When they arrived at the hotel, Tu Ming’s stomach started to feel uncomfortable. He took some stomach medicine and lay down on the bed.

Normally, he wasn’t so fragile, but the oily and spicy local cuisine at noon, followed by a spicy hotpot with alcohol at night, was a bit too much for him to handle. When his stomach hurt, he couldn’t even concentrate on reading, so he had to turn on the TV and wait for the medicine to take effect.

The doorbell rang, and he went to open it, finding Lumi standing outside, still in the same clothes she wore on the mountain, holding a food container, her hair damp with sweat on her face.

“The hotel didn’t have any ready-made congee left, so I bought a bowl from a nearby place. If your stomach is uncomfortable, eating some congee with pickles can help a bit.” She handed him the congee. At this moment, she was not the person who had talked about sleeping with the new boss in the elevator; she was just a warm-hearted, kind, and helpful person.

He felt a bit indescribably touched. He knew that Lumi wasn’t the type to buy congee just because he was her superior. She did it because he had helped her, or perhaps she was just willing to do it. This made the gesture of the congee seem particularly pure.

He took the congee, which was still warm, and thanked her: “Thank you.”

“Hehe, don’t mention it, we’re family! Enjoy your meal, if you need anything, just call me, I’ll be there in a flash!”

“Alright, then I’ll trouble you. Get some rest early, we have a full day of activities tomorrow.”

“Got it!”

Tu Ming drank a bowl of hot congee and really felt a bit better. Before he went to sleep, Yao Luan sent a message: “I’ll be there tomorrow afternoon. Have you found any good local cuisine these past two days?”

“Ask Lumi to take you. There’s a great place.” Lumi’s local eatery would definitely suit Yao Luan’s taste; he wasn’t picky about the environment, but he had high standards for flavor.

“You’re not coming?”

“I’ll accompany you, but my stomach is out of commission.”

“How did it happen?”

“Two consecutive spicy meals, pLu Family alcohol.” Tu Ming explained.

“Then take good care of yourself, drink some congee, keep it light.” Yao Luan reminded him.

During the final event, Ling Mei released the market trend report led by Tu Ming as the project manager. Unlike Ling Mei’s previous styles, this year’s market trend report was very “proper,” aligning with policies and the well-being of the people. As Luke put it: a trend report with a touch of earthiness.

Before this, everyone didn’t have a deep understanding of Tu Ming’s abilities and talents. That day, Tu Ming stood on the stage with a gentle and unassuming demeanor, carrying a hint of scholarly air and a sense of righteousness, like a young and promising cadre invited from the government.

In short, he had a certain special quality.

Shang Zhi Tao, while assisting Lumi, said: “Is this the boss who helped you fight? Is this the boss who scolds you every day?”

“Yes, it’s him! Little Nezha!” Lumi sang in response to Shang Zhi Tao. After a bout of playful banter, Lumi asked Shang Zhi Tao: “Have you decided about the Northwest?”

“Still thinking about it.”

“If you go, I’m planning to apply to support your Northwest exhibition hall.” Lumi had seriously considered it. The work at the exhibition hall was very complex, and she wanted to help Shang Zhi Tao, allowing the soon-to-be project manager to have more time to handle other matters.

“Didn’t you say the Northwest was a harsh and cold place?”

“But didn’t my apprentice go there too? I can go once or twice a month to keep you company.”

“You’re just afraid I’ll be lonely, I understand.”

Shang Zhi Tao looked at Lumi gratefully: “What do you want to eat? I’ll treat you tonight.”

“Tonight, we have to entertain a wild man surnamed Yao. Let’s go together!”

“Isn’t that inappropriate?”

“What’s inappropriate about it? It’s that fly-infested restaurant we’ve eaten at before. Will is out of commission, his body is down, let’s invite Lucy along too, so we can order a few more dishes.”

“Alright then.”

Tu Ming was really out of it.

Relying on antidiarrheal medication, Tu Ming managed to finish his speech on stage. After stepping down and sitting in the guest seat, he felt a sharp pain in his stomach. A server approached him, exchanged his cup of water for a hot one, and placed a white, folded paper item on his table. He opened it to find a few pills inside. Only Lumi knew he was sick.

