Trending topic alert: The mysterious fan site administrator of a top celebrity has been exposed.

The hospital entrance was still chilly in the early morning.

Chu Yi had just finished her night shift, and her eyes showed some fatigue, but when she thought that today was the day Zhou Ai was coming back, her brows softened unconsciously.

He stood by the roadside, watching the Didi car slowly move across his phone screen.

A light snow fell last night, and sanitation workers were sweeping up the remaining snow not far away, their brooms making a rustling sound as they swept across the ground.

Chu Yi's gaze casually swept across the street, where a black Maybach was parked quietly.

At first glance, the license plate number seemed somewhat familiar, but I didn't think much of it. I simply buried my face in the soft cashmere scarf to shield myself from the biting morning wind.

The phone indicated that the vehicle was approaching. Chu Yi stepped across the street, but just as he reached the middle of the road, two men in black suits silently blocked his way.

Chu Yi paused, then looked up again at the license plate of the Maybach.

This time, he clearly remembered who the string of numbers belonged to—Cheng Zhi, his father whom he rarely saw more than a few times a year.

With a knowing raise of his eyebrows, Chu Yi revealed a frank smile that was almost mocking.

He didn't ask any questions or resist; he simply looked down and skillfully operated his phone, canceling the ride-hailing service he had just called and paying the penalty.

The whole process was smooth and seamless, as if this scene had been anticipated all along.

"Lead the way." He put away his phone and said to the bodyguard in a flat tone, his voice devoid of emotion.

The bodyguard respectfully opened the car door for him. Chu Yi bent down and sat inside, a warm atmosphere wafting towards him, accompanied by a familiar woody scent.

In the back seat, Cheng Zhi was sitting upright reading a document, only slightly raising his eyes when he heard the noise.

He wore a well-tailored dark gray overcoat, his sideburns were neatly combed, perfectly overlapping with the image of the perpetually busy and aloof man in Chu Yi's memory.

Chu Yi sat down on the other side, with enough space between them for another person to sit.

He didn't speak, not even calling out "Dad," but simply gazed quietly out the window at the pedestrians passing by the hospital entrance.

A subtle silence fell over the carriage, broken only by the faint sound of the air conditioning running.

Chu Yi's fingers unconsciously rubbed the edge of his phone, and the screen lit up from time to time as he did so, displaying the time—two hours and thirteen minutes until Zhou Ai's flight landed.

He was even mentally planning what groceries he should buy at the supermarket after he left.

Zhou Ai prefers light Cantonese flavors, and the ingredients for her soup must be fresh. She wonders if she can still find a good quality grouper at this time of year...

"You're more composed than your brother."

Cheng Zhi's voice suddenly broke the silence. He still didn't look up, his tone as calm as if he were evaluating a complete stranger.

Upon hearing this, Chu Yi merely gave a slight twitch of her lips, without even turning her gaze away from the window.

These words did not stir the slightest ripple in his heart.

More than this unexpected meeting between father and son, he was concerned about what ingredients to buy so that Zhou Ai, who had returned home exhausted, could have a delicious home-cooked meal.

His almost indifferent attitude seemed to surprise Cheng Zhi, who finally looked up from the document and his gaze fell on Chu Yi's profile.

That gaze was the same as before, scrutinizing and carrying the oppressive aura of someone who had long held a superior position, trying to find some flaw in Chu Yi's calm and composed face.

There was a variety of emotions in that gaze, but no affection for her son.

Chu Yi gave a nonchalant twitch of her lips, merely turning her head slightly to meet Cheng Zhi's gaze. Her eyes were clear and open, without fear or intimacy, as if she were looking at someone...not very familiar.

"It seems the rumors outside are true?" Cheng Zhi closed the document, placed it aside, and crossed his hands on his knees, adopting the usual negotiating posture in the business world. "You and that Zhou family kid have caused quite a stir."

Chu Yi remained silent, simply watching him quietly, as if waiting for him to get to the point.

