It was ten past twelve when Nian Junting came back, and the bright, broad house was filled with the smell of stir-fried shredded potatoes. The couple of hours he spent at hospital had put him a bad mood and hunger, so he asked without thinking, "Sister Lan, did you make shred potatoes with vinegar sauce today? It smells good…"
As Steward Wu was pushing him into the dining room, he saw Luosang before he finished asking the question. She was sitting by a small table near the window while having her own meal. He saw a few potato shreds in her slightly opened mouth.
"Sister Lan, didn't I tell you that this woman can only have plain rice and cabbage?" He narrowed his eyes and asked with a very unfriendly voice.
'She's eating again. This woman knows nothing but to eat' he thought.
This morning, she lied to him and went to eat beef rice noodles, and now she's eating shred potatoes with vinegar sauce.
'She's like some kind of animal.'
Luosang hurriedly swallowed the food in her mouth. She wanted to explain, but before she could, Sister Lan came out of the kitchen with two dishes in her hands and said, "Young Master, I only made her plain rice and cabbage. The potato shred and Mapo tofu she's having were bought with her own money, and she cooked them herself as well."
A tense atmosphere immediately developed in the dining room, and Nian Junting's face suddenly turned frosty.
Even Steward Wu felt embarrassed for his Young Master.
He knew that the Young Master was trying to take this opportunity to vent his anger at Luosang, because she went to eat beef rice noodles this morning without letting him know, but it unexpectedly blew up in his face.
As a carer of Young Master Nian, Luosang now needed to buy and cook her own food – in the Young Master's eyes, shredded potatoes and Mapo tofu were too good for her.
'Young Master, you're really going too far,' thought Steward Wu.
"Young Master, I didn't make shred potatoes with vinegar sauce today," said Sister Lan apologetically, "If I knew you wanted…"
"It's alright Sister Lan, I made plenty of shredded potatoes, so if Mr. Nian wants some, we can share." Luosang wanted to laugh when she saw the angry, embarrassed look on Nian Junting's face. Sister Lan had really helped to worsen his embarrassing situation.
"Who said that I even want it?" The situation was beyond what Nian Junting could stand, so he interrupted Luosang and said, "I was saying that the vinegar shredded potato smells so bad that the entire house stinks. I've lost my appetite. You're not allowed to have shredded potatoes in here, so take your food and go eat outside."
"Yes, sir," Luosang responded with a faint smile and quietly went outside with her food.
Next, Sister Lan served a rich lunch to Nian Junting. However, he had no appetite at all when he looked at all the dishes on the table.
He was too angry to eat and said, "Sister Lan, you're not allowed to let her use the kitchen again."
Sister Lan opened her mouth as she couldn't help but disagree, but Steward Wu hurriedly sent her a hint with his eyes and made her stop.
…
At night, after Steward Wu gave him a sponge bath and Nian Junting read for awhile and then prepared to sleep. Luosang thought for a moment, then walked to his bed and said, "Mr. Nian, I know you haven't been sleeping well the last couple of nights, and it's quite difficult for you to fall asleep. I've learned a massage manipulation that helps with sleep. Would you like to give it a try? If you sleep well, you'll have a good mood and will recover quicker. This massage manipulation is also good for healing your spine injuries."
She sincerely hoped that Nian Junting could sleep well at night so that she could also get some extra sleep.
"Um…," muttered Nian Junting stared at her for a short while, speechless.
Luosang helped him to sit up, then kneeled on his bed to help him relax his neck and shoulders first.
Her fingers were long and slender, pressing on his skin with just the right amount of strength. It made Nian Junting feel quite comfortable. She was kneeling before him, and he was facing her chest. Her sweater was woven from coarse yarn. Because they were too close or perhaps his eyesight was too good, but he could see her snow-white skin and pink cloth through the sweater.