Disabled Childhood Sweetheart: A Humble Puppy Begs for the Young Lady's Pity

Throughout the journey, Lu Xiaobao's mouth never stopped, buzzing incessantly like a mosquito.

Zhou Jingchen loved hearing her say things like urging Wenxi to marry her brother as soon as possible.

However, she was loose-lipped and didn't know her limits. Zhou Jingchen was afraid that she would blurt out other things, so at several crucial moments, he took the time to gently pull her head back.

We finally arrived at the school gate.

Before getting off the bus, Lu Xiaobao pulled Wenxi aside and exchanged phone numbers and QQ accounts, calling her "sister-in-law" sweetly, which made Wenxi blush.

Zhou Jingchen started the car, and the two went home.

On the way, he asked, "Lu Xiaobao must be quite annoying, right? If she sends you messages to bother you, just ignore them."

Wenxi smiled and said, "No, I think she has a very cute personality."

Although she didn't have a good impression of Zhou Jingchen's grandmother, Lu Xiaobao was straightforward, innocent, and lively. In some ways, she resembled her younger self before life had worn her down.

As for the phone call that led to the misunderstanding because Lu Xiaobao answered it, she didn't blame her. Wenxi knew very well that the seven years she and Zhou Jingchen had wasted were never because of that one incident.

The reason for this lies within themselves; neither of them was brave or honest enough, and they were filled with cowardice and hesitation. Coupled with the subsequent changes, this relationship was forced into a long period of missed opportunities.

When he got home, Zhou Jingchen ran up and down the stairs twice before carrying all the bags and packages he had collected that day into the house.

Shopping bags were piled up on the living room floor, along with a bunch of groceries that hadn't been put away yet. Wenxi glanced at them, then lazily slumped into the soft sofa.

Zhou Jingchen opened a bag of potato chips and a drink and handed it to her. Then he spun around the room like a wound-up top.

First, I put the clothes and bags I bought today into the closet in the bedroom, and then I folded up all the messy clothes in her closet neatly.

Then I sorted the groceries from the supermarket. Toiletries went into the bathroom; ready-made food and vegetables went into the kitchen; meat went into the freezer; and milk and some fruits that needed to be kept fresh went into the refrigerator.

After finishing these tasks, he rolled up his shirt sleeves and went straight into the kitchen to cook dinner.

The kitchen was cramped, separated by a glass door. Wenxi was lounging on the sofa, popping potato chips into his mouth one by one, and I could see him through the glass door.

When Wenxi first moved in, the kitchen tiles were yellowed, so she used pink waterproof tablecloths and double-sided tape to cover them up. Now, Zhou Jingchen, standing there in his striped shirt and black vest, created a striking contrast.

The man was tall and slender, but the stove was rather low, so he had to bend over slightly when cooking.

His large, well-defined hands gripped the knife handle, his movements as he chopped vegetables crisp and efficient. The veins on the back of his hands bulged slightly, exuding a restrained yet sexy charm.

His profile was bathed in warm yellow light, his features sharp and handsome, and his prominent Adam's apple bobbed occasionally, making Wenxi blush for no apparent reason.

The range hood hummed loudly, but amidst the clamor, Wenxi's heart strangely calmed down.

A warm and comforting feeling gradually rose from the bottom of her heart, enveloping her completely.

In less than half an hour, two steaming bowls of seafood noodles were served.

Just as Wenxi was about to get up from the sofa, Zhou Jingchen strode over, bent down, and picked her up in his arms.

She reached out and punched his chest, scolding, "Put me down, it's not like I don't have legs."

"I'd love to carry you." Zhou Jingchen lowered his head, pecked her soft cheek, and gently placed her on the dining chair.

Wenxi looked down at the bowl. The tender white noodles were soaked in the delicious broth, with plump clams, chewy squid rings and shelled shrimp lying on top, and a few strands of green vegetables garnishing the dish. The aroma was irresistible and made one's mouth water.

