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Chapter 5
Whether it was a boy or a girl was out of his control, but Jiang Yu couldn’t help but tease him.
“You can’t choose whether it’s a boy or a girl! It’s childish to hold a grudge against a little kid who asked for your help!”
Jiang Zhe didn’t respond or retort.
Once outside the supermarket, Jiang Yu spotted a store selling succulents and remembered the ones she had tried to raise that sadly didn’t survive. On a whim, she grabbed Jiang Zhe’s hand and pulled him over.
“Jiang Zhe, I want to buy a few pots of succulents.”
Jiang Zhe was a bit resistant to the crowd at the succulent stall.
“I’ll wait here while you buy them,” he said.
Not thinking much of it, Jiang Yu happily dashed over and quickly picked out several pots.
As she walked back towards Jiang Zhe with the plants, she gently touched the leaves and murmured, “Baby, you have to thrive and live well, okay?”
Hearing her words, Jiang Zhe was left speechless.
Noticing his bemused expression, she defended herself, saying, “I asked the owner how to care for them! I can definitely keep them alive this time.”
Jiang Zhe remained silent, his face showing a mix of disbelief and amusement.
After finishing their shopping, they headed home.
It was almost lunchtime, and Jiang Zhe went to the study for a bit before moving to the kitchen to prepare the ingredients.
Jiang Yu busied herself with her succulents on the balcony, arranging them neatly and watering them.
After watering, she decided to fertilize them, taking out the fertilizer she had bought earlier and giving the plants some nutrients.
Feeling that the water was insufficient, she watered them again.
Lunch was ready quickly, and Jiang Zhe’s cooking was undeniably delicious. Whatever dish he made turned out well, with just the right level of spiciness. Jiang Yu enjoyed it immensely, but across the table, Jiang Zhe’s face turned red as he ate. She had added the chili peppers she bought from the supermarket that day, and although she thought they didn’t taste as good as home-cooked meals, she still finished everything. Noticing Jiang Zhe’s flushed face, she curiously asked, “Can you not eat spicy food?”
Jiang Zhe ate gracefully and paused for a moment before replying, “Not really.”
“Well, that’s fine. We’re having boiled fish for dinner tonight, and you like that, right?” She grinned, hoping to share something she enjoyed with him.
“It’s okay,” he replied noncommittally.
Jiang Yu offered a small suggestion, “Although lunch was quite delicious, I think it could be a little spicier. If you like spicy food too, can you make it spicier for dinner?”
Spiciness was what made a meal enjoyable!
Jiang Zhe’s chopsticks trembled slightly, and he lowered his gaze, saying, “Sure. As long as you like it, I’ll make it as spicy as you want.”
After they finished eating, Jiang Yu went to check on her succulents and watered them again. She also reminded Jiang Zhe, “I have a package arriving tomorrow with your ointment. Don’t forget to pick it up!”
While Jiang Zhe washed the dishes in the kitchen, he simply replied, “Okay.”
Thinking about how her beautiful succulents would thrive, Jiang Yu happily returned to her room.
When Jiang Zhe finished washing the dishes and came out, he glanced at the balcony and noticed the excess water pooling in the succulent pots, frowning slightly.
At first, he didn’t understand how anyone could struggle to care for succulents, but now he was starting to grasp it. How could someone care for plants like this?
Though he intended to ignore it, he ultimately turned back and emptied the excess water.
During lunch, Jiang Zhe had helped her water the succulents, and that evening, he noticed that there was still plenty of water in the pots. Unable to hold back, he reminded Jiang Yu, “You really don’t need to water them that much.”
Jiang Yu looked bewildered. “Do I not need to water them that much? But I didn’t water them much before, and they still died!”
Jiang Zhe was speechless.
The next day, he retrieved the ointment Jiang Yu had ordered from the package locker downstairs and informed her that he had picked it up.
With not much to do, Jiang Yu started playing some single-player games she hadn’t had time for before. When Jiang Zhe found her, she was playing Whac-A-Mole, and while eating jelly, she casually said, “If you already picked it up, just apply it to your wound.”
So Jiang Zhe took the package back to his room and opened it, finding the burn ointment inside.
Although his hand was already treated, he still opened the tube and applied some to his hand.
The ointment was cool, and it helped him clear his mind.
As for Jiang Yu’s changes, he wasn’t sure how long they would last, but if she could remain this way, that would be great.
Jiang Yu was quite obedient. When Jiang Zhe told her not to water too much, she actually stopped, though she still couldn’t resist loosening the soil occasionally. In less than a week, one of her succulents died.
Seeing her poor succulents perish made Jiang Yu’s heart ache. She couldn’t understand why, despite her daily efforts to care for them, they still died.
At that moment, Jiang Zhe came out of his room and stopped when he saw her holding her wilted succulent in the living room, a sorrowful expression on her face.
Having spent several days with Jiang Zhe, Jiang Yu realized he was a guy who rarely went out. She didn’t know what job he did. Aside from grocery shopping, she hadn’t seen him leave the house.
With no one else to complain to, she sadly told him, “My succulents died.”
Jiang Zhe was taken aback.
He had thought she could manage for over a month, but to his surprise, she couldn’t keep them alive for even a week.
Pouting, she insisted, “I don’t think it’s my fault. The succulents must be too delicate!”
Though Jiang Zhe had never raised succulents, he knew they were generally easy to care for. If she couldn’t keep them alive, perhaps she was only suited to raising cacti.
He recalled her excitement when watering the succulents a few days ago and dismissed the idea that she would be better suited for cacti. Perhaps she wouldn’t be able to keep those alive either.
Looking at the remaining wilted succulents, he said, “If you’d like, I can help take care of them.”
Jiang Yu grabbed his hand, feeling he was her savior. “Jiang Zhe, you are really a kind person with a beautiful face and a good heart.”
Jiang Zhe: …
Knowing she was moved was one thing, but being praised for his looks seemed unnecessary.
***
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