This silence itself is a response and an attitude.

Cheng Zhi frowned almost imperceptibly as he looked at his stubborn and unyielding attitude.

He was used to absolute dominance in the business world and at home, but he felt a subtle resistance from his youngest son, with whom he had never been very close since childhood.

"The Zhou family situation is complicated, and Zhou Ai has a reckless personality. In the entertainment industry, that big melting pot..." Cheng Zhi tried to adopt the posture of a father and analyze the pros and cons.

"He's fine." Chu Yi finally spoke, her voice calm, directly interrupting Cheng Zhi's unfinished words.

Cheng Zhi was speechless. He looked at Chu Yi, and Chu Yi looked back at him without flinching.

Silence fell again in the carriage, but this time it carried a silent confrontation.

One tried to exert influence through the authority of an elder, while the other built a strong barrier with silence and the simplest affirmation.

Chu Yi tapped the phone screen again, and a few more minutes passed.

His thought was still: Time is running out, I have to hurry.

"I wonder what brings you here today?" Chu Yi asked directly, her tone calm but carrying a hint of barely perceptible impatience.

He just wanted to end this pointless conversation as soon as possible.

Upon hearing this, Cheng Zhi smiled calmly. The lines of his profile did indeed resemble Chu Yi's, only his face appeared more hardened and bore the marks of time.

"Looks like you still can't keep your composure." There was an unreadable glint in his voice. "Did I overestimate you?"

Chu Yi glanced down at her phone screen again; the "Ready to board" message Zhou Ai had sent a few minutes earlier was still there.

He felt that the facade of "calm and good-tempered" that Zhou Ai had described was crumbling inch by inch, and something sharper and more rebellious was breaking through the ice beneath the surface.

He even absurdly thought that perhaps the "rebellious" nature in his bones was even stronger than that of Zhou Ai, the "troublemaker" in everyone's eyes.

"If you want to keep wasting your time here, I may not be able to keep you company," Chu Yi said, reaching for the car door. His patience had run out.

"I want to talk to you about what happened between you two," Cheng Zhi's voice sounded from behind.

Chu Yi paused in his act of pushing the door open. He slowly turned his head, looking directly at Cheng Zhi with sharp, clear eyes, and asked, word by word, "Why do I need to tell you about what happens between us?"

This question was too direct and too distant, as if it had completely severed the thin blood ties between the two.

Cheng Zhi's expression darkened slightly at his words, and the calm facade he had maintained finally cracked.

Do you think your relationship is just a matter between the two of you?

His voice unconsciously rose slightly, "The interests of the two families are deeply intertwined! Your mother wanted you to marry Xie Huaiming of the Xie family. Given your lukewarm personality, the other family's simple background, and Xie Huaiming's gentle nature, this arrangement was definitely for your own good! But what did you do? You didn't say a word, and instead turned around and got involved with that scoundrel from the Zhou family!"

Cheng Zhi took a deep breath, trying to calm his somewhat agitated emotions, but the anger in his voice was still clearly discernible: "I don't know if you're deliberately trying to anger us, or if you genuinely want to get involved with that Zhou family..."

He seemed to find the rest of his words difficult to say and left them unsaid, but the disapproval and disdain in those unfinished words were already clear.

At this moment, Cheng Zhi shed his calm exterior as a business tycoon and actually showed some signs of being a father who had lost his composure due to his "rebellious" son.

But this belated "fatherly love" with its controlling nature only seemed ironic to Chu Yi.

Chu Yi listened quietly to him finish speaking, her face showing no anger or displeasure, but instead a faint, cool smile.

"For my own good?"

He repeated those four words softly, as if savoring something ridiculous, "Have you and Mom made enough arrangements for my own good since I was a child?"

His gaze calmly fell on Cheng Zhi's face, his eyes so clear that they seemed to see through all the high-sounding reasons behind the calculations of interests and dignity.

