Shen Zhongcheng felt deeply hurt. Shu Yuan had turned cold and heartless, reeking of money, and it wounded him to the core, leaving him dejected. He ended up ruining page after page of drafts, and his novel was turning out like garbage.

He was unwilling to accept it. Before Shu Yuan “moved on to someone else,” his thoughts had been flowing like a fountain.

Shu Yuan asked him to repay sixteen hundred yuan. At the height of his indignation, he had thought that even if she had asked for ten thousand, he would have given it!

But reality was harsh. He scrambled everywhere for money, turning to his parents, relatives, and friends, along with the manuscript fees he hadn’t yet received. After all that, he barely scraped together four hundred and sixty.

He truly had nothing more to give.

If not for the fact that he lived with his parents and didn’t pay for living expenses, he’d be living on air until the next round of payment came in.

He didn’t want to see Shu Yuan again, so he sent the money by remittance and included a letter, just to shut her up first.

A few days later, Shu Yuan received Shen Zhongcheng’s letter and remittance slip. He had finally paid back four hundred and sixty yuan.

It seemed Shen Zhongcheng did have some pride. As long as he was willing to repay the debt, the remaining thousand-plus yuan would eventually come back.

The letter contained just over twenty characters. He wrote that this was all he could come up with for now, and told her not to rush him. He wouldn’t short her even a single coin of the full sixteen hundred.

Shu Yuan had always planned to return the money to Chen Zai once she got it back. But now that she was actually holding it, she wanted to delay repaying him. She wanted to buy a camera.

So she brought it up with Chen Zai. “Can I pay back the sixteen hundred a bit later? I want to buy a camera and some photography supplies first. Just relying on my salary, it would take half a year to save up enough.”

“Is four hundred sixty enough?” Chen Zai asked. “If it’s not, I can lend you a bit more.”

Shu Yuan seized the opportunity immediately. Smiling brightly, she asked, “I also want to buy a few other things. It might not be enough. Can you lend me another hundred?”

Chen Zai didn’t ask her why she wanted to buy a camera, what brand she planned to get, or anything of the sort. Without hesitation, he walked over to his desk, pulled one book from the neatly stacked row, took out an envelope tucked inside, and removed a wad of cash. He counted out ten bills and handed them to Shu Yuan.

He was truly generous and straightforward.

Shu Yuan had known there was money in his drawer, but she had no idea he had stashed some in his books too.

She took the money, walked over to the desk, pulled out her notebook from the drawer, and tucked the stack of bills into it. Beaming with joy, she said, “Thank you, Dr. Chen.”

Xiao Man tugged at Shu Yuan’s sleeve, looking worried for her. “Mom, now you owe even more money. That’s a lot to pay back.”

Shu Yuan laughed and said, “Xiao Man, have you heard that saying? The one who owes money is the boss.”

Chen Zai: “…”

Xiao Man was genuinely worried about his mom. In his soft, childlike voice, he said, “When I grow up and earn money, I’ll help Mom pay it back.”

Shu Yuan laughed. “Alright, I’ll be waiting for my little child laborer to earn money for me.”

She hugged Xiao Man in her arms, then turned to Chen Zai. “Do you think I married you just to get some money out of you?”

Chen Zai’s dark eyes grew deeper, his thin lips moved slightly. “Thank you. At least I’m worth something to you.”

Shu Yuan thought for a moment and asked, “Why were you willing to give me twenty-four hundred yuan back then? That’s a lot of money for most people.”

Why else? He had misunderstood her intentions, mistakenly thought they were in a relationship, and even ended up sleeping with her. The only thing he could do was compensate her as much as possible. Besides, she clearly needed money to raise Xiao Man. He couldn’t stand the thought of her not even having enough to support her child.

But he left out the first part and simply said the latter: “You didn’t have money to raise the kid. I did.”

Shu Yuan’s eyes widened. Back then, Chen Zai hadn’t even believed Xiao Man was his child, yet he was still willing to spend a large sum of money to help raise someone else’s kid!

People with money really were something else.

But in that era, he had been someone sent down to the countryside. Taking out that much money must have been risky for him.

Shu Yuan sighed. “You really are a good person. I’m giving you a ‘Good Person Card.’”

