Minnie tested the water temperature as usual and helped Madam Qing sit properly.
"Sanruwi, did you change your medicine?"
Sanruwi looked up at her. "How did you know?" He had prepared the medicine himself. Minnie hadn't touched it.
"The smell is different. Sanruwi, when you asked me that question yesterday, were you thinking of fighting poison with poison?"
Sanruwi was startled and dazed for a moment. Then his eyes dropped back to the book in his hands and he said, "You're quite clever."
Minnie couldn't help but laugh. "Sanruwi, this is the first time you've ever said I'm clever since we met."
"Is that so?" Sanruwi asked lazily. "Yes! Don't you always call me stupid at least a few times a day?
Ever since I was a kid, only my mom used to call me stupid this often. You're the second one."
Sanruwi saw her laughing without a trace of resentment. Feeling a little awkward, he explained, "Sometimes I speak without thinking... don't take it seriously."
Was this his way of apologizing? It was probably the first time he'd ever softened his tone since they met.
Minnie smiled again and nodded. "I know, I know. Shuran told me you're sharp-tongued but soft-hearted."
The book in Sanruwi's hands nearly fell to the floor. His expression turned strange. "Shuran told you that?"
"Yeah."
Sanruwi took a breath and asked, "What else did he say?" Minnie thought for a moment. "Not much.
Just about what you like to eat and drink."
If it had been before yesterday, Sanruwi would've definitely taught Shuran a lesson for talking so loosely about his affairs.
But now, hearing it from Minnie, although he was annoyed, he strangely found himself agreeing with Shuran's meddling.
He gave a soft cough and turned a page in his book, pretending to read calmly, but his mind was filled with scattered thoughts.
He couldn't focus at all. He seemed to be reading, but his eyes kept secretly glancing at Minnie over the edge of the book.
Minnie was adding firewood to the stove. Her face was focused, her eyes were dark and shiny, and in the glow of the fire, her cheeks were flushed.
Her short hair was tucked behind her ears, revealing small, rounded earlobes.
Suddenly, Minnie stood up. Sanruwi got startled and quickly lowered his eyes, afraid to look at her.
But she had only stood up to test the water temperature. She added more wood to the stove, worried the water would get too hot, and put her hand in to test it while watching the fire.
Among women, Minnie was average in height, not tall or short. Her figure was full and slightly plump.
She could be described as curvy front and back.
Wide hips, good for childbirth. That thought suddenly popped into Sanruwi's mind.
When he realized it, something exploded in his head with a buzzing sound. His face flushed hot, and he quickly raised the book to cover it.
Just like Jax had said, Minnie had a good temper. There was no one else in the room.
After spending so much time together, Sanruwi knew his own temper wasn't great. Every time he got angry or upset, it was always Minnie who put up with it.
She never seemed to complain. Minnie was truly one of a kind.
Even after all this time, he still didn't find her annoying. If things continued like this… even someone as picky as Sanruwi had to admit, if he still hadn't found the right person by the time he turned twenty-five and ended up marrying Minnie…
She would actually be a great match.
Sanruwi felt ashamed by his wild thoughts, but he couldn't stop the quiet happiness rising in his heart.
"Wow, Sanruwi!" Minnie suddenly exclaimed.
Sanruwi panicked, and his book fell to the floor. "You were smiling, you were smiling!"
Minnie stared with wide eyes in surprise.
Only then did Sanruwi realize that he had just smiled. He quickly put on a serious face and said coldly, "What, I'm not allowed to smile?"
"No, no." Minnie shook her head. "Of course you can smile. Your smile is really nice.
You should smile more often." Then she realized she had just complimented his looks again and worried he'd get upset.
But Sanruwi only gave a light snort, picked up his book, dusted it off, and calmly sat back down to read.
No wonder Minnie had been so shocked. Aside from the time he tricked her when she was drunk and smiled a little, Sanruwi usually either looked stern or sneered coldly.
He had never smiled like that.
Sanruwi was already very good-looking. Just now, though his smile was small, anyone who saw it could feel the happiness behind it.
His smile was a little sweet, a little gentle, a little shy. Soft and light, like a clear mountain stream.
She didn't know what Sanruwi had just thought of, but how could he show that kind of expression? Minnie felt curious. Still, no matter what it was, it would be nice if Sanruwi smiled more often, he looked very pleasant when he did.
After the medicinal bath, Boss Hayes and Servant He took Madam Qing and left. Minnie cleaned up the kitchen, stepped outside, and saw Sanruwi standing in front of the door.
