bayedsolid Chapter 300 Obedient and Clingy Younger Brother (11)
Chapter 300 Obedient and Clingy Younger Brother (11)
As Lu Liruan spoke, she turned her head and saw the two loaves of bread in Jin Shuhe's hand: "Are you having bread for dinner?"
"Ah... um." Before Jin Shuhe could react, she nodded subconsciously.
Lu Liruan said enthusiastically, "Then why don't we have hot pot together sometime!"
"Huh?" Jin Shuhe was startled by his suggestion and turned his head to look, only to find that Lu Liruan was not looking at him at all, but staring at the hot pot base in her hand, carefully looking at the ingredient list on the back, and then squatting down to look at the other seasonings.
His eyes were full of seriousness and anticipation.
My neighbor seems really looking forward to having hot pot...
Lu Liruan was indeed looking forward to eating hot pot. In the previous world, there was no such dish as spicy hot pot. After returning to her space, Lu Liruan thought about it for several days, but because she wanted to eat and drink so much, hot pot was not on her list.
It's probably really difficult to make a hot pot for one person.
When she came to her senses, Jin Shuhe realized that she had already harbored this thought of exonerating herself.
He swallowed, trying to appear calm, and then spoke in a very even tone: "But..."
"I just returned to Pucheng recently, and there's no one else to have hot pot with. Please help me out, we're neighbors!" Lu Liruan blinked and pleaded.
"Okay...okay." After agreeing, Jin Shuhe felt a surge of joy in his heart, a feeling he hadn't experienced in a long time.
"When do you have time?" Lu Liruan asked naturally, opening her phone calendar and deftly tossing the selected seasonings into her shopping basket.
After this parting, Jin Shuhe felt a little hopeful, because they had agreed to meet again next time, rather than never having any further contact.
Lu Liruan had been living here for a while, but she didn't know much about the situation next door.
In the original storyline, aside from Jin Shuhe's memories, everything else was very brief. Lu Liruan knew that he was now living with his deceased father's second wife, but she knew nothing about his stepmother.
It's normal that Lu Liruan doesn't encounter high school students who leave early and return late, but she has seen that woman several times.
One time it was raining outside, and Lu Liruan took a taxi home in the afternoon. As she walked home, she turned her head to see how her skirt had been splattered with mud.
The sound of high heels came from ahead. Lu Liruan looked up and saw a woman with long black wavy hair and a dark red dress. She was wearing a pair of stiletto heels and stomping her feet as she walked, trying to stomp the mud off her heels.
She stopped in front of the door next door, tore off the electricity bill pasted on the door, glanced at it, casually threw it on the ground, and took out her keys from her bag to open the door.
When she entered, she saw Lu Liruan behind her.
Lu Liruan also saw the woman's face clearly; it was a face that was no longer young, and she was wearing makeup.
She seemed completely unconcerned about being discovered by Lu Liruan, standing inside the door and looking her up and down before smiling and closing the door.
Lu Liruan was puzzled. She looked down at herself and couldn't see anything noteworthy...
One afternoon, Lu Liruan hadn't been lying down for long when she was startled by a loud "bang"—something hitting the wall—and sat up abruptly.
The man next door was cursing, and I could hear him yelling over the wall.
Because Lu Liruan's head was pressed against the wall, she vaguely heard a few words: "You're spending money... to raise someone else's son!"
"I'm... a total sucker!"
She couldn't hear clearly, but Lu Liruan sensed that their argument was related to Jin Shuhe.
Sitting on the bed, Lu Liruan's sleepiness dissipated, and she began to think about the child's situation.
At this moment, Lu Liruan suddenly realized that she seemed to have overlooked many things...
Lu Liruan and Jin Shuhe arranged to meet on Saturday. Just as Lu Liruan opened her door to knock on the door next door, the door next door opened first.
The thin young man walked out rather awkwardly.
"I was just about to tell you that it rained this morning, and I haven't gone out to buy groceries yet. I asked you to wait for me a little while..."
"I'll go with you."
Lu Liruan did not refuse. She was used to buying things at the market that was open all day, where they were cheap, affordable, and fresh, much better than the supermarket.
Even before she had any special abilities, Lu Liruan knew how to cook when she was working.
But once a person starts working, they will pick up the "work smell".
I'm listless at work, and I'm still as lazy as possible after get off work. I'd rather order takeout than cook.
Lu Liruan lived there for over a year, but she didn't even know where the vegetable market was.
After returning to Pucheng, we became familiar with each other within a few days.
Most of the people who come here to buy vegetables are older men and women. Lu Liruan, this young girl, has a sweet tongue and is always smiling, so she was quickly remembered by some of the grandfathers and grandmothers selling vegetables.
