Host, the villain's corruption level has exploded!

Chapter 784: Metamorphosis - The Transformed Form (26)

Chang Qing had never seen the family's money, nor did he have the ability to earn it himself. Every day, when he watched his grandfather groping his way into the house under the desolate, gloomy white light, his heart would inexplicably fill with bittersweet emotions.

If it were him, he could certainly answer firmly: I don't need it.

But with his grandfather by his side, he could only hang his head and remain silent. After a while, he couldn't help but ask, "Then, do you still have money to buy a dress?"

This time, Song Zhishu finally revealed her doubts directly.

"A dress?" Her tone finally betrayed doubt, her brows furrowing. "You always thought I was going to buy this?"

Before Chang Qing could even think, she blurted out, "Hmm."

Noticing Song Zhishu's gaze, he looked away, his words revealing genuine shyness, yet without any awkwardness, speaking with a straightforward manner: "You should have many beautiful clothes, not just one."

He was referring to the cotton dress that Song Zhishu was practically glued to her body.

"Here?" Song Zhishu chuckled, her frosty jade-like face softening into water, shimmering in the sunlight. She looked around slowly, not missing a single piece of clothing, before finally fixing her gaze on Chang Qing's sweaty face: "You mean, these?"

Chang Qing suddenly understood what Song Zhishu meant: You mean, these clothes are not suitable for me?

His face suddenly flushed, and he waved his hands repeatedly, "No, no, I don't see any clothes that match you." These words, if spoken by any man older than him, would have sounded like laughable hypocrisy. But his eyes always shone brightly when he spoke, so sincere that it softened one's heart.

Song Zhishu stopped laughing, staring ahead. With a sudden movement, she shoved Chang Qing aside as he sped past, veering off at her. "Hmm. Here, the only things of value to me are those that would be useful in your house."

She didn't mince words at all: "If you have this intention, wait until you grow up and make money before you talk about it."

Chang listened to her words, his mind blank, but his ears were already burning with sensitivity.

Can he do it too?

He quietly lifted his eyelids, stealing glimpses of her profile—the faint glint of light swirling from the tips of her eyelashes, the sharp corners of her eyes like daggers, her delicate nose, and the corners of her mouth, usually as cold and straight as the horizon, now turned up in a wild, unrestrained smile. It was a side of her that he had never seen before, a wildness he had never revealed to anyone else. He hid this image beneath his eyes, unsure how long he could remember it. He only stole a glance before quickly looking away, the fleeting beauty of the moment fading into stillness, buried beneath the silent snow-capped mountains.

Chang Qing didn't know why Song Zhishu refused the three-yuan light bulb the shopkeeper readily agreed to, just as he didn't know what Song Zhishu's smiling eyes meant when he made a firm promise after a moment of silence that he would definitely make sure Song Zhishu wore the most suitable and beautiful clothes for her when he was able to.

They bought light bulbs and went home, still having a considerable amount of money left over. However, this was only in Chang Qing's eyes; in Song Zhishu's eyes, it was just scraps. Chang Qing had been subtly and overtly trying to get Song Zhishu to buy something herself. After a moment's thought, Song Zhishu bought her grandfather a case of high-calcium milk.

Changqing: to faint.

When they got home, Grandpa had already come out of the fields and was just starting to cook. When he saw Song Zhishu, he cheerfully asked her what she had bought. Only then did Chang Qing realize that Grandpa had thought she had gone out to play and, worried that she would be bored or mistreated at their house, had given her seven yuan. This was a huge sum of money in Chang Qing's eyes.

Song Zhishu said she had bought some drinks. Before her grandfather could say anything, Song Zhishu had already brought out the light bulb and the milk.

Grandpa's smile froze instantly. After Chang Qing explained what they had done that morning, Grandpa couldn't sit still any longer. He grabbed Song Zhishu's hand and hurriedly said, "Child, I told you to go play, not to buy us things! Grandpa will take this light bulb. But neither of us can drink that box of milk! How can we use money you earned yourself?!"

Song Zhishu didn't argue. She pulled Chang Qing over and had him read the words on the milk box.

Chang Qing forced himself to read it aloud: High-calcium milk for seniors

grandfather:?

He kept a straight face and refused to accept anything, saying that he wasn't old and that being over 70 was the age when he should be out making his way in the world.

Song Zhishu said that this was for the elderly; if young people drank it, they would either become weak or die. Under Song Zhishu's sinister and threatening gaze, Chang Qing gritted his teeth and nodded.

Grandpa felt like the sky had fallen in an instant.

Grandpa carried the milk into the house, and Changqing brought over a small stool, stood on it to change the light bulb.

Because he rarely changes light bulbs at home, his technique was still a bit clumsy, but he was meticulous in every move and made no mistakes.

After he finished changing, he breathed a sigh of relief, looked down, and met Song Zhishu's smiling eyes.

She smiled a lot today, more than she has in almost a month since she arrived.

Before, he could only look up at her secretly to quench his thirst, but now, standing so high, he could see her eyes, which were filled with his shadow, completely.

He suddenly felt a strong urge to grow taller.

Not only that, but they also want to... reach even higher. [Ding! Target's favorability +5, current favorability 55]

Nearly another month passed peacefully. Time did not stop just because Song Zhishu wore the same clothes every day. On the contrary, as time went by, the weather became colder and colder, and Song Zhishu's clothes became thinner and thinner.

Autumn smiled coldly, thinking that the little girl was still trying to fight him. Just then, Song Zhishu took out an identical fleece-lined dress from her dusty suitcase.

"..." I'm impressed.

It was then that Chang Qing realized that what he thought were wholesale goods were actually made piece by piece by Song Zhishu's personal tailor, purely by hand, yet they were almost identical, with no discernible flaws, which was enough to demonstrate—

Song Zhishu's requirements were extremely demanding.

His hand trembled slightly as he finally realized how precious the clothes he hadn't been so gentle with were. Although his understanding of the value of money was very limited, his sixth sense was strong, and he knew that it was a sum he couldn't afford to mess with at the moment.

Chang Qing is no longer the little kid who huddles in his seat and studies like a madman after class.

Song Zhishu would come to see him every day, rain or shine, because she worked part-time delivering eggs. However, anyone with eyes could see that she was happy to come here, even though she had a cold face.

Gu Yihan hasn't come to school yet. Those in the know understand how miserable his family is now, and they also understand how formidable Song Zhishu is, so no one dares to cause trouble for Chang Qing.