CH 53.1

You’re Nicer to Me (1)

Qin Yuan blankly looked at his phone in the luxurious study, suddenly stood up and jumped to the door, shouting at the kitchen, “Sister Liu, Sister Liu! No need to make the dishes anymore.”

Sister Liu held a spatula and opened the kitchen door, poking her head out. “What?”

Qin Yuan took a deep breath. “It’s just that my friend will come over soon. You can take the ingredients and put them back in the fridge.”

Sister Liu hurriedly waved her hand. “Ohh, your friend is coming. I’ll finish preparing the dish and put it in the refrigerator.”

Pan-fried silver cod, stir-fried pork liver, stir-fried asparagus, and cold-breaded wild bracken – all had balanced nutrition with a great smell, look, and taste. She had cooked it for half a day and was about to set them on the table. If he said he wasn’t eating, then there was nothing she could do about it.

Nowadays, young people loved to eat junk food, probably thinking fried chicken and pizza were more trendy.

Qin Yuan’s jade-like white face had a trace of embarrassment and he lowered his head, coughing into his hand. “Mm. I will cook some food with my friend.”

Sister Liu suddenly felt her soul was blessed*. “Aiyo. Is this a girl student coming? Going to the kitchen to show off her skill and cooking for her boyfriend with an inconvenient leg?”

*T/N: Blessed the soul: people who are flexible in thinking and act appropriately when they come across something.

Many children were dating in high school now, furthermore, he was such an attractive boy.

“Okay. I will leave now.” She smilingly said, “I’ll place the dishes in the refrigerator. You can eat them later tonight.”

Qin Yuan looked around everywhere. “Sister Liu, do we have any noodles at home?”

***

Ruan Qingmu rushed out of the room. “Mom, I’m not eating lunch at home anymore. I’m heading over to a friend’s house now!”

Mu Wanli was arranging the bowls and chopsticks and became anxious upon hearing Ruan Qingmu’s words. “You only come home once a week. Why don’t you stay at home and eat? Don’t you see your friends every day?”

“Mom, you know him. Do you remember the one who helped carry my suitcase when you sent me to the school gate on the first day I arrived at school?”

Mu Wanli suddenly had a realization. “I remember, I remember. The young guy looked especially handsome.”

Ruan Qingmu sighed. “His mom had passed away early. His dad found a stepmother and is never home. He usually stays at home alone and lives a very lonely life. Yesterday during the sports competition, he accidentally sprained his ankle because of me. Now, he’s eating clear water noodles by himself at home for lunch.”

Mu Wanli let out a cry of surprise, immediately feeling soft pity for the young boy.

Just from Ruan Qingmu’s tone, he seemed to be a child from an impoverished family too and his life was even more pitiful than her Mumu’s. She only got a glance at him that night, but he gave her a deep impression, looking handsome and tall. Oh right, he was even a class officer.

“You go then.” She enthusiastically said, “I will look for a lunch box so that you can bring some dishes for him when you head over there.”

Ruan Qingmu thought it over for a while. “Are there any leftovers from this morning’s potstickers? I’d like to bring some over when I visit.”

Mu Wanli hurried to enter the kitchen and took out a big lunch box, packing all the remaining potstickers in it. Then, she came out and stuffed all the untouched food on the table inside. “Son, bring some more dishes with you. A child without a mother is so pitiful.”

Ruan Qingmu suddenly thought of something, ran inside the room to look for his crutches, and hurried to grab his homework papers and his school bag. The little mute didn’t understand what Ruan Qingmu was doing. Seeing as he dashed in and looked like he was about to run outside again, he hurried to hug Ruan Qingmu’s leg and pull him toward the dining table with great effort.

Ruan Qingmu turned his head and said to Xiao-Yun, “Yun-jie, I’ll bring him to play at my friend’s house.”

Xiao-Yun was stunned, hurrying to nod in gratitude. “Okay, ah. Thank you so much then!”

She was blind and couldn’t take her brother out. Mu Wanli was always so busy and didn’t have the time to do that either so she was always grateful for anyone who would bother to help her out with that.

Sometimes, Qiu-ge and Old Li would bring Xiao-Zhuang to stroll nearby, but the age difference was too significant and her brother always seemed a bit afraid. Out of everyone, he was only close to Ruan Qingmu, and since Ruan Qingmu was willing to take care of him, it couldn’t be more wonderful.

Ruan Qingmu accepted the big lunch box packed by his mom. “I’m heading out now!”

Passing by the dining table, he squinted at Qiu-ge and looked at the plastic bag in front of him.

“Is this marinated beef delicious?”

Qiu-ge proudly raised his head. “Of course. It’s a good dish to have with alcohol. The shop has been open for ten years!”

Ruan Qingmu nodded and grabbed the plastic bag at once. “You’re not allowed to drink alcohol in my house. I’ll go ahead and take these off your hands.”

At the back, Qiu-ge’s mournful cry resonated across the buildings. “Li-jie, control your son! That was the last piece I bought with great trouble and it was all taken by this kid for his friend. Shouldn’t he leave just a little for us?”