Turning Antagonist to Protagonist: He is Both Soft and Fierce-Chapter 218 - 213: If Sister-in-Law Likes It, Then He Likes It Too
It had been almost half a month since Lin Qiao last returned to the village. This day, taking advantage of Song Tingfan’s two-day break, she closed the shop to visit the three elders at home.
Not long after getting off the donkey cart, Lai Cai and Jinbao suddenly rushed out from somewhere to greet them. Perhaps they hadn’t seen the couple in a while, so they circled around them enthusiastically.
Lin Qiao happily patted their heads, and the two dogs, feeling acknowledged, nudged her so vigorously that she staggered a bit.
Song Tingfan quickly reached out to steady her and then sternly glared at Lai Cai and Jinbao, "Move aside!"
Lai Cai and Jinbao, intimidated by him, moved a bit farther away, wagging their tails non-stop.
Lin Qiao glanced at him, seeing him put on a stern face, looking just like a little adult, "It’s alright, I just lost my footing."
Whatever Lin Qiao said, Song Tingfan would never refute it, nodding obediently.
On their way home, they were seen by quite a few people, some even coming out to watch with curiosity. A woman came out carrying a spatula.
Everyone in the village knew that Song’s second family opened a shop in town and that business was good, but not many villagers went to buy there.
Lin Qiao pretended not to notice, with Song Tingfan following beside her without looking around. The couple and the dogs made their way home.
No one was home, likely out working.
In the courtyard, two lotus flowers had bloomed, and Song Tingfan excitedly pointed them out to Lin Qiao, "Sister-in-law, the lotus has bloomed."
"I see, even better than last year," Lin Qiao said, though sounding a bit flattering, but it was the truth. Before they moved to town, Song Tingfan used to tend to the lotus every day.
Sigh, like raising his own son.
"Tomorrow, I’ll find a big vat to plant more," Song Tingfan grinned and then ran into the kitchen. He quickly came out carrying a ladle of water to hand to Lin Qiao.
Lin Qiao drank two or three sips of water, "Is grandpa in the field? I’ll go take a look."
Seeing her sunburned face, Song Tingfan felt a bit distressed, "Sister-in-law, I’ll go. I can run fast." After saying that, he drank several large gulps of the water Lin Qiao left, put the ladle back, and then dashed out the door.
Lin Qiao naturally didn’t mind and went inside the main room, which was much cooler. Her eyes caught sight of a small wooden bed on the far side, knowing without thinking that it was Granny Fan’s bed.
She had previously offered to let Granny Fan sleep in her room.
Lai Cai nudged her hand, and she knew what he wanted. Looking at her expectantly for food, she tugged his ear, "I’ll feed you later. I’ll buy fish for you."
Guessing that the three elders at home hadn’t cooked anything nice, she had asked Li Guifen to bring some meat back with her.
Jinbao’s eyes widened at the mention of fish, came over to nudge her too, and she patted their heads to indicate not to get too excited.
After a while, Song Rong and the others came back, with Song Tingfan carrying a basket and three hoes over his shoulder.
Lin Qiao quickly helped him with the load and then looked at Song Qin and the others. Their faces were a shade darker from the sun, but their spirits were high. "It’s hot, don’t go to the field."
"It’s not hot. The sun looks hot now, but it’s actually not," Song Qin cheerfully held her hand, looked her up and down, and said, "Tingfan looks more robust, while you’ve lost weight. Have you been too busy to eat?"
Lin Qiao hadn’t lost weight. Eating with Song Tingfan, it’s at least two bowls of rice, and if not, he would watch her, "Granny, I haven’t lost weight. My face has even plumped up, and it doesn’t look good anymore."
"You look good, always good-looking. A bit plumper is even better," Song Qin laughed, patting her hand.
After chatting for a while, Lin Qiao mentioned going out to buy fish. Song Rong didn’t let her go, kindly saying, "I’ll go buy it." With that, he went back to his room to fetch some silver coin and left.
Song Qin and Mrs. Fan went to the kitchen to prepare food. Lin Qiao wanted to help, but they didn’t allow her, so she fetched some cold water, intending to wash up a bit inside.
Seeing her with a cloth, Song Tingfan hurriedly asked, "Sister-in-law, are you going to wash up?"
Having spent a long time together, he knew she had a habit of washing up, especially after working in the heat.
"Yes, a bit sweaty." Lin Qiao nodded.
"Don’t use cold water. I’ll heat some up for you. It’ll be ready soon." Song Tingfan took the bucket in front of her and poured it into a small pot. He quickly lit some dry grass and stuffed it into the small stove.
Mrs. Fan agreed with him, "Young lady, don’t use cold water."
"Alright, alright, I’ll listen to you," Lin Qiao blinked.
Instantly, the other three laughed, and Song Tingfan gave her several sidelong glances, thinking that when she smiled, she looked the best.
Soon after, Song Rong returned, bringing back four or five pounds of big fish. Song Tingfan took it and went to the courtyard to clean the fish. Unbeknownst, a cat from someone’s house smelled the fish and sat not far away, watching.
He tossed a fish gill towards it, just the right force, landing before it, and the yellow cat took a bite and ran off. After a while, it returned, this time to his feet.
Then he opened the fish belly, keeping the fish bladder aside and placing the other innards in front of the yellow cat, "Eat it and help me catch mice."
His sister-in-law hated mice.
Just as Lin Qiao came out of the room, she heard this. She poured the water into the ditch, smiling, "Little Uncle, you can even speak cat now?"
Song Tingfan didn’t expect her to hear it, suddenly feeling a bit embarrassed. "I was just playing with it."
Lin Qiao thought he liked cats and walked over to pet the cat’s head, "If you like it, we can keep one. Anyway, the house mice are rampant."
Upon hearing this, Song Tingfan turned to her seriously, "Sister-in-law, do you like it?"
This child was so considerate, even when he liked something, he would first ask if she liked it, which made her heart ache.
Lin Qiao sighed inwardly, then nodded, "I do. Cats are well-behaved." While saying this, she looked at the handsome young man.
Sigh, obedient like him.
She had forgotten that a cat is a clawed "hunter".
If Sister-in-law liked it, then he liked it too. Song Tingfan beamed without hesitation, "I like it too."
"Then let’s keep it," Lin Qiao pet the cat again and then headed to the kitchen.
She didn’t notice that the young man in the courtyard also reached out to pet the cat a few times.
Whatever Lin Qiao said, the young man always put it first in his heart. If she liked it, he would try his best to make it happen.
Not long after noon, Song Tingfan brought back a tiny tabby cat with beautiful black eyes.
It didn’t meow, and when Lin Qiao held it on her lap, it closed its eyes and slept, "Little Uncle, where did you get the cat?"
"From Uncle Gu’s house. He has four or five. When I tried picking them up, this one kept its feet tight." Song Tingfan reached over to place the small tabby cat on the grass bench, "You can’t spoil it, or it won’t catch mice."
Song Qin glanced at the cat, "It’s good to keep a cat. A few days ago, the meat was stolen and eaten."
Lin Qiao nodded and then looked at Mrs. Fan, who had been silent, "Granny, how have you been feeling lately?"
"I’m fine, don’t worry about me," Mrs. Fan quickly waved her hand.
"As long as you’re well, don’t feel restricted at home; Grandpa and Granny are both good people," Lin Qiao said with a smile.
Mrs. Fan nodded repeatedly, "Not at all, your grandpa and granny take good care of me."
Song Qin kindly said, "It’s not about taking care; with you here, I have someone to talk to."
