Chapter 128: I Was Wrong

Yearnian understood nothing. Her innocence prevented her from comprehending the convoluted emotions that adults harbored, so she took the initiative to approach Su Wanning, intending to help.

Thus, Qin Jingchen had no choice but to ask Su Wanning’s son, Su Sui.

However, the father and son had little prior interaction. Both were naturally aloof and taciturn, and despite Sui being quite grown, private conversations between them were few and far between.

Clearing his throat awkwardly, Qin Jingchen moved closer to his son. Noticing this, Sui looked up in confusion.

Fixing his gaze on those large eyes, so much like Su Wanning’s, Qin Jingchen spoke first. “Yearnian has made noodles before, right?”

Sui barely nodded, his tone chillingly indifferent. “Mm.”

Silence fell again between father and son.

The photographer silently captured the moment, while viewers in the livestream began to discuss.

“What’s going on? Why do these two look so awkward?”

“They’re both so serious.”

“Like father, like son. It’s uncanny—their tones are exactly the same.”

Qin Jingchen’s opening gambit had failed, but facing Su Wanning’s continued coldness, he mustered courage to ask again. “Your mother seems unhappy.”

Sui nodded once more, still terse. “Mm.”

“Is ‘mm’ the only word Sui knows to say?” viewers teased.

“Poor Mr. Qin is really struggling.”

“Mr. Qin: What’s wrong with this kid’s personality? Is he like me? Oh, never mind.”

With no choice left, Qin Jingchen asked bluntly, “Do you know why?”

“Mm.”

The livestream erupted with laughter. Finally, on Qin Jingchen’s face, viewers saw a third expression beyond blankness and smiles.

It was sheer speechlessness.

“Ha ha ha, I doubt Sui is doing that on accident.”

“Sui must have been sent by the heavens just to torment Mr. Qin.”

“Doesn’t anyone think he’s deliberately avenging Su Wanning? So sweet!”

“Why is Su Wanning angry just because Mr. Qin can’t knead dough? He’s already doing well by helping, and it’s rare for a man to step into the kitchen. What’s there to be mad about?”

“Men should be in the kitchen. Who says kitchens are just for women? What era do you think this is?”

“Nan Quan, get out.”

“It’s understandable. I’d be mad too.”

“Mr. Qin said he didn’t know how, then messed everything up. I think Su Wanning’s anger is because of that…”

“So, why exactly?”

After Qin Jingchen persistently asked again, Sui finally looked up.

“Because of that,” he said, pointing to the dough on the table.

By now, the scattered flour mess had been tidied by Su Wanning into a fresh lump of dough.

Qin Jingchen seemed to understand and fell silent, standing quietly at her side.

Su Wanning, after smoothing the dough, retrieved some red bean paste from the fridge and began wrapping it into buns, placing them into the steamer.

Before long, a steaming pot of red bean buns emerged, releasing a natural, comforting starch aroma that wafted out of the kitchen. Soon, several children led by Mingming gathered around.

Mingming’s nose twitched like a puppy’s, his eyes darting about eagerly.

“Aunt Su, what delicious thing have you made? It smells amazing!”

“Smells like bread!” chimed in Daxi beside him.

“Sister Daxi, Brother Mingming, my mom made red bean buns. Want to try?”

“Yes, yes!”

Mingming rushed forward eagerly but was driven back a step by the heat.

Su Wanning laughed softly, picking up a few buns with chopsticks, placing them on a plate, and handing them to the children.

“Be careful. They’re hot inside.”

After her warning, the children noisily left the kitchen together.

Silence returned to the kitchen, leaving only Su Wanning and Qin Jingchen.

Her smile vanished instantly as she turned away to continue her tasks.

Qin Jingchen stepped forward and, before Su Wanning could reach for something, swiftly took it and handed it to her with a pleading look.

Su Wanning found this behavior odd and uncharacteristic of him, yet strangely, it didn’t bother her. It was as if this scene had played out countless times before and they were just an ordinary married couple.

That unusual feeling in her chest deepened. Much of her anger had faded, but she still refused to speak.

The aroma of Su Wanning’s stewed fish had already spread, drawing even Yu Xin and Tian Boyu—who had already eaten dinner at a villager’s house—to pick up their chopsticks and bowls again.

Everyone gathered around the table where a large iron pot sat. Orange-yellow fried pancakes had been placed on another plate, accompanied by steaming red bean buns.

“Oh my, it’s been so long since I’ve had such homely food. It smells wonderful!” Yu Xin exclaimed as she eagerly reached for the food.

“Yeah, I remember when I was a kid visiting my grandparents in the countryside. They often cooked like this. I miss it so much,” Tian Boyu added wistfully.

Su Wanning said nothing, but Fang Wei beside her spoke up.

“I thought cooking dinner for so many would be exhausting, but you even made red bean buns in such a short time. That’s impressive.”

What started as a casual compliment was quickly met with a warning glance from Yin Shanshan, who silently shut her mouth and bowed her head to eat.

“It’s not just me. Someone helped,” Su Wanning glanced at Qin Jingchen pointedly. “Thanks to him, or else no one would have red bean buns today.”

Qin Jingchen understood she was still upset but smiled at her helplessly. In that smile was a trace of indulgence.

The strange feeling in Su Wanning’s heart stirred again, so she turned away and refused to look at him.

Yu Xin curiously asked, “Why? Did Mr. Qin make the red bean buns? I didn’t expect him to know how.”

Before Su Wanning could answer, Yearnian raised her voice crisply.

“No! Because Daddy doesn’t know how to knead dough either, so like last time, he made a lot of it, and Mom used that to make red bean buns because she hates wasting food.”

At that moment, Qin Jingchen finally understood the reason for Su Wanning’s displeasure. Su Wanning looked a little embarrassed herself—after all, it was hardly worth getting angry over something like that.