Chapter 44: Is There a Dog? The Fierce Kind!

Lin You’s words left Xia Yan, whose cheeks were still puffed with anger, utterly stunned. This sudden concern disarmed her, leaving her at a loss for how to respond.

“I’m fine. Maybe you should go wash up first—your clothes are filthy,” she murmured, face flushed and head bowed, her voice barely louder than a whisper. If Lin You didn’t have keen hearing, he might not have caught her words at all.

Behind them, Ruan Xiaotian coughed awkwardly. “Uh… Lin You, you two chat. I’ll head home now. If you need anything, just call me from next door.”

“Thank you, Brother Ruan. Take care,” Xia Yan seized the opportunity to escape Lin You’s ‘gentleness.’

When she looked back, the man had already gone to his daughter’s room. Xia Yan went over and saw him kneeling by the bed, carefully tucking the quilt back over the little girl who had kicked it away. That handsome profile struck her straight to the heart.

“Xia Yan, do you have a moment? There’s a question I can’t solve—could you help me?” As Xia Yan watched, lost in thought, a head poked out from the adjacent room. Lin Hongzhe, face flushed with embarrassment, had clearly mustered all his courage to ask her.

“Of course,” Xia Yan replied, beaming. Though it was only a question, it meant Lin Hongzhe acknowledged her, and their relationship had taken a significant step forward.

After helping with homework, Xia Yan spent another half hour teaching English. The two boys listened intently, especially Lin Hongzhuo, who grumbled when the lesson ended that time had flown too quickly.

“Hongzhuo, learning doesn’t happen overnight. Did you think you could master it all in one evening?” Xia Yan laughed at his earnestness. “It’s late—go wash up and get ready for bed. You have to be up early for school tomorrow.”

“Auntie, can we have noodles for breakfast? I want noodles,” Hongzhuo pleaded.

“I think we’re out of flour at home. How about noodles for dinner tomorrow?” she suggested.

Hongzhuo nodded, finally leaving the room with a smile, only to find Lin You standing at the door as he opened it.

“Dad, what are you doing here?”

“Don’t ask so many questions, kid. Still want noodles? You’re getting picky. Just have plain porridge,” Lin You replied with feigned annoyance.

To his surprise, Hongzhuo pouted, “Plain porridge is fine—Auntie’s porridge tastes good. Unlike some people, who manage to burn even plain porridge.”

“What did you just say?” Lin You realized the boy’s courage had grown; he dared talk back now.

“I’m brushing my teeth,” Hongzhuo made a face and dashed off to the sink.

Xia Yan walked over, smiling. “Can’t you treat the two boys the same way you treat Nuannuan?”

“Am I not good to them?” Lin You looked puzzled.

“I was joking,” Xia Yan explained. “I just notice you always smile when you’re with Nuannuan, but when you see the boys, you pull a stern face—like they’ve committed some grave offense.”

Lin You pondered for a moment, seemingly reflecting on his usual behavior, and finally managed three words: “I’ll try.”

“Have you eaten dinner?”

“No.”

“If you haven’t, you could’ve said so instead of waiting for me to ask. Honestly,” Xia Yan chided him, “You’re a grown man, but not as forthright as the kids—they at least say when they’re hungry.”

She glanced at the remaining rice and a bit of braised pork in the kitchen, rolled up her sleeves, chopped the meat, lit the stove, poured oil, and cracked in eggs. Soon, a bowl of pork and egg fried rice was ready.

The aroma made Hongzhuo’s mouth water. “Auntie, I’m hungry too.”

“Didn’t you just brush your teeth?” Xia Yan scooped a heaping portion into Lin You’s oversized, personal bowl.

“I can brush again after eating,” Hongzhuo grinned.

Xia Yan eyed the leftover rice in the pot. “Go ask your brother if he wants some.”

“Hey, bro, do you want fried rice? It smells amazing…”

During the meal, Xia Yan sat aside, watching the father and sons devour their food. “How do you three manage to eat with such gusto…”

Hongzhuo wiped the oil from his mouth. “Auntie, we weren’t like this before you came. Your cooking is just too delicious.”

“How does it compare to what your mother Zhu makes?” Xia Yan rested her chin on her hand, teasing. Ostensibly, she was asking Hongzhuo, but her gaze lingered on Lin You, who was shoveling food into his mouth.

The man seemed to sense her stare and spoke in a low voice, “Why ask the child that?”

“I’m just curious—women have a little competitive spirit, it’s normal. Besides, I’m asking Hongzhuo, not you. Why so anxious, right Hongzhuo?”

Hongzhuo glanced at Lin You, then replied cautiously, “Auntie, you and Aunt Zhu each have your strengths, but now I prefer your cooking.”

“Well, aren’t you clever—using idioms so smoothly, not offending anyone,” Xia Yan wiped his mouth with a cloth.

After the meal, the three men in the house were thoroughly satisfied, with Hongzhuo even letting out a few contented burps.

“Don’t go straight to sleep after eating. Read for a while first,” Xia Yan reminded while clearing the dishes.

“Okay, Auntie,” they chorused.

In the kitchen, Lin You had already poured hot water into the basin. “Let me wash.”

“I’ll do it. I told you to wash up earlier, but you wouldn’t—covered in dirt, you’ll mess up my kitchen. Out you go,” Xia Yan said, shooing him out with mock annoyance.

Lin You glanced at himself. “I’ll go wash up, then.”

When Xia Yan finished tidying the kitchen, Lin You had changed into clean clothes and poured two glasses of water. “Come and rest for a while.”

“I want you to reconsider the pig-raising business,” he said before she could sit down.

“Why? It’s obvious this time—it’s sabotage.”

“I know, but I don’t want you in danger. That person deliberately chose to strike when I wasn’t home. This time it was piglets; next time, who knows? With only you and the children at home, I can’t rest easy.” Worry flickered in the darkness of Lin You’s eyes.

“Once we ask the pig farm owner tomorrow, we’ll know. If the culprit is caught, what danger could there be?” Xia Yan was unwilling to give up so easily—her plans for pig-raising were far more ambitious.

“You make it sound simple. If he wanted to talk, he would have last time,” Lin You thought Xia Yan was sometimes very shrewd, yet sometimes far too naïve—like a pure white flower.

“I could offer more money,” Xia Yan suggested. “Or… work with him, bring him more business in the future.”

“Do you have endless money to spend?” Lin You gave her an exasperated look, as if she had bottomless pockets.

Xia Yan was speechless.

“Lin You, are there dogs in the mountains? Fierce ones…”