The charming widow of the Marquis's mansion: The stable boy carries the flag and raises the dra

In the days that followed, Wang Long temporarily stayed in Xu Wanyun's courtyard.

Every morning, before dawn, he would get up to start a fire and cook.

He wanted to give Qin Jiaojiao the best and make up for the fatherly love he had missed for so many years.

Qin Jiaojiao was still sleeping in, wrapped in a blanket and curled up in a ball, with only a small tuft of hair showing.

"Uncle Long, let me help you."

Xu Wanyun came out of the house, her hair already combed.

She tied her hair up with a white jade hairpin and changed into a light blue long dress.

A pale yellow towel was tied around her waist, making her waist appear incredibly slender.

The firewood in the stove was burning brightly, and white steam was rising from the gaps in the pot lid.

The aroma of meat and noodles filled the courtyard.

The window of Qin Jiaojiao's room was suddenly pushed open with a "bang".

She lay sprawled on the windowsill, her hair disheveled, her eyes not fully open, but her nose constantly sniffing.

"Grandpa! Are you making scallion pancakes and meat soup? I can smell it!"

"That little nose is quite sensitive."

Wang Long shook his head, feeling both amused and exasperated.

"Go wash up quickly, you'll be done soon."

Qin Jiaojiao let out a "whoop" and shrank back.

There were crackling and popping sounds coming from inside the house; I had no idea what they were doing.

A moment later, it skipped and hopped out of the house.

He plopped down on the stone bench, rested his chin on his hands, and stared intently at the stove.

Wang Long lifted the lid of the pot, and steam rushed out, the aroma of scallion pancakes mixed with the fresh fragrance of meat slices, so rich that it made one's mouth water.

He picked out a few scallion pancakes, plated them, and then served three bowls of sliced ​​meat soup, sprinkled them with chopped scallions, and placed them on the stone table.

Qin Jiaojiao couldn't wait to grab a scallion pancake, take a big bite, and puff out her cheeks like a little hamster.

"Delicious! Grandpa's scallion pancakes are the best!"

She chewed twice and mumbled indistinctly.

He picked up the meat soup and took a sip. It was so hot that he gasped for breath, but he couldn't bear to spit it out.

"Eat slowly, no one's going to take it from you."

Wang Long sat down next to her, watching her wolf down her food, and laughed.

Xu Wanyun sat opposite her, picked up a scallion pancake, and ate it in small bites with elegant movements.

She looked at Wang Long and Qin Jiaojiao with a gentle smile on her lips.

What a wonderful morning.

Qin Jiaojiao's classmates weren't so lucky.

Every morning, as soon as Wang Long lights a fire in his stove, the aroma wafts on the wind to the neighbor's yard.

There lived several girls around Qin Jiaojiao's age over there; they were all disciples of Wenxin Academy.

"What's that smell? It smells so good! It seems to be coming from Jiao Jiao's place."

"Is that the old man cooking? I saw him busy at the stove yesterday."

"Sigh, I'm so envious of Jiaojiao. She gets to eat delicious food every day. My dad can cook too, but he can only cook noodles, and he always burns them."

"My mother is even more outrageous. The dry rations she brought me last time were so hard they could kill someone."

Several girls leaned over the courtyard wall, craning their necks to look at Qin Jiaojiao, their mouths practically watering.

In the days that followed, Wang Long cooked different dishes for Qin Jiaojiao every day.

Every day, different aromas waft from the stove in the yard.

Every day, Qin Jiaojiao's classmates would be there on time, leaning against the courtyard wall, watching eagerly.

Seven days passed by in this uneventful way.

Qin Jiaojiao had gotten used to Wang Long's presence.

It was evening again.

Qin Jiaojiao sat on the swing, with Xiao Qiu perched on her shoulder. Both of them were lazy and half-closing their eyes.

Wang Long sat on a stone bench, holding a cup of tea, enjoying the rare tranquility.

Xu Wanyun was reading a book in the room. The window was open, and you could see her looking down as she turned the pages of the book.

"grandfather."

Qin Jiaojiao suddenly spoke, her voice very soft.

"Um?"

Wang Long put down his teacup and looked at her.

Qin Jiaojiao lowered her head, her two little legs swinging back and forth, her toes drawing circles on the ground.

She remained silent for a while before speaking again.

"Grandpa, what's your relationship with my mother?"

Wang Long's fingers paused slightly.

He looked at Qin Jiaojiao, at her small face that resembled Luo Hanyi's.

Gone is the quirky charm of the past; now there is a hint of seriousness and trepidation.

She is afraid.

I'm afraid to hear the answer.

And yet, I long to hear the answer.

Wang Long remained silent for a moment before slowly speaking.

"Jiaojiao, you are a smart child, and I don't want to lie to you."

He paused, his voice soft and gentle.

"Your mother and I... are together now."

Qin Jiaojiao's body stiffened slightly.

She bit her lip, lowered her head, and didn't look at Wang Long.

The swing swayed gently, making a soft creaking sound.

Little Chick flew up from her shoulder and landed on Wang Long's shoulder, tilting its head to look at Qin Jiaojiao.

The silence lasted for a long time.

It went on for so long that Wang Long thought she would cry, make a fuss, or run away.

Qin Jiaojiao suddenly jumped off the swing and threw herself into Wang Long's arms.

She wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, buried her face in his chest, and trembled all over.

"Grandpa..."

Her voice was muffled, tinged with tears.

"I...I'm so happy..."

Wang Long was stunned.

"I grew up without a father... My mother raised me all by herself, and she suffered a lot..."

"Later, my master accepted me as his disciple, so I left home and went to study alone..."

"I...I really want a home..."

"I really want a dad..."

Qin Jiaojiao cried so hard she could barely breathe, her tears soaking Wang Long's clothes.

"You're so good to me... You cook delicious food for me, buy me new clothes, tell me stories, and play with me..."

"I know you're not my biological grandfather...you are...you're the person Mother found..."

"Can...can I call you Dad?"

Wang Long's eyes reddened; this girl was sensible.

He reached out and hugged Qin Jiaojiao tightly, gently patting her back.

"Silly girl, of course you can. We're family."

Qin Jiaojiao lifted her head from his embrace, looking at Wang Long with red eyes.

Her lips trembled.

"father……"

Wang Long's tears finally fell.

He was born twice.

He never imagined that one day someone would call him "Dad".

"Why."

Wang Long reached out and gently wiped away the tears on Qin Jiaojiao's face, his voice hoarse.

"My good daughter."

Qin Jiaojiao stopped crying and started laughing, then threw herself into his arms, hugging him even tighter.

"Father! Father! Father!"

She called out several times in a row, each call clear and loud, filled with irrepressible joy.

"Hey! Hey! Hey!"

Wang Long responded, nodding vigorously with each word, his eyes red-rimmed, but his lips upturned in a wide smile.

Starting today, Wang Long also has a daughter.

He wanted to get all the good things in the world for Qin Jiaojiao!

Xiao Qiu stood on Wang Long's shoulder, tilted its head and looked at the two of them, chirping twice as if it were happy for them.

Xu Wanyun stood by the window, stunned, looking at the two people embracing in the courtyard.

"So Uncle Long and Jiao Jiao's mother..."

She looked at Wang Long's aged yet gentle face.

An indescribable emotion welled up inside me.

She looked down at her hands, her fingers slightly clenching the pages of the book…