Lu Qingyuan could feel the gentle yet intense gaze from the person across from her.

She lifted her eyes and caught sight of the red characters above Shu Beiqiu’s head, still teasing them about their earlier interaction. Her face flushed again, and she quickly picked up her tea bowl and took a sip.

“Have you… have you ever been in a relationship before?”

When Lu Qingyuan’s bright, watery almond-shaped eyes looked over at him, Shu Beiqiu felt his palms grow sweaty. Even his back started to dampen with perspiration.

“No, I’ve never been in a relationship before,” Shu Beiqiu answered softly.

To prove his “innocence,” he even gave an example.

“Even when I played house as a kid, I never paired up with the little girls.”

Because he was tall, he was always made to play the grandpa—the kind without a wife.

Hearing this, Lu Qingyuan couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

Her face, originally flushed with a deep red hue, now bloomed into a radiant smile. Shu Beiqiu looked at her, feeling as if her bright eyes and shining teeth made her beauty even more dazzling.

【Tsk, tsk, tsk, look at this silly boy. He’s all height and no courage. Why is he so shy?】

【Right? Haha, look how red his face is. It’s even redder than Qingyuan’s just now!】

【Like the red bottom of a monkey, hahahahaha!】

Seeing these comments, Lu Qingyuan chuckled again.

Shu Beiqiu, startled by her laughter, hurriedly grabbed his tea bowl and took a big gulp. In his haste, he even swallowed the tea leaves.

Without so much as a frown, he swallowed them down in just a few quick gulps.

【Hahahaha, this fool actually drank the tea leaves!】

【Oh my, he looks so good, but why is he so clumsy?】

Lu Qingyuan glanced at the red characters floating above and smiled. Then, she reached out for the teapot, leaned forward slightly, and poured more tea for Shu Beiqiu.

“I’ll do it,” Shu Beiqiu quickly said.

How could he let her pour tea for him? He immediately reached out carefully, taking hold of the teapot’s handle from Lu Qingyuan’s hands.

He was meticulous and considerate, making sure his sleeve didn’t even brush against hers.

His face, however, turned an even deeper shade of red.

Seeing him like this, Lu Qingyuan felt less nervous and shy herself. She grabbed a handful of peanuts and started peeling them while asking, “How many days off do you get in a month?”

“Two days. I usually take day off on the first and the thirtieth. For national holidays, we adjust shifts. We can swap days off with colleagues or follow the schedule set by our supervisors,” Shu Beiqiu explained while pouring her more tea.

With his tall stature and long limbs, he could pour tea effortlessly without needing to lean forward.

“If I want to go home, I usually coordinate with my colleagues and take two days off together,” he added.

Lu Qingyuan nodded. Compared to her second brother’s job at the supply and marketing cooperative, this arrangement seemed more flexible. “That’s pretty nice,” she commented before popping a plump peanut into her mouth.

These peanuts had been stir-fried without any extra seasoning. Once fragrant, they were scooped up and served by the waiter.

They were still slightly warm. The moment she bit into one, it crumbled easily, releasing a rich, nutty aroma that spread through her mouth. Her eyes lit up in delight.

Noticing that she liked them, Shu Beiqiu grabbed a handful of peanuts and carefully shelled them. He placed each one neatly on the opposite side of the plate. Once he had shelled an entire handful, he turned the plate toward Lu Qingyuan, gesturing for her to eat.

He was meticulous, making sure not to touch the peanuts inside.

Lu Qingyuan saw his effort and softly thanked him. After finishing the peanuts in her own hand, she reached for the ones he had prepared.

Seeing her eat the peanuts he had shelled, Shu Beiqiu felt a surge of happiness. Without hesitation, he grabbed another handful and continued peeling.

“I heard that the machinery factory is huge, with a health clinic, a daycare, and even a primary school?” Lu Qingyuan asked curiously.

