Qi Longbing removed her shoes. Upon seeing her feet, all red, with skin chafed away on several toes, his gaze fixed deeply upon them.
"Hua Xiaomo, you silly woman!" Qi Longbing exclaimed in annoyance. He quickly left the room, instructing Aunt Wang to prepare water, a towel, and medicine, as he intended to help her with a foot soak.
"Thank you, President Qi. I can soak them myself." Hua Xiaomo felt a wave of relief. She had wondered what he was up to, never expecting it was just about helping her with a foot soak. Still, she could soak her own feet. Besides, she didn't like troubling others; it would only create complications for herself, and she hated burdening people. She felt perfectly capable of looking after herself. More importantly, she believed some tasks should be done independently. Relying on others always left her feeling guilty and indebted, and she detested owing favors. She was confident she could manage just fine on her own.
