. They are now in the process of adapting, and this will help optimize their physical conditions.

    This will make it easier for them to learn martial arts or anything else, they¡¯ll be more successful.¡± Xue Ling explained haltingly.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say so at the beginning, don¡¯t you know I was worried?¡± Qin Xue was indeed infuriated with this creature, was she trying to annoy her to death?

    ¡°I was afraid to say anything seeing how angry you were.¡± Xue Ling thought to herself that if it hadn¡¯t been for Qin Xue¡¯s evident distress which almost necessitated medical attention, she wouldn¡¯t have spoken up. But she dared not say this out loud.

    ¡°Then why are you saying it now?¡± Knowing the cause seemed to have calmed Qin Xue, so she asked leisurely.

    ¡°I feared that you would hit me when you found out the reason.¡± Xue Ling wasn¡¯t just afraid of death, she was afraid of pain.

    ¡°Hmm, you better watch out because knowing the reason now still makes me want to hit you. No, starting from now, you will never get good food again, don¡¯t expect to eat anything I cook.¡± Qin Xue thought to herself; so you like good food, do you?

    Alright then, from now on you won¡¯t get a taste of it. This for a food lover surely is the cruelest punishment.

    ¡°Please, don¡¯t, master. From now on, I¡¯ll consult you before doing anything, okay? Please don¡¯t take away the good food.¡± Xue Ling wailed.

    ¡°Nope, you won¡¯t learn your lesson otherwise. Do you know feeding them whatever you want could potentially harm them? Can they eat just anything?¡± Qin Xue thought; well, she understood what it was when she heard about the spiritual bamboo pith. It¡¯s just the essence from bamboo, right? It¡¯s actually beneficial rather than harmful because it can reduce inflammation and soothe the heart.

    But Xue Ling acted so rashly, made her worry for no reason and had her even yell at Chu Molin. How was she going to explain why she had shouted at him?

    ¡°Master,¡± Xue Ling tried to plead, but no matter what she said, Qin Xue wouldn¡¯t budge.

    ¡°How about this, master? I¡¯ll tell you how to explain this to the male master, and in return, you cook me some good food, okay?¡± Xue Ling thought, if their master was worried about this, she could make it work.

    ¡°Speak. What¡¯s your strategy? If I approve of it, then I¡¯ll let you eat.¡± Qin Xue intended to just give her a scare to make her think twice before feeding anything to the kids. She didn¡¯t mean to starve her; it¡¯s simply to prepare her psychologically.

    ¡°Why not just say you were so worried that you lost your mind?¡± Xue Ling blurted out casually.

    ¡°Xue Ling, it seems that you really don¡¯t take this seriously, do you? You dare to deceive me.¡± Qin Xue thought to herself; she didn¡¯t even believe such an excuse, let alone Chu Molin.

    ¡°But besides this, what other good idea can you come up with? Or, are you going to tell him about my existence? I don¡¯t mind, as long as you¡¯re comfortable with it,¡± Xue Ling said.

    ¡°You, you¡¯re honestly a great spiritual pet of mine, always finding ways to trick me,¡± Qin Xue wished she could bring Xue Ling out and give her a good beating.

    ¡°Master, you can¡¯t hit me, I¡¯m afraid of pain,¡± Xue Ling shouted.

    ¡°Stop eavesdropping on my thoughts, otherwise, don¡¯t expect me to cook anything for you ever again,¡± Qin Xue threatened Xue Ling angrily.

    ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t listen, but will you do as I said?¡± Xue Ling asked Qin Xue.

    In the midst of the exchange between the two, Chu Molin, holding a child, stood aside watching Qin Xue, not understanding her sudden anger or what she was thinking about.

 Chapter 646

    That¡¯s right, ever since Qin Xue scolded Chu Molin earlier, she realized that she was using her consciousness to communicate with Xue Ling. If she talked to herself, Chu Molin would definitely think something was wrong with her. So she communicated with Xue Ling using her consciousness afterward.

    ¡°From now on, shut up and don¡¯t speak. Just let me handle other things.¡± Qin Xue ordered Xue Ling.

    ¡°Got it, master, good luck to you!¡± Xue Ling was happy and escaped from the crisis.

    ¡°Good luck my ass, you¡¯re just a good-for-nothing.¡± Qin Xue felt helpless, and she still had to find a solution.

