The three of them led the cows and donkeys home. Along the way, Zhuang Zhuang chatted with Qin Anming. Zhuang Zhuang asked him what he had done today and where he had gone to play.

Xiaoguo listened quietly as Qin Anming responded to Zhuang Zhuang. Looking at Qin Anming, who was in high spirits, Xiaoguo felt that she had made the right decision. Her brother must also enjoy doing business!

After they got home, Xiaoguo went ahead to prepare dinner, while Zhuang Zhuang followed her and started burning firewood. As Qin Anming had worked hard for the day, Xiaoguo decided to make braised pork knuckles, stir-fried vegetables, and spinach egg drop soup. The staple food would be steamed buns. Xiaoguo had prepared some dough after lunch earlier.

At the dining table, Qin Anming told Xiaoguo in detail what he had done for the day. Xiaoguo listened attentively to his chatter. When he seemed to be done talking, Qin Anming paused and hesitated. Xiaoguo could hear the hesitation in his voice, so she spoke first.

“Brother, do you have something to tell me?”

Seeing that Xiaoguo had spoken, Qin Anming stopped beating around the bush and prepared to speak. “Actually, I have something to discuss with you. This is also what Ruyi had intended for me to discuss with you.”

Xiaoguo raised her eyebrows. “Ruyi? Not Miss Xu…”

Qin Anming was stunned at first. He didn’t understand what Xiaoguo meant at first, but when he saw her teasing gaze, he understood. His face turned red and his mouth trembled, but he couldn’t utter a word.

“No, no… Xiaoguo!”

Seeing Xiaoguo’s meaningful smile, Qin Anming flew into a rage out of embarrassment and called out her name in exasperation.

Xiaoguo wasn’t bothered at all, because she knew that he was a paper tiger with no temper towards his family. No matter how Xiaoguo provoked him, he wouldn’t get angry. There was no limit to his tolerance and indulgence for her.

“Alright, alright.” Xiaoguo stopped when she saw how red Qin Anming’s face was. He looked like his blood vessels were going to burst.

Qin Anming heaved a sigh of relief. Just as he was about to speak, Zhuang Zhuang said something which caused his face to start burning again.

“Uncle, why is your face so hot?”

Zhuang Zhuang touched Qin Anming’s face innocently. Did Uncle apply lime on his face too?

Xiaoguo looked at the innocent look on Zhuang Zhuang’s face and looked over at Qin Anming, who looked ready to crawl into the ground. She laughed in jest and decided to help her brother out of his predicament.

“Come, my dear Zhuang Zhuang, have this big piece of pig skin. It provides you with collagen. Zhuang Zhuang’s face will become even more bouncy after eating it. Mother will love your face more than ever!”

Zhuang Zhuang didn’t understand the part about collagen, but he heard the last sentence. He let Qin Anming go and picked up the bowl to eat the pig skin that Xiaoguo had given to him. He ate it in big mouthfuls. Mother would like him even more!

Qin Anming raised his head again, not daring to look into Xiaoguo’s eyes. He covered his mouth with the bowl.

“The noodle shop is going to start operating in the evening soon. Only the two of us are going to prepare the ingredients, to prevent anyone from stealing our recipes. It will be inconvenient for me to travel back and forth every day. Therefore Ruyi suggested that I stay in the noodle shop. She said that there are many rooms in the backyard. Firstly, it’s convenient and saves time. Secondly, it will be good to have a man watching the shop. I can protect everyone if I were there.”

After saying that in one breath, Qin Anming’s mouth was now filled with steamed buns. Xiaoguo watched helplessly as the man in front of her ate only the buns and nothing else. She picked up a piece of pig skin and placed it in his bowl.

“Have some meat.”

Qin Anming slowly chewed on the bun in his mouth, not daring to look up at Xiaoguo. He had come here to help Xiaoguo take care of the house and do farm work. If he were to go to the county, what would happen to Xiaoguo?

“What if I don’t go?”

As these thoughts ran through his mind, he felt a little sad. In his eyes, Xiaoguo and Zhuang Zhuang were more important than his dreams!

“I don’t…”

Before Qin Anming could speak, Xiaoguo interrupted him. “When are you leaving? I’ll send you off!”

Qin Anming opened his mouth and looked at Xiaoguo in disbelief.

“What’s wrong? Are you silly?”

