Chapter 22: How Is Anyone Supposed to Believe This?

Su Qinghu didn’t respond to that, just smiled and sent him off to wake up Dadan and Erdan for breakfast.

After they finished eating, Chen Lie went out and brought back a load of coal briquettes on a tricycle. Dadan and Erdan eagerly followed behind, helping him unload and stack them neatly against the wall in the corridor before going to wash their hands.

“What’s she doing?”

“Huh?” Dadan and Erdan were scrubbing their hands with soap when Chen Lie asked. They stopped and looked at him together.

Dadan pressed his lips together and didn’t say anything. It was Erdan who blinked and asked, “Dad? Are you talking about Ms. Su Qinghu?”

“What do you mean, ‘Ms. Su Qinghu’?” Chen Lie frowned. What kind of way is that to address her?

Erdan quickly corrected himself, “Dad, you mean my mom?”

It didn’t really matter what she was called, it’s not like it would cost them anything.

“She’s in the room writing something!” Erdan replied. “She’s been in there drawing and writing ever since you left after breakfast. I couldn’t make sense of it!”

Dadan glanced at Erdan. “She’s drawing blueprints.”

“Huh?” Erdan turned to Dadan. “How do you know?”

Dadan was silent for a moment. So, people’s memories really can get better or worse in real time, huh?

“Bro?” Erdan asked cautiously. “Don’t scare me. Whenever you get like this, I usually end up getting hit…”

Dadan said, “Those pomegranate flowers you picked, didn’t we bring them back yesterday?”

That was before their bath last night. After bringing them back, they’d left them to dry in the tool shed.

It would’ve been fine not to mention the pomegranate flowers, but as soon as he did, Erdan visibly shrank, sneaking a look at Chen Lie. Seeing his expression was fine, Erdan nodded lightly, “Yeah, and then?”

“She probably wants to make them into flower baskets to sell,” Dadan said, glancing at Chen Lie out of the corner of his eye. When he got caught, he spoke a bit faster. “That girl’s dad and grandpa are both good at handicrafts, right? Mom said she’d have them weave baskets to pay off their debt, and today she needs to give them the blueprints.”

So, she was definitely drawing the blueprints now.

They were supposed to be handed over today.

Chen Lie listened to the kids without interrupting. He was able to pick up a lot of details about Su Qinghu that she’d never told him herself.

As Chen Lie stayed silent, the two kids’ voices gradually lowered until they stopped talking altogether, just watching him.

Dadan was already worried that Su Qinghu would lure Chen Lie away and run off with someone else. Now, hearing that he was going to check on what Su Qinghu was doing, the young boy’s face instantly turned into a bitter gourd.

Erdan stood next to Dadan, watching as Chen Lie came back out in less than two minutes, looking completely confused.

Wasn’t he going to check on her?

Why did he come back as soon as he got to the door?

Before they could figure it out, a car horn sounded at the gate.

Beep beep—

“You two behave at home. I’m going to visit your grandparents,” Chen Lie called out as he strode over. After giving his instructions, he was already out the door.

Dadan and Erdan watched him leave, only pulling their gazes back when he was out of sight. They exchanged a glance.

Dadan knew exactly what was going on, so he didn’t say anything. Erdan scratched his head. “Why does Dad seem kind of weird today?”

Dadan pressed his lips together tightly, picking at the seam of his pants, lost in thought, completely ignoring Erdan.

Erdan didn’t care. He patted his butt, tiptoed, and went straight to find his new mom.

Su Qinghu was carefully sketching out a flower basket design, marking the dimensions. She sensed something approaching from behind and reflexively turned around, pen held outward in a defensive posture.

Erdan was startled by her sudden movement and stance, and let out a heart-wrenching scream.

Su Qinghu: “…”

Su Qinghu was startled—not because someone was behind her, but because of Erdan’s over-the-top reaction and scream. She almost wanted to scream “ahhhh” herself, but Erdan’s cry was so tragic she forcibly held it in.

She watched Erdan, whose scream went from muffled to helpless, then to amused. She couldn’t help it—she burst out laughing.

“What did you come here for?” Su Qinghu asked, her eyes still full of laughter.

Erdan clutched his chest. “I…I can’t remember what I came for. You scared me so much I forgot.”

Su Qinghu: “…”

What’s with these kids?

Erdan’s eyes darted around. “When other kids get scared, their parents call their souls back for three days straight…”

“….” Su Qinghu got goosebumps. She wasn’t afraid of this stuff, but hearing it out of the blue, especially with noon approaching, made her feel uneasy. “We grew up under the national flag, with culture and ideals. Don’t get into feudal superstitions.”

Erdan: “…”

Seeing his brother rejected, Dadan bravely stepped up. “If you’re really scared, I’ll call your soul back for you!”

He’d never actually done it, but he’d seen others do it. Wasn’t it just standing in place at noon for three days, when the sun was hottest, calling the scared kid’s name, and then walking away without looking back?

Simple.

“I don’t want anyone!” Erdan stomped his foot, grabbed his belt, and ran off angrily.

Dadan’s mouth fell open, surprised by Erdan’s temper, leaving him a bit dazed.

Su Qinghu patted his head, then ruffled his hair. “Didn’t you notice? Your brother was acting spoiled.”

What?

Acting spoiled?

Erdan? Acting spoiled?

Dadan’s eyes widened. He wondered if his ears were broken.

The young boy’s expression made him look even more naive and silly.

“After he acts spoiled, he gets a little shy,” Su Qinghu said with a mischievous smile. “Now that you said that, he didn’t get what he wanted and feels embarrassed about his behavior. Of course he ran off.”

Dadan: “…” So that’s how it is?

Seeing he still didn’t believe it, Su Qinghu prompted, “Think about how people call back souls.”

Dadan: “???”

What’s there to think about? Isn’t it usually the parent holding the child’s hand, rubbing their forehead, and calling their name to bring their soul back?

So what’s embarrassing about that? Just because of the hand-holding and forehead rubbing?

Su Qinghu saw his expression and knew he didn’t get it. She shook her head. “Let me handle it.”

Dadan didn’t insist on calling Erdan’s soul back, but he also didn’t leave Su Qinghu’s side, watching her as if to say, “I’m not leaving until you explain this to me.”

Su Qinghu sat down to keep drawing, and Dadan stood beside her.

Since he wasn’t talking, he wasn’t a bother. Su Qinghu went about her work, occasionally asking him to sharpen her pencils.

Dadan did whatever she asked, and when she finished drawing, he still followed her around like a little tail.

As she drew, Su Qinghu explained, “Your brother might seem carefree and silly, but he has things he wants too. He craves affection from adults.”

Dadan was clearly taken aback by this, staring at Su Qinghu’s pretty profile in shock.

Erdan likes holding hands and having his forehead touched?!!"