Chapter 56

Chapter 56

Pei Qingji's mother fell silent for a moment.

Had she really done something wrong?

"I just wanted you to become better..."

But seeing her son like that, she couldn't bring herself to say it.

Pei Qingji's father also remained unusually quiet.

"Then you rest well, we're leaving."

After saying that, she fell silent and turned to leave.

Pei Qingji sat on the hospital bed, eyes lowered, also going quiet.

A few days passed quickly, and his injuries were mostly healed.

The doctor said he could leave the hospital this afternoon.

Cheng Yuan was now six months along, and since they were already at the hospital, he took the opportunity to get a check-up too.

Pei Qingji asked the doctor what they needed to watch out for.

"Make sure he doesn't overexert himself or fall during this period."

"His lower back soreness might get worse, so he'll need someone to look after him."

"He also needs more pheromones, which will be good for both the baby and him."

Pei Qingji nodded, letting the doctor know he'd taken it all in.

The two of them headed home that afternoon.

As usual, Pei Qingji helped Cheng Yuan out of the car and then helped him sit down on the sofa.

Riding in the car might have been a bit uncomfortable for him—even though he didn't get carsick, he still felt a little queasy.

The servant brought over the sour plum juice, which had been prepared and rinsed.

The weather was starting to get hot, and the drink not only balanced out the sourness but also helped cool them off.

The chefs had already been busy in the kitchen as soon as they heard they were coming back.

They made all kinds of dishes, including some that were on the sour side.

But they also kept in mind that he'd just been discharged and needed nutrition, so they kept the seasoning light.

Since dinner wasn't ready yet, they sat down on the sofa.

His lower back ached and felt heavy, and Cheng Yuan frowned, shifting uncomfortably before reaching back to rub it.

Pei Qingji noticed, reached over, and gently rubbed the spot on his lower back.

"Is it here?"

He hit the exact spot that was sore.

Cheng Yuan tensed up for a moment but didn't move, clearly feeling the ache ease.

Everyone watching tried to stifle their laughter.

They thought the master and his wife really had a loving relationship.

During dinner, he sat in his chair, but the ache in his back was hard to ignore.

His whole body felt heavy, and Cheng Yuan was so uncomfortable he couldn't stop rubbing his back.

He set down his chopsticks, looking a bit down.

"Why aren't you eating?" Pei Qingji noticed he wasn't moving, paused, and asked with concern.

"Does it not taste good?"

Cheng Yuan suddenly felt like sour food just wasn't doing it for him and wanted something else.

He hesitated, then nodded.

He was craving the egg pancake from the auntie's stall, the one with the slightly spicy sauce inside.

"I want to eat something spicy."

"Spicy food is rough on the stomach and not great for you. Can you eat something else? This dish is a new one from the head chef—why don't you give it a try?"

Cheng Yuan frowned, forcing himself to pick up his chopsticks and take a bite anyway.

For some reason, everything tasted off, and his mouth felt completely tasteless.

Cheng Yuan looked at Pei Qingji's face and, for no reason, felt anger flare up in his chest.

His face darkened, and he slammed his chopsticks down on the bowl with a sharp clatter, then got up and headed upstairs without a backward glance.

Pei Qingji hurried after him upstairs.

He reached out to steady him, but Cheng Yuan shoved his hand away.

The moment Cheng Yuan pushed him away, he froze, not understanding why he'd gotten so angry.

But he kept his expression cold, glanced at him, and said flatly.

"I don't need your help, I can go up by myself."

Pei Qingji's hand hung awkwardly in the air as he watched Cheng Yuan steady himself on the stairs.

He didn't understand it either—why Cheng Yuan would get angry out of nowhere.

Cheng Yuan didn't know why he was angry either. Sitting on the bed, he suddenly felt it wasn't worth it.

He'd never acted like this before, and it made him seem so harsh, especially since it wasn't anyone's fault.

He felt a twinge of regret.

Downstairs, worry showed in Pei Qingji's eyes.

He had no idea what was going on—things had been fine these past few days, so why today of all days...

A nearby servant seemed to pick up on something and stepped forward carefully.

"Sir, I noticed Cheng Yuan was in a good mood at first, but then during the meal, he tried a few dishes—maybe they didn't suit his taste."

"No way, I specifically cooked sour-flavored dishes according to Cheng Yuan's preferences," the head chef said.

And in the past, Cheng Yuan had never reacted this way when eating; once he even praised his cooking.

An older, more experienced servant spoke up.

"Cheng Yuan's belly is getting bigger now, and with pregnancy hormones, it's normal for his tastes to change. He might crave sour one moment, spicy the next, or even something sweet."

Pei Qingji's eyes brightened. He hurried out the door and didn't return for a long time.

When Cheng Yuan was about to head downstairs, he noticed he wasn't there.

