Chapter 19: This Pear... An Exquisite Delight!

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Before the Su family, the young and beautiful lady softened her authoritative demeanor and gestured for the nanny to help the person up.

“No need to thank me; I was drawn here by the laughter. I overheard some of your conversation with Manager Zhang just now. To be in such a predicament and yet remain so open-minded and cheerful, rather than bitter or resentful, is truly admirable,” the lady said with a gentle smile. “Consider this a fateful encounter, a meeting by chance.”

After speaking, she furrowed her brows slightly, turned her head to the side, and covered her face as she coughed softly.

The elderly Mrs. Su noticed this and was moved. She remembered that there were some pears left on the wooden cart—pearls her young granddaughters had tossed out while playing that morning. She immediately turned back to fetch them and returned, handing them to the nanny but speaking to the lady.

“Madam, these are pears from our own home. I am deeply grateful for your help. This is the only modest gift our family can offer; please do not disdain it. I heard you cough a little; if you stew these pears with some sugar into a drink, it might soothe your throat.”

The lady was momentarily taken aback but then nodded toward the nanny, who accepted the pears.

On a well-worn but clean square cloth lay four pears.

Each was about the size of a grown man’s fist, pale yellow in color, with smooth, flawless skin.

Bringing them close, one could smell the faint fruity aroma. Held in hand, they felt weighty, full of juice.

So fresh and succulent, as if just plucked from the tree moments ago.

The nanny’s eyes softened, and a hint of satisfaction appeared toward the Su family—not because of the pears themselves, but because she recognized their tact and understanding in handling the situation.

“Such fresh and beautiful pears are rare even in the capital. You are thoughtful,” the lady said, covering her face as she coughed again.

Outside, the wind blew fiercely. Seeing this, the nanny hurriedly handed the pears to a maid behind her and stepped forward to adjust the lady’s cloak.

“Madam, the wind is strong outside. Please come indoors first to avoid catching a cold. It’s already noon; soon we should set off.”

The lady nodded, exchanged a few polite words with the Su family, and, accompanied by the nanny and maidservants, prepared to leave.

At that moment, a little boy, who had been holding her hand, suddenly pulled free. From his chest, he took out a jade gourd pendant carved with the character for “fortune” and offered it to the elderly Mrs. Su.

“This is a return gift. My mother has been coughing for days; thank you, grandmother, for the pears.”

Mrs. Su was stunned by this gesture and hurriedly refused.

“No, no! This is absolutely not allowed!”

She had only given a few pears, and it was the benefactor who had helped them first. How could she accept such a gift?

Moreover, it was a jade pendant! A treasure that ordinary families might never see in their lifetimes!

So precious, she didn’t dare even touch it.

Not only Mrs. Su and her family but even the young lady was surprised by her son’s action. Then she pursed her lips and smiled gently, her eyes full of warmth.

Li’er had always loved her; when others treated her kindly, Li’er felt joy and thus wished to reciprocate with a generous gift.

“Auntie, our family has a rule: once a gift is given, it cannot be taken back. You must accept it, or else I’ll feel uneasy,” she said with a smile.

Mrs. Su still dared not accept it, kneeling low to refuse.

Who were they? And who were the others?

In any case, this return gift could not be accepted.

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Seeing this, the little boy pursed his lips and, without another word, hung the jade pendant around the neck of the little baby in Mrs. Su’s arms.

While doing so, his fingers accidentally brushed the soft flesh beneath the baby’s chin—a sensation so soft and smooth that he opened his eyes wide in surprise.

Looking up, he met the baby’s faintly disdainful gaze.

“Mother, the baby’s skin feels so nice!” The boy’s eyes were wide, and his little hands twitched restlessly. After a moment, he rubbed the baby’s slippery little face again.

Again.

Clearly reluctant to let go.

In his delight, the delicate-faced boy’s eyes curved into a gentle smile, with a faint red beauty mark beneath his left eye shimmering subtly.

Mrs. Su’s lips twitched in silent bewilderment.

The Su family’s brows twitched too.

The little sweetling’s tiny paws clenched and unclenched, tightened and loosened.

I’m holding back!

If not for the fact that the other party had helped her family, she would have swatted his hand away.

“Li’er, don’t be naughty,” the lady said, suppressing a laugh as she gently pulled the boy away, finally freeing the sweet baby. “This is my son, Ali. It’s rare to see him so playful. Sorry for the intrusion.”

What could Mrs. Su say?

Had it been anyone else daring to touch her sweet baby’s face like that, she would have stood with hands on hips and scolded them.

She could only be grateful that her little granddaughter was still very young, and the boy was merely a toddler—so it was probably not considered improper.

Amid light laughter, the little boy was led away by the lady. As they walked off, he glanced back, seemingly reluctant to leave.

Wrapped in her swaddling cloth, the sweet baby turned her head slightly and looked back faintly. Even from afar, she could clearly see the small red beauty mark beneath the little boy’s left eye.

After the lady left, the Su family hurriedly packed their belongings and prepared to depart. They did not wish to linger any longer in this place.

Though the earlier incident ended without harm, it served as a warning to the Su family.

When traveling, especially for those like them—criminals, ranked even lower than commoners—words and actions must be handled with utmost caution.

Such is the world; powerless to resist, one can only accept reality.

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“Let’s go. We must be even more careful from now on. The world is merciless,” old Mr. Su said, taking up his granddaughter and climbing onto the wooden cart with the three little children.

His legs still gave him trouble. To avoid burdening the family further, he had to remain seated on the cart, helpless as ever.

Su Da, the eldest son who pulled the cart, kept his head low and said nothing.

The earlier event had left a deep impact on him; he had yet to calm down.

Su Er helped push from the side. His temperament was more outspoken, his voice husky with suppressed anger.

“Thank goodness a benefactor helped us this time. Damn those dogs who look down on others!”

“Enough. Talking too much invites trouble. The world is what it is: survival of the fittest,” Mrs. Su sighed, turning her gaze toward the station standing beside the official road.

“That lady has a kind heart. She will surely be rewarded.”

Inside the station, the dining table by the window remained the same.

The young lady sat by the window holding her child, her coughs hard to suppress.

“She must have caught a chill from the wind just now,” the accompanying nanny frowned, concerned. “I know Madam has a kind heart and wanted to help that family out of trouble. Such matters could have been handled by me, but you insisted on doing it yourself. Look, your coughing won’t stop.”

The lady smiled softly.

“It’s nothing. I’ll rest a moment and be fine.”

Her eyes fell on the pears on the table. She reached out delicately and took one. The faint fruity aroma immediately filled her nostrils, making her mouth water.

“Nanny, wash me a pear. I want to try it.”

“If Madam wants to eat pears, I’ll take them to the kitchen and stew them with sugar. It’s better warm.”

“If the pears are stewed, I might have lost my appetite by then. I’ll just eat it like this.”

The nanny could not argue with her mistress and reluctantly washed the pear to serve.

The lady took one first, brought it to her lips, and bit gently. Her eyes brightened immediately.

The pear’s skin was thin and juicy, the sweetness just right, and the flesh crisp and tender. Both flavor and texture were exquisite!

What surprised her most was that the persistent itch in her throat, which had been tormenting her, disappeared after being soothed by the cool pear juice.

She felt instantly relieved.

“This pear… is a masterpiece!”