Very soon, Qin Hanyue came to the bedside carrying a bowl of freshly cooked congee.
Knowing that Qiao Ying was picky and probably a bit obsessive about cleanliness, Qin Hanyue said, "I've washed the kitchenware many times over, it's very clean."
Qiao Ying: "......"
Qin Hanyue blew on the congee to cool it down, then started feeding her spoonfuls.
After two spoonfuls, Qiao Ying commented: "...It's not cooked."
Qin Hanyue was taken aback for a moment. He thought cooking congee didn't require much skill, it was just a bland food, so he didn't ask Qiao Ying if it tasted good.
He didn't expect making some simple congee could also go wrong.
Qin Hanyue put the spoonful of clearly discernible rice grains into his own mouth and found the rice was still half raw.
Qin Hanyue: "Let me go cook it some more."
Qiao Ying: "...Don't bother." Then she asked, "What are you eating?"
Qin Hanyue: "I cooked a lot, I'll eat after you finish."
Qiao Ying: "...Then cook it some more."
Qin Hanyue smiled: "Sure."
After another round of cooking, it was finally cooked through, but it got a little mushy. Qin Hanyue tried it and couldn't help frowning.
It would take half an hour before he could cook another batch with this small stove.
Qin Hanyue scooped out the top layer without taking too much of the mushy bottom into the bowl and brought it to Qiao Ying.
After finishing the bowl of congee, Qiao Ying regained some strength and took her medicine.
Qin Hanyue ate what was left of the congee, then went to boil water for Qiao Ying to wash her face, hands and feet.
After she fell asleep again, Qin Hanyue kept watch by her bedside.
After a few days, the tear in Qiao Ying's shoulder finally started healing little by little. Her mental state also gradually improved, but she was still very weak.
Qin Hanyue boiled hot water and brought it to the bedside, preparing to wash Qiao Ying's hair.
Looking at his bandaged hand, before he could speak, Qin Hanyue said first: "I can manage with one hand, it will just be slower."
He gently carried Qiao Ying up and adjusted her position so her head was over the edge of the bed. Then he started washing her hair.
As Qiao Ying looked at the focused face of the man above her and their eyes met when Qin Hanyue noticed her gaze.
Qiao Ying commented: "...Your clothes are really ugly."
Qin Hanyue laughed: "Yours don't look any better."
The corners of Qiao Ying's mouth curved up slightly.
Qin Hanyue: "But you look nice."
The smile on Qiao Ying's face deepened.
Qin Hanyue carefully washed her hair.
Qiao Ying: "Have you contacted Cheng Jinyan? Did he blow up that castle?"
Qin Hanyue: "I lost my phone. The castle was blown up."
Qiao Ying: "Oh."
Qin Hanyue looked at her. He wanted to know what happened to her in the desert castle but this was clearly not the time to ask.
After a while, Qiao Ying suddenly asked again: "What's the date today?"
Qin Hanyue: "The 18th, why?"
Qiao Ying: "No reason."
Qin Hanyue: "What would you like for dinner tonight?"
Qiao Ying: "Anything available is fine, just don't go out if possible."
Qin Hanyue: "Got it."
The one delivering food for Qin Hanyue was a 13 or 14-year-old boy.
The boy was an orphan who grew up scavenging garbage in this slum since he was little. This rundown little house used to belong to his late grandfather.
Qin Hanyue paid him to stay here temporarily.
That night, as Qiao Ying lay in bed, she heard the boy coming to deliver food to Qin Hanyue again. Peering through the door crack, the boy asked Qin Hanyue curiously: "How is your wife doing?"
Qin Hanyue: "She's much better."
The boy added: "Is your wife pregnant? We have a doctor here. Should I go find the doctor to come take a look at your wife? Our neighbor almost died in childbirth because they couldn't afford a doctor."
Qin Hanyue: "No need."
After sending off the boy, Qin Hanyue closed the door.
Qiao Ying: "What did he say to you?"
Qin Hanyue: "He asked if I needed a doctor."
Qiao Ying: "What else?"
