Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Qiao Lian took some time to calm down after leaving the news agency, before she hailed a cab home.
Feeling distracted as she entered the house, Qiao Lian was walking towards the bedroom when she saw Xia Nuannuan out on the balcony calling with her cell phone.
Her voice tone was soft and gentle, “That’s right, Aunt Xia is okay.”
It was Shen Zihao on the other end of the line. When he heard the news, he nodded and said, “Yes, please look after my mom for this period.”
Xia Nuannuan wasn’t used to Shen Zihao being this polite. Unsure of how to react, she finally said, “Is there anything else, Mr. Shen?”
He paused, hoping that she would keep the conversation going, but eventually said, “That’s all.”
“I’ll hang up then.”
Without hesitating, she disconnected the line.
While her actions seemed swift and decisive, she continued standing on the balcony, holding her cell phone and staring into the distance quietly.
Xia Nuannuan had been behaving oddly recently.
Every day, she would secretly call Shen Zihao, but the manner in which she spoke to him was distant and very unlike her usual gentle self.
Weren’t the two getting along very well?
Puzzled, Qiao Lian shook her head as she walked past Xia Nuannuan.
As she did so, she suddenly heard someone throwing up.
Immediately, she turned around and hurried to the balcony. Xia Nuannuan was holding onto the side of the balcony door, retching.
Taking a step towards her, Qiao Lian asked anxiously, “Are you okay?”
Xia Nuannuan looked terribly pale, but she waved her hand and said, “It’s nothing. Not quite sure what it is, perhaps I’m staying up too late lately?”
She had been waking up every night to massage Xia Yehua, to help speed up her recovery.
Hence when Qiao Lian heard this, she instantly felt bad. “This period has been tough for you.”
Shaking her head, Xia Nuannuan replied, “I’m okay.”
After resting shortly, she felt better and walked back into the house with Qiao Lian.
Seeing that the girl was quite frail, Qiao Lian was compelled to give Auntie Li some instructions, who was now just about to enter the kitchen. “Auntie Li, would you please boil some chicken soup for Nuannuan? She’s been exhausted recently.”
The Shen family never treated their housekeepers like servants. The treatment that Xia Nuannuan got was therefore not unlike Song Yuanxi’s.
Hence with these instructions, Auntie Li immediately nodded.
Xia Nuannuan opened her mouth to say something at this point, but no words came.
Following this, Qiao Lian headed upstairs to get changed and visited Xia Yehua for a short chat. Then, returning to the study, she picked up her laptop with the intention of continuing the job hunt.
She browsed the internet for a long time and sent out a few applications. Up till now, her search had not been fruitful.
Soon, it was dinner time.
Qiao Lian could smell the aroma of chicken soup in the air as she made her way down the stairs.
She took a deep breath as she burst into the kitchen, exclaiming, “Auntie Li, the chicken soup smells heavenly!”
Laughing, Aunty Li poured a bowl of the steaming hot liquid and said, “Well then, Madam, why don’t you have some first?”
“Ooooh, yes.”
She took the bowl from Auntie Li and walked out of the kitchen.
As she walked out of the kitchen, she noticed Xia Nuannuan was also coming downstairs now.
She still looked rather pale.
Immediately, Qiao Lian brought her the bowl of soup and said, “Nuannuan, here, have some soup first.”
The moment Xia Nuannuan smelled the soup, she got even more pale and shook her head vigorously before dashing to the restroom.
Qiao Lian was stunned by her reaction. Putting down the bowl, she rushed into the restroom after Xia Nuannuan. Patting the girl on the back, she inquired, “What’s wrong with you, Nuannuan?”