Chapter 139 - 134: The Female Supporting Character of Spiritual Spring Space
"Dad, Mom, I’m back." Ye Qiu, dragging a small suitcase, stood in front of her family’s guesthouse, smiling gently at her parents Ye Hai and Shen Lan, who were busy in the courtyard.
Ye Fu and Madam Shen were momentarily stunned by the familiar voice, and it wasn’t until they turned around to see their bright and shining daughter that they snapped back to reality. A smile tugged at Madam Shen’s eyes as she lightly scolded Ye Qiu, "You child, why didn’t you give us a call so that your father could have picked you up."
Ye Fu chuckled heartily, a man with handsome and well-defined features, the epitome of a dashing middle-aged uncle. However, he was simple and honest, and his laugh was somewhat goofy, making him very approachable. He took his daughter’s suitcase, repeating the words "not thin, it’s good you’re back" over and over.
"Mom, I came back safely, didn’t I? The station isn’t far, it’s just a short taxi ride away. It would have been more trouble for dad to come get me!" Ye Qiu hugged Madam Shen’s shoulder, nuzzling against her with a playful pout.
"You always have an answer for everything." Madam Shen tapped her daughter’s forehead, the joy in her eyes almost overflowing, "Are you hungry? I’ll go make you a bowl of noodles. The mountain farmers just delivered some wild mushrooms this morning, they’re really fragrant."
"You’re always the most caring, Mom, knowing exactly what I love to eat." Ye Qiu hooked her arm through Shen Lan’s as they entered the kitchen. Their family ran a guesthouse and usually prepared meals for tourists. City folks loved meals cooked over a wood fire, so they had built a clay stove. Whenever she was home, she would help to start the fire and sometimes, she would also bury sweet potatoes and chestnuts in the stove to roast, which turned out exceptionally delicious.
But Madam Shen, considering that her daughter had been on a train for a whole day, wouldn’t let her help. Ye Qiu thus went to help Ye Fu clean the courtyard. Ye Fu, dotingly protective of her, told her to rest and didn’t allow her to get involved with the chores.
Her home was in Yun Province, a bit of a distance from S city. She took the train back, opting for a sleeper berth. Although the journey took the entire night, she managed to sleep for a few hours and didn’t feel tired. Now, in the early morning just after summer vacation had started, the guesthouse had only a few guests who hadn’t woken up yet. Breathing the fresh air, Ye Qiu felt utterly relaxed.
The guesthouse faced southward from the north and on the north and east sides; there were two connected five-story buildings. The west side housed the kitchen and dining room. The courtyard was paved with bluestone and near the kitchen was a well with sweet and cool water. In hot weather, Ye Fu always drew several buckets of well water to cool the watermelons.