"Cheng Yuan," the servants greeted as they saw him.

"Where is he?"

Cheng Yuan asked, feeling a bit uneasy.

One servant asked, "Is Cheng Yuan worried about the master?"

"No."

The servant nodded, saying "yes, yes, yes," but didn't believe it in her heart.

The master has gone out.

"Oh." Cheng Yuan thought for a moment, then lowered his head to send Pei Qingji a message.

He hesitated, but finally sent a sticker, thinking Pei Qingji wouldn't reply.

But Pei Qingji replied instantly, even sending a smiling sticker back.

A goofy sticker showing a wide grin with big yellow teeth.

Cheng Yuan was a bit disgusted and turned off his phone.

But his phone kept dinging, over and over.

"Are you worried about me?"

"I'll be back soon."

"I have a surprise for you."

A surprise?

He looked down at the words on the screen, a little taken aback.

"What kind of surprise?"

In a run-down alley, among many food stalls, there was an egg pancake stand with a long line.

Pei Qingji, tall and dressed distinctly, stood in the crowd, lowering his head to send Cheng Yuan messages.

He felt a smile well up inside him.

"I'm not telling you."

Cheng Yuan thought he was being cryptic and decided to ignore him.

He had been craving the taste of egg pancakes for a long time, but he didn't know if the auntie at that stall was still in business.

After waiting in line for a few hours, it was finally Pei Qingji's turn, but at that moment, the auntie at the egg pancake stand was about to close up.

Pei Qingji was a little worried.

"Auntie, my husband is pregnant. Could you make an exception and make one for me? I'll pay whatever you want."

The auntie quickly waved her hands dismissively.

"No, no, I don't want extra money, but I'm done for the day."

"Auntie, my husband hasn't eaten all day and just wants your egg pancakes. He said he used to eat here often."

"Often, huh? Let me think," the auntie said, suddenly remembering. "I remember there was a young man, quite handsome, with a gentle personality, who would eat my egg pancakes every morning."

"Oh, right, I forgot to mention, he lived not far from here. I even knew his grandmother; we'd bump into each other on walks sometimes."

"But he hasn't come by much in recent years, just once in a while when he has time."

Even though it had been a long time and the auntie couldn't remember clearly, that young man had left a deep impression on her.

Pei Qingji looked in the direction she was gazing—it was toward Cheng Yuan's grandmother's house.

"Do you remember that young man's name?"

"He and his grandmother moved here a few years ago. I think his last name was Cheng."

Pei Qingji smiled softly.

"That's my husband."

The auntie was a bit surprised. "He's married? I had no idea."

Finally, she gave in.

"Alright, alright, I'll make an exception just this once."

"That kid was a regular customer, and he had a kind heart."

"I remember once, a sudden downpour hit. I was frantically packing up, but he didn't leave. He stayed to help me, and he got completely drenched."

Pei Qingji was momentarily stunned, then let out a soft chuckle.

He had indeed chosen the right person.

His tone was serious. "Thank you, Auntie."

"No need to thank me, no need."

When the auntie came to her senses, she suddenly noticed a few thousand yuan on the counter.

She was taken aback and looked up, but Pei Qingji was already gone.

By the time he got back, it was already around seven-thirty.

Cheng Yuan sat on the sofa watching TV when he suddenly heard the roar of a car engine outside the villa.

The door was opened right after.

I'm home!

He approached him, hiding both hands behind his back.

Guess what he bought?

Cheng Yuan couldn't guess, and got a little annoyed by his teasing, so he simply turned his head away and refused to look at him.

But the next second, a wrapped item suddenly came into view.

It was an egg-stuffed pancake.

The packaging was from the same lady's shop he used to go to.

He froze for a moment.

"How did you know?" He hadn't mentioned it to anyone.

Pei Qingji just smiled and said nothing.

Because he had called Brother Zhou to ask.

Although the two of them didn't get along, Brother Zhou finally told him.

Back when he used to go to the film set every day, he'd stop by this lady's stall for an egg pancake every morning.

The shop was super popular and often had long lines, but since he always got up the earliest, he was almost always first in line.

And it took an hour to drive from there to his grandmother's house, all just for this egg pancake.

Cheng Yuan held the still-warm egg pancake and pursed his lips.

Then he lowered his head and took a small bite, his nose suddenly starting to prickle.

"Thanks."

It tasted just like the old days.

Although his attitude remained somewhat cold, it was obvious that his mood was gradually improving.

Pei Qingji watched this, his heart melting, feeling that even waiting in line for hours was worth it.

He texted Brother Zhou.

"Thanks."

Brother Zhou was probably looking at his phone too, replying quickly in a warning tone.

"I'm not helping you. I'm just doing this for An'an."

Pei Qingji smiled.

"Either way, thanks anyway."

Author's note:

None.