Chapter 26

Xu Ning didn’t even raise her head. “Any day is fine. I’m always free.”

Even though He Beian said tomorrow, Xu Ning was sure that her mother-in-law would find a way to change the time to three days later.

The old lady’s thoughts are as clear as day.

There weren’t too many skewers, just three small ones, but there were quite a few bits and pieces on the plate.

It takes more than ten minutes to steam the hawthorns. During this time, He Beian washed the three remaining strings of candied haws with warm water. The thin sugar coating quickly turned into sugar water after being soaked in warm water.

Xu Ning was surprised to see it. She thought it was just another layer of sugar coating.

The kitchen fell silent again. I don’t know if He Beian felt awkward or not. Anyway, Xu Ning felt that the atmosphere was suffocating. But she really didn’t know what to say, and He Beian obviously wouldn’t take the initiative to bring up the topic.

After finishing the work, she simply sat upright and watched him work.

He Beian is quite tall and in good shape. He just changed into a tight-fitting long-sleeved shirt, and the muscles on his back were particularly obvious when he bent over.

A song by a certain band suddenly popped up in Xu Ning’s mind: “My man, you are mighty and majestic…”

She felt that the lyrics were very suitable for He Beian, who was sturdy and majestic.

He Beian’s experience of serving in the army and his hearing impairment made him extremely sensitive to other people’s gazes. He knew that Xu Ning had been looking at him, and her gaze made his back a little stiff.

People often look at him, but no one would stare at him like this. He even wondered if there was dirt on the back of his clothes?

After finishing what he was doing, he slowly turned around and took the plate from Xu Ning.

He turned around slowly, which was enough for Xu Ning to quickly look away, and he didn’t even have time to dodge.

He Beian took the plate very quickly, so quickly that by the time Xu Ning reacted and should dodge, he had already turned back to the stove.

Maybe because it was a short time, she didn’t feel any discomfort.

The gaze that followed him like a shadow came again. He Beian had nothing to do. All the preparations were done. He just had to wait for the steamed hawthorns to come out of the pot so that he could make the syrup. He pretended to be busy and fiddled with the things Xu Ning had strung together one by one.

His hands were busy but he couldn’t hide the gaze behind him. He Beian rarely took the initiative to bring up the topic: “Is the shirt you are wearing the one I gave you?”

He knew Xu Ning had no other intentions, perhaps she was just looking at him out of boredom. He was just too sensitive to other people’s gazes.

When he mentioned it, Xu Ning just remembered this matter. She looked down at her clothes and said apologetically, “I’m sorry, I altered the clothes without your permission.”

Although she is sorry, she will still change it, otherwise she won’t be able to go out.

She believed that He Beian would not give her important clothes, and everything he could give her was unimportant.

“It’s okay. I wore them when I was young. I can’t wear them anymore.” Feeling her eyes moving away, He Beian relaxed a little. “I saw that both of your clothes were hanging in the yard.”

After seeing that both of her clothes were hanging in the yard, I went back to her room and found the box containing her old clothes. Before leaving, I was afraid that she would dislike them.

Seeing both pieces of clothing in the yard, did you realize that she had nothing to wear? Does he have to be so careful!

“Thank you, He Beian!” Xu Ning thanked him with a smile. They were obviously just a couple in name only, so he didn’t need to care about her.

When they pretended to be a couple, she was the one who got the better deal. However, he didn’t seem to realize that she was taking advantage of him. Instead, he was surprisingly easy to talk to.

“You’re welcome. The unused clothes are just placed here.” He Beian fiddled with the dried apricots on the bamboo sticks for the second time.

When someone relaxes the bottom line, someone else dares to push it further. Xu Ning shamelessly asked: “Do you have any other clothes that you can’t wear? Do you mind if I take them and modify them?”

The aroma of steamed hawthorn is wafting in the kitchen, it’s almost done!

He Beian opened the lid of the pot to take a look at the color of the hawthorns. His voice seemed to be tinged with boiling temperature after passing through the steam: “Also, after you finish making the candied haws, come with me to pick some.”

When clothes become unwearable, he will throw away the torn ones and keep the ones without patches and those that are 40% new, thinking it would be a pity to throw them away.

I didn’t think about what to do with it at the time, and I completely forgot about it after pushing it to the bottom of the box. I only remembered it this morning.

Xu Ning probably knew why He Beian ended up like that in the script. He was so easy to talk to and it seemed like he would never refuse anyone.

Think about the clothes I just mentioned, the water I brought last night, and the furniture I voluntarily gave up…

Finally, Xu Ning thought of the forty-five yuan she lent her. When she thought of the forty-five yuan, she suddenly came to her senses. No matter how miserable the other person was, he was still better off than her. At least he had money.

And she, a poor woman with nothing, actually feels pity for others!

Damn, it’s expanded!

Xu Ning didn’t say anything, and neither did He Beian. He was busy stringing together the steamed hawthorns and flattening them.

The temperature of the steamed hawthorns just out of the pot is high, and the syrup cannot solidify. After all are pressed, they need to be placed in the yard to cool.

He originally wanted to ask Xu Ning for help, but when he turned around and saw that Xu Ning seemed to be thinking about something, He Beian carried it out by himself.

After everything is done, it is time for the last step, which is to boil syrup for dipping the candied haws.

These steps were what Xu Ning specified for her to see. He Beian reminded her, “I’m about to start making the syrup. Do you want to come and watch?”

“Yes.” Of course he did. Xu Ning came to her senses and stood up quickly and walked to the other side of the stove, keeping a distance from He Beian but not affecting his viewing.

The steps seem simple, add water and sugar, boil it, and then it starts to bubble…

She didn’t see the temperature or anything, it seemed like He Beian just waited casually and then started dipping the food.

After dipping each string, she carefully observed the transparent layer of syrup on the top, which was neither too thin nor too thick.

The glued candied haws were placed in a large round enamel plate with a peony flower in the middle. It looked very beautiful from the perspective of the 1970s.

The food in his hands was about to be used up, and He Beian instructed Xu Ning: “Bring back the plate on the stone table in the yard.”

Xu Ning seemed to have learned something, but also seemed not to have learned it. However, she had a strange confidence. She was now terribly strong.

She quickly ran to the yard and brought back the flattened ripe hawthorns. She stepped into the kitchen and was eager to try: “Can I have a try?”

“···Can I leave one for you to try?” He Beian was reluctant to agree and said hesitantly.

“Okay!” Xu Ning gritted her teeth. As expected, he pretended not to hear her when she greeted him that morning!

She was farther away than last time and her voice was just as loud, but he could still hear it.

Walking to the other side of the kitchen, Xu Ning pushed the plate in front of He Beian and stared at his movements. If she can’t find a way to make money, she might really go to the streets to sell candied haws.

He Beian pinched the tail of the bamboo stick, pressed the hawthorn into the syrup, turned it around neatly and lifted it up. The action did not look difficult.

The candied haws were neatly placed in the large peony enamel plate, with only one spot left at the very edge, and there was only one flat candied haws left in the plate.