Chapter 412: Seventies: The Mature Husband 12

“Yes! It's New Year's, anyway, and I have nothing to do or anywhere to go. I'd rather sit at your house a little longer. You're not going to chase me away, are you, Comrade Xue?” Tang Wan blinked at Xue Xingtong.

Hearing this, Xue Xingtong's heart relaxed, and he immediately said, “Of course not. Sit for a while. There are apples in the basket. I've already washed them. Help yourself, don't be polite.”

Tang Wan smiled faintly and nodded.

After Xue Xingtong left, she glanced around the main room.

The Xue family was visibly poor. Aside from the table and chairs, there was practically nothing of any value in the main room.

However, the floor was swept very clean, and everything was arranged neatly.

What Tang Wan didn't know was that after Xue Xingtong carried the bowl she had just eaten dumplings from into the kitchen, he furtively picked it up and quickly licked the rim where she had just drunk the dumpling soup.

There seemed to be a faintly sweet taste.

His eyes narrowed slightly. The next moment, Xue Xingtong immediately put down the bowl in his hand, washed it thoroughly in the pot, and then placed that bowl at the innermost part of the stove.

From now on, this would be his personal rice bowl!

……

Afraid that Tang Wan would get tired of waiting and leave, Xue Xingtong wiped his hands after washing the bowls and returned to the main room with a kitchen knife.

Tang Wan froze when she saw him carrying a knife inside.

But the next moment, Xue Xingtong silently walked over to the basket containing several apples, picked one up, sat down on a stool, and began peeling it.

After peeling off one long strip of skin, he handed the apple to Tang Wan. “Eat.”

Tang Wan smiled and accepted it, taking a bite. “It's very sweet.”

“Mm. Sit here. I'm going to start a fire.” Xue Xingtong nodded, then took the apple peel and kitchen knife outside.

Once outside, he beckoned the two children over, divided the apple peel into two portions, and handed one to each of them.

“Thank you, Big Brother!” the two children immediately said.

“We have a guest. You two should be quiet and go play by the entrance,” Xue Xingtong told them.

The two children immediately nodded obediently.

They had absolutely no idea that, in order to create an opportunity to be alone with Tang Wan, their tall and mighty Big Brother had ruthlessly abandoned them.

……

After giving the two children their instructions, Xue Xingtong returned to the kitchen and brought out a black iron basin. He skillfully lit the dry firewood, then carried it into the main room.

“Educated Youth Tang, come warm yourself by the fire,” Xue Xingtong said.

“Mm!” Tang Wan moved closer.

Before long, Xue Xingtong also brought over a stool and sat down opposite her.

Then the two of them once again fell into a state of having nothing to say to each other.

But this silent atmosphere was soon broken by Tang Wan.

“Comrade Xue, what kind of girl do you like?” Tang Wan suddenly asked.

Hearing this, Xue Xingtong froze for a moment. Then, through the distorted air shimmering above the flames, he looked at her. “I've never thought about it.”

But inwardly, he silently replied: Someone like you would be fine. Gentle, beautiful, pure, and kind.

……

“Never thought about it?” Tang Wan looked at him in surprise.

“Mm. Someone like me isn't going to have any girl willing to marry me, so there's no point thinking about it.” Xue Xingtong gave a self-deprecating smile.

Tang Wan stopped nibbling her apple and looked at him seriously. “How could that be? I think Comrade Xue is wonderful! You're mature and steady, responsible, capable, ummm… you're also very domestic and family-oriented, and you're handsome too! In the future, I want to marry someone like you, Comrade Xue.”

Xue Xingtong immediately stared at her in astonishment, his heart pounding like a drum. What did she mean by that?

Was… was she talking about what he thought she was talking about?

But very soon, Xue Xingtong shattered his own unrealistic fantasy.

Heh!

How could that be?