“Gonna buy something sweet!”
Xie Dingyuan: “?”
By the time he looked up, the person was already gone.
….
At the Dessert Shop
“Hey handsome, what can I get you?”
Zhong Ziang stood in front of the clear fridge display. “Got any recommendations?”
“Our mille crêpes and mousse cakes are our specialties.”
“Alright, then I’ll take one of every flavor of those two. Pack them to go.”
“You sure about every flavor? We’ve got nearly ten types of mille crêpes, and even more mousse…”
“No problem. The more the better.”
“Okay, then please wait a bit—it might take about ten minutes.”
While waiting, Zhong Ziang wandered over to a row of flower stands. “You guys sell flowers too?”
“Yes. A lot of customers like to pick up some sweets and a bouquet for their girlfriends.”
For a girlfriend, huh…
Zhong Ziang was tempted.
Clerk: “Hey handsome, wanna grab a bouquet too? I’ll get my colleague to wrap it up nice for you—guaranteed success if you’re planning to confess! Tons of customers say our shop’s flowers bring good luck and helped them seal the deal!”
“For real?”
“You won’t know until you try!”
“Alright, give me one too. Make it look special—something that stands out right away.”
“You got it!”
….
Since he was giving flowers, he couldn’t go looking sloppy.
Originally, Zhong Ziang planned to take the treats straight to Jiang Fuyue, but now… he decided to head home first, change clothes, and spruce himself up a bit.
“Whoa, so many bags—and flowers too?” Aunt Liu saw him come in and greeted him with a grin, reaching out to take his things.
“Just take this one,” Zhong Ziang handed her the dessert bag, “hehe, the flowers—I’ll carry those myself.”
Aunt Liu: “Are those china roses? So pink and pretty.”
Zhong Ziang shook his head, smiling mysteriously. “They’re roses.”
“There are pink roses too?”
“There are black ones, so what’s weird about pink?”
Aunt Liu weighed the bag in her hand. “And what’s this?”
“Desserts. The small bag is for you. I’m taking the big one with me later.”
“Whoa, even something for me?”
“Of course! Hehe.”
Aunt Liu immediately beamed with joy.
Zhong Ziang set the flowers down carefully, making sure they stood upright and wouldn’t fall over, then dashed upstairs.
As he ran, he called back, “Please keep an eye on them for me! I’m just changing clothes—be right back!”
….
Fifteen minutes later—
Zhong Ziang, now in fresh clothes, picked up the desserts and flowers and strode off confidently toward the house next door.
Aunt Liu smiled as she watched him go. That kid was clearly up to something again.
She sat down in the living room and opened the dessert bag: matcha mille crêpe, durian mille crêpe, mango mille crêpe, Oreo mille crêpe—four different slices, all mouthwatering.
….
Xie Dingyuan came back from work, showered, changed into fresh clothes, and spent two hours reading in the study before heading downstairs to get a drink of water.
“Aunt Liu.”
“Sir, need some water?” Aunt Liu quickly set down the wooden spoon and wiped away the cream from the corner of her mouth, getting up to greet him. “Let me do it.”
She reached for his glass, but Xie Dingyuan pulled back.
“I’ve got it.” His eyes shifted past her and landed on the coffee table. “You’re eating sweets?”
“Uh…” Aunt Liu chuckled sheepishly.
Xie Dingyuan reminded her, “Watch your blood pressure and blood sugar.”
“I know, I won’t overdo it. But thank you for keeping an eye on this old lady’s habits.”
Xie Dingyuan: “That’s a lot of dessert.”
“The young master bought it. It’s a gesture of thoughtfulness. I won’t finish it all today—whatever’s left, I’ll store in the fridge for tomorrow. Can’t let it go to waste!”
“Zhong Ziang? Didn’t he go out?”
“Yeah, he went out, came back, dropped off the sweets, changed clothes, and then went out again—with a bouquet, too. It was lovely!”
“Bouquet?” Xie Dingyuan frowned.
Aunt Liu nodded cheerfully. “And let me tell you, the moment he put on that suit and those glasses—he looked a lot like you! They say nephews take after their uncles. Looks like it’s true!”
The crease between the man’s brows deepened. “What kind of flowers did he take?”
“Said they were roses. But they looked like china roses to me…”
“Where’d he go?”
“Next door.”
Xie Dingyuan’s eyes sharpened. He set down the cup and walked out the door.
Aunt Liu stood there, wanting to say something, but—Sir seemed to have forgotten to change his slippers…
…
Before leaving, Zhong Ziang had sent Jiang Fuyue a WeChat message—
[Surprise coming in five minutes—open the door!]
Jiang Fuyue: [You’re pretty quick.]
Zhong Ziang: [Hehe… of course!]
Five minutes later, Jiang Fuyue came downstairs and opened the door right on time.
The first thing that met her eyes was a blur of pink. A closer look—it was a bouquet, nestled in Zhong Ziang’s arms.
With his other hand, he held out a takeout bag and grinned. “Surprised? Unexpected, huh?”
Jiang Fuyue: “Well, you gave me a heads-up, so I was mentally prepared. Not that surprising.”
Zhong Ziang: “Should’ve known—I should’ve just knocked without texting.”
“Then the surprise would’ve gone to my little brother.”
“Huh?”
“I was upstairs. I wouldn’t have heard the doorbell. He’d be the one to open the door. So…” She spread her hands.
“That won’t do. No way. This is for you! Even your real brother can’t take credit for it!”
“Come in,” Jiang Fuyue stepped aside and held the door for him. “Need shoe covers?”
“Ahem! Wait—I have something to say first.” The boy stood at the door, suddenly looking serious.
