How I Tamed My Wolfish Husband Back in 80s-Chapter 284 - 286: Unbelievably Fond_1

The Cheng Family lived in a narrow alley.

Li Qiao, pushing her bike, found it inconvenient to enter and stood at the entrance of the alley. She waited for Qin Jin to escort someone in before returning to take the bicycle from her. "Did the Cheng Family ask you why your colleague’s face was so red and swollen?" she asked.

"They did, and I told them he fell while going to the bathroom," he replied.

Li Qiao couldn’t help but chuckle. He sure had a lot of excuses. She hinted, "Your colleague doesn’t seem to handle things well, does he? How’s your relationship with him?"

Qin Jin’s gaze darkened, "Not close." If it hadn’t been for Counselor Xiang and Qi Yuanbin being there, he would have taught the guy a lesson long ago. "He called me a lackey, don’t you believe it," he clarified. He was just buttering up the leaders a bit.

It’s just about treating them to meals frequently, just a little networking.

Could that be called being a lackey?

At most it’s just trying to curry favor.

Lackey means a stooge, someone who does the dirty work for bad elements.

Damn illiterate!

Doesn’t know how to use metaphors properly.

Li Qiao’s eyes curved in a smile, "Well, even if you really were a lackey, I wouldn’t mind; I would still like you incredibly." The lower a person’s stance, the greater their ambition.

Once they soar to the skies in the future, everyone will only remember their success.

Their past humility will be retold as inspiring stories.

Qin Jin’s lips curved, "What do you like about me?"

"Everything, your face, body, all your abilities," Li Qiao said bluntly.

Qin Jin felt a surge of heat in his heart, teased. He wished he could pull her into his arms and kiss her until she was dizzy.

...

Li Qiao returned to school the next day.

The class teacher called her and another student with excellent grades, Hong Tao, to receive an outstanding personal reward before announcing the holiday arrangements.

After the gathering dispersed, Li Qiao put the money into her bag.

Cao Liwan sneered, "If it weren’t for the five bonus points you cunningly earned from your talent show performance during the school anniversary, the 300-yuan scholarship would have gone to Hong Tao."

Li Qiao: "How was that cunning? The act was prepared by myself and I was selected on merit. Doesn’t that deserve the five points?" Besides, she was way ahead of Hong Tao in major courses, only losing out because she didn’t spend time on electives.

"You brought family," Cao Liwan hinted.

Li Qiao: "Does the school have a rule against bringing family? There isn’t, right! If you’re not convinced, you can report it." Gu Weimin must have reported it, but it was rejected.

Cao Liwan was left speechless.

Li Qiao huffed, bored! She left school to go shopping and bought two new outfits for Old Mrs. Qin.

Old Mrs. Qin, thrilled, tried on the clothing, "They fit well, and I like the color and style too." A beige top, with a soft, sweat-absorbent collar, loose and comfortable. Dark trousers, with a waist neither too tight nor too loose. The styles were simple and elegant.

Her granddaughter-in-law truly had good taste.

There was also a light green top that made her skin look fair and clear.

She used to look like a typical woman in her sixties.

After living in the city for over a year, away from the rain and sun, with good food and clothes, her skin had become much softer.

She looked a full ten years younger.

She admired herself in the mirror and thought Li Qiao was taking her back to their hometown: "Are we leaving now?"

Li Qiao was puzzled, "Going where?"

"Back to our hometown," said Old Mrs. Qin.

Li Qiao: "One of my seniors is getting married on the 10th. How about the 11th? Isn’t the library busy?"

"It’s busy, but we don’t need that many people," Old Mrs. Qin said, "Is it hot? Let me cut you some watermelon to cool down."

"Sure."

Li Qiao opened the umbrella in the courtyard, enjoying the watermelon and the view of the flowers and plants, and couldn’t help but remark, "The watermelon is so sweet." freewēbnoveℓ.com

Old Mrs. Qin: "Sir Xue sent it over."

Li Qiao: "Sir Xue is really nice. Did a lot of girls like him when he was young?"

Old Mrs. Qin chuckled, "I’m not sure about that, but probably. When Sir Xue was young, he was good-looking. Your Great Aunt Xue looks the most like him, with thick eyebrows and big eyes."

Li Qiao asked about more things from Old Mr. Xue’s youth.