He shifted his gaze to look for her and saw her standing by the stage, smiling at him and gesturing to her phone, indicating for him to look.

“Stomach medicine and painkillers. Please take them quickly.”

“Thank you.”

He endured until they reached the local eatery, where Yao Luan and Lucy had already arrived. Yao Luan, seeing his poor complexion, teased him: “Look at this aging body, is it not up to par?” Despite the teasing, he still ordered a bowl of congee for him.

When Lumi and Shang Zhi Tao arrived, the others were waiting for the dishes to be served and were chatting about various topics. Yao Luan greeted them from afar, raising his hand, showing a bit more warmth than Luke.

“How is it? Is he your type or not? If it were me, I’d go for it.” Lumi whispered, confirming Shang Zhi Tao’s feelings.

“He’s really handsome, but not my type.”

“Alright, I understand. Whoever wants him can have him. I won’t worry about your sex life today.”

“You’re so concerned about other people’s sex lives?” A cold voice came from behind them, and they turned to see Luke with a stern face.

Lumi stuck out her tongue at Shang Zhi Tao, pretending not to hear Luke’s comment, and instead asked him: “What are you doing here? What a coincidence?”

“Do I need to report to you?” Luke retorted, walking straight to the table to shake hands with Yao Luan, who had stood up.

Lumi kicked Shang Zhi Tao and whispered: “Look at that stubborn donkey’s attitude!”

“Is Ling Mei’s hospitality up to par?” Luke pointed at the rundown local eatery: “Lumi chose this place.”

“It’s clear the budget is tight, but I like it.”

“Better than the Ganges water, right?” Tu Ming joked with him.

“…Has Ling Mei provided unified communication skills training for its managers?”

Everyone laughed.

During the meal, while others ate dishes, Tu Ming drank congee, which was quite miserable. Lumi felt sorry for him and ran to buy a bowl of clear soup noodles, placing it in front of him, thinking it would be better than just drinking congee.

“Nice ass-kissing.” Luke sneered: “Starting to suck up to the higher-ups?”

Lumi didn’t argue with him and instead turned to ask Yao Luan: “Professor Yao, do you have any good single young men in your circle? Flora is still single.”

This meal was filled with open and hidden barbs. Tu Ming’s stomach hurt, and he couldn’t concentrate on their back-and-forth, feeling confused. It was a struggle to get through the meal, and he quickly returned to the hotel.

Lumi finally relaxed a bit. The training for the next day was all set, and she finally had time to take Shang Zhi Tao out to play. Initially, she was Shang Zhi Tao’s mentor, but later became her friend. Over the years, they had been to countless places together and witnessed her growth like a bamboo shoot.

Before leaving, she symbolically invited Yao Luan: “Professor Yao, would you like to take the ferry with us?”

Yao Luan was not at all reserved and actually agreed.

“I haven’t taken a ferry in years, let’s go together.” Luke suddenly said.

“I have something else to do, I won’t go this time.” Lucy was quite frightened by the banter between Lumi and Luke during the meal and didn’t want to participate anymore, so she made an excuse to return to the hotel.

The group went to take the ferry together to see the night view of the mountain city. Lumi asked Yao Luan: “Seriously, Professor Yao, are you single? Or do you know any single young men like yourself? Besides Flora, I have an older sister…”

Yao Luan smiled and said: “Sounds good.”

Lumi got along well with Yao Luan and kept talking to him. As they chatted, they discovered they could really enjoy the same activities, so they made plans to hang out together back in Beijing, such as riding motorcycles.

Lumi was particularly happy to have found a like-minded friend and showed Yao Luan her beloved motorcycle: “Take a look, this is my bike. We can ride together!”

Yao Luan glanced at the photo and realized this girl really didn’t skimp on spending: “Prestigious Ducati owner, I’m honored you’re willing to ride with me.”

Lumi chuckled: “I’ve got money.”

After traveling on a business trip with Lumi, Tu Ming’s impression of her changed. She was reliable in her work; it was just that her mouth never stopped. Sometimes when Tu Ming heard Lumi talking non-stop, like a machine gun, he felt a throbbing in his temples. On the flight back, Luke asked him how Lumi had performed, and he said: “She’s a good employee, but she needs a switch for her mouth.”

