Chapter 40

“That’s good. But how did you end up falling after just stepping out?” Gu Qinglan let out a sigh of relief, then gave her daughter a reproachful look. “Lihuan, didn’t I tell you to take good care of Changqing? How could you let her fall?”

Sigh. Gu Qinglan felt troubled inside. Her daughter really should try to present herself better in front of her future daughter-in-law. Would Changqing find Lihuan inconsiderate?

Sitting on the sofa, Shen Lihuan: “…”

Mom, am I no longer your precious little baby?

“Aunt Gu, don’t blame Lihuan. It wasn’t her fault. She was so anxious when she saw me fall.”

Seeing her crush being scolded by her future mother-in-law, You Changqing quickly defended Shen Lihuan. By the time she finished speaking, a sweet smile had already appeared on her face.

This fool, she had just knelt a little too hard, and Lihuan’s eyes had already turned red with worry. With how flustered she got, Changqing refused to believe Lihuan had no feelings for her.

When Lihuan finally came to her senses in the future, she would definitely bring this up and tease her—so she could see just how slow she was.

The shy yet happy smile on Changqing’s face didn’t escape Gu Qinglan’s notice. Leaning against the sofa, she curled her lips slightly, and all her worries disappeared. As long as their relationship was strong, she was happy.

Having not had a single drop of water since breakfast, Shen Lihuan was starting to feel hungry. She smoothed out the wrinkles on You Changqing’s dress and said, “Mom, do we have any food left at home? Changqing and I haven’t eaten yet. Let’s talk about everything after we eat.”

“There’s food, there’s food! I’ll go stir-fry a few hot dishes for you two.” A mother always dotes on her own child. The moment Shen Lihuan mentioned that she and You Changqing hadn’t eaten, Gu Qinglan immediately stood up with concern. “Changqing, you’ll finally get to try Auntie’s cooking.”

It was obvious that this last part was directed at You Changqing. She quickly lifted her head, pressing her hands on the sofa as her eyes sparkled. “Aunt Gu’s cooking must be delicious. I’m so lucky!”

“My mom’s cooking is definitely good. Make sure to eat plenty later.” As Shen Lihuan poured tea for herself and Changqing, she praised her mother’s cooking and encouraged Changqing to eat more.

You Changqing accepted the teacup and nodded obediently. “Mm, I will.”

Gu Qinglan smiled at the two of them before heading to the kitchen. Both her daughter and her future daughter-in-law were sweet talkers, and she just loved hearing their words.

“Lihuan, why don’t you go help Aunt Gu in the kitchen? I can sit here by myself.”

You Changqing lightly nudged Shen Lihuan’s arm. As a guest, she should have gone to help, but with her injured knee making movement difficult, Aunt Gu wouldn’t let her.

Now that Aunt Gu was cooking alone, she felt a little embarrassed just sitting here and waiting to eat.

Shen Lihuan took a sip of tea to moisten her throat, then rotated her wrist. “Alright, I’ll call General and Overlord to keep you company.”

She didn’t mention that even if she went to the kitchen, her mom would just chase her out. But since Changqing was being so considerate, how could she not let her mom know?

With that, Shen Lihuan shouted upstairs, “General! Overlord! Come down!”

She wasn’t sure if the two little ones were at home or if they had gone out wandering again.

Before long, the sound of barking filled the air. A cute white dog and a green snake quickly made their way down from the second floor.

“Changqing, this little dog is General, and this little snake was originally called Little Green. Later, I renamed it Overlord. Do you remember it? I’ve always treated them like family.”

Shen Lihuan smiled as she introduced General and Overlord. “They’re both very playful—you’ll definitely like them.”

Hearing their owner call them family, General and Overlord were so moved that their eyes welled up with tears.

“Woof, woof, woof!” Master, General is so happy!

“Hiss, hiss, hiss!” Master, Overlord is happy too! My entire snake life is complete!

You Changqing watched them with a smile, finding their excited circling absolutely adorable. “Of course I remember! The first time I came to your house, Overlord even performed a bowtie trick for me. I think it would be very hard not to like them. You’ve taken such good care of them.”

“Of course! They’ve even put on some weight.”

Shen Lihuan picked up General and placed him in front of You Changqing. “You can pet General for a while. I’ll go help in the kitchen.”

As for Overlord… Ahem, it didn’t have fur, so petting was out of the question. Not every girl had the courage to like snakes.

