Chapter 59

Shen Lihuan was stunned for a moment. She blinked at You Changqing and struggled to speak, “Better not.”

What if things got out of hand?

You Changqing had spoken on impulse, and now that Shen Lihuan refused, her rationality returned. With reddened ears, she went to the wardrobe to grab her pajamas, her awkward movements making Shen Lihuan chuckle.

Hearing Shen Lihuan’s low laughter, You Changqing’s face turned even redder. She quickly ran into the bathroom, disappearing from Shen Lihuan’s sight.

By the time You Changqing finished her shower, half an hour had passed. Shen Lihuan heard the door open and turned to look at her. She was wearing a white bathrobe, the belt loosely tied, accentuating her slender waist. Her long, fair legs held Shen Lihuan’s gaze captive.

She had washed her hair, and the damp strands cascaded over her shoulders. Even though she was towel-drying it, droplets still mischievously slid down her neck, tracing a path to that soft and fragrant place…

Shen Lihuan quickly averted her gaze, forcing her eyes upward. Fresh from the shower, You Changqing’s face carried a natural flush—pure and fresh, without any artificial embellishment, stunningly beautiful.

Forgetting her earlier shyness, You Changqing quickly walked over. “Lihuan, can you help me blow-dry my hair? It’s dripping everywhere, and it’s so uncomfortable.”

“Okay.”

Shen Lihuan grabbed the hairdryer and had her sit by the bed. She first patted You Changqing’s hair dry with a towel before kneeling behind her to blow-dry it.

The warm breeze gently caressed her head and shoulders, making You Changqing drowsy. Shen Lihuan swept her damp hair to one side, exposing her delicate collarbones.

From her vantage point, Shen Lihuan had a perfect view—everything was clear as day, from the undulating peaks to the deep, unfathomable valleys.

She couldn’t help but sigh inwardly—what a breathtaking view.

You Changqing’s hair was long, smooth, and black as ink, cascading like a waterfall. Shen Lihuan found it irresistible to touch.

By the time she finished drying You Changqing’s hair, the latter was so sleepy she could barely keep her eyes open. Shen Lihuan lifted her onto the bed, tucked her in, and kissed her forehead. “I should shower now.”

If she didn’t, she might just combust.

By the time Shen Lihuan finished her shower and dried her hair, it was past ten. She murmured a “good night” to You Changqing and turned off the bedside lamp.

—

The next morning, You Changqing woke up before Shen Lihuan. She found herself nestled entirely in Shen Lihuan’s embrace, one of her legs even draped possessively over Shen Lihuan’s waist.

Feeling guilty, she slowly moved her leg away. Seeing that Shen Lihuan was still asleep, she curiously scooted up so their faces were level.

Many people wake up with oily skin or puffy faces, but Shen Lihuan was clearly not one of them. Her complexion remained smooth and fair.

Asleep, Shen Lihuan’s features were softer, but her exquisite face was flawless. The more You Changqing stared, the more mesmerized she became. Lihuan’s eyelashes were so long, her nose so straight, her lips so pink…

She really wanted to kiss them.

Licking her lips, You Changqing leaned down and pressed her lips against Shen Lihuan’s. Just as she was about to pull away, a warm hand cupped the back of her head, and in the next second, her breath was stolen.

—

After freshening up, the two went downstairs. You Changqing was still lost in the lingering heat of their earlier kiss, her expression dazed.

Gu Qinglan, being experienced, immediately understood when she saw her daughter’s slightly swollen lips. She patted her daughter’s arm and whispered, “You two should take it easy.”

Shen Lihuan: “…”

She couldn’t help but admire her parents—never repeating the same warning twice.

During breakfast, Gu Qinglan placed a piece of pea cake on her daughter’s plate and suddenly said, “Lihuan, invite your uncle over for lunch today.”

Shen Lihuan took a bite of the pea cake and nodded. “Alright, I will.”

Shen Jiashu, as always, had no objections to his wife’s words.

—

Ever since his encounter with the kind Shen Jiejie (Big Sister) and You Jiejie, Yang Tianlin had been living a fulfilling life. Every morning, he boiled three eggs for his mother’s breakfast before heading to school. At noon, the first thing he did upon returning home was help his mother cook. He was still young and couldn’t handle cooking alone, but he could assist—picking vegetables, chopping ingredients, washing dishes.

After a few days of medication, his mother’s health had improved significantly. Although she couldn’t do heavy labor yet, she was no longer bedridden.

With Qiu Rongxin recovering, Yang Tianlin felt more secure, and his smiles became more frequent. Even when he encountered the landlord’s wife and her skinny husband outside, he was no longer afraid.

Yang Tianlin despised them both—the landlord’s wife was fierce and mean, while her skinny husband always leered at his mother. Several times, when mother and son left home, they would run into that scrawny man, who never had anything decent to say and even tried to touch Qiu Rongxin. Both mother and son found him utterly repulsive.

Today was the weekend, and Qiu Rongxin could finally go out again. She took her son to the morning market, and their faces were filled with joy.

Carrying their bags full of groceries back to their alley, they encountered the skinny man. He was sitting on an electric scooter, and the moment he spotted Qiu Rongxin, he immediately stopped.

“Well, well, looks like Rongxin is all better now! You’re even out shopping for groceries.”