“Then make her shut up.” Luke joked.

“That would be rude.”

“Then you’ll just have to listen.”

Tu Ming smiled bitterly: “Yes.”

Lumi didn’t know that her boss had labeled her as a chatterbox, and even if she did, it wouldn’t matter to her. So what if she was a chatterbox?

As soon as she got off the plane, she received a call from her tenant saying that the drain was blocked and asking her to take a look.

Lumi dropped her luggage off at home and drove to the tenant’s place.

Driving in the alley was a hassle, so she parked her car in the nearby parking lot and walked in.

It was already dusk, with children running around. Those who knew her greeted her: “Hello, Aunt Lumi.”

“Call me sister!”

Lumi whirled into the door like a gust of wind and saw that the drain was indeed blocked. She called someone to fix it and then found a small wooden stool to sit on in the courtyard while she waited.

The tenant’s child was very young, a little girl not yet two years old, with rosy cheeks, running around Lumi.

Lumi was afraid she might fall and, sitting on the stool, turned her body in circles to keep an eye on her: “Oh, my ancestor, please don’t run! Where are your parents?”

“They went to the hospital and haven’t come back yet.”

“Who’s sick?”

“Her father.” The old man didn’t elaborate, and Lumi didn’t ask further. After the drain was fixed and she paid the repairman, she left the small courtyard. Seeing the grandparents chatting in the alley, she squatted down to ask: “What’s wrong with the man inside?”

“They say it’s a kidney problem, he has to go to the hospital for dialysis every week.”

“Oh, thank you, grandpa.”

Lumi felt quite upset. The tenant had been late with the rent for half a month. The other day, the grandmother had even asked her to come and urge them to pay. Now that she knew what was going on, she felt quite inhumane.

“They didn’t tell me about their difficulties at home. No need to pay the rent, focus on getting better, and recover soon.” Lumi sent a message to the tenant.

Lumi never expected to run into Tu Ming and his ex-wife on the day of a family gathering.

The weather was nice that day, and as usual, the Lu Family decided to get together. They chose a halal restaurant and pushed together tables in the corner of the dining hall. More than ten people sat down, ready for a hearty meal.

Lumi liked many of the dishes at this restaurant.

She remembered from her childhood how her father would often take her out to eat after receiving his salary. The family of three would have a feast once a month, and they most frequently ate the restaurant’s roasted mutton, vinegar-flavored scrambled eggs with mushrooms, and a dessert called “honey-dripping.”

Lumi was in a great mood and stood up to greet her elders: “Let me do it, you sit down!”

Her cousin Lu Qing smiled at her from the side: “You must be up to something again!”

“Taking care of our elders is my honor. What mischief could I be up to? Isn’t that right, Grandma!” She happily sat back down, ready to start the meal and tell everyone about the tenant’s rent exemption.

As she looked up, she saw a man walking in. The man was calm and steady, with a tranquil demeanor—it was none other than Will! Behind him followed a woman, dignified and elegant, with a beautiful face. The two sat opposite each other by the window.

Wasn’t this my savior, my good brother?

I’ve caught him on a date, heh!

Lumi didn’t expect to stumble upon such a scene and felt inexplicably guilty. She shrank her neck, losing the liveliness she had just displayed, wishing the meal would end quickly so she could escape.

The Lu Family were lively eaters. As soon as the dishes were served, they began to reminisce about the hardships and sweetness of the past, with Grandma leading the charge.

She took a bite of the fried sausage, dipped in vinegar sauce, and it was deliciously fragrant! Grandma’s eyes turned red: “In the old days, we never had such good times! Soy sauce mixed with noodles was a meal, and even then, it tasted good!”

After saying that, she pointed at Lumi and then at Lu Qing: “Soy sauce noodles also nourish people. Look at how lively the girls of the Lu family have grown! When the two of you stand there, you’re really charming!”

Lu Qing kicked Lumi under the table, signaling her to respond. They had agreed before that in such situations, they would take turns supporting the conversation to prevent the elders from being left out, and today it was Lumi’s turn.