Xiao Man repeated in his sweet, childish voice, “Dad, Mom gave you a Good Person Card.”

The words sounded nice, but from the tone of Shu Yuan’s voice, Chen Zai had a feeling that being handed a “Good Person Card” wasn’t necessarily a good thing.

——

To ease his frustration, Shen Zhongcheng asked Tao Leshan out to meet. The two had first met on the day Shu Yuan and Chen Zai got married. They both had experienced difficult relationships, which gave them a shared sense of understanding and made their conversations easy and enjoyable.

As they walked along the city moat, Shen Zhongcheng reached out to grasp a soft willow branch and said, “Let’s get married.”

He needed someone to cook, handle the housework, and take care of a child.

Tao Leshan wasn’t surprised, but her mood grew even more downcast. “No matter who I marry, it won’t cause the slightest ripple in Chen Zai’s heart. He simply doesn’t care.”

But Shen Zhongcheng was quite confident that Shu Yuan would definitely be upset. He believed she had only married Chen Zai because they had a child together. If he got married too, Shu Yuan would surely feel disappointed and uneasy, and he would enjoy seeing that.

After sharing his thoughts with Tao Leshan, she considered it seriously for a while and then said, “Alright. Let’s get married.”

——

That evening at dinner, Chen Zai told Shu Yuan about the two people who were getting married. He had always kept an eye on Shen Zhongcheng, but this time, Shen Zhongcheng had written him a letter personally.

Shu Yuan wasn’t surprised. Shen Zhongcheng was always full of unexpected moves. “Who’s Tao Leshan?”

Chen Zai lifted his eyes to look at Shu Yuan and replied calmly, “We were engaged when we were teenagers. The engagement was voided when I was sent down. She’s been married before, and divorced.”

Shu Yuan instantly understood and looked at him with a smile. “Oh, so you do care about your former fiancée. I thought you were indifferent to everyone around you.”

Chen Zai was mainly focused on Shen Zhongcheng. He figured the two of them getting tied together was a good thing. He could keep an eye on them both at once. Convenient.

Before he could say anything more, Shu Yuan went on with a smile, “Lovers torn apart by the times? How tragic. Maybe you two should have gotten married. Your kid would be older than Xiao Man by now. Your ex-fiancée still carries a torch for you? Want to rekindle the old flame? What are you thinking?”

His gaze was dark and deep, taking in every nuance of Shu Yuan’s expression. Was she bothered by Tao Leshan?

Was that hint of jealousy just his imagination? He couldn’t afford to misread her again.

But it didn’t look like she cared about Shen Zhongcheng at all. Whoever Shen Zhongcheng married clearly didn’t matter to her.

Stay calm, this kind of topic could easily spark conflict. He couldn’t let the conversation spiral.

He explained, “From our childhood engagement until now, I’ve said fewer than ten sentences to her. I don’t know her well, and there’s absolutely nothing between us now. Don’t make assumptions like that.”

He wasn’t sure why he was saying so much. “Back during the movement, her family was the first to cut ties. Grandfather said he understood, but he never wanted to associate with them again.”

Shu Yuan rarely heard him speak in such long sentences. She was satisfied with his explanation and nodded. “Mm, I believe you.”

Chen Zai then asked, “The two of them invited us to their wedding. They specifically asked that we attend.”

Shu Yuan’s eyes widened. “What do they mean by that? What kind of thought process is that? I’m not going. Are you?”

Chen Zai replied, “Of course I’m not going.”

They quickly reached a consensus. It seemed they were on the same page when it came to the bigger picture.

A couple of days later, Shen Zhongcheng received Chen Zai’s reply. The message was simple: Please promptly return the 1,140 yuan owed to Shu Yuan. The handwriting was elegant and bold, the strokes sharp and forceful.

Holding that piece of paper with its brief message, Shen Zhongcheng felt as if his chest was stuffed full of cotton, heavy and stifled. This letter hadn’t been written by Shu Yuan, it was from Chen Zai!

He had actually demanded the money on Shu Yuan’s behalf!

Those two really were cut from the same cloth, reeked of money through and through.

He felt his dignity and pride had been shattered into pieces, ground into dust beneath their feet, stomped deep into the dirt.

Hadn’t he already paid a large sum? He’d already said that was all he had!

