“Hmm?”
Xie Dingyuan: “The housekeeper made it at home.”
— Meanwhile, at the Yutianhua Residence villa —
“Aunt Liu—” Zhong Ziang came down from the second floor, looking for someone.
“What’s wrong, young master?” Aunt Liu rushed out of the kitchen, apron still on, not even wiping her hands.
“Is the congee ready?”
“It’s ready, your favorite—seafood congee. Want to eat now?”
“Seafood?!”
Aunt Liu blinked. “Didn’t you say last night you wanted it this morning?”
“It’s not for me. It’s for a hospitalized classmate—she can’t eat seafood.”
“Oh… then how about sliced fish congee? There’s still over half a pot on the stove.”
“Hehe, perfect. I’ll take the fish congee.”
“Alright, I’ll go pack it now…”
“Make sure to use a thermal container! Otherwise it’ll be cold by the time it gets to the hospital.”
“Oh dear, then I’ll need to grab a new one from storage. You’ll have to wait a bit.”
Zhong Ziang paused: “Didn’t we already have one? I saw it in the cupboard a few days ago.”
“That one was taken this morning by the mister.”
“My uncle? What’s he doing with it?” The company has a cafeteria, doesn’t it?
“No idea. He also took fish congee. He called last night to say he needed it first thing today.”
Zhong Ziang didn’t think much of it. “Aunt Liu, hurry up then. I’m kind of in a rush—shouldn’t have slept in…”
While Aunt Liu packed the meal, Zhong Ziang scarfed down his own breakfast.
Once it was ready, he grabbed it and dashed out the door.
Behind him, Aunt Liu shouted, “Spoon! You forgot the spoon!”
But the whirlwind of a boy was already gone.
—
At the hospital, he pushed open the door to the ward. Jiang Fuyue was sitting upright on the bed, pen in hand, working on practice tests.
“Still doing problems?” Zhong Ziang walked in, pouting. “Not taking a single break—don’t you get tired?”
Jiang Fuyue replied calmly, “Learning is the essence of life.”
“…Sorry to bother you.”
“Here,” the boy placed the thermal container down. “Breakfast. Brought it for you.”
“I’ve already eaten.”
“What?! This early? This is sliced fish congee, fresh and fragrant—made at home this morning. Super healthy. Are you sure you don’t want any?”
“Sliced fish congee?” Jiang Fuyue looked at him strangely.
“Yeah.”
She smiled faintly. “What a coincidence. I just had that too.”
“Huh?”
Zhong Ziang’s gaze shifted toward her bedside table—on it was another thermal container… one that looked very familiar.
“Wait—isn’t that from home?” he muttered.
Suddenly, Aunt Liu’s words echoed in his head. Enlightenment struck.
“My uncle brought you breakfast?!”
Jiang Fuyue nodded. “Left just a few minutes ago.”
“Hiss… No way… Since when did he get so… uh… warm and caring?”
It wasn’t self-deprecation, just facts: even if he were the one hospitalized, unless he was dying, his uncle probably wouldn’t show up. Yet here he was, bringing breakfast to Jiang Fuyue? Even called ahead last night to have it prepared?
That’s… surreal.
Unless—
Zhong Ziang’s eyes lit up. “Wait—you said he just left?”
“Yeah.”
“Which way?”
“He said he was headed to the company.”
“You keep drinking that congee! I’ll be right back!” And like a whirlwind, he was gone.
Jiang Fuyue: “?”
—
At the hospital’s main gate, roadside—
Zhong Ziang ran, panting, until he caught up with his uncle.
Xie Dingyuan rolled down the window. “Why are you here?”
“Uncle, thank you! I apologize for misunderstanding you before. Today I finally realized how much you care about me!”
Xie Dingyuan frowned. “What are you talking about?”
“I’m thanking you! Can’t you tell?”
“What for?”
“Hehe…” the boy’s ears turned red. “No need to pretend—I know everything.”
Xie Dingyuan’s eyes darkened, his voice turning faintly cold: “Know what, exactly?”
“You brought breakfast for Jiang Fuyue, didn’t you?”
Xie Dingyuan’s heart sank, but he quickly masked it and looked calm. He clearly had braced himself.
