Chapter 8: Brother Cooks, I’ll Help Brother Tend the Stove

Xie Lin’an said without blushing, “It’s all your fault, you took the only fan in the house. I was too hot to sleep, I was so hot that I even got up in the middle of the night to take a cold shower, and I didn’t fall asleep until it got cold in the middle of the night, so of course I woke up late.”

“Ah? No wonder I saw you fetching water when I went to the toilet last night. Brother, I’ll go back to school with my younger brother this afternoon, you take the fan.”

“Okay.”

The innocent child didn’t suspect his brother’s words at all.

Ye Xiaozhen also came out after getting dressed, Lin Xinghua saw her and quickly greeted her, “Kid, go wash your face and come eat, I’ll reheat the food for you.”

Ye Xiaozhen saw him limping towards the kitchen with a pot in his hand, she quickly followed him and took the pot, “Grandpa, I’ll reheat it.”

“You’re not feeling well, you should rest.”

Ye Xiaozhen said, “I’m already better.”

“You saying you’re better doesn’t count, the doctor has to say you’re better. The doctor said you need to stay in bed for the next few days.”

Ye Xiaozhen was speechless, she really felt fine, but he was stubborn and thought she was a fool, so he didn’t believe her.

Try lying in bed for a few days, you wouldn’t be able to stand it.

She took the pot and went to the kitchen without a word, Lin Xinghua couldn’t catch up with his bad leg.

He couldn’t catch up, but Xie Lin’an could.

He was originally standing by the stone sink in the yard washing his face, but when he heard them talking, he dropped his towel and came over.

He snatched the pot from Ye Xiaozhen’s hand and said, “Be good, go back and rest, I’ll reheat it for you later.”

Ye Xiaozhen: “…”

She really didn’t want to sleep.

“Brother is reheating the food, I’ll watch from the side.”

This “brother” was impossible to refuse, Xie Lin’an grabbed a wooden stool and told her to sit next to him, while he went to heat the food.

Ye Xiaozhen knew how to use all kinds of high-tech kitchen appliances, but she had never used a rural clay stove.

She only had the original owner’s memories, she didn’t know if she could actually do it.

This was a good opportunity to watch Xie Lin’an do it.

She watched him light the fire, chop vegetables, and pump the bellows.

His movements were quick and efficient.

The cold food was reheated in no time.

Actually, it was so hot that Xie Lin’an didn’t need to eat hot food. But considering that Ye Xiaozhen was still sick and couldn’t eat cold food, he went through the trouble.

She ate more this time, finishing a bowl of porridge.

But Xie Lin’an still thought it was too little.

What good is a bowl of porridge? She’ll be hungry again after peeing.

He drank two bowls from the same large clay bowl, and he scraped the bottom of the pot until there was nothing left.

As soon as they finished eating, the village chief’s grandson came running to find Xie Lin’an.

“Lin’an brother, they called from the dam, they said you should go back quickly.”

“Okay.”

Xie Lin’an frowned.

Lin Xinghua came over, “Lin’an, are you going back to the dam today?”

Xie Lin’an nodded, “I’ll go back after the work is done, Grandpa, please take care of Xiaozhen, I’ll be back tonight.”

“You’re coming back tonight? It’s so far, you’ll have to leave before dawn tomorrow.”

“I’m not at ease if I don’t come back, I won’t come back at night until Xiaozhen is completely better.”

“Oh, alright, go ahead, I’ll watch over Xiaozhen.”

Xie Lin’an nodded, then turned around and walked towards Ye Xiaozhen, who was standing at the door.

“Xiaozhen, come here, I need to tell you something.”

Uh…

She had already heard.

“Brother, go ahead.”

Xie Lin’an smiled and said, “You’re so good, come here, I have something to tell you.”

Xie Lin’an pulled her into the house and told her about what he had been doing lately. He didn’t care if she understood or not, just like a husband should tell his wife, he told her seriously.

From the original owner’s memories, she had also heard about his work on the dam.

She had thought he was just a laborer, but it turned out he was the foreman, the person in charge of the dam project.

“This is my first project, I can’t let anything go wrong, so I have to be there in person. As long as this project is completed, we can take on more projects in the future, and we can make a lot of money.”

Wow, it seems like he’s not just painting a rosy picture, being a foreman really can make a lot of money.

“Xiaozhen, when I make a lot of money, I’ll take you to see a doctor.”

Ye Xiaozhen: “…”

After the house and the car, he’s painting another big picture for her.

What should she say?

“Brother, don’t work too hard.”

Xie Lin’an’s heart blossomed, he rubbed her head and said, “Our Xiaozhen is so good, she knows how to care for people. Brother isn’t working hard, brother is just worried that you’ll be bullied. You didn’t return your disability certificate, your father and your stepmother will definitely come looking for trouble when I’m not home. I’ll keep it with me, if they ask you, just say it’s with me, and tell them to find me.”

Ye Xiaozhen nodded.

Xie Lin’an continued, “Also, remember, if anyone bullies you, you must protect yourself. Go inside and lock the door, and I’ll come back and beat them to death.”

Ye Xiaozhen: “…”

Before she could react, Xie Lin’an pulled her to the door and showed her how to lock the door.

“Do you understand?”

Ye Xiaozhen nodded, “I understand.”

She wasn’t really a fool.

“Okay, lock it once for me to see.”

Alright, Ye Xiaozhen cooperated and locked it once.

Xie Lin’an saw that she could indeed lock the door, and he was relieved.

He even praised her, “Our Xiaozhen is very smart, not a fool at all.”

Ye Xiaozhen: “…”

He really…

Ye Xiaozhen couldn’t help but laugh, but she also felt warm inside.

It was almost eleven o’clock, Xie Lin’an took two steamed buns, brought out the bicycle, and was about to leave.

Lin Xinghua carried a piece of washed bacon, “Hey, eat lunch before you go, I’ve already prepared the meat.”

“No, Grandpa, I have Xiaozhen’s disability certificate, I’ll return it to them when I have time.”

After saying that, he rode his bicycle and left.

Lin Xinghua grumbled a few complaints, then started making lunch, Ye Xiaozhen went to help him.

Although the original owner was a fool, she had learned various life skills under the stick education of that couple.

It was just that she was slower than normal people and prone to making mistakes.

Ye Zhen, the food blogger, was very skilled at doing things, but Lin Xinghua wouldn’t let her do anything.

If she insisted on doing something, he would let her sit aside and pick vegetables or peel garlic.

Her two younger brothers were still desperately trying to finish their homework, they had to go back to school after lunch.

They lived in the school dormitory, and only came back on weekends.

They were busy when Xie Linqi finished his homework and came to the kitchen to help.

“Grandpa, you tend the fire, I’ll stir-fry.”

The spatula was in Ye Xiaozhen’s hand.

Lin Xinghua laughed, “Your sister-in-law said she wanted to stir-fry, go pack your schoolbag.”

Xie Linqi thought that Ye Xiaozhen often worked at their house, so he didn’t insist, and went back to pack his schoolbag.

At this time, Xie Linli was also done, “How is it? Is she cooking or Grandpa cooking?”

Xie Linqi said, “Grandpa is tending the fire, sister-in-law is cooking.”

Xie Linli breathed a sigh of relief, “That’s good, she’s useful. I was afraid that after we left, Grandpa would have to take care of her.”