The fake heiress loves to act? The max-level boss isn't interested in playing along.

There was a moment of silence on the table.

Everyone exchanged glances, surprised that Old Master Xu would suddenly ask such an awkward question.

Fu Hua put down her chopsticks and smiled, "Grandpa Xu, we're friends now. We'll talk about the future later."

"friend?"

Old Master Xu smiled meaningfully.

"That kid doesn't consider you a friend at all. His grandpa was complaining to me the other day that his grandson is growing up and becoming unruly, insisting on finding a partner on his own..."

"Old Xu."

Grandpa Su interrupted him, "Let the children handle their own affairs."

"I was just saying it casually. Don't worry, I cherish my granddaughter. I don't want her to find someone who doesn't like her."

Grandpa Xu smiled and waved his hand, his gaze lingering on Fu Hua's face for a few more seconds.

The meal took more than an hour to eat.

After dinner, the old men played two more games of chess with Fu Hua.

They only reluctantly let them go when the sun was already setting in the west.

As Grandma Su saw Fu Hua off, she held her hand and said, "Hua Hua, remember to come often. If you want anything to eat, just tell Grandma and have your uncle send it over to you."

"it is good."

Fu Hua nodded, then looked at Su Rong, "Rongrong, good luck in the competition."

Su Rong stood by the door, watching Fu Hua leave.

The setting sun stretched her shadow long, thin, but straight.

After the guests left, the Su family courtyard became quiet.

The stone table under the grape trellis hasn't been cleaned up yet; the unfinished chess game is still on the board.

Several sparrows hopped around, pecking at the watermelon seeds that had fallen to the ground.

Yue Xue finished clearing the dishes, wiped her hands, and came out.

Then I saw that Su Rong had already gone back to her room.

She walked to the door and knocked gently. "Rongrong, it's still early. Why don't you come for a walk with Mom?"

Su Rong's voice came from inside the door.

He said somewhat sullenly through the door, "Mom, I'm not going. The physics competition is only a few days away, and I want to do more practice problems."

Yue Xue stood at the door for a moment, understanding the situation.

This child is determined to compete with Huahua.

Fu Hua's composure at the chess game and her eloquence at the dinner table today...

There were also several older gentlemen who made no attempt to hide their admiration, which Su Rong noticed.

This child has been strong-willed since he was little.

Yue Xue sighed, didn't press the matter further, and turned back to the main room.

Su Cheng was making tea when he saw her return alone and asked, "Where's Rongrong?"

"Doing practice problems."

Yue Xue sat down opposite her husband, took the teacup, and said, "This child... is very thoughtful."

Su Cheng smiled and poured water into his teacup: "Appropriate competition is not a bad thing. Rongrong is smart, but she has had it too easy in the past and has never met any rivals. Now that Fu Hua is ahead of her, it is a good thing for her. She will know that there are always mountains beyond mountains, and that's how people will strive to climb higher."

That's the logic.

Yue Xue took a sip of tea. "I'm just afraid she'll get stuck on something. Look at her in the yard just now, even though she was smiling, the look in her eyes..."

"When children grow up, they have their own thoughts. As long as they don't go astray, we adults don't need to interfere too much."

Su Cheng patted his wife's hand, "Let's go for a walk, let Rongrong be by herself for a while."

The two went out and walked slowly along the alley.

In the early summer evening, the wind carried the sweet fragrance of locust blossoms.

Neighbors sat at their doorways, fanning themselves with palm-leaf fans to cool off, and greeted each other.

After walking for a while, Yue Xue casually asked, "Yu Rou... still refuses to see Fu Hua?"

Su Cheng's smile faded slightly.

Nodding, she said, "I went to see her last week, and she was still talking about visiting Fu Chaochao. No matter what her brother-in-law said, it was no use. The two of them have argued a lot about this, and their relationship isn't as good as it used to be."

Yue Xue gazed at the shimmering waves on the lake surface.

