Atlas Studios

  Atlas Studios

  Pei Ge did not wait long downstairs before Zhang Manhua brought along an entourage of housewives to collect the vegetables.

  “Aiyo, this little green dish is really tender!”


  “I saw that first!”


  “Nobody takes that piece of meat from me!”
……

  Pei Ge surreptitiously wiped away the cold sweat on her forehead at the sight of these few housewives battling it out. She fortunately had the foresight to set aside some for her family; otherwise, everything would be swept away by this hurricane of housewives.

  Indeed, housewives were the most aggressive when fighting for freebies and discounted items!

  “Mom, why did you bring so many aunties with you?” she helplessly whispered this question to her mother.

  “Hei, don’t even bring it up! I just finished dinner and was leisurely walking about with Aunt Xu and Aunt Li when you called. I only intended to bring those two, but, on the way here, we met a few others that asked us where we are going, and I didn’t think to hide it, so……” Zhang Manhua’s mouth twitched several times as she watched the battling housewives.

  After each collected their portion, everyone sincerely and elatedly thanked Pei Ge before dispersing.

  Pei Ge and Zhang Manhua took their portion as well and went home.

  “I’m exhausted!” Pei Ge placed the bucket of fish down and ran to sit on the sofa.

  Zhang Manhua did not sit to rest like her; instead, she brought the fish and vegetables into the kitchen.

  “You child, where did get so many vegetables?” her mother asked the moment she exited the kitchen.

  Pei Ge thought about it and smilingly replied, “Take it as me picking them up on my way home. Those are leftovers that were going to be thrown, so I decided to take them with me.”


  “Leftovers? Don’t lie to your mother; how are these considered as leftovers?” Zhang Manhua shook her head disbelievingly. “They still look very fresh!”


  “Mom, I’m not lying. They are really leftovers – to rich people, that is! As long as they are left unused for half a day, they will no longer be eaten and will be disposed of, instead.” She grinned and sat up straight on the sofa.

  “Really?” Zhang Manhua looked at her daughter in shock. This was her first time hearing such kind of logic.

  “Really! Where would I get so many fresh vegetables, otherwise?”


  “Aiya, that really is a waste!” Zhang Manhua exclaimed with a shake of her head.

  “Exactly! That’s why I brought them home.”


  “You lass, don’t you feel embarrassed taking others’ leftovers?”


  “Letting them be wasted like that is even more shameful!”


  “Oh, ha ha, you lassie……”


  After chatting with her mother for a while, she went to the washroom to take a bath before retiring to her bedroom.

  In her bedroom, she switched on her laptop and was about to watch an American drama when she recalled that English romance novel Ji Ziming had lent her.

  She stood up from the bed and retrieved the book ‘Pounding Heart’ from her bag.

  Seeing the book cover featuring a cute couple holding hands under a big tree, she could not resist reciting the line that the man had cited, “Some of us get dipped in flat, some in satin, and some in gloss. However, every once in a while, we find people who are iridescent, and when we do, nothing will ever compare.”


  It was clearly quite a long passage, yet she remembered it so clearly.

  “An iridescent someone……” She hugged the book and lay in the soft bed with a smile on her face.

  “When will I meet the one?” It was probably because of reading a romance novel the whole afternoon that the love bug in her heart was cultivated again.

  She chuckled and looked at the book, but she did not read it.

  The night grew darker.

  She hugged the book to her chest and slowly drifted into dreamland.

  In her dream, she met that iridescent man……

  After watching TV, Zhang Manhua was about to turn in when she saw that the light in her daughter’s room was still on.

  She started to nag at her daughter for being awake this late at night the moment she opened the door to the latter’s room.

  “You child, why are you still awake? Tomorrow, you still have to……” She trailed off at the sight of her daughter fast asleep.

  “You child……” Zhang Manhua shook her head and carefully exited the room after turning off the light.

  The sun was shining brightly the next day. Pei Ge, who had accidentally fallen asleep earlier than usual the night before, woke up before the alarm rang.

  She lazily stretched and quickly prepared breakfast for Ji Ziming and her family.

  Yesterday’s menu was porridge and dumplings. Today, she made noodles and a few side dishes.

  “Mhm! Today’s noodles are really good!” Zhang Manhua gave her daughter a thumbs-up when she sat down to try a mouthful of the noodles.

  “Hei hei! They’re not bad, right? I think today’s seafood noodles are good, too.” Pei Ge smiled with elation as she said this.

  She pouted inside again.

  After placing the noodles and side dishes into a container, she rushed out of the house and hailed a taxi to the hospital.

  Once she alighted from the cab, she noticed that the sky was not bright yet and realized that she came earlier today.

  It was understandable, though, as yesterday’s meal consisted of porridge and dumplings that took up more time to prepare. Moreover, she woke up earlier today and the preparation time was shorter.

  Since it was still early, it was quieter than usual in the hospital. Even the sunlight was not that warm yet.

  She matched the surrounding silence and crept into the VIP ward with the food container.

  She stealthily opened the room door and cautiously closed it.

  She then sighed in relief before she reflected on her actions.

  She chided herself as she turned to enter the room deeper.

  However, this step inside caused her to scream, “AHHHH!”