Chapter 26: Four Dishes and a Soup

The appearance of Zhuo Nan immediately made Qin Chenfang feel as though a savior had arrived. The ugly man, startled by this sudden intrusion, quickly released his grip on Qin Chenfang. When he realized who it was, he sneered arrogantly, "Damn it, I was wondering why you weren't paying the rent—so you’ve been keeping a boy toy at home! I told you long ago, just spend one night with me and the rent is waived, yet you’d rather keep a boy toy than pay me." With that, he raised his hand to strike her.

Zhuo Nan lunged forward in a flash, grabbing the man’s wrist. With a slight twist, the man winced in pain and immediately begged for mercy, "Ouch, ouch, you’re killing me, let go!"

"Damn you, keep your mouth clean," Zhuo Nan retorted, following up with a sharp slap across the man's face.

The ugly man, never expecting such ferocity from the young man, immediately backpedaled. "Brother, brother, don't hit me, I’m just here to collect the rent..."

Zhuo Nan looked at Qin Chenfang, and seeing her give a slight nod, he released his grip. The man hurriedly rubbed his face and the wrist Zhuo Nan had held.

"How much does she owe you? I’ll pay it," Zhuo Nan said dismissively.

Qin Chenfang stepped forward to stop him. "Zhuo Nan, don't..."

"Auntie Qin, please, don't say anything," Zhuo Nan interrupted with an air of authority that brooked no argument. Qin Chenfang stood aside, silent and uneasy. Zhuo Nan turned back to the man. "How much?"

The man tilted his head, calculating. "Six months' rent, twelve hundred. Pay up, or let this woman spend the night with me."

*Slap!* Zhuo Nan struck him again. "Damn it, I didn't hit you hard enough before, did I?" He pulled out a stack of cash and shoved it into the man's face. "Here’s fifteen hundred. Take it and get lost. The extra three hundred is for your medical bills. Stop staring, get out!"

The man grabbed the money and hurried off, throwing a parting threat over his shoulder: "Kid, if it weren't for the money, I’d have people cripple you."

Zhuo Nan flared up, "Damn you, I’ll cripple you right now!" He made a move to chase him, and the man, seeing this, took off running without looking back.

Watching the man disappear, Zhuo Nan spat on the ground. "Damn it, if it weren't for you and your daughter living here, I would’ve finished him today."

He turned to find Qin Chenfang looking at him, her eyes slightly red. "Zhuo Nan, I'm sorry about earlier..."

"Auntie Qin, there's nothing to apologize for. You’re just too kind-hearted to put up with his talk. If it were me, I would’ve sewn his mouth shut." He put on a fierce expression.

Qin Shanshan chimed in from the side, "Brother Zhuo Nan, stop acting. Mom and I aren't afraid of you; we know you're a good person."

The ruse exposed, Zhuo Nan awkwardly scratched the back of his head and laughed. It didn't matter, though—what mattered was that the mother and daughter were finally smiling. As long as they were happy, everything would be alright.

"Auntie Qin, is dinner ready? I'm starving," Zhuo Nan said, rubbing his stomach and reverting to a playful, childlike demeanor. Qin Chenfang couldn't quite keep up with his shifts—one moment a fierce protector, the next a playful boy—but she felt a sense of comfort and joy whenever he was around.

"Alright, go upstairs. I’ll stir-fry one more dish, then we’ll eat," she said with a smile.

"Great! Hurry up, Mom, I'm hungry too," Shanshan added.

"Yes, yes, you little glutton."

Zhuo Nan smiled at the intimate pair and headed upstairs, but Qin Chenfang caught his arm. "Zhuo Nan, thank you." He shook his head and followed Shanshan up.

The meal was as simple as the room itself: a dish of cucumber salad, stir-fried cabbage, shredded potatoes with green peppers, a small plate of bamboo shoots with pork—the only meat dish—and a bowl of tomato egg soup. Zhuo Nan knew they wouldn't have prepared such a spread if they were eating alone; he could see the longing in Shanshan's eyes. To them, this simple meal was a feast.