But Lumi didn’t dare to speak. Grandma’s hearing wasn’t good, so when she spoke, she had to do so loudly, and speaking loudly would be overheard by Tu Ming.

If Tu Ming overheard her, he would know that Lumi was sitting there eavesdropping on his private conversation, and the delicate balance they had found in their interactions would be broken. He might then make things difficult for her, making life unbearable.

So she whispered to Lu Qing: “Two hundred yuan, you do it!”

“Our good looks aren’t just because of soy sauce noodles; it’s thanks to Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle, Aunt, and our parents for raising us well.” Lu Qing tapped her phone to receive the payment and kicked Lumi’s shin with her toes, indicating that she had fulfilled her role.

Lumi kicked her back in thanks.

Seeing Tu Ming’s gaze coming their way, Lumi lowered her head even more.

Tu Ming was talking to Xing Yun when he heard the large table inside reminiscing about hardships and sweet memories, their conversation both humorous and lively.

He glanced over and saw Lumi, looking guilty and shrinking her neck.

So, Lumi was like this because her whole family was like this.

Tu Ming suddenly had this thought.

Tu Ming’s family had always been quiet. Even when students visited, they spoke softly with his parents, rarely dining out, and when they did, they discussed topics like astronomy, geography, philosophy, and politics.

Unlike the Lu Family, who expressed gratitude for everything while eating. Tu Ming understood that the Lu Family used to live in the alleys, enduring tough times, until one day, fortune smiled upon them, and one of their properties was demolished.

Back then, demolition didn’t bring in much money, but the Lu Family were bold. Since they were already so poor, they didn’t touch the money and instead bought houses in Mentougou and Fengtai, which turned out to be a good move.

Changing their lives through speculation. Tu Ming heard a half-white-haired elder say this with self-mockery. The way they spoke was exactly like Lumi’s, without any avoidance of these topics, and not afraid of being labeled as nouveau riche.

TN: Nouveau Riche – It means social climbers

Tu Ming now had a general understanding of Lumi. If someone were to call her a nouveau riche at this moment, she probably wouldn’t feel looked down upon; instead, she would raise her chin and say: “Exactly! We’re just rich!”

“What are you looking at?” Xing Yun whispered to him.

“Nothing.” Tu Ming withdrew his gaze, symbolically took a bite of food, and then put down his chopsticks: “So, what do you mean?”

“I mean, I want to sell that house. The neighborhood is too old, and the security isn’t good. After being robbed once, I’m a bit scared.”

“It’s yours now, do as you please.”

“After selling it, I’ll give you the money.” Xing Yun also put down her chopsticks and looked at Tu Ming: “I don’t want it.”

Tu Ming didn’t understand why she was going through all this trouble, wanting and not wanting things endlessly. His patience was almost exhausted by her antics. No, it was already gone. Did everyone have to go through these kinds of issues after a divorce? It probably dragged on for years, like a dull knife cutting flesh, unable to end cleanly.

Hurtful words were stuck in his throat, but he pressed his lips tightly together and ultimately said nothing.

The Lu Family paid the bill and walked out, with Lumi hiding behind someone. Once outside, she breathed a sigh of relief and volunteered to accompany Grandma on a walk through the alley. Tu Ming looked back at her retreating figure, scanned the QR code to pay the bill, and said to Xing Yun: “The house is yours now, do whatever you want with it. Next time we meet, bring your boyfriend, or it’s better not to meet at all.”

He put on his trench coat and walked out.

A gust of wind blew, lifting the hem of his coat. From a distance, he looked as if he were about to enter the monastic life, with a hint of otherworldliness.

Lumi was afraid that his otherworldly aura might rub off on her and said to Grandma: “Grandma, let’s hurry. We came out late today; what if we can’t finish inspecting the alley!” She tried to hurry Grandma along, but someone grabbed the back of her collar.

“Who is it! How dare you grab your aunt’s collar!” She cursed and turned around, only to see Tu Ming’s clear and cold eyes. Her momentum instantly weakened: “Isn’t this Will? What a coincidence!”

Grandma retracted the foot she had stepped out and looked at the two strangely behaving individuals.

Tu Ming nodded to Grandma, his face taut as he asked Lumi: “What are you hiding from?”