“Our Zhai family is not short of this little sum of money. Don’t take up such a job in the future. If you have the time, you might as well have more rest.”
Zhai Hua was very clear that as soldiers, they accepted missions. The soldiers who were carrying out the mission were not acting like humans, but machines. It was very normal for them to be out in the cold with hunger and sleepless nights.
Therefore, whenever there was time, Zhai Hua would try her best to relax and have a good rest to replenish her physical strength and energy once she reached home.
“Don’t worry. I know what I am doing.”
“It is good that you know what you are doing. I have something on today and have to be out for a while.” Having that said, Zhai Hua drank another bowl of fish soup. Thereafter, she returned to the bedroom to change her clothes and prepare to leave the house.
“Zhai Hua,” Zhai Sheng called her before she could leave.
There was a flash in Zhai Hua’s eyes. She looked at Zhai Sheng and teased him, “What is it? Do you want me to say goodbye to you?”
“Zhai Hua, you have been going out quite often recently, and you have many new clothes. When did you learn how to wear a dress?” Zhai Sheng narrowed his eyes and asked in a serious tone as he looked at Zhai Hua’s dress which was longer than her knees.
“The fact remains that I am a girl. What is so strange about wearing a dress, then?” Zhai Hua’s face was red. “There is no time. I can’t be bothered to spar verbally with you. I’m leaving!”
Zhai Hua ignored Zhai Sheng’ reaction and left the Zhai’s residence at the fastest speed.
Zhai Sheng, this wretched child, was too sensitive!
“Dad, drink the soup.” On the other hand, in the hospital, Qiao Nan poured out the fish soup and fed Qiao Dongliang in small mouthfuls.
The moment Qiao Nan poured out the fish soup, the seducing fragrance instantly took over the smell of the disinfectant in the entire ward.
The ward mate praised, “Big Brother, the culinary skills of your family’s younger daughter is really good. The smell of this fish soup mesmerizes everyone.” He had never smelled such a fragrant fish soup in his entire life.
Shouldn’t fish soup be bland, almost tasteless, or too fishy?
“Do you also want a bowl?” Qiao Dongliang laughed proudly. “The food made by my family’s Nan Nan is really delicious.”
“No need. This was made specially by your younger daughter to nourish your body.” The ward mate smilingly declined. He would be embarrassed to drink Qiao Dongliang’s soup.
As they stayed in the same ward, the ward mate often heard Ding Jiayi mentioned about money, so he knew the Qiao family’s situation was not good. It must have been difficult for the young lady to find the means to get these ingredients for Qiao Dongliang’s nourishment.
“Uncle, drink a bowl too.” There was a lot of fish soup today. Qiao Nan scooped a bowl and served it to the ward mate beside Qiao Dongliang. “Uncle, try my culinary work. You are most probably the one who usually chats with my dad to relieve his boredom.”
The hospitals in the 1990s were unlike those in the 21st century where each ward came with television to relieve the patient’s boredom.
The ward mate became a glutton when he smelled the fragrance of the fish soup. Since Qiao Nan had already placed the bowl of soup before him, he would not refuse. “Then, I shall be thick-skinned and drink a bowl of your soup. Your dad and I keep each other company and relieve our boredom. Without your dad, I will be so bored. Yummy! This soup is really tasty and fragrant!”
The ward mate drank a mouthful and his eyes lit up. “Young lady, where did you learn your cooking skills from? Even the taste of the food made by the master chef from the hotel near my house is not better than yours!” The ward mate simply gave Qiao Nan a thumbs-up. “Big buddy, you are so fortunate. This is so tasty. You are so blessed to be able to have this at home. You are much luckier than those who eat at restaurants every day.”
“Hahaha.” Qiao Dongliang, who hardly ate out, assumed that his ward mate purposely said this to please Qiao Nan, so he smiled without saying a word.
He did not know how Nan Nan’s culinary skills were in comparison to the chefs outside, but it was a fact that what Nan Nan cooked was delicious.
Qiao Zijin—who was sitting by the side, stretching her neck and watching—swallowed her saliva and was contemplating how she could open her mouth to get a bowl of fish soup to drink.
She did not understand why Qiao Nan and her father were willing to pour a bowl of fish soup for a stranger instead of giving it to her. She was the one who was their family member.
“Nan Nan, why don’t you drink a bowl yourself?” Qiao Dongliang felt much better after downing a bowl of fish soup.
“No need.” Qiao Nan shook her head. “Dad, you should drink more.”
“Nan Nan, do we still have a lot of fish soup? If there is leftover after Dad drinks them, let me drink so that you can save the hassle of bringing them back,” Qiao Zijin expressed that she would like to have the soup instead if Qiao Nan refused.
“…”
“…”
“…”
The other three people in the ward simultaneously went silent. Qiao Nan’s pinkish lips were pursed into a straight line. She sighed and said, “Thanks Sister for your concern. But you do not need to worry. There will not be any excess for me to bring home.”
What she brought over was just enough to fill three bowls.
She felt that fish soup was basically all liquid and did not have any fulfilling ingredients. She was worried that her father would become too full with liquids and miss a proper meal, so she only brought a quantity equivalent to three bowls.
She had just given a bowl to Qiao Dongliang’s ward mate. This meant there were only two bowls left. With Qiao Dongliang’s current condition, he would not have a problem finishing them. Furthermore, the bowl in Qiao Nan’s hands was the second one that Qiao Dongliang was drinking. There was no more soup left.
Both Qiao Dongliang and the uncle beside him were patients. It was appropriate for them to drink the fish soup.
However, Qiao Zijin was a healthy young lady, yet she wanted to have a share of the fish soup meant for the patients. At the thought of this, Qiao Nan also felt that Qiao Zijin’s action was so inappropriate that she could not tolerate it.
Qiao Nan did not say anything else, but Qiao Dongliang felt a little embarrassed. The pride the younger daughter had earned for him was seemingly destroyed and discarded thoroughly with those words from his elder daughter.
Qiao Dongliang’s ward mate was a little embarrassed too. No matter what, it did not seem right to finish drinking the half a bowl fish soup that was left, neither did it seem right not to finish it.
After Qiao Dongliang’s elder daughter spoke, he kept having the feeling that he was depriving the child of another family of food.
“Dad, I have something on today and need to go home earlier. I will come and see you again tomorrow.” Qiao Nan packed away the bowl and thermal food container, hurriedly preparing to go home.
“Sure, quickly go home if you have something on. Don’t worry about things at my end.” This dispelled the embarrassing atmosphere, and Qiao Dongliang’s expression became more at ease.
“Dad, there is nothing much for me to do here as well. Why don’t I follow Nan Nan back home? Half the day is almost over. Mom should be off work soon to come and keep you company.” Qiao Zijin stood up quickly.
After accompanying her father in the hospital for half a day, Qiao Zijin was nearly bored to death. At least, Qiao Dongliang had a ward mate to chat with him, and both of them chatted so enthusiastically. They were so familiar with each other now as if they had been good friends for donkey’s years. However, Qiao Zijin was totally uninterested in the content of their conversation. She could only stay idle as she sat by the side.
Particularly, when both of them were enthusiastically chatting in front of her about how good Qiao Nan was, she felt really bad. It was as if she fared lousily as a person.
Clearly, Qiao Nan had been resting and having fun at home while she was having it hard by keeping her father company. Why did all the credit go to Qiao Nan as if Qiao Nan was the only good daughter around? Was it because she had prepared a few meals for her father?
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