After my mother fell ill, no one cooked for her like that anymore.

Over the years, she has either cooked a bowl of bland noodles, made a cup of instant noodles, or more often, just grabbed a cheap fast food meal outside.

"Try it and see how salty it is." Zhou Jingchen handed her the chopsticks.

Wenxi picked up a mouthful of noodles and put it in her mouth. The delicious flavor exploded on her tongue. She shook her head contentedly, her eyes curving into crescents.

"It smells so good! Zhou Jingchen, how come you can do everything!"

When she smiles, her eyes curve like crescent moons, revealing a pair of cute, white canine teeth, adding a touch of liveliness and charm to her bright and beautiful face.

Zhou Jingchen's heart was filled with her smile, feeling satisfied and happy.

It was past 11 p.m.

The enchanting heat that had permeated the bedroom for nearly two hours finally subsided.

Zhou Jingchen took it off and threw it into the trash can.

Wenxi's flushed face was half-hidden under the blanket, and a snow-white foot peeked out to kick him softly:

"Hey, if you keep doing this, you're moving out!"

Zhou Jingchen lay back down, pulled her into his arms, kissed her lips, and said in a slightly roguish tone, "I'm not moving."

The two lay on the bed chatting idly, mostly Zhou Jingchen doing the talking. He talked about the interesting things that happened while studying abroad, and the setbacks he encountered when starting his company.

He answered whatever Wenxi asked, never hiding a single word.

Occasionally, when she smiled and her eyes crinkled, he would casually bring up her life over the past seven years, asking if Aunt Xiang and Uncle Wen had contacted her recently.

But each time, Wenxi managed to subtly steer the conversation away from the topic.

He didn't pressure her, but simply held her soft little hand, his fingertips gently caressing her delicate skin, and occasionally lowered his head to place a kiss on her fragrant shoulder.

Like any couple deeply in love, they playfully teased each other, whispering sweet nothings, tickling each other under the covers, and then rolling around in each other's arms.

The young body exuded vibrant heat, and their tender movements caused the ceiling downstairs to sway gently in the middle of the night.

-

Wenxi officially started working at Liangji Dessert Shop.

Every morning, Zhou Jingchen would drive her to the store.

The person who introduced her to this place was an older woman she knew from her previous job. This older woman had been a shop manager in the dessert industry for many years and had recently switched jobs to Liang Ji.

This shop is very popular and hires part-time workers year-round, offering higher wages than other shops.

What reassured Wenxi even more was that everyone had to wear uniforms, masks, and hats made by the store when they went to work, so they didn't have to worry about being recognized.

The store's employees work in two shifts, morning and evening, taking turns on duty. But strangely, on the shift schedule, Wenxi's shift is always fixed at 9 am to 6 pm, and he has never been scheduled for the evening shift.

Zhou Jingchen's company wasn't far from the dessert shop. Whenever he had free time at lunchtime, he would always drive over to pick her up for lunch. After get off work in the evening, he would always be there on time at the shop entrance to drive her home together.

On Friday, Zhou Jingchen messaged her saying that something came up at the company and he wouldn't be coming over for lunch. He also specially ordered her a highly-rated Cantonese restaurant in the city center and asked her to wait for it to be delivered.

After reading the message, Wenxi asked the store manager for an extra two hours off. Once the food was delivered, she picked up the food container and went straight to the Third Hospital.

......

In the ward, Xiang Qin's eyes lit up when she saw her daughter, and she immediately propped herself up to sit up.

After the surgery, her body recovered well, and with the chemotherapy with imported equipment arranged by Song Xianglin some time ago, the effect was surprisingly good.

Wenxi hired a reliable caregiver to take care of Xiangqin's daily life.

She always felt that her mother was safest in the hospital.

