After the fake young master left home, he discovered that it wasn't raining at all outside.

Zhu Yan watched as Zhu Mo rushed out of the kitchen with the dishes, hurriedly placed them on the table, and then became cautious as he put the bowls down.

"hiss--"

As if he had burned his finger, Zhu Mo raised his hand and subconsciously touched his ear, only to find that Zhu Yan was watching his embarrassing action with a slightly awkward smile on his face.

Bai Zheng stood at the door, her smile tinged with trepidation.

Zhu Yan's gaze fell on Bai Zheng. A cheap apron looked particularly out of place on her. Zhu Yan also noticed that there was a bright bloodstain on her slender, delicate hands.

The wound is on the pad of my left index finger. It's not long, but it's deep, and the blood keeps gushing out.

Bai Zheng noticed that Zhu Yan had seen the injury on her hand. She panicked and instinctively covered the wound with her right hand over her left hand.

Little did she know that when her fingers brushed against the apron, the bright red bloodstains became even more glaring.

This knife wounded Bai Zheng's hand, but it also cut a gash in Zhu Yan's cold and silent heart.

Zhu Mo's clumsy movements and Bai Zheng's sudden panic and helplessness revealed their once pampered lives, but at this moment, they became evidence of their love for Zhu Yan.

A delicious meal, two busy yet slightly clumsy figures...

Finally, the floodgates of Zhu Yan's emotions could no longer withstand the surging torrent, and at this moment, they burst forth.

If they previously used money and power to show care and love to Zhu Yan, now they are proving with their actions that Zhu Yan is also a child loved by his parents.

Zhu Yan snapped out of her daze, realizing her out-of-control emotions. She lowered her head, and a large tear slid down her cheek, shining like a pearl under the light.

This was not the first time he had shed tears. During countless stormy nights in his childhood, he was weak and helpless, curled up in bed alone, and shed countless tears.

So later, he learned to face it bravely, forcing himself to hold back all his tears.

Tears are emotional, a product that evokes pity, but he, an unloved child, had no right to shed tears.

"Ayan...why...what's wrong? Did our sudden arrival scare you?" Bai Zheng saw that Zhu Yan was looking down and not responding, and was afraid that it was because she and Zhu Mo had come over without saying hello and disturbed his plans.

"It won't happen again, Ayan. You and your classmates can sit and eat. Your father and I will... we'll leave now." Bai Zheng thought that Zhu Yan didn't want her and Zhu Mo to come over, so she took off her apron and walked to Zhu Mo's side, winking at him to signal him to leave with her quickly.

"It was our oversight that we came without asking you. We won't do it again." Zhu Mo took out a tissue, wiped his hands, and then tried to pull Bai Zheng away.

The other people who came to freeload stood awkwardly at the door, silently watching Zhu Yan's retreating figure, not daring to move.

The biggest unspoken understanding among the five of them was that they all regretted it and didn't know why they had to come and join in the fun today.

I wish I hadn't come.

┐(『～`;)┌

Zhu Yan composed herself, skillfully concealing the slight emotion in her eyes. She walked to the dining table, stopped the two from leaving, put her hand on their shoulders, and pressed them into their seats.

"I'm not angry, let's sit down and eat together." Zhu Yan took the opportunity to sit down next to Bai Zheng, then looked at the others and gestured for them to sit down quickly.

Lu Ze and Xu Zhiyuan had already met Bai Zheng and Zhu Mo, so they weren't as awkward as the others. They greeted them and sat down directly.

Shen Yan, Qin Ci, and Song Zhen were different. In a sense, they were just subordinates, so they simply walked to the dining table, greeted the master and mistress, and continued to stand there awkwardly.

They never expected their first meeting with the Zhu family head to be such an awkward scene. Moreover, the family head didn't seem that scary at all; he was actually quite gentle.

And why does it seem like the head of the household is more afraid of the young master?

Is it just an illusion?

"I know you all. Last time, when Ayan was in danger, you got injured while helping her. I'll make it up to you. Now, please sit down. There's no need to be so reserved." Zhu Mo and Shen Yan put away their smiles as they spoke, their presence commanding without anger.

"No, no, no, this is what we should do." Qin Ci was seeing this kind of scene for the first time, and she quickly waved her hand, not daring to accept the compensation that Zhu Mo offered.

In comparison, Shen Yan was more composed. He would do whatever the patriarch said, accept whatever was given to him, and not refuse anything. He just needed to do his job well.

"Yes, Patriarch, please rest assured, we will do our best to take care of the young master." Shen Yan nudged Qin Ci, telling him not to be so sentimental.

Qin Ci realized she had said the wrong thing, so she followed Shen Yan around, doing whatever he did, hoping that this way she wouldn't make any mistakes.

However, Zhu Yan paid no attention to the others and immediately asked Lin Shen to get the first-aid kit after taking his seat.

Then Zhu Yan pulled Bai Zheng's left hand to his eyes, opened the first-aid kit, took out alcohol and cotton swabs, and prepared to apply medicine to Bai Zheng.

"It's alright, Ayan, it's just a minor injury." Bai Zheng was flattered by Zhu Yan's initiative in applying medicine for her. She had to say something polite, but she was secretly overjoyed.

Ah Yan personally applied the medicine for me.

(｡・//ε//・｡)

"Small injury?" Zhu Yan asked.

If she were the one who got cut today, would she still say it's just a minor injury?

"Okay, you got injured while cooking for me, so I should cut off one and stay with you, how about that?" Zhu Yan gently dipped a cotton swab in alcohol.

"No." Bai Zheng's hand suddenly recoiled, and Zhu Yan's movements as he applied the medicine trembled.

She was very afraid that Zhu Yan would get hurt.

Zhu Yan didn't say anything more and continued to put on her medicine.

But Zhu Mo, who was sitting next to Zhu Yan, was envious.

I also want Ah Yan to apply the medicine to me so gently...

Should I draw one now?

Now we're a family of three.

o(*≧▽≦)ツ┏━┓

Zhu Yan took out a band-aid from the first-aid kit, preparing to give it the final treatment. Looking at the wound, she said to Bai Zheng, "You shouldn't cook next time."

"Why? Is it... not tasty?" Bai Zheng asked, somewhat puzzled.

Ah Yan doesn't seem to have tried it yet. Did she look at it and already look disgusted?

This was such a failure...

Bai Zheng felt somewhat frustrated; it seemed she would have to practice more diligently in the future.

But Zhu Yan's reply left her both amused and exasperated.

"I'm afraid ten fingers won't be enough for you to cut."

???

If you're not a buddy, would you even care about someone?

Is this how you show concern? If you don't know how to show concern, then maybe we shouldn't show concern next time.

Xu Zhiyuan's reaction differed from the others; he smiled, but what he was thinking was:

Ah Yan is so cute when she speaks.

(♡ω♡ ) ~♪

Bai Zheng was amused by the banquet and said, "It won't happen again next time."

I suffered a minor injury, but my relationship with Ayan has taken a big step forward, so it was all worth it.

Bai Zheng felt no pain from her injury; instead, she was secretly delighted by the deepening relationship between herself and Zhu Yan.