Qin He squinted and turned to look at Gu Qichen.
Gu Qichen was very "obedient," politely pushing back, "Master, you should answer her question first. I won't eat until you do."
Liu Xing'an was furious, "Gu kid, you learned from me for a few days, and you still called me Master. Aren't you going to side with me?"
Qin He didn't dwell on it for long, knowing Liu Xing'an was in a difficult position.
Not long after the three of them had tea, Qin He stood up. "I'll go help Master's wife cook."
As soon as she stood up, Gu Qichen followed. "I'll help too."
Qin He: "Can you cook?"
Gu Qichen's expression was flat, "I can assist."
It sounded as formal as signing a document.
Qin He said no more, turned, and left the room. The other side of the courtyard was the kitchen. As they entered, Madam Liu immediately tried to shoo them away.
"What are you two doing in the kitchen? It's full of smoke, it'll get on you."
Qin He smelled the strong aroma of food and subtly glanced at Gu Qichen.
This kind of aroma could be enticing to some, but for someone with潔癖 (jie pi - germophobia/obsessive cleanliness), it was like fine smoke drilling into their neck.
It would make them feel uncomfortable all over.
But Gu Qichen stood there, his expression unchanged. "Aunt Liu, if there's anything you need help with, He'er and I can assist you."
Madam Liu couldn't "drive" them away, so she picked the lightest task, handing them a basket of small green vegetables.
"You two just pick these small greens. Go to the living room to pick them, it's too pungent here." Madam Liu also knew Gu Qichen had洁癖.
Qin He narrowed her eyes and gave a cold laugh. "No need, it's fine to pick them here. The kitchen is also warm."
The two sat on small stools at a low square table, picking small greens.
Qin He occasionally smelled the aroma of meat. "Master's wife must make delicious black pork. I'm already craving it just smelling it."
As she spoke, her gaze fell on Gu Qichen. He held two green vegetables in his hand.
He meticulously picked them one by one, and even flattened any slightly uneven leaves.
Qin He: "..."
At this rate, it would take until evening to finish picking the basket of greens!
She reached out and took the vegetables from Gu Qichen's hand. "Just pick them quickly like this. They'll be washed again later anyway."
Gu Qichen lowered his eyes and looked at Qin He. "Okay."
Qin He had good cooking skills and had often cooked for him before, though he had never tasted it.
Even with Qin He teaching Gu Qichen, it took the two of them over twenty minutes to finish picking the basket of greens. Qin He spent most of the time pointing out Gu Qichen's mistakes.
Any minor flaw in those poor vegetables meant they were destined for the trash bin when they reached Gu Qichen.
Qin He rubbed her forehead. After finally finishing the vegetables, she felt more tired than Gu Qichen.
"Why don't you go back to the living room and have tea with Master?" Qin He said in a low voice.
Gu Qichen lowered his eyes, looking at Qin He's helpless and anxious little face with doting eyes, and chuckled softly.
"It's okay, I'll stay with you."
Qin He's heart skipped a beat. "There's nothing else to do here, you should go back."
Madam Liu, who was cooking nearby, turned to look at them and immediately took a bag of garlic from the cabinet.
"He'er, you and Qichen peel this garlic for me."
Qin He looked at the dozens of garlic bulbs and fell silent, wanting to say, Master's wife, this is too obvious!
The two sat back down at the square table to peel garlic. This time, there was no need for instruction. The plump garlic cloves were placed into a basin, one by one.
Qin He asked Gu Qichen in a low voice, "I heard Gu Corporation is targeting Fang Corporation now?"
Gu Qichen's eyes flickered for a moment. "That's not true."
"But I heard Yan Corporation is also targeting Fang Corporation. Gu Qichen, if it's because of me, there's no need. Both our families are in business, you should understand that having an extra enemy is troublesome. Especially since Fang Corporation has been in the capital for many years and has deep roots. If you really provoke them, you don't know how they'll retaliate."
Gu Qichen's tone was calm, with a hint of coldness. "They wouldn't dare."
Right now, it was just cutting off a few collaborations. If the Fang family truly had the guts to do anything, he would make every member of the Fang family regret it.
"People who do wrong should pay the price. Fang Ruonan's problem is with her character and upbringing. If she bears the title of Fang Corporation's eldest daughter, Fang Corporation should bear some responsibility for her actions."
Qin He frowned. "You still say you haven't done anything. Fang Ruonan just wanted to smear me during the competition, but she didn't succeed—and this is my own business."
Gu Qichen's expression remained unchanged. "Your business is my business."
Qin He felt a bit flustered. Just as she was about to retort, Madam Liu had already scooped up a piece of meat.
"He'er, taste the saltiness for me."
Qin He felt that her Master's wife had "defected."
They stayed at the courtyard until the afternoon. Qin He chatted with her Master's wife and also took her pulse.
The pulse was steady and strong.
Qin He was relieved.
Thinking about the upcoming surgery, she said to Liu Xing'an, "Master, I have some things to attend to recently, and I won't be able to come for about half a month."
She planned to stay by Qin Yun's side after the surgery to monitor his post-operative reactions, just in case.
Liu Xing'an waved dismissively. "You disappeared for two to three months when you gave birth to Lele last time, and you disappeared for almost a month again for this competition. I'm used to it."
Qin He suddenly felt a pang of guilt. She had strongly urged her master to stay, yet she hadn't fulfilled her duty as a disciple.
"Don't worry, Master. Once I'm done with this busy period, I'll definitely come to spend two to three days every week talking with you and Master's wife."
Madam Liu chided Liu Xing'an from the side. "Young people have a lot to do, unlike you who are so leisurely every day. Why do you always nag them?"
Madam Liu's voice was so gentle even when she was scolding. Liu Xing'an, with his stubborn temper, had no counter-argument against Madam Liu.
"I was just saying—" he mumbled softly.
Qin He and Gu Qichen left the courtyard together.
Walking side-by-side on the road back, when they reached the intersection, she turned to look at the man beside her.
"Gu Qichen, did you come today knowing I would be here?"
Gu Qichen stared at her. "Yes."
Qin He's gaze fell on his neck and wrists, where his skin, stained by cooking oil, was slightly red.
This was a common psychological reaction for many with洁癖, leading to physical reactions, akin to an allergic response.
"I know what you want to do," Qin He sighed softly. "But Gu Qichen, I have forgiven you from the bottom of my heart, and I have let go of the memories of the past two years. But the memories have returned, and they have returned. I can't forget those things anymore. I can't forget, do you understand?"
Even though the memories contained love, even though she still loved Gu Qichen deep down.
She still felt a rift.
Gu Qichen frowned and stood still.
"Give me some time, let me think properly. What you did in Jiangcheng this time truly moved me, and I still have feelings for you. But betrayal... how can I let go of that?"
"I know you love me now, but if I can forgive betrayal, it's equivalent to asking me to strip away my pride and self-respect. You are hurting me."