Tao Tao saw Jiang Zhida and immediately broke into a sweet smile.

She quickly ran toward him. “Why are you here so early?”

It was only seven in the morning, and most people hadn’t even had breakfast yet. Jiang Zhida’s early arrival both surprised and delighted Tao Tao.

Jiang Zhida quickly freed up one hand to support Tao Tao. “Be careful. I brought you some fish soup.”

He shook the food container in his hand, and Tao Tao could already smell the delicious aroma of the fish soup.

She had been tidying up the house all morning and hadn’t eaten yet. Upon smelling the soup, her stomach growled loudly.

Embarrassed, Tao Tao covered her stomach and blinked at Jiang Zhida. “I’m hungry,” she said with a shy but pitiful look.

Jiang Zhida’s smile widened, and he gently ruffled her hair. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and led her inside. “Perfect timing, the soup’s still hot.”

“Hello, Uncle and Auntie,” Jiang Zhida greeted Tao Tao’s parents. “I brought some fish soup. Come have some with us.”

Tao Tao’s father and mother smiled politely at Jiang Zhida but didn’t come over.

In the small house, Jiang Zhida acted like he was the host, while Tao Tao’s parents were so nervous they seemed like guests.

Jiang Zhida asked Tao Tao where the bowls and chopsticks were. Once he got his answer, he brought over four sets, setting the fish soup and other dishes on the table.

Then, he gently but firmly guided Tao Tao’s parents to sit down, placing chopsticks in their hands. “Uncle, Auntie, do you like the food? If not, I’ll bring something different next time.”

Tao Tao’s father, holding the chopsticks awkwardly, kept saying, “We like it, we like it.”

Tao Tao’s mother nodded repeatedly.

Jiang Zhida patted his chest and laughed heartily. “Great! Please eat while it’s hot, Uncle and Auntie.”

He used serving chopsticks to give them some food. The two ate cautiously, their eyes teary but their smiles wide. Meanwhile, Tao Tao held her bowl, sipping the milky white fish soup with a smile that never left her face.

Her gaze lingered on Jiang Zhida, and the sweetness in her heart was impossible to hide, her eyes filled with admiration and love for him.

After the meal, Tao Tao wanted to help her mother clean up the table, but Jiang Zhida stopped both of them. “I’ll do it! I handle these chores at home.”

Tao Tao’s mother, however, wouldn’t let him do housework in their home. She quickly grabbed his hand, shaking her head and pushing him aside.

Tao Tao tugged on Jiang Zhida’s sleeve. “Brother Dazi…”

Seeing how uncomfortable her parents were, Jiang Zhida sighed inwardly but kept smiling. “Alright, alright, it seems Uncle and Auntie are too kind to let me work!”

He then took Tao Tao outside for a walk, as he had other things to attend to and couldn’t stay long.

The two walked along the narrow alley, which wasn’t as clean as the main road outside and had many small potholes from years of neglect.

“Are you nervous about my parents coming tomorrow?” Jiang Zhida asked, holding Tao Tao’s hand and guiding her around the potholes.

Tao Tao turned her head to look at Jiang Zhida’s roguishly handsome face and nodded. “A little nervous, but not too much.”

She had already told Jiang Zhida’s parents about her family’s situation, so her nerves weren’t overwhelming.

Still, she couldn’t help worrying that her own parents might get too anxious when Jiang Zhida’s parents arrived.

Jiang Zhida chuckled, squeezing Tao Tao’s hand, reluctant to let her go. “I’ll have someone deliver your lunch tomorrow.”

“No need,” Tao Tao refused. “I know I have to take care of myself and the baby. I won’t neglect my meals, so you don’t need to send food.”

Jiang Zhida suddenly stopped and gently placed his large hand on Tao Tao’s small belly. “This is my baby too, so I have to take responsibility.”

Tao Tao could never win an argument with Jiang Zhida. She sighed and said helplessly, “You’re overdoing it. The neighbors are all watching.”

Jiang Zhida shrugged. “Who cares about them? They have nothing to do with us.”

Tao Tao loved this about Jiang Zhida—his confidence and complete disregard for others’ opinions. Although she had worked hard to be more confident, sometimes she still couldn’t help but care about other people’s judgment.

After seeing Jiang Zhida off, Tao Tao stood at the door, about to go inside, when her nosy neighbor—who often borrowed things without returning them—spied on her with curious eyes.

“Tao Tao, is that your boyfriend?” the neighbor asked, trying to pry.

Tao Tao glanced at her. She didn’t like any of the neighbors on this street because they had all bullied her family at some point. She simply replied with a brief “Mm,” ignoring the neighbor’s probing gaze, and walked straight into the house.

The neighbor tried to follow, but Tao Tao slammed the door shut with a loud “bang,” nearly causing the neighbor to hit her head.

She spat on the floor, looked at the tightly closed door, and muttered, “What’s so special about you? You’re just relying on those skills to lure people. I knew you were no good from the start.”

Suddenly, the door swung open, and a bucket of water splashed all over her. Standing at the door with a cold expression, Tao Tao said, “Say that one more time, and see what happens!”

