Oh no! I've only been a freshman and I've already been targeted by a mean upperclassman.

Fifteen. Sixteen. Seventeen.

Ding.

The elevator doors opened.

At the end of the corridor, the door to room 1701 was already open.

Warm yellow light leaked out from the crack in the door.

Shen Ruolan stood at the door.

The apron is still on.

Her hair was tied up more neatly than usual.

The smile on her face paused for half a second when she saw Yan Xi next to Li Chen—then it grew even wider.

"We're here! Come in quickly! It's cold outside—"

Shen Ruolan's gaze quickly swept over Yan Xi's face.

Then move it to the phoenix hairpin.

Then it moved to the little fingers of the two people hooked together.

She didn't say anything.

Pull the door open as wide as possible.

"Hello, Auntie." Yan Xi released Li Chen's fingers.

Stand up straight and bow slightly.

The voice was half a tone lower than usual.

Li Chen had never seen Yan Xi like this before.

The student council president transformed into a nervous, soft-voiced girl in front of her mother.

Shen Ruolan grasped Yan Xi's hand tightly.

"Your hands are so cold! Come in, come in! The heating's on!"

She took Yan Xi's hand and led her inside.

She didn't even glance at Li Chen.

Li Chen stood at the door carrying two backpacks and some fruit.

"Mom, I..."

"Come in yourself. You've changed your shoes; the slippers are in the second compartment on the left."

Shen Ruolan didn't even turn her head.

Li Chen changed into slippers and went inside.

The heating in the living room is indeed very strong.

There was a fruit platter on the coffee table—the one that had been placed there three times.

The cherries in the fruit platter were arranged by size.

Li Mohan sat on the sofa.

He was wearing a dark blue shirt.

The second button was fastened higher than usual.

He kept a composed expression and slightly raised his chin.

A standard "parental demeanor".

But he rubbed his right thumb on the sofa armrest twice.

Li Chen saw it all.

The exact same movements as in high school.

Hello, Uncle.

Yan Xi's voice steadied.

Standing in the center of the living room.

His back was very straight.

Li Mohan stood up from the sofa.

I looked at Yan Xi for three seconds.

"Sit down, don't stand."

Her tone was three levels softer than Li Chen had expected.

Yan Xi sat down.

Shen Ruolan had already brought out a glass of water.

Place it in front of Yan Xi.

"Is this water hot enough? Chenchen said you drink 60 degrees Celsius water—"

"mom."

"I asked her, not you."

Yan Xi took the water glass with both hands and took a sip.

"The temperature is just right, thank you, Auntie."

Shen Ruolan's smile almost overflowed.

She sat down next to Yan Xi, glanced at Li Chen, and gave him a look—go to the kitchen to help.

Li Chen stood still.

"Go." Yan Xi glanced at him.

Li Chen turned and went into the kitchen. As he passed the sofa, Li Mohan said something in a low voice.

"I remembered all the dietary restrictions you told your mother about. There wasn't a single scallion in the soup."

Li Chen looked at his father.

Li Mohan rubbed the armrest with his right thumb again.

"Don't make the young lady feel awkward. Go and bring out the dishes."

Li Chen went into the kitchen.

On the stove are spare ribs, steamed pumpkin, and clear chicken soup.

There was a bowl of plain porridge next to it.

He tested the temperature of the porridge with the back of his hand; it was about 62 degrees Celsius.

His mother even controlled the temperature of the porridge.

My phone vibrated.

He took it out and glanced at it.

[Wang Qiang: Have we arrived yet? Is your wife nervous?]

Li Chen typed a message.

[Li Chen: We're here. My mom even cooked the porridge to 60 degrees Celsius. My dad changed three shirts. I was sent into the kitchen to serve the dishes.]

two seconds.

[Wang Qiang: Who was more nervous, your mother or your sister-in-law?]

Li Chen thought for a moment.

[Li Chen: Me.]

He locked the screen.

Carrying the dishes, they walked out.

In the living room, Shen Ruolan was showing Yan Xi photos on her phone.

Li Mohan sat opposite him, his expression changing from "stiff" to "wanting to speak but unable to find a starting point".

Li Chen placed the dishes on the table.

"Come on. Let's eat." Shen Ruolan stood up and naturally took Yan Xi's hand. "Try Auntie's cooking. I don't know if it suits your taste. I've remembered everything Chenchen said—"

Yan Xi stood up. As she passed Li Chen, she lightly traced the inside of his wrist with her fingers.

Very quickly. Less than half a second.

Nobody saw it.

But a warm sensation remained on Li Chen's wrist.

The four of them sat down. Shen Ruolan kept putting food on Yan Xi's plate. Li Mohan ate a couple of bites of ribs and cleared his throat.

"Xiao Yan."

Yan Xi put down her chopsticks. "Uncle."

"Has Chenchen ever caused you any trouble?"

Yan Xi glanced at Li Chen.

"have."

Li Chen stopped eating.

"When he cuts vegetables, his knuckles always have an extra two degrees of angle. I corrected him three times."

Shen Ruolan was stunned for a moment.

Then he burst out laughing.

Li Mohan's lips twitched.

I tried to hold it in. But I couldn't.

"This child has always been clumsy when cooking—"

"Not at all hasty," Yan Xi interrupted him, her tone calm. "His cooking is excellent. He's just used to not being noticed. So there are some details that no one has ever pointed out to him."

There was a two-second silence on the table.

Shen Ruolan's gaze towards Yan Xi changed.

It's not just "satisfied" anymore.

Li Mohan lowered his head and shoveled a mouthful of rice into his bowl.

Li Chen sat opposite him.

He was holding chopsticks in his hand.

The sensation of her brush against the inside of his right wrist was still there.

My phone vibrated in my pocket.

He didn't look at it.

No need to look.

He knew who it was.

After dinner, Shen Ruolan pulled Yan Xi to sit on the sofa in the living room. The second plate of cherries on the coffee table had already been washed.

Li Chen was assigned to wash the dishes.

Li Mohan stood at the kitchen doorway, arms crossed, watching Li Chen wash the dishes.

"Your mother prepared for three days."

"I know."

"The fruit platter was set up three times. The vases were changed twice. The bed sheets in the guest rooms were newly bought."

Li Chen looked at the plate. "I know too."

Li Mohan remained silent for five seconds.

"She's nice."

Li Chen paused for a moment, then continued rinsing.

"Um."

"His eyes are very focused. He speaks with tact."

"Um."

"but--"

Li Chen turned off the tap. He turned to look at his father.

Li Mohan rubbed his right thumb on his arm.

"She said you cook well, but the last sentence wasn't a compliment. It was to protect you."

Li Chen didn't move.

"'He's just used to not being noticed'—that was said to me and your mother." Li Mohan lowered his voice. "She's telling us that she saw what we didn't."