Picked Up the Female Lead When She Was Young (GL) - Chapter 8

Zhao Tianhang’s room was filled with toys. Besides the shiny toy cars, there were building blocks, puzzles, and Rubik’s cubes. The walls had cute patterns, and there was a picture of him and his mom on the desk. It was a very cozy room, and you could feel Jiang Wan’s love for him.

 

In Xia Wanshuang’s memories, there was no mention of the man of the house; it had always just been Aunt Jiang living there with her son.

 

Xia Wanshuang wasn’t too curious. Maybe she was a single parent, or maybe it was something more complicated, but it didn’t concern her.

 

Zhao Tianhang held a toy car in front of Xia Wanshuang as if it were a treasure, inviting her to play with it.

 

“You can play with it, big brother. I’ll just watch you play.”

 

Twenty-seven-year-old Teacher Xia wasn’t very interested in toy cars. She shook her head and told Zhao Tianhang to play by himself.

 

“Then let’s play with blocks first.”

 

“Langlang, come here. Let’s play together.”

 

Xia Wanshuang wouldn’t leave Zhou Qinglang out. She waved to Zhou Qinglang, who was standing there watching them.

 

Zhou Qinglang nodded. She wasn’t really that interested in playing; she would have rather studied with Xia Wanshuang. But she didn’t show her feelings. She kept her usual expression and stood next to Xia Wanshuang, only playing with the blocks Xia Wanshuang handed to her.

 

Xia Wanshuang and Zhao Tianhang didn’t notice this. Xia Wanshuang just thought Zhou Qinglang was being well-behaved, and Zhao Tianhang assumed the new sister was just shy because she wasn’t familiar with the place.

 

Zhao Tianhang played with his toy cars and interacted with his two sisters, trying to make them happy. Meanwhile, Zhou Qinglang built with the blocks while watching Xia Wanshuang, hoping she was enjoying herself. Little did she know, in Xia Wanshuang’s eyes, this scene was the epitome of a life winner with two children.

 

After they played for a while, Aunt Jiang called out from the doorway that dinner was ready and told the three kids to wash their hands and sit at the dining table.

 

“It smells so good.”

 

Xia Wanshuang took a deep breath, smelling the delicious aroma of food that filled the room.

 

“The bowls and chopsticks are ready. Sit down, and I’ll get you some rice. And remember to have a bowl of soup after you finish eating.”

 

Jiang Wan had made corn and pork rib soup, stir-fried shredded potatoes, scrambled eggs with tomatoes, and peas with minced meat. They were all non-spicy dishes that the children could eat.

 

“Aunt Jiang, your food is so delicious.”

 

Xia Wanshuang started to praise her after a few bites. Jiang Wan’s cooking was truly excellent. They were just simple home-cooked meals, but they tasted particularly wonderful.

 

“Shuangshuang, your words have gotten sweeter. It’s like you’re eating my cooking for the first time.”

 

Jiang Wan said with a laugh, and she also sat down.

 

Xia Wanshuang smiled and put some food in Zhou Qinglang’s bowl.

 

Zhou Qinglang had a plate of shredded potatoes in front of her, and she had only been eating that, not reaching for other dishes.

 

Xia Wanshuang gave her a spoonful of peas and some scrambled eggs with tomatoes. Zhou Qinglang pressed her lips together and smiled at her, then lowered her head and slowly ate with her chopsticks.

 

“Eat some meat. Shuangshuang, give me your bowl. I’ll get you some corn and ribs.”

 

After serving Zhao Tianhang, Jiang Wan asked for Xia Wanshuang’s bowl.

 

“Langlang, you give me yours too. I’ll get you some.”

 

Zhou Qinglang looked up, a little overwhelmed. She stood up, handed her bowl to Jiang Wan, and said thank you.

 

The sound of bowls and chopsticks clashing filled the room. After eating, all three children had a bowl of soup, which made Jiang Wan’s face light up with a smile.

 

After dinner, Xia Wanshuang volunteered to help Jiang Wan with the dishes.

 

“No, Shuangshuang, go sit and play. I can do it myself.”

 

“I want to help you, Auntie.”

 

Xia Wanshuang quickly took the dishes to the sink and grabbed a rag to wipe the table.

 

Jiang Wan felt that Xia Wanshuang seemed much more mature today, as if she had grown up a lot. This was good. Jiang Wan sighed in her heart. After all, one had to grow up eventually.

 

Xia Wanshuang finished wiping the table for Jiang Wan and went back to the kitchen.

 

“Shuangshuang, where did you find Langlang? Did she tell you where she’s from? Does she have any family?”

 

“I saw her outside our residential area. She doesn’t have any family.”

 

“What’s her full name?”

 

“Zhou Qinglang.”

 

“Are you sure you want to take care of her? If you want, I can help her find a good family so she can have a new home.”

 

“Auntie, I can take care of her. And Langlang doesn’t want to go to another family.”

 

With Zhou Qinglang’s defensiveness, she would probably rather go back to being homeless than go to a strange place.

 

“Alright, then. Just remember to tell me if anything happens.”

 

Jiang Wan’s hair swayed gently with her movements, making her look especially kind.

 

“Okay, thank you, Auntie!”

 

Xia Wanshuang didn’t stay at Zhao Tianhang’s house for too long. She was still thinking about her juice. It was a summer night, and the sky only gets completely dark at seven or eight o’clock. The streetlights were already on.

 

Xia Wanshuang put the two bottles of juice from the fridge into a bag, then put the paper cups inside. She also found the small folding table at home, wiped it clean, and prepared to carry it.

