Chapter 26: Warm and Fuzzy

  "Okay, I admit I can't carry you. You walk carefully and slowly by yourself, and I'll help you with your backpack!"

  Then Xiaochan followed Chu Li for the first time that day, and the two of them walked home slowly, one in front of the other.

  This was Xiaochan's first time at Chuli's home, his house is about the same size as her own, and the interior decoration is also ordinary. The house is an old house, but it's quite clean and tidy.

  Xiaochan didn't dare to linger either, putting down his backpack and saying "Isn't your uncle at home?"

  "He's gone." Chu Li walked back to the sofa and sat down again, he looked too tired.

  "Then how will you eat later?" Xiaocui asked again. There was no one at home, and he himself was injured, so who would cook for him?

  "I'll order takeout, you go back first, it's too late." Chu Li said calmly.

  "Alright, don't forget to disinfect the wound later, I'm going back first." Xiaocui said and walked out, even considerately closing the door for him.

  Then she ran downstairs quickly, Chu Li lives on the third floor, there is an elevator, but she likes to run up and down the stairs.

  After Xiaochan left, Chu Li's house felt even emptier. He furrowed his brow and clutched his stomach, this wound wasn't from the last time he fought with those thugs, but from some past factors. Uncle Wang was right, as long as he went out, he would attract attention from those people. But at that time, the helplessness in her eyes had pained him, so no matter what, he would still go out.

  It's almost six thirty. At this time, the vegetable market should not have any fresh vegetables left, but the prices will be cheaper too. She quickly went to the vegetable market and bought a few dishes, then hurried back home.

  She told Wu Zhen she would be back tonight.

  After cooking at home and washing clothes, the sky was completely dark when I finished. Looking at the pitch-black night sky, it seemed to have a very lonely and desolate feeling, Xiaocui felt uncomfortable in her heart. Because Chu Li's shadow appeared in her mind, his uncle is not at home, who will take care of him now?

  "Mom, I'm going to review with my classmates, and I'll be back soon." Xiaocui said to Wu Zhen, and then Wu Zhen didn't say anything, which was considered as consent.

  Xiaochan went into her own room to get something before turning around and leaving.

  There is a small supermarket fifty meters outside the residential area. She walked in without thinking, and at this time, you can usually only buy vegetables in supermarkets.

  Bought ribs and white radish, more than 30 pieces in total.

  Thinking that she usually wouldn't even buy good things for herself, now she has to buy them for others, Xiao Chuan surprisingly doesn't feel heartache, what a strange thing.

  She carried the vegetables and ran to Chuli's house, having been there once before, she remembered the way and went up to knock on the door. She knocked for a while before someone came to open the door, and the room was pitch black, if it weren't for the stairway lights, Xiaocui would have been so scared that she wanted to run away.

  "Chu, it's too scary without you! Why didn't you turn on the lights?" Xiaochan didn't wait for an invitation and went in herself, then fumbled to turn on the light.

  "How did you get here?" Chu Li frowned slightly and said, although in the first second of seeing her, he inexplicably felt happy, but hadn't she already left?

  "Look, I knew you hadn't eaten. You boys are just lazy, when there's no one at home to cook, you'd rather starve than go eat. Don't bother coming over, just keep lying down, I'll go make food for you!" Xiaocui said as she bustled around dealing with the vegetables in her hands.

  "Is this what you bought?"

  Behind her, Chu Li's voice rang out. Xiaocui didn't even turn her head, "Wasn't me, was it you? Hey, I've now practiced a set of cooking skills, consider yourself lucky, let me pass, don't block my way!"

  Chu Li stood at the kitchen door, watching the thin and weak little girl busily doing things with her hands. At that moment, he only felt a warmth in his eyes, and couldn't remember how long it had been since he'd left such days behind. Days when someone would miss him, care about him, and nag him, now because of her arrival, he once again felt it all.

  "Are you hungry? Wait a bit longer, it'll be ready soon."

  Xiaochan yelled in the kitchen, her cooking movements extremely skilled, but also heart-wrenching because of being too skilled. At an age when she should be enjoying her parents' doting love; at an age when she shouldn't have to worry about making a living. But she had already experienced the sorrows and helplessness of life, learning early on how to cook, wash dishes, and earn money.

  Looking at her back, strong but sorrowful.

  Finally, she finished cooking a pot of soup. Chu Li subconsciously wanted to go help her carry it over, but was refused. She had an air of being very experienced, "Chu Li, don't underestimate me. Those people who get scalded on TV are just acting. People who really work in the kitchen won't easily burn themselves. This is experience speaking."

  Because he was injured, he couldn't eat spicy food, so he could only cook a light and nutritious pork rib radish soup. Looking at his own handiwork, Xiaocui smiled in satisfaction, but the next second her smile froze.

  "Chu Li," she looked at Chu Li solemnly, as if something big was about to happen, "I forgot to cook dinner!"

  Chu Li only felt that he had three black lines on his forehead, thinking it was something big, and listened very seriously, saying "it doesn't matter...". No need to cook.

  She didn't get to say the rest of what she was going to say, because Xiaocui had already gone off in a flurry to cook dinner. She washed and rinsed the rice, put on the lid, and cooked it all at once. "Alright, just wait another ten or so minutes and we'll be done! Chuli, you drink some soup first, it's nutritious and will help with your injury. Oh right, did you disinfect?"

  Without waiting for Chu Li to respond, she went to the sofa and rummaged through her bag, finally pulling out a series of items including bandages, antiseptic water, and cotton balls. She wasn't sure if they would be needed, but these were all the things she had at home.

  Finally, Chu Li didn't let her touch his wound, only guaranteeing that he would bandage it himself. Xiaocui couldn't force him and repeatedly reminded him to disinfect it.

  The two of them only chatted for a bit before the meal was over. Xiaocui kindly served him another helping, "Chuli, you should eat more, eating more will make your body better. When I'm sick, no matter what, I have to eat well."

  Maybe she was spoiled before, but after having a younger brother, she took care of herself. When she got sick, no one took care of her, so she could only force herself to eat more food, because eating gave her strength and made her body better. Some people say they don't want to eat when they're sick, and she couldn't either, but in order to get better, she always forced herself to eat.

  Chu Li looked at her sparkling eyes like starlight and his mouth curved slightly, "Good."

  There were unspoken words in her eyes that he understood. When everyone else has given up on you and you still want to keep living, the only thing left is to take care of yourself.

  Chu Li was eating next to her, while Xiao Chan was doing her homework on the side. She had a strong sense of time and told Wu Zhen that she would go to her classmate's house to review, and indeed she went to study.

  After Chu Li finished eating, she also finished writing and then went home. For several days in a row, Xiao Chuan did the household chores and cooked dinner at home before going to help Chu Li with her studies, while also studying herself. That uncle of hers was really worthless, even when Chu Li got hurt, he didn't come back.

  Except for the first meal, which Xiaocui paid for herself, Chu Li gave her money for the rest of the days. After all, he also knew that she didn't have much money. Xiaocui wasn't being polite either, and took the money from him. Anyway, cooking for him was a big help too.

  Such warm and harmonious days, like a young couple's, made Chuli remember for a lifetime. A long, long time later he thought that if he could exchange all his possessions to get back such days, then he would rather have nothing at all.