Chapter 108: Unspoken Words |
Liu Changqing stepped out of the bathroom, towel in hand, rubbing his hair dry.
Standing upright, his eyes fell on Lan Yixian, who was crouched near the coffee table, vigorously scrubbing it with a cloth.
Beside her was a plastic basin, its water no longer clear but murky and dark.
Noticing this, Liu Changqing felt a twinge of embarrassment.
Although he did occasional housework, he rarely bothered with anything beyond visible grime. At most, he would sweep the floor with a broom and mop it quickly.
He had already told Lan Yixian that she didn’t need to do this, but her guilt seemed to push her to stubbornly take on the household cleaning.
Taking a few steps closer, Liu Changqing stood behind her.
“I’ve finished showering. You and your daughter can go now.”
“In a moment. Let me finish tidying the living room first,” Lan Yixian replied, pausing to wipe sweat from her brow.
Lan Yixian was visibly affected, sweating heavily. Her clothes clung to her body, and her outfit, already dirty from the debt collectors earlier that day, looked even more unkempt.
Liu Changqing noticed and asked, “Didn’t you and your daughter buy some change of clothes this morning?”
“…”
Lan Yixian froze, her expression turning anxious after a moment.
“I forgot about that!”
“Sigh…” Liu Changqing exhaled, unsurprised. Just as he was about to say more, Lan Yixian stood up suddenly.
“I’ll go back and grab a few clothes.”
“What are you thinking? There are definitely people staking out your place, waiting for you two to return. Going back now is like walking into a trap!”
“Oh! Then… what should we do? Should we go buy some now?”
“I’ve got some old clothes here. They’re not new, but they’ll do for now. As for your daughter, she can wear something of Xiazhi’s. They’re about the same size.”
Lan Yixian looked stunned, her expression growing awkward.
Wearing his clothes… This suggestion felt…
Seeing her reaction, Liu Changqing added, “Of course, it’s not ideal. There’s a hairdryer in the small cabinet in the bathroom. You can wash the clothes and use the dryer to make them wearable. Tomorrow, I’ll pick up some new ones for you while I’m out. But my old clothes might have a bit of a smell from being stored too long…”
“Alright…”
“It’s settled then,” Liu Changqing concluded, turning toward his daughter’s room.
“Xiazhi, come out for a minute!”
“What now?”
A voice responded from the room, followed by Liu Xiazhi stepping out in her slippers. She walked up to him, her chin raised as if trying to look defiant.
“I was about to sleep!”
Liu Changqing didn’t believe a word of it. That noisy handheld console of hers could wake the dead every night.
He chose not to call out her lie, though. Instead, he patted her damp hair, a faintly cryptic smile on his face.
Enjoy your last night of gaming. Tomorrow, Zhou Shiyan will help tutor you…
Feeling the wetness in her hair, Liu Changqing asked, “Why didn’t you dry your hair properly? If it turns into a frizzy mess tomorrow, you’ll complain that I can’t style it nicely again.”
Recalling a previous disastrous hair-styling attempt, Liu Xiazhi quickly shook her head.
“I can do my own hair!”
“You’re not great at it. Let me handle it! I’ve been practicing since last time.”
“No, no, no!”
“Just trust me once more!”
“I said no!”
“Um…”
The argument was interrupted as both father and daughter turned toward Lan Yixian, who had softly interjected.
Feeling awkward under their gaze, Lan Yixian looked away and said, “I’m pretty good at doing hair. I used to style Shiyan’s hair every day when she was little. How about I help your daughter with hers?”
“…”
Liu Changqing froze, only now realizing there was someone who could solve the hair-styling dilemma right in his home.
He was about to agree when he felt a tug on his arm. Looking down, he saw his daughter glaring up at him with a pouty expression.
“You do my hair,” she said firmly.
Her directness was clear, and both Liu Changqing and Lan Yixian understood its meaning.
The awkwardness in Lan Yixian’s expression deepened.
Sensing the tension, Liu Changqing decided to change the subject.
“Let’s not worry about that now. Xiazhi, grab a couple of your outfits for that sister to wear.”
“But I…”
“Do as you’re told, Xiazhi.”
Liu Changqing cut her off before she could protest further. He patted her head.
“Go on, quickly.”
“Fine…”
Reluctantly, Xiazhi stomped back into her room, pouting as she rifled through her clothes.
Lan Yixian clutched her cleaning rag, her head lowered, clearly dispirited.
Seeing this, Liu Changqing said, “Leave the cleaning. I’ve already told you I’ll handle it.”
“But…”
“It’s fine. Don’t feel so restrained. Think of it this way—I’ll need your daughter’s help with something tomorrow. Just treat this like a visit.”
“How can I? I’m not a guest here. I’ve already caused you so much trouble. If I don’t do something, I’ll feel even worse!”
Her expression was resolute. Despite her gentle demeanor, she was firm in her beliefs—stubborn, to put it simply.
Seeing this, Liu Changqing realized it wasn’t worth arguing. This wasn’t a matter easily settled with a few words.
“I’m a bit tired. I’ll go rest now. You two should shower soon.”
Without waiting for a response, Liu Changqing turned and headed to his room, closing the door behind him.
Lan Yixian stood in place, confused by his sudden change in tone.
Inside the room, Liu Zhiyue lay on the bed, a book in hand.
Liu Changqing didn’t go straight to bed. Instead, he pulled out the chair by his desk and sat down.
Nighttime was his writing time.
Once the computer booted up, he opened a new document and began typing away.
The sound of the keyboard filled the room.
“Dad…”
Liu Changqing paused, turning toward his son.
“What is it?”
Liu Zhiyue turned his head, meeting his father’s gaze. He opened his mouth to speak but hesitated.
After a moment of struggle, he said, “Nothing… just type a bit quieter.”
“Got it!”
Liu Changqing lightened his keystrokes, slowing his pace.
The room returned to the soft rhythm of typing sounds.
After a while, Liu Changqing broke the silence.
“By the way, after my morning run tomorrow, I’ll be heading out. Make something simple for lunch.”
“Huh? Where are you going?”
“Nowhere special,” Liu Changqing replied, his eyes focused on the screen as words appeared.
“I need to visit your Uncle Feng. I might have to go often for a while.”