    ¡°Chu Molin, I checked and the kids are fine. Then I thought about it for a long time and finally figured it out.

    They must be acting up because I let them sleep in the bed for too long today and didn¡¯t hold them enough. So, let them cry it out, and they¡¯ll be fine.

    We can¡¯t let them get spoiled like this, crying just when they aren¡¯t being held, right? Otherwise, when you go to school and I can¡¯t hold both of them, wouldn¡¯t they cry even harder, right?¡± Qin Xue originally wanted to use the method Xue Ling suggested, but she knew it wasn¡¯t going to be convincing.

    Only by making him feel sorry for her would work, so Qin Xue used herself as an example since that was the truth.

    ¡°So what should we do? Should we ask my mother-in-law to come and help with the kids for a while?¡± Chu Molin thought, it seemed like this was the only solution, otherwise they would need to hire someone to help, but his wife might not trust a stranger.

    ¡°No need, I¡¯ll adapt gradually. Just don¡¯t pity them if they cry like this.¡± Qin Xue said with a smile.

    ¡°Right, as long as you don¡¯t feel bad, then you don¡¯t have to worry about me.¡± Chu Molin smiled. His wife didn¡¯t want to reveal her secret to him. Fine, he thought he had figured it out already, so why was he bothered again?

    ¡°I definitely won¡¯t. Even if I feel bad for them, I won¡¯t spoil them.¡± Qin Xue couldn¡¯t help it, but anyway, they had always been well-behaved kids, and they were just going through a difficult phase. It would pass soon.

    ¡°Since everything is fine, let¡¯s go out. We still have guests.¡± Chu Molin said.

    After the family entered the inner room, Chu Xiaoqiao asked An Hao: ¡°An Hao, is that pretty sister just now my sister-in-law?¡±

    ¡°Yes, isn¡¯t she very beautiful?¡± An Hao asked with a smile.

    ¡°Yeah, very beautiful, and she looks very nice too. No wonder you always say good things about her.¡± Chu Xiaoqiao said, feeling a sense of closeness to Qin Xue the moment she saw her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she will like you.¡± An Hao patted her shoulder to comfort her and told her not to worry so much.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m not worried. I trust my brother¡¯s judgment.¡± Chu Xiaoqiao took a deep breath.

    On the other side, Xiao Qi and Li Zhao were whispering to each other: ¡°Why did you bring that girl here? Don¡¯t you know what the boss meant?¡±

    ¡°I really can¡¯t be blamed for this. You know that ever since An¡¯an and I came back married, she stayed at home all the time. I don¡¯t know when they became such good friends. I originally planned to take An¡¯an out to relax today, but Xiaoqiao found out and wanted to come too. I wanted to refuse.

    But An¡¯an said to let her come along. It¡¯s not good for sister-in-law Qin Xue not to know anyone here in Imperial Capital. What if she gets bullied? An¡¯an said Xiaoqiao isn¡¯t like how she appears on the surface or how she¡¯s described outside. It¡¯s good for Qin Xue to get to know her.

    You know I can¡¯t bear to refuse An¡¯an¡¯s request, so I brought her along. Don¡¯t worry, if things really get unpleasant, I¡¯ll explain.¡± Li Zhao thought, anyhow, mending their relationship would be good for the boss in Imperial Capital too. So, he took the risk of being scolded and did it anyway. It¡¯s not like he had it easy.

 Chapter 647

    Even if he didn¡¯t want to do it, for Chu Molin¡¯s sake, he did it anyway. Li Zhao thought, what other brother could go to this extent? It could only be him.

    ¡°Alright, just be careful, only bring those you feel won¡¯t annoy Chu Molin,¡± Xiao Qi knew Chu Xiaoqiao wasn¡¯t as innocent as she seemed. If it were otherwise, she would have driven her away right at the gate. Now she was here at their home.

    However, he noticed Chu Molin did not seem to object, probably out of consideration for his wife, Qin Xue after all.

    When Chu Molin and his wife came out, they were amused to find the four of them sitting there upright and rigid.

    ¡°You guys know both of us well, so why the need for such formality?¡± Qin Xue scanned the room, noticed a stranger. They didn¡¯t introduce her, so she didn¡¯t ask.

    ¡°Hello sister-in-law,¡± all four of them greeted Qin Xue at the same time.