“Alright, go ahead.” You Changqing reached out her “claws” and gently stroked General’s fluffy white fur. The soft, plush sensation instantly won her over.

Shen Lihuan started walking toward the kitchen, but before she could take a few steps, her phone rang. She pulled it out of her pocket and glanced at the caller ID—it was Ye Muyan.

She walked over to the corridor leading to the backyard and answered the call. “Hello, this is Shen Lihuan.”

“Miss Shen, hello, this is Ye Muyan. Do you have time today? You mentioned last time that you had some medicinal herbs I needed to pick up, so I’d like to visit you.”

“Come over in a bit. I’m at home.”

“Thank you so much!” Ye Muyan’s voice was filled with excitement. Ever since learning from Dr. Huang yesterday that the prescription was truly effective, he had been in a state of extreme excitement.

“No need to thank me. It’s settled then.”

After hanging up, Shen Lihuan entered the kitchen, and sure enough, the moment Gu Qinglan saw her, she started shooing her out. “What are you doing in the kitchen? How could you just leave Changqing alone in the living room?”

“Mom, Changqing asked me to come help you. If her knee wasn’t injured, she would’ve come in to help herself. She’s too shy to just sit and wait for food.” Shen Lihuan wrapped her arms around her mother’s shoulders from behind.

“You see how considerate Changqing is? If you dare to bully her, just watch how I’ll deal with you.”

Gu Qinglan sighed, feeling that Changqing was like a warm little coat, absolutely unwilling to let her daughter become a heartbreaker.

“Mom, am I that kind of person? How could I ever have the heart to bully Changqing when looking at that face of hers?”

Shen Lihuan protested her innocence.

“You’d better not be.” Gu Qinglan shot her a look before shifting the topic. “I wonder what your dad is up to—he’s still not back at this hour.”

“My dad?” Shen Lihuan mused absentmindedly, guessing that the He family had gone looking for him, keeping him occupied. “Probably caught up with some business. Dad’s not a child, and with so many assistants and secretaries around him, he won’t go hungry.”

“That’s true.” Gu Qinglan nodded. “Alright, take these dishes out. You and Changqing should eat quickly—don’t starve yourselves.”

She finished plating the dishes and had Shen Lihuan carry two plates while she took the other two.

Shen Lihuan set the dishes on the dining table and called out to the living room, “Dinner’s ready!”

You Changqing had been happily playing with General and Overlord. Though they couldn’t talk, they seemed to understand everything she said, reacting as if they truly comprehended her words. Their intelligence was astonishing.

“Lihuan, your General and Overlord are so smart! They seem to understand everything I say!”

You Changqing exclaimed in excitement, as if she had discovered a new world.

“They are pretty smart, just a bit too lively,” Shen Lihuan said with a chuckle as she walked over to pick her up. “Let’s eat first, then take a nap. After school ends in the afternoon, I’ll take you home.”

“A nap?!” You Changqing’s lips parted slightly in surprise. Her face turned red as if she had thought of something. “Are we… sleeping together?”

“Uh…” Shen Lihuan had originally planned for her to sleep in the guest room. But on second thought, they were both girls—wasn’t it normal for good friends to nap together? “Yeah, we’ll sleep together. My bed is big, so it won’t be cramped at all.”

“Great! That sounds good!” You Changqing rubbed her face against Shen Lihuan’s shoulder, her excitement nearly making her tremble at the thought of sharing a bed.

“You two eat up. I’m going to watch TV—my favorite show is on.”

Gu Qinglan placed bowls and chopsticks on the table with a smile. Shen Lihuan set You Changqing down on a chair and gave her mother a quick kiss on the cheek. “Thanks, Mom! Enjoy your show.”

“Thank you, Auntie Gu. These dishes already look amazing!” You Changqing complimented sincerely.

“As long as you like them,” Gu Qinglan replied warmly before heading to the living room.

“Lihuan, Auntie Gu’s cooking is amazing. My mom can’t compare at all. She’s not exactly bad at cooking, but it’s just so-so, so she rarely bothers to cook.”

You Changqing picked up a piece of fish for Shen Lihuan, speaking with admiration. Shen Lihuan returned the favor by placing some chilled bamboo shoots on You Changqing’s plate. “Actually, my mom doesn’t cook often either. My dad won’t let her, afraid that the oil and smoke will be bad for her. Today, she cooked specially for you.”