She knew he liked to eat hot and sour rice noodles.

She remembered Ma Hongxiang had mentioned that her family used to sell hot and sour rice noodles. They stopped the business due to cutting off the capitalist tail, but they would occasionally make some for themselves.

Today marked the start of summer vacation, and she didn’t know if Ma Hongxiang had left yet.

She went straight back to school, and Ma Hongxiang was still there.

Li Qiao asked, "Did you buy a ticket for tomorrow?"

"Mhm, I couldn’t catch today’s, did you leave something behind?" Ma Hongxiang asked.

"I’m looking for you," Li Qiao stated her purpose.

Ma Hongxiang was happy to help; she accompanied Li Qiao to the grocery market to buy vermicelli.

They chose sweet potato starch noodles appropriate for making hot and sour rice noodles.

The two also bought seasonings, then headed back to the Qin family together.

As Ma Hongxiang stepped into the courtyard, she exclaimed, "Your home is so beautiful, no wonder you want to live at home every day."

Li Qiao said, "It’s cleaned up, it was shabby when we first rented it." The landlord would always look around every time he came to collect the rent. Last time, he hinted that he wanted to raise the rent for a long lease, but Qin Jin scolded him. Hadn’t they signed a black-and-white contract? Was he trying to back out?

Ma Hongxiang asked, "Are these flowers expensive?"

"Not expensive, three for ten cents in the flower and bird market, guaranteed to bloom. The flowers in the corner cost five cents for a big handful," Li Qiao said, "There are also expensive ones that can cover an entire wall. But this isn’t my home, I’m reluctant to plant anything too costly."

She still needed to buy a house of her own.

Ma Hongxiang asked, "Can these flowers survive if you just stick a branch in the ground?"

"They should, I guess. I’m not very knowledgeable about it, and with this weather, I don’t know if it will work. If you want, I can give you one with the soil attached to the roots," Li Qiao offered.

Ma Hongxiang was very interested, "Great. Thank you."

"Don’t mention it."

Old Mrs. Qin came out of the house after hearing noises and Li Qiao introduced the two to each other.

Old Mrs. Qin cut a watermelon for them to eat.

Ma Hongxiang refused at first but gave in to the enthusiasm and picked up a slice.

After finishing, she instructed Li Qiao on how to prepare the seasonings for hot and sour rice noodles and the correct flame to cook the noodles.

Once it was prepared, both Old Mrs. Qin and Ma Hongxiang tasted it.

Ma Hongxiang said, "This is delicious, you got it right on the first try."

Old Mrs. Qin said, "It’s tasty alright, but it’s different from the flavor back home. I feel like there’s too much Sichuan pepper; try using less Sichuan pepper powder and more vinegar."

Li Qiao made another batch.

After tasting a bite, Old Mrs. Qin’s eyes misted slightly, her lips trembling lightly, "This is the flavor." She loved eating this when she was young. Back then her family was wealthy, and her parents looked down on street food, always criticizing her when they caught her sneaking a taste.

Now she couldn’t hear their scolding anymore.

She was getting on in years; her parents had probably passed away long ago.

Li Qiao didn’t understand.

Why did her grandmother show a hint of sadness when she ate something Sir Xue loved?

She felt it improper to ask.

She invited Ma Hongxiang to have dinner at home.

Ma Hongxiang refused.

Li Qiao said, "Don’t be shy! Later on, I’ll have my boyfriend cook for you, you can taste his cooking skills which are even better than the restaurant chefs."

"Your boyfriend will cook? Is he willing?"

"Yeah, my boyfriend is very diligent."

Li Qiao sat at the round table in the yard, eating the remaining hot and sour rice noodles Old Mrs. Qin left, "It really tastes good. It would be even better with a little more chili pepper."

Ma Hongxiang whispered, "Your grandma is so old, and you’re willing to eat the leftovers?"

Li Qiao glanced over, "My grandma is very clean, she brushes her teeth morning and night, and takes a bath every day in summer." She remembered times when they barely had porridge to drink at home, yet her grandma would still find money to buy toothpaste and a toothbrush.

Many of the young people in the village didn’t brush their teeth.

She added, "My grandma doesn’t disdain me either." Occasionally, when she ate a few bites of something she didn’t feel like eating, her grandma would take it and finish it.