I’ll Cook, You Wash the Dishes.
The three Lu children ran hand-in-hand out of the courtyard and squatted in the corner near the gate, exchanging glances.
“Big brother, what do we do now?” An’an scratched her head. “She doesn’t seem like what everyone said she’d be like.”
Pingping nodded. “She even swore to the Chairman. She probably won’t let us starve or deliberately mistreat us.”
Gu Qinghai hesitated for a moment before resolutely responding, “Adults are good at pretending. Don’t trust her so easily. She said we’re friends, so we’ll treat her as one—for now.”
He recalled their father’s first wife, who had initially promised to take good care of him. She had been kind at the beginning, but when his younger siblings arrived, she grew impatient and eventually left, divorcing their father.
Gu Qinghai glanced at his younger siblings, who were too naive to understand much. He resolved to observe Qin Shi closely and see how long she could keep up her act. No matter what, he would protect his siblings.
Pingping and An’an, only four years old, didn’t understand much but decided to follow their big brother’s lead as always.
Their neighbour, Aunt Zhao, emerged from her house holding her recently awakened grandson. Spotting the Lu kids crouched in the corner and muttering among themselves, she chuckled.
“Pingping, An’an, Qinghai, what are you up to over there?” she called out.
The trio immediately stood up, brushed non-existent dust off their clothes, and cheerfully ran over to Aunt Zhao, making funny faces to amuse her nearly two-year-old grandson, Dabao.
“Ha-ha-ha!”
Dabao, who was quite familiar with the Lu children, burst into laughter as soon as they started playing with him.
Watching the kids, Aunt Zhao’s heart softened. She lowered her voice and asked Gu Qinghai, “So, how was it? Did you meet her? What do you think?”
Gu Qinghai blinked and replied, “She’s not quite what I imagined.”
Aunt Zhao was surprised. “Not what you imagined? What did you think she’d be like?”
Gu Qinghai hesitated. “I can’t describe it exactly.”
Qin Shi was unlike anyone he had ever encountered, leaving him unsure how to put his feelings into words.
Seeing that she wouldn’t get much more out of him, Aunt Zhao decided to stop asking, resolving to visit the Lu house later to see for herself.
The Lu children played with Dabao for a while until Pingping suddenly announced he needed to use the bathroom. Aunt Zhao sent the kids home, reminding them to hurry, and carried Dabao back to her house.
That afternoon, Aunt Zhao harvested some vegetables from her garden, including cucumbers and tomatoes, and packed them into a bamboo basket. She headed over to the Lu house and knocked on the door.
Qin Shi was still sleeping, so it was Lu Zetian who answered.
Hearing that Qin Shi wasn’t feeling well and resting, Aunt Zhao expressed mild disappointment but didn’t think much of it. She’ll be living here from now on; I’ll have plenty of chances to see her, she thought.
Handing over the basket, Aunt Zhao said, “I’m sure your house is running low on food. Take these for now.”
Lu Zetian didn’t refuse and thanked her sincerely.
Aunt Zhao, who often looked after the three Lu children when their father was away, waved off his gratitude. “I’m your mother’s distant cousin—there’s no need for thanks! Anyway, I need this basket back tonight; little Qinghai can bring it over when he’s done.”
In truth, Aunt Zhao’s familial connection to the Lu’s was extremely distant—practically negligible. Her care for the Lu children was largely out of her own kindness and compassion, unable to bear seeing them struggle.
After Aunt Zhao left, Lu Zetian carried the basket inside. The commotion outside woke Qin Shi, who felt much better after her nap, though she was still a bit fatigued.
She quickly got up and took a proper look around the room. It was simple and sparsely furnished, with just a large wardrobe, a small table, and a bed.
After surveying the room, Qin Shi walked out and bumped into Lu Zetian.
“How are you feeling?” he asked.
“Much better,” she replied with a yawn. Noticing the absence of the children, she asked where they were.
“They went to return a basket to Aunt Zhao,” Lu Zetian explained, elaborating on Aunt Zhao’s relationship to the family.
Qin Shi nodded in understanding. “Once everything is settled, let’s invite Aunt Zhao over for a meal to properly thank her.”
Thinking of Qin Shi’s cooking skills, Lu Zetian’s rare appetite surfaced. “Good idea. I’ll leave that to you.”
“Let me show you around the house,” he offered.
“Sure,” Qin Shi agreed.
Lu Zetian led her on a detailed tour of the house. However, Qin Shi quickly realized that he didn’t know where certain items were stored, revealing how rarely he stayed home. She made a mental note to thoroughly organize the house the next day.
The two connected rooms were spacious, covering at least 150 square meters. The main house contained the master bedroom, two smaller bedrooms, a guest room, and a small study.
The master bedroom was shared by the three children. Lu Zetian and his mother each occupied a room, while the guest room was used as a storage space.
The layout of the house was peculiar. Having all the bedrooms crammed together was one thing, but the small, cluttered living room in the middle made it feel even more cramped.
Meanwhile, the kitchen was spacious, and the dining room was larger than the living room, which left Qin Shi baffled.
“Who designed this house?” she muttered. “It’s so odd!”
Lu Zetian replied, “It was designed by an officer’s wife. Back when the housing was allocated, no one wanted this place, so it ended up going to me. It was a lucky deal.”