“Yes,” Shu Beiqiu nodded with a smile. Talking about these things with Lu Qingyuan made him feel much more at ease.

“The machinery factory covers a vast area. It has a residential complex for families, a dormitory for singles, two large cafeterias, and a health clinic with twelve doctors. The daycare is spacious, too, accepting children as young as two and as old as six.”

“The factory-run primary school has all six grades, with teachers hired externally as well as those who are qualified family members of workers.”

“Aside from that, there’s also a movie theater, a basketball court, a soccer field, and even a garden area.”

“In the garden, many fruit trees are in bloom this time of year. It’s vibrant and colorful. In autumn, when the trees bear fruit, the factory organizes workers to harvest them, distributing them as rewards to employees who have made significant contributions.”

This was the first time Lu Qingyuan had ever heard a detailed description of what the machinery factory was like, so she listened intently.

Factories like this were not places that ordinary people could just walk into.

To enter, one needed a family pass or a worker’s permit.

If someone came to visit, they had to register with the gatekeeper, who would then use a loudspeaker to call for the person. Only after signing in could they be brought inside.

Shu Beiqiu talked for a long time. By the time he had finished shelling the peanuts and moved on to sunflower seeds, Lu Qingyuan popped the last peanut into her mouth and took a sip of tea.

“Since you’ve shared so much, I should also tell you about myself,” she said. “I’m eighteen this year. I graduated from high school last year. The university recommendation spots were limited, and I wasn’t selected, so I’ve been helping out at home.”

Shu Beiqiu sat up straight, listening attentively as if he were in a classroom.

Seeing his serious posture, Lu Qingyuan couldn’t help but laugh again.

“I enjoy making food, and in my free time, I like sewing little things. But more than anything, I prefer a peaceful and warm life. If a home is always filled with chaos, that’s something I wouldn’t like,” she said.

“Our family is simple, and everyone is reasonable. If there are any conflicts, we address them immediately and make things clear. We never let issues drag on overnight!”

Hearing this, Shu Beiqiu quickly responded.

【That’s true. I just went back to check the original text. The Shu family does have a proper family culture. The parents are reasonable, and both sisters, the younger brother, and the sister-in-law are not troublemakers.】

Lu Qingyuan glanced at Shu Beiqiu again after seeing this comment.

“I’m telling the truth,” Shu Beiqiu said, noticing her gaze and fearing she might not believe him. He continued speaking while placing the peeled sunflower seeds in the peanut dish.

“Since childhood, our family has never had any major arguments. My parents have a good relationship, and we siblings get along well. Even after my sister-in-law joined the family, things have remained harmonious.”

“When parents have a strong relationship, the children usually get along well too. Plus, when problems arise, they don’t handle them aggressively.”

Lu Qingyuan nodded in agreement.

Seeing her sincerity, Shu Beiqiu realized he had misunderstood her earlier. He immediately apologized to Lu Qingyuan.

Noticing his seriousness, Lu Qingyuan smiled and pointed at the plate of sunflower seeds. “Then peel some more for me.”

“Alright.”

Shu Beiqiu’s eyes curved into a smile as he continued peeling the seeds. “Would you like another plate of peanuts?”

“No,” Lu Qingyuan shook her head. “Too many roasted peanuts can be heat-inducing.”

After thinking for a moment, Shu Beiqiu called over a waiter and asked for a plate of mung bean cakes.

The light green mung bean cakes were beautifully arranged.

Lu Qingyuan picked one up and took a small bite. It was soft, with a rich mung bean fragrance. The sweetness was just right, making it delicious without being overwhelming. She liked it very much.

“This is really good. Comrade Shu, you should try it too.”

She pushed the plate of mung bean cakes toward Shu Beiqiu.

Lowering her voice, she told him, “Some mung bean cakes are made with saccharin, but this one isn’t. It uses real sugar, and the taste is great.”

