Chapter 48 Just be sweet

Xie Yan got a glare from Xue Qingdai and silently sat beside her, setting up her lunch. He opened the aluminum lunchbox—inside was the braised pork she hadn’t gotten to eat earlier—and neatly placed the chopsticks for her. From experience, he knew: when it came to Dadai, there were things you just couldn’t say. Her temper was no joke, and she wasn’t easy to coax once upset.

In the Xie household, Xie Yan was very familiar with Xue Qingdai’s daily routine. He even asked his mom every day what time Qingdai got up. The conclusion? At the Xie house, the person who went to bed the earliest and got up the latest… was always Qingdai.
As for studying… the area beside her pillow was always littered with comic books and picture storybooks. If those could teach Chinese medicine, it’d be a miracle.

Still, Dadai’s medical skills were excellent. Strange, really.

“Xie Yan, the chopsticks are dirty~”
Qingdai was becoming more and more reliant on him, asking for help with even the tiniest things.

Fan Hua’s hair stood on end listening. Her junior sister’s voice was so soft and coy when talking to her man—like it could melt sugar. It was even pleasing to the female ear. And her boyfriend… really pampered her. He helped with such a trivial thing—any more and he might as well be feeding her the rice.

Suddenly, even this fragrant white rice started tasting like coarse grains to Fan Hua. If she ever spoke to her own father that way, she’d get smacked with the sole of a shoe.

“I haven’t seen him around before—how long have you two been together? Junior sister really kept this a secret.”
Yang Lin, sitting at the far end, was curious too. His junior sister acted totally different in front of her boyfriend. That cold-faced man looked difficult to approach, while the petite, cute junior sister was a little aloof to strangers—not someone who’d take initiative in relationships.

Qingdai nudged Xie Yan’s long leg with hers, hoping he’d clarify their relationship.

Xie Yan said,
“We’ve been engaged for many years. She was younger before, so we didn’t spend much time together—that was my fault. She came all the way to the capital just to find me, and it wasn’t easy. She’s suffered a lot.

“So her being upset with me? I deserve it. Usually, she only loses her temper with me. She’s gentle with everyone else, you don’t have to worry.”

Qingdai listened, a little dazed. It… kind of made sense. It really was all his fault.

Fan Hua’s gaze toward her junior sister became even more affectionate. Not only had she been secretly practicing her craft, she was also deeply devoted to her fiancé. No wonder Master had picked her out from so many apprentices.

Yang Lin, too, felt a wave of envy for Xie Yan. Devoted girls like junior sister were rare.

Qingdai felt weird being stared at by her senior brother and sister. Xie Yan looked calm and warm, and she couldn’t find anything to nitpick.

“Xie Yan, my mom said I have to call her at six today. You help me, I’ve never made a phone call before.”

Back in the room, Xue Qingdai clutched a candied orange stick. It was so sour her mouth watered instantly. The vendor had said she was a regular and had made the orange candy especially for her—but the oranges were incredibly sour, stinging her gums.

She and Xie Yan had waited a long time in line at the post and telecommunications office. It was finally their turn. Long-distance calls were often blocked; it was incredibly hard to get through. She had overestimated the communication capabilities of this era.

Xie Yan’s family had a private line, but it only worked for local calls. Long-distance ones had to be made from the telegraph building or the post office.

There were only three lines to her hometown. Whether or not the call connected was pure luck. Now she seriously doubted her third brother’s claim that her mother called twice a day—the line must have always been busy.

She realized now that just hearing a loved one’s voice in this era was a luxury.
Technology truly changed the world—but that wouldn’t happen for another decade or more.

Xie Yan turned the black rotary dial. As the numbers clicked into place, Qingdai recited the digits. The phone crackled and roared like a sandstorm—she couldn’t hear a thing. Her heartbeat slowed as the noise from the receiver grew.

Qingdai missed many people—even the two big yellow dogs at the entrance of her village. But when her mother Yang Xiaomin’s voice finally came through, she instantly knew who she missed the most.

“Xiaobao, can you hear me?”
“Have you eaten?”
“Are you wearing enough clothes?”

The voice was distorted, but the concern in it was very real.

“Mm…”
Qingdai almost cried. A strange wave of emotion surged up, making her want to sob—but she was doing just fine. She shouldn’t sound teary and make her mom worry.

She held the receiver tightly, tears brimming in her eyes, unable to look anywhere but at Xie Yan’s profile. Her free hand gripped the back of his hand for stability. Her voice stayed calm.

“Mom, I’m doing well. Third Brother is too. We’ll be home soon.”
“I want to eat pork crackling dumplings for New Year’s~”

Yang Xiaomin:
“Of course. I’ll make whatever you want.”
“Your grandpa wants to talk to you.”

“Old Xue, get in line! Dawa, wait your turn—”

“Grandpa! Xie Yan is here with me too.”
Qingdai had a motive. Her intention to break off the engagement was only known by her mother and grandfather. The final decision rested with Grandpa.

Xie Yan took the receiver and wrapped Qingdai in his arms. Her fingertips had been cold earlier. He held her struggling body steady with one arm.

“Grandpa Xue, this is Xie Yan. How is your health?”

Xie Yan was known for being meticulous and steady during missions and was well-liked by his superiors. Xue Deming had already vetted him thoroughly as a future grandson-in-law—he was one in a thousand. But even so, that voice was grating. Hadn’t he told the brat to stop seeing Qingdai?

“Good, good. I’m very well. But I need more time to speak with Dadai.”

Long-distance calls were precious. Everyone shouted like machine guns: “rat-a-tat-tat,” nonstop. The people in line behind them were already getting impatient.

“Grandpa, make me a few bamboo baskets. I mailed you some herbal pills—no matter how bitter they are, just swallow them.”

Xue Deming stroked his beard.
“Got i—”

Just as he was about to say more, his son Xue Chengyi grabbed the phone.

“Dadai, are you short on money? I’ll send you more.”

“Dad, I’ve got a subsidy from the town government lately. I’ll send some too,” said the eldest son Xue Shiyou, who hadn’t even gotten his turn and was practically foaming at the mouth.

“Let me talk to Dadai!”

Beep beep beep——
Just like that, the call cut off. She hadn’t even gotten to say much. The only sound from the icy receiver was the dead hum of a disconnected line.

Qingdai wanted to drop everything and run to the train station, but her family didn’t yet know about her third brother’s situation. How could she explain?

She and Third Brother were the same—rebellious and hard-headed. Grandpa, Dad, and Mom had all strictly forbidden Third Brother from going into business. She and her brother stood on the same front line. She had to hold her ground at the Xie household and wait for her brother to come “rescue” her.

In the meantime, she’d take her sweet revenge on the male lead, Xie Yan.

“Xie Yan, your hands are so warm.”

His hands, now covered in crescent-shaped nail marks, were worth a compliment or two.

Sweet words were enough. No sincerity required.