Switched Marriage: The Coddled Little Wife Chapter 806: Extra (2)

It was no surprise that the boy was so vibrant and cheerful; having such a resilient mother to protect him meant he had been spared from life's harsher struggles and misfortunes.

Meanwhile, Wang Tianxue stepped into the kitchen area, casting a quick glance back at He JianShe, who remained outside.

Confirming that he was indeed waiting, she began a hurried search for a kettle.

Although she had finished most of the tidying, the stove had not yet been lit.

Fortunately, the utilities—water, gas, and electricity—were already functional.

After locating a kettle, she gave it a quick scrub and filled it with cold water to bring to a boil.

While the water heated up, she peered outside once more.

It wasn't that she was too stingy to host him, but the house was still in a state of disarray. Typically, in such a situation, a guest would take the hint after a few polite words and make a graceful exit, wouldn't they?

Wang Tianxue reflected on what she knew of Brother He; he had spent his life in the military, likely surrounded by blunt, straightforward men, far removed from the complicated social maneuvering of civilians.

She gave her head a small shake, feeling that she was being far too narrow-minded.

After all, Brother He was Chuxia’s senior. He was only helping her because of Chuxia, so how could she treat him like a complete stranger?

Once the water reached a boil, Wang Tianxue poured out a cup.

"Brother He, I'm sorry, there is no tea in the house yet. Please, make do with some plain water."

He JianShe accepted the cup with a warm smile. "It’s perfectly fine. I was actually quite thirsty."

The liquid was still steaming and very hot.

He JianShe blew gently on the surface, taking a cautious sip before holding the cup, evidently waiting for the temperature to drop.

A sudden wave of awkwardness filled the silence. Wang Tianxue toyed with her hair, her eyes darting around the room as she searched for something to say.

"Um... I really am sorry for consuming so much of your day. You've spent all this time helping me, so you probably haven't had a chance to handle your own errands, right?"

After a brief pause, He JianShe nodded. "That is true."

Wang Tianxue was caught off guard once again.

Was this man truly that blunt?

Normally, anyone else would have offered a polite denial. Since he had openly admitted she was a distraction, she wasn't quite sure how to proceed.

Before she could stumble through a reply, He JianShe continued, "I don't have many things to buy, but the assigned apartment is missing some basic kitchenware. I was hoping to get enough to make the kitchen functional. I noticed there are many details to consider when shopping for such things, and since I didn't understand them, I didn't want to buy anything blindly."

Relieved to have a proper topic, Wang Tianxue replied, "Those things aren't too difficult to choose; it really just depends on your personal daily habits."

"I've been in the military for a long time, so I don't really have many 'living habits.' How about this—could I bother you for some advice later? If that’s too much trouble, I could just buy whatever you buy. To be honest, I spent half the day wandering that market, and as a man, I truly had no idea where to even begin."

Wang Tianxue looked at the unsorted furniture, debating whether she should decline, when He JianShe spoke up again. "Think of it as me helping you once, and then you helping me in return. That way, we don't have to keep thanking one another."

With the situation framed that way, it would have been rude for Wang Tianxue to say no.

"Alright then," she agreed.

A bright smile immediately broke across He JianShe’s face. "Excellent. I’m free today, so we can go this afternoon. In the meantime, I’ll help you finish up here. Some of these items are heavy, and it might be difficult for a woman to move them alone. If you really feel bad about it, you can just treat me to lunch—nothing fancy, just anything to fill my stomach. I’m not a picky eater."

Wang Tianxue: "..."

I see, you really aren't picky at all.

In reality, the larger pieces of furniture had been purchased and arranged during her last visit.

Only the small cabinet from today was somewhat bulky, but they managed to get everything in its place very quickly.

Wang Tianxue was capable of handling the remaining small items herself without He JianShe’s assistance.

However, since she had already promised to help him shop later that afternoon, it felt wrong to ask him to leave.

Thankfully, He JianShe didn't seem bothered at all. Once the heavy lifting was done, he pulled a book from the shelf and asked if he might read it.

Naturally, Wang Tianxue had no reason to refuse.

As He JianShe read quietly in the living room, Wang Tianxue began to feel more relaxed.

The kitchen supplies were organized quickly, but there were no fresh groceries in the house. She only had some dried noodles and a few eggs she had brought previously to ensure she wouldn't have to leave for food while cleaning.

It was getting late, and Wang Tianxue didn't feel like heading out to a market just for groceries. Since He JianShe wasn't standing on ceremony with her, she took the liberty of simply preparing two bowls of noodles.

She felt a bit self-conscious as she cooked, unaware that the man who appeared to be reading was actually listening intently to every sound coming from the kitchen.

The moment he heard her footsteps, he looked up immediately.

He saw her approaching, carrying a large bowl of steaming hot noodles.

He JianShe quickly set his book aside to take the bowl from her.

Wang Tianxue pulled back slightly, saying, "Don't touch it yet, it's very hot. Brother He, I'm sorry, this is all I have in the pantry. Please, just make do with this."

He JianShe looked down at the fragrant scallion oil noodles, topped with two poached eggs, and grinned. "This is wonderful; it smells amazing. To tell you the truth, I haven't even eaten breakfast yet."

This caught Wang Tianxue by surprise. "Why didn't you eat breakfast?"

He JianShe looked slightly sheepish. "The unit's canteen is closed on weekends, and since I don't have any pots, I can't cook. That's why I intended to go shopping today."

Seeing his large stature, she realized he must have a significant appetite and was likely starving by now.

"Then... is this one bowl enough? If it's not, start on that and I'll go boil another."

"There’s no need," He JianShe stopped her. "This bowl is huge, and it has two eggs. Is your bowl in the kitchen? Bring it out so we can eat together; noodles are no good once they get soggy."

Before Wang Tianxue could respond, He JianShe strode into the kitchen and brought out the second bowl herself.

It was a smaller portion with only one poached egg. Furthermore, while the eggs in his bowl were perfectly intact, the egg in hers was slightly broken.

He cast a look at Wang Tianxue that held a trace of playful amusement.

Still preoccupied with whether he would be full, Wang Tianxue didn't notice the expression in his eyes.

Once the food was served, she stopped worrying, picked up her chopsticks, and began to eat.

He JianShe ate with the speed of a soldier, a habit ingrained from his years in the service. Before long, more than half of his large portion had vanished.

Noticing that the woman across from him was taking small bites and still had quite a bit left, he consciously slowed his own pace.

Finally, as Wang Tianxue set her chopsticks down, He JianShe finished the very last drop of his soup.

He rubbed his stomach with a satisfied air and said, "It has been a long time since I've had a meal this delicious. Tianxue, you are a very talented cook." He then paused before adding, "Is it alright if I call you Tianxue? I noticed the younger ones call you that, and I believe my father does as well."

Wang Tianxue saw no harm in it. "Of course, you may."

He JianShe smiled once more, stood up, and reached for her empty bowl. "I'll take care of the dishes."