Chapter 23: A New Beginning

Xiao Hanting was the same. They had no other relatives in Peach Blossom Village. Usually, they only ate enough to get by, never putting this much thought into food.

“Sister, go wash up and rest early. Leave the rest to me.” Lin Qingyu volunteered to wash the dishes.

It was the same back at the Lin family home. The siblings always found ways to help each other out.

Qingyu had been busy cleaning up all day and was actually tired. Lin Qinghuan wanted to refuse, but she couldn’t win against him. She had to go to the water vat to draw water and wash her face.

Once everything was settled, Lin Qingyu took the two children back to their room to rest. Lin Qinghuan was still worried and checked on them midway, only to find them sleeping soundly. She finally felt at ease.

Since she had reached an agreement with Xiao Hanting earlier, she had vacated her spot for him early on, taking the outermost position. That way, if she needed to get up, she wouldn’t have to touch him, and there was nothing to worry about.

Lin Qinghuan saw Xiao Hanting reading by candlelight and seemed hesitant to speak.

“Um… would you like me to help wipe down your body?”

She figured that a fake couple was still a couple. Since they were staying in someone else’s home, she ought to show some concern.

“N-no, Da Bao helps me wipe down every other day.” Xiao Hanting was so startled he nearly dropped the book.

Under the warm yellow candlelight, his ears seemed to grow even redder.

Lin Qinghuan awkwardly scratched the back of her head. “Oh, I see. If you need anything, just tell me. As long as I can help.”

Even though she wasn’t a doctor, she knew how to take care of someone bedridden with paralysis. It was just food, drink, bathroom needs, and wiping the body.

As for bathroom needs, Xiao Hanting had two crutches. He probably managed that with great difficulty every time. Before they came, Da Bao and Xiao Bao couldn’t help with that.

Xiao Hanting nodded almost imperceptibly, then didn’t dare look in Lin Qinghuan’s direction.

Lin Qinghuan found it quite amusing. If she had said something like that to a veteran womanizer, she would have felt uncomfortable. But compared to an intellectual like Xiao Hanting, she felt like a female ruffian.

She lay down and pulled the covers over herself to sleep. She thought the unfamiliar environment would keep her awake, but within three minutes, she was drifting off into dreamland.

Xiao Hanting watched her, put down his book, and blew out the candle. But he couldn’t fall asleep for a long time.

Looking at the moonlight on Lin Qinghuan’s face, Xiao Hanting fell into deep thought.

Before, he had never thought about marrying anyone. A life like his should be spent alone.

He never expected such a big change to happen in one day.

But feeling his heart, he wasn’t resistant to this kind of life. Maybe Lin Qinghuan was the person destined to appear in his life.

The next day.

Lin Qinghuan’s internal clock woke her up right on time. There was just a bit of light outside.

She checked her sleeping position. Good, it was about the same as when she had fallen asleep.

She was afraid she might have snored, ground her teeth, or kicked the covers and rolled around. How awkward would that be facing Xiao Hanting?

“Up so early?”

Xiao Hanting had gone to bed very late, barely getting four hours of sleep.

“Mm. I’m going to make breakfast for you all. Later I need to go to the county. The quilts for the children are a bit thin. I need to buy a new one. Also, I need to get whatever else the household is missing.”

Xiao Hanting said nothing. Before she was fully dressed, he took out a money pouch from his sleeve.

“There’s twenty taels of silver in here. Buy whatever you need. Also, get yourself some clothes. I haven’t prepared anything for you. A new set of clothes is a must.”

Xiao Hanting said it with the utmost seriousness. Twenty taels of silver seemed as light as twenty coppers in his eyes.

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