Chapter Ten: Qin Xue’s Sorrow (Thanks for the Recommendation Votes)

“Big sister, where’s the nice smell?”
Little Winter nestled her small head against Qin Xue’s fair neck, sniffed adorably with her tiny nose, and spoke in a milky voice.

Qin Xue laughed softly. “Giggling... Winter smells nice too, you’re a little fragrant melon.” She planted a kiss on the little one in her arms, then turned to look at Yang Qing, who was standing a step behind her, and teased with a smile, “Why are you standing so far away? Do you think I’m going to eat you?”

Yang Qing looked awkward, rubbing his nose with embarrassment, not sure what to say. Just then, Little Autumn came to his rescue.

“Wow! Big sister, don’t eat my brother! Autumn will ask brother to buy you something tasty, is that okay?”

Qin Xue chuckled, nodded, and turned her gaze, sweetly calling out to Yang Qing, “Then, Brother Yang Qing, what are you going to treat me to?”

Yang Qing was completely stunned by the way Qin Xue called him “Brother Yang Qing,” standing there like a wooden post until Little Summer tugged at his hand.

“Ahem, well, how about we go eat…”

“Let’s eat spicy bang-bang chicken!” Little Bai suddenly jumped up and shouted before Yang Qing could finish.

“Bang-bang chicken?” Qin Xue asked curiously, “What’s that?”

Little Bai’s eyes sparkled as she animatedly explained, “It’s chicken that you pound, pound, pound with a stick, then add lots and lots of chili! It smells so good!” As she spoke, she waved her little hands around, miming the cooking process for Qin Xue.

Qin Xue was even more puzzled and looked to Yang Qing.

Yang Qing quickly smiled and explained, “Bang-bang chicken is a specialty dish from Little Bai’s hometown. It’s really delicious.” Then he glanced at the eagerly expectant Little Bai and said, “But the restaurants here don’t serve it. Next time, I’ll make some for you, okay?”

Little Bai narrowed her eyes suspiciously, “Hmph! Liar! You’re tricking kids!”

Yang Qing was helpless.

Qin Xue burst out laughing at the sight of Little Bai, who was as feisty as a chili pepper, leaving Yang Qing speechless. She asked curiously, “So you really know how to make bang-bang chicken? Can you make it for me one day?”

Yang Qing stammered, “Well... actually, I don’t know how.”

Qin Xue laughed again. “I knew it, you’re just fooling the kids.”

Yang Qing sighed silently.

“Big sister, my brother can’t make bang-bang chicken, but he can make savory pancakes and soup dumplings! They smell amazing! Let my brother treat you, please?”

Indeed, Little Autumn never forgot her mission as the family’s little sweetheart, always ready to help. She once again saved Yang Qing, who quickly followed up, “Or how about we go for hot pot?”

“Hot pot... works too,” Qin Xue nodded. “There’s a buffet hot pot restaurant nearby that’s quite good. Children under ten don’t count towards the seat charge. Let’s go there.”

“Oh... Okay.” Yang Qing gave Qin Xue a deep look. At that moment, his feelings toward this beautiful woman went far beyond mere gratitude.

“Thank you,” he said softly as he stepped closer. She understood his embarrassment, and he was grateful for her kindness.

Qin Xue smiled radiantly. “No need to thank me. Let’s go, the little ones are getting impatient.”

“Big sister, what’s hot pot? Is it tasty?” asked one of the children.

“Hehe... silly girl, hot pot is a pot that’s on fire!”

“Wow! A pot on fire! Little Bai, have you ever tried it?”

“Hehe... I’ve never eaten it either!”

“Neither have I,” giggled Little Autumn.

The group chattered excitedly all the way, with Little Autumn and Little Bai holding hands and talking non-stop. Qin Xue, listening to their innocent and adorable words, wanted to laugh but couldn’t; instead, she felt a pang of sadness.

She glanced questioningly at Yang Qing, who shook his head gently. Not to mention the little ones—even he, in all his memories of this timeline, had never once eaten hot pot, not even at home.

...

“Little Autumn, Little Bai, Little Spring, Little Summer, here, have some shrimp.”

Qin Xue handed over the shrimp she’d peeled herself, earning sweet thanks from the children.

Little Winter patted her hands and called out cutely, “Eat, big sister, shrimp! Winter wants shrimp!”

Qin Xue chuckled. “Alright, big sister will feed you.” She really liked these innocent, adorable children.

Though their backgrounds were unfortunate, their pure smiles gave her warmth and happiness. The world may have abandoned them, but they didn’t abandon the world. Winter snows covered the branches, but the winter sun brought hope.