Qin Hanyue's eyes shifted slightly: "That's about it."
Qiao Ying raised her brows a little. "About it?"
Her look said: Are you sure?
Qin Hanyue: "I assume you understand Spanish."
Qiao Ying fluidly replied in Spanish: "More 'esoteric' terms like wife and giving birth are not quite within my vocabulary."
Qin Hanyue: "......"
After two awkward seconds, he calmly said: "I can teach you if you want to learn. I know it all."
Qiao Ying: "Mr. Qin is so accomplished."
Qin Hanyue went ahead and shamelessly accepted the compliment: "Thank you."
Over the past few days, Qin Hanyue learned to cook, although it was all simple stuff that didn't taste too good, but it was quite decent for a beginner.
Even though this place seemed safe enough, Qin Hanyue remained vigilant and didn't dare eat anything made from outside, doing all the cooking himself.
He had gotten pretty good at cooking congee, and even learned to make meat congee.
The dark of the night descended.
After cleaning up Qiao Ying, Qin Hanyue tucked her into bed.
Qiao Ying: "Come sleep on the bed."
These past few days Qin Hanyue had been sleeping on a chair next to the bed, barely getting any proper rest.
Qin Hanyue: "The bed is too small."
Qiao Ying: "I feel cold sleeping alone."
Qin Hanyue reached under the covers to check and found very little warmth inside. Her hands were also cold.
Qin Hanyue opened up her covers, took off his coat which carried his body warmth, and covered her with it before tucking her in again.
Then he turned off the lights and lay down on the bed.
The bed was so small he could only sleep on his side.
Qin Hanyue asked: "May I hold you to sleep?"
Qiao Ying: "Be my guest."
Qin Hanyue: "I'll try then."
With his coat between them, he gently put his arm around Qiao Ying's waist where she didn't have much injury, and pulled her closer to him, hoping to warm her up with his body heat.
Qiao Ying: "......"
After more than ten minutes, Qin Hanyue asked her: "Warmer now?"
Qiao Ying didn't respond, perhaps she had fallen asleep.
In the small house, it became perfectly quiet. The couple huddled close under the covers, insulating each other from the cold, as if they existed in a different world from the chatter of the family next door that seeped through the thin walls.
Qiao Ying's voice suddenly spoke up: "In that castle, at first there was only Meihua Q and a rank assassin from the Ying Organization. My skills exceeded theirs and I had a backup plan. I could have walked out of there unharmed..."
Qin Hanyue: "What went wrong?"
Who else that she didn't anticipate? It must have had to do with Feng Ying.
Qiao Ying gazed up at the dark void. Her mind kept replaying Meihua Q's words: Feng Ying died in your place.
She wanted to tell Qin Hanyue but didn't know how to start.
After a long silence, sensing the change in her mood, Qin Hanyue rested his forehead against her head and said: "It's late, don't overthink now. Tell me when your injuries heal some more."
Qiao Ying slowly turned to face him.
Their eyes met in the dark.
Qin Hanyue gave her forehead a light kiss.
Qiao Ying turned away again and looked back up, her tone casual with a hint of sarcasm: "I've heard quite a bit about Mr. Qin being innocent and pure in matters of the heart. I thought Mr. Qin would be the passive one in a relationship."
After all, she initiated their first two kisses, and the kiss before they met Amna was also her suggestion.
Qiao Ying spoke with an odd lilt: "Yet you seem to be taking more and more initiative lately."
Qin Hanyue laughed at that. He retorted: "I thought Miss Qiao was the mature one emotionally, didn't expect her to be so innocent."
Qiao Ying: "???" When was she ever innocent?
Qin Hanyue: "Miss Qiao's initiative has been rather limited. I believe I should take matters into my own hands, food and clothing come from nature. Also, Miss Qiao is still quite young. As the responsible party, I have an obligation to provide more guidance."
Qiao Ying: "Mr Qin need not keep emphasizing how little I am, how old you are, it's bad for one's physical and mental health, too much stress leads to faster aging."
Qin Hanyue: "......"
Qiao Ying: "Let's sleep."