"But this time," Chu Yi's voice remained calm, "it was my own choice. It only concerns Zhou Ai, only concerns me. It has nothing to do with the Cheng family, nothing to do with the Zhou family, and even less to do with... you two."

He glanced at the time on his phone screen again; Zhou Ai was getting closer to landing.

"If there's nothing else, I'll be going now."

This time, Chu Yi didn't hesitate and pushed open the car door, the biting cold wind instantly rushing into the warm car.

"Chu Yi!" Cheng Zhi called out in a deep voice from behind him.

Chu Yi paused slightly, but did not turn around.

"You'll regret this." Cheng Zhi's voice was firm, as if he had already foreseen the inevitable failure of this relationship.

Chu Yi stood outside the car, the morning sun shining on him, casting a light gold hue on the down jacket he was wearing.

"That's my business."

After saying that, Chu Yi closed the car door without hesitation, completely isolating the space filled with oppression, scheming, and so-called "for his own good."

He adjusted his scarf, strode towards the street corner, his goal clear—he was going to the supermarket to buy the freshest ingredients and wait for Zhou Ai to come home.

Inside the carriage, Cheng Zhi watched Chu Yi's resolute departure, his face grim.

For the first time, he saw such a clear and powerful will to resist in his usually docile youngest son.

This feeling of being out of control made him extremely uncomfortable.

Chu Yi's last words, "It's my business," were like a thorn piercing his heart.

---

As soon as the plane landed, before it had even come to a complete stop, Zhou Ai had already eagerly turned on her phone.

The moment the network connection was restored, WeChat message notifications rang out. He skillfully swiped open the screen, and in the pinned chat, the name "Guaiguai" was followed by a bright red number "3".

He clicked on it, and the corners of his lips began to turn up uncontrollably.

The first photo shows the "disastrous state" of the kitchen countertop—several small bowls containing different marinade seasonings, chopped scallions and ginger, and some splashed water, with a slightly messy background.

The second picture is also of the kitchen. With the angle slightly adjusted, you can see the soup pot already simmering on the stove, emitting wisps of steam.

Zhou Ai's smile deepened, and his fingertips slid down to see the third image—his breath hitched slightly.

It was a selfie. Chu Yi was wearing a soft beige pullover sweater, with a plain-colored apron strap tied around her neck.

He was wearing a transparent kitchen glove on his left hand, carefully lifting the prepared grouper. The fish was silvery-white with a hint of pink, and looked very fresh.

Chu Yi didn't seem to be used to taking selfies. The camera angle was a bit awkward, and her handsome face was facing the front camera. She didn't have much expression, but the slightly downturned corners of her mouth revealed a rare kind of cuteness as she focused on cooking and a hint of "frantic" hands.

Zhou Ai zoomed in on the photo almost without hesitation, staring at Chu Yi's somewhat aggrieved yet earnest expression. Her heart felt as if it had been gently tickled by a feather, melting completely.

How can his family's doctor, Dr. Chu, be so adorable?

He could almost picture Chu Yi in the kitchen, meticulously following the recipe, yet inevitably a little clumsy as she handled the ingredients.

"Ancestor! Let's go!" Xu Yang's voice rang in my ears, filled with anxiety.

Zhou Ai then looked up from her phone screen and saw that the cabin door had opened and passengers were beginning to disembark.

Outside the passageway, the noisy crowd and the flashing lights had created a familiar scene of people picking up passengers at the airport.

The screams and shouts of the fans surged like a heat wave, and the cameras of the paparazzi were pointed at him with their long lenses and microphones.

He quickly saved the selfie to his phone's encrypted album, then put his phone away in high spirits, sporting his usual slightly lazy but impeccable smile when facing the public.

"Let's go." He responded and, protected by a human wall formed by Xu Yang, bodyguards, and staff, strode out along the VIP passage.

The fans' enthusiasm nearly broke through the security lines; countless hands reached out to touch him, and letters and gifts were handed out, almost filling his assistant's arms. Screams mingled with his name and various nicknames.

