For The Rest Of Our Life – Chapter 6
by Little PandaSo She Wasn’t Immune to Loneliness Either
Half an hour later, the dishes were ready. On the light gray placemat sat white and pale-green porcelain plates, each holding an artfully arranged dish of five colors. Xiao Wanqing’s plating was so beautiful it looked like a work of art. Lin Xian was secretly amazed.
Back at the supermarket, Xiao Wanqing had thoughtfully asked what Lin Xian liked to drink. After getting her answer, she’d brought home a whole case of coconut juice. Now it came in handy.
Xiao Wanqing herself, however, took a bottle of red wine from the bar cabinet and paired it with a crystal-clear goblet.
The moment Lin Xian spotted the wine in Xiao Wanqing’s hand, her eyes lit up, practically bouncing in her seat. At home, Zhou Qin and Lin Zhan usually had a small glass of red wine every night to help them sleep, but they’d forbidden Lin Xian from touching a single drop before she came of age. Of course, the more parents forbid something, the more their kids want to do it.
That rule applied to Lin Xian sometimes, too. She was intensely curious about red wine and desperately wanted to try it. Now that she’d escaped Zhou Qin’s near-iron grip and was face-to-face with gentle, approachable Xiao Wanqing, Lin Xian felt this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Once they were seated, Xiao Wanqing immediately used the serving chopsticks to pick up a piece of sweet-and-sour ribs for Lin Xian. She raised an eyebrow and smiled. “You were shouting about how good it smelled when I was frying it, and you almost grabbed it with your hand. Here, try it now. How is it?”
Lin Xian stuck out her tongue sheepishly, picked up her chopsticks, took the rib, and bit into it carefully. The heat was just right, the meat tender and juicy, chewy without being tough. The moment she bit down, the meat juices spilled out from the crispy, lightly fried skin, filling her mouth with flavor…
As she chewed, Lin Xian couldn’t help nodding again and again, mumbling through her food, “So good…”
Seeing this, Xiao Wanqing’s eyes curved into a smile. Little glutton…
After Lin Xian had happily gnawed through two ribs and paused for a breather, Xiao Wanqing raised her goblet and leaned forward slightly. “Lin Xian, welcome.”
Lin Xian’s jet-black eyes darted around. She looked at Xiao Wanqing’s goblet of red wine, then at her own glass of coconut juice. She pouted. “I want red wine too. Toasting with coconut juice is no fun at all.”
Xiao Wanqing smiled faintly and refused. “No, you can’t. You’re still young. Drinking isn’t good for you.”
Personally, Xiao Wanqing thought a tiny sip out of curiosity wouldn’t hurt, but Zhou Qin had specifically warned her about a few things regarding Lin Xian, and one of them was no alcohol. Xiao Wanqing had agreed, so she felt responsible for enforcing it.
Lin Xian frowned slightly, looking at Xiao Wanqing. Then her expression turned serious. “Auntie Xiao, let’s make a deal.”
Xiao Wanqing set down her glass and smiled gently. “Tell me.”
Lin Xian raised her chin, her eyes bright and earnest. “Put aside my mom for a moment. Treat me like a person with an independent, mature personality, and be friends with me. Within reasonable bounds, we respect each other’s privacy. For example, I won’t reveal what you do for work or when you’re free to go on blind dates, and you won’t reveal whether I have a crush or who my friends are. Whatever happens between the two of us, we handle it ourselves. If there’s a problem or a conflict, we resolve it internally, without dragging my mom in as a third party. What do you think?”
A flicker of surprise and admiration passed through Xiao Wanqing’s clear eyes. She smiled warmly, her gaze softening. “Lin Xian, you surprise me. In a good way. I accept.”
A hint of youthful pride crept onto Lin Xian’s fresh, bright face. Her eyes sparkled with delight, and a sly, mischievous grin appeared. “So, does this count as a deal made between two people with independent, mature personalities?”
Xiao Wanqing paused thoughtfully. “I suppose it does.”
Lin Xian pressed on, her spirits soaring. “Since we’re both mature and independent, we should act like it. Make a mature deal. Come on, let’s toast with red wine to celebrate.”
Xiao Wanqing let out a soft laugh. So that’s where this was going. She sighed gently, a helpless look on her face, and after a long moment, said flatly, “No. Can’t. Do. It.”
Lin Xian let out a dramatic “Aiy—” and slumped half over the table, starting to whine. “You’re disrespecting my personality.”
Xiao Wanqing answered calmly, “No, you can’t.”
Lin Xian continued her protest. “You’re disrespecting my human rights.”
Xiao Wanqing took a steady sip of soup. “No, you can’t.”
No matter what Lin Xian said, Xiao Wanqing just smiled, unruffled, and repeated herself like a broken record. “No, you can’t.”
After a while, Lin Xian realized Xiao Wanqing was truly impervious to reason and completely unmoved. Finally, she gave up.
She straightened up, composed her expression, and put on a mature face, as if the childish tantrum moments ago had never happened. She cleared her throat, picked up her coconut juice, and raised her glass with a smile. “Fine then. Deal’s made. We’re agreed. Happy cooperation.”
Xiao Wanqing was amused by her quick change of face. It was novel and funny, but also endearing. She raised her glass, her eyes full of laughter, and teased, “Silly…”
Lin Xian looked at Xiao Wanqing’s smiling face, her own big, jet-black eyes curving into crescent moons. She accepted the teasing openly, and as she listened to that gentle, clear voice, she felt something in her heart go soft all of a sudden.
