Chapter 5: His Smile Is So Warm

Jiang You knew how to cook, and she was very good at it. Not only could she whip up home-style dishes, but she was also skilled in making common noodles and dim sum. This was mainly because her mother was always busy, so whenever she had free time, her mother taught her everything she could. Jiang You was happy to learn, and once she had learned, she could enjoy the food herself and also send it to her mother.

Her mother worked so hard.

So, making breakfast was easy for Jiang You.

She made pigweed and pork dumplings, shrimp and pork wontons, steamed rice cakes, century egg and lean pork congee, and pickled cucumber and radish salad.

She waited excitedly for Mr. Fu and his parents to come downstairs, but when the elderly couple sat at the table, they exchanged hesitant glances, clearly uncomfortable.

Jiang You sensed something was wrong and became nervous. “What’s wrong? Don’t you like it?”

Mrs. Fu said, “Jiang You, we might not have told you this before, but we don’t eat pigweed or century eggs, and I’m allergic to shrimp…”

Jiang You felt a sharp pang in her heart, and her vision blurred with tears.

She had worked hard all morning.

She messed it up again…

Why didn’t she ask about their tastes beforehand?

She was sobbing when she felt warmth on her shoulder. She turned around, and a tall figure stood over her.

Fu Jin’s smile was so warm.

But ever since Fu Jin returned from abroad, she hadn’t seen that kind of smile again. It was like the warmth of a fire in a winter fireplace, enough to warm the whole cold room.

“It’s okay. I like it.”

Just that one sentence stopped her tears.

She grabbed Fu Jin’s hand and tried to pull him to the table, but when she turned back, Mr. and Mrs. Fu were no longer there.

She seemed to have returned home.

Sitting at the table were her father and her half-sister.

Her father looked indifferent, and her sister had a contemptuous expression.

Her sister said, “Dad, this looks bad. I don’t like it here. Let’s go.”

Her father replied, “Okay.”

Then, her father and sister left. She chased after their car, crying, and ran three blocks.

Jiang You woke up from the dream, and the alarm had been ringing for over ten minutes.

She was drenched in sweat.

She turned off the alarm and sat in the dark, not knowing how long she had been frozen. The pain in her chest slowly faded.

She sighed deeply.

Suddenly, she sat up, assuming a sitting posture, raised her arms, and muttered, almost like a chant:

“Hey—ha—hey ha hey ha—hey—ha—”

She moved with great speed, drawing a dragon with one hand and a tiger with the other.

The entire set of movements was smooth and fluid, and she ended with satisfaction.

“Fairy, get away from me quickly!”

Jiang You climbed out of bed in the morning light. It was summer, and the day had already brightened. By 7:30, the heat had already set in.

When Fu Jin came downstairs for breakfast, the sun was shining brightly.

As soon as he reached the stairway, he heard cheerful laughter from the dining room.

“This is the purple rice cake I steamed this morning. I only put a little sugar, so it’s very light! And this osmanthus cake, I heard from Aunt Zhang that you both really like it. Try it!”

The girl’s voice was pleasant and sweet, like honey.

Fu Jin followed the voice into the dining room, where he saw his father sitting at the main seat, his mother and Jiang You sitting side by side on his left, all enjoying themselves happily.

He thought Jiang You was still sleeping.

“Sir, are you up?” Aunt Zhang walked over, holding a plate of fruit, bowing and greeting him. Fu Jin smiled and nodded, walking toward the table.

Jiang You smiled brightly when she saw him, like a sunflower in a vase.

“Uncle Fu, you’re up!” Jiang You bounced happily over and pulled him to the table. “I’ll get you breakfast!”

She quickly ran to the kitchen, her little bun bouncing behind her. When she came out again, she was holding a tray.

Aunt Zhang followed behind, praising her with love: “Miss Jiang got up before six to make breakfast, cooking porridge, steaming dim sum, and even grinding coffee for Sir. She’s so considerate.”

Jiang You placed the tray in front of Fu Jin, which held a cup of rich, fragrant black coffee and a freshly baked carrot cake.

She remembered that last time she came to Fu’s house, Fu Jin’s breakfast had been the same.

Fu Jin looked at the food before him, and suddenly, his heart felt full, a familiar and distant sense of happiness swelling inside him.

“Little Youbao, come sit down,” Mrs. Fu called out, gesturing for her to sit beside her. “What did you make for him? He eats anything, don’t tire yourself out.”

Mrs. Fu reached out her delicate hand and pulled Jiang You close, glancing at her son.

Fu Jin: …

Jiang You tilted her head like a little sparrow and softly said, “Uncle Fu works hard too!”

Mrs. Fu, seeing she failed to garner attention, lifted her hand with a pout, looking at Fu Jin with watery eyes: “You’ve prepared so much so early, Xianjie must feel sorry for you!”

“Xianjie?” Fu Jin heard the long-forgotten term and couldn’t help but twitch his mouth.

Mrs. Fu, named Ruan Guixia, was the eldest daughter of the Ruan family in Beijing and Hong Kong. In her youth, she was a nationally famous beauty and married Fu Qihai early.

Spoiled since childhood and then pampered by her husband, she still acted like a child even after many years.

Once Ruan Guixia turned forty and noticed her first crow’s feet, she strictly prohibited anyone from mentioning her age, and the birthday cake always had only 18 candles.

For anyone without blood relations, she insisted on being called “Xianjie.”

In other words, though she was getting older, her heart stayed youthful.

Fu Jin had often criticized his mother for deceiving herself, only to be scolded by his father in return.

But there was nothing to be done. Her husband indulged her.

Fu Jin shot a helpless look at his mother, but before he could speak, Fu Qihai’s voice rang out, “Finish eating and hurry up.”

Ruan Guixia smiled triumphantly at her son.

“Come, Little Youbao—” Ruan Guixia turned her attention back to Jiang You, her smile warm and affectionate.

“Drink this fish maw and milk soup, it’s good for beauty. Women need to take care of themselves from a young age! You’re eighteen this year, and if you start now, you’ll stay eighteen forever…”

Ruan Guixia explained the benefits of fish maw and other beauty tips to Jiang You, although Fu Jin found it all nonsensical.

Fu Qihai watched this scene with a happy smile.

His wife, over sixty but still so beautiful, maintained a full head of hair and porcelain-like skin, all thanks to years of self-care.

Such a beautiful wife was really a source of pride!

Happy, he felt like having another bowl of congee!

Ruan Guixia truly cared for Jiang You. When she came downstairs this morning and saw the little girl busy in the kitchen, she learned that Jiang You had stayed over last night.

The young girl had grown more charming and more considerate, making Ruan Guixia genuinely fond of her.

Ruan Guixia held Jiang You close, affectionately calling her “my dear,” wishing she could hold her in the palm of her hand and protect her forever.

Fu Jin, ignoring his mother’s antics, lowered his gaze to the carrot cake in front of him. The cake was golden brown with slightly crisp edges, and it still had some unbroken carrot bits.

He used a small spoon to scoop some up, hearing the soft, bubbly sound as he cut into it.

He took a bite—delicious, sweet, soft, and moist.

“Is it good?” The sweet, lively voice came again.