Chapter 36 : Fingers clasped

The reasons aren’t hard to guess. I’m sure many people in his position would make the same choice.

First, he has known Yanxing for a long time and knows his character and family background. He understands that if Yanxing likes his younger sister and takes action, he will definitely take responsibility. This would ensure that his sister’s life will be good in the future.

Moreover, he has observed their interactions these past few days. Few people can tolerate his sister’s little quirks, but Yanxing is one of the rare individuals who can. To put it bluntly, it’s not just tolerance it’s indulgence!

Second, he remains troubled by the incident from that night when their lips touched. Though he understands it was to save someone, his old-fashioned views make him feel uneasy. He knows that village gossip will be inevitable. If his sister can be with Yanxing, it would undoubtedly be the best choice.

Third, he wholeheartedly supports it.

Liang Junqiang can’t find any reason to oppose their relationship, so he turns a blind eye. He also knows Yanxing is aware of this, which is why Yanxing has been openly pursuing his sister these days.

Liang Junqiang lowered his gaze and waited until things quieted down before casually approaching to help open the last food container. A rich aroma immediately filled the room. The noodles, made with pork fat and bone broth, topped with green onions and vegetables, looked delicious and made one’s mouth water.

The most important thing is that there is a poached egg on top of the white noodles. The round egg yolk is covered with soup and rolls back and forth twice as the lid is opened. In addition to the three bowls of noodles, there was also a bowl of golden chicken soup, not just with soup but large chunks of chicken and a few floating red dates. The rich aroma combined with the steaming heat made one’s appetite stir.

Liang Junqiang’s eyes widened, and he licked his lips, swallowing his saliva. He asked instinctively, “Where did you get the food and meat coupons, little sister?”

“They were given to me by Comrade Fan,” Liang Qingqing replied without hesitation. “He asked me to buy these, saying it would help with recovery.” She directly shifted the blame to Fan Yanxing, who glanced at her and nodded in agreement.

Hearing this, Liang Junqiang swallowed the words he was about to say. He felt he couldn’t interfere with how others spent their money, but…

“Why buy so much? I’m not sick. We could just eat a bit. There’s no need for such good food, it’s a waste of money and coupons.”

Liang Qingqing pouted, unsure how to respond, and chose to ignore the comment. Sure enough, the next moment Fan Yanxing spoke up “Brother Junqiang, you and Qingqing have taken care of me for so many days. I don’t know how to thank you. This is just a meal, so don’t be polite with me.”

Seeing that neither of them seemed particularly concerned, Liang Junqiang silently kept his mouth shut.

He ate quickly before long, his bowl of noodles was empty. Smacking his lips, he thought about how nice it was to have money, allowing him to enjoy white noodles and eggs. He couldn’t have imagined such a luxury before, but during these days in the country town, he had not only enjoyed these good things but also had meat, peaches, and even a bowl of noodles…

He knew who to thank for all this. Glancing at the two people eating noodles not far away, he felt quite out of place. He huffed to himself, thinking it seemed like anyone without a wife was at a disadvantage! It’s just a matter of time before he gets to be in their position!

Thinking of Huang Shumin, Liang Junqiang decided he didn’t want to stay around as a third wheel and suddenly stood up. He set down the food container and said to them, “The weather’s finally cleared up. I’m going out for a walk and to digest a bit. I’ll leave the container here and come back to wash it later.”

Hearing this, Liang Qingqing looked up in surprise. There was still more than half of the noodles and even half an egg left in her bowl. She hadn’t expected Liang Junqiang to finish so quickly, so she nodded after a moment of hesitation, “Go ahead.”

Soon, Liang Junqiang disappeared out the door.

Liang Qingqing continued eating her noodles, but there was too much, and she couldn’t finish it after a few more bites. She placed the food container on the table. Just then, Fan Yanxing had also finished eating and, noticing her situation, asked, “Are you full?”

“Yes, I’m full,” Liang Qingqing nodded. She then reminded him, “There’s still a bowl of chicken soup over there. You should drink it while it’s hot it’s good for your health.”

Fan Yanxing picked up the bowl of chicken soup and, with a natural gesture, scooped a spoonful, blew on it to cool it slightly, and held it out to her. It was only a finger’s distance from her lips, and his voice was gentle and clean, mixing with the sunlight coming through the window and gently teasing her ears.

“Do you want to try some?”