He glanced at the watch on his wrist. Was he really going to have to sell his watch?

Those two were going to drive him mad.

——

On her day off, Shu Yuan took Xiao Man to the department store to buy a camera. There weren’t many models to choose from, only a few brands like Mudan (Peony), Hongmei (Red Plum), and Seagull. Shu Yuan had a limited budget, so she ended up choosing the Seagull M20, priced at 260 yuan. It was an entry-level amateur camera. The ones priced at three to four hundred wouldn’t offer a significant improvement in photo quality, so she settled for this one, which was just good enough. Given her photography skills, the pictures she took wouldn’t turn out worse than those taken with the thousand-plus yuan box cameras used in photo studios.

Besides, these mechanical cameras were durable and not prone to breaking.

Without a camera, it felt like a soldier going to war unarmed. Now that she had one, Shu Yuan felt completely at ease.

She spent a long time asking around at shops that sold equipment and film, but there were no reflectors for sale, so she bought a roll of aluminum foil and headed home.

Shu Yuan’s plan was to be like the “freelance photographers” of this era who roamed the streets looking for customers. Of course, this would be her own side job done during her days off and had nothing to do with the photo studio.

Just having a camera wasn’t enough. She was also planning to buy a set of traditional-style clothing to attract women who loved beauty, sought novelty, and were willing to pay for a photo.

If it had been before she time-traveled, she could have just bought anything online. But in this era, she had no idea where to get costume-style clothing, so she would have to ask around first and make plans later.

That evening, as he watched Shu Yuan and Xiao Man fiddling with the camera, Chen Zai brought something up. “I won’t have Sunday off, I’ve got a surgery. But can we go to Grandpa’s for dinner in the evening? He asked us to visit once a week. I’ve already delayed it a few times. We can’t keep putting it off.”

Shu Yuan readily agreed. “Of course we’ll go. Free meal, how could we not? But I won’t be off on Sunday either.”

The discussion went smoothly. Chen Zai said, “Then we’ll meet at home and head out together.”

He actually didn’t like going back to the old house. To him, it was a dull, outdated place that gave off a cold and stifling air. But with Shu Yuan and Xiao Man by his side, it felt different. The two of them brought something new to his life, and even the old house became more comfortable and easy to be in.

Especially Shu Yuan, she could chat naturally and confidently with his family. With her speaking on his behalf, he didn’t have to say much at all.

And with Xiao Man around, Grandpa’s attention was diverted. He no longer kept such a close eye on Chen Zai.

To Chen Zai, Shu Yuan was his spokesperson, and Xiao Man, in some ways, a substitute.

He felt that he and Shu Yuan were aligned on the big picture, and that it was necessary to tell her about his family relationships.

“Chen Jinzheng didn’t come to the wedding, but he sent money as a wedding gift. I didn’t sign for it. Would you like to hear about these things?” Chen Zai asked.

If it were anyone else, he would have thought it completely unnecessary to talk about, and he wouldn’t have been willing to share.

Shu Yuan’s big eyes sparkled as she smiled cheerfully. “Of course I do. I love listening to family gossip, especially when it’s about you. Go on, I’m all ears.”

Chen Zai was momentarily dazed by the brightness of her smile. “…”

Alright. This counted as smooth communication. And maybe this was one of the reasons Shu Yuan was so easy to like.

His father lived in a small city in the south. He had inherited Chen Fumi’s medical legacy and was a highly skilled traditional Chinese doctor. Originally, he should have been Chen Fumi’s favorite son, but now it could be said that he had been pushed out.

Old Master Chen had informed Chen Jinzheng to attend the wedding, but the notice came on very short notice, just over a week. Still, if he had taken leave and caught a train, he would have made it in time.

He saw this as an opportunity arranged by the old man, a chance to use his son’s wedding as a bridge to ease the strained father-son relationship. But just before departure, his wife, Xu Miantao, had a severe migraine. This time the pain was intense, and the couple had no choice but to return their train tickets and regretfully miss Chen Zai’s wedding.

He immediately called home, saying he would send the wedding gift money to Chen Zai by post. But Chen Zai refused it. Refused so firmly there was no room left for discussion.

