Chapter 5

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

Chu Qiao had stayed at home for two days, and her body was much better. Naturally, He Jihong took the fan away. However, she had learned her lesson and went to sleep in the living room at night. There was a ceiling fan in the living room, and she could also sleep on the sofa.

Moreover, she hadn’t cooked for the past two days, and she didn’t do any housework either. When He Jihong asked, she said that she didn’t have the strength and was feeling unwell, so she couldn’t do it anyway.

When He Jihong and the others went to work, she would cook some food for herself, and her life would be quite carefree. However, He Jihong wasn’t having it so easy. She had to go to work, and she had to cook and do housework. She was going crazy.

However, she couldn’t scold Chu Qiao. She was the kindest and most generous stepmother, and the people living in the building were all her colleagues. She had a good reputation for so many years, and she couldn’t let it all go to waste.

He Jihong also somewhat understood. Chu Qiao was holding a grudge for the heatstroke that day, and was deliberately taking advantage of her. In a few days, she still had to arrange for Chu Qiao to meet Gu Jianshe to finalize the marriage. She could only appease this wretched girl first.

If she wasn’t her biological child, then she couldn’t be raised properly. She was an ingrate, and when she got married, things would be peaceful. She could even earn a dowry, so it wasn’t considered a loss.

Thinking of this, He Jihong felt a little better. She ran over to buy a new electric fan. It was a Watson brand, and it cost her more than a hundred and thirty yuan. It cost her a month’s salary, and her heart ached terribly.

The new fan was given to Chu Peng, and the old fan in Chu Peng’s room was given to Chu Qiao. Chu Qiao’s illness had also recovered, and she started to cook and do housework.

At the moment, she didn’t have the strength to fight back, so she could only endure it for now. However, she also had a way to deal with it.

“Why is this tomato egg soup so salty?”

He Jihong tasted the soup, and her face was full of unhappiness. Last night, Chu Qiao’s braised pork was so salty that she drank three big cups of water. She had to go to the toilet all night, and she didn’t sleep well. Now, this tomato egg soup was so salty. This Chu Qiao was definitely doing it on purpose.

Hmph, it was just one heat stroke, and this little b*tch was already acting like a demon. As expected, she was a b*tch in her bones. She didn’t even take a p*ss to take a look at herself.

“Qiaoqiao, What’s wrong with you lately? You put so much salt in the dishes. Our family isn’t rich either. Your father and I are both paid, so we can’t afford to let you spoil the dishes like this,” He Jihong said gently. There wasn’t a hint of anger in her voice. She was still smiling, but her eyes glanced at Chu Yuanzhi.

Chu Yuanzhi quivered, and his face immediately darkened. He scolded her angrily, “Qiaoqiao, what are you doing? You can’t even do such a small thing well. Your aunt he worked so hard for a day, and she can’t even eat properly!”

Chu Peng’s mouth twitched, and he picked up some cabbage with his chopsticks to eat.

Chu Qiao looked at the couple innocently. She scooped up some soup and drank a few mouthfuls, and her eyes looked even more innocent. “It’s not salty. I’ve tasted it, and it’s just right.”

She picked up the cabbage with her chopsticks again and chewed it a few times. She said anxiously, “Aiya, I forgot to put salt in the cabbage.”

“This fish is just right. It’s not salty.”

Chu Qiao tried all the dishes. She deliberately added four tablespoons of salt to the fish and soup, while the cabbage and braised tofu tasted normal.

She resisted the clamor in her mouth and ran to the kitchen to get a bowl of salt. She was ready to add salt to the tofu and the cabbage, and she even said, “Aunt He, you bought the wrong salt this time. It’s not salty at all.”

Chu Peng pulled a lot of tofu from the plate and picked up some cabbage. Then, he continued to eat with his head lowered. He didn’t say anything from the beginning to the end, but there was a smile in his eyes.

This sister of his seemed to have a better brain after having a fever. Maybe she fought poison with poison. Other people’s brains were fried, but this stupid woman had burned away her stupidity.

He Jihong held Chu Qiao’s hand. If she added more salt, she wouldn’t be able to eat the meal.

