Chapter 128: Meeting
"Big brother, you’re acting a bit strange."
Shen Que remained composed and headed towards the bed to start making it.
"I’ve been eating well and sleeping well lately, maybe I’ve gotten a bit more handsome."
Shen Que’s words left Shen Xing speechless and made him think of Sister Jiang Cheng.
The two of them... are quite alike.
Shen Que skillfully changed the topic, quickly finished making the bed, and put away his luggage.
He wanted to inquire about Jiang Cheng, but it wasn’t the right time to be too hasty.
Besides, he should think about what to say when Jiang Cheng returns.
He couldn’t repeat what happened last time, when he couldn’t get a word out clearly.
Shen Que and Shen Xing walked out of the room together.
Shen Xing helped with the fire, while Shen Que wasn’t one to stay idle.
He grabbed a bucket to fetch water, although Shen Xing wanted to stop him, Grandma Shen held him back.
"Let him go, your brother is tougher than you think."
Shen Xing nodded, continued with the fire, but kept glancing at Shen Que’s back.
Shen Que, carrying the bucket, didn’t hesitate about his limp as he reached the well.
He greeted the people in the courtyard as usual.
With a thud, the wooden bucket was tossed into the well.
Shen Que shook the rope.
After a few bubbling sounds, Shen Que pulled the rope.
In no time, the bucket was up.
Shen Que, holding the wooden bucket with one hand, poured the water into his family’s barrel and went back with the bucket again.
Although his leg was lame, it didn’t seem to affect him.
The sound of water splashing broke everyone’s gaze.
Shen Xing, who had been watching, gradually looked away, a slight smile on his lips.
His big brother was still so impressive!
After filling the water tank, Shen Que took over Grandma Shen’s job of cooking.
Grandma Shen looked at Shen Que with skepticism.
"Are you sure you can do it?"
"Don’t worry, I’ve been in the cooking squad."
Grandma Shen didn’t understand what being in the cooking squad meant, but Shen Que never boasted.
Grandma Shen stepped aside gracefully, and Shen Que didn’t mind at all, having Shen Xing tie the small flower apron on him, and began to cook.
Heated the pan, added cold oil, put in scallions, ginger, garlic, bean sprouts, and chives, and tossed the pan.
In one go.
The first dish, bean sprouts with chives, was done.
Skilled Shen Que cleaned the pot with a small broom and started the second dish – tofu with minced meat.
When Jiang Cheng returned, she saw Shen Que cooking.
In the wisps of smoke, Shen Que, with his broad shoulders and narrow waist, held the wok in one hand. With a powerful arm stretch, the tofu in the pan flipped over neatly, then fell back in line.
A bit handsome, what was it?
To her, a man who could cook was really kind of handsome.
The key thing was, this man was genuinely handsome!
While Jiang Cheng felt he looked good, several nearby residents watched and curled their lips in disdain.
A grown man cooking – tsk tsk tsk!
He must be lame and jobless, trying hard to work so he wouldn’t be despised by his family.
"Big brother!"
Shen Yue’s shout broke everyone’s attention.
Shen Que put down the wok, covered it with the lid, and turned to look at Shen Yue, who was running towards him.
"Yue Yue!"
Shen Que spread his arms, ready to hug.
But Shen Yue stopped, halting half a meter away from Shen Que.
"Big brother, I’m not a little kid anymore."
Shen Que smiled helplessly and said, "Our Yue Yue is a grown-up young lady now."
Shen Que patted Shen Yue’s head, and Shen Yue pretended to be displeased, saying, "Don’t mess up my hair, Sister Jiang Cheng braided it."
As soon as he heard that Jiang Cheng braided it, Shen Que’s hand withdrew swiftly.
"It’s fine, it’s fine, I’ll fix it for you."
Shen Que worked on the hair, and Shen Xing watching the scene felt something was off.
But for the moment, he just couldn’t pinpoint it.
The more Shen Que fiddled with it, the messier it got. Shen Yue couldn’t help but say, "Big brother... maybe you should stop!"
