An 80s female translator was spoiled rotten by a rough and jealous man.

Chapter 202 "King of the Children"

Meng Youyou and Huo Qingshan each carried a small stool and placed it in front of the medicine furnace, and each of them joined the ranks of those examining the medicine, each holding a palm-leaf fan.

After five o'clock, as the sun began to set, the shadow of the Bodhi tree in the center of the courtyard gradually lengthened, spreading out from its roots and covering the courtyard's paving stones.

Amidst the interplay of light and shadow, a few small birds occasionally perch on the branches, fluttering their wings, seemingly about to take flight but not quite.

Grandma Huo was amused by Meng Youyou and laughed heartily. The joyful laughter of the old woman and the young girl filled the entire courtyard.

Huo Qingshan sat silently to the side, watching the fire and listening to the old and young chatting happily, their conversation flowing smoothly and harmoniously.

Grandma Huo sat on the side, with Meng Youyou in the middle. The old woman was asking the girl what she wanted to eat for dinner, saying that she had bought a lot of vegetables at the market that morning.

The girl said sweetly, "Battalion Commander Huo often tells me that his grandma's braised pork is absolutely amazing. It smells so good that it makes my mouth water. He can eat two bowls of rice with this dish. When he was in the army, he always talked to me about missing his grandma and wanting to eat her braised pork. I wanted to try it today too."

Grandma Huo smiled from ear to ear, "It's not as exaggerated as this kid makes it out to be. It's just the most common way of cooking. Qingshan is just used to eating it since he was a child, so he thinks the homemade version tastes the best."

Okay, since you two want to eat, Grandma will make extra tonight. Remember to eat as much as you want.

"Okay, Grandma."

During a break in their conversation, Grandma Huo caught a glimpse of her grandson reaching out a hand to check the temperature of the girl's hand. He then silently went into the room and came out carrying a smoky purple knitted cardigan, which he gently draped over the girl's back.

The girl felt the weight of the clothes suddenly on her shoulder, turned her head to look back, and their eyes met. The girl smiled slightly at the man, whose lips remained flat, but his eyes were incredibly gentle. Everything was so natural. Throughout the entire interaction, the two did not exchange a single word, but the sweet and tender atmosphere that filled the air spoke volumes without a sound.

Grandma Huo withdrew her gaze and focused intently on the medicine jar in front of her. Her heart was filled with mixed emotions. Her grandson, who had always been burdened with worries, had finally met a girl who made him willingly lay down his armor, allowing her into the softest part of his heart, his eyes and soul completely filled with her. Since that was the case, she had no reason to be dissatisfied.

The saying "children and grandchildren have their own blessings" perfectly illustrates this point; nothing can compare to what one truly enjoys.

Just then, the group sitting in the courtyard heard a chattering voice coming from outside, "Is Brother Qingshan back? Where is he?"

A few seconds later, the sources of the noise all rushed into the courtyard, shouting "Brother Qingshan!" and "Brother Qingshan!"

This scene seemed to have suddenly appeared out of nowhere among the children, but the children in front of them were of very different ages. The older ones looked like they were in high school, and the boy in the lead was more than half a head taller than Meng Youyou. He was holding a basketball in his hand, and the youngest girl looked like she had just started elementary school at most, with a snotty nose still hanging from her nose.

The little snotty girl, with her two chubby little legs, ran over and hugged one of Huo Qingshan's legs, who had just stood up.

Meng Youyou rubbed her chubby little face against Huo Qingshan's pants, and then she saw with her own eyes that the snotty little thing was completely hanging on Huo Qingshan's pants.

Meng Youyou covered her mouth with one hand, trying not to laugh.

Once someone set a good example, the rest of them swarmed around. The basketball-playing boy patted his chest and said in a strong voice, "Brother Qingshan, I've been working out every day, and now I can do fifty push-ups and twenty pull-ups in one go. When I turn eighteen next year, I'll sign up to join the army."

Huo Qingshan reached out and patted the boy's shoulder, encouraging him, "Well done." Grandma Huo picked up a ceramic bowl with her left hand and, with a rag wrapped around her right, gripped the handle of the medicine pot in front of Meng Youyou, pouring the medicine from the pot into the bowl. As she poured, she explained to Meng Youyou, "When Qingshan was little, his grandfather and I were both busy. He spent half his time at the clinic. In the early years, the clinic was located a little further down this street, but it was still on this street. Neighbors often helped each other out. Back then, if any family had something to do and only left their children at home, they would send their children to the clinic for us to look after them for a day or two. His grandfather and I were mostly busy with important matters and couldn't take care of so many things. In the end, Qingshan was the one who took care of all these children. They all liked him, and he gradually became the king of the children on this street."

Meng Youyou exclaimed in surprise, "I never would have guessed that he would be so popular with children?"

Grandma Huo laughed: "It is indeed strange. Like you, I was worried at first that this boy's cold and stern appearance would scare the children. But the reality is the opposite of what I imagined. They are not afraid at all, and they all love to stick to him."

This kid may look cold, but you should know that he's actually more thoughtful than anyone else, very caring, and knows how to take care of people.

Meng Youyou nodded in agreement.

Before long, all the children, young and old, were called home by their parents for dinner.

After everyone had left, Huo Qingshan sat alone by the tree pit, holding the little girl with snotty nose in his arms and gently rocking her. The little girl fell asleep in his arms. The man lowered his head slightly, and the last rays of the setting sun shone on his hunched back, casting two shadows, one large and one small, on the bluestone floor.

Meng Youyou pushed open the door and walked out of the room, her footsteps very light. She tiptoed up the tree pit, went around behind the man, squatted down, and silently raised her hands to cover the man's eyes. She spoke in a high-pitched voice, "Brother Qingshan, guess who I am?" Her voice was very affected.

The man pretended to think seriously, pondered for several seconds, and then answered in a measured tone, "Mrs. Huo."

Meng Youyou gave a light "tsk," let go of his hand, punched his shoulder, and complained, "Shameless."

After saying that, she stuck her head out from behind and rested it on the man's shoulder, asking, "Why isn't anyone taking this little brat home for dinner?"

Huo Qingshan turned his head and lightly pecked the girl's cheek, then leaned close to her ear and explained in a very soft voice, "Her name is Tingting. Her parents are gone, and her grandparents took her in."

Meng Youyou suddenly remembered something and asked, "What about Cui Yan? She should live here too, right? Why haven't I seen her?"

"She's a senior at the high school in town. She has an extra class in the afternoon, so she gets out of school a little later than the other kids. She should be back soon."

Meng Youyou closed her eyes, her nostrils filled with his scent. After a long silence, the girl whispered, "Commander Huo, tell me more about your childhood."

The man's arms were still rhythmically rocking the little girl in his arms, causing her head, which was resting on his shoulders, to bounce slightly up and down. He replied in a soothing tone, "What do you want to hear?"

"Hmm... tell me how you manage to do your homework while also taking care of so many kids."

Huo Qingshan spoke very seriously: "Kids are actually quite easy to take care of, as long as you..."

"If they keep crying and you can't soothe them, won't you get annoyed?"

Huo Qingshan smiled and answered honestly, "There will be a little."