"Mr. Sanruwi, you haven't left yet?" Normally, Sanruwi always left first. She didn't know why he stayed behind today.
Sanruwi glanced at her but didn't answer.
"Minnie-jie." Kane's timid voice came from the other side.
Minnie looked over. "Kane, you've been waiting this whole time? Why do you look so pale, are you sick?" She walked over and touched Kane's forehead. "It's fine, no fever. Kane, are you feeling unwell anywhere?"
Kane grinned widely. "No, no, Minnie-jie, I feel great." He took the chance to grab Minnie's hand and pushed something into it. "Minnie-jie, look at the shoes I made for you."
"Shoes? You made them?" Minnie couldn't believe her ears.
She opened the wrapping and saw a pair of soft-soled embroidered shoes made of green satin, with two lotus flowers on the front. They were actually twin lotuses on one stalk, but Minnie didn't think about the deeper meaning, she just stared in awe.
"No way, Kane, you made these?"
"Yes." Kane held out both hands. "Minnie-jie, look, my fingers even got pricked."
"Oh no, are you okay?" Minnie saw red needle marks on his fingers. "Don't touch water for the next few days, be careful of infection. Kane, the flowers are beautiful, who did the embroidery?"
"I did."
The expression on Minnie's face could no longer be described as just shocked. "You even know how to embroider?"
"I'm not very good yet, but I'll get better. Minnie-jie, what kind of pattern do you like? I'll embroider one for you next time." Kane looked a little shy, sneaking glances at her. His father was right, small gestures could really move a woman's heart.
Today it was shoes, next time a pouch, and in the future maybe even handmade underclothes. Kane's face turned completely red, his mind filled with endless daydreams.
This was too much. She knew she wasn't good at housework, but this place was on another level. Why were the men so capable? He could even embroider. Minnie stood there dumbfounded, quietly swearing to herself: I must go back, or how can I even be a woman here?
Sanruwi watched coldly from the side. Kane might be young, but he was clearly putting in a lot of effort. And Minnie looked like she appreciated it.
Sanruwi's expression darkened and he walked off quickly.
"Jax, look, look!" Minnie ran up to Jax excitedly.
"Look at what?" Jax asked curiously, watching as Minnie lifted her skirt and stuck out her foot. "What delicate embroidered shoes. Where did you get them?"
Minnie had been wearing running shoes all this time. They were convenient but hot in summer. She was so happy when Kane gave her the new shoes that she changed into them right away.
They fit perfectly, and she couldn't help but admire Kane's craftsmanship again.
"You know what, Kane made these shoes. He embroidered the flowers too!" Even though some time had passed since she got them, Minnie still looked amazed.
"Not bad." Jax nodded.
"That's your reaction? Kane made them. A boy. How many boys can make shoes and do embroidery?" The only man she could think of who knew embroidery was Dongfang Bubai. Wait, no, by that time he wasn't exactly a man anymore.
"What's so special about men doing embroidery? What woman wants to do such eye-straining work nowadays?" Sanruwi's voice came out from somewhere behind them.
Minnie turned around and looked at Sanruwi, a bit confused. "Mr. Sanruwi, are you saying all the embroidery and sewing are done by men?"
Sanruwi gave her a cold glance and couldn't be bothered to answer.
"Jax?" Minnie turned to Jax, waiting for his response.
Jax smiled. "Kane is young, and his needlework is already this good. It's impressive."
"Really? Men do embroidery?" Minnie asked again in disbelief.
"Yes, embroidery is hard on the eyes. Very few women are willing to learn it." Jax nodded.
"Men embroider?" Minnie still couldn't believe it. "Then what do women do?"
"Women are heads of the household. These small chores don't require them to do it themselves." Jax thought for a moment. "Even in poor families, women rarely work too hard."
"Why?" Minnie asked blankly.
Although Jax found her questioning strange, he patiently explained, "Women give birth to children, so they bear great responsibility. That's why they are respected, and their families naturally won't let them work too hard."
"So women don't have to do anything? Just sit around and wait to eat and drink?" Was there really such a good life? But when she thought about it, she wasn't really looking forward to that kind of life either.
"Not exactly." Jax smiled. "Running a household is not easy. If she can't manage things properly, the whole family will fall into chaos.
And nowadays, whether it's civil or military, women have made achievements. Even in the army, there are all-female units."
"What a woman chooses to do depends on her own will. It's just that fewer women work outside compared to men."
So that's how it was. Women were actually respected here. It was really strange. Still, Minnie felt a bit relieved.
For someone like her who was clueless about housework, this kind of world was actually more suitable. But why did it still feel a little off?