My Youth Began With Him

While Han Yueyao worried in her dorm, Gao Ran’s house was in a mess as well.

Qin Chu left in a rush; he had asked Gao Ran to pick the twins up at South Hill Manor. Before driving off, Qin Chu asked Gao Ran to take care of Pudding and Little Bean if he and Huo Mian never return.

The twins, without knowing anything, went home with Gao Ran without asking any questions. As soon as they arrived, Pudding and Little Bean went to play in Boyuan’s room, while Zhu Lingling cooked for everyone in the kitchen.

Gao Ran quickly sneaked into the kitchen and told her what Qin Chu had said to him, word for word. Upon hearing this, Zhu Lingling pointed a spatula at her husband angrily. “Did Qin Chu really say that?”

“Mhm.”

“Damn it, how are we supposed to take care of his children? I can’t imagine the twins without their parents.”

“Qin Chu said ‘if’. We should stay optimistic.” Gao Ran put an arm around Zhu Lingling.

“If my ass! No ifs! Nothing can happen to Mian, nothing can happen to any of them!” Zhu Lingling exclaimed anxiously. She was a loud person to begin with.

“Shh! Honey, quiet down, we don’t want Pudding and Little Bean to hear.”

“Did he say when he’ll be back?”

“No.”

“You said you were going to call the local police office for help, did you call?”

“Qin Chu told me not to, in case we scare off the enemy.”

“Why are you so useless! Why didn’t you go with him?” Zhu Lingling punched her husband angrily. She really thought her husband would be of help at times like this.

“Qin Chu told me to stay, he said his sister-in-law was good enough.” Gao Ran didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

“Alright, alright, get out of the kitchen. It’s so stuffy in here.” Zhu Lingling then went back to cooking while praying to all the Gods that Qin Chu and Huo Mian would be alright.

She wondered why Huo Mian’s life was filled with so much adversity. There was a reason Zhu Lingling never admired what Huo Mian had; she knew Huo Mian got to where she was by enduring so much hardship.

Half an hour later, Zhu Lingling placed more than a dozen dishes onto the dining table. She really put her heart and soul into her cooking; she even sliced the meat extremely thin because she wanted the twins to eat a lot.

“Wow, this all smells so good! I smelled the food from all the way upstairs. Auntie Zhu, your cooking skills are amazing!” Little Bean began to ass-kiss before she even sat down.

“Your future mother-in-law will peg you as a suck-up,” Pudding laughed.

“Go away, leave the room if you don’t want food!”

“Why should I leave? You weren’t the only person Auntie Zhu invited,” Pudding argued.

“Aren’t you supposed to eat at Auntie Jiang’s?” Little Bean laughed evilly.

“Girls, no arguing. Go wash your hands and come back to eat.”

Although Zhu Lingling didn’t give birth to the twins, she still loved them like she loved Boyuan. Soon, the five of them sat around the dining table and began to enjoy Zhu Lingling’s cooking.

After dinner, Little Bean and Boyuan went to play Jenga in the living room. Pudding, on the other hand, seemed to be watching some variety show on her iPad.

When Zhu Lingling went into the kitchen to wash the dishes, however, Pudding walked out to the balcony, where Gao Ran was making a call. He had alerted the police forces in Yunnan to see if they could lend a hand to Qin Chu when he needed it.

“Uncle Gao.”

Pudding’s sudden arrival startled Gao Ran.