After dinner, Xiao Wanqing naturally started clearing the table. Lin Xian stood up too and helped carry the dishes to the kitchen.
When Xiao Wanqing took off her apron and was about to wash the dishes, Lin Xian put a hand on hers and volunteered. “You cooked, so I’ll wash the dishes.”
Xiao Wanqing shook her head and smiled gently. “No need. There aren’t many dishes. I’ll be done in no time. You go take a shower. You’ve had a long day.”
Lin Xian frowned, her clear eyes full of determination. “I can’t just do nothing. I don’t know how to cook, so I can’t help you there, but I know how to wash dishes. I can help. I’ll wash them really clean.”
Xiao Wanqing’s gaze grew even softer. She looked at the young girl’s earnest, stubborn expression, thought for a moment, and made a suggestion. “You won’t have much free time during the school week, so let me handle the kitchen. If you want to contribute to the household, how about this: every weekend we do a big cleaning, and that’s your job. Sound good?”
Lin Xian considered it. What Xiao Wanqing said made sense. The proposal was workable. She nodded and let go of the apron. “Okay, deal. When I do the big cleaning on weekends, you’re not allowed to help. Don’t steal my job.”
Xiao Wanqing laughed. “If I can slack off, of course I will. Why would I fight to do it? I’m not as silly as you.”
Lin Xian grinned, showing a row of little white teeth, and shot back, “You never know.”
Xiao Wanqing tied her apron and smiled, unbothered. “Alright, go take your shower. If you wash too late, your hair won’t dry easily. Do you need me to explain how to use the water heater?”
Lin Xian was already walking out as she answered, “No need. I’ll figure it out after a quick look. I’m going to wash now.”
Xiao Wanqing softly replied, “Mm,” but Lin Xian was already too far away to hear.
The kitchen was just like old times again, with only Xiao Wanqing and her tall, slender shadow. The sound of running water suddenly became exceptionally loud, eerily prominent in the quiet air.
Xiao Wanqing washed the dishes methodically, her expression calm. But as she scrubbed, a faint smile gradually spread across her face.
This house had been quiet and lonely for so long. With Lin Xian’s arrival, it seemed to have come alive with a warmth it had never known — a warmth Xiao Wanqing had long missed.
She couldn’t help but muse bitterly to herself: Xiao Wanqing, so you’re not immune to loneliness either.
When Lin Xian came out of the bathroom, towel-drying her hair, she heard Xiao Wanqing talking in the living room. “Okay, I’ll tell her later,” “It’s fine, I usually get up early to cook anyway”…
Lin Xian walked toward the living room, guessing it was probably her mom on the phone.
Sure enough, as soon as Xiao Wanqing saw Lin Xian, she broke into a warm smile and said into the phone, “Sister, Xianxian is done with her shower. Why don’t I hand the phone to her so you can talk?”
After a brief pause, Xiao Wanqing handed the phone to Lin Xian with a smile. “It’s your mom.”
Lin Xian kept drying her hair with one hand while taking the phone with the other. She put it to her ear and sat down on the sofa. “Mom, it’s me.”
Xiao Wanqing saw Lin Xian struggling to dry her hair with one hand, her movements adorably clumsy. Her gaze softened involuntarily. She stood in front of Lin Xian, took hold of the towel on top of her head, and said gently, “Let me help.”
Lin Xian looked up at Xiao Wanqing, a little surprised.
Xiao Wanqing’s eyes were warm and smiling. She gave a slight wink, then leaned in and began to gently, carefully dry Lin Xian’s hair.
Lin Xian felt something slip through her heart, gone before she could catch it. She completely stopped listening to her mom and just focused on the gentle touch on her head.
Zhou Qin noticed her distraction and raised her voice. “Lin Xiao Xian, are you even listening to me?!”
“Ah… huh? Yeah, I’m listening. Go on…”
Zhou Qin told her to go register at the school early tomorrow, since it would get crowded later. She also said she’d sent some English study materials to her email and wanted Lin Xian to check them. Ideally, she should listen to one listening exercise every morning and do one reading comprehension every evening, to pave the way for studying abroad later.
Lin Xian was generally obedient when it came to academics, so she promised Zhou Qin she’d check the email when she got back to her room.
Zhou Qin thought for a moment and added, “Your Auntie Xiao was an excellent student back in school, especially in language and literature. If there’s anything you don’t understand, you can ask her.”
Lin Xian tried to glance up at Xiao Wanqing, but all she could see was her slender, supple waist and her full, fair… Lin Xian’s face suddenly grew hot for no reason. She quickly looked away and answered distractedly, “Okay, I got it.”
Xiao Wanqing, of course, was completely unaware. She was thinking about how Lin Xian’s hair looked like it had great texture — jet-black and silky. It must feel nice to touch.
Half a minute later, Xiao Wanqing finished drying Lin Xian’s hair. She put the towel away and couldn’t resist gently tousling Lin Xian’s hair with her hand. It was indeed fine and soft, wonderful to the touch. She smiled, poked Lin Xian’s shoulder, and pointed toward the bathroom, signaling for Lin Xian to go take her shower.
Lin Xian looked up and met Xiao Wanqing’s smiling eyes for a second. She felt a strange pang of guilt.
She nodded at Xiao Wanqing to show she understood. As she watched Xiao Wanqing turn and walk away, Lin Xian silently asked herself, Why do I feel guilty?
Was it because… she’d just thought, Auntie Xiao is so… full up top? Oh god, what was she thinking…
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