“Auntie Gu is so kind to me.” You Changqing was delighted. If Auntie Gu liked her this much, surely she wouldn’t object to her and Lihuan being together in the future.

After the meal, the servants took care of the dishes. Shen Lihuan carried You Changqing back to the living room just as Ye Muyan arrived.

“Madam, Miss Lihuan, there’s a Mr. Ye at the door looking for Miss Lihuan,” said the servant, Lao Chang, respectfully.

“Let him in, Uncle Chang. He’s my friend,” Shen Lihuan instructed with a nod.

“Understood. I’ll bring Mr. Ye in right away.” Lao Chang exited to fetch Ye Muyan.

“Lihuan, when did you make a friend with the surname Ye? Why didn’t you tell me?” Gu Qinglan asked, pausing her TV program and turning to look at her daughter.

“Just two days ago. I met him with Changqing,” Shen Lihuan replied, leaning against You Changqing.

Ye Muyan entered the living room with Lao Chang and respectfully greeted them. “Good day, Madam Shen. Miss Shen, Miss You.”

“Brother Ye, have a seat. No need to be so formal. You can call us by our names, just like you do with Changhong.”

You Changqing had a good impression of Ye Muyan, and since Changhong liked him, she didn’t mind showing him kindness.

“Then I’ll be a bit presumptuous and call you Changqing,” Ye Muyan said with a gentle smile as he took a seat. His refined demeanor earned a nod of approval from Gu Qinglan, who was observing him closely.

“Brother Ye, you can call me Lihuan, too. Wait here while I go upstairs to get the medicinal herbs.”

Shen Lihuan wasn’t particular about titles. Since You Changqing let him use her first name, she didn’t mind either.

“Thank you, Lihuan!” Ye Muyan stood up and gave her a deep bow. Shen Lihuan waved him off casually. “No need to be so polite, Brother Ye.”

As she headed upstairs, Gu Qinglan asked curiously, “Mr. Ye, why did you come to get medicinal herbs from Lihuan?”

“Madam Shen, you don’t know?” Ye Muyan explained the whole story with gratitude. “Lihuan is a great benefactor to my family. Madam Shen, you’ve raised such an outstanding daughter—my mother admires you deeply.”

Gu Qinglan’s gaze flickered slightly. Her daughter had only been studying medicine for a short while, yet her skills were already this remarkable?

When Shen Lihuan returned to the living room, she noticed her mother’s gaze on her had become complex. A thought stirred in her heart—had her mother started to suspect something?

After seeing Ye Muyan off, Shen Lihuan carried You Changqing up to her room. “Changqing, you sleep first. I need to talk to my mom, and then I’ll be back.”

You Changqing sat on the bed and whined playfully, “Then come back quickly.”

“Okay, I’ll be back soon.” Shen Lihuan gently tapped the tip of her nose, making You Changqing smile sweetly.

Leaving the room, Shen Lihuan walked toward her mother’s bedroom. “Mom, I’m coming in.”

“Aren’t you supposed to be napping? Why are you in my room?” Gu Qinglan lowered her gaze.

“I have something I want to talk to you about.” Shen Lihuan hesitated before saying, “Mom, don’t you think I’ve changed?”

“I don’t think so. No matter what changes you’ve undergone, I just need to ask you one thing—are you still my daughter?” Gu Qinglan instinctively avoided delving deeper, instead grasping Shen Lihuan’s arm and looking into her eyes.

“I will always be Dad and Mom’s daughter. I just had a lucky encounter during the car accident, which is why my medical skills improved so much. But I was afraid you and Dad wouldn’t accept it, so I kept it from you.”

Shen Lihuan looked at her mother firmly. She was their daughter, and that would never change.

“Then that’s fine. No matter what kind of encounter you’ve had, as long as you’re still my precious daughter, I don’t care about anything else.”

Gu Qinglan hugged her daughter, gently patting her back as she had done when coaxing her to sleep as a child.

“Mom, I’m really sorry for hiding it from you and Dad for so long.” Shen Lihuan nuzzled against her mother’s neck with a trace of guilt.

“Silly girl, what do you mean by hiding it? Did you ever really hide anything from us? The ointments and pills you made—weren’t those proof enough? Especially that Vitality Pill, with such miraculous effects, you even made one for us. Weren’t you worried I’d start suspecting something back then?”