    ¡°Hello all, just be yourselves, like how it was back in S Province, treat us just as you would normally do. Don¡¯t make it seem like we¡¯ve just met,¡± Qin Xue laughs as even the unknown girl called her sister-in-law. As long as they weren¡¯t there to cause trouble.

    ¡°Qin Xue, you have no idea how bored I¡¯ve been, cooped up at home all day. If Xiaoqiao hadn¡¯t come to keep me company, I would have died of boredom,¡± An Hao had been formal because of Chu Molin¡¯s presence. Now that Qin Xue was talking, what did she have to fear?

    ¡°You can always come over to hang out, since I¡¯ll be stuck at home with our child and having nothing much to do. If you come and keep me company, we can kill time together, don¡¯t you think?¡± Qin Xue asked An Hao.

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind, if you ever get bored at home, you can visit me. Do get to know my family. Regardless of whether it¡¯s my in-laws or my parent¡¯s family, they¡¯re wonderful people. They¡¯re sure to like you,¡± An Hao invited Qin Xue over to her house.

    ¡°Really? I¡¯ll definitely come and visit if I get the chance. It¡¯s nice to be acquainted,¡± Qin Xue said with a smile, glad to have someone to hang out with.

    ¡°Sister-in-law, may I come over more often?¡± Chu Xiaoqiao asked Qin Xue, stealing glances at Chu Molin.

    ¡°Uh, this¡­,¡± Qin Xue noticed Chu Xiaoqiao¡¯s actions and hesitated.

    ¡°Sister-in-law, my name is Chu Xiaoqiao, I am¡­¡± Chu Xiaoqiao tried to say she was Chu Molin¡¯s sister but dared not, for fear that her elder brother would kick her out, meaning she couldn¡¯t visit them anymore.

    ¡°Chu Xiaoqiao, you share the same Chu surname.¡± Qin Xue asked in surprise, watching her careful demeanor. Could she be a family of Chu Molin¡¯s?

    Exactly, she¡¯d been addressing her sister-in-law this whole time. This meant she¡¯s not only related to Chu Molin, but she¡¯s his sister. Looking at the girl called Chu Xiaoqiao, Qin Xue found her quite likeable. Her body language suggested she was a good-hearted girl.

    Qin Xue glanced at Chu Molin, who remained silent, then said: ¡°Sure, come over whenever you feel like it.¡±

    ¡°Really? That¡¯s fantastic! Thank you, sister-in-law! Big brother, from now on I can visit you guys often! How wonderful,¡± Chu Xiaoqiao exclaimed excitedly.

    Qin Xue laughed at her behavior, what a kid! This child was really eager to spend time with them. She was so overjoyed just at the idea of being able to visit them regularly.

 Chapter 648

    Qin Xue held her husband¡¯s hand and smiled at him, ¡°I like this little girl.¡±

    ¡°If you like her, let her stay,¡± Chu Molin pursed his lips and said.

    ¡°Chu Molin, you are so good to me,¡± Qin Xue smiled gently.

    ¡°Silly girl, stop talking nonsense,¡± Chu Molin touched her head and said. As long as his wife was happy, accepting this half-sister didn¡¯t bother him.

    ¡°By the way, Qin Xue, how are the kids? They¡¯re still crying, but you two seem completely unfazed. Was the tension just now fake?¡± An Hao asked Qin Xue.

    ¡°Oh, they¡¯re fine, just having a little tantrum. Some crying will help,¡± Qin Xue replied with a smile.

    ¡°That¡¯s good. Later, you¡¯ll have to bring them out for me to get a good look,¡± An Hao said, eager to get some practice in childcare in advance.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine, but I¡¯m afraid you might not be able to handle it. Let¡¯s go and eat now, or our food will get cold,¡± Qin Xue said, noting that the dishes had been sitting out for a while.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, it¡¯s not really cold yet,¡± An Hao said. It was just a little chilly, requiring long sleeves.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go and see. If it¡¯s cold, I¡¯ll heat it up,¡± Qin Xue thought, not wanting her guests to eat cold food.

    After checking, the food was indeed too cold. Qin Xue had to heat it up again, as most of the dishes were meat-based and would be inedible when congealed with oil.

    ¡°Alright, everyone, let¡¯s dig in before it gets cold again,¡± Qin Xue smiled and urged everyone.

    ¡°Thank you, sister-in-law, for working so hard,¡± everyone said in unison, their voices loud and clear.