She couldn't bear to leave her mother alone at home during the day if they rented a place. The hospital was convenient for chemotherapy, and the cafeteria was easy to eat in. Even if those debt collectors did find their way here, they wouldn't dare cause trouble at the hospital.

Xiang Qin's loving gaze fell on her daughter's face as she carefully examined her. Suddenly, her eyes lit up: "Girl, have you gained a little weight recently?"

"Really?" Wenxi touched her cheek and suddenly felt her face burning; she seemed to have gained a little weight.

"Is it because of too much stress?" Xiang Qin thought it was very likely that she was overworked and gained weight.

"No, I found a very easy job at a dessert shop."

She set up the small table on the bedside table, opened the exquisite meals Zhou Jingchen had ordered one by one, and casually asked, "Where's Sister Chen?"

Sister Chen was the caregiver she hired.

"She went downstairs to get my follow-up report," Xiang Qin said, pointing to the bedside table. "She came to work today and even brought me some chicken soup from home."

As he spoke, he placed the insulated lunchbox on the table.

"Sister Chen is indeed a very nice person." Wenxi smiled.

"you do not say."

The mother and daughter ate and chatted, creating a warm atmosphere.

Suddenly, Xiang Qin's gaze swept over her daughter's neck and landed on the faint red mark. She quickly put down her chopsticks: "What happened? Did you get bitten by an insect?"

Wenxi lowered her eyelashes and awkwardly pulled her collar up a little. "Hmm."

Her ears turned slightly red, which naturally didn't escape Xiang Qin's notice; she was an experienced woman.

Her daughter's round face and rosy complexion, with her head down and blushing, looked just like her when she was young and immersed in love.

"Are you and Dr. Song...?"

"Mom," Wenxi quickly interrupted her, placing a shrimp dumpling in her bowl, "what do you think of the food here?"

"It's delicious, light, and tastes great." Xiang Qin continued, following her words, and then asked curiously, "Where did you buy it?"

Wenxi lowered her head and said, "A friend ordered it for me."

Halfway through the meal, she hesitated for a long time before finally speaking softly, "Mom, do you...do you miss Zhou Jingchen?"

With a "clatter," Xiang Qin's chopsticks fell onto the table.

For the past seven years, this name has been a taboo subject in the family. Their daughter forbade them to mention it, so they tacitly kept quiet about it.

"How could I not want to?" Xiang Qin's voice was choked with emotion as she wiped her eyes. "That child is like my own son, whom I raised with my own hands..."

Wenxi's heart clenched: "Do you want to see him?"

Xiang Qin nodded emphatically, her eyes glistening with tears: "How could I not want to see him? So many years have passed. I wonder what that child looks like now, whether he's married, whether his work is going well, and whether his family treats him well..."

As soon as she finished speaking, she seemed to remember something, hesitated for a few seconds, and cautiously asked:

"Girl, did you... see your brother?"

Wenxi tightened her grip on the chopsticks, remaining silent.

So much has happened during this period, so many things have happened that she doesn't know where to begin.

After a long pause, she gently pursed her lips and whispered, "No."

Xiang Qin's eyes dimmed instantly, her lips moved, and her tone was helpless:

"I really want to, but... it's best not to see you."

"Jingchen has definitely made something of himself now. His family background is completely different from ours... we're from completely different worlds."

"Given our current situation, it's best to cut off all contact with relatives and friends. Anyone who gets involved with us will suffer. A few years ago, we hid at your uncle's house, which resulted in his house being vandalized by debt collectors; even your grandmother, who is so old, was implicated by us and had to move with your uncle, leaving the old house she had lived in all her life... Sigh, it's best not to see anyone, and not to implicate anyone..."

Wenxi mechanically chewed the food in her mouth, finding it tasteless, and only gave a low "hmm".

Two tears rolled down Xiang Qin's cheeks. She raised her hand to brush away the stray hairs from her daughter's temple, her voice filled with guilt: "Girl, it's your parents' fault for dragging you down..."