Xiaoguo was amused. Why? Did he think that she would disagree? He thought too little of her!

“But if I go to the county, what will happen to you and Zhuang Zhuang. How about the household chores?”

“I can do it! I didn’t bring you here to work. I just couldn’t bear to see you live on your own. I brought you here to enjoy life!”

Xiaoguo paused for a moment and looked into Qin Anming’s eyes. She said seriously, “Now that you’ve found your goal, I’m so happy for you. I wouldn’t have asked you to be a shareholder of the restaurant if I am not agreeable to this.”

Qin Anming felt like crying. The moment his tears flowed out, he quickly wiped them away with his sleeve.

“Besides, it’s not like you won’t come back if you go, Brother. We’re so close to the county city. If we miss you, we can drive the donkey cart to find you. You can also hire a car and come back if you miss us.”

Xiaoguo continued speaking. Qin Anming nodded in agreement. “Yes! I’ll definitely be back!”

Zhuang Zhuang heard their conversation. “Uncle is leaving…”

The pork knuckles in his hand fell into the bowl. Tears immediately welled up in his eyes as he looked at Qin Anming.

Xiaoguo noticed the change in Zhuang Zhuang immediately and looked at him worriedly.

“Zhuang Zhuang, Zhuang Zhuang.”

Qin Anming picked Zhuang Zhuang up and placed him on his lap. He wiped the tears off Zhuang Zhuang’s face affectionately. “What’s wrong? Why is our Zhuang Zhuang crying?”

“Are you leaving, Uncle? Why?”

Zhuang Zhuang was crying very hard now, choking in between his sobs. Why did his uncle have to leave? Wasn’t it good for them to live together? Why did he have to leave?

“Be good, Zhuang Zhuang. I’m not leaving for good.”

Qin Anming comforted Zhuang Zhuang. The boy looked up at Qin Anming and then looked at Xiaoguo in confusion, seeking for confirmation.

“That’s right, Zhuang Zhuang. I’m not leaving. I’m just going to the county to help Sister Ruyi look after the noodle shop.”

Xiaoguo gently wiped Zhuang Zhuang’s tears and explained patiently, “If we miss Uncle, we’ll go to the county to look for him. When he is free, he’ll come back to look for Zhuang Zhuang.”

Qin Anming nodded. “That’s right. Zhuang Zhuang, don’t worry. It’s not like I’m not coming back. How can I bear to leave you? I promise that once I have spare time, I’ll come back immediately. How about that?”

Zhuang Zhuang slowly calmed down after being comforted by the two of them.

“Then… pinky swear?”

Zhuang Zhuang stretched out his last finger and waited for Qin Anming to hook it.

Qin Anming smiled and wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes. He extended his finger.

“Pinky swear and hang yourself. Don’t change for a hundred years!”

Zhuang Zhuang put down his hand and smiled. Xiaoguo felt a little reluctant to part with her brother too. By now her emotions have subsided and she was smiling again. “Alright, come on, let’s eat!”

The three of them were filled with reluctance, but they still held back their tears and carried on with their meal.

After the meal, Zhuang Zhuang went to wash the dishes. Xiaoguo followed Qin Anming into the house.

“Are you leaving tomorrow?”

Xiaoguo asked Qin Anming, and saw him nodding.

“I’ll drive you there tomorrow,” said Xiaoguo.

Qin Anming sat on the bed and nodded. “Okay!”

After determining the time, Xiaoguo returned to the house and took out a cloth wrap. She unfolded it and placed it on Qin Anming’s bed.

“These two tops were just washed today. I’ll place them at the bottom for you. And these shoes, I’ll stuff them in here for you too. I’ll buy you new ones when we go to the county tomorrow. And…”

Xiaoguo held back her tears and wrapped up the bundle. Then, she reminded him to put on more clothes when it was cold and to remove layers when it was hot…

“Okay, I should just stop, it’s not like we won’t see each other again. Zhuang Zhuang and I will visit you the next day.”

Xiaoguo couldn’t say another word. If she did, they were both going to cry. That was it for now!

Zhuang Zhuang walked in and said to Xiaoguo, “Mother, can I sleep with Uncle tonight?”

Xiaoguo knew that Zhuang Zhuang was reluctant for his Uncle to leave, so she nodded. She brought Zhuang Zhuang’s pillow and blanket over to Qin Anming’s room, and went back to her own room.