Chapter 36: Thirty-Sixth Day as a Salted Fish
Qin Jiaojiao had actually been quite fond of those ruined slippers. After accidentally stepping into the mud, she had pulled with all her might to yank her foot out, which was when the slipper broke.
Expensive shoes often had mediocre quality—pretty and delicate. She had originally planned on buying an identical pair of slippers after going back, but Zhou Shaoli had actually delivered a brand-new pair, completely identical to the old ones.
Qin Jiaojiao lifted her blanket and couldn’t wait to try them on. The new shoes wrapped snugly around her feet, making them look even paler and more delicate.
“Are these the ones?” Zhou Shaoli asked.
Qin Jiaojiao couldn’t help curling her lips into a smile, her heart fluttering with joy.
“Yes! How did you manage to buy them?”
Qin Jiaojiao looked up at Zhou Shaoli with curiosity. The brand store for these shoes should only be located in Beijing. To present her with a new pair so quickly, did he really not possess super powers?
…No, wait. He had money power.
Qin Jiaojiao marvelled inwardly. Money power really was top-tier!
However, she had merely complained and expressed regret in front of him about how her newly bought shoes were ruined, yet he had delivered a replacement pair to her the very next day. Wasn’t this… a bit too nice?
Qin Jiaojiao looked at Zhou Shaoli suspiciously. Could he possibly want something from her?!
He was being so thoughtful that it made her a little scared. As a salted fish with no notable skills to her name, what could he possibly want from her?
Pondering it left and right, the only thing Qin Jiaojiao could think of was their contract marriage. He couldn’t be regretting it and planning on withholding that ten billion yuan from her once their contract ended, could he?
Ten billion was just a drop in the bucket for the Zhuxing Group, but as a capitalist, who would ever think they had too much money? Small change was still money, and capitalists never let even a single dime slip through their fingers.
Seeing Qin Jiaojiao stare at him with the guarded expression of a small animal, Zhou Shaoli was utterly confused. “I snapped a photo and had Han Xiao contact the official store to rush order them here. Is there something wrong with the shoes? Do you not like them?”
“There’s no quality issue,” Qin Jiaojiao quickly hugged her new slippers and said, “I like them very much.”
Seeing that she wasn’t just being polite and genuinely liked the new shoes, Zhou Shaoli returned to sit on the sofa to continue processing his work.
Qin Jiaojiao placed the slippers beneath the bed, raised the hospital bed’s backrest, and leaned back, gazing at Zhou Shaoli. Even though he was this busy every day, he could still think to buy her an identical pair of new shoes. He was practically more thoughtful than a personal robot assistant.
He was indeed quiet and reserved just as described in the original book, but he actually accomplished many practical things. He had driven her to the hospital overnight, stayed by her side to guard her all night, bought breakfast, and taken care of her in every way possible.
For such an outstanding person to be used as a comparison group for Meng Zi’ang—claiming he wasn’t as humorous, gentle, or thoughtful as Meng Zi’ang—to hell with that comparison group bullshit. Get out of here!
Lying in bed, Qin Jiaojiao didn’t feel like playing on her phone. Bored, she spaced out while staring at Zhou Shaoli.
The man was focused entirely on his work. Behind his gold-rimmed glasses, his eyes were intent, making him look exceptionally attractive.
Qin Jiaojiao didn’t dare stare for too long, sweeping her gaze across the hospital room instead. When her eyes landed on the half-open wooden wardrobe where a few pieces of clothing were hanging, a look of surprise crossed her face.
During the time she was sleeping, had Zhou Shaoli taken a trip back to the wooden house to bring her clothes and his over to the hospital? Did he plan on staying at the hospital with her for a couple of days?
The hospital’s luxury VIP ward only had one modest-sized bed. Where was he going to sleep—that narrow sofa?
Qin Jiaojiao felt there was no need for him to suffer alongside her in the hospital. A bitter smell of antiseptic medicine lingered in the air of the VIP ward, which wasn’t very pleasant to breathe in.
“Zhou Shaoli,” Qin Jiaojiao suddenly called out, using his full name quite naturally.