Very soon, Qin Hanyue came to the bedside carrying a bowl of freshly cooked congee.
Knowing that Qiao Ying was picky and probably a bit obsessive about cleanliness, Qin Hanyue said, "I've washed the kitchenware many times over, it's very clean."
Qiao Ying: "......"
Qin Hanyue blew on the congee to cool it down, then started feeding her spoonfuls.
After two spoonfuls, Qiao Ying commented: "...It's not cooked."
Qin Hanyue was taken aback for a moment. He thought cooking congee didn't require much skill, it was just a bland food, so he didn't ask Qiao Ying if it tasted good.
He didn't expect making some simple congee could also go wrong.
Qin Hanyue put the spoonful of clearly discernible rice grains into his own mouth and found the rice was still half raw.
Qin Hanyue: "Let me go cook it some more."
Qiao Ying: "...Don't bother." Then she asked, "What are you eating?"
Qin Hanyue: "I cooked a lot, I'll eat after you finish."
Qiao Ying: "...Then cook it some more."
Qin Hanyue smiled: "Sure."
After another round of cooking, it was finally cooked through, but it got a little mushy. Qin Hanyue tried it and couldn't help frowning.
It would take half an hour before he could cook another batch with this small stove.
Qin Hanyue scooped out the top layer without taking too much of the mushy bottom into the bowl and brought it to Qiao Ying.
After finishing the bowl of congee, Qiao Ying regained some strength and took her medicine.
Qin Hanyue ate what was left of the congee, then went to boil water for Qiao Ying to wash her face, hands and feet.
After she fell asleep again, Qin Hanyue kept watch by her bedside.
After a few days, the tear in Qiao Ying's shoulder finally started healing little by little. Her mental state also gradually improved, but she was still very weak.
Qin Hanyue boiled hot water and brought it to the bedside, preparing to wash Qiao Ying's hair.
Looking at his bandaged hand, before he could speak, Qin Hanyue said first: "I can manage with one hand, it will just be slower."
He gently carried Qiao Ying up and adjusted her position so her head was over the edge of the bed. Then he started washing her hair.
As Qiao Ying looked at the focused face of the man above her and their eyes met when Qin Hanyue noticed her gaze.
Qiao Ying commented: "...Your clothes are really ugly."
Qin Hanyue laughed: "Yours don't look any better."
The corners of Qiao Ying's mouth curved up slightly.
Qin Hanyue: "But you look nice."
The smile on Qiao Ying's face deepened.
Qin Hanyue carefully washed her hair.
Qiao Ying: "Have you contacted Cheng Jinyan? Did he blow up that castle?"
Qin Hanyue: "I lost my phone. The castle was blown up."
Qiao Ying: "Oh."
Qin Hanyue looked at her. He wanted to know what happened to her in the desert castle but this was clearly not the time to ask.
After a while, Qiao Ying suddenly asked again: "What's the date today?"
Qin Hanyue: "The 18th, why?"
Qiao Ying: "No reason."
Qin Hanyue: "What would you like for dinner tonight?"
Qiao Ying: "Anything available is fine, just don't go out if possible."
Qin Hanyue: "Got it."
The one delivering food for Qin Hanyue was a 13 or 14-year-old boy.
The boy was an orphan who grew up scavenging garbage in this slum since he was little. This rundown little house used to belong to his late grandfather.
Qin Hanyue paid him to stay here temporarily.
That night, as Qiao Ying lay in bed, she heard the boy coming to deliver food to Qin Hanyue again. Peering through the door crack, the boy asked Qin Hanyue curiously: "How is your wife doing?"
Qin Hanyue: "She's much better."
The boy added: "Is your wife pregnant? We have a doctor here. Should I go find the doctor to come take a look at your wife? Our neighbor almost died in childbirth because they couldn't afford a doctor."
Qin Hanyue: "No need."
After sending off the boy, Qin Hanyue closed the door.
Qiao Ying: "What did he say to you?"
Qin Hanyue: "He asked if I needed a doctor."
Qiao Ying: "What else?"
