Rebirth: A Cinderella's Counterattack

Chapter 477: Chapter 457: The Reason Lu Simiao Fights

”I didn’t get the short end of the stick,” Lu Simiao suddenly blurted out without thinking.

Luo Qianqian looked at him quizzically before she heard his muffled voice, ”My injuries are all on my face, they just look more severe.”

Luo Qianqian raised an eyebrow. ”What, did you cause internal injuries in the other guy?” She shook the thermometer and handed it to Lu Simiao.

Lu Simiao, holding the thermometer, shook his head. ”I hit him in the stomach, and all his hits landed on my face, so the teacher thought I was the one being bullied.”

”Thought? Bullied? So you were bullying him?” Luo Qianqian said incredulously.

Lu Simiao shook his head again. ”He tried to borrow money from me, I refused, and he started the fight wanting to steal the money, but I was the first to hit.”

Luo Qianqian rolled her eyes. ”All this fighting over how much money he wanted to borrow?”

”Ten yuan...” Lu Simiao said, somewhat embarrassed.

”Then why didn’t you want to lend it?” Luo Qianqian asked, puzzled as it wasn’t much, and she gave Lu Simiao enough money each month to spend.

”He wouldn’t pay it back; borrowing once means there will be a second time. I’m not a sucker,” Lu Simiao said, as if it should be obvious.

”How do you know he won’t pay it back?” Luo Qianqian frowned, unsure whether this was a fact or just Lu Simiao’s assumption.

”Because he has borrowed from many others before, and if you don’t lend it to him, he starts hitting people,” Lu Simiao said without a hint of remorse, disgust clear in his eyes.

”What does he need the money for?” Luo Qianqian was puzzled. School had started early for Lu Simiao, but it had been less than a week. How could he know what this person was like?

”For food.” Lu Simiao hesitated before answering.

”He doesn’t have money for food?”

Lu Simiao shook his head. ”At the start of school, I clearly saw he had money, but by the next day, he started borrowing money.”

”Here’s what we’ll do. I’ll give you some extra money so you don’t have to lend it to him. Instead, invite him to eat with you. It’ll protect your classmates, thaw any bad blood, and allow you to learn what’s really happening before you judge, right?” Luo Qianqian furrowed her brow, having come up with a solution. She wasn’t about to support another child, but if it could cultivate a generous and kind habit in Lu Simiao, the investment was not excessive.

”Sister...” Lu Simiao began to refuse but then saw the earnest look in Luo Qianqian’s eyes and swallowed his reluctance.

”And besides, getting hurt over such a small amount of money isn’t worth it. You can talk to a teacher; there’s no need to fight. It would upset me if you got hurt,” Luo Qianqian held the thermometer in her hand, relieved as the temperature steadied at thirty-six point five degrees.

”I understand,” Lu Simiao nodded, then his stomach grumbled loudly, his face instantly flushing red.

”Haven’t eaten yet, have you?” Luo Qianqian looked at him helplessly, checking the time, guessing Qin Wen would be home soon.

Lu Simiao nodded and then hesitantly looked at Luo Qianqian.

”What is it?” Luo Qianqian noticed his gaze.

”Sister, could you make some porridge for me?” Lu Simiao buried his head in the blankets, only his eyes peering out, filled with hope.

”Me?” Despite wanting to refuse, seeing Lu Simiao’s slightly hurt gaze, she sighed, ”You’re really brave.” With that, she turned and left the bedroom.

Lu Simiao perked up his ears but heard Luo Qianqian rummaging through the kitchen, and he couldn’t help but curve his lips into a smile. He knew Luo Qianqian was not skilled at cooking, but he just wanted to enjoy the care of his sister, regardless of the taste; he would drink it down.

The kitchen slayer, Luo Qianqian, hesitated between the purple clay pot and the rice cooker for quite some time before finally opting for the latter, which at least guaranteed edible results. She washed the rice, added water, switched to porridge mode, then after some thought, rummaged through the fridge. Spotting some sausages, she had a sudden inspiration and cut them into uneven pieces with a fruit knife, throwing them into the rice cooker. Then, she thought some more and added some leftover green veggies from the fridge into the porridge and sprinkled in some salt.

When Qin Wen and Qin Nuan entered the house and saw Luo Qianqian rifling through the fridge, they were somewhat taken aback. ”What are you looking for?” Qin Nuan could hardly believe Luo Qianqian was hungry considering they had just eaten not long ago.

”Can’t just make porridge, right? Should find something to go with it,” Luo Qianqian said, frowning and pointing at the fridge, ”But I don’t know how to cook what’s left.”

There were raw meats, fish, eggplants, and chili peppers in the fridge, which all required frying.

”You made porridge???” Qin Nuan’s face was a picture of panic. She dropped her bag and rushed into the kitchen. Seeing no disasters, she breathed a sigh of relief. ”Thank goodness you didn’t go off the deep end.”

Luo Qianqian rolled her eyes.

The smell of the porridge had started to spread slowly. Qin Nuan also checked on Lu Simiao, who had fallen asleep again, and rolled her eyes. She thought he was just a kid, but it turned out he was Luo Qianqian’s adopted brother.

”Luo Qianqian, how much rice did you put in?” Qin Wen opened the lid and couldn’t help but laugh and cry at the same time—it was almost like cooked rice, filling half the pot.

”Two cups of rice, one sausage, and five leaves of greens,” Luo Qianqian also leaned over. Seeing that the porridge was almost turning into dry rice, she decisively poured two cups of water into the pot and stirred it with a calm expression.

”Oh...” Qin Nuan sighed.

Still, they eventually served it. Though certainly not as good as the porridge outside.

Carefully carrying the scalding porridge into Lu Simiao’s bedroom, the aroma had already awakened him. Seeing Luo Qianqian’s careful demeanor, his face lit up with a sincere smile. ”It smells so good.”

Luo Qianqian gave a sheepish smile, sat beside Lu Simiao, stirred the porridge with a spoon, blew on it to cool it down a bit, then brought it to Lu Simiao’s lips.

Lu Simiao was touched, opened his mouth, and savored it. The porridge was slightly salty, very mild, the sausage was soft, and it tasted nice and warm; he narrowed his eyes, ”Thank you, sister.”

Luo Qianqian smiled, said nothing, finished feeding him the porridge, tucked him in, and whispered, ”Remember what I said, okay? Have a good sleep.”

Lu Simiao nodded. He knew his sister had her own home and wouldn’t stay here. He closed his eyes, understandingly.

Upon closing the bedroom door, she was met with Qin Nuan’s mischievous grin.

”What’s up?” Luo Qianqian looked puzzled.

”Guess what someone would think if they saw you taking such good care of him and even feeding him porridge?” Qin Nuan’s eyes twinkled with amusement.

Luo Qianqian was composed, glancing at Qin Nuan. ”The first person I ever took care of was that someone.” Though what they ate back then was bought.

”Wow wow wow, is this gossip?” Qin Nuan laughed heartily, then looked at the sky and said to Qin Wen, who was working in another room, ”Brother, we’re leaving now. I’m heading back to campus today.”

”Alright, I’m staying here tonight,” Qin Wen rubbed his temples, glanced at the two, then fixed his eyes on Luo Qianqian, ”I’ll call you if anything happens.”

Luo Qianqian nodded, then followed Qin Nuan out.

When they went downstairs and tried to make a call, they found their third brother and Cong Rong waiting for them in a café not far from there.

Qin Nuan and Cong Rong went straight back to school, while Luo Qianqian took the car home with Luo Yanwu.