Hearing her call his name, Zhou Shaoli raised his head to look at her.
“Are you staying here to keep me company tonight?”
Zhou Shaoli’s eyes remained calm as he said softly, “I wouldn’t feel at ease leaving you alone in the hospital.”
Even though his tone was flat, her heart felt as if it had been struck by something, her eyes flickering slightly. “Actually, you could just hire a private nurse.”
“Staying in a hospital isn’t comfortable. You can just hire a nurse to watch over me for two days.”
Zhou Shaoli shut his laptop and said, “I wouldn’t feel at ease having someone else watch over you, either.”
In short, he would only feel reassured if he personally kept an eye on her and took care of her.
Qin Jiaojiao lowered her eyes to avoid eye contact with him. She hadn’t expected herself to be so important to Zhou Shaoli. Why did she get the distinct feeling that he was afraid she would run away?
“Alright, then.”
Qin Jiaojiao’s IV drip had finished long ago. Having slept an entire day, her whole body felt stiff. Stepping out of bed and slipping on her new shoes, she said, “Are you done with your work? Should we go out for a stroll?”
Zhou Shaoli stood up. “Sure.”
It was Qin Jiaojiao’s first time being hospitalized. Wearing her hospital gown, she walked down the corridor and observed the haggard-looking patients and family members sitting on benches with heads bowed in prayer.
She couldn’t help but recall a famous saying: Hospitals and train stations are the places where human nature and life’s many facets are laid bare clearest.
The white walls of a hospital had heard more sincere prayers than the walls of a church.
Qin Jiaojiao hadn’t fully recovered from the poisoning and was still somewhat weak, walking slowly. Zhou Shaoli stayed by her side as they went downstairs together.
Behind the hospital was a small lake, and the lush green courtyard was blooming with flowers, dispelling some of the chill radiating from the hospital setting.
The setting sun cast a golden-yellow glow across the lake’s surface. Many patients were out taking walks—some elderly people sat alone in wheelchairs, while others were supported by family members.
Qin Jiaojiao suddenly understood why some people hated hospitals so much. Sensitive personalities would naturally feel heavy-hearted seeing these scenes.
She turned to look at Zhou Shaoli. His presence here by her bed really did make one feel at ease.
When a person was sick, they were at their most vulnerable. If she had to face a complete stranger of a hired nurse in an unfamiliar place, her mood would definitely be terrible.
Honestly, sick people were always so prone to being overly emotional.
Qin Jiaojiao silently teased herself in her mind before turning to Zhou Shaoli. “Delaying the filming of the show… will it affect your work?”
Zhou Shaoli replied calmly, “I’ve already communicated with Han Xiao to reschedule a few things. Pushing back our return to Beijing by a few days won’t affect anything.”
Qin Jiaojiao felt relieved. “That’s good.”
By late afternoon, only the afterglow of the sunset remained. Qin Jiaojiao felt a little hungry. “What should we eat for dinner?”
Zhou Shaoli said, “The doctor mentioned that your mushroom poisoning caused gastrointestinal discomfort. It’s best to stick to light food for the next few days. Is there anything specific you want to eat?”
Qin Jiaojiao shook her head. She didn’t really want bland dishes, craving braised pork ribs or cola chicken wings instead… Oh, well, light-flavored braised shark fin would be acceptable too.
Chefs here in Nancheng were different from those in Beijing; could they replicate Beijing flavors?
“Sautéed eggplant?”
Zhou Shaoli asked, “Anything else?”
Qin Jiaojiao wracked her brain to think. “Steamed taro and sticky rice ribs?”
Zhou Shaoli said, “I’ll go buy them in a bit.”
After strolling around, the two returned to the ward together. Zhou Shaoli drove out to buy dinner and brought it back. Qin Jiaojiao was pleasantly surprised; the light dishes for dinner tasted quite good—fresh, sweet, and crisp.
After finishing a bowl of soup post-meal, she felt thoroughly satisfied.
Resting for a bit after eating, she turned on the ward’s TV and found a drama starring Yang Yutong, specifically skipping around to watch her scenes.
