Chapter 22: How did you come?

Zhang Qiao?

Qiao Sheng still couldn't fully open her eyes at this moment; she rubbed her eyes, glanced at the still-asleep Xiao Shitou, and strode over to open the door.

"Qiao'er, how did you come?"

Zhang Qiao looked at Qiao Sheng and said, "You say how I came? You had such a big thing happen yesterday, and you didn't tell me. How is your head now? Does it still hurt?"

"Qiao'er, thank you for your concern, I'm much better now."

Qiao Sheng revealed a faint smile and said.

This friend of hers is worth making friends with.

Zhang Qiao felt somewhat relieved.

"It's good that you're better. I slept too deeply yesterday, so I didn't hear any noise. When I woke up this morning and heard about it, I came over here."

She saw Zhang Qiao off.

Qiao Sheng lifted her gaze to the sky; the sun had already risen. She reheated the leftover coarse rice porridge from yesterday and woke Xiao Shitou.

"Mother."

Xiao Shitou flung his arms around Qiao Sheng and called out in a soft, tender voice.

He is not her biological child, yet he is even closer than one.

Qiao Sheng hugged Xiao Shitou, rubbed his head, and said, "All right, go fetch water to wash your face. After breakfast we'll go pick Yanghuai flowers; once we've picked some, we'll head to town."

"Mm."

Xiao Shitou nodded his little head.

Xiao Shitou, being small, couldn't reach the Yanghuai flowers; when picking them, Qiao Sheng broke off a few branches, laid them on the ground, and let him sit while picking.

They picked about five jin.

Qiao Sheng carried a cloth bag, leading Xiao Shitou back to the Mountain God Temple.

She drank some water.

Qiao Sheng carried Xiao Shitou out the door, letting him hold the Yanghuai flowers.

They arrived in town.

Qiao Sheng didn't go elsewhere; she took Xiao Shitou straight to the Li Shi brothers' restaurant.

When they arrived, Li Dayin and the others were busy; their restaurant sold a wide variety: in the morning they offered steamed buns, congee, pickled vegetables, pancakes, and noodles; at noon and evening they served stir-fried dishes.

She watched them busy.

Qiao Sheng had intended to come back later, but Li Dayin's sharp eyes spotted her: "Little sis, you're here! Come in and have a seat…"

He had already said that.

Qiao Sheng then couldn't just leave, so she and Xiao Shitou walked in together.

Li Dayin served two steamed buns and two pancakes, placing them before them: "Little sis, eat first; we'll talk later. These buns and pancakes are on me."

"Big Brother Dayin, no need, we've already eaten."

Qiao Sheng refused.

"Have a bit more."

Li Dayin firmly pushed the plate toward Qiao Sheng and them.

Smelling the fragrant aroma, Xiao Shitou swallowed his saliva, but he didn't reach out to take it.

He was so sensible it made Qiao Sheng's heart ache.

"Go ahead and eat."

Qiao Sheng picked up a white-flour steamed bun and stuffed it into Xiao Shitou's hand.

Xiao Shitou took it, bit into it, saw that Qiao Sheng wasn't eating, and split it in half, handing her a piece: "Mother, you eat too."

Just like that.

The mother and son thus shared the bun together.

After a quarter of an hour, Li Dayin and the others finally finished their work.

As soon as Li Dayin came over, he introduced Qiao Sheng: "Little sis, this is my elder brother, Li Dajin."

Introduction done.

Li Dayin then introduced her to Li Dajin: "Big Brother, she's the woman who previously saved our father, and the child beside her is her son."

"You, you! They saved our father, and you don't even know their name!"

Li Dajin spoke of him.

The two are indeed brothers; they look somewhat alike, and their ages are similar, both around twenty.

Qiao Sheng revealed a faint smile and said, "Don't blame Big Brother Dayin; I just never gave my name. Let me formally introduce myself: my surname is Qiao and my given name is Lianhua, but I plan to change my name to Qiao Sheng; I'll do that in a few days. The child beside me is my son, and his name is Xiao Shitou."

(End of chapter)