Yang Qing was their hope.

Watching these four children named for the seasons—Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter—who together symbolized the cycle of life, she suddenly felt a surge of pity for Yang Qing, as well as deep admiration.

She pitied his hardships and respected his dedication and perseverance.

“You should eat too,” Yang Qing said, noticing that Qin Xue had been looking after the children and barely eaten herself. Compelled by a sudden impulse, he used his own chopsticks to place a piece of duck blood into Qin Xue’s bowl.

Qin Xue was momentarily taken aback, looking at the duck blood in her bowl, and Yang Qing suddenly realized his blunder. He’d used his own chopsticks to give her food—how improper, and a bit too intimate!

For a moment, he was at a loss.

But—

“Mmm, it’s cooked just right and tastes great,” Qin Xue said, not the least bit bothered as she picked up the duck blood and ate it.

Yang Qing quietly let out a breath of relief and smiled. “Eat some more. The kids can help themselves; you don’t have to look after them the whole time.”

“Alright, you eat too.”

They enjoyed their hot pot immensely. Little Autumn and Little Bai were reluctant to leave when it was time to go.

As they left the restaurant, the children hugged and kissed Qin Xue goodbye, not wanting to part, especially Little Autumn, who clung to Qin Xue, holding her neck and refusing to let go.

In their brief time together, Qin Xue had given her a kind of care and warmth she’d never known—the unique love of a young woman—making it hard for her to let go.

“There, there, big sister will come see you often from now on. Be good, okay?” Qin Xue gently comforted her, seeming to understand Little Autumn’s reluctance.

“Then you must come see me again, big sister. I’ll miss you,” Little Autumn said tearfully.

“Come now, be good. Big sister needs to go to work and can’t be late. Whenever you miss her, I’ll take you to visit. How about that?” Yang Qing stepped forward, gently pulling Little Autumn away, then handed Qin Xue her bag and folder. “Take care on the way. Here—this is for the medical expense you covered last time. Thank you.”

Qin Xue accepted the money without hesitation, recognizing his insistence. Poor in wealth, but not in spirit.

After waving goodbye, they each went their separate ways. Yang Qing took the children shopping for new clothes and the schoolbag Little Autumn had been looking forward to. Qin Xue hailed a taxi, gave the driver her destination, and sat in the back, absorbed in her documents.

At three o’clock in the afternoon, the program planning meeting at Yangcheng TV Station began as scheduled.

“This time, the theme of our program is ‘Nation and Family!’” announced Zhang Wei, the slightly balding deputy director, looking around the room. “Our program must showcase our unique national and family characteristics—and, if possible, be one-of-a-kind!”

“You’ve all read the proposals. Now, let’s hear your own ideas,” he prompted.

But silence filled the room. Planning a program wasn’t difficult, but making it unique to the nation and family narrowed the options considerably. Cultural media programs aim to be educational, to gain acceptance, and to promote positive values—not just flashy, meaningless gimmicks.

As the silence dragged on, Zhang Wei frowned deeply, tapping the table lightly. His gaze finally fell on Qin Xue at the end of the table, and he smiled kindly.

“Xue, you’ve been with us nearly three months now. You’re the youngest here and a top university graduate with a quick mind. Do you have any ideas? Don’t worry if they’re not perfect; just share them.”

Qin Xue was taken aback, not expecting to be called on. But, since she was asked, she would step up.

“I do have a rather immature idea I’d like to share, and perhaps we can discuss it together,” she began, taking a deep breath. “Our country is an ancient land with a rich cultural heritage, full of history and humanity. Perhaps we could start our program from this angle.”

“Oh? Culture and history—interesting. Go on, Xue,” Zhang Wei encouraged her with a smile.

“Thank you,” Qin Xue continued. “We could focus on cultural aspects—such as poetry, couplets, and traditional games like chess. Or we could approach it from the perspective of history…”

The room fell silent as everyone listened attentively, not a single person interrupting. Only now did many who’d previously looked down on Qin Xue begin to truly reevaluate her.

A woman blessed with both beauty and wisdom—a formidable being indeed.

The meeting lasted a full two hours. When it ended, Qin Xue, who had stolen the spotlight, left the room with a hint of worry on her otherwise flawless face.

She felt helpless about the task assigned by the leadership—being made to lead several fellow interns in crafting a program based solely on her own ideas.

This was truly a challenging responsibility.

She understood that the higher-ups were nurturing her, and being singled out as an intern was a huge opportunity. But the weight felt almost too much.

Could her slender shoulders bear such a burden? Leading a team of interns, all on her own!

Ah... what a headache!