After a moment of silence, she said, "Your younger sister has had it too easy growing up. Her parents doted on her, she married well, and she's never experienced hardship. Now that she's encountered a problem, she just can't seem to grasp it."

"It's not just that I can't see the bigger picture."

Su Cheng smiled bitterly, "She's completely lost. Her biological daughter is so outstanding, but she can't see it. Her adopted daughter is in prison, and she still cares about her. Sometimes I just don't understand what she's after."

"Just for peace of mind."

Yue Xue said softly, "I raised him for over ten years, and my feelings for him were genuine. Suddenly discovering that he was that kind of person is unacceptable."

They kept giving, wanting to prove they were right. That's how people are sometimes; the more wrong they are, the more they try to hold on.

Su Cheng shook his head and didn't reply.

His feelings for this younger sister were complicated.

I feel sorry for her current state, but I'm also angry at her for being so foolish.

"Let's not talk about her anymore."

Yue Xue took her husband's arm and said, "If we can't control it, then we won't. The important thing is to care more about Huahua. Oh, I forgot something."

"What's up?"

Su Cheng stood there, frozen in place.

"I passed by the department store a few days ago and bought some clothes for Rongrong. I also bought two summer outfits for Fu Hua, but I forgot to give them to her today. Could you take them to her tomorrow when you have some free time?"

"Buying again?"

Su Cheng chuckled with relief, "Your aunt is almost like my own mother! Today she's buying clothes, tomorrow food, and the day after tomorrow, is she going to buy a house?"

"Get lost! Huahua is capable enough; she doesn't need me, her aunt, to buy her a house."

Yue Xue sighed, "I just feel sorry for that child. He grew up in a remote mountain village, without a father or mother to love him. It must have been so difficult for him to get to where he is today. We should help him however we can."

Su Cheng looked at his wife, his eyes tender: "I know you mean well, but Huahua is a thoughtful and proud child."

Giving her too much would be a burden for her. I saw the fruits and snacks she brought today; they weren't cheap, some were even imported. This child doesn't want to owe anyone a favor.

"I didn't want her to owe anyone a favor."

Yue Xue said earnestly, "I just... I just want to be good to her. You know, she's so outstanding, it must be God's help for her. Those who are helped by God will be helped by others. As her uncle and aunt, if we don't help her, who will?"

Su Cheng laughed and put his arm around his wife's shoulder: "Okay, okay, you're right. I'll deliver it tomorrow and see if she needs anything else. But let's agree on this: don't put too much pressure on the child."

"Okay."

Yue Xue leaned on his shoulder, watching the sunset slowly sink into the lake.

"I just feel...that child's eyes are so bright, so bright it breaks my heart. Other children her age are still being pampered in their parents' arms, but she's already..."

She didn't finish speaking, but Su Cheng understood.

The two walked slowly along the lake, their shadows stretching long on the stone path.

The shouts of vendors packing up their stalls drifted from afar, and the aroma of stir-fried dishes wafted from the alleyways, a scene of bustling human life.

At this moment, in Su Rong's room at the Su family home, the lamp was on.

A set of physics competition problems lay open in front of her, but her pen remained motionless on the paper for a long time.

The window was half open, and you could hear your grandparents talking in the living room.

Su Rong raised her head and looked out the window.

As dusk settled, only the last vestiges of orange-red remained on the horizon.

She recalled the composure with which Fu Hua answered Old Master Xu's questions at the dinner table.

I remember the undisguised admiration in the eyes of my grandfathers when we played chess.

I recall the natural, heartfelt affection my mother showed when she talked about her.

Those subtle emotions in my heart were like an undercurrent beneath the water.

You can't see it, but you can feel it.

It's not jealousy.

She wouldn't be jealous of others!

It's... a sense of urgency.

It's like in a race, suddenly realizing that someone is far ahead of you.

Meanwhile, I'm still hovering around the starting line.

That feeling made her both excited and anxious.