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

Soon, the wontons arrived, served in three large white porcelain bowls, steaming hot.

The soup was clear, with a few specks of oil floating on top, and the seaweed and dried shrimp were sprinkled evenly.

The wonton wrappers are so thin they're almost transparent, allowing you to see the pink meat filling inside.

Xie Ci pushed the bowl without scallions towards Fu Hua, and pulled down the brown paper wrapper that held the meat pie.

He asked the shopkeeper for a glass of water and spilled some small bits of something from his pocket.

Curious, Zhang Wen jokingly asked, "Brother Xie, are you poisoning Huahua? You can't do it in front of her!"

Fu Hua explained, "It's brown sugar and osmanthus, it's good for blood circulation, do you want some?"

So that's how it is!

Zhang Wen shook her head: "You drink it, I don't like sweet drinks."

However, the lovey-dovey moments between these two are sweeter than brown sugar!

Everything was arranged so thoughtfully and naturally!

Zhang Wen realized for the first time that a woman could be taken care of so meticulously and considerately by a man.

Fu Hua picked up the spoon and stirred it.

The golden osmanthus petals, though no longer vibrant in the brown sugar water, became even more intensely hot.

Just like love, a passionate romance is not as good as a peaceful one.

Zhang Wen took a bite of the wonton, which was so hot that she gasped for breath, but she couldn't bear to spit it out.

He mumbled incoherently, "Delicious, delicious, really delicious."

Fu Hua laughed and pushed her bowl towards her: "Eat slowly, no one's going to take it from you, you can have more if you're not full."

Zhang Wen took a sip of water and finally managed to swallow it.

She breathed a sigh of relief: "I told my mom I ate wontons outside, but she definitely won't believe me."

Why don't you believe me?

He declined the question.

"She always says that food from outside isn't clean and won't let me eat it."

Zhang Wen took another bite. "But this stall is so out of the way, she doesn't even know where it is, so it's none of my business."

Fu Hua ate one slowly and deliberately, then put down her spoon.

He joked, "Eat less, or Aunt Zhang will blame me when we get back."

Zhang Wen quickly nodded: "I know, I know, I would never tell, even if you killed me, and I would never betray you."

The three of them ate wontons and chatted casually.

The streetlights cast long shadows, and steam rose from the pot, carrying the aroma of scallions and pepper.

After finishing their meal, Xie Ci went to pay the bill.

The three walked back, the shadow of the big locust tree in the alley falling to the ground, swaying in the wind.

The car pulled up in front of the Zhang family's house and came to a stop.

Zhang Wen pushed open the car door, jumped out, and then peered inside through the car window.

"Huahua, Brother Xie, please come in and sit for a while? Have a cup of tea before you leave."

He turned to Fu Hua to express his gratitude.

Fu Hua shook her head: "I'm not going, it's too late. You should go home early, you have class tomorrow, don't you?"

Zhang Wen was a little disappointed, but she didn't insist any further.

"Then drive carefully."

She straightened up, leaned closer, and whispered, "Huahua, my mom is coming tomorrow, so you can go without worry and don't need to worry about the shop."

Fu Hua nodded.

Zhang Wen waved, turned around, pushed open the courtyard gate, and went inside.

After thanking him, he started the car and slowly drove forward.

We drove out of the alley and onto the main road. The streetlights came on, and they receded one after another.

The car was quiet, with only the low rumble of the engine.

The car drove onto a quiet road with sparse streetlights and low walls and old locust trees on both sides.

Fu Hua turned her head to look at Xie Ci.

He gripped the steering wheel, his eyes fixed ahead, his face expressionless.

It's not quite the same as usual.

When he's driving, he always glances at her every now and then, or tries to say something to her.

Not today.

"parking."

Fu Hua said.

Xie Ci paused for a moment, then turned to look at her: "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

"Please stop the car before we talk."

Xie Ci glanced ahead, pulled the car over to the side of the road, and turned off the engine.

The light from the streetlamp slanted in through the car window, falling on half of his face.

He turned around and looked at her: "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

Fu Hua didn't answer, but looked at him for a while.

You're hiding something from me.

Xie Ci paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "No."

"have."

"No, really."

Xie Ci reached out to touch her face, but Fu Hua blocked his hand.

You're not usually like this.

Fu Hua said, "She's been quiet and hasn't smiled much today, something must be wrong."

Xie Ci looked at her, and the smile on his face slowly faded.

"How did you figure that out?"

He couldn't figure out where he had made a mistake; everything seemed normal.

Fu Hua said, "A sixth sense."

Xie Ci blinked: "Sixth... what?"

"It's just intuition."

Fu Hua waved her hand, "That's not important. What's important is what's wrong with you?"

She paused, looking into his eyes: "About the military? Or something else?"

Xie Ci remained silent for a while.

The streetlights couldn't shine into the car; only a faint light shone from afar.

His face was in shadow, its features very defined.

There was something about him that he didn't usually have in his eyes and brows.

"Grandpa is sick."

Fu Hua was stunned for a moment.

"I just got back from the hospital."

Xie Ci sighed, "That's why I'm late today."

"What illness?"

Xie Ci leaned back in his chair, looking at the dimly lit road outside the windshield.

"The doctor said it's a rare disease."

His voice was a little muffled. "There are only a few cases nationwide. They will contact the best medical team in the country for a joint consultation."

Fu Hua didn't speak, she just looked at him.

Xie Ci turned his head and twitched the corner of his mouth, as if he wanted to smile.

Let's not talk about this anymore.

He ruffled Fu Hua's hair. "You must be tired today. I haven't been here all day, and you haven't eaten. How can that be? Don't do that again."

Fu Hua shook her head: "It's alright."

Xie Ci looked at her without saying anything more, and the forced smile on his face slowly faded away.

The car quieted down, and you could hear the chirping of insects in the grass outside.

Fu Hua looked at him and suddenly asked, "Is there something else?"

Xie Ci paused for a moment, then shook his head.

"no."

Fu Hua didn't say anything, she just looked at him.

Xie Ci felt a little uncomfortable under her gaze, looked away, and then looked back.

"Huahua,"

His voice was a little lower than usual, and somewhat hoarse: "Just now at the Zhang family's gate... why wouldn't you come in and sit with me?"

Fu Hua raised an eyebrow.

Xie Ci paused, then made up his mind and continued, "Is it because you think I'm... too old, too mature to take out in public? Or..."

He didn't look at her when he said this; his eyes were on the steering wheel.

The streetlights shone in from the side, casting a shadow on his face.

Those things that you never usually see

It's right there, clearly displayed.

Fu Hua was stunned for a moment, then she understood.

She reached out and took his hand.

Xie Ci looked up at her.

Acknowledgments,

Her voice was calm. "Look at me."

He turned away after saying thank you.

"It's not because of that."

Fu Hua explained, "It's too late. Is it appropriate for the two of us to go to someone's house empty-handed so late at night?"

Xie Ci blinked.

"Besides, I'm friends with Zhang Wen, and I also know Uncle Zhang,"

Fu Hua said, "The closer you get to someone, the more you need to know the proper etiquette. It's polite to visit them formally during the day, bringing some gifts. Going tonight would be intrusive."

Xie Ci looked at her without saying a word for a long time.

Then he smiled with relief, looking a little embarrassed.

"I was overthinking it."

He said apologetically, "I was being inconsiderate. I was only thinking about how you were considerate of me, and I didn't think about these things."