They were already close, and he deliberately shifted half his butt toward her, so their shoulders were touching. The thin fabric did little to block the warmth that spread between them, and soon she felt the heat from his body, warming her shoulder and neck.

Liang Qingqing’s long eyelashes fluttered. She looked up at him and, not surprisingly, met his deep, smiling eyes, like the shimmering surface of a lake. It was so beautiful that she couldn’t help but gaze a little longer.

“Hurry up, my hand is getting tired,” his voice came again, sounding somewhat casual but incredibly tempting.

Ugh, she didn’t believe it.

Liang Qingqing gave him a playful glance but still obediently parted her lips and drank the chicken soup from the spoon. The temperature was just right, the flavor was fresh, and the slight sweetness from the red dates pleased her greatly.

“Is it good?” Fan Yanxing asked as he scooped another spoonful, speaking casually.

Liang Qingqing nodded. “You’ll know once you try it.”

As soon as she finished speaking, he placed the spoon at her lips. The metal spoon left a mark on her lips, not deep or shallow. The moment she opened her mouth and took the spoon, it was already gone. Her tongue rolled around on the spoon, making a slight sound.

Watching this scene, Fan Yanxing’s fingers lightly caressed the spoon’s handle. He tried to suppress his inner turmoil, and no one knew how much he wished to replace the spoon with something else to personally experience the softness between her lips and teeth.

Unaware of the disturbance her unintentional actions caused, Liang Qingqing smiled with her eyebrows curved and sipped the soup with satisfaction. She said to him with a charming smile, “I didn’t expect the hospital cafeteria’s chef to have such good skills. Brother Yanxing, thanks to you, I got to taste…”

Before she could finish, Liang Qingqing gasped in surprise, instinctively grabbing his chest, and fell back onto the bed. Her head felt a bit dazed, and the clatter of the food container on the table brought her back to her senses. When she saw what was happening, her breathing quickened.

A pair of large hands were firmly placed in her soft ones, fingers interlocked. The grip wasn’t painful, but it was inescapable, and no matter how she moved, she couldn’t change her position. She tried to shift, but her hands remained firmly in place.

The man leaned in close, his brows high, nose straight and perfect, with features that seemed flawless. His thick, well-defined lashes were slightly lowered, hiding the emotions in his eyes. As she turned her head, she could clearly see his prominent Adam’s apple moving rhythmically up and down.

Perhaps he was a bit nervous, as that spot was moving constantly.

“Fan Yanxing, what, what are you doing?” Liang Qingqing was puzzled as to why, after enjoying the soup, he suddenly became so aggressive, pinning her down on the bed. Confused, she could only ask for an explanation.

However, her usually coquettish voice was trembling, betraying her unease.

“Call me ‘Brother Yanxing’ again?” His voice had a slight upward lilt, carrying a lazy, teasing tone. It wrapped around her, making her feel weak and unable to muster any strength.

Hearing this, Liang Qingqing was momentarily stunned. Although she liked to tease Fan Yanxing from time to time, she was usually quite stingy with calling him “Brother Yanxing,” only doing so recently as a form of courtesy for him helping her with the soup.

“Hmm?” He dragged out the sound, as if urging her, and then casually rubbed his thumb against her hand. This touch made her instinctively shrink her neck, her heartbeat accelerating to the point where she felt he must have heard it.

Her face grew even redder, her breathing heavier. The position emphasized her full chest, rising and falling with each breath. Fan Yanxing’s eyes darkened further.

“Let me go first, I’m uncomfortable.”

Liang Qingqing was usually delicate. Normally, whether or not she was truly uncomfortable, Fan Yanxing would have complied with her request. But seeing the sparkle in her eyes and the way they darted around, he was no longer inclined to let go.

“Call me first, and then I’ll let go.”

Seeing Fan Yanxing’s insistence, Liang Qingqing’s eyes widened in disbelief. This was completely different from what she had imagined, and she was panicked but unwilling to give in first. She stubbornly said, “Let me go first, and I’ll call.”

As soon as she said this, Fan Yanxing lightened his grip slightly. Before Liang Qingqing could relax, he tightened it again. Watching her reaction with a light laugh, he said, “Qingqing, I’m not falling for it again.”

God knows how many times she had used this trick on him these past days.

Liang Qingqing realized this too, her face flushing red and then turning pale and she couldn’t think of any words to refute.