    ¡°Hehe, it¡¯s no trouble, just eat whatever you like, and don¡¯t be shy,¡± Qin Xue gave Chu Molin a piece of meat and smiled at him.

    No one else said anything since they had all seen it before. Only Chu Xiaoqiao widened her eyes in surprise. Was that gentle man really her big brother? It was as if he had been replaced by someone else.

    Chu Xiaoqiao glanced up at everyone else, then lowered her head and continued eating when she saw their calm expressions. She always remembered her brother as being cold and distant, not caring about anyone else, but now he had changed.

    It made sense. After so many years of not seeing each other, there would be some changes. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t be here, right? So, the change was good. This meant he might bring his sister-in-law and nephews home eventually. But what about Xiao¡¯ai?

    As Chu Xiaoqiao thought about this dilemma, her headache grew. On one hand, there was her grandfather¡¯s arranged marriage, and on the other, her brother was now married and had children. Moreover, she liked her sister-in-law at first sight. What should she do?

    Chu Xiaoqiao was lost in thought while eating and hardly touched the dishes.

    Qin Xue noticed and placed a piece of braised pork in her bowl, ¡°What are you thinking about? You¡¯re not eating. Is the food not to your taste?¡±

    ¡°Ah, sister-in-law, thank you. No, I was just distracted by something. The food you made is delicious,¡± Chu Xiaoqiao said, surprised that Qin Xue had served her food.

    ¡°If you like it, eat more. And when you eat, focus on eating, don¡¯t think about other things. It¡¯s not good for your stomach,¡± Qin Xue smiled at her. This girl was quite simple-minded and not the scheming type.

    ¡°Alright, thank you, sister-in-law,¡± Chu Xiaoqiao picked up the meat and took a bite. It was melt-in-your-mouth tender, rich but not greasy, and very delicious.

 Chapter 649

    As everyone finished their meal while chatting and laughing, the two children had cried enough, and then Qin Xue fed them and changed their clothes before bringing them out.

    ¡°Wow, such beautiful children! Sister-in-law, can I hold them?¡± Chu Xiaoqiao came up as soon as Qin Xue brought the children out.

    ¡°Sure.¡± Qin Xue didn¡¯t object, as it was no problem letting her hold them since she was their aunt after all.

    ¡°So nice, baby, I¡¯m your auntie.¡± Chu Xiaoqiao already knew that her big brother had two children when she was at An Hao¡¯s house, so she wasn¡¯t surprised to see the two of them. However, she was amazed at how beautiful and cute the children were. If her grandfather saw them, she wondered if he would regret trying to matchmake them.

    ¡°The children are too young to recognize people yet.¡± Qin Xue watched An Hao and Chu Xiaoqiao each holding a child and talking, and laughed, saying that they were just like her silly husband ¨C they both liked to talk to their children.

    ¡°Sister-in-law, what are their names?¡± Chu Xiaoqiao asked Qin Xue.

    ¡°The elder one is Chu Mengze, nicknamed Yu Ze, and the younger one is Chu Nanchun, nicknamed Yu Chen.¡± Qin Xue and her husband sat and watched them with a smile.

    ¡°Qin Xue, how did you come up with these two names? They sound so nice.¡± An Hao asked after repeating the names in her mind twice.

    ¡°You should ask him about that. He came up with the names, not me.¡± Qin Xue pointed to her husband beside her.

    ¡°Oh, it turns out Molin came up with them. I thought you picked them?¡± An Hao didn¡¯t ask any further, as she also didn¡¯t dare to.

    For some reason, An Hao was always hesitant to ask Chu Molin anything; this was true since childhood. If she were asked to ask Chu Molin something, she would rather not ask at all.

    What they didn¡¯t know was that the reason stemmed from when they were little. Once, while An Hao was doing homework and Xiao Qi was away playing with others, she was left sitting there writing. Later, she encountered a problem she couldn¡¯t solve.

    By coincidence, Chu Molin returned from outside, so she asked him for help. He only looked at her coldly, then took her notebook and explained the problem. However, perhaps due to that cold glance, no matter how Chu Molin explained, An Hao just couldn¡¯t understand. It wasn¡¯t until Chu Molin lost his temper that she cried and ran away; since then, she never asked Chu Molin anything again.

    Now, Qin Xue told her to ask Chu Molin, but she certainly didn¡¯t want to.

