Chapter 19: Hear no evil, see no evil

Zhou Xiaohua tilted her head, her black, shiny eyes still as innocent as ever.

Wash hands?

Such a simple thing?

She could get a steamed cornmeal bun by doing that?

Could she really trust what she was saying?

But… steamed cornmeal buns…

She wanted to eat the steamed cornmeal buns.

The little girl’s heart was in intense conflict.

Jiang Rou continued to gently persuade her, coaxing her with a soft tone.

“Not only the steamed cornmeal buns, Aunt can also give you this red string and make you a pretty braid.”

The stakes kept rising.

Jiang Rou had noticed earlier that the little girl had sneaked glances at her several times, all because of the red string in her braids.

Which little girl could resist the temptation of a red headband?

Zhou Xiaohua immediately nodded.

She needed to wash her hands, eat the steamed cornmeal bun, get the red headband, and have her braids.

Just like that, the deal was done.

Jiang Rou first took Zhou Xiaohua to wash her hands.

She brought over a basin with a red rim, the water at just the right temperature, with a soft towel nearby and a bar of pink soap that smelled faintly of flowers.

Zhou Xiaohua’s hands were small, her fingers delicate, and the gaps between her fingers and under her nails were stained with dark marks.

Jiang Rou wasn’t disgusted in the slightest.

Her own fair, clean hands gently grasped Zhou Xiaohua’s small hand, holding them together as she placed them by her face.

Zhou Xiaohua could feel the softness and warmth of Jiang Rou’s palm and also saw their hands together.

One black, one white.

She was so dirty…

The little girl lowered her head, her face slightly flushed.

She shyly wanted to pull her hand back, but Jiang Rou kept holding her hand. With her other hand, she picked up the soap and rubbed it into the palm of her hand.

“Xiaohua, look, bubbles are coming out. Smell it, doesn’t it smell nice?”

Zhou Xiaohua was drawn in by Jiang Rou’s words, watching as the transparent bubbles formed on her little hand.

So magical!

So fun!

The little girl’s shyness disappeared instantly, her eyes sparkling as she stared at the soap bubbles.

Jiang Rou looked at the delighted expression on Zhou Xiaohua’s face, and her heart felt warm and soft.

What a child so easily satisfied!

It made her maternal instincts surge within her.

Taking advantage of the moment when Zhou Xiaohua was distracted, Jiang Rou carefully turned her little hand over and over, thoroughly cleaning it, restoring it to its soft and fair state.

She then used a towel to dry her little hand.

“Here you go! Xiaohua’s reward, a steamed cornmeal bun.”

Zhou Xiaohua stared in disbelief, her eyes wide and round, exceptionally cute.

She never expected it to be real.

Washing her hands really did get her a steamed cornmeal bun!

Jiang Rou had truly given it to her.

Not only that.

Jiang Rou also took the red headband off and, noticing that Zhou Xiaohua’s hair was still messy and impossible to braid, she tied the red headband around her wrist instead.

“This red headband is also for you, Xiaohua. After you take a bath, wash your hair, and get all clean, I’ll tie this red headband in your hair, okay?”

Zhou Xiaohua looked at the red band on her wrist and nodded enthusiastically!!!

Steamed cornmeal buns, red headband!

They were both hers! She felt so satisfied!

Seeing Zhou Xiaohua so happy, Jiang Rou smoothly brought up her next request.

“Xiaohua, would you like to take a bath?”

Zhou Xiaohua, already cheered up by Jiang Rou and familiar with her soft, faint scent, felt no resistance to her closeness.

She looked at the red string on her wrist and then raised her head to look at Jiang Rou.

Once again, she nodded firmly.

Taking a bath was no big deal, it seemed~

Soon after, the sound of water echoed from the courtyard.

……

While Jiang Rou was giving Zhou Xiaohua a bath.

Outside the courtyard’s main gate.

Zhou Chongshan and Zhou Xiaochuan, the father and son, were having a serious conversation.

Zhou Chongshan didn’t merely see Zhou Xiaochuan as a small child; he treated him as a little adult in the family.

He had many responsibilities in the military camp, and often couldn’t pay attention to matters at home, which were mostly handled by Zhou Xiaochuan.

Children from poor families had to take on adult roles early.

In this era, many families were in similar situations.

Zhou Chongshan had been the same at Zhou Xiaochuan’s age.

By then, he had already started working on the land, becoming the primary labor force in his family.

So, he didn’t hide anything from Zhou Xiaochuan and directly told him about his intention to marry Jiang Rou.

“Xiaochuan, after she marries me, she will become your and Xiaohua’s mother. If you’re willing, you can call her ‘Mom’; if you don’t want to, calling her ‘Aunt’ is fine too. I believe she won’t mind. But in terms of status, she will be your mother, just as I am your father. That won’t change.”

