Picked Up the Female Lead When She Was Young (GL) - Chapter 6

Zhou Qinglang was still holding the bag of fried noodles, which she hadn’t forgotten to grab before she left. Her expression was a mixture of longing and hesitation.

“I’m the only one living here, so you don’t have to worry about anyone chasing you away.”

Xia Wanshuang shook her hand again toward Zhou Qinglang, and when Zhou Qinglang finally took her hand, a smile spread across her face.

Xia Wanshuang held Zhou Qinglang’s hand all the way back home. After climbing to the third floor, Xia Wanshuang took out her key.

“Let’s get you into some slippers. I’ll take you to the bathroom first to wash your hair and take a bath. Getting clean will help get rid of germs.”

Zhou Qinglang nodded. As they walked past the living room, she curiously glanced at the cups and bottles on the dining table.

“Leave this here for now. You can go wait for me in the bathroom. I’ll go find some clothes you can wear.”

Xia Wanshuang took the bag from Zhou Qinglang and placed it on the coffee table along with the medicine. She pointed Zhou Qinglang toward the bathroom and went to the original owner’s room to find clothes for Zhou Qinglang.

Zhou Qinglang took in the place, curiously looking at everything. She walked into the bathroom, not daring to touch or move anything, and just stood there, waiting for Xia Wanshuang to return.

Xia Wanshuang grabbed some clothes the original owner had outgrown and set aside, including pajamas and underwear, and headed back to the bathroom.

“Take your clothes off. I’ll wash your hair first, then your body.”

Zhou Qinglang was a bit hesitant to take off her clothes, but after Xia Wanshuang gently pinched her cheek, she obediently took off her dirty clothes and set them aside.

Xia Wanshuang thought the child was thin just by looking at her, but when she saw her body with clearly visible ribs, she realized just how thin she was. She felt a pang of sympathy, vowing to make sure she was well-fed from now on.

Zhou Qinglang was quite dirty, and her hair was matted and tangled, making it difficult to manage.

“It might hurt a little when I comb it. Just bear with it, okay?”

Zhou Qinglang responded with a nasal hum and then let Xia Wanshuang comb her hair without a word.

Xia Wanshuang was very patient. She used a fine-toothed comb to slowly detangle Zhou Qinglang’s hair, checking for lice as she went.

Thankfully, despite the dirt and tangles, there were no lice or fleas. This was probably because she hadn’t been on the streets for long after escaping the orphanage.

After all her hair was combed, Xia Wanshuang washed it twice. She was satisfied only when it was clean, and she gently stroked the child’s dry hair.

“It’s a bit long. I’ll help you trim it later.”

Teacher Xia, a master of hands-on skills, offered. Although she taught middle school, she was always great with her hands. Whether it was sewing or paper cutting, she was skilled, and she even had a bit of experience with hairstyles.

“Mhm.”

Zhou Qinglang uttered her first word since coming into the house. She stood up and let Xia Wanshuang help her wash.

“You still haven’t told me your name.”

“Zhou Qinglang.”

Zhou Qinglang enunciated each syllable clearly.

“Qing is from qīng yuè (clear and resonant), and Lang is with a king and a good character.”

Zhou Qinglang’s voice was hoarse as she explained her name, looking at the white tiles. She was reminded of a long time ago.

Grandma had told her that she found her in a trash bin.

At first, she hadn’t even noticed, because she didn’t cry. Grandma took her home and for a time thought she might have been born mute.

Later, when she was bloated and uncomfortable, she still didn’t make a sound. Grandma took her to a doctor, and that’s when she finally cried in the hospital, which made Grandma so excited. When the doctor asked for her name, Grandma asked the doctor to give her one.

The doctor said the child’s cry was quite clear, and since lang was the sound of metal and stone clashing, she should be called Qinglang.

Grandma’s last name was Zhou, so Zhou Qinglang took her surname. Grandma often laughed, saying it was a good thing the doctor gave her a cultured name; otherwise, she would have named her Zhou Erya (Zhou Two-Girl).

Zhou Qinglang’s lips curved into a smile as she recalled the past. But then she remembered that Grandma was gone, and she was in a strange place now, and her expression darkened again.

“Your name is so lovely.”

Xia Wanshuang praised her, using a towel to wipe her back.

“Your name is lovely too.”

Xia—Wan—Shuang.

Zhou Qinglang mouthed the syllables and felt a sense of joy.

Grandma would have been happy too; she had met a very good person.

“Lift your arms so I can wash your back again.”

Zhou Qinglang obediently raised her arms. After a moment of silence, she suddenly spoke.

“Why… why are you being so nice to me?”

Getting a shot, being treated for sickness, eating, and taking a bath—these were luxuries Zhou Qinglang had not even dared to dream of before.

“You’re so small. Since I have the ability to help you, I will.”

“If you met someone else today, would you do the same?”

Zhou Qinglang looked up at Xia Wanshuang, her black eyes shining like pearls.

“Maybe.”

Xia Wanshuang wouldn’t pretend she could help every single person she saw. If the little beggar today wasn’t Zhou Qinglang, she would still give her food, but she wouldn’t have said “come back at noon.” She would have paid for her medical treatment, but she might not have brought her home.

After all, kindness wasn’t something to be recklessly squandered. Every action had a corresponding cost, and at this moment, Xia Wanshuang didn’t have the ability or the desire to raise a stranger.

