"I'm here. Are you scared??" Qin Ningyi gently stroked An'an's soft hair, his eyes full of tenderness.
An'an secretly wiped away tears in Qin Ningyi's embrace and shook his head. "No, An'an is very brave and smart."
He was his mother's proudest child, how could he be afraid? Absolutely not!
Listening to An'an's words and feeling the low sobs in his voice, Qin Ningyi paused for a moment. These mother and son were truly cut from the same cloth, stubborn to the end!
Where did this competitive spirit come from?
He picked up An'an. The moment he stood up straight, he met Grandma Yao's probing gaze.
Qin Ningyi had come specifically for Grandma Yao. Of course, he recognized the old woman as Grandma Yao at first glance. He nodded gently. "Grandma Yao, hello."
"Hello." Grandma Yao stared at Qin Ningyi for a few moments before speaking. "Qin Ningyi, is that right?"
"Yes."
Their brief exchange had confirmed each other's identities.
Grandma Yao was surprised by Qin Ningyi's appearance and demeanor, while Qin Ningyi was curious about Huo Rou's relationship with Grandma Yao.
Although Daolin Village and Dacheng Village were adjacent, their interaction was not extensive. Apart from the experimental fields, where Daolin Village had the advantage of proximity, there seemed to be no other contact between the two villages.
Huo Rou was known as the flower-growing maiden in Daolin Village, but flower cultivation and Grandma Yao and Grandpa Yao's medicinal agriculture...
He had been searching for Huo Rou for so long, and even his subordinates had failed to find any connection between Huo Rou and Dacheng Village. He had not considered looking here.
"Let's go outside. It's safe outside now."
Qin Ningyi, holding An'an, gestured to Grandma Yao to lead the way into the courtyard. Grandma Yao, observing Qin Ningyi's humble attitude, couldn't help but compare him to the boisterous and lively Qiao Yushan and her own taciturn and honest son.
It seemed...
Neither could compare.
This person before her possessed a refined demeanor that was also restrained. His good upbringing was ingrained in his habits. His eyes held the sharpness of a hidden sword, yet he could cover it with gentleness when looking at her.
No wonder that girl Huo Rou liked him.
Speaking of Huo Rou, the worry on Grandma Yao's face resurfaced. "How is that Huo girl...?"
Something must have happened in the front courtyard. Huo Rou had gone out alone, and she didn't know how she was.
"A'rou is fine."
As soon as Qin Ningyi finished speaking, An'an's arms around his neck tightened. "Is Mom really okay?"
"She's fine. You'll see her soon."
He handed An'an to Huo Rou, telling them to go back to their room to rest, while he stayed behind to handle the aftermath.
Once everything was settled, he went into the kitchen and cooked a rich noodle soup.
"So fragrant," Aunt Luo exclaimed. She knew she was on Qiao Yushan's side, but smelling the aroma of the noodles Qin Ningyi was cooking, she couldn't help but betray her allegiance for a second.
After her exclamation, Aunt Luo came to the kitchen.
The aroma was even more intense now.
Qin Ningyi's lips curved slightly when he heard the movement behind him.
By the time Huo Rou finished an entire bowl of noodles, the starlight in his eyes was simply uncontainable.
He couldn't keep Huo Rou by his side, but...
Zhao Hengyu had once said that to win someone's heart, one must first win their stomach.
"You came here for something else, didn't you?"
After finishing her noodles, Huo Rou stood at the kitchen door and looked at Qin Ningyi's back, speaking softly.
She was confident that she had not revealed anything about her involvement in Grandpa Yao and Grandma Yao's experiments.
He shouldn't have come for her...