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

Yan Xi tapped her finger on the edge of the table.

Shen Ruolan had already taken the bowl into the kitchen. She said something before leaving.

"Chenchen, take Xiaoxi to the living room. There are strawberries your dad bought yesterday on the coffee table."

Li Mohan wanted to say something, but Shen Ruolan's gaze silenced him.

Li Chen and Yan Xi walked into the living room. The blue photo album from last night was still on the sofa.

Li Chen quickly hid the photo album behind the sofa cushions.

Yan Xi watched his movements.

"What are you hiding?"

"It's nothing."

"The blue photo album. The one your mom was looking at last night."

"no--"

Yan Xi walked past him. She reached behind the cushion and pulled her hand out.

"Yan Xi—"

She has already turned to the first page.

Three-year-old Li Chen. Wearing open-crotch pants. His face was covered in watermelon juice.

Yan Xi's expression remained unchanged.

Turn to the second page.

Four years old. Riding on the back of a big yellow dog. The big yellow dog looks utterly desperate.

Page 3.

Five years old. In the bathtub. Holding a rubber duck.

Li Chen reached out to take it. Yan Xi stepped aside.

"Which page is the one with the chicken chasing picture?"

"Yan Xi".

"Your dad said he hid it." She turned to page seven. "He didn't hide it."

In the photo, six-year-old Li Chen is shirtless, waving a bamboo pole, with a speckled pheasant frantically running away behind him.

Yan Xi took a picture of this page.

Li Chen heard the sound of a camera shutter.

"You took the picture."

"Um."

"What are you going to do?"

Yan Xi locked the screen. She put her phone in her pajama pocket.

"Keep it."

The corners of her mouth curved slightly. A very small curve.

Li Chen sat on the sofa. He had resigned himself to his fate.

His phone vibrated in his pocket. He didn't look at it.

Yan Xi turned to the last page. She stopped.

The photo shows seven-year-old Li Chen.

Standing in front of the stove, on a small stool, holding a spatula in hand.

It was the same scene that Shen Ruolan showed her last night, but from a different angle.

This photo was taken from behind.

A small figure from behind. A white shirt. Sleeves rolled up to the elbows.

An old man stood nearby, bent over, with his hand on Xiao Lichen's shoulder, teaching him how to flip the wok.

Yan Xi's finger hovered over the photo for three seconds.

"Your grandfather."

"Um."

She didn't look through it anymore. She closed the album and put it back on the coffee table.

"When I come again next time," she said, her tone flat.

"Um?"

I want to watch it again.

My phone vibrated.

her.

Yan Xi took it out and glanced at it.

Lonely Song.

[Leng Qingge: Is his mother good to you? Tell me quickly!!]

Yan Xi lock screen.

"Not replying?"

"We'll talk about it when we get back."

She placed her phone face down on the sofa and leaned closer.

Shoulder to shoulder.

The living room was quiet. The sounds of running water and Shen Ruolan humming a tune came from the kitchen. She was off-key.

Yan Xi stretched out her little finger.

She hooked his arm.

Li Mohan changed into a second shirt in the master bedroom.

The first one is too formal.

The neckline of the second piece is too high.

He tugged at his collar, took it off, and put on a third piece of clothing.

Gray casual style.

Tap the second one.

I stood in front of the mirror and looked at myself for two seconds.

The second button was unbuttoned.

"How many outfits did you change this morning?" Shen Ruolan's voice drifted from the kitchen.

"One piece."

"I stood in front of the mirror for four minutes."

Li Mohan walked out of the master bedroom.

In the living room, two young people sat side by side on the sofa, their shoulders touching and their little fingers linked. The blue photo album between them had been placed back on the coffee table.

Li Mohan's gaze lingered on the photo album for a moment.

The one he put in the safe last night was the second one. It had a red cover. He hadn't thought of hiding this blue one.

Judging from Yan Xi's expression, she has already finished reading.

"Dad." Li Chen saw him come out.

Li Mohan sat down opposite him and picked up his teacup. The tea was cold.

"Xiao Yan."

Yan Xi sat up a little straighter. Her little finger didn't loosen. But the back of her hand was hidden by Li Chen's thigh, so it couldn't be seen from Li Mohan's angle.

"uncle."

"Did you sleep well last night?"

"Very good. The blanket is warm. Thank you, Uncle."

Li Mohan nodded. He took a sip of the cold tea and put it down.

"You're a junior. Architectural major."

"Yes."

What are your plans after graduation?

Li Chen's back tensed. He recognized that tone. It was his father's interview style.

"I plan to take the postgraduate entrance exam. My research area is architectural heritage conservation," Yan Xi replied succinctly.

"Heritage preservation," Li Mohan repeated. "Narrow job opportunities."

"Not for employment. For research."

Li Mohan rubbed his right thumb against the handle of the teacup. "Does your family support you?"

"I don't need support for the choices I've made."

The living room fell silent for a second.

Just as Li Chen was about to speak, Yan Xi pressed her little finger against his palm.

"But my parents respect every decision I make," she added.

Li Mohan's lips twitched slightly. It wasn't a smile. It was a subtle expression of approval.

"Where's Chenchen? Have you talked about the future?"

"We've talked," Yan Xi said.

Li Chen turned to look at her. When did they talk about the future?

Yan Xi's gaze remained steady. "He's better suited for research. He's not suited for working in a company."

Li Mohan's right thumb stopped.

"He thinks three times faster when he types than when he speaks. He can stay focused for more than four hours at a stretch while coding continuously in the lab. His logical chain is built from the bottom up, not dismantled from the top down. This is a research mindset, not a management mindset."

Li Chen sat beside him, motionless.

He had never thought about these things before. But he couldn't refute any of what Yan Xi said.

Li Mohan looked at Yan Xi. He stared at her for about five seconds.

Then he stood up. He walked to the window. His back was to the two people.

"You know him better than he knows himself."

Yan Xi didn't respond.

Li Mohan stood there for a while. Then he turned back, his hands in his pockets.

"Xiao Yan. I don't want to beat around the bush. I just want to ask you one question."

"My uncle said..."

"You chose him. What's in it for you?"

"dad--"

"I asked her."

Yan Xi pulled her little finger out of Li Chen's palm.

She placed her hands on her knees, her fingers interlaced.

"I don't want anything in return."

Li Mohan stared at her.

"He's most relaxed when he's cooking."

"He doesn't need to memorize things deliberately; he can remember them after seeing them once."

"He walks on the outside not because anyone taught him, it's instinct."

"He hands people chopsticks with the rounded end facing forward."

"He cut his hand while testing the rocks for me, but he didn't mention it when he got back."

She spoke more slowly than usual.

"All of these things combined are the reasons why I chose him."

The living room is quiet again.

Li Mohan pulled his right hand out of his pocket and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

Shen Ruolan was standing at the kitchen doorway at some point. Her apron was still damp.

"Old Li."

"Um."

"When you were pursuing me, my dad asked you the same question."

Li Mohan's body stiffened for a moment.

"What did you answer?" Shen Ruolan walked over and sat down next to him.

"...I forgot."

You said, 'I don't want anything from her. She has a beautiful smile.'

Li Mohan's ears turned red.

Yan Xi's gaze shifted from Li Mohan to Shen Ruolan, and then to Li Chen.

"Like," she said, using only one word.

Shen Ruolan laughed and patted Li Mohan's thigh.

"Alright. Stop the interrogation. It's the Lunar New Year."

Li Mohan cleared his throat.

I sat back down on the sofa.

Pick up the teacup.

The tea is still cold.

He took a sip.

He remained unfazed.