Chapter Two (Part 3 of 3)
Continually doing good deeds would gradually become addictive. When a giver could witness the joy and grat.i.tude from the receiver the giver felt instant gratification, which would simmer the desire to continue giving. It was the addictive feeling of being needed. For Qin Song who was simple hearted that primitive human desire to be needed was particularly strong.
The next day, he made an exception and didn’t cause trouble for her. He took the initiative to offer her a lift to the bus stop. When she got out of the car she smiled and waved goodbye to him. He gave her a manly wave.
Throughout that day, Liang’s employees from top to bottom clearly saw Qin Song’s good mood, anyone who greeted him, he would nod and smile their way.
Rong Yan rubbed his chin and he felt he understood Qin Song’s good mood.
‘Eating meat can indeed rejuvenate the body and mind!’ Rong Yan said.
When Han Ting Ting was preparing to go to her parents’ house she received a call from Qin Song.
‘Are you at your parents’ home?’ Qin Song asked.
‘Mmm. I’m heading home to cook for you now,’ she said gently.
On his end he was grinning. ‘No need. I’ll head to your parents for dinner then I’ll drive us home together.’
She hung up the phone and her mum grilled her.
‘Was that Qin Song?’ her mum asked.
She was still stupefied and nodded. ‘Mum, he wants to have dinner here.’
Her mum’s reaction mirrored her own.
Then her mum sprung to action and spring cleaned the whole house. Her poor dad who was still recovering from his injury was no match for her mum’s brooms and mops. Her dad was chased outside the house, wandering for hours under the giant tree in the backyard.
When Qin Song parked downstairs the Han’s family home was sparkling clean and filled with fragrant food aromas.
‘Why did you only buy enough food for a week?’ her mum said.
Her mum was stir-frying chicken whilst nagging her.
‘Go see if your dad’s done changing his clothes. Grab your dad’s underwear and put it in the washing machine. Ah, Ting Bao! Go wash your face. There’s sweat and grease stains on your face,’ her mum said.
‘Mum, don’t stress out!’ she said. ‘Qin Song’s easy going.’
‘Tonight’s the first time he’s eating here. Dinner needs to be properly prepared. Quickly go wash your face,’ her mum said.
‘I know… Mum, don’t make too many meat dishes. He doesn’t like eating meat. Mum go and put the meat back in the fridge, used it to cook dishes for dad to eat tomorrow,’ she said.
‘He doesn’t eat meat? What else doesn’t he like eating? What about this dish? Will he eat this dish?’ her mum asked.
‘He eats everything… He’ll eat any dish,’ she said.
‘Ahem…’ her dad coughed and cleared his throat.
Her dad had brought her mum’s awaited son-in-law into the house and overheard their conversation.
She turned around and saw Qin Song stood behind her dad and he narrowed his eyes to glare at her.
She dared to ruin his precious gentleman image… that ‘little country bun!’ It was her that ate anything she was given! She was the pig!
Before marriage the Han family didn’t interact much with Qin Song. But sitting together around the lively dinner table the two Han elders thought that kiddo Qin Song was decent, spoke eloquently and treated everyone with kindness and friendliness.
Her mum put a chicken leg in Qin Song’s bowl before she could stop her mum. Qin Song didn’t like people putting food into his bowl. Unexpectedly Qin Song buried his head and ate the chicken leg.
‘Does it taste good?’ her mum asked and smiled brightly at the favoured son-in-law.
Qin Song wisely nodded, his eyes were gentle and his att.i.tude was sincere. ‘It’s delicious!’
Her mum was overjoyed and put the last chicken leg into Qin Song’s bowl. When her parents weren’t watching him, he gave her a triumphant look. She picked apart the chicken wing in her bowl and silently ate.
After dinner Qin Song and her dad chatted amongst themselves in the living room. She brought them a tray of fruits and went back to the kitchen to wash dishes with her mum.
Her mum was used to her dad who rarely talked so it was good to see him animatedly converse with their son-in-law.
‘That kiddo Qin Song is a good catch!’
‘Mmm… uh…’ she muttered.
She silently thought if only her parents could witness him in action when he was playing out his no good childish antics.
Suddenly her mum’s body became still.
‘Ting Ting!’ her mum said and grimaced. ‘You’re not still… hankering for that person?’
‘Mum!’ she said and couldn’t restrain the loudness of her voice. ‘Not at all!’
‘What’s there to shout about?’ Her mum almost used a soapy hand to cover her loud mouth. ‘If your dad hears you, it won’t be good.’
She choked and lowered her head.
Qin Song had stepped into the kitchen at that moment.
‘What’s wrong?’ he asked and looked at her.
She didn’t say anything, silently wiped her hands and left the kitchen.
He had glared at ‘little country bun’s’ retreating back and turned around with a gentle expression to give Ting’s mum a credit card.
‘Mum, this is for you,’ he said.
Ting’s mum saw the credit card and hurriedly declined.
‘No need, no need at all! You’ve already given too many expensive things! In the future when you come over to eat don’t bring anything at all. We’re all one family. No need to be polite!’ Ting’s mum said.
‘No trouble at all. Mum, take it. It’s for buying food. In the future Ting Ting and I will come here often to eat,’ he said.
‘Why’s that? Is Ting Ting’s cooking not good?’ Ting’s mum asked with eyes widened.
‘That’s not it!’ he said and smiled gently like a wise kid. ‘At home it’s just Ting Ting and I. She’s always cooking at home first before coming here. It’s much easier if we all eat here.’
Ting’s mum was deeply moved. Ting mum thought that Qin Song hadn’t been married for long but already knew how to be considerate of his wife’s distress.
‘Mum take it or each time Ting Ting and I come over to eat we’ll feel guilty!’ he said, tucked the card into Ting’s mum’s pocket and patted Ting’s mum’s shoulder. ‘Mum, keep a secret between us, your cooking taste much better than Ting Ting’s cooking!’
‘Hey kiddo!’ Ting’s mum said, smiled and patted his arm. ‘I get it now. The two of you must come here to eat often. I’ll cook lots more delicious food!’
End of Chapter Two (Part 3 of 3)