Chapter 250 - Before The Storm
Xie Yujia hesitated for two seconds before she understood what Zhao Yanzi meant.
She thought for a while. “Ok, I’ll carry you on my back.”
Xie Yujia knew Zhao Yanzi was hostile towards her, but she believed Zhao Yanzi requested because she didn’t want Hao Ren to carry her.
She walked to stand before Zhao Yanzi with her back to her, bending slightly.
With a flushed face, Zhao Yanzi gritted her teeth and placed her hands on Xie Yujia’s shoulders.
“Come on!” Xie Yujia looked back and smiled at her gently.
She didn’t hold a grudge against Zhao Yanzi. Instead, she felt Zhao Yanzi was cute.
“Humph! Do you think I’m too shy to let you carry me?” Zhao Yanzi jumped onto Xie Yujia’s back.
Xie Yujia shifted her weight slightly and began walking forward.
Hao Ren stood on the side and looked at them curiously, wondering what they were up to.
“Let’s go!” Xie Yujia said to Hao Ren.
Zhao Yanzi bit her lip and leaned on Xie Yujia’s back limply.
Although Xie Yujia’s physical strength had grown recently, she was after all a girl, and it was quite an effort for her to walk with Zhao Yanzi on her back.
Hao Ren quickened his steps and walked over to them. “Well, Zi, how about I carry you on my back?”
“No! I want her to carry me!” Zhao Yanzi shifted her head from Xie Yujia’s left shoulder to the right.
Hao Ren was exasperated, but Xie Yujia didn’t mind. “It’s ok. It’s not far, and I can manage. Besides, Zi is a girl, and it doesn’t look good for you to carry her on your back.”
Hearing the last sentence, Zhao Yanzi thought for a while and said abruptly, “Uncle, I want you to carry me.”
“Ugh?” Hao Ren looked at her in surprise.
“Yeah, I want you to carry me on your back!” Zhao Yanzi’s face fell.
Hao Ren had no choice. “Ok, ok! I’ll do it!”
He went to Xie Yujia’s side and bent his back slightly.
Zhao Yanzi reached out one hand and grabbed Hao Ren’s shoulder. Without touching the ground with her feet, she moved to Hao Ren’s back.
Hao Ren murmured silently, “Are you a monkey, crawling from one person to another?”
But the moment Zhao Yanzi’s body touched his back, his feelings immediately changed.
Although in his eyes, she was only a second grader of middle school, her soft skin on his back turned his mind blank.
In fact, Zhao Yanzi was a bit shy, but her blush was not noticeable in the setting sun.
She had meant to make Xie Yujia angry and had not expected she would end up on Hao Ren’s back.
“Ok! Let’s go!” Without thinking, Hao Ren gripped the inside of her knees and continued to walk in the direction of the setting sun.
Xie Yujia smiled in resignation and walked beside them.
Zhao Yanzi wound her arms around Hao Ren’s neck and placed her cheek on his head. All of a sudden, she felt touched.
Hao Ren’s steps were steady, and even Xie Yujia noticed that he was trying to adjust his steps to avoid jolting Zhao Yanzi.
She could feel Hao Ren’s gentle care for Zhao Yanzi. She wouldn’t be so surprised if she saw Hao Ren’s anxiety when he searched for medicine for a sick Zhao Yanzi a couple of days ago.
Zhao Yanzi lay quietly on Hao Ren’s broad back, knowing a tantrum wouldn’t get her anywhere. She pouted and got a little satisfaction by wasting Hao Ren’s physical strength.
They finally reached the gate of the villa. Grandma was waiting for them leaning against the door frame.
“Grandma!” At the sight of Grandma, Zhao Yanzi immediately jumped from Hao Ren’s back and ran to her.
Hao Ren rubbed his shoulders. He didn’t feel any soreness in his back, but his neck ached due to Zhao Yanzi’s hard grip.
“Hehe, little Zi!” Grandma spread her arms and took Zhao Yanzi into her arms.
During her stay in Zhejiang, she helped the villagers and worked in the fields each day, reliving her youth with energy. However, she had missed little Zi very much.
Xie Yujia walked over and said gently, “Grandma.”
“Oh, my little Yujia!” Grandma reached out her wrinkled hand and took Xie Yujia into her arms, too. She had missed her very much.
She didn’t want to let either of the girls out of her arms.
In contrast, she neglected her own grandson, Hao Ren.
“Come on in! It’s cold outside.” Grandma led Zhao Yanzi and Xie Yujia into the house, each hand holding one girl.
Poor Hao Ren followed them inside after the hard labor of carrying Zhao Yanzi on his back all the way home. Grandma gave all her attention to Zhao Yanzi and Xie Yujia and didn’t even spare him a glance.
“Grandma, what local products did you bring me?” Zhao Yanzi asked immediately when they were inside the house.
“Hehe… I brought you your favorite.” In a mysterious air, Grandma opened a bag.
Zhao Yanzi leaned over and cried excitedly, “Wow! Sweet potatoes!”