 

“I’ll carry this for you.”

 

Zhou Qinglang pointed to the bag and picked it up.

 

“That one might be a bit heavy. Maybe you should take this one instead.”

 

The small table was actually lighter. The bag with two large bottles of juice was quite heavy.

 

“It’s fine. Let’s go. It’s not that heavy.”

 

Zhou Qinglang’s expression made it seem like it was truly effortless. Xia Wanshuang locked the door and carried the table while keeping an eye on Zhou Qinglang, worried she might be struggling. She then realized that Zhou Qinglang really didn’t seem to find it heavy at all.

 

The little girl’s body was frail. Xia Wanshuang was already a little breathless from carrying the small table to the shop at the residential area’s entrance, but Zhou Qinglang still looked the same.

 

“You seem pretty strong.”

 

You couldn’t tell that the small and skinny girl had more stamina than her.

 

Zhou Qinglang smiled without saying anything. She had been helping her grandmother tie up trash from a young age and could later pull garbage piles that were taller than she was. In the orphanage she had lived in before, there wasn’t much, and the kids had to fight for everything. You couldn’t even eat if you weren’t strong. Later, after being sent here, she ran away. At first, she was afraid of being caught and didn’t dare pick up bottles. She even had to fight with a dog for food. Luckily, the dog had an owner and didn’t bite, otherwise…

 

“I can carry things for you from now on.”

 

Zhou Qinglang didn’t talk much and didn’t know how to express herself, so she could only show it this way, hoping Xia Wanshuang wouldn’t send her away.

 

“Let’s set up here.”

 

Xia Wanshuang looked around. There were many people out on a summer night, relaxing and chatting. The open space not far away hadn’t been occupied by music or dancing yet. She guessed the aunties hadn’t yet been possessed by the spirit of line dancing. They were right next to a barbecue restaurant, which was a perfect spot.

 

Xia Wanshuang set up the table, placed the bottles on it, and started shouting.

 

Xia Wanshuang had always been bold. She immediately started yelling. Her voice was thin and soft, which attracted a lot of attention.

 

“Selling juice! Ice-cold freshly squeezed juice! Big brothers, big sisters, uncles, and aunties, come take a look!”

 

Xia Wanshuang only regretted not having a megaphone. Her voice couldn’t travel very far, but it was okay. Getting one person’s attention was a start.

 

People inside the barbecue restaurant were attracted by the little girl at the entrance and asked if the juice was good.

 

“Of course it’s good! Uncle, would you like a taste? It’s only one yuan!”

 

Seeing the little girl’s hard work, the man said he would take one.

 

“Strawberry or orange?”

 

“Orange.”

 

“Coming right up!”

 

Xia Wanshuang immediately poured a cup, told Zhou Qinglang to watch the table, and took the cup inside.

 

The clear cup made the orange juice look even more vibrant. Xia Wanshuang placed the juice in front of the man, her smile making her very likable.

 

The cup of juice was just one or two sips for an adult. The man took a drink, smacked his lips, and thought it was pretty good.

 

“It’s pretty good. I’ll have another one. Do you guys want one?”

 

The man looked at his two companions. Men being men, they all asked for a cup too.

 

“Here, I’ll give you five yuan. Give us four more cups. You can pour mine directly into this cup. Bring two more cups for them.”

 

“What about the last one?”

 

His companion asked, confused.

 

“The girl’s orange juice is good. I can’t have two more?”

 

The gentle summer night breeze made the playful words even more pleasant.

 

Xia Wanshuang ran back to the entrance, put the bottles in a bag, and carried them over, pouring juice for them.

 

People inside the restaurant, including the owner, looked over curiously. The juice had just come out of the fridge, and the bottles were covered in cold condensation. Gulping it down on a hot summer night was incredibly refreshing.

 

The three men were there for barbecue and beer, so they didn’t ask for more. Xia Wanshuang walked out happily with five yuan.

 

Not including the sugar, she had already made back half of the cost.

 

Zhou Qinglang was filled with even more admiration when she saw Xia Wanshuang making money.

 

She was kind and capable. It was a good thing she had slept in this area and came here to search the garbage cans, or she would have missed her.

 

In the summer, cold juice was naturally appealing, and Xia Wanshuang’s was not a mix. It was freshly squeezed, which made it even more delicious.

 

Xia Wanshuang had a sweet tongue and a cheerful smile. The people who walked by, whether they were older or younger, all smiled back at her. Even if they just came to look and not buy, she wouldn’t say anything negative; she would just say a few nice words.

 

Zhou Qinglang, on the other hand, was a quiet shadow beside her, helping to pour drinks. She only spoke when someone tried to talk to her, but otherwise, she remained silent.

 

One was an outgoing and lively older child, and the other was a quiet and introverted younger child. The combination of the two attracted the attention of the people who were out relaxing.

 

Many of the people relaxing were from the same residential area. They realized that the girl calling out was Xia Wanshuang, so they came to buy a cup of juice. The product was also excellent—it had a light and sweet fruity flavor that was suitable for both children and adults.

 

More people came. Xia Wanshuang stood there for about an hour, and even after the juice wasn’t cold anymore, she still sold out, and the cups were all gone.

 

Some people even asked for refills. In the end, Xia Wanshuang made thirty-five yuan tonight. After deducting the twelve yuan in costs, she made a profit of twenty-three yuan.

 

[System]: A huge amount of money! Absolutely a huge amount! Shuangshuang, you’re so great! We made money!

 

The first step of making a living: accomplished.

 

Xia Wanshuang thought about her earnings and expenses for the day. It was really hard to make money.