“I did it because I—”
“I know—it’s all for me! Uncle, you’re the best! I swear, from now on I won’t cut my hair in the first lunar month. I wish you a long, long life!”
Xie Dingyuan: “What?”
“Come on—you’re being so nice to Jiang Fuyue, breaking all your usual rules, even personally delivering breakfast. Isn’t it all to help me?”
“You?!” His face twisted.
“Yeah! You’re helping me pursue her, right? Thank you, Uncle! Normally, something like warm concern should come from my mom. But she’s not in Linhuai, so she can’t show our future daughter-in-law any affection. Thankfully, you stepped in!”
Xie Dingyuan: “?”
Zhong Ziang beamed: “I bet Jiang Fuyue is super touched right now. She probably thinks our family is amazing! That way, if she ever marries in, she won’t feel pressured. Uncle, you really thought it all through. I’ve definitely gained points in her heart!”
“You think I should strike while the iron’s hot and confess again? Maybe she’ll be moved and say yes!”
“Ooh—I need to go buy roses. Wait, is there a flower shop nearby?”
His thoughts ran further and further, never noticing how pitch-black his uncle’s face had become.
And then the boy even dared to ask: “Uncle, do you think I should just walk up to her with the flowers and, like, hold her and kiss her in that overbearing-CEO way? Or should I confess first, make her cry a bit, then go for deeper contact?”
“You want to what—deeper contact?” Xie Dingyuan gritted every word, veins bulging.
“Hehe, of course I mean kisses, hugs, and lifting her up in the air! That’s how young people date these days. You wouldn’t know—you’ve never been in a relationship.”
That silent condescension was deadliest of all.
Xie Dingyuan’s face turned even darker. He stared at him for two seconds. “Try anything, and I’ll break your legs.”
Zhong Ziang: “…Huh?”
Why the sudden 180?
Weren’t you just delivering breakfast for the sake of my love life? Why the attitude change?
“Uncle, I feel like you—”
“You don’t need to feel anything. Only what I say matters! Also, get your head checked in neurology.”
“I’m not sick!” Zhong Ziang blinked.
Xie Dingyuan snorted coldly, rolled up the window, and drove off.
After a long pause, as the car disappeared into the distance, realization finally dawned.
He was saying I… have brain issues?
“F**k—”
They say women are fickle, but his uncle’s worse!
Grumbling, Zhong Ziang returned to the hospital. He was in such a funk he even pressed the wrong elevator floor and ended up in neurology.
Are you kidding me—
Talk about cursed.
—
In the afternoon, Liu Bowen, Lin Qiao, and Wan Xiutong came by to visit.
Zhong Ziang was still there, passionately complaining to Jiang Fuyue about his uncle.
“Oh hey, Classmate Zhong, you’re here too!”
“You guys came?” He was just getting to the juicy part when they interrupted. Still had more to vent!
Liu Bowen: “To see Sister Yue.”
Lin Qiao put down some flowers, and Wan Xiutong brought fruit.
They also brought the final exam results—
“Came out yesterday.”
“Sister Yue, want to guess your score?”
Jiang Fuyue smiled.
Wan Xiutong whispered, “Do we even need to guess? It’s always the same…”
Full marks. First place.
Not even suspenseful anymore.
Liu Bowen coughed awkwardly and scratched his nose. “True, that.”
They stayed about an hour, then left with Zhong Ziang—
“Classmate Zhong, still not leaving? Come with us.”
Zhong Ziang: “…” I don’t want to.
But he still went, and before leaving, turned back and called out:
“I’ll bring you food again tomorrow!”
The door closed, and peace returned.
As dusk fell, at the exact same time as the day before, Xie Dingyuan appeared again.
“Don’t tell me you’re staying over again tonight?”
His hands paused mid-meal setup. He looked up. “I can’t?”
Looking all innocent and upright.
And so, another night passed with him by her side.
Before bed, Jiang Fuyue heard him shifting around.
He turned to face her and softly said, “Goodnight, Yueyue.”
His voice low and smooth, tinged with warmth.
Her ears twitched—tingly, itchy.
“Xie Dingyuan, goodnight.”
