I couldn't take it anymore; when I went home for Chinese New Year, the family genealogy book ha

Soon, the sound of running water came from the bathroom.

In the open-plan kitchenette, Jiang Chen was carefully slicing ginger with a small knife.

The soft "thump-thump-thump" of the knife blade against the cutting board mingled with the sounds of the raging wind and rain outside and the water gurgling from the bathroom, creating a strange melody.

Jiang Chen was also a little apprehensive.

He felt that the air in the RV had become a bit thick and hot at some point.

Listening to the faint sound of water, random images would uncontrollably pop into his mind.

He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing those distracting thoughts, and quickened his pace.

The sound of water stopped.

The bathroom door was gently pushed open a crack.

Jiang Chen was putting the shredded ginger and brown sugar into the small pot without turning his head.

"Finished washing? The towel is in the closet, and the hairdryer is in the drawer. Find it yourself."

He pretended to be very calm.

Su Qing's voice, barely audible, came from behind.

"Your pants... are too big, I can't wear them."

Jiang Chen's hand froze.

He turned around.

Then I froze.

Su Qing was standing less than three meters away from him.

She was only wearing Jiang Chen's white shirt.

The oversized shirt hung loosely on her petite frame, the hem just covering her upper thighs, creating the classic "no pants" look.

Two straight, long, and dazzlingly white legs were exposed to the air without any cover.

She had just finished showering, her fair skin still had a layer of moist pink on it, and her long black hair was casually wrapped in a towel, with a few wet strands hanging down beside her cheeks.

Her unadorned face was breathtakingly beautiful under the warm yellow light.

Especially her clear eyes, which, because of nervousness and shyness, looked like a startled fawn, with a hint of moisture, as she timidly looked at Jiang Chen.

"Gulp."

Jiang Chen felt his throat was a little dry and subconsciously swallowed.

He hurriedly turned around, not daring to look anymore, but staring at the ginger soup in the pot that was slowly starting to steam, while his heart was pounding uncontrollably.

broken.

I almost burned the ginger soup.

Seeing Jiang Chen's embarrassed look, Su Qing became less nervous and even a little smug appeared on her lips.

She clutched the hem of her dress, barefoot, and silently walked to Jiang Chen's side on the soft carpet.

A faint, sweet fragrance of shower gel mixed with the scent of a young girl wafted into Jiang Chen's nose.

"Hey, why are you blushing?"

Su Qing poked Jiang Chen's arm with her finger.

"I...I'm just affected by the heat."

Jiang Chen offered a stubborn explanation, but his body subconsciously shifted to the side.

"Tch, coward."

Su Qing muttered something under her breath and stopped teasing him.

The ginger soup was ready quickly.

The two sat side by side on the large, comfortable leather sofa, each holding a steaming bowl of brown sugar ginger soup.

The rain outside showed no signs of letting up, and the thunder continued to rumble incessantly.

Whenever lightning flashed and illuminated the outside of the car window in a blinding white light, Su Qing would instinctively lean closer to Jiang Chen, her shoulder almost touching his arm.

She sipped the ginger soup slowly, the warm current of spiciness mixed with a hint of sweetness spreading from her throat all the way to her stomach, dispelling the last trace of chill from her body.

The carriage was quiet, with only the soft breathing of the two people and the sound of the heavy wind and rain outside the window.

"Jiang Chen".

Su Qing suddenly broke the silence.

"Um?"

"Do you know?"

Su Qing stared at the rising steam from the bowl, her eyes somewhat unfocused, and her voice became very soft.

"Back in the provincial capital, it seemed like... it seemed like there was no one in my life who truly cared about me, except for my parents."

"Everyone looks at me like I'm a walking banknote."

"When my so-called best friends go shopping with me, they always choose the most expensive stores and then pretend they forgot to bring their wallets."

"The gifts the guys who pursued me gave me were either limited edition bags or the latest sports cars. It's like they think I only deserve these things."

"My dad... he loves me very much, but his way of expressing love is by giving me a black card with no credit limit."

He always said, "Qingqing, 99% of the world's troubles can be solved with money. If they can't, it's because you don't have enough money."

Su Qing gave a self-deprecating laugh, but her eyes were a little red.

"Everyone fawns over me, praising my beauty, my intelligence, and my good taste."

"But no one has ever asked me whether I actually like those things or not."

"And no one has ever genuinely cared whether I'm happy or not."

Jiang Chen didn't interrupt her, nor did he say anything to comfort her.

He just listened quietly.

He knew that this proud young lady, who usually seemed like a little sun, didn't need a lecture at this moment, but rather a listener.

"Until I came to Jiangjia Village."

Su Qing looked up at Jiang Chen with bright, sparkling eyes.

"The people here will genuinely regard me as a hero because I saved someone with my excavator."

"Aunt Wang would bring me locust flower cakes every few days because I love them."

"You...you get all nervous and make me ginger soup just because I got a little rained on."

"It seems like nobody here treats me as Su Tianhao's daughter; they just see me as Su Qing."

As Su Qing spoke, tears fell from her eyes, one by one, into the ginger soup bowl in her hand, creating small ripples.

Jiang Chen put down the bowl in his hand.

He reached out and gently took her small hand, which was a little cold from holding the bowl.

Su Qing's fingers trembled slightly, but she did not pull them away.

"You are not the daughter of the richest man in Jiangjia Village."

Jiang Chen looked into her eyes and spoke each word clearly and firmly.

"You are Su Qing."

"That crazy girl who dared to rush into the mud to save people."

Su Qing suddenly raised her head, her tearful eyes shining brightly, as if filled with countless stars.

The torrential rain outside didn't seem so terrible anymore.