Qin Shi pouted, examining the layout again. “Are there more housing allocations in the future? Or will we be living here long-term?”
Lu Zetian, noting her clear dissatisfaction, asked, “What are you planning?”
“If we’re staying here long-term, I’ll definitely need to renovate. The layout is just too strange—it wastes so much space.” Qin Shi wasn’t the type to compromise on her living conditions. If she had the ability to improve them, why not make her life more comfortable?
“The new buildings for the military families are nearly finished,” Lu Zetian said. “I’m eligible for housing there.”
Qin Shi blinked in surprise. “So this house was a reward for your service?”
Lu Zetian nodded. “Yes. I earned a commendation, but they couldn’t give me a promotion.”
Given his rapid rise to regimental commander before the age of thirty, further promotions were stalled for now. The housing was compensation instead.
Qin Shi gave him a thumbs-up before asking, “Are the new buildings the typical tube-style apartments?”
“Yes,” Lu Zetian confirmed.
Qin Shi shuddered at the thought of communal living, recalling scenes from tube apartment buildings on TV. “Living in those feels so stifling. It’s nowhere near as comfortable as a house with a courtyard.”
“Of course, that’s just my opinion,” she added, looking at Lu Zetian. “When the time comes, I’ll draw up a design for renovations here. We can decide together with the kids whether to renovate or move.”
Lu Zetian had no objections; he, too, preferred living in a house with a courtyard.
“The new buildings won’t be ready until next year at the earliest. When they are, I’ll take everyone to see them,” he said.
Before Qin Shi could respond, the kids burst into the house. An’an, ever energetic, hopped over to Lu Zetian, curiosity sparkling in her eyes. “What, what? What are we looking at?”
“A new house,” Lu Zetian explained briefly.
“Are we moving?” Pingping’s eyes widened.
Gu Qinghai, already aware of the construction of the new housing, looked at Lu Zetian expectantly, waiting for more details.
Seeing their eager faces, Lu Zetian elaborated, “Qin Shi will draw up a design, and we’ll decide together whether to renovate here or move to the new place. Everyone will have a say.”
“Even us?” An’an was astonished. “We’re just kids—do we get to choose too?”
“Of course,” Qin Shi smiled. “You’re part of the family, so you absolutely get to choose.”
“Wow!” An’an’s eyes grew round with excitement, practically bouncing with joy.
Pingping, meanwhile, stood still, seemingly lost in his thoughts.
Gu Qinghai, however, was sharp. Sensing something, he asked, “Will it be majority rules? Does our choice really count?”
Qin Shi nodded. “Absolutely.”
When Lu Zetian affirmed her statement, Gu Qinghai’s expression shifted, his eyes gleaming with excitement. If the three of them stuck together, they could sway the decision any way they wanted!
The kids huddled together, chattering excitedly. Watching them, Lu Zetian noticed Qin Shi heading into the kitchen and followed her.
It was getting late—it was time to prepare dinner.
Qin Shi opened the kitchen cabinets and carefully inspected the contents. There was plenty of rice, flour, and eggs, but steaming rice or making dough from scratch would take too long.
She was already feeling hungry, and the kids probably were too. A quicker option was necessary.
“How about noodles tonight?” Lu Zetian suggested.
Qin Shi shook her head. She disliked noodles, finding their soft, mushy texture unappetizing. Avoiding them was best.
Spotting a bag of slightly hardened steamed buns in the cabinet, she took them out, sniffing to ensure they weren’t spoiled.
“I’ll make tomato and egg soup, fry these buns, and stir-fry some greens. It’ll be quick,” she decided.
Lu Zetian, trusting her cooking skills, didn’t object.
“You cook; I’ll wash the dishes,” he reminded her.
Qin Shi nodded approvingly. “Good.”
That was part of their agreement: when Lu Zetian was home and free, he was required to help with household chores instead of leaving everything to her.
Satisfied with his attitude, Qin Shi waved him off. “Go keep the kids company. Dinner will be ready soon.”
Obediently, Lu Zetian stepped out, only to find the three kids peering into the kitchen from the doorway.
“What are you doing here?” he asked.
“We’re checking what’s for dinner.” Gu Qinghai kept his eyes on Qin Shi’s back, visibly tense.
Can she even cook? he wondered. What if she’s like Aunt Mo and burns everything?
“That’s right! We’re checking what’s for dinner!” An’an and Pingping chimed in, oblivious to their brother’s worries.
Lu Zetian, instantly understanding Gu Qinghai’s concerns, said nothing and stood with them, silently watching Qin Shi cook.
Qin Shi moved quickly, preparing simple dishes. Washing the pan, she turned on the gas stove to heat it, ready to add oil.
Gu Qinghai, still nervous, watched her every move. When Qin Shi picked up a knife and swiftly chopped spring onions with a rhythmic “thud, thud, thud,” he gawked. Before he could react, she casually tossed the onions into the pan without even glancing at it.
A loud sizzle erupted as the hot oil hit the onions, releasing a tantalizing aroma that quickly filled the kitchen.
The enticing scent silenced Gu Qinghai, leaving him and his siblings wide-eyed with surprise.
Leave a Reply