“Thank you, thank you, thank you so much.” The girl held her swimming pass to her chest, thanking her repeatedly, and jumped up and down excitedly in place like an excited rabbit.
Zhao Xinran was swept up in the excitement and couldn’t help but smile. She handed the pen back to the girl and reminded her to be careful on her way home.
The girl looked back every few steps. Just as she was about to step out of the locker room, she let go of her friend’s hand, quickened her pace, and jogged over to Zhao Xinran. Her eyes sparkled with admiration. She nervously licked her lips and repeated once more, “Ms. Zhao, I really… really like you.”
“I know. Go back and study hard. I look forward to seeing you again at ‘Xinpei.’” Zhao Xinran raised her hand and patted the girl on the shoulder, her gesture brimming with the hope and encouragement of a senior toward a junior.
Instantly, the girl’s gaze grew even more determined. She clenched her fist and nodded vigorously, replying, “Yes, I’ll do my best. Goodbye, Ms. Zhao.”
Goodbye, Zhao Xinran.
The girl didn’t take this opportunity to tell her her name. She firmly believed she could make her way to Zhao Xinran—to her idol—through her own merits.
When that time came, she would proudly say her name and then thank her.
Zhao Xinran stood where she was, her hair freshly blow-dried and falling softly over her shoulders. She watched the girl’s retreating figure and smiled silently.
Stepping out of the dressing room, she immediately spotted the man sitting in the center of the lobby, fiddling with his phone. His handsome face was furrowed with worry.
Zhao Xinran found it somewhat amusing. Si Maoyan was clearly still a child at heart, yet for some reason, he always liked to act mature in front of her.
Just like five years ago—still just as childish.
“Ahem, let’s go.”
Si Maoyan looked up blankly, pouting with a look of grievance. He held his phone up in front of Zhao Xinran: “ “Teacher, can you take me off your block list now?”
Zhao Xinran narrowed her eyes and took a closer look. Good grief—the screen was filled with red exclamation marks. This kid was undeterred; even though he knew full well she’d blocked him ages ago, he still sent her messages every now and then.
She couldn’t help but feel a bit relieved—thank goodness she’d blocked him; otherwise, he would have driven her crazy.
“All right, I’ll unblock you.” Zhao Xinran opened her phone, tapped a few times, then looked up at him warningly: “Don’t message me casually unless it’s for something important. Otherwise, you’ll stay on the block list.”
“Teacher, you’re not being nice to me at all,” Si Maoyan complained, pouting. But before Zhao Xinran could react, a broad smile spread across his face. He casually draped his arm over her shoulder and gently nudged her toward the door. “Come on, let’s go! I haven’t been back to China in ages. Take me out for some good food, Teacher.”
“…Si Maoyan, you rascal—weren’t you the one who said you’d treat me?”
“I haven’t been back in years. Things have changed so much around here—lots of new restaurants have opened, and I don’t know which ones are any good. I’m afraid of picking the wrong one. Or… how about you come to my place, Teacher? I’ll cook for you.” At the mention of this, Si Maoyan puffed out his chest and began to brag: “I’m a great cook.”
“You?” Zhao Xinran looked at Si Maoyan skeptically, but in the end, she didn’t take him up on his offer. Instead, she drove him to a private dining restaurant nearby.
The restaurant specialized in Sichuan cuisine and also featured some innovative dishes developed by the owner. Zhao Xinran, who preferred bold flavors, loved the place and often dined there.
Over time, she’d developed a good relationship with the owner—they were practically friends.
The owner had seen her bring friends here before, but they were almost always women; this was the first time she’d seen Zhao Xinnan bring a tall, handsome man to dine here.
Curiosity got the better of her, so she dismissed the waiter who was about to take their order and personally handed them the menu to place their order.
“Order whatever you want,” Zhao Xinran said, pushing the menu toward Si Maoyan. He neither took it nor looked at it, but kept his gaze fixed on Zhao Xinran and replied, feigning obedience, “I don’t know what’s good. Xinran, do you have any recommendations?”
He didn’t address her as “Teacher,” but instead called her by her first name in an overly familiar way. Since there were acquaintances present, she didn’t let her displeasure show right away; she merely frowned slightly and casually ordered a few of the restaurant’s signature dishes they often ate.