As Qin Chenfang served the rice, she saw him staring at the food and felt a pang of guilt. "Zhuo Nan, I'm sorry. Things are a bit difficult right now. When I have more money, I'll treat you properly."

Zhuo Nan realized she had misunderstood his silence. "Auntie Qin, you've got it wrong. I was just wondering what you and Shanshan usually eat."

A shadow of melancholy crossed her face. Zhuo Nan quickly lifted his bowl. "Auntie Qin, let's eat!" He smiled, picked up a piece of cabbage, and began to eat heartily.

Qin Chenfang smiled with relief. "Eat more, don't be shy."

Zhuo Nan didn't stand on ceremony. After finishing his first bowl, Qin Chenfang served him a second. Little Shanshan, however, was eating slowly, meticulously picking out the pieces of pork from the bamboo shoots.

"Shanshan, stop picking out the meat. Save it for your brother," Qin Chenfang chided gently.

Shanshan pouted, her eyes still fixed on the dish. Though she didn't reach for it, she couldn't look away. Qin Chenfang felt torn; she wanted her daughter to have it, but Zhuo Nan was their guest and benefactor.

Zhuo Nan smiled and pulled the plate toward him. He picked out every last piece of pork and moved them into Shanshan's bowl. "Shanshan, eat up if you like it." Shanshan beamed, but looked at her mother for permission. Seeing Qin Chenfang's nod, she happily began to eat.

Qin Chenfang looked at Zhuo Nan, her eyes misting over with gratitude. Zhuo Nan then scraped the remaining bamboo shoots into her bowl. "Auntie Qin, you eat too. It's delicious."

She kept her head down, eating in silence, but Zhuo Nan saw the glisten in her eyes.

After dinner, Shanshan cleared the table while Qin Chenfang chatted with Zhuo Nan. His phone rang—it was Wang Liru. "Nan, you didn't come home last night. Are you not coming tonight either?"

"Mom, I'll be back a bit later. Don't worry," he replied before hanging up.

As if on cue, Lan Qian called next. "Zhuo Nan, didn't you say you'd come over tonight?"

"Oh, Sister, I'm sorry. Something came up, I can't make it. I'll head over tomorrow. Alright, get some rest, goodnight."

A moment later, Fu Xinxin called. "Honey, we haven't seen each other in so long. Can we go out this weekend?"

"Sure, I'll take you out this weekend. Listen, I have something to take care of, I'll hang up now." Zhuo Nan let out a long sigh after finishing the calls. His mother was easy, but his two girlfriends were another story; if they started a long conversation, he’d never get off the phone. He’d used work as an excuse tonight, but he didn't know what he'd do next time.

Qin Chenfang smiled. "Girlfriend calling?"

Zhuo Nan nodded. "Yes, we go to different schools, so we mostly talk on the phone."

"I see," she said, then asked, "By the way, I don't know where you go to school."

"The First High School, I'm a freshman. She's at the Sixth High School. We didn't get into the same one."

Qin Chenfang looked at him with admiration. "You must have excellent grades to get into the First High School. Even if you can pay to get in, I believe you got in on your own merit."

Zhuo Nan didn't want to dwell on it. "It was nothing, just luck."

Qin Chenfang shook her head, speaking with the tone of an elder. "Zhuo Nan, since you're at a good school, you must focus on your studies. Dating too early will affect your grades."

Zhuo Nan’s jaw dropped. *Oh boy, do all moms love to say this?*

Noticing his expression, Qin Chenfang realized she might have overstepped, but she persisted. "Zhuo Nan, since you call me Auntie, I have a responsibility to tell you these things."

Zhuo Nan nodded. "Thank you, Auntie Qin. Since you've spoken, may I ask you something?"

"Of course, go ahead."

Zhuo Nan took a deep breath. "Where is Shanshan's father?"

Qin Chenfang answered instinctively, "I don't know where he is."

Zhuo Nan was stunned. "Has he been gone for many years?"

Qin Chenfang covered her mouth and laughed at his confusion. Once she calmed down, she said, "Zhuo Nan, you've misunderstood. Shanshan isn't my biological daughter. I found her on the side of the road over a decade ago."