Qiao Ying: "He looks like he's fallen asleep. He hasn't even noticed us." Then he said: "Your boyfriend looks very young."
Qiao Ying's eyebrows raised mischievously as she replied animatedly: "Thirty-one minus nineteen - why don't you work it out?"
The boy calculated and responded: "Lots of 60-year-old men here marry teenage girls. Compared to them your boyfriend's not old at all."
Qiao Ying glanced sideways at Qin Hanyue. Even in the darkness, she could sense the man's displeasure.
She lowered her voice and couldn't resist a dig: "So you're so old that you've got to compare yourself to 60-year-olds before you look young?"
Qin Hanyue: "......"
The boy continued: "You're so lucky to have such a beautiful wife."
Qiao Ying held the man's gaze. "And he feels lucky to have you."
The boy looked nonplussed. "What does he have to be jealous about?"
In the darkness, Qiao Ying's mouth curled into a smirk. "Your age," she said to the man.
"That's not anything to be jealous of!" the boy protested. "I wish I could grow up faster, become as tall and handsome as your boyfriend, and marry a woman as beautiful as you."
As the boy drifted off, fantasizing about his future, his coughing fit returned.
The previously silent man finally spoke. Voice low, he stated defensively: "It's thirty and nineteen - only an eleven year gap."
Qiao Ying replied blithely: "Not for long."
Qin Hanyue: "You'll be twenty soon."
Amused, Qiao Ying looked him up and down. "So it seems Qin will be losing sleep over this tonight."
In the cramped cabin, they kept their voices low.
But Qin Hanyue laughed: "I'll sleep very well."
Qiao Ying: "???"
Qin Hanyue felt a sweet satisfaction. "Because you didn't deny we were a couple the whole time."
Qiao Ying: "......"
His smug pleasure irked her. "Just like you didn't deny being thirty-one," she threw back.
Qin Hanyue: "You did say you don't mind."
Qiao Ying didn't take his bait.
The man seemed frustrated at her composure. "What an unpleasant child," he muttered.
Qiao Ying: "Barking up the wrong tree?"
But Qin Hanyue swiftly changed tack: "No, it makes me feel like we're parents, whispering after getting our kid to sleep. It's kinda nice." If the brat was their son.
Qiao Ying: "Qin, have you ever heard me curse?"
Amused, Qin Hanyue replied: "I've heard you curse Yi Saisi. What, you wanna curse me? I'm all ears."
Qiao Ying: "What a freak."
Masochist much?
Qin Hanyue leaned in, whispering into her ear: "The kid's asleep. We should sleep soon too."
This shameless dog!
Qiao Ying took a subtle, deep breath. "Luckily I can't move much right now, otherwise I'd have kicked you onto the floor."
Qin Hanyue: "Then you can kick me once you've recovered."
Two crafty people getting into verbal spars was just one trap after another.
Like his last line - she had to be careful not to fall for his innuendo.
Qiao Ying: "You wish."
Did he think he could reserve her bed in advance?
The next day, when the boy went to buy chocolate cake for Qiao Ying, he found a pair of shoes. They were two sizes too big, but he cradled them like a treasure and rushed over to show Qiao Ying excitedly.
He said they were the best shoes he'd ever found scavenging.
Previously he hadn't dared talk much to Qiao Ying, only to Qin Hanyue. But now he chatted more and more to Qiao Ying, asking her questions.
Yet he no longer had much to say to Qin Hanyue.
With Qin Hanyue cooking meals, the boy no longer had to scavenge for food every day. When he had nothing to do, he would stand by Qiao Ying's bedside and talk to her.
If Qiao Ying ignored him, he would just stand there and watch her.
A couple days later, the boy's cold grew much worse. Qiao Ying stretched out her less injured arm and gave him a few shots.
Qin Hanyue had got the needles from Xu Zheng.
The boy hitched up his shirt, exposing his entire stomach to Qiao Ying.
Qin Hanyue clenched the battered ladle in his hand.
He thought - if he ever had offspring in future, he would absolutely not want a son.
Qiao Ying reminded him coolly: "It's going to burn."
Qin Hanyue: "Oh...right."
Soon, the boy found he was feeling much better.
Eyes shining, he asked Qiao Ying admiringly: "You're so amazing! Are you a doctor?"
He practically worshipped her. He rushed to pour her water and even wanted to massage her legs, eagerly fussing over her.
While Qin Hanyue was washing dishes, the boy whispered furtively to Qiao Ying: "Will you definitely marry him in future? If you don't get along and break up or divorce, would I stand a chance?"