After ordering, Si Maoyan got up to go to the restroom. The woman finally seized her chance, quickly crouching down beside Zhao Xinran and asking her with a face full of curiosity, “Who’s that? Is he your legendary husband? He looks a bit young. I thought you got married five years ago—you really went for a young one.”
“Hu Wenyin, can’t you stop being so nosy? How could someone like that be my husband? He’s so much younger than me.” Zhao Xinran rolled her eyes in exasperation and tossed the menu back into Hu Wenyin’s lap.
Hu Wenyin didn’t buy her excuse for a second. They were talking so intimately and suggestively, and the man’s eyes and heart were completely focused on her. Even though Zhao Xinnan was standing right there in plain sight, he treated her like she was invisible.
Taking advantage of the fact that Zhao Xinnan loved her cooking and had been eating her meals for years, Hu Wenyin pushed her luck, slinging her arm around Zhao Xinnan’s shoulder and asking, “ “If he’s not your husband, then he’s your lover?”
Before she could finish speaking, the man pushed open the door and walked in. He seemed to have heard Hu Wenyin’s question and stopped at a distance neither too close nor too far from the dining table, his eyes brimming with anticipation as he looked at Zhao Xinnan.
A wave of irritation washed over Zhao Xinnan. She tugged at the corners of her lips, hooked her arm around Hu Wenyin’s shoulder from behind, raised her gaze to meet those beautiful almond-shaped eyes, and smiled, “Big nephew, come here and say hello. This is your Aunt Hu.”
“Aunt Hu… Aunt Hu… Aunt Hu???” Hu Wenyin could no longer keep a smile on her face. She fidgeted awkwardly with her toes, wishing she could vanish right then and there.
She’d assumed this tall, young, and handsome man must be in his early twenties at the very least, but she hadn’t expected to have misjudged him so completely—he was actually still young enough to be a high schooler.
Was his heart and mind completely focused on Zhao Xinran?
Of course. If she had such a wealthy, young aunt, wouldn’t she be filled with admiration and respect?
As for his use of his aunt’s first name, she’d called her own mother by her first name during her rebellious phase.
Maybe they were just close.
To say such things behind the “kid’s” back—what a sin, truly a sin.
Before Zhao Xinran’s “big nephew” could say a word, Hu Wenyin shot to her feet. Her usually eloquent tongue seemed to have failed her; clutching the menu, she stammered for half a minute before finally getting her words straight: “Big… big nephew… Aunt Hu will go cook for you right away. Don’t worry… Aunt Zhao loves Aunt Hu’s cooking the most… Hahaha… You’re still young, so you probably can’t handle spicy food… Aunt Hu will go tell the kitchen to use a little less chili right away.”
Hearing Zhao Xinran call him “big nephew” again, Si Maoyan’s face darkened completely, and he sat back down without a word.
Seeing him like this, Hu Wenyin felt even more uneasy. The boy was probably going through puberty and was quite sensitive; she had no idea how much of the nonsense she’d just blurted out he’d actually heard.
Tsk, it was all because of her meddlesome mouth.
It was Zhao Xinran who, seeing how embarrassed she was, couldn’t help but chuckle quietly and stepped in to save the day: “ “My nephew’s a quiet one—he doesn’t talk much and isn’t one to call out to people. Don’t mind him, Wenyin. Go ahead and start cooking. I’ve been swimming all afternoon and I’m starving.”
“Oh, okay… okay.” Hu Wenyin stole a glance at the “kid,” licked her lips awkwardly, and practically fled back to the kitchen.
As soon as she reached the kitchen, she hurriedly pulled out her phone to send a message to Zhao Xinran.
[Hu’s Sichuan Restaurant—Head Chef: It was my fault today. This meal is on the house. Does my eldest nephew like LEGO? I’ll have a staff member go out and buy him a set as an apology.]
Zhao Xinran stole a glance at Si Maoyan and almost burst out laughing. Suppressing her laughter, she replied to Hu Wenyin’s message.
[Zhao Xinran: No need. Just charge it to my card. He’s going through puberty—it’s normal for him to be moody every day. Why should we indulge his terrible temper?]
