After returning to the villa, the servants had already gone home.
They were not on duty twenty-four hours a day. Gu Hengzhi disliked having too many people around, so the servants mainly existed to take care of Xiao Tuanzi’s daily needs, clean the villa, and prepare three meals a day.
As soon as Gu Hengzhi returned, he headed straight for the study.
Su Wancheng glanced at the time. It was already eight-thirty.
“Do you still want something to eat? It’s pretty late.”
Xiao Shimu nodded. At the Gu family dinner, he had only eaten a few bites. In the past, during family banquets, the table was always filled with food Gu Xiyu liked. Sometimes, when Gu Hengzhi wasn’t around, they would order him to peel shrimp for them. He barely had time to eat during the meal himself—though he didn’t even like seafood anyway. Every time they returned home, he would go to bed hungry.
Today, although the food hadn’t tasted good, at least no one ordered him around, pinched him, or scolded him.
“How about tomato and egg noodles?” Su Wancheng asked gently.
“Okay.” Xiao Shimu nodded.
Just as Su Wancheng was about to open the refrigerator for ingredients, Xiao Shimu tugged at the corner of her clothes.
Su Wancheng crouched down in front of him again. “What’s wrong?”
Xiao Shimu pursed his lips and pointed toward the upstairs study. In a small voice, he said, “He didn’t eat either.”
Su Wancheng froze for a moment, then smiled warmly. “Alright, then I’ll make a little extra.”
What a little angel.
“Can you help me?” she asked. She had been reading parenting books these past few days, and one of them said that doing chores together could help strengthen parent-child relationships. She hadn’t had the chance to try before, but today was perfect.
As expected, the little boy looked excited.
“Okay!”
Su Wancheng rubbed his head and took his small hand.
The refrigerator was stocked with fresh ingredients. Soon, they found eggs, tomatoes, and green onions. There weren’t any regular noodles, only spaghetti.
Su Wancheng peeled the tomatoes after blanching them in hot water and reminded Xiao Shimu not to touch them.
She dragged over a small stool so he could stand on it and wash the green onions. Xiao Shimu worked carefully and seriously.
Su Wancheng poured the noodles from the pot into bowls.
“Last step—once we sprinkle the chopped green onions, it’s ready to eat.”
She scattered the prepared green onions over the bowls. The noodles looked delicious and appetizing.
“Go sit at the dining table. I’ll bring it over for you.”
Xiao Shimu obediently went to sit down at the table. Su Wancheng placed the noodles in front of him and handed him the chopsticks.
“It’s still a little hot. Eat carefully.”
The little boy blew on the noodles clumsily before taking a small bite. His eyes immediately lit up.
He was so easy to satisfy that Su Wancheng couldn’t help laughing softly.
“Is it good?”
“Very good!”
“Then eat slowly by yourself, okay? Blow on it before eating.”
She gently patted his head.
“Mhm!”
Su Wancheng picked up the slightly larger bowl from the kitchen.
Knock knock.
She knocked on the study door.
“Come in.”
Su Wancheng pushed open the door and placed the bowl in front of him.
“Uh… I noticed you barely ate dinner, so I made noodles. Do you want some?”
She still felt somewhat awkward. Gu Hengzhi always liked to overthink her actions, assuming that everything she did carried some hidden motive.
Gu Hengzhi looked at the steaming bowl before him. Red tomatoes, yellow eggs, and green onion garnishes mixed together vividly.
He raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
The silence became strangely oppressive.
Suddenly, Su Wancheng remembered something.
“I didn’t drug it. Shimu already ate some too. You…” She paused, then said irritably, “Eat it if you want. If not, throw it away. I’m leaving.”
After saying that, she turned to leave. Just as her hand touched the doorknob, a voice sounded behind her.
“Was it you?”
“What?” Su Wancheng turned back to look at him.
“Thank you.”
The study door closed once more.
Gu Hengzhi sat in silence for a long while before pulling the bowl closer.
He took a bite.
The long-forgotten taste of tomato and egg wrapped around his tongue once again. It felt as though a forgotten corner of his memories had finally been restarted.