Normally, Zhou Ai might feel a little tired and habitually detached when faced with such a massive crowd.

But today, his mood was as if it had been completely illuminated by the sun.

For the first time ever, he didn't wear sunglasses, and even took the initiative to look more in the direction where the fans were gathered. His peach blossom eyes held a genuine smile, and he would occasionally raise his hand to respond to the fans' shouts.

This rare act of being "approachable" excited the fans even more, and the atmosphere at the scene became even more enthusiastic.

"Zhou Ai!! Look here!"

"Brother, you've worked hard!"

"Zhou Zhou! Your new hair color looks so cool!"

As Zhou Ai walked steadily forward surrounded by people, she was distracted, thinking: That grouper looks really good. What will Chu Yi do with it? Steam it? He seems to have mentioned wanting to learn how to make Shunde steamed fish...

Also, that beige sweater makes him look so soft; I want to hug him.

I am eager to go home.

In the kitchen, Chu Yi was completely focused on "fighting" with the slippery grouper.

Wearing transparent gloves, he tried to regain control of the fish that he had just scooped out of the basin of water but almost slipped from his grasp. His brows were slightly furrowed, and his lips were gently pursed in focus.

"hiss--"

With a flick of its tail, splashing a few drops of water, Chu Yi subconsciously leaned back, straining its wrist, its posture appearing somewhat clumsy yet adorable.

Just then, a pair of arms quietly wrapped around his waist from behind, and a warm body pressed against him.

Chu Yi was startled, her body tensed instantly, and she instinctively turned her head—

Zhou Ai, carrying the slightly cool outdoor air, had her smiling face very close to mine.

Before Chu Yi could react, he quickly leaned in and planted a firm "kiss" on her slightly parted lips, making a crisp sound.

"!"

Chu Yi's eyes widened slightly, and only after recognizing Zhou Ai did her tense nerves relax abruptly. She let out a helpless sigh, "How did you get here so fast?"

He thought it would take at least another half hour.

"I missed you, so I told the driver to go a little faster." Zhou Ai said matter-of-factly, nuzzling her chin affectionately against Chu Yi's shoulder. Her gaze fell on the fish still wriggling in his hand, and she couldn't help but chuckle softly, "Is our Dr. Chu really going against it?"

Chu Yi's ears felt slightly hot as she tried to remain calm: "It's too slippery."

Zhou Ai's heart melted. He loosened his embrace and instead grasped Chu Yi's gloved wrist, using his hand to firmly hold the restless East Star Spotted Leopard.

"Like this," he said, placing his palm over Chu Yi's hand with a reassuring strength and warmth, "I'll hold it for you."

With the combined efforts of the two, the fish finally became more obedient.

Chu Yi felt the warmth from the back of his hand and the firm touch of Zhou Ai's chest, and his heart began to race.

He turned his head slightly and could see Zhou Ai's profile so close to his face. Her newly dyed black hair was curly, making her skin look even whiter, and her eyelashes were incredibly long.

"Are you tired?" Chu Yi asked softly.

"I'm not tired," Zhou Ai turned her head, her nose almost touching his, her peach blossom eyes sparkling with tiny lights, "Seeing you makes me not tired."

His gaze fell on Chu Yi's apron and soft beige sweater, and his voice was low and magnetically seductive, "Besides... if our Dr. Chu dressed like this and cooked for me in the kitchen, I could look at her for another hundred years."

Chu Yi's cheeks flushed from his straightforward words of love, and she pulled her hand away from his grasp: "Stop being so cheeky... we need to prepare the fish."

Zhou Ai smiled and quickly stole a kiss on his cheek before reluctantly letting go. However, she didn't leave the kitchen but instead leaned lazily against the counter, watching Chu Yi re-engage in the "battle".

The kitchen was filled with the aroma of soup and a faint fishy smell, but the return of another person instantly filled it with the warmth of home.

For Zhou Ai, this is the most touching aspect of everyday life in the world.