Shen Que was a bit embarrassed, his peripheral vision catching Jiang Cheng, his heart fluttering like a little deer.
After watching the scene for a while, Jiang Cheng finally stepped forward and said, "Let me do it."
When Jiang Cheng walked over, Shen Que’s limbs tingled at the same time.
His mouth went dry, and his prepared lines seemed to malfunction.
"The pot! The dish!"
Grandma Shen’s reminder jolted Shen Que back to reality.
"It’s alright, I’ll handle it!"
In his fluster, Shen Que carelessly touched the pot with a hiss.
Grandma Shen exclaimed and quickly brought a ladle of cold water, saying, "Quick, rinse it!"
"I’m fine—"
Seeing Shen Que claiming he was fine, Jiang Cheng frowned and said, "Rinse it."
Shen Que immediately grinned widely, saying, "Okay!"
After rinsing with cold water, Shen Que took out the dish from the pot on time, still good to eat.
Jiang Cheng watched the flustered Shen Que, amused inside.
"Grandma Shen, I’ll go back for now and come over later."
"Alright, alright! Come over when it’s time to eat."
Grandma Shen quickly agreed, Jiang Cheng smiled slightly and returned next door.
She might as well go back; otherwise, she feared they wouldn’t have any dish ready by night.
But was Shen Que really that nervous?
Jiang Cheng turned back to the next door, while Shen Que seemed a little absent-minded.
Did he just embarrass himself again?
How strange it was.
On the way back, he had rehearsed it countless times in his mind, and each time went smoothly?
Yet, once he met her face to face, he panicked and lost his bearings.
Shen Que gathered his thoughts and finished the last dish – scrambled eggs with tomatoes.
Once the meal was ready, pretending not to care, Shen Que said to Shen Yue, "Yue Yue, go call your Sister Jiang Cheng."
"Okay!"
Shen Yue skipped over to the next door, while a smile crept onto Shen Que’s face, just as Shen Xing caught sight of it.
"Big brother, what are you smiling at?"
Shen Que’s smile broadened a bit, and he said very seriously, "I’m happy to be home."
Shen Xing: "..."
A bit skeptical.
But it seemed there wasn’t anything else?
Shen Que didn’t give Shen Xing more time to think.
"Shen Xing, pick up the bowls!"
"Oh!"
Shen Xing immediately ran to pick up the bowls.
Soon, Jiang Cheng and Shen Yue came over together from next door.
Shen Que, who hadn’t sat down, immediately focused on Jiang Cheng.
Just as Jiang Cheng was looking at him too.
Their eyes met, and Shen Que’s ears quickly turned red, his heart beating faster involuntarily.
"Sit down! Let’s eat."
At least Shen Que managed to clearly state one sentence, shifting his gaze and busying himself with the already set chairs.
Jiang Cheng really wanted to laugh but held it back.
She shared the same thoughts as Shen Que. Both of them only had initial feelings for each other, and it was better not to tell Grandma Shen and others just yet.
Compared to Shen Que’s forced busyness, Jiang Cheng was much more natural.
She sat comfortably in her usual spot, with Grandma Shen opposite her, and Shen Xing and Shen Yue sat on the same side.
The square table had one side left for Shen Que, just right next to Jiang Cheng.
Grandma Shen introduced, "Jiang Cheng, this is Shen Xing and Shen Yue’s big brother Shen Que, who will be staying at home from now on."
Jiang Cheng showed a polite smile.
"Grandma Shen, we’ve met in the provincial city."
Grandma Shen then remembered, "Oh, that’s right! My memory is slipping, I forgot."
"Alright, since everyone knows each other, let’s eat."
Jiang Cheng nodded, calmly picked up her chopsticks, and started eating.
"Sis, have some eggs!"
"Sister, eat up!"
As usual, Shen Xing and Shen Yue picked food for Jiang Cheng, and Shen Que, unconsciously, also picked up a piece.
Facing the gaze from a few people, Shen Que calmly said, "I’m just following everyone’s lead."
Jiang Cheng held back laughter: what a clumsy excuse.