Even so, Chen Jinzheng insisted on sending the remittance. But Chen Zai refused to accept it, and the remittance slip was returned.

——

She hadn’t expected Chen Zai to get off work so early that day. When Shu Yuan returned home with Xiao Man, the kitchen was already filled with a rich, mouthwatering aroma.

“Dad, the food smells so good,” Xiao Man said. This little guy always knew how to add emotional value, no matter the situation.

“Then Xiao Man has to eat more,” Chen Zai replied.

The kitchen was too small. With three people inside, there was barely any room to move. Shu Yuan picked Xiao Man up in her arms and asked as she saw Chen Zai slicing pig liver, “What’s cooking in the pot?”

“Chinese yam and eel soup,” Chen Zai said as he placed the pig liver into an enamel basin, then continued slicing green onions, ginger, and garlic.

He had already changed out of his usual white shirt and into a comfortable white tank top. The way he stood there with his head down, chopping vegetables, was surprisingly pleasant to look at.

Shu Yuan’s gaze followed the movement of his slender fingers, and she asked, “Eel soup tends to be a bit fishy. Isn’t it better to stir-fry it with scallions or slice it thin and fry it with strong seasoning? That kind of heavy flavor tastes better, right?”

Chen Zai didn’t mind her being picky and replied calmly, “Next time.”

Shu Yuan knew she tended to talk too much, but still asked, “You’re making pig liver too? One dish would’ve been enough. We can just eat something simple.”

Chen Zai lifted the lid off the pot, and a burst of steam rushed upward. He stirred the soup with a ladle, saw that the eel soup was ready, then took the pot off the stove. As he poured it into the enamel basin, he said, “You’re both anemic. You need to nourish yourselves.”

“The test results came back?” Shu Yuan asked. “Any other issues?”

“Just anemia. The report is on the table,” Chen Zai replied.

With the crisis averted, Shu Yuan let out a breath of relief and joked with a smile, “Looks like you won’t be able to find a stepmother for Xiao Man anytime soon.”

Chen Zai glanced at her. Honestly, sometimes it wouldn’t be so bad if she didn’t keep talking.

Next was stir-frying the pig liver, and since it might splatter oil, Shu Yuan carried Xiao Man out of the kitchen and went to the desk in the bedroom to look for the medical report. After going through it, she said to Xiao Man, “No wonder we’re mother and son. We both have anemia.”

But what Xiao Man was thinking was that now he had one more condition, yet Mom and Dad still didn’t dislike him. His parents were just too good to him.

From the kitchen came the rich aroma of pig liver. Soon after, a steaming enamel basin of eel soup and a plate of stir-fried pig liver with scallions were brought to the table. As they waited for Chen Zai to serve the soup, Shu Yuan asked, “Do we need to take medicine?”

Chen Zai placed the soup bowls in front of them and looked at Xiao Man, who was staring at him with eager eyes. “Let’s stick to dietary therapy.”

Mother and son replied in unison, “That’s good.”

The eel and yam soup was a golden-white color, with red dates and goji berries floating on top. The broth was rich and flavorful, and the eel tender and soft. Shu Yuan praised, “I take back what I said earlier. The eel soup your dad made isn’t fishy at all. It’s really delicious.”

“Yes, Dad, it’s so tasty. I’ve never had eel soup this good,” Xiao Man said. The little guy never held back when it came to praising his parents.

As mother and son ate, they kept complimenting Chen Zai’s cooking skills.

“Your dad’s good-looking and cooks well. He’s got so many strengths.”

“Dad’s medical skills are really good too.”

“That’s right. Even with how busy he is at work, he still buys groceries and cooks for us.”

“Dad treats both me and Mom really well!”

Chen Zai couldn’t figure out why Shu Yuan and Xiao Man kept praising him. Were they trying to get him to cook more often? He had to stay calm and not let their compliments go to his head.

Shu Yuan picked out the fish bones and placed a piece of eel meat into Xiao Man’s bowl. “The pig liver isn’t fishy either. It’s really tender. Actually, having anemia isn’t so bad. We get to enjoy delicious food. Right, Xiao Man?”

Xiao Man scratched the soft hair on his head and gave a couple of little grunts like a piglet. Then, with a troubled expression, he replied, “I guess so, Mom.”