Watching a close friend act always gave her the hilarious feeling of seeing a familiar face goofing off. Even though it was supposed to be a heart-wrenching emotional scene, she was rolling around on the bed laughing, drawing several peculiar glances from Zhou Shaoli.
At around ten in the evening, Qin Jiaojiao showered and changed into her inner sleepwear. She didn’t need to undergo surgery in a hospital gown and could wear her own clothes while under observation.
After lying in bed for a while, Zhou Shaoli also stepped out after taking a shower. He wasn’t wearing pajamas, having changed into a fresh set of dress shirt and trousers instead.
Qin Jiaojiao hesitated for a moment before asking him, “Do you want to get in bed and sleep together?”
Zhou Shaoli’s gaze fell upon her. The hospital bed was narrow; squeezed together, they could barely manage to share it, but she would sleep very uncomfortably.
“No need, I’ll sleep on the sofa.”
Qin Jiaojiao glanced at the small sofa. Zhou Shaoli had a tall, long-limbed frame, and the sofa couldn’t even fit his entire body. How was he supposed to sleep?
“The sofa is uncomfortable to sleep on. You should just come onto the bed; we can squeeze together.”
Zhou Shaoli’s eyes stirred slightly. Stepping over to the bedside, he said softly, “You won’t sleep comfortably.”
Looking completely unbothered, Qin Jiaojiao made space for him and urged, “Maybe I can be discharged tomorrow anyway. It’s just making do for one night, no big deal. Hurry up and get in.”
Only then did Zhou Shaoli get onto the bed, lying on his side next to her. On the narrow hospital bed, the two were practically pressed against each other, able to smell the faint scent of shower gel on each other.
Qin Jiaojiao’s heart uselessly thut-thudded at a rapid pace. Not daring to look at his handsome face, she turned her body around to face her back to him. “Turn off the lights. Let’s sleep early.”
Zhou Shaoli raised his hand and switched off the light, plunging the hospital room into complete silence and pitch darkness.
With the lights off, the ceiling and surrounding corners of the hospital room felt as if monsters were hiding in the shadows, triggering an instinctive sense of fear.
Qin Jiaojiao was most afraid of the dark and ghosts. She subconsciously shrank backward, but upon bumping into Zhou Shaoli’s warm body, she quickly shuffled forward again, afraid of pushing him off the bed.
A moment later, she still found herself unable to sleep.
“Are you asleep?” she asked softly.
Zhou Shaoli’s deep, magnetic voice sounded from right behind her ear: “Do you want some water?”
Qin Jiaojiao: “…No, I was just asking.”
Silence descended upon the room once more. Qin Jiaojiao tried her best to fall asleep. Feeling weak from being sick, she eventually couldn’t resist her drowsiness and drifted off.
Hearing her shallow, rhythmic breathing, Zhou Shaoli reached out to gather her into his arms. Touching her forehead, he felt a faint trace of cold sweat. His eyes had already adjusted to the dark; using the faint moonlight, he pulled a few tissues from the nightstand to wipe the sweat from her brow.
Qin Jiaojiao was far from a quiet sleeper all night long. Zhou Shaoli kept her securely in his embrace, feeding her warm water when she groggily wanted a drink in the middle of the night, and occasionally feeling her forehead to check if she was breaking out in cold sweat or having a headache.
The next day.
Qin Jiaojiao truly disliked the hospital environment, so she went to ask the doctor if she could be discharged. Following a thorough examination, her body showed no major issues; resting at home for a few days would return her to normal, so the doctor cleared her for discharge.
After leaving the hospital, Zhou Shaoli first drove to the town’s only shopping center and supermarket. The production crew had only prepared two to three days’ worth of ingredients for the guest couples, and food delivery wasn’t available in the village. Since they were staying in the wooden house for the next few days, they needed to buy daily necessities and ingredients to cook for themselves.
This was Qin Jiaojiao and Zhou Shaoli’s first time browsing a supermarket together.
As the man pushed the shopping cart, she walked alongside him with brisk steps, asking, “Are we cooking for ourselves?”
