How could she deal with this situation? Being completely in the dark, she sobbed, thinking the heavens should at least tell her where she was and who these people around her were.
At least they should tell her what she was supposed to do. As Qin Xue was lost in thought, Fang Hong came back with food.
“Qin Xue, I got you some porridge and buns. Eat them quickly.” Fang Hong placed the rectangular lunch box on the table and scooped up some porridge, preparing to feed Qin Xue.
“Sister-in-law, help me sit up and lean against the bed. I’d like to eat by myself, please.” Even though Qin Xue felt dizzy, she wanted to eat on her own, as she wasn’t used to being fed by others.
“Alright, I’ll help you sit up.” Fang Hong put the bowl on the table, helped Qin Xue sit up, and placed a pillow against the head of the bed for her to lean on before handing the bowl to Qin Xue.
“Sister-in-law, have you eaten yet?” Qin Xue asked as she looked at the porridge.
“You eat first. I’ll have my meal after you finish.” Fang Hong was surprised to hear Qin Xue ask this question.
Hearing Fang Hong’s reply, Qin Xue said nothing more and started eating the porridge.
Qin Xue could have complained about the bland taste of the porridge, but she was so hungry that she couldn’t eat anything too hard; otherwise, it would upset her stomach. She picked up a large bun, broke off a small piece and found that the filling was a mixture of pork mince and bean thread noodles. The taste wasn’t very good and it wasn’t as delicious as the ones she had made herself. However, given her unfamiliar surroundings, she really had no choice.
Qin Xue quietly ate half a bun and finished the bowl of porridge before she couldn’t eat anymore. She put down the bowl.
“Sister-in-law, I’m full. You can go eat now!” Qin Xue said after she had enough.
Only after seeing that Qin Xue really didn’t want to eat any more, did Fang Hong clean up the lunch box and wash the bowl before going to have her meal.
Qin Xue tried to sit for a while but ultimately felt too dizzy. She closed her eyes and found it more comfortable. Her mind raced as she pieced together everything she had seen since waking up. It was evident that this wasn’t the era in which she used to live. This place was far more backward, and she might have actually gone back several decades.
Sigh, when in Rome, do as the Romans; the only thing that worried her was her grandparents. She wondered how they would cope when they discovered her death?
With these thoughts, Qin Xue drifted off to sleep.
When Qin Xue woke up again, it was already afternoon. She looked at the sun outside the window, then turned her head and saw a woman sitting beside the bed, knitting a sweater with yarn. The woman appeared to be in her thirties; her clothing and style were more fashionable than Fang Hong, and the quality of her clothes was also much higher. Her temperament seemed quite good, indicating that her family’s living standard was relatively high.
Yu Xiu, noticing Qin Xue’s gaze, put down her knitting needles: “You’re awake, are you thirsty? Do you want to drink some water or go to the bathroom first?”
“Uh, I’d like to go to the bathroom first.” Qin Xue was a bit urgent, as the porridge she had in the morning made her urinate a lot.
After Yu Xiu helped Qin Xue to the bathroom, she poured her a cup of warm water and sat down on a nearby stool to watch her drink.
“What do you want to eat? I’ll get it for you from the canteen.”
Yu Xiu’s attitude was neither cold nor warm, just indifferent. Thinking back to what Fang Hong had said earlier, she added, “By the way, my name is Yu Xiu. Fang Hong and I will take turns caring for you. If you need anything, just let me know.”
Yu Xiu didn’t really have any objections to Qin Xue; it was just her personality to be indifferent to everyone.
After marrying Xu Fangzhou, Yu Xiu had two children, a boy and a girl. The girl was four years old, and the boy was eight. Both were attending school and kindergarten, younger than Fang Hong’s child.
Fang Hong’s son was already in junior high school. Since Yu Xiu’s children were much younger, it was Yu Xiu who took care of Qin Xue during the day while Fang Hong took care of her at night.
“Sister-in-law, you should go eat first. Just get me some porridge when you’re done, but take your time and eat well. You can come back after you’ve finished.” Qin Xue said softly.