    However, Qin Xue didn¡¯t know the reason, she just assumed An Hao knew and therefore didn¡¯t ask.

    Chu Molin played with his wife¡¯s hand without speaking; of course, he remembered that incident too. However, it wasn¡¯t his fault; An Hao was simply too slow, and no matter how much he explained, she wouldn¡¯t understand. In the end, she ran away, leaving him speechless.

    At that time, he wondered if he was that terrifying; he managed to not only make her cry but also frighten her away. However, from that point on, his ears were no longer bombarded with incessant chatter, and things were much quieter.

    If An Hao knew this, she would certainly feel wronged. She was genuinely scared by Chu Molin; how could she know he was like that? He was even scarier than a teacher.

    Everyone continued to tease the children while chatting and laughing until very late when they finally left. Chu Xiaoqiao didn¡¯t even want to leave, but she didn¡¯t dare to speak up. Although Qin Xue noticed this, she wanted her husband to gradually accept the Chus on his own rather than forcing him to accept them right away, since she understood that pushing too hard would cause a backlash.

    However, it was indeed quite frustrating not knowing what the actual conflict was between them. She only took charge of the situation because she saw that Chu Molin didn¡¯t seem to be very resistant to Chu Xiaoqiao.

 Chapter 650

    Only after everyone else had left did Chu Molin and his wife start washing up and head to bed.

    ¡°Xue¡¯er, starting from tomorrow, I¡¯ll be going to school. I only have one day off in a week, which means I can only be home one day a week. So you¡¯ll have the tough job of taking care of the two kids alone,¡± Chu Molin said softly to Qin Xue, careful not to wake the children.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about us, just focus on your studies. I¡¯ll take care of myself and the kids,¡± Qin Xue replied adjusting to a comfortable position, in response to her husband¡¯s concerns.

    ¡°I¡¯m just worried that you won¡¯t be able to cope with taking care of two children alone,¡± Chu Molin caressed her long hair and swept it aside.

    ¡°Why worry about that? I have to adapt, don¡¯t I?¡± Qin Xue laughed, knowing she could call upon Xue Ling to help with childcare when Chu Molin wasn¡¯t home. It wouldn¡¯t solely be her responsibility.

    But she couldn¡¯t express this directly to Chu Molin, so she assured him she would learn to adapt instead.

    ¡°Right, I just worry about you,¡± Chu Molin kissed the top of her head, feeling a sense of concern for his wife and children like never before.

    But today, he truly understood that for their future wellbeing, he had to steel himself to focus on his studies and strive to climb higher.

    ¡°Chu Molin, you should focus on your studies, not worrying about us. Take good care of yourself. Only when you are doing well can you be the guardian for our family. If you stay strong, we¡¯ll always be protected.

    Only when you are successful, will we be safeguarded from harm and secure happiness,¡± Qin Xue gently guided, turning to hug his waist and resting her head on his arm.

    His current state of vulnerability was unnerving, it made him an easy target to exploit, which was detrimental for him.

    ¡°Okay, I understand. Take good care of the kids and wait for me at home,¡± Chu Molin gently kissed her forehead.

    ¡°Let¡¯s sleep now. You have classes tomorrow. We don¡¯t want to leave a negative impression on the teachers,¡± Qin Xue mumbled sleepily. She was exhausted.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s sleep.¡± Chu Molin continued to gently massage her waist until she fell asleep, he then closed his eyes to sleep too.

    In the middle of the night, when the children cried, Chu Molin got up to change their diapers and settled them back down to sleep. After nursing them back to sleep, he too went back to rest. However, his biological clock didn¡¯t allow him to sleep for long.

    He rose to find his wife and children still sound asleep. He left a note for his wife informing her that he was going to school and won¡¯t be back until Sunday. He also asked her to turn to Xiao Qi and Li Zhao for help if needed, rather than try to cope alone.

    After leaving the note on the table, he jogged to the school. He reached early, and used the time to do a few laps around the field.

    When the crowd started gathering, Chu Molin stopped to wipe off his sweat, then headed back to his dorm to change into fresh clothes for class.

    Having sorted out his things in the dormitory after registration the previous day, he was able to return home after the exam.

    So, he didn¡¯t have to worry about setting up his space this morning and could move in directly. Otherwise, getting settled would¡¯ve been a hassle so early in the morning.