[Hu’s Sichuan Restaurant—Head Chef: I’m so embarrassed. In that case, I’ll send you another dish—one I’ve recently developed that isn’t on the menu yet. You and my big nephew can try it out for me. Consider it an apology from this disrespectful aunt to my big nephew.]
[Zhao Xinran: If it doesn’t taste good, I won’t forgive you.]
[Hu’s Sichuan Restaurant—Head Chef: Trust my cooking.]
After Zhao Xinran finished messaging Hu Wenyin, Si Maoyan across from her remained silent. He kept his head down, not looking at his phone, and just sat there blankly fidgeting with his fingers—clearly upset.
“Hey, are you really mad?” Zhao Xinran gently touched his finger with hers. He didn’t pull away or look at her; he just sat there like a block of wood, showing no reaction at all.
Seeing him like this, Zhao Xinran couldn’t be bothered to cater to him. She withdrew her hand, opened her phone, and finished reading the book she hadn’t finished that morning.
She’d been very poor when she was younger, squeezing every last minute out of her day to make money. Now, during her vacation, she could finally have time that was truly her own.
She could do whatever she wanted—or just “waste” her time however she pleased.
For example, tomorrow morning she’d go to the park, sit in the sunniest spot, and just soak up the sunshine.
In the afternoon, she’d go to the art studio to paint—not with any technique, just to let off steam.
She hadn’t decided on her evening plans yet.
If she’s as tired as she is today, she’ll lie in bed reading until she falls asleep; if not, she’ll just use her navigation to find a nice-smelling restaurant for dinner.
The private room was completely silent. Si Maoyan waited for a long time, but finally couldn’t hold back. He stood up, walked silently over to sit beside Zhao Xinran, and, like a wronged little puppy, stole a glance at her.
Zhao Xinran sensed someone sitting beside her. She glanced at him briefly and beckoned, “Pass me the phone stand on the side of the table.”
Si Maoyan obediently picked it up and handed it to her. Zhao Xinran took it, placed it on the table, set her phone on top, nodded in satisfaction, and became even more engrossed in her work.
He knew she hated being disturbed when she was focused on something, so he could only silently swallow his hurt and embarrassment.
When the food arrived, if Hu Wenyin hadn’t brought it up again, Zhao Xinran would have almost completely forgotten about the whole thing.
“My dear nephew, you’re at that age when you’re growing—eat up.” Feeling a bit embarrassed, Hu Wenyin recalled how she’d had a huge appetite during her own adolescence, so she piled on extra portions for their table. She placed the sweeter dishes in front of the “kid” and the spicier ones in front of Zhao Xinran.
Si Maoyan felt even more embarrassed. Just as he was about to explain, he turned to Hu Wenyin and opened his mouth—only to see her, wearing an apron, scurrying away as if her tail were on fire.
Now that they were alone again in the private room, Si Maoyan held back as long as he could, but finally couldn’t resist speaking up. He looked at Zhao Xinnan with a pout: “Teacher, why did you tell her I’m your nephew?”
“What’s the matter? Does having an aunt as young and wealthy as me make you feel wronged?” Zhao Xinran picked up a piece of meat with her chopsticks and popped it into her mouth.
It was tender and fragrant, and the spicy, numbing aroma tantalized Zhao Xinran’s taste buds.
It was truly delicious—Hu Wenyin’s Sichuan cuisine was still the one that suited her taste the best.
“You know full well that’s not what I meant.”
“Yeah, I know, but so what?” Zhao Xinran set down her chopsticks, scooped a spoonful of Mapo Tofu into Si Maoyan’s bowl with the serving spoon, and looked up at him. “Young Master, I’ve told you before—my time is precious. I don’t have time to play your little love games.”
“Just now, you were the one who crossed the line first. I was just reminding you.”
Si Maoyan lowered his gaze, staring intently at Zhao Xinnan’s hand holding the spoon. Not a single word of her warning had registered in his mind.
A thought flashed through his mind. He jerked his head up, staring straight into Zhao Xinran’s eyes, his lips trembling with excitement: “You’re not wearing a wedding ring?”
There wasn’t even the slightest trace of a ring on her ring finger.