The neighbor had experienced Tao Tao’s fierceness before, not to mention the fact that her current partner looked intimidating.

She was afraid she might end up suffocated in her sleep one night.

So, even though she was soaked, she bit back her anger, cursing Tao Tao internally as she returned to her own room.

Tao’s parents knew they were too soft to protect their daughter, so they never stopped Tao Tao from defending herself. They supported her silently from the background: if Tao Tao needed a stick for a fight, they would pass it to her, and if she needed water to throw, they’d hand her the bucket.

---

At noon, when Chu Xia finished her last patient, she was about to pack up and head home for lunch when Feng Xiaoyuan ran into her office.

“Chu Xia, do you have time today?”

Chu Xia had already slung her bag over her shoulder and was ready to leave. “If you’re talking about work hours, then no, I don’t. But I can spare a bit during lunch.”

Feng Xiaoyuan sighed, “I’m having trouble with Dr. Bai again.”

Chu Xia: …

She had heard Feng Xiaoyuan’s endless tales of love and hate with Dr. Bai countless times.

Every time they had a fight, Feng Xiaoyuan would come to her, seeking advice like Chu Xia was her personal counselor.

Although Chu Xia rarely offered any advice, Feng Xiaoyuan always felt that after confiding in her, she found solutions to her problems with Dr. Bai. Feng Xiaoyuan had been the most persistent among the nurses pursuing Dr. Bai, and eventually, he agreed to be with her.

But after they got together, they faced constant conflicts, and Feng Xiaoyuan often felt Dr. Bai didn’t value her enough. Besides, Dr. Bai continued to treat other female colleagues in the hospital with the same gentle demeanor as before, helping anyone who asked, without any clear boundaries.

Their fights were usually over this. Sometimes, the issue even involved Dr. Bai’s patients, making the whole relationship exhausting for Chu Xia to hear about.

“Let’s talk while we walk. What’s the problem this time?” Chu Xia motioned for Feng Xiaoyuan to follow and reminded her to lower her voice.

“It’s that nurse from Dermatology again. She knows I’m with Dr. Bai, yet she deliberately pulls his arm in front of me and gives me a provocative look!”

Dr. Bai’s full name was Bai Shaolu.

Chu Xia said, “I told you before that this is bound to happen when you date someone like Dr. Bai.”

When Feng Xiaoyuan first pursued Dr. Bai, Chu Xia warned her that his overly gentle nature, especially with women, could be troublesome.

After they got together, Chu Xia stopped repeating herself, but every time Feng Xiaoyuan came to her with complaints, she couldn’t help but recall her initial warnings.

Feng Xiaoyuan looked troubled, “But I worked so hard to win him over. I can’t just give up now. He says they’re just colleagues, that there’s nothing between them.”

Chu Xia felt there was no point in trying to advise someone with such a romanticized view of love. “Then keep dating him if that’s what you want. I’m heading home for lunch. I’ve never been through anything like this, so I can’t offer you any advice.”

Chu Xia was tired of offering the same advice repeatedly.

She had already pointed out Dr. Bai’s flaws before, but since Feng Xiaoyuan was determined to stick by him, Chu Xia could only wish her the best.

“Chu Xia, wait! Don’t leave.” Feng Xiaoyuan caught up, “Teach me how to make Dr. Bai more like your husband!”

Chu Xia didn’t know what else to say.

She gently pulled her arm away from Feng Xiaoyuan, “I never asked my husband to change for me. He maintains clear boundaries with others naturally; it’s part of his character and values.”

Her words carried a deeper meaning, though she wasn’t sure if Feng Xiaoyuan would grasp it.

But Chu Xia had no desire to interfere in Feng Xiaoyuan and Dr. Bai’s relationship further.

Recently, Ceng Zhenian had been less busy, and he’d been coming home for lunch with her.

Today, since Ceng Huai’an was at home, he hadn’t brought any food from the cafeteria. Instead, Ceng Huai’an had cooked.

The moment Chu Xia walked in, Ceng Zhenian noticed the slight irritation in her expression.

He took her bag naturally and asked, “Did you have a rough day at work?”

Chu Xia shook her head, changed into her slippers, and stood up straight, “Not exactly. It’s just Feng Xiaoyuan and Dr. Bai’s relationship issues again.”

Ceng Zhenian understood instantly; Chu Xia had talked about them at home before.

At the dining table, she explained why Feng Xiaoyuan had come to her, looking a bit confused, “Why is it that even though Dr. Bai clearly isn’t a good match, she still likes him so much?”

Ceng Zhenian replied, “Perhaps it’s not just about liking him. She’s invested too much without getting what she feels she deserves, so she’s reluctant to let go.”

Chu Xia was hearing this kind of explanation for the first time.

She thought about it and found it made a lot of sense.

Feng Xiaoyuan’s words earlier aligned perfectly with this idea, and she nodded, “Maybe you’re right.”

For Chu Xia, Feng Xiaoyuan’s relationship drama was just a small interlude.

She turned to share some stories about Jiang Zhida and Tao Tao with Ceng Zhenian and Ceng Huai’an.