Chapter 29: Chapter 29: Is the Original Host’s Consciousness Still There? (1)_1 Chapter 29: Chapter 29: Is the Original Host’s Consciousness Still There? (1)_1 Actually, even if the Ruanlin Family didn’t mention it, Du Qing would have looked after Ruan Jiaojiao anyway. First, she genuinely liked her niece, and second, she had a very good relationship with Jiaojiao’s mother. When the commune system was abolished, both she and Ruan Jianjun were out of work and living a difficult life. It was Shu Jiao, Jiaojiao’s mother, who had been supporting them, even finding them jobs in town through her connections.
She would remember this kindness for a lifetime.
Now that Shu Jiao was not at home, she naturally wanted to take extra care of her endearing little niece.
After being affectionately held by her elder brother Ruan Hao for a while, Jiaojiao was taken back to the second room of the house by Du Qing. Du Qing placed her on a stool to stand, and as she took her measurements, she asked with a smile, “I heard Jiaojiao has become quite skilled, able to hunt pheasants now.”
Basically, as soon as someone returned to the Ruan Family home, they would jokingly bring up this topic. At first, Jiaojiao felt a bit embarrassed, but over time, she stopped minding it, especially after her elder brother had just laughed with her about it.
With a piece of mint candy that Ruan Hao had brought back in her mouth, her cheeks puffed out, she replied, “Hmm, Jiaojiao is really awesome now. Auntie, whatever you want to eat, just tell Jiaojiao, and Jiaojiao will hunt it for you next time.”
She always answered the Ruan Family , half-truthfully, half-jokingly, as a sort of preemptive defense. But clearly, Du Qing did not overthink it; instead, she was amused by her assertive yet childish talk and leaned in to kiss the puffed-up cheek, saying, “Good, Auntie loves spicy rabbit. I hope to see the rabbit Jiaojiao hunts next week.”
“Okay,” Jiaojiao didn’t mind being teased at all and nodded earnestly, which set Du Qing off laughing again.
After taking the measurements, the Ruanlin Family called everyone to dinner. The meal for the evening was the pheasant Jiaojiao had hunted a few days ago, now turned into smoked chicken, but the flavor was still just as delicious.
Because there were so many people, the Ruanlin Family added even more ingredients and cooked a large pot. Of course, the chicken leg was still Jiaojiao’s.
After dinner, the Ruanlin Family went to the back room to chase chickens, and Jiaojiao was left in Du Qing’s care.
While Du Qing went to the kitchen to heat water, Wu Le was cleaning up the dishes. Perhaps unaware that Jiaojiao and Du Qing were at the doorway, Wu Le asked Liao Zhaoji in a lowered voice, “Sister-in-law, do you think the eldest sister-in-law will come back? I’ve heard her family is quite something over there!” He gave a thumbs-up, paused, then added, “If not for the turmoil back then, the Golden Phoenix might not have fallen into our family’s lap. This time she says she’s going for her exams and incidentally looking for relatives. I think it might be the other way around!”
“Who knows, our mother still treats that loss-making merchandise as a treasured pearl, not afraid she’ll spoil another ingrate… Ah!” Liao Zhaoji hadn’t finished speaking when suddenly the sound of an iron basin crashing to the ground startled her. She jumped a foot in the air, and the bowl in her hands also crashed down, thankfully onto the dirt floor, so it didn’t break, just got a bit dusty.
“Liao Zhaoji, if you can’t keep your foul mouth shut, I won’t mind tearing it for you!” Du Qing coldly glared at her, her eyes glinting with icy fragments.
Liao Zhaoji knew that Du Qing had always been on good terms with Shu Jiao and had been caught red-handed speaking ill of others. She also remembered a prior incident comparing them, so she just touched her nose, not daring to say more, and dejectedly bent down to focus on her work.