    Once Chu Molin was ready, he headed to the cafeteria for breakfast, ensuring he was prepared for his first class. He knew he had ¡®parachuted¡¯ in here and that the other students were homegrown.

    Even if they were to be placed under him later, he would still be the outsider. If he couldn¡¯t establish some respect now, he might struggle with management later.

    This was why Chu Molin was both studying and observing. His orders included the responsibility to train an elite squad, so like the principal said, his time was pressing.

 Chapter 651

    Back to Nangong Shulan and her daughter, Qin Jiale, they saw Qin Lei waiting for them as soon as they got off the train.

    ¡°Dad, we¡¯re back.¡± Qin Jiale greeted her father as soon as she saw him.

    ¡°Did you have fun at your sister¡¯s?¡± Qin Lei, seeing his daughter happier than before, asked with a smile.

    ¡°I did, my sister was really nice to me. She gave us a lot of stuff to bring back.¡± Qin Jiale explained, pointing towards the luggage behind her to her father.

    ¡°Why did you bring so much? Did you empty your sister¡¯s house and brought it all here?¡± Qin Lei couldn¡¯t help but be surprised at the mountain of luggage. It was just too much.

    ¡°Dad, my sister and her family moved to Imperial Capital and couldn¡¯t take all their stuff, so Mum and I brought it back. If you don¡¯t believe me, ask Mum if I¡¯m lying. Also, I¡¯m going to study at Imperial University, just like my sister.¡± Qin Jiale looked at her father somewhat aggrieved. Why was it that she was being accused of moving her sister¡¯s entire house here?

    ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± Nangong Shulan smiled at her husband¡¯s reaction.

    ¡°They moved to Imperial Capital just like that?¡± Qin Lei questioned as he took the luggage from his wife¡¯s hands.

    ¡°Molin was transferred to Imperial Capital so they all went together to look after Qin Xue and her children,¡± Nangong Shulan explained while carrying the rest of the luggage.

    It took them two trips to move everything. Thinking back to the envious glances from people when they saw all the stuff they had, Qin Jiale felt quite proud. These were gifts from her sister. No one else had a better sister than her.

    ¡°Could Qin Xue take care of two children all by herself once they got there?¡± Qin Lei asked, feeling concerned.

    ¡°I have asked her the same question, but she said she can manage. There¡¯s nothing I could do if she can¡¯t. I¡¯ve got my hands full here at home. If I went to help, could you handle everything by yourself? Lele still has to go to school.

    But I¡¯ve told them, if they really couldn¡¯t manage, they should tell me and I can arrange to go there. We can¡¯t just ignore them, right? But if that happens, things would be much tougher for you.¡± Nangong Shulan said gently, looking at her husband.

    ¡°We should, of course. How could I turn a blind eye to our children¡¯s struggles?¡± Qin Lei sighed. Indeed, Qin Xue was his daughter, and no father would stand by as his daughter suffered.

    ¡°Well, we¡¯ll worry about it later. Now let¡¯s go home. We brought back so much stuff, many of them are for Mum and Dad. There are food and clothes and all sorts of things you can¡¯t even imagine.¡± Nangong Shulan whispered to her husband.

    ¡°What sort of things? You make it sound so mysterious.¡± Qin Lei¡¯s interest was piqued.

    ¡°We¡¯ll talk about it at home.¡± Nangong Shulan had been cautious all the way, for fear of losing their wealth.

    Everyone understands to keep their wealth hidden. Human nature can be complicated, and many people would risk all for the sake of money. So she had to be careful.

    The family of three rode the ox cart borrowed by Qin Lei, loaded up with all their belongings, and arrived back to The Qins¡¯ village. Seeing their cart full of things, the villagers couldn¡¯t help but feel a twinge of jealousy. Even though they didn¡¯t know what was in there, they figured it must be useful stuff, otherwise why would Nangong Shulan bother bringing it all the way back.

    So along the way they¡¯d hear a sour word or two, the family of three just didn¡¯t mind

    While Grandpa Qin and Mrs. Qin were sunbathing at home, the visitors arrived.

    ¡°Oh my, you two are still sunbathing here? Aren¡¯t you aware? Your daughter-in-law brought back a lot of good stuff. Shouldn¡¯t you go check what good things she¡¯s brought back for you two?¡± Qin Dazui, Mrs. Li¡¯s mother-in-law, was chattering a lot, leaving Grandpa Qin and Mrs. Qin feeling completely puzzled.