Chapter 22: Life with Aunt
Maybe it’s because we’ve been taking exams this week and everyone is very nervous.
Lai Huaguang did not cause trouble for He Shu again, and He Shu did not mention the matter of the two gangsters.
After this week, summer vacation will officially begin, and when school resumes, He Shu will be a sophomore in high school.
On the last day, Friday afternoon, the entrance was crowded with parents coming to pick up their children.
He Shu was carrying a luggage bag and a backpack full of books. Xia Miao followed spoke to him from time to time.
It seemed that after being allowed to eat together that day, Xia Miao felt like she was back to the past.
"Miaomiao!" A middle-aged woman dressed very elegantly waved across the street.
"My mother is here, He Shu, I'm leaving... When will you have time during the summer vacation?" Xia Miao looked at He Shu reluctantly.
"I don't have time. I have to work during the summer vacation."
"Working?" Xia Miao wanted to ask, but her mother was already leaving this way. Xia Miao had no choice but to say goodbye to He Shu and ran to the other side.
"Miao Miao, why are you so close to a male classmate? What did you talk about just now?" Xia Miao's mother took her daughter's things and looked at He Shu again.
Seeing that her daughter didn't say anything, she immediately became anxious: "Miaomiao, are you in a premature relationship? The three years of high school are the most important time, you can't do things that have nothing to do with study."
Xia Miao felt embarrassed when she saw her mother asking loudly outside. She quickly pulled her mother away and said, "Oh, no, what are you talking about, Mom? We were just talking about homework. Let's go. We've been heard."
Xia Miao and her daughter walked away. He Shu withdrew his gaze and turned around. Qi Xue was leaning against a tree trunk by the roadside, looking at him with a smile.
He Shu was in a trance again. Every time he suddenly saw his aunt, it was as if he saw his mother.
"What are you looking for? Don't you recognize me?"
"Aunt."
"Hey, be good!" Qi Xue stretched out her hand and touched He Shu's head, but He Shu dodged by tilting his head.
Qi Xue pouted and followed behind He Shu. He Shu, who was about to turn 17, was about 170cm tall, and looked about the same height as Qi Xue.
When two people walk together, they don't look like an aunt and nephew, but more like siblings.
"What are we eating tonight? I didn't buy any food, so how about Auntie treat you to a nice meal outside?"
"The food outside is not clean, so I'll buy some food at home." He Shu went straight to the vegetable market. The money for a meal outside was enough for his food expenses for a week.
Qi Xue had no choice but to follow behind. She found that she was really passive in front of this nephew.
He Shu didn't ask Qi Xue what she wanted to eat. He just bought some vegetables and meat. He looked back at Qi Xue and bought a fish.
After returning home, He Shu put down his schoolbag, changed into home clothes, unpacked the school uniform he had taken off and the bedding he had brought back and put them in the bathroom.
Then they started to wash rice, cook rice, wash vegetables, and kill fish. The movements were smooth and orderly.
An hour later, a steamed fish, a dish of stir-fried meat with green vegetables and two bowls of rice were placed on the table.
Qi Xue tasted both dishes and her eyes lit up: "Okay, nephew, they taste good."
He Shu pursed his lips, accepting the compliment.
He Shu is not a talkative person, and Qi Xue didn't know what to say to this overly mature nephew, so the meal was very quiet but also very warm.
After dinner, He Shu cleaned the house, took out his books and started doing his homework. He took a shower at 9 o'clock and went to bed on time at 9:30.
During this period, Qi Xue had been secretly observing him. She wanted to understand He Shu, and also hoped that He Shu would need her.
But Qi Xue discovered that this child was extremely self-disciplined and there was nothing for her to worry about.
He had clearly arranged everything he should do, and did not do anything he should not do.
"Is this still a child?" The Qi family has many children, but none of them was as worry-free as He Shu when they were his age.
How could the meal he cooked tonight be mastered in just one or two times? This child probably started learning to cook when he was very young.
Thinking about Qi Yue's frail body, Qi Xue could understand and only blamed herself for not coming earlier.
The next day, at around 6 o'clock, Qi Xue heard noises outside. She stayed in bed for a while before going out.
I saw a bowl on the dining table. I opened it and saw a bowl of noodles with a golden fried egg on top.
The corners of Qi Xue's lips curved up. She looked towards the kitchen and saw no one there. On the other side of the balcony were freshly washed sheets and quilt covers drying.
Hearing the noise coming from the bathroom, Qi Xue walked to the door and found He Shu sitting on a small plastic stool, scrubbing clothes soaking in a large basin.
"Morning, nephew!"
"Good morning, auntie." He Shu didn't even raise his head, washing carefully and quickly.
“Why don’t you use a washing machine?”
"The washing machine is broken."
"Ah ?" Qi Xue had been here for more than a week, and her dirty clothes were still piled in the room. She had been planning to find time to wash them in the washing machine, but now, she was asked to wash them by hand?
He Shu seemed to see what she was thinking, and he lowered his head and rubbed his clothes: "If you have dirty clothes, you can bring them here and I will wash them for you."
It was obvious that this aunt was not good at doing housework, so He Shu didn't mind washing a few more pieces of clothes, as he had helped his mother wash clothes before.
"As your aunt, how can I ask you to wash clothes?" Qi Xue waved her hand.
"I'll be done with the washing later, and I won't care about it anymore."
When I looked up again, Qi Xue had already brought over several pieces of clothes and was standing at the bathroom door, laughing.
The not-so-spacious balcony is full of clothes, both boys' and women's. The fresh scent of laundry detergent is wafting in the air, and it is filled with the breath of life.
While Qi Xue was eating breakfast, He Shu hung up his clothes and changed into ready to go out.
"Where are you going?"
He Shu carried the lunch box and put the key on the table.
"I'm going to work and won't be back at noon. You can go get a copy of the key."
For He Shu, he had already accepted that his aunt lived here, so he gave her the key. But now there was one more person to eat, and He Shu felt more stressed.
He couldn't let his aunt eat pickles and noodles every day with him, so he had to hurry up and make money.
"Go wash the car?"
He Shu was a little surprised that his aunt knew where he worked. He nodded and said, "I'm going to be late. I'm leaving now."
After saying that, he ran out with his lunch box.
Qi Xue sighed, but did not stop it. She slowly finished her noodles facing her sister's portrait and urn.
There are some things that it is not the right time to tell He Shu now.
And even though they had not been together for a long time, Qi Xue could already see that He Shu was a man with his own ideas, and everything depended on his own willingness.
Qi Xue's purpose of coming to Danhe this time was, firstly, to avenge her sister, and secondly, for He Shu.
No matter what, he is always my sister's child, and I can't just ignore him.
Qi Xue raised her hand and touched Qi Yue's photo, and asked in a low voice: "Sister, do you want to go home?"
Naturally, her sister wouldn't answer her. Qi Xue shook her head and smiled, then took out her cell phone and called home.
The old man knew about my visit this time, and he was probably waiting for news from me.