When they saw her coming, they all greeted her.
Lu Liruan greeted everyone along the way, cheerful and at ease, as if she had completely integrated into the place.
Jin Shuhe followed behind her, silently observing.
It seems that no matter where they are or who they are with, their neighbors have the ability to make people feel close to them and like them.
Lu Liruan bought two bunches of chrysanthemum greens from a vegetable stall where a grandmother and her grandson were selling vegetables.
He bent down and patted the hair of the chubby-cheeked child. He paused for a moment, instinctively raising his hand to touch his own hair, then quickly put his hand behind his back.
For a moment, I felt lost, realizing I wasn't the only one...
Jin Shuhe insisted on paying for the vegetables, and Lu Liruan looked at him, raising an eyebrow: "Am I having a high school student treat me to a meal? I feel so uneasy..."
"But you treated me to something last time," Jin Shuhe said softly, trying to defend herself.
"No need to be so polite, thank you then, Xiao He."
Lu Liruan's eyes crinkled when she smiled, making her whole demeanor appear soft and gentle.
Lu Liruan also sensed that Jin Shuhe was a particularly sensitive child, and also had the vulnerability typical of adolescence.
In life, a neighbor should be someone who makes you feel calm and secure, and someone you can rely on a little... Jin Shuhe concluded to himself.
It wasn't until he stood at the door of Lu Liruan's house that Jin Shuhe felt uneasy.
The last time he visited Lu Liruan's house, he was so overcome by hemophobia that his vision blurred and his other senses were diminished. This time, as he was about to go to Lu Liruan's house again, he could clearly feel his nervousness.
"Please come in." Lu Liruan opened the door and gestured for him to come in.
"Just put the things on the ground first."
Lu Liruan rummaged through the shoe cabinet and found a new pair of disposable slippers. After that day, Lu Liruan bought several pairs of disposable slippers online and kept them at home for emergencies.
She took off her shoes, leaving herself in only socks, and carried the ingredients to the kitchen.
Jin Shuhe carefully examined the house. The neighbor's living room was clean and simple, mostly in natural wood colors, light brown, and milky white—thick and soft colors.
There were several soft, bouncy sofas in the living room. Jin Shuhe recalled the feeling of sinking into them when he sat down.
The sound of kitchen utensils clattering came from the kitchen. Jin Shuhe hurriedly went over, washed her hands by the sink, and waited to see if there was anything she could help with.
Lu Liruan was clearly a skilled cook; just by watching her peel potatoes, using only a spoon, she could tell that she did it evenly and quickly.
She washes and drains the vegetables, cuts them, and arranges them on a plate with practiced ease and efficiency. She can also turn on the stove at the same time and stir-fry the prepared hot pot base.
Lu Liruan originally wanted to use hot pot as filming material, but in the end she gave up, because the child was already uncomfortable.
But Lu Liruan had already prepared everything she needed to. She specially bought a large hot pot with two broths, put the stir-fried base ingredients in and added water, and a rich, spicy aroma wafted up.
"Would you like mushrooms or tomatoes on the other side?"
Amidst the sizzling sounds from the pot, Lu Liruan asked him without turning her head.
"Anything is fine." Jin Shuhe smelled the aroma, and her stomach, which hadn't eaten since morning, began to feel a little hungry.
Today, Aunt Chun was home during the day, and Jin Shuhe would rather go hungry inside than pass by the uninvited guest in the living room.
Fortunately, the two of them left after the rain stopped.
"Hey...don't touch it!" Jin Shuhe had just snapped out of his thoughts when he saw Lu Liruan's actions and subconsciously raised his voice.
Upon seeing Lu Liruan reach out to touch the metal rim of the hot pot broth, Jin Shuhe disregarded everything else and grabbed her wrist, lifting it into the air to prevent a tragedy.
Lu Liruan realized she had almost done something foolish. She was so busy that she momentarily lost her mind. She wanted to move the large pot that was in the way to the table first, but if she actually grabbed it, she would get scalded. Lu Liruan sniffed awkwardly.
"Let me carry it." Finally finding a way to help, Jin Shuhe released her slender wrist, took two dishcloths from the sink, placed them under the pot, and carefully carried it to the table.
The rich aroma of the hot pot gradually spread. Jin Shuhe was worried that it would be awkward for him to go home with his neighbor, given his inarticulate and socially awkward personality.
Before he could even feel awkward, Lu Liruan was busy in the kitchen, and the tasks of peeling shrimp, cooking vegetables, and setting the table naturally fell to him.
Jin Shuhe stood in the hall and glanced over there casually.
