Qianqian caught Di Mingjue's attention. The father and daughter snuggled together, causing a commotion, which allowed Jiang Ziyu to enter the kitchen with peace of mind.
She turned on the gas again, and the cold food in the pot began to steam. The aroma wafted out of the kitchen and lingered in the living room, accompanying the playful father and daughter.
"Did you miss Daddy?" Di Mingjue hugged Qianqian's waist, his forehead touching hers.
Her head was uncomfortable to move, so Qianqian nodded with difficulty.
Seeing her shy expression, Di Mingjue pinched her waist and playfully lifted her up. With his physical limitations, no matter how he tried, Qianqian could not reach the state of taking flight like an airplane.
Jiang Ziyu turned back and was startled by the scene in the living room. Without time to turn off the fire, she quickly walked forward and put Qianqian down from Di Mingjue's hands.
Di Mingjue looked at her with confusion.
"The movement just now was too dangerous. If anything unexpected happened, both of you would get hurt." Jiang Ziyu's gaze fell on Di Mingjue's legs.
His legs were immobile. If his arms failed to support her, Qianqian, who was being lifted, would fall. The surroundings were filled with hard furniture, and she couldn't let that happen.
She gently patted Qianqian's back, stroking her shoulders. "Good girl, go play on the sofa for a while."
Qianqian glanced at Jiang Ziyu's anxious face, then at Di Mingjue, and then obediently took her drawing book and returned to her room.
After sending Qianqian away, Jiang Ziyu's expression became even more serious. "Don't think I'm being too harsh, but once an accident happens, no one can bear the consequences."
It was like her choice back then. If she had bitten the bullet and taken all three, wouldn't Qianqian be like a normal child now, able to express her emotions with her voice?
Her seriousness made Di Mingjue feel suddenly unfamiliar. He meticulously examined her demeanor but couldn't find anything amiss.
"My dish!" Jiang Ziyu cried out in despair and turned back into the kitchen.
The authority she had just established vanished in an instant.
In the kitchen, Jiang Ziyu fumbled and turned off the fire. She directly reached out to touch the pot that had been heated by the fire for a long time. As soon as her fingers touched it, the scorching pot handle repelled them.
She vigorously shook her hand in the air and then touched her earlobe urgently. Seeing black smoke billowing from the sides of the pot lid, Jiang Ziyu picked up a rag and opened the lid.
With the black smoke no longer obstructed, it surged towards the ceiling with a whoosh. Jiang Ziyu coughed from the smoke. She grabbed the rag, lifted the pot, and dumped the burnt food into the trash can.
Di Mingjue watched her unskillful movements, and he began to doubt if she could ensure her and Qianqian's normal daily meals while living alone.
He pushed his wheelchair into the kitchen and looked at the remaining food on the stove.
"I'll do it," Di Mingjue said.
Jiang Ziyu looked at the stove, which was slightly higher than his reach, and then thought about the intense fire just now. "You should go and rest outside."
If this young master got burned or scalded, wouldn't she be scolded to death by the old lady when she returned to the Di residence?
Jiang Ziyu looked at him, unmoving, and realized he was serious.
"Brother, Qianqian is hungry. Stop messing around." Jiang Ziyu bent down and placed her hands on the armrests of his wheelchair.
Using the strength in her knees, she moved outwards. Di Mingjue was pushed out of the kitchen.
Jiang Ziyu turned to go back, but her swinging arm was caught in mid-air.
She looked back and was met with Di Mingjue's handsome face leaning closer.
"What are you doing?" Jiang Ziyu widened her eyes, looking at him nervously.
For some reason, his body was drawn to her.
Di Mingjue cupped the back of her head, and their lips pressed together forcefully.
Jiang Ziyu's pupils dilated tenfold, and her mind went completely blank.