She wants to eat? Peng Fei felt very happy that she spoke so much with him today.
"Oh, I'll go get it for you. Wait a moment, it's a bit cold. I'll heat it up for you."
After speaking, he was about to run out. After two steps, he remembered the basin and turned back.
As a result, the basin was empty.
"Didn't you want to go to the toilet?"
As soon as they finished speaking, both of them blushed with embarrassment.
Zhan Jingchun said with some complaint, "I can't."
Peng Fei seemed experienced, "You probably haven't drunk enough water. I'll get you a cup of water first."
He moved quickly around the yard and soon returned with a bowl of water.
She didn't even have a teacup? Zhan Jingchun thought to herself.
The bowl wasn't washed clean. There were faint oil stains on the rim. When the hot water was poured in, it produced a layer of oil. It looked nauseating, and she couldn't drink it.
"The bowl is too dirty. Wash it clean before giving it to me."
Peng Fei, as if he were her servant and used to being ordered around, blew on it a few times without thinking, then gulped down the water.
"Okay, I'll wash it for you right away."
From the small room on the right side of the yard came a rustling sound. Soon, the water was brought back to her.
The white porcelain bowl was washed clean, and finally, there was no oil. Zhan Jingchun took it.
Seeing her eagerly blowing and drinking, Peng Fei felt a sense of accomplishment.
"You drink it first, I'll go heat up your food."
He closed the door from the outside again. As soon as he entered the kitchen, Peng Fei's mother followed him.
"What are you doing? I was already asleep, and you woke me up again by coming and going. I have to work tomorrow, why aren't you sleeping?"
Peng Fei replied in a low voice, and Peng Fei's mother immediately started scolding him, full of disappointment.
"She won't die if she misses a meal, look how pathetic you are! You've only been here for half a day and you're already being bossed around like this? Fetching tea and water, cooking for her, you!"
"You're usually so fierce, how come I never saw you so stupid when it comes to women?"
Peng Fei lowered his head and said nothing, just kept adding firewood to the stove. Seeing that he really liked her and was willing to work for that woman, Peng Fei's mother sighed and stopped bothering.
"I'm telling you, her body isn't well yet. Don't touch her for now. Eat and go to sleep quickly. Otherwise, if she gets sick, it'll be another expense. The debt you incurred to marry her is already enough."
Peng Fei knew what his mother meant.
All his childhood friends were married, some already had three children. They always told him dirty jokes in front of him. He wasn't stupid.
But he was too embarrassed to reply to his mother.
After his mother finished speaking, she glanced at the lit room, shook her head, and went in after closing the door.
Seeing his mother had completely gone, Peng Fei quietly poached another egg into the noodles.
As soon as Zhan Jingchun finished her bowl of hot water, he came in holding the noodles.
The white noodles had only some vegetables mixed in. At least there was an egg on top, which looked somewhat appetizing.
She wanted to get the bowl herself and eat, but the white porcelain bowl was hot. As soon as she touched it, she quickly withdrew her hand.
Peng Fei, who had been working for years, had rough skin and calluses on his palms. He looked at her with a smile.
"I'll hold it for you to eat. It's okay, I'm not afraid of the heat."
Alas.
Zhan Jingchun thought to herself, if they hadn't met in this way, she wouldn't have disliked an honest person like him.
The noodles, apart from a bit of saltiness, had no other taste. Zhan Jingchun ate half of them with a frown, not daring to eat more, or she would feel sick again.
Seeing her turn her head away, Peng Fei asked, "You're not eating anymore? Are you done?"
"It's not tasty."
Zhan Jingchun told the truth, "Do you raise chickens at home? Feed it to the chickens."
Peng Fei was a bit reluctant, after all, there were still egg fragments in it.
But he was too embarrassed to use the chopsticks that Zhan Jingchun had used in front of her. He turned around, picked up the bowl, and downed it in two gulps.
"It's fine if I eat it. Do you want more water?"
Zhan Jingchun didn't want to drink water anymore, but she wanted to take a bath.
She didn't know how many days it had been since she came out. The white t-shirt on her body had many stains on the left side, and her legs were covered in dust. Her body felt sticky.
Even if it weren't like this, she took a bath every day at home.
"No more water. Where can I wash?"
Wash?
Peng Fei and the others solved their needs in the yard.
She wasn't dirty at all...
The pampered young lady would definitely not be willing to wash in the yard. He suppressed the urge to say it.
"I'll get you a basin and some water. Wait a moment."
After speaking, he ran back to the kitchen quickly.
He washed the bowls and pots in a flash, added a few scoops of cold water, and while heating it, he took a tomato from the vegetable basket and gave it to her.
"It's homegrown, very sweet, and not sprayed with pesticides. Try it."
This tomato was indeed more beautiful than everything else. It was naturally red and lovely. Under the dim yellow light, it looked like an expensive gift.
Zhan Jingchun thought, why didn't you bring out such good things earlier, making me throw up so many times.
"Thank you. Did you wash it?"
"Washed."
She took it, and not feeling reassured, wiped it again with her hand. She took a bite, and it was sandy and sweet.
After eating the tomato, the water was hot.
Peng Fei brought in the largest plastic basin in the house, poured in a bucket of cold water, added hot water, mixed it to a lukewarm temperature, and brought it to the door.
"Wash."
There wasn't even a toilet, so there was no shower, she thought. It was good enough to have hot water.
Zhan Jingchun sat in it and scrubbed herself.
Peng Fei, listening to the sounds outside, felt that everything had stopped and pushed the door open.
Zhan Jingchun had no clean clothes. She was wrapped in his big coat and standing by the bed in a daze.
Her fair, slender legs were exposed, looking beautiful.
Their eyes met, and both the young man and woman blushed again.
"I'll help you pour out the water."
Peng Fei, as if afraid of being misunderstood, didn't dare to look too much and quickly ran to pick up the foot basin.
He was really strong.
Such a large basin, with so much water, he lifted it up with one hand.
Zhan Jingchun wanted to hide her changed clothes and wash them herself when she had the strength.
But Peng Fei quickly came in again, "Where are your clothes? I'll wash them for you."
"No need, I can wash them myself."
"Wash them yourself? Can you manage?"
She didn't know if she could manage it. But she probably could.
After all, she had never even touched a washing machine since she was little.
In any case, she was too embarrassed to let him wash them.
They stood in a stalemate for a while, then Peng Fei said.
"It's not that I don't want you to wash them, but you have to fetch water from the well, and the water is cold. Also, if you wash them tonight, they'll be dry tomorrow, and you'll have something to change into."
Zhan Jingchun then realized the crucial problem. She had no clothes to change into tomorrow, and she didn't even know how she would get through tonight.
"Can you find me a set of clothes?"
Peng Fei said, "I only have my mother's. Is that okay?"
Thinking of that ill-tempered woman, Zhan Jingchun disliked her a bit.
"I'll wear yours then."
"Mine are too big."
"It doesn't matter."
In this strange place, he was the only one who could give her a little sense of security.