Hao Ren was speechless. Seriously? Sweet potatoes?
“I knew you liked to eat sweet potatoes. You and Ren stole the sweet potatoes, and the villager told me all about it.” Grandma patted Zhao Yanzi’s head, and her eyes were full of affection.
“Yujia, Grandma didn’t buy you anything; I brought you some wild vegetables from the mountains. I just want to see you.” Grandma looked at Xie Yujia affectionately.
Xie Yujia smiled gently. She had great affection for Grandma, but she was too old to play cute like Zhao Yanzi.
“How come Uncle Wang isn’t here today?” Seeing their excitement, Hao Ren walked over and finally had the chance to speak.
“He doesn’t know I came home today. I guess he is in his own home.” Grandma looked at Hao Ren. “I haven’t seen you for a while, and you seem to have grown again.”
“Grandma, I miss you, too,” Hao Ren said.
“Humph, you little liar, you didn’t call me very often. I guess you will become your father one day,” Grandma scolded Hao Ren with a smile. Her love for her grandson was obvious.
“The three of you live here today, and no one goes back!” Grandma demanded.
She looked at Zhao Yanzi. “I’ll call you parents about it.” Then she turned to Xie Yujia. “Yujia, you make a call and explain your absence tonight.”
“No problem!” Zhao Yanzi was glad since she wouldn’t have to do her homework if she didn’t go home. Immediately she took out her cell phone to make a call.
Not wanting to disappoint Grandma, Xie Yujia sent a message to Ma Lina, telling her that she wouldn’t go back to the dorm tonight.
As to what Ma Lina would reply, Xie Yuja didn’t care.
“I’m hungry. Which of you two is going to cook me dinner?” Grandma looked from one to the other, not able to decide which girl she liked better.
Not able to make even make fried eggs, Zhao Yanzi remained silent when she heard the question.
Xie Yujia nodded. “Grandma, I’ll cook some simple dishes.”
“Humph!” Zhao Yanzi showed her dissatisfaction with a slight snort.
Ignoring her, Xie Yujia walked into the kitchen and found the fridge was empty. Walking back into the living room, she picked up the sweet potatoes, and wild vegetables Grandma brought home and returned to the kitchen, putting on an apron.
Seeing Hao Ren’s gaze followed Xie Yujia into the kitchen, Zhao Yanzi gave him a dirty look before hitting him with her fist. “What are you looking at? It’s no big deal to cook meals!”
The words were for Hao Ren and for Xie Yujia as well.
“If no one could cook, all four of us would go hungry.” Grandma reached out and pinched Zhao Yanzi’s little nose.
She was very fond of Zhao Yanzi and thought she would make an adorable granddaughter-in-law. On the other hand, Grandma liked Xie Yujia’s gentleness and thought she would make a considerate and caring granddaughter-in-law.
Looking at her grandson who got more handsome each day, Grandma wanted the best for him.
With one sweet potato, a bunch of wild vegetables and nothing else, Xie Yujia cooked three fragrant dishes and one soup. Hao Ren, who was not a good cook himself, was amazed by the feat. Even Grandma was surprised.
“It’s just a sweet potato soup and dishes of fried wild vegetables… I can do it too,” Zhao Yanzi mumbled with a pout.
“Hehe, Yujia, thank you.” Grandma came to the dinner table, pleased.
“It’s nothing, Grandma.” Xie Yujia took off the apron and pulled the chair out for Grandma.
Zhao Yanzi didn’t want to eat the dishes Xie Yujia cooked, but she was starving. Besides, the house had been empty for more than half a month, and there was no food in the fridge or anywhere else in the house. Finding even a piece of bread or a cookie was impossible.
Reluctantly, she picked up the chopsticks and tasted the dish of wild vegetables and instantly found the difference. It tasted even better than her mother’s dishes!
Looking up at Xie Yujia, Zhao Yanzi was struck with a strong sense of threat!
She had thought her mother was the best cook, but it seemed Xie Yujia was a better chef than her mother!
“Yujia, they are delicious.” Grandma was full of praises.
“Hehe, Grandma, it tastes good because of the wild vegetables you brought home.” Xie Yujia was modest.
Sitting in the house on the seaside, they could enjoy the view of the sea while they ate in the dining room.
Hao Ren admired Xie Yujia’s excellent cooking skills; but seeing Zhao Yanzi’s sulky face, he didn’t dare to express his appreciation. He busied himself with eating.
Happy and excited, Grandma told them about the life she lived in Zhejiang in the past month. She looked several years younger while she talked. By now, Zhao Yanzi revealed her nature as a chatterbox, and her gossips about her school life made Grandma laugh.
Xie Yujia didn’t speak much. She was happy to see Grandma was excellent and healthy.
After dinner, Hao Ren offered to stay behind to clear the table.
The dinner was peaceful, but he felt it was the peace before the storm.
“Yujia, Zi! Come up to choose rooms! There are three rooms and four of us; what should we do?” Walking toward the stairs, Grandma beckoned Zhao Yanzi and Xie Yujia.
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