Romance Variety Show: The aloof and beautiful fourth female lead is always coveted.

"Shut up." Li Shuyao glared at Lin Zhao. "You're so stubborn."

She said meaningfully, "What will you do if you can't get a wife in the future?"

The "wife" Li Shuyao mentioned was clearly referring to Bai Nianchu.

Lin Zhao understood the meaning behind her mother's words.

He knew that his mother had always supported Bai Nianchu's pursuit of him and had always wanted their families to marry. It was only because he had resisted so much that his mother hadn't taken any forceful measures to bring them together.

but now……

Lin Zhao suddenly realized that her mother's matchmaking wasn't so bad after all.

"I've been watching that dating reality show you two were on," Li Shuyao said with a smile. "Before, Nian Nian was chasing after Lin Zhao, but on the show, it's become Lin Zhao chasing after Nian Nian."

"Oh dear, when I was watching it, I was thinking—isn't this just like the popular 'wife-chasing crematorium' story online?"

Upon hearing this, Gu Jinxing's polite smile faded: "Aunt Yao, you know quite a lot."

Seeing that the atmosphere was getting awkward, Bai Yanyun pouted and changed the subject, saying, "Shall we eat first? The food will get cold if we wait any longer."

"Mom, let's eat first." Lin Zhao also said in a low voice, "Niannian has a stomach problem, she can't eat too late."

These words surprised Li Shuyao.

Her stubborn son actually had a change of heart after appearing on the TV show!

"Okay, come on, everyone, eat up."

Knowing that Bai Nianchu had a weak stomach, Gu Jinxing served her light meat dishes, such as steamed fish, garlic cabbage, and boiled shrimp. He carefully peeled the shrimp shells and removed all the bones from the fish.

"Eat carefully," Gu Jinxing said. "There might still be some small bones that you haven't picked out."

Bai Nianchu's voice was clear and cold: "Thank you, Brother Jinxing."

Bai Yanyun didn't have many reservations and put all the food she thought was delicious into her empty bowl.

"Xiao Chu, you always eat such bland food, how can you not lose weight?" He muttered to himself, then put a piece of braised pork with preserved vegetables on Bai Nianchu's plate. "Here, eat some meat to nourish your body."

Bai Nianchu looked at the piece of fatty meat and paused for a moment: "...Thank you, brother."

Gu Jinxing chuckled softly, his voice low and almost coaxing: "If you can't eat it, give it to me."

Li Shuyao saw how much the two brothers doted on Bai Nianchu.

The clearer she saw things, the less kind she was to her own son.

What's the use of having an epiphany if you can't put it into practice?

Normally, Lin Zhao's unmoving poker face wouldn't seem like anything, but now it just makes me angrier, and a nameless fire suddenly rises up.

Lin Zhao happened to be sitting next to her.

Li Shuyao's expression remained unchanged as she relentlessly ground down with her five-centimeter-high heels.

"hiss--"

Lin Zhao gasped in pain, almost losing her composure.

As soon as I turned my head, I was pierced by my mother's sharp, knife-like gaze.

His eyes were full of disappointment and frustration: "Even the older brother knows to serve Nianchu food, what about you? Don't you want your wife anymore?"

Lin Zhao remained silent for a moment.

For so many years, it has always been Bai Nianchu chasing after him.

Suddenly, he was made to fawn over her...

Lin Zhao was still somewhat awkward.

But it's really hard to accept that he should just do nothing and have a meal together.

Without much hesitation, Lin Zhao stood up, picked up a piece of tenderly stewed pork rib, and put it into Bai Nianchu's bowl.

"Niannian, try this."

Bai Nianchu's seats on both sides were occupied, and Lin Zhao was quite far away.

Before he could even deliver the ribs...

A pair of chopsticks suddenly reached out and stopped him.

It is Gu Jinxing.

Gu Jinxing's smile remained unchanged. With a slight twist of his wrist, he used the chopsticks to separate Lin Zhao's chopsticks.

"Lin Zhao, you can take some for yourself," he said with a smile. "Xiao Chu has plenty of food in her bowl, no need for her to bother."

Gu Jinxing's tone was as polite as his actions.

After putting down his chopsticks, Gu Jinxing ladled another bowl of hot soup for Bai Nianchu.

"Keep eating," he said softly. "The soup is too hot, let me serve you a bowl to cool it down."

Lin Zhao and Li Shuyao: "..."

Despite being a gathering of five people, the air was so still it was as if no one was there.

Bai Yanyun was someone who loved watching a good show. He looked up at his older brother, then glanced at Lin Zhao, who was frozen in place, thoroughly enjoying the spectacle.

Bai Nianchu sat calmly at the center of this invisible storm, completely unaffected. She lowered her eyes, eating her food in small bites, as if all the turmoil had nothing to do with her.

She didn't seem to care at all.

"..."

Lin Zhao found it hard to describe his feelings at that moment. He put the spare rib he hadn't taken out back into his bowl, but it tasted bland and tasteless, like chewing wax.

Li Shuyao hadn't expected Gu Jinxing to be so considerate; in his eyes, even the slightest bit of Lin Zhao's attentiveness was an overstepping of boundaries.

But it was only natural for Gu Jinxing to protect Bai Nianchu, so she couldn't say anything.

To ease the tension, Li Shuyao changed the subject and started reminiscing about the past: "I remember when Niannian was little, she was so cute, round and chubby, like a little glutinous rice ball. She would follow Lin Zhao around all day calling him 'Brother Zhao Zhao,' which made Jinxing and Yanyun extremely envious."

"Lin Zhao is the same. Although he has always acted like a little adult and doesn't have many friends his age, he really likes to be with Niannian. He always makes a fuss about wanting to play with Niannian and doesn't want to go home even when it gets dark. They're like conjoined twins."

When Li Shuyao recounted these childhood sweetheart moments with a nostalgic tone, it was quite heartwarming.

Unfortunately, things have changed.

Bai Nianchu's eyelids drooped slightly, and her long eyelashes cast a shadow under her eyes.

It's really hard to destroy and rebuild something you once believed to be true and beautiful. After experiencing one lifetime, even if the original owner had the chance to start over and change things, all he wanted was to end the suffering and embrace a new life.

Lin Zhao and her mother may never know—

The girl who truly had Lin Zhao in her heart and eyes chose to leave in the summer of her twenty-third year.

Summer has long since passed.

Lin Zhao had heard her mother mention things about her childhood more than once.

He was usually very annoyed, and after listening to only a few words, he would frown and impatiently interrupt his mother's reminiscence.

But this time, Lin Zhao was unusually quiet, and no resistance appeared on her face.

On the contrary, it was Bai Nianchu...

It was as if they were listening to a story completely unrelated to themselves; there was no trace of lingering attachment to the past in those dark eyes.

After he finished speaking, none of the "parties involved" in the private room responded.

Looking at this scene, Li Shuyao suddenly felt a sense of powerlessness.

It's like she meticulously built a stage, but there's no one there; she can't find anyone to listen to her performance.

After dinner, Li Shuyao made an excuse to send Lin Zhao and the Bai brothers away.

Only she and Bai Nianchu remained.