"When I grow up I'll earn money, much more than your boyfriend. I'll take you to live in the city and provide for you. I'll grow as tall and strong as him too."
Before Qiao Ying could reply, the boy suddenly sensed something. He turned his head to see the man glowering at him ominously.
The boy was instantly panic-stricken.
The normally easy-going, gracious Qin Hanyue told him pettily: "You'll never be richer than me."
He said it in fluent Spanish.
The boy: "......" That was hard to hear.
Qin Hanyue then looked to the bed, where Qiao Ying was struggling not to laugh.
Belatedly realizing he was being quite undignified, Qin Hanyue felt somewhat sheepish.
The three of them were getting along fine in the little cabin, which was gradually filling up with more items.
Completely unafraid of Qin Hanyue, the boy made no attempt to hide his admiration for Qiao Ying.
Every day he ran long distances to buy chocolate cake and mineral water for Qiao Ying. Every night he would chatter away before bed.
That evening, Qin Hanyue "kindly" reminded him not to stay up too late.
The boy realized he was being annoying.
He sat up, only able to see under their bed. Apologetically he said: "When I was little I used to talk to my mom and dad a lot before sleeping. I slept between them."
He told Qiao Ying: "It'd be better if you were a bit older."
Qiao Ying: "What, you wanna call me mom?"
The boy gave an embarrassed laugh. "Goodnight, I'll sleep now."
The boy's playmates came round, trying to get him to come out.
The boy shooed them off: "I'll come find you guys in a minute."
Unable to shake them off, the boy ran back and whispered to Qiao Ying: "I've got to go scavenge food with them or they'll get suspicious."
He added: "I'll come back quick and bring you chocolate cake. And him too." He glanced at Qin Hanyue.
Then the boy left.
Darkness swiftly fell.
After rummaging in the junk pile with his friends all day, the boy parted ways with them and immediately ran to buy chocolate cake for Qiao Ying.
Clutching the chocolate cake hidden in his clothes, shoes swinging in one hand, he sprinted barefoot with his head down. Thrilled at the prospect of giving the cake to Qiao Ying soon, he raced faster and faster.
In his distraction, he bumped straight into someone, stumbling several steps back and landing on his bottom.
He apologized to the stranger as he hastily gathered up the dropped cake, brushing off the dirt.
Only then did he look up to see it was an Asian man dressed all in black...
Qiao Ying: "He looks like he's fallen asleep. He hasn't even noticed us." Then he said: "Your boyfriend looks very young."
Qiao Ying's eyebrows raised mischievously as she replied animatedly: "Thirty-one minus nineteen - why don't you work it out?"
The boy calculated and responded: "Lots of 60-year-old men here marry teenage girls. Compared to them your boyfriend's not old at all."
Qiao Ying glanced sideways at Qin Hanyue. Even in the darkness, she could sense the man's displeasure.
She lowered her voice and couldn't resist a dig: "So you're so old that you've got to compare yourself to 60-year-olds before you look young?"
Qin Hanyue: "......"
The boy continued: "You're so lucky to have such a beautiful wife."
Qiao Ying held the man's gaze. "And he feels lucky to have you."
The boy looked nonplussed. "What does he have to be jealous about?"
In the darkness, Qiao Ying's mouth curled into a smirk. "Your age," she said to the man.
"That's not anything to be jealous of!" the boy protested. "I wish I could grow up faster, become as tall and handsome as your boyfriend, and marry a woman as beautiful as you."
As the boy drifted off, fantasizing about his future, his coughing fit returned.
The previously silent man finally spoke. Voice low, he stated defensively: "It's thirty and nineteen - only an eleven year gap."
Qiao Ying replied blithely: "Not for long."
Qin Hanyue: "You'll be twenty soon."
Amused, Qiao Ying looked him up and down. "So it seems Qin will be losing sleep over this tonight."
In the cramped cabin, they kept their voices low.
But Qin Hanyue laughed: "I'll sleep very well."
Qiao Ying: "???"
Qin Hanyue felt a sweet satisfaction. "Because you didn't deny we were a couple the whole time."
Qiao Ying: "......"
His smug pleasure irked her. "Just like you didn't deny being thirty-one," she threw back.
Qin Hanyue: "You did say you don't mind."
Qiao Ying didn't take his bait.
The man seemed frustrated at her composure. "What an unpleasant child," he muttered.
Qiao Ying: "Barking up the wrong tree?"
But Qin Hanyue swiftly changed tack: "No, it makes me feel like we're parents, whispering after getting our kid to sleep. It's kinda nice." If the brat was their son.
Qiao Ying: "Qin, have you ever heard me curse?"
