Li Jin Qing: The one behind it all

Chapter 56

"Jin qing!"

Jin qing smiled as she walked into her room and found that the two children were awake. "Nian Zhen, Xiao Wen. Did you two sleep well?" 

She looked over at the table where she had put the breakfast in. The bowls were licked clean, leaving nothing left. 

Goodness... How hungry are they?

Nian Zhen sat up straighter on the bed "Yes... we did. Where did you go? Xiao Wen told me you left to do something before I woke up..." Her gaze flickered over to the box in Jin qing's hands and lit up in excitement "Is that for us?"

"For us." Jin qing reminded her, setting it down on the table and began to clear the breakfast dishes away "You two haven't even gotten dressed. You can't stay in those dirty rags forever. I wiped the both of you down but you'll have to take a real bath sooner or later to wash the dirt out better."

"The clothes you laid out for us... They didn't feel right."

Jin qing tilted her head "Hmm? Did they not fit you?"

"No!" Nian Zhen shook her head "No, they seem to be just about our size. But it didn't feel right for us... street orphans to be wearing such nice things. I know it isn't made of pure silk, like how yours seems to be, but it doesn't feel right for us to be wearing brand new things."

Jin qing stared at Nian Zhen and burst out laughing. 

"Ah- what's so funny-"

Jin qing smiled, still laughing a little "No, I just find it so funny how you think it isn't fit for you to wear new clothes. Suddenly transitioning from rags to something complete... I know it's a strange feeling." 

She knew what it felt like. She understood the strange sensation of suddenly given something that had been absent for her entire life. Something like food, clothing, warmth, and affection... A human can be starved of such things. 

Xiao Wen had climbed out of bed and scrambled over to Jin qing, sitting down and drummed his fingers excitedly against the wooden surface with a shine in his eyes. "Can we eat?"

Jin QIng ruffled his hair, completely ignoring the fact that it was dirty. "Of course. Let's wait for your sister to get out of bed first. I'd be rude to start a meal before everyone had arrived at the table."

"Did you bring sweets? Like you promised?"

Jin qing smirked and pointed at the sesame balls in the box as she took out the dishes. 

The boy's mouth seemed to water at the sight of the food laid out in front of him, and Jin qing couldn't tell if he was more excited to eat the food or the snacks. 

"Is it really okay for us to be eating like this...?" Nian Zhen asked, creeping down over to them and sat next to her brother. "It doesn't feel right..."

Jin qing smiled, rubbing Nian Zhen's arm affectionately. "It's a start. After we eat, you two can go bathe so you'll feel cleaner as you put on the clothes."
It was how she got used to it. 

Nian Zhen nodded and picked up her chopsticks, her brother following her example and copied her. "Thank you, Jin qing."

"Nothing to thank me for." She answered, "If you two don't mind, someone I know might join us for lunch."

"Who?" Nian zhen asked, "Is Yu Qi coming?"

"No," Jin qing shook her head, "a guard I met a while ago said he was going to come and find me after his shift ends." 

"Why?"

"Who knows?" Jin qing smirked, and tilted her head toward Xiao Wen, who was already starting to eat "Why don't you eat first like your brother is? He's going to eat everything if you don't hurry."