Shu Beiqiu nodded. After finishing the last handful of sunflower seeds, he wiped his hands before picking up a piece of mung bean cake to try. “You’re right. It is good.”

Seeing him agree with her, Lu Qingyuan’s eyes lit up as she reached for another piece.

At one point, Shu Beiqiu excused himself to use the restroom. Meanwhile, Lu Qingyuan lowered her head and ate the sunflower seeds he had peeled for her.

As she was eating, she suddenly noticed a middle-aged man near the kitchen, pressing against the glass window and staring at their table.

When she looked in his direction, the man quickly pretended to be cleaning the window ledge before walking away.

When Shu Beiqiu returned, he found her staring toward the kitchen window.

“Are you hungry?”

“No,” Lu Qingyuan shook her head with a smile. “I’ve had peanuts, sunflower seeds, mung bean cakes, and several cups of tea. How could I still be hungry?”

“I’ve already ordered food,” Shu Beiqiu chuckled. “You can rest for a while. The food will be ready soon.”

This blind date was arranged with the intention of having lunch together.

If either Lu Qingyuan or Shu Beiqiu had found the other unsuitable, they would have simply finished their tea, nibbled on some snacks, and left with an excuse.

That would have meant the meeting didn’t work out.

But now, neither of them had mentioned leaving. Shu Beiqiu had even placed an order.

Lu Qingyuan blushed slightly and responded softly, “Okay.”

Hearing her answer, Shu Beiqiu knew she was satisfied with him and willing to continue getting to know him.

Taking a deep breath, he quickly poured Lu Qingyuan another cup of tea. “I’ll go find Auntie and bring her back to sit with us. Otherwise, standing outside for too long might tire her feet.”

She wasn’t really wandering outside. She had just found an excuse to wait outside for Lu Qingyuan.

“Alright.”

Lu Qingyuan raised her eyes and looked over, just as a sentence in red flashed above Shu Beiqiu’s head.

【That sneaky old man—isn’t he the little rascal’s uncle?】

The little rascal’s uncle?

Lu Qingyuan was momentarily confused before realization struck.

The “little rascal” referred to Tan Chang’an. And according to the red text that had appeared above his head yesterday, the head chef of this state-run restaurant was his biological uncle.

So, the man who had been secretly watching her was Tan Chang’an’s uncle?

Before heading out to find Fifth Aunt, Shu Beiqiu asked the waiter to bring another pot of tea and an extra teacup, along with additional servings of peanuts, sunflower seeds, and mung bean cakes.

Since he had ordered braised pork, it would take a bit longer for the food to be served, and the waiter readily agreed.

Soon, the waiter came back to clear the empty plates, wiped down the table, and brought out fresh snacks, a full teapot, and a clean teacup.

Lu Qingyuan lifted the teapot and poured tea into all three cups.

Meanwhile, Fifth Aunt had been standing outside watching Shu Beiqiu emerge from the restaurant and glance around. Seeing this, she knew he was looking for her.

This was a done deal!

Fifth Aunt beamed and walked over to him.

“Auntie, come inside and have some tea to soothe your throat,” Shu Beiqiu invited.

“Alright, alright.”

Smiling brightly, Fifth Aunt followed him inside.

As they entered, Lu Qingyuan stood up and gently held Fifth Aunt’s hand, guiding her to a seat.

As soon as she sat down, Shu Beiqiu picked up the tea cup in front of her and respectfully handed it to Fifth Aunt.

This was a gesture of utmost respect, giving Fifth Aunt a great sense of importance.

She accepted the tea with a smile and took a sip. “Xiao Shu, when you have free time at the factory, make sure to visit often.”

Lu Qingyuan and Shu Beiqiu blushed instantly. They exchanged glances before Shu Beiqiu nodded. “Of course.”

【Yo yo yo! This is it! 】

【In this era, this pretty much means they’re officially dating!】

【This is great! Xiao Qingyuan, go for it! I can’t wait to see what happens next!】