Ultimately, it was probably because this child was Zhou Qinglang.

She knew her fate, her suffering, her homelessness, and knew that even after all this, she would remain resilient and hardworking. So, she felt even more sorry for her.

And besides, they were destined to have a part to play in the future. That was her mission here.

“Then it’s a good thing I slept here.”

Zhou Qinglang mumbled softly. What if she had slept on a different street last night? What if someone else had found her?

Zhou Qinglang’s quiet mutterings didn’t escape Xia Wanshuang’s ears, and Xia Wanshuang burst into laughter.

“Langlang, you’re so adorable.”

Xia Wanshuang cupped the little girl’s face. Now that she was clean, she was a very pretty little girl. You could tell from her features, even though her cheeks were thin and sallow from exposure. Her eyes were still beautiful.

Zhou Qinglang was stunned by the praise. She was a little embarrassed that her words had been heard, but seeing the smile on Xia Wanshuang’s face made her feel even more lightheaded.

Xia Wanshuang put the clothes on Zhou Qinglang. Although the sleeves were too long, they stayed on, so the clothes didn’t fall off.

“That’s the master bedroom. I sleep there. This is my old room. You can sleep in the master bedroom for now. The blankets in my room haven’t been changed yet.”

Xia Wanshuang pointed to the two rooms, gesturing for Zhou Qinglang to go to the master bedroom.

“Then you…”

“I’ll go soak your clothes first.”

Although the clothes Zhou Qinglang had taken off were very dirty, the frugal and skilled Teacher Xia didn’t want to throw them away. They were a better fit for Zhou Qinglang, and she didn’t have the money to buy new ones. Even if they were torn, she could sew and patch them up.

When Zhou Qinglang lay on the soft, big bed, she was still in a daze, feeling so unreal. She pinched her arm hard, and the piercing pain made her smile.

This was all real.

As she smiled, tears began to fall. Zhou Qinglang curled up, burying her head between her knees. The light from the window shone in, casting a slender shadow. When she heard footsteps, Zhou Qinglang quickly wiped her face and pretended to be looking at the photo on the wall.

“Those are my parents.”

Xia Wanshuang saw Zhou Qinglang looking at the wedding photo on the wall and spoke to her.

“Are they… gone?”

Zhou Qinglang remembered Xia Wanshuang saying she was the only one in her family. After asking the question out of habit, she regretted it.

“Yes. My dad passed away. My mom… I don’t know where she went. She got lost.”

“Don’t be sad. At least your mom and dad loved you very much.”

Zhou Qinglang awkwardly tried to comfort her, afraid of saying the wrong thing.

Just as Xia Wanshuang was about to say something, she heard a knock on the door.

“Shuangshuang, Shuangshuang, open the door.”

It was Aunt Jiang’s voice.

“Coming!”

Xia Wanshuang responded and hurried to the door in her slippers.

“What is it, Aunt Jiang?”

Xia Wanshuang looked at Jiang Wan, her face filled with confusion.

“I just went downstairs to buy groceries, and someone said you brought a stray child home?”

“She doesn’t have a mom or dad, and I don’t have a mom or dad, so I brought her back.”

A child’s words don’t need much logic. With a simple reason, everything seems to make perfect sense. Xia Wanshuang’s innocent voice stated it so matter-of-factly that Jiang Wan was speechless for a moment.

“But Shuangshuang, that’s not how you take care of someone. If you bring her home, she becomes your responsibility.”

As Jiang Wan spoke, her eyes fell on the little girl walking out of the room. The girl was very small and thin, with big, dark eyes that held a maturity beyond her years.

But when she saw it was a girl and not a boy, Jiang Wan felt a sense of relief.

“Langlang, why did you come out? Auntie, this is Langlang. Langlang, this is Aunt Jiang.”

Xia Wanshuang introduced them to each other, smiling at Zhou Qinglang, and then looking at Jiang Wan.

“Don’t worry, Auntie. I’ll take good care of Langlang.”

“But you’re a child yourself… Never mind. I won’t say any more. Come to my house for dinner this afternoon. I bought some spare ribs to make soup.”

Jiang Wan knew it was useless to lecture a child. Besides, she couldn’t try to convince her to send the girl away in front of her. The child was so young; where could she go?

“Okay! Thank you, Auntie!”

“Good girl.”

Jiang Wan patted Xia Wanshuang’s hair and gave Zhou Qinglang a polite smile.

As she closed the door, Jiang Wan walked home, mentally calculating how to feed three children now.

Xia Wanshuang didn’t know what Jiang Wan was thinking. After closing the door, she asked Zhou Qinglang if she was hungry.

Zhou Qinglang shook her head. She couldn’t eat anything right now.

“Then come help me put away the cups.”

The cups on the dining table had already dried. Xia Wanshuang asked Zhou Qinglang to help her put them back into the clean bag. Then she put the bag aside and stood on her tiptoes to get the fruit.

Zhou Qinglang followed behind curiously, watching Xia Wanshuang stand on a stool to prepare the fruit.

“Langlang, open up.”

Zhou Qinglang instinctively opened her mouth, and Xia Wanshuang placed a cold strawberry inside.

With one bite, the sweet and sour juice burst in her mouth, leaving Zhou Qinglang in a daze.

“Langlang, is it sweet?”

“Sweet.”

Zhou Qinglang nodded frantically, her eyes sparkling.