CHAPTER 381: CHAPTER 383: CARE (1)

Nanny Wu was silently puzzled.

"You!" The Grand Dowager pointed at Nanny Wu and sighed, "After all these years, you haven’t changed, your heart is the softest of all!" She then said mildly, "You’re right, no need to investigate further, let’s end this matter here! It’s good for the Fifth’s family to move out, the household will be more peaceful hereafter." As she spoke, she closed her eyes and slowly lay back on the bed, her mind flashing with memories like a picture book.

Nanny Wu also fell silent, quietly sitting on the footstool by the bed without saying a word.

Meanwhile, Xiqiu followed Fourth Master Xiao out, and the two walked side by side along the road. Xiqiu stared down at the path under her feet, when suddenly Fourth Master Xiao stopped and looked at her. She thought he would ask if she was involved in the matter, and she had even prepared how to answer, but after a long while, he asked, "I heard you didn’t have lunch or dinner, are you hungry?"

Xiqiu was taken aback!

Fourth Master Xiao curled his lips and took her hand, leading her towards the courtyard, saying, "Have the maid prepare some supper, I’m hungry too!"

Xiqiu paused in her steps, then laughed along with him, her voice softly joyful: "It’s too late now, the maids should be resting. If Fourth Master is hungry, should I make you a bowl of noodles?"

Fourth Master Xiao’s eyes lit up, his face full of smiles, "Then I’ll trouble you!"

Xiqiu smiled slightly, her eyes seemed to light up a lamp, bright and warm.

They walked all the way into the courtyard, and the two maids on night duty were chatting by the stove. Seeing Fourth Master and Fourth Madam enter, they were startled and stood up, a bit at a loss, "Fourth Master, Fourth Madam, would you like some supper? We can start the stove right away."

Xiqiu glanced back at Fourth Master Xiao, waved her hand and said, "Don’t bother yourselves, go and rest, I’ll do it myself!"

The two maids hesitated but withdrew.

"Fourth Master, can you watch the fire for me?"

Xiqiu kneaded the dough, turned her head to instruct Fourth Master Xiao, "Also check the water in the pot."

Hearing this, Fourth Master Xiao was taken aback, his gaze moved from Xiqiu to the steaming stove. In his mind, eating was always prepared, he had never cooked himself. Fourth Master Xiao frowned, stood up, and was about to open the door when Xiqiu asked, "Where are you going?"

Fourth Master Xiao stopped at the door, replied, "I’m calling the maid to help you."

"No need." Xiqiu shook her head, "Once the water boils, I can cook the noodles. Just keep an eye on it for me, Fourth Master." After saying this, she naturally lowered her head and continued to knead the dough.

Fourth Master Xiao raised his eyebrows but eventually didn’t open the door to leave. Instead, he turned around, walked to the stove, bent down to check the fire in the furnace, then stood up, lifted the pot lid to see inside, and silently returned to his seat.

"Fourth Master," Xiqiu looked up at him.

"Hmm?" Fourth Master Xiao raised an eyebrow, looking at her.

"Is the fire too high, has the water boiled yet?" Xiqiu asked him.

Fourth Master Xiao frowned, hesitated a bit before nodding, "There’s fire, not yet boiled!"

Xiqiu lowered her head again to knead the dough, unconsciously a hint of a smile appeared at the corners of her mouth.

Holding a teacup, Fourth Master Xiao’s gaze fell on her dough-kneading hands, even with the warm kitchen, Xiqiu’s hands were still red from the cold. He frowned, put down the teacup, and said, "Is there any pastry in the room?"

Xiqiu thought he was really hungry and needed something to temper his hunger, so she nodded, "Hmm, there’s Furong Cake warming on the stove, if Fourth Master wants it, I can have Chunliu bring it over!"

"No need." Fourth Master Xiao stood up, walked over to hold her hands, and indeed they were icy cold. He frowned, eyes showing a hint of annoyance, "Let’s go back to the room."

Xiqiu looked at the almost ready noodles and the boiling pot of water, only a final step remaining. She withdrew her hands and asked, "Didn’t Fourth Master say he was hungry? Just wait a little longer and it’ll be ready."

Yet Fourth Master Xiao stubbornly pulled her along, grabbed a towel, and quickly wiped her hands clean before leading her out the door...

Xiqiu followed behind him, full of confusion, not knowing why his mood suddenly changed.

The maid watching the stove dared not leave and stayed at the door. Seeing the two of them come out, she immediately bowed. Fourth Master Xiao kept walking and instructed, "Cook the noodles and bring them in."

The maid hesitated but responded, "Yes!" Could it be that Fourth Madam doesn’t know how to cook?

The two maids entered with doubts but saw the dough was well-kneaded on the table, and the pot of water was steaming hot...

"Fourth Master." Xiqiu, entering the room, secretly frowned yet smiled, "Are you dissatisfied with the food I make?"

Fourth Master Xiao led her into the room, asked Chunliu to prepare her a cup of hot tea, instructed, "Bring the Madam’s hand warmer." Chunliu complied and left.

Xiqiu sat quietly on the kang without speaking.

Soon after, Chunliu returned with a hand warmer, Fourth Master Xiao took it and placed it in Xiqiu’s hands, frowned, and asked, "Still cold?"

Xiqiu was taken aback, could it be he stopped her from cooking noodles to prevent her from being cold?

Gently, Xiqiu smiled softly, shook her head, and said, "Thank you, not cold anymore!" As Fourth Master Xiao felt her fingertips gradually warming, his frown finally eased a bit.

The maid brought in the noodles, Fourth Master Xiao watched as Xiqiu ate over half the bowl, and only then did they wash up and rest...

As Xiqiu lay in bed, pondering the night’s events, Zhou Dao Po’s son should have returned by now, and as for those who kidnapped the Fifth Young Master, it was naturally arranged by Tong Quanzi, she smiled... Tong Quanzi truly is clever.

The next morning, after seeing Fourth Master Xiao off, Xiqiu was having breakfast when Min appeared.

"Mother." Min stood in front of Xiqiu, clenching his small fists, his face tight without any extra expression.

Xiqiu didn’t respond immediately, instead, she finished the porridge in her bowl, then looked up at Min and asked, "Have you had breakfast?" Min’s eyes flickered and he quickly nodded, replying, "Yes!"

Hearing this, Xiqiu glanced at the wet nurse standing at the door, whose face was full of reluctance. Seeing Xiqiu look over, she hesitated, looked at Min, and then averted her gaze.

So, he hadn’t eaten after all?

With a smile, Xiqiu asked Chunyan to serve more porridge but did not use chopsticks herself. Instead, she smiled and asked Min, "Min, after learning the Three Character Classic and the Thousand Character Classic, have you learned poetry?"

Min’s eyes flashed with a touch of obstinance, but he shook his head, "Not yet, Grandmother said to learn poetry once I’ve mastered the Thousand Character Classic and the Surnames Poem." Xiqiu nodded and smiled, yet glanced at the dishes on the table with a look of worry...

Min felt secretly perplexed but averted his eyes without asking.

Xiqiu, however, raised her head with a face full of concern, looking at Min, she asked, "Min, have you heard the phrase ’every grain of rice is hard-earned’?" Min was taken aback, nodded, and said, "Fifth Uncle taught my elder brother, and I listened from the side."