Qin Hanyue's eyes shifted slightly: "That's about it."
Qiao Ying raised her brows a little. "About it?"
Her look said: Are you sure?
Qin Hanyue: "I assume you understand Spanish."
Qiao Ying fluidly replied in Spanish: "More 'esoteric' terms like wife and giving birth are not quite within my vocabulary."
Qin Hanyue: "......"
After two awkward seconds, he calmly said: "I can teach you if you want to learn. I know it all."
Qiao Ying: "Mr. Qin is so accomplished."
Qin Hanyue went ahead and shamelessly accepted the compliment: "Thank you."
Over the past few days, Qin Hanyue learned to cook, although it was all simple stuff that didn't taste too good, but it was quite decent for a beginner.
Even though this place seemed safe enough, Qin Hanyue remained vigilant and didn't dare eat anything made from outside, doing all the cooking himself.
He had gotten pretty good at cooking congee, and even learned to make meat congee.
The dark of the night descended.
After cleaning up Qiao Ying, Qin Hanyue tucked her into bed.
Qiao Ying: "Come sleep on the bed."
These past few days Qin Hanyue had been sleeping on a chair next to the bed, barely getting any proper rest.
Qin Hanyue: "The bed is too small."
Qiao Ying: "I feel cold sleeping alone."
Qin Hanyue reached under the covers to check and found very little warmth inside. Her hands were also cold.
Qin Hanyue opened up her covers, took off his coat which carried his body warmth, and covered her with it before tucking her in again.
Then he turned off the lights and lay down on the bed.
The bed was so small he could only sleep on his side.
Qin Hanyue asked: "May I hold you to sleep?"
Qiao Ying: "Be my guest."
Qin Hanyue: "I'll try then."
With his coat between them, he gently put his arm around Qiao Ying's waist where she didn't have much injury, and pulled her closer to him, hoping to warm her up with his body heat.
Qiao Ying: "......"
After more than ten minutes, Qin Hanyue asked her: "Warmer now?"
Qiao Ying didn't respond, perhaps she had fallen asleep.
In the small house, it became perfectly quiet. The couple huddled close under the covers, insulating each other from the cold, as if they existed in a different world from the chatter of the family next door that seeped through the thin walls.
Qiao Ying's voice suddenly spoke up: "In that castle, at first there was only Meihua Q and a rank assassin from the Ying Organization. My skills exceeded theirs and I had a backup plan. I could have walked out of there unharmed..."
Qin Hanyue: "What went wrong?"
Who else that she didn't anticipate? It must have had to do with Feng Ying.
Qiao Ying gazed up at the dark void. Her mind kept replaying Meihua Q's words: Feng Ying died in your place.
She wanted to tell Qin Hanyue but didn't know how to start.
After a long silence, sensing the change in her mood, Qin Hanyue rested his forehead against her head and said: "It's late, don't overthink now. Tell me when your injuries heal some more."
Qiao Ying slowly turned to face him.
Their eyes met in the dark.
Qin Hanyue gave her forehead a light kiss.
Qiao Ying turned away again and looked back up, her tone casual with a hint of sarcasm: "I've heard quite a bit about Mr. Qin being innocent and pure in matters of the heart. I thought Mr. Qin would be the passive one in a relationship."
After all, she initiated their first two kisses, and the kiss before they met Amna was also her suggestion.
Qiao Ying spoke with an odd lilt: "Yet you seem to be taking more and more initiative lately."
Qin Hanyue laughed at that. He retorted: "I thought Miss Qiao was the mature one emotionally, didn't expect her to be so innocent."
Qiao Ying: "???" When was she ever innocent?
Qin Hanyue: "Miss Qiao's initiative has been rather limited. I believe I should take matters into my own hands, food and clothing come from nature. Also, Miss Qiao is still quite young. As the responsible party, I have an obligation to provide more guidance."
Qiao Ying: "Mr Qin need not keep emphasizing how little I am, how old you are, it's bad for one's physical and mental health, too much stress leads to faster aging."
Qin Hanyue: "......"
Qiao Ying: "Let's sleep."