Shen Lihuan chuckled sheepishly. “I knew that if Mom and Dad doubted anyone, it would never be me. That’s why I felt safe revealing my skills in front of you. Mom, I’m really so lucky to have such a wonderful mother.”

“You’re already a grown woman, and you’re still acting spoiled.” Gu Qinglan laughed as she ruffled Shen Lihuan’s black hair. She knew her daughter inside and out—the way she spoke, the way she walked, every little habit. She could never mistake her own child.

“Your lucky encounter won’t have any bad effects on you, right?”

“No, it just unlocked my medical skills all of a sudden, which made me want to become a medical researcher. You know, Mom, I originally planned to take over Jialan.”

Shen Lihuan shook her head.

“Then it’s fine. As long as you’re okay, I’m at ease.” As long as her daughter was well, Gu Qinglan didn’t care whether she took over the family business or not.

“Alright, go back and take your nap. Don’t keep Changqing waiting.” Now that her concerns were settled, Gu Qinglan started shooing her daughter away.

Shen Lihuan felt a little helpless—why did it feel like her mother was tossing her aside after getting what she wanted? “Then I’ll be going, Mom. Good afternoon.”

“Good afternoon.” Gu Qinglan waved her off, urging her to leave quickly. Shen Lihuan shook her head and smiled before heading back to her room.

Yao Changqing was already lying in bed. Seeing Shen Lihuan return, she waved excitedly. “Lihuan, come take a nap with me!”

Shen Lihuan shut the windows and doors. “Coming.”

She pulled out two nightgowns from her wardrobe. “Changqing, do you want to change into sleepwear? Sleeping in regular clothes isn’t comfortable.”

“Yes!” Yao Changqing lifted the blanket, took the nightgown, and immediately began undressing. Seeing that she didn’t go to the bathroom to change, Shen Lihuan figured that since they were both girls, there was no need to be shy. She slipped off her top, revealing toned abs.

Yao Changqing leaned in excitedly, staring at her abs. “Lihuan, you even have abs! Can I poke them?”

Seeing her eager expression, Shen Lihuan relented. “Just once.”

“Okay!” Yao Changqing poked them with a fair finger, then, unable to resist, gave them a gentle squeeze. Shen Lihuan almost burst out laughing—she was a little ticklish, and Changqing’s touch made her squirm.

“Lihuan, your figure is amazing—slim waist, ample curves, long legs, and perky hips!”

Yao Changqing openly admired Shen Lihuan’s body, her bright eyes practically glued to her.

Seeing her dazed, infatuated look, Shen Lihuan helplessly pinched her cheeks. “You little perv. Your figure is just as good as mine, except for the abs. What’s there to stare at?”

“What do you mean, little perv? Even the ancients said that food and beauty are natural human desires. I’m just following my instincts and appreciating beauty!”

Yao Changqing scrunched her nose in mock indignation, justifying herself.

Shen Lihuan shot her an amused look before taking off her pants and undergarments, changing into a pink nightgown.

When she was done, Yao Changqing reluctantly tore her gaze away. Her knee didn’t hurt as much anymore, and she tried to stand up, but Shen Lihuan quickly helped her, assisting her in changing into a nightgown. In the process, she inevitably saw things she wasn’t supposed to.

Changqing’s skin was so fair, with a delicate pink undertone. And those two soft mounds—cough, cough—she shouldn’t be looking.

But despite herself, Shen Lihuan’s mind kept replaying the image. Those soft, pale, sweet-smelling curves… like fluffy glutinous rice balls. They must feel amazing to touch…

What the hell? Shen Lihuan, what are you thinking?

She rubbed her face, feeling like she was being led astray.

“Lihuan, come on, let’s sleep!” Yao Changqing was already comfortably settled, patting the spot beside her.

“I’m coming.” Shen Lihuan folded her clothes and climbed into bed.

Yao Changqing tucked the blanket around her and snuggled closer, their bodies nearly touching. Shen Lihuan could feel her warmth.

Yao Changqing whispered in her ear, “Lihuan, I tend to move around in my sleep. If you’re worried about getting disturbed, you can press my legs down. Or… just hold me in your arms.”

Shen Lihuan bit her lip. This little vixen—she was always teasing her. She simply flipped over and pulled Yao Changqing into her arms, warm breath brushing against her ear.

“Alright, I’ve got you. Now sleep.”