His eyes roved over the plastic bags filled with vegetables in their hands, looking surprised. Wasn’t she supposed to be bedridden, on the verge of death? But now, aside from looking thinner, she seemed perfectly fine.

“Mm.”

Qiu Rongxin hummed vaguely, grabbed her son’s hand, and tried to walk away. She didn’t want to have any interaction with this man, or else the landlord would start accusing her of seducing her husband again.

But the skinny man immediately turned his scooter to block their path. “Hey, where are you rushing off to, Rongxin? My wife isn’t up yet.”

Qiu Rongxin’s face stiffened. What does that have to do with me?

“I have things to do at home. I don’t have time to chat with you,” she said, pulling her son closer and trying to walk around him.

Taking her son’s hand, she quickly led him around to the other side and ran off. The people living here had been neighbors for years—if they saw her talking too much with Skinny, who knew how nasty the gossip would be.

In the past, she had no choice but to rent a place in such an environment. But now, she was about to start a new job—she had to find a new place to live. There were no children her son’s age here, and he was lonely. When she looked for a new home, she would make sure it was in a place with lots of kids.

Skinny watched them flee in a panic, spat viciously, and sneered.

“Had a kid at such a young age, and the father is unknown, yet she acts all pure. Who knows how many men have slept with her, but I can’t even touch her?”

A flash of resentment flickered in his eyes.

“One day, I’ll have you under me, you b*tch!”

Qiu Rongxin and her son hurried into their home and locked the door behind them. Yang Tianlin pouted in frustration.

“Mom, can we move? I don’t want to live here anymore.”

“Son, it’s my fault for not being capable enough, making you suffer. I’ll call Miss Shen right away and ask when I can start work. As soon as I get my first paycheck, I’ll take you away from here.”

Seeing her son so unhappy, Qiu Rongxin became even more determined to move.

“That’s great! Mom, it’s a deal—pinky promise!”

Yang Tianlin was so excited that he jumped up and stretched out his pinky.

Qiu Rongxin smiled and hooked her pinky with his. Her life had been humble, buried in the dust, but after having her son, she possessed the most precious love in the world.

Even though her husband had left and never returned, she never regretted giving birth to Tianlin. He was her pride, the most precious part of her life.

For her son, she would do anything.

—

Shen Lihuan was about to leave the house when she received a call. Learning that her two benefactors were coming to visit her and her son, Qiu Rongxin was thrilled. She immediately had her son help clean the house again, wiping down the tables and chairs until they were spotless.

Meanwhile, Shen Lihuan and You Changqing went to the mall to buy Yang Tianlin two sets of new clothes and two pairs of shoes. Then they stopped by the supermarket for some food before heading to Yang Tianlin’s home.

As soon as there was a knock at the door, Yang Tianlin ran over and opened it.

“Hello, Sister Shen! Hello, Sister You!”

Qiu Rongxin, who had been sitting on the sofa, quickly stood up.

“Miss Shen, Miss You, you’re here!”

“Hello, Tianlin. Hello, Auntie. How have you both been?”

Shen Lihuan and You Changqing entered the house with Yang Tianlin, setting their bags down on the living room table.

“I’m doing great, thank you for asking, Sister! Mom can go out now—we even went out this morning!”

Yang Tianlin sat beside You Changqing, looking up at her admiringly.

“Yes, Miss Shen, your prescription worked wonders. I feel much better now.”

Qiu Rongxin expressed her gratitude.

“Really? That’s wonderful!”

You Changqing smiled, ruffling Yang Tianlin’s hair before pulling out the clothes and shoes they had bought.

“We got these for you, Tianlin. Try them on and see if they fit!”

“Oh, I couldn’t possibly accept this! You’ve already helped us so much—how could we take these gifts too?”

Seeing the fine quality of the clothing, Qiu Rongxin immediately knew they were expensive and felt uncomfortable accepting them.

“Auntie, don’t be so formal with us. Tianlin is such a sweet kid—we both adore him. Just think of this as a gift from his older sisters.”

Yang Tianlin, though eager for the beautiful new clothes, shook his head because his mother had said they couldn’t accept them.

Seeing this, You Changqing felt a pang in her heart. Her younger brother, Changhong, would ask for anything he wanted without hesitation, even throwing tantrums if he didn’t get it. Tianlin, on the other hand, showed such restraint.

“That’s right, Auntie. We’ve already bought the clothes and shoes. If you won’t take them, we’ll have no choice but to throw them away.”

Shen Lihuan deliberately made her words sound heavier, and Qiu Rongxin took the bait.

“Oh, that would be such a waste! These clothes are so beautiful and clearly expensive—it’d be a shame to throw them away!”

“If you won’t take them, we really will have to toss them.”

Shen Lihuan insisted.

Qiu Rongxin wasn’t naive—she understood they were saying this just to get her to accept the gifts. Her heart filled with gratitude, and she nodded as she took the new clothes.

“Son, remember the kindness of these two sisters. When you grow up, you must study hard and repay them.”

Yang Tianlin nodded solemnly.

“I will.”

You Changqing smiled warmly and pinched his cheek affectionately.

—

—”Jiejie” (姐姐) is a Chinese term that means “older sister.” It can refer to one’s biological older sister or be used more broadly to address an older female friend, colleague, or even a stranger in a respectful or affectionate way. In some contexts, it can also be used flirtatiously or playfully.