“Do you think this isn’t salty?” He Jihong looked at Chu Qiao suspiciously, thinking that she was pretending.

“Yeah, it’s not salty at all.”

Chu Qiao poured some salt into her mouth and smacked it a few times like eating candy. Her expression didn’t change, and her eyebrows didn’t even twitch. He Jihong and Chu Yuanzhi looked at each other. It didn’t seem like she was pretending.

Could it be that her sense of taste was really out of whack?

Chu Yuanzhi coughed a few times and said slowly, “Having a fever will indeed cause your sense of taste to be out of whack. The last time Qiao Qiao had such a high fever, there might be something wrong with her sense of taste.”

“When will she be able to recover?” He Jihong asked anxiously.

“It could be as short as a few days to half a month or as long as a few years or even a lifetime. I can’t say for sure.” Chu Yuanzhi looked at his daughter sympathetically and sighed in his heart.

His daughter’s life wasn’t good. She had a fever and even burned her tongue. Sigh!

“Dad, is there something wrong with my tongue? But I don’t feel anything. This dish is indeed too bland.”

Chu Qiao continued to pretend to be innocent and even added salt to the dish. He Jihong didn’t see it at all, but there was a big spoonful of salt on the tofu. She was so angry that her temples were stinging and her forehead was throbbing.

She couldn’t live like this anymore.

“In the future, you can only put half a spoonful of salt in your cooking, remember?”He Jihong pressed her temples and said while holding back her anger.

“Okay.”

Chu Qiao obediently agreed, but she had the final say on what to do.

These disgusting dishes couldn’t be swallowed at all. He Jihong had no choice but to raise her spirits and cook some new dishes. Her forehead was covered in sweat, and she had no appetite at all.

After they finished eating, Chu Qiao cleaned up the dishes. There was no one in the living room. She poured three cups of cold tea and gulped it down in one go. Her mouth was finally comfortable.

When she turned around, she saw Chu Peng standing behind her with an expressionless face. She was shocked and squeezed out a smile. “Xiao Peng.”

“Stupid!”

Chu Peng said one word coldly and went into the house to do his homework. Only his stupid sister would do such a stupid thing.

However, she had made some progress. Before her brain was fried, this stupid woman didn’t even know how to fight back. She was pitiful and hateful, making people unable to sympathize with her.

Chu Qiao blinked and didn’t take it to heart. It would be strange if her half-brother had a good expression. A dead face was the most normal thing.

The next day, Chu Qiao cooked something even worse. The reason was that she had forgotten if she had added salt, so she tasted it. It wasn’t salty, so she added, tasted, and added…

Chu Yuanzhi’s reason was also very good.

“A fever can also cause memory loss. This child, Qiao Qiao, has suffered a great deal!”

Chu Yuanzhi pitied his daughter even more. Not only was her tongue burnt, but her brain was damaged. Sigh… What a sin!

He Jihong could not understand it. Other people would be alive and kicking after recovering from a fever, but her stepdaughter had so much to do. Not only was her sense of taste impaired, but her memory was also impaired. If Chu Qiao were to go blind tomorrow, she would not be surprised.

This little b*tch really had a cheap life. Even a fever was worse than other people’s. Before she went blind, she should quickly get married. Out of sight, out of mind.

It had been six days since she was reborn.

Chu Qiao was very satisfied with her improvement. She had won an electric fan and even exempted herself from the task of maing three meals a day. She would think of another way to get rid of other household chores.

That night, the dinner was cooked by He Jihong again. She was sweating all over, so hot that she had no appetite at all. Seeing Chu Qiao eating the dishes that she had worked so hard to cook with relish, He Jihong’s head began to hurt again.

Forcing down her anger, He jihong smiled gently and brought up Gu Jianshe.

“Although Jianshe lost his wife, he is still young, only 28 years old. His two children are also very sensible and obedient. As long as you treat them sincerely, they will definitely treat you as their mother and be filial to you. Jianshe is now the deputy secretary at the machine tool factory. The old secretary will retire in two years. The successor will definitely be Jianshe. His future is boundless. If you marry him, you will be the wife of the secretary.. You will enjoy a lot of happiness!”