NOVPUBChapter 140: 140, Cold Face Warm Heart (3)_1
Chapter 140: 140, Cold Face Warm Heart (3)_1
Jian Qing held back a smile, her eyes trailing up to the man who had just walked in. He was dressed in laid-back gray attire, and his bronze skin added a certain allure to him. An undeniable military aura poured out of him, quite naturally, through his every move.
Her gaze moved upwards to his handsome face. There was an uncanny resemblance to Xiaojing in his features, which made her think XiaoJing looked more like his mother.
Quan Hao watched his wife hop on one foot towards him, a worried frown creased his eyebrows, and he instinctively quickened his pace, reaching her in a few strides.
“How did you get hurt?” His large hand stabilised his wife. He looked her over anxiously, “Where does it hurt? Is it serious?”
“Nevermind, let’s go to the hospital for a thorough check-up.”
Without giving her a chance to respond, Quan Hao started to lead her towards the hospital.
“Wait.” Rhee noticed her husband’s hurried demeanor, so she quickly stopped him, “I’m okay, I’ve just sprained my ankle, Jingwu has already called the doctor.”
She whimpered inwardly. Her husband was reliable, unlike her son.
Upon hearing her words, Quan Hao glanced at her swollen ankle. His brows furrowed, and the next second, he swept her off her feet into his arms.
“Ahao, I’m really okay. Put me down.”
In the presence of her son and future daughter-in-law, Rhee felt self-conscious. Her cheeks tinted red as she asked Quan Hao to set her down.
He had already compromised by not insisting on the hospital. Quan Hao paid no heed to her objections and gently set her down on the couch.
Jian Qing watched this scene, and it seemed strangely familiar to her. She glanced next to her and was taken aback.
Indeed, like father like son. It was pretty evident in certain aspects.
Watching his parents display their affection, Quan Jingwu behaved as if he was used to such scenes, having witnessed them often since childhood.
Quan Hao placed Rhee’s injured foot on his lap and iced it carefully. His hands, which were usually holding guns, were now gently massaging her injury, afraid of causing her pain.
“Feeling any better?”
“I’m fine, don’t worry.” Rhee gave him a reassuring smile and, seeing his worried frown, she changed the subject.
“Ahao, this is Jian Qing. You haven’t met her yet.”
Having been occupied with assessing his wife’s injury, Quan Hao noticed the two people in front of him. He looked momentarily stupefied upon seeing the woman sitting next to his son.
Her clear, watery eyes seemed to penetrate everything in sight, even as she was seated next to Jingwu. Despite her youth, she couldn’t be underestimated.
He now understood why his father couldn’t stop praising this young lady.
“Uncle, nice to meet you.” Jian Qing greeted him politely.
Quan Hao’s initially cold face softened into a slight smile, “Hello.”
Rhee interjected, “Jian Qing, he may appear cold but he’s warm-hearted.”
Quan Hao, “…”
Jian Qing offered a slight smile, and Quan Jingwu ruffled her hair affectionately.
After the doctor had finished dressing the wound, the food from Qianshi Restaurant was delivered. Consequently, Rhee and her husband decided to dine there as well.
At the dinner table, the seating arrangement was clear; Quan Hao and his wife sat together, as did Quan Jingwu and Jian Qing.
Although Rhee had heard from Yifei that Jingwu used to peel shrimps for Jian Qing, witnessing it firsthand still struck her.
Jian Qing noted the surprised looks on Rhee and her husband’s faces as they watched her and Jingwu. It made her slightly uncomfortable.
However, Jingwu seemed nonchalant as he placed the peeled crab meat into her bowl, “Eat it quickly, or it won’t taste good once it cools down.”
She nodded and began eating.
“If you old folks aren’t hungry, then…” As Jingwu continued to peel the crab meat, he glanced at his parents across the table and said casually.
“Who said we weren’t hungry?” Rhee quickly interrupted him and started eating.
“Jingwu, since you’ve grown up, let alone a crab, you’ve never even peeled a single shrimp for me, have you?” Rhee lamented as more crab meat continuously appeared in Jian Qing’s bowl.
“Dad would peel it for you,” said Jingwu nonchalantly.
Rhee pouted and grumbled coldly, “Ungrateful child. Careful your son might not peel shrimps for you in the future. Jian Qing, it’s important to start teaching children from an early age. Your future child cannot grow up to be as unfilial as Jingwu.”
“Cough, cough—” Jian Qing choked on her food, set down her chopsticks and covered her mouth as she coughed lightly.
Jingwu handed her a tissue to wipe her hands, then gave her a glass of water. After, he glanced at his mother.
“Mom.”
Upon receiving the death glare from Jingwu, Rhee shrunk back, bowed her head, and focused on her meal instead.
After swallowing some water, Jian Qing regained her breath. She watched Rhee eat quietly, a hint of helpless amusement in her eyes, mixed with a touch of unnoticeable nostalgia and longing.
She recalled when she was very young, and her mother would tease her like this.
“My baby girl, eat more.”
His deep voice brought her out of her reverie. Jian Qing nodded and smiled back at him.
After dinner, the task of washing dishes naturally fell onto Quan Hao and Jingwu, while Rhee and Jian Qing retreated to the living room for some fruit and a chat.
Prompted by Rhee’s insistence, Jian Qing was seated next to her. Naturally, Rhee’s intention was to cultivate a good mother-daughter-in-law relationship.
Glancing towards the kitchen, Rhee lowered her voice and asked, “Little Qingqing, do you call Jingwu Xiaojing? Doesn’t he object?”
She had wanted to ask this question during dinner but found no appropriate moment because her cold-faced son was present.
About the term “Little Qingqing,” Jian Qing still felt awkward. “Aunt, could you please call me Jian Qing?”
“Little Qingqing” was what her grandpa used to call her. Hearing it from someone else felt strange.
“I think it’s nice; calling you Jian Qing feels so distant.” Rhee forked a piece of apple and handed it to her.
Jian Qing took it. Unable to persuade her otherwise, she dropped the matter.
“You didn’t answer my earlier question.” Rhee returned to the previous topic.
Chewing her apple, Jian Qing gave it some thought, “No.”
She remembered that the first time she called him that, he seemed quite pleased.
Rhee’s eyes lit up. She leaned closer to ask Jian Qing more, but she noticed the necklace around her neck and paused.
“This is…”
Jian Qing followed her gaze and touched the necklace around her neck. After swallowing her apple, she asked, “This necklace is from Xiaojing. Does it have any special meaning?” 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙥𝙪𝙗.𝒄𝙤𝙢
After a pause, Rhee shifted her gaze and gently smiled, “That was a gift from my father, also Jingwu’s grandpa, for his tenth birthday. My father cherished Jingwu a lot. This necklace was custom-made specially for him. There’s only one of it in the entire world, and Jingwu has always worn it.”