The TV screen facing the sofa was showing a game, and there was a game controller lying on the floor. Next to it was a half-eaten plate of cherry tomatoes. Just by looking at it, you could tell that the neighbor had a very happy and pleasant day.
There was a shelf next to the TV. Jin Shuhe glanced at it and saw a lot of anime movie DVDs, as well as various games.
"I don't know if you'll eat this, but I made rice!"
The rice cooker beeped, and Lu Liruan opened the lid to let the steam out.
The freshly steamed white rice was steaming and filled with a wonderful aroma; it was so warm and cozy.
Lu Liruan brought out the last plate of washed and shredded enoki mushrooms, wrinkled her nose, and brought it close to the boiling pot to smell. She shivered from the spiciness.
She waved her hand generously, "Alright, alright, let's eat!" Then she took the plate of meatballs that Jin Shuhe hadn't yet arranged and poured them directly into the pot, saying, "There's no need to be so fancy about the presentation since it's just the two of us."
The thin slices of meat quickly changed color. Lu Liruan scooped them out and dipped them in the sesame sauce dish.
When she put the food in her mouth, her eyes widened suddenly. It was the first time Jin Shuhe had ever seen such a clear flash of light in her eyes.
Jin Shuhe didn't know how old her neighbor was, but she thought that this cute expression on her face was very fitting.
Just as Jin Shuhe had predicted, living with his neighbors was peaceful and stable; even someone with his personality wouldn't feel awkward at all...
My neighbor doesn't talk much during meals, but she's very caring and gentle. Even her voice sounds soothing.
Jin Shuhe told himself to stop thinking about it. He and his neighbor were from different worlds, and even if their paths crossed briefly, someone like her wouldn't be a permanent part of his life...
All of this was just a little bit of comfort that I had gotten by sheer luck.
While he was lost in thought, Lu Liruan was already eating with great enthusiasm, and she even thoughtfully scooped up a lot of meat for him with a spoon.
To calm himself down, Jin Shuhe savored the moment, unaware that his neighbor was tilting his head and squinting slightly as he watched his actions.
Huh? Why aren't there any wide-eyed exclamations like, "This is so delicious!"?
Lu Liruan gave herself a perfect score for the hotpot she had today. Little did she know that Jin Shuhe's mind was already elsewhere.
Lu Liruan ate about half her fill, then noticed the boy opposite her and became somewhat concerned.
"Snapped--"
"Minors shouldn't be picky eaters; they should eat vegetables properly too!"
With a sharp pain, the neighbor's voice came through.
"Ah, I'm sorry!"
As Lu Liruan ate, she noticed the serious-looking boy across from her earnestly using a scoop spoon to carefully scoop out some potatoes from the pot, avoiding the leafy greens. She found it rather amusing.
He casually picked up the serving chopsticks next to him and tapped them on the back of his hand.
Unexpectedly, the other person moved their hand and the chopsticks hit the knuckle of the index finger.
Lu Liruan felt the hard texture of bone against her skin and quickly apologized.
"It's okay!" Actually, it didn't hurt much; he was just distracted and startled.
Seeing the guilty look on Lu Liruan's face, Jin Shuhe quickly shook his head.
The meal was truly satisfying; so much food had been prepared that Jin Shuhe couldn't remember the last time he had eaten so much, and his stomach felt heavy.
While clearing away the dishes, Lu Liruan was still somewhat concerned.
"Does your hand still hurt? I used a bit of force..." She leaned closer, looking at him with concern through his hair.
Jin Shuhe held out her hand to show her that the red mark had disappeared: "It's really nothing, I don't feel anything at all."
Lu Liruan was finally relieved.
After dinner, it was past eight o'clock in the evening, and it was time for Jin Shuhe to go home.
Lu Liruan saw him off at the door. When she picked up his light jacket for him, she rubbed her fingers together and felt that the clothes had been washed countless times and the fabric felt old.
"Thank you for having hot pot with me today," Lu Liruan said earnestly.
“I should be the one saying thank you…” Jin Shuhe replied softly, “The hot pot was delicious.”
"That's right, I'm a great cook!" Lu Liruan was finally satisfied to hear what she wanted to hear.
After leaving Lu Liruan's house, Jin Shuhe stood at his own door, feeling as if the place had been divided into two worlds.
One world is warm and peaceful, the other is cold and full of conflict; these two worlds are separated by only one door.
After returning home, Jin Shuhe touched the knuckles of his index finger, his thoughts uncontrollably reliving the events of the day, savoring each detail.
In just a short while, his neighbors showed him much more care and attention than he usually received in a long time, which made him extremely happy...