Chapter 31

The two children folded their new clothes and put them away neatly.

They changed into their old clothes to prepare for bed. The autumn outfits Gu Qinghuan had bought for them were carefully folded and placed on the kang cupboard, as they were worried they would wrinkle while sleeping.

At this moment, hearing Gu Qinghuan’s words, Da Bao turned around and said excitedly: “Mom, is it okay? That’s great!”

“Dad, you should try on the new clothes too. They’re so comfortable and warm.” Bei Bei also persuaded.

Instead, Xu Huai’an hesitated.

He paused for a moment, gently shaking his head. “Maybe not… What if I…”

“Don’t worry about what ifs. Just loosen the top half, it won’t be a big deal, and your emotions are stable right now, so give it a try.” Gu Qinghuan encouraged.

He had to go through this step eventually.

The two children really wanted their dad to relax.

They were eagerly looking at him.

After hesitating for a long time, Xu Huai’an couldn’t refuse the children’s request and agreed.

Gu Qinghuan helped undo the ropes and then went outside to cook, leaving the space to him.

Xu Huai’an had not moved his arms freely in a long time. It felt as though his arms no longer belonged to him, and every movement caused a piercing pain.

After slowly stretching his arms and moving his joints, it felt so comfortable.

With Da Bao’s help, he slowly put on the base layer of autumn clothes and the turtleneck sweater.

Then, carefully, he put on the autumn pants, inching them up little by little through the gap in the ropes.

He finally felt like a person again.

He was warm from the inside out.

When Gu Qinghuan entered with two bowls of noodles, she paused for a moment.

Xu Huai’an was sitting upright on the kang, his legs covered with a quilt. The simple gray turtleneck sweater he wore somehow gave him an aristocratic aura.

Even his messy long hair and thick beard gave off an artistic vibe.

Some people had the ability to make cheap items look elegant.

“It looks good.” Gu Qinghuan said, using the meal as a way to cover up the awkwardness from earlier. “Da Bao, Bei Bei, set up the kang table. It’s time to eat.”

A faint flush suddenly appeared on Xu Huai’an’s pale face. If he wasn’t mistaken, just now, Gu Qinghuan had said it looked good.

He hadn’t missed the brief look of admiration in her eyes when she entered.

However, because the kerosene lamp was dim, Gu Qinghuan didn’t notice someone’s blush.

“There’s no time today, so we’ll just have some noodles. I’ll make something delicious for you tomorrow.” Gu Qinghuan said.

Da Bao, smelling the fragrant fried egg noodles, was about to drool. “Mom, it’s already great. This is really good.”

“Yeah, mom, when we were little, we couldn’t even have noodles during the New Year. These noodles smell so good!” Bei Bei said innocently, holding the bowl.

The children’s words made the two adults feel a little upset inside.

“Then eat quickly, eat more. There’s still some in the pot.” Xu Huai’an said.

He struggled to pick up his chopsticks but found he couldn’t even grab the noodles.

Once. 

Twice. 

Three times. 

None of them made it to his mouth.

Gu Qinghuan noticed his embarrassment.

“How about I feed you?” she offered.

Xu Huai’an shook his head firmly.

When his hands were tied, he had to be fed, but now that they were free, it didn’t make sense to have someone feed him.

He tried again and again, straining to control his arm, and finally managed to get a bite into his mouth.

The two children cheered: “Dad is awesome!”

Gu Qinghuan smiled a little. This man was really stubborn, but stubborn in a way that was quite cute.

The meal was warm and cozy, and everyone was happy because of Xu Huai’an’s small progress.

After the meal, it was still the two children who washed the dishes.

Gu Qinghuan, rarely sitting down to talk with Xu Huai’an, felt a bit awkward.

But she quickly found something to do for herself.

“How about I tidy up your hair? And maybe shave your beard too?”

Xu Huai’an thought she was annoyed by his untidy appearance and worried that her mother would find him messy, so he gladly agreed.

Her skills seemed quite good, as she styled the two children’s hair, and they looked pretty nice.

Actually, Gu Qinghuan was just curious. After shaving his beard, she wondered what kind of face he would have underneath—one that could bring chaos to the world.

She quickly gathered scissors and her usual eyebrow trimming blade, ready to begin.

Gu Qinghuan half-knelt on the kang, carefully styling his hair.

With his looks, any hairstyle would suit him, so for convenience, Gu Qinghuan decided to give him a buzz cut.

This didn’t require much skill—just a quick snip, snip, and it was done.

As the hair fell away, a sharply defined face gradually revealed itself.

Now, only the beard remained.

Xu Huai’an’s expression was serious, but in his mind, he was silently reciting a calming mantra.

No woman had ever been this close to him before, and his heart was racing, as if a rabbit had hopped inside, thumping and jumping restlessly. There was a hint of panic.