“Mm.” Zhou Shaoli’s gaze swept across the shelves as he said, “You need to eat light food until your body fully recovers. I looked over some recipes yesterday, and I should be able to learn them.”
Qin Jiaojiao looked at Zhou Shaoli in surprise.
He was going to learn how to cook for her?
Wait, yesterday when she saw him frowning in deep thought, she had assumed he was dealing with difficult work matters—he had actually been reading recipes?!
Qin Jiaojiao’s eyes landed on his well-defined fingers. These hands signed multi-hundred-million-yuan contracts in minutes and were as flawless and handsome as an artist’s, yet they were going to wash vegetables and make soup for her.
Qin Jiaojiao felt a mixture of delight and worry, unable to find a single reason to stop him.
Zhou Shaoli couldn’t remember what seasonings were left at home, so following the backup inventory list on his phone, he grabbed oyster sauce, light soy sauce, white pepper, and other necessary cooking seasonings, tossing them into the cart.
Right now, the supermarket was filled with people buying groceries—middle-aged couples, young lovers… or parents bringing their children—radiating a cozy, grounded sense of everyday life.
Zhou Shaoli asked her, “Was last night’s steamed taro and sticky rice ribs good?”
Qin Jiaojiao nodded. “It was quite delicious.”
Zhou Shaoli pushed the cart filled with seasonings toward the meat section. The seafood section and meat section were adjacent to each other, making the environment messier than other areas. The floor was damp with many dark shoe prints, emitting a heavy, unpleasant fishy smell.
Zhou Shaoli glanced at the pretty slippers on her feet. “We don’t have glass noodles at home. Go grab a pack.”
Qin Jiaojiao had been looking around out of boredom, so upon hearing his instruction, she immediately said, “Okay, I’ll go look for it.”
Zhou Shaoli watched her walking away, then turned toward the meat section. In a supermarket in a small town like Nancheng, there were no attendants to help select meat, so Zhou Shaoli rolled up his sleeves, picked up a pair of tongs, and meticulously selected the pieces one by one.
Qin Jiaojiao searched along the aisles and finally found the shelf stocked with glass noodles and dried noodles. There were too many brands and varieties, leaving her momentarily unsure of which glass noodles to pick. After looking back and forth, she ultimately picked the most expensive bag.
Having obtained the crystal glass noodles, she retraced her steps, walking with light feet back toward the meat section.
When she saw Zhou Shaoli with his sleeves rolled up, brows lowered as he attentively picked out pork ribs, her eyes froze slightly. Her heart felt as though it had been gently nudged, though she couldn’t tell what that feeling was.
Qin Jiaojiao stood rooted in place, watching Zhou Shaoli finish picking out the ribs, take them to the weigh-in counter to be prepped, and pay for them. His eyes scanned the surroundings, and upon catching sight of her, his gaze brightened as he walked straight over to her.
“Did you get them?” Zhou Shaoli asked in a calm, steady voice.
Qin Jiaojiao let out an mm and said, “They were on a shelf not far away.”
The two continued strolling through the supermarket. Zhou Shaoli pushed the cart to the produce section to buy some fresh vegetables and fruit, casually picking up a carton of yogurt from the refrigerated section and placing it into the cart.
Qin Jiaojiao glanced at the red date-flavored yogurt. Zhou Shaoli didn’t drink yogurt, which meant he had grabbed it for her.
After gathering their items, they went to the self-checkout area to pay.
Qin Jiaojiao took the initiative to say, “I’ll scan them, and you can put them in the bags.”
For every item she scanned, he bagged it. Working together in smooth division of labor, they quickly finished scanning everything. Zhou Shaoli paid, picked up two heavy bags, and walked toward the supermarket exit, with Qin Jiaojiao following closely at his side.
Zhou Shaoli placed the bags into the trunk and returned to the driver’s seat.
By the time they returned to Yueli Courtyard, it was already twelve noon. Zhou Shaoli washed some fruit, cut it into small pieces, arranged it nicely on a plate, and brought it to the coffee table.
“Eat some fruit to tide you over first. We might end up having lunch a bit late.”
Qin Jiaojiao was biting down on the yogurt straw and asked, “Do you need me to help?”
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