Amused, Qin Hanyue replied: "I've heard you curse Yi Saisi. What, you wanna curse me? I'm all ears."
Qiao Ying: "What a freak."
Masochist much?
Qin Hanyue leaned in, whispering into her ear: "The kid's asleep. We should sleep soon too."
This shameless dog!
Qiao Ying took a subtle, deep breath. "Luckily I can't move much right now, otherwise I'd have kicked you onto the floor."
Qin Hanyue: "Then you can kick me once you've recovered."
Two crafty people getting into verbal spars was just one trap after another.
Like his last line - she had to be careful not to fall for his innuendo.
Qiao Ying: "You wish."
Did he think he could reserve her bed in advance?
The next day, when the boy went to buy chocolate cake for Qiao Ying, he found a pair of shoes. They were two sizes too big, but he cradled them like a treasure and rushed over to show Qiao Ying excitedly.
He said they were the best shoes he'd ever found scavenging.
Previously he hadn't dared talk much to Qiao Ying, only to Qin Hanyue. But now he chatted more and more to Qiao Ying, asking her questions.
Yet he no longer had much to say to Qin Hanyue.
With Qin Hanyue cooking meals, the boy no longer had to scavenge for food every day. When he had nothing to do, he would stand by Qiao Ying's bedside and talk to her.
If Qiao Ying ignored him, he would just stand there and watch her.
A couple days later, the boy's cold grew much worse. Qiao Ying stretched out her less injured arm and gave him a few shots.
Qin Hanyue had got the needles from Xu Zheng.
The boy hitched up his shirt, exposing his entire stomach to Qiao Ying.
Qin Hanyue clenched the battered ladle in his hand.
He thought - if he ever had offspring in future, he would absolutely not want a son.
Qiao Ying reminded him coolly: "It's going to burn."
Qin Hanyue: "Oh...right."
Soon, the boy found he was feeling much better.
Eyes shining, he asked Qiao Ying admiringly: "You're so amazing! Are you a doctor?"
He practically worshipped her. He rushed to pour her water and even wanted to massage her legs, eagerly fussing over her.
While Qin Hanyue was washing dishes, the boy whispered furtively to Qiao Ying: "Will you definitely marry him in future? If you don't get along and break up or divorce, would I stand a chance?"
"When I grow up I'll earn money, much more than your boyfriend. I'll take you to live in the city and provide for you. I'll grow as tall and strong as him too."
Before Qiao Ying could reply, the boy suddenly sensed something. He turned his head to see the man glowering at him ominously.
The boy was instantly panic-stricken.
The normally easy-going, gracious Qin Hanyue told him pettily: "You'll never be richer than me."
He said it in fluent Spanish.
The boy: "......" That was hard to hear.
Qin Hanyue then looked to the bed, where Qiao Ying was struggling not to laugh.
Belatedly realizing he was being quite undignified, Qin Hanyue felt somewhat sheepish.
The three of them were getting along fine in the little cabin, which was gradually filling up with more items.
Completely unafraid of Qin Hanyue, the boy made no attempt to hide his admiration for Qiao Ying.
Every day he ran long distances to buy chocolate cake and mineral water for Qiao Ying. Every night he would chatter away before bed.
That evening, Qin Hanyue "kindly" reminded him not to stay up too late.
The boy realized he was being annoying.
He sat up, only able to see under their bed. Apologetically he said: "When I was little I used to talk to my mom and dad a lot before sleeping. I slept between them."
He told Qiao Ying: "It'd be better if you were a bit older."
Qiao Ying: "What, you wanna call me mom?"
The boy gave an embarrassed laugh. "Goodnight, I'll sleep now."
The boy's playmates came round, trying to get him to come out.
The boy shooed them off: "I'll come find you guys in a minute."
Unable to shake them off, the boy ran back and whispered to Qiao Ying: "I've got to go scavenge food with them or they'll get suspicious."
He added: "I'll come back quick and bring you chocolate cake. And him too." He glanced at Qin Hanyue.
Then the boy left.
Darkness swiftly fell.
After rummaging in the junk pile with his friends all day, the boy parted ways with them and immediately ran to buy chocolate cake for Qiao Ying.
Clutching the chocolate cake hidden in his clothes, shoes swinging in one hand, he sprinted barefoot with his head down. Thrilled at the prospect of giving the cake to Qiao Ying soon, he raced faster and faster.
In his distraction, he bumped straight into someone, stumbling several steps back and landing on his bottom.
He apologized to the stranger as he hastily gathered up the dropped cake, brushing off the dirt.
Only then did he look up to see it was an Asian man dressed all in black...
