Su Lingqing looked at him with a complicated expression. “The look on your face right now reminds me of a very specific type of person.”

Fu Yingcheng: “?”

Su Lingqing: “A rich dad who knows the kid loves their poor ex-wife more, but still wants to fight tooth and nail for custody after the divorce.”

Fu Yingcheng: “???”

On the other side, Ji Fanling leaned down to listen to the customer’s request, then called out to Wu Qing in the distance, “Table 3 needs two bowls of rice and a set of utensils.”

Wu Qing responded loudly, “Got it!”

Su Lingqing froze for a moment, glancing at the number 7 on his table, then at Table 3, where he had initially sat. Suddenly, he realized this seemingly inconspicuous detail…

Fu Yingcheng refused to sit at that table, could it be because he knew she wasn’t responsible for it?

Su Lingqing suddenly lost even the mood to joke around.

He knows even something like that.

…He’s serious about this, isn’t he?

*

As time went on, more and more people came to eat. The smoke from the barbecue grill occasionally drifted over with the changing wind, stinging both the nose and the eyes.

By the time they finished their meal, they hadn’t managed to exchange more than a few words with Ji Fanling.

“Let’s go.”

Su Lingqing wiped his mouth, frowning involuntarily at the rough napkin in his hand that felt like it was scratching his lips.

Fu Yingcheng raised his eyes. “Not paying the bill?”

Su Lingqing looked puzzled. “Didn’t Ling Meimei say she was treating us?”

“She’s treating me, sure. Why would she treat you?”

Su Lingqing was stunned. “Wait, didn’t you just…”

“Before we came, you said you’d treat me. Now you’re just looking for excuses to skip the bill?”

Su Lingqing laughed in disbelief, more exasperated than amused. “No, I wouldn’t—”

“Make a young lady pay for you, your face sure is thick enough,” Fu Yingcheng said flatly. “Did I forget to pay your salary?”

Su Lingqing: “…” Damn you!

Su Lingqing raised both hands in surrender, muttering indignantly under his breath, “Fine, fine, I’ll pay, okay? Just stop talking already. It’s a hundred yuan, and you’re nagging me to death about it. Damn it, like I’d even try to take advantage of you for such a small amount…”

After settling the bill at the counter, Su Lingqing returned to see Fu Yingcheng still seated, showing no intention of leaving. “Aren’t we going?” Su Lingqing asked.

Fu Yingcheng: “Are you