Chapter 153: 153: Dumpling Dinner Party

Chapter 153: Chapter 153: Dumpling Dinner Party

When Qin Yize reached Gu Qiaoqiao, he naturally crouched down.

Gu Qiaoqiao only felt a shadow looming over her.

Looking up, she was startled—it was Qin Yize!

Gu Qiaoqiao blinked several times and asked, “Are you going to the base?”

Today, Qin Yize was wearing a coffee-colored sweater, which absolutely highlighted his jade-like complexion and elegant demeanor.

Qin Yize didn’t pick up on her words; instead, he took a pickerelweed from the iron basin by Gu Qiaoqiao’s feet and asked her, “Is this the pickerelweed you mentioned?”

“Yes, this is it.” Hesitating for a moment, Gu Qiaoqiao honestly replied.

“Does it have a scientific name?” Qin Yize asked gently, turning the pickerelweed over in his hands.

Scientific name?

Uh…

Gu Qiaoqiao sneaked a glance at Qin Yize; he was squatting very close to her. The sun was shining brightly today, illuminating his face, and she suddenly realized how flawless his skin was.

Not a single acne spot.

A grown man!

And yet, he had such great skin.

Gu Qiaoqiao silently curled her lips and then felt that today’s Qin Yize was stranger than ever.

So, better be careful in the future.

“I don’t know the scientific name; maybe this is the scientific name,” she replied.

Noticing the curiosity on Qin Yize’s face, Gu Qiaoqiao continued, “This pickerelweed can also reduce swelling and detoxify. If you accidentally get bitten by a venomous snake or insect in the woods, take the fresh pickerelweed, mash it into a paste, and apply it directly to the wound. It will quickly decompose and expel the toxins from the body, and it can also quickly alleviate the symptoms of redness and pain caused by the snake bite.”

Qin Yize’s gaze fell on Gu Qiaoqiao, his lips curving up, “Really?”

“Yes, really,” Gu Qiaoqiao nodded.

“Where did you read about it?”

“In books, of course,” Gu Qiaoqiao blinked and replied.

Putting down the pickerelweed he was holding, Qin Yize simply sat down cross-legged on the clean grass and asked Gu Qiaoqiao, “Do you love reading books?”

He seemed to have never seen her reading one.

Gu Qiaoqiao was taken aback, staring at those starry eyes that were fixated on her, and unconsciously said, “It’s okay.”

Actually, her true love was sculpting.

Qin Yize’s brows twitched, but he didn’t speak; instead, he began to pinch the leaf buds of the pickerelweed nearby.

Gu Qiaoqiao didn’t stop him, yet she felt quite strange inside.

The conversation they had in the bedroom earlier seemed to have no effect on him, as if it had never happened.

It was as if it were just a daytime dream she had during her nap.

She felt resentful in her heart.

She already had a tendency to be absent-minded in situations, and this Qin Yize must be doing it on purpose.

At that moment, Zhang Yali and her child walked by the roadside, accompanied by a woman in her thirties. Gu Qiaoqiao squinted and suddenly remembered—it was Engineer Mu’s wife.

Her name was Du Shuang.

True to her name, she was a very straightforward woman.

In the beginning, in her past life, the two did not get along well. During the darkest two years of Gu Qiaoqiao’s life, they had even quarreled.

What it was about, Gu Qiaoqiao had actually forgotten.

All she remembered was that she had been called stupid before the other woman turned and walked away.

It wasn’t until half a year later that they started talking again and resumed their interactions.

But now, Gu Qiaoqiao thought what Du Shuang said back then was quite right; she had been pretty stupid at that time.

Certain people, at certain stages, are as if their brains are covered in mud, wandering through life in a daze, and a moment of enlightenment isn’t that easy to come by.

Gu Qiaoqiao smiled at her and stood up with Qin Yize.

Before Qin Yize could introduce her, Du Shuang’s loud voice rang out, “Oh, are this young couple picking herbs, or are they on a picnic…”

She then walked up to the two of them, curiously looking at Gu Qiaoqiao, “So you’re Gu Qiaoqiao, right? My goodness, you’re so young, yet your cooking skills are so impressive. Yesterday, my husband Zheng said the food I made was like pig feed. By the way, my name is Du Shuang, but you can just call me Sister-in-law Zheng.”

Gu Qiaoqiao chuckled, blinked her misty eyes, and obediently said, “Sister-in-law Zheng.”

Du Shuang smacked her lips and praised, “Such a cute little face, no wonder Doctor Qin married you so early.”

Gu Qiaoqiao didn’t know what to say, so she just pursed her lips and smiled, seemingly embarrassed.

Qin Yize, who was used to such scenes, asked indifferently, “Sister-in-law, is there something you need?”

“Nothing, just came to see your wife.”

“Sister-in-law, please come in then.” Gu Qiaoqiao didn’t seem to see Zhang Yali not far off; she just politely greeted Du Shuang.

Du Shuang waved her hand, “No need, no need.” Then, looking at Gu Qiaoqiao, she asked, “Is that duckbill plant in your basin?”

“Yes, Sister-in-law, you recognize it as well?”

“Used to eat it all the time when I was a kid, of course I recognize it,” Du Shuang continued, “It tastes even better blanched.”

“Yeah, I plan to use it as a filling for dumplings.”

“You’re making dumplings tonight?” Du Shuang’s eyes lit up.

Gu Qiaoqiao nodded.

Du Shuang clapped her hands, her eyes smiling, “Qiaoqiao, let’s have a dinner gathering tonight.”

A gathering?

Gu Qiaoqiao was startled.

“I’ll go back and knead the dough, make a few more dishes, and you prepare the dumpling filling. We can make dumplings together.” Then looking at Qin Yize, “What do you think, Doctor Qin?”

Qin Yize naturally nodded his head.

His heart stirred.

This Du Shuang was quite decent, much better than the neighbor who was holding her child.

It would be nice for Gu Qiaoqiao to be friends with her.

But it still depended on Gu Qiaoqiao.

After all, making friends should be based on likability.

Thus, he discreetly glanced at Gu Qiaoqiao to gauge her reaction.

But Gu Qiaoqiao did not hesitate and cheerfully nodded, “Sure, then I’ll pick more duckbill plant and prepare the dumpling filling to bring over.”

Du Shuang had actually regretted it a bit, not because she begrudged the white flour from her home, but because she was worried her forwardness might have scared off Qin Yize’s young wife.

But she hadn’t expected Gu Qiaoqiao to be so straightforward.

So, she walked off the grass happily onto the street, where Zhang Yali was holding her child as well.

She met her right in front of her house.

That woman was too lazy; not much housework, no elders to care for, yet she managed to keep her two kids so untidy.

Lacked any tact as well.

Didn’t even ask, just tagged along.

But since their men were colleagues working together, they couldn’t just spoil the unity.

So she cheerfully said, “Zhang Yali, come roll out dumpling wrappers with me. With your Engineer Mu joining us tonight, we’ll have a lively time.”

If familiarity was the criterion, Du Shuang and Zhang Yali knew each other the best, and since Du Shuang was the eldest and the main host was at her house, naturally she had the final say on whom to invite.

Gu Qiaoqiao thought, being young has its benefits.

Qin Yize thought, Gu Qiaoqiao could indeed easily win others’ favor if she wanted to.

Just like now!

Zhang Yali happily followed Du Shuang.

Qin Yize and Gu Qiaoqiao began picking duckbill plants.

If this spot of grassland were cordoned off, these two would somewhat resemble a couple out on a picnic.