Zhou Chongshan spoke seriously and earnestly.

Zhou Xiaochuan listened silently, his expression tense.

The young boy’s brows were clearly filled with resistance to suddenly having a stepmother.

He had his own mother!

Sometimes, his mother was a bit confused, but there were moments when she was clear-headed.

When his mother was clear-headed, she treated him very well.

Zhou Xiaochuan had quite a clear memory of his childhood.

He pressed his lips together, gritting his teeth, still filled with rejection toward Jiang Rou in his heart.

Zhou Chongshan naturally noticed the resistance on Zhou Xiaochuan’s face.

However, his marriage to Jiang Rou was already a done deal.

Moreover, Zhou Chongshan had an inexplicable feeling that Jiang Rou would indeed treat the two children well, just as she had promised.

He raised his arm and gently patted Zhou Xiaochuan’s head.

Compared to his earlier seriousness, his next words were more heartfelt.

He sounded more like a loving father.

“Xiaochuan, you and Xiaohua are both my children, and you’re the most important family to me. In the future, Jiang Rou will also become part of our family. Dad hopes that we, as a family, can all get along well, and that Jiang Rou and you two can live together happily. Can you do that?”

Zhou Xiaochuan felt the warmth from the hand resting on his head.

He pressed his lips tightly together and slowly relaxed.

“Dad, I will get along well with her.”

As long as she doesn’t bully my little sister.

Zhou Xiaochuan silently added in his heart.

Hearing that Zhou Xiaochuan had agreed, Zhou Chongshan finally let out a quiet sigh of relief.

Dealing with family matters was really harder than going into battle!

Finally, the outcome was not bad.

Zhou Chongshan asked a few more daily questions, and Zhou Xiaochuan calmly responded with a few words.

He knew that Zhou Chongshan was busy, and that the matters in the military unit were more important, as well as…

They were not biologically related, after all.

In Zhou Xiaochuan’s heart, he was afraid of causing trouble for Zhou Chongshan, afraid that Zhou Chongshan might not want them.

So, many things, he silently bore on his own, gritting his teeth.

The little wolf cub was stubborn and defiant.

As long as Zhou Xiaohua was fine, he could endure anything!

After their conversation, the father and son turned and walked toward the courtyard behind them.

They pushed the door open.

The next moment.

They heard the sound of water splashing, mixed with the small sound of laughter.

Soon after.

They saw Zhou Xiaohua, sitting in the wooden tub, being bathed, and Jiang Rou, with her sleeves rolled up, exposing a section of her fair arm, holding a towel.

The little girl, who loved playing with water, was slapping the surface of the water with her small hands, her bright smile shining through.

The splashing water droplets occasionally landed on Jiang Rou, and she had to use the towel to shield herself.

Under the sunlight, the charming and graceful woman, the cute and round little girl, and the sparkling water droplets together formed a beautiful picture.

The father and son, just entering the door, stood frozen, their figures—one large, one small—and their eyes—two pairs—were all equally stunned.

Zhou Chongshan’s gaze mostly rested on Jiang Rou, watching her eyes curve into crescent shapes, and the corners of her mouth lifting in a smile.

Zhou Xiaochuan, on the other hand, looked at Zhou Xiaohua in disbelief.

He had never seen his sister so happy, laughing so freely.

Yes!

It was a giggle!

Even though it was just a few brief sounds, Zhou Xiaochuan was very sure that he heard it!

Turns out, his little sister could make noise after all!

Jiang Rou felt a scorching gaze fall on her body, hotter than the sunlight.

When she turned her head, she saw Zhou Zhongshan and Zhou Xiaochuan returning.

The father and son duo stared at her with blank expressions.

Although Zhou Xiaohua was just a little girl, she was four years old and was currently bathing in a tub.

How could a man watch a little girl bathe!

“Stop looking. Turn around now.” Jiang Rou commanded towards the father and son.

Zhou Zhongshan, being from a military background, reacted quickly.

Seeing Jiang Rou wrapping Zhou Xiaohua’s naked body with a towel, he immediately understood what was going on.

He promptly stood at attention and turned away.

Avoiding looking.

But Zhou Xiaochuan, being young, was still oblivious to the distinction between men and women.

He stood there, dazed.

In the end, Zhou Zhongshan pressed down on Zhou Xiaochuan’s head and forcibly redirected the bewildered little boy’s gaze.

No intrusion, no gaze!

Even though he had turned away, the old man’s face was still blazing hot.

Zhou Chongshan couldn’t help but recall yesterday. After Jiang Rou took a shower, her entire body was damp, radiating a fragrance…