“All done. You can lie down now, and I’ll shave your beard.” Gu Qinghuan said.

Xu Huai’an, looking as though he was facing a heroic sacrifice, laid flat on the kang.

Gu Qinghuan couldn’t help but laugh at his expression, letting out a small chuckle.

Shaving was a delicate task, and Gu Qinghuan was only about ten centimeters away from him. He could even smell the faint fragrance of her hair and see the small fuzz by her ear.

The calming mantra was no longer effective.

Xu Huai’an’s heart pounded like it was inside a drum, constantly being struck.

Boom.

Boom.

Boom.

For a moment, Xu Huai’an wondered if he had fallen ill again, as his emotions felt completely uncontrollable.

Though only a few minutes had passed, it felt like a century to him.

“All done, sit up and take a look!” Gu Qinghuan said.

Xu Huai’an sat up, awkwardly using his hands to touch his head and chin. It felt cool.

Gu Qinghuan stared at the handsome face before her, one that could turn the world upside down, and couldn’t help but freeze for a moment.

Heaven had truly favored him; with this face, in later times, he could easily make a living just from his looks.

Unlike his previous melancholic aura, he now radiated a strong, resilient energy, almost like an iron-blooded soldier.

The buzz cut made him look sharp and energetic.

However, his skin had turned an unhealthy white from not being exposed to the sun for a long time.

Xu Huai’an stole a glance at her, noticing that Gu Qinghuan seemed quite satisfied with his face. He couldn’t help but feel relieved.

At least he still had a face that was somewhat presentable.

Gu Qinghuan snapped out of her daze and realized she had become a little too infatuated. She pretended to look down and busy herself with tidying up.

“You should rest. I’m going to pick up mom.” she said.

“Okay, be careful on the way.” Xu Huai’an replied.

Gu Qinghuan quickly ran out, lightly slapping her own face. Gu Qinghuan, what kind of handsome men haven’t you seen? Why are you acting like this? How embarrassing!

Back in her room, she took out the bed sheets and comforters she had already prepared, spreading them on the kang. She also took out her cotton clothes and shoes, placing them into the cupboard.

She grabbed some more food—rice, white flour, and eggs—to stock up.

Recently, the whole family needed some good nourishment. Once Zhong Zijun arrived, it wouldn’t be so easy to sneak things in.

After checking everything to ensure they were well-stocked, she hurriedly hopped on her bike and left.

Holding the old-fashioned flashlight she had bought from the vending machine, she made her way to the Cattle Shed.

Zhong Zijun had already packed and was waiting. They had a rare treat that night, enjoying a bowl of hanging noodles—still the ones Gu Qinghuan had brought last time.

Gu Qinghuan didn’t come empty-handed this time either. She brought ten kilos of rice, ten kilos of white flour, and about ten eggs.

The two elders worked in the Cattle Shed, and they needed to eat well. Although there were fewer tasks now with the help of the recent farmhand, taking care of the cows and their needs was still no easy job.

“Grandpa, Grandma, I’ve taken care of everything on my end. You two should focus on getting some proper nourishment, restore your health, and take more rest.” Gu Qinghuan said.

Chen Shuying glanced at the items her granddaughter had brought and quickly pushed them back toward her. “You’ve already spent a lot on winter clothes, right? You must have spent a lot of money on those. We can’t accept all these grains. Take them back home. With illness and young children at home, we don’t need these.”

“By the way, this is the eighteen yuan and two jiao left over from before. Take it with you.” she added.

They had already spent too much of her money, and they couldn’t take any more fine food. They also didn’t want Gu Qinghuan to face any trouble back home.

Zhong Weiqian shared the same sentiment, and both elders were resolute in not accepting the food.

“You’ve already brought us plenty last time. We’re good for food, don’t worry.” he said.

Gu Qinghuan pushed the food back toward them again.

“Don’t worry about it. We still have enough at home. Xu Huai’an said that all the money at home is for me to manage. Buying winter supplies for you was also his idea.

Grandpa, Grandma, you’re the only family I have left. Please, for my sake, take care of yourselves. We’re a family, and we need to stay whole and healthy.” she said, playing the emotional card.

The two elders finally relented and accepted the food.

“That boy, is he really as good as you say?” Chen Shuying asked, holding her granddaughter’s hand.

“Yes, Grandma, he’s a really good person. You’ll see for yourself when you meet him.” Gu Qinghuan replied earnestly.

“That’s good, that’s good. As long as you’re happy and living well, even though my body isn’t what it used to be, it’s fine.” Chen Shuying said, feeling somewhat reassured after hearing about Xu Huai’an’s character.

“Then, Grandma, we’ll be heading back now. When we have time, I’ll bring you over to visit.”

“Alright, be careful on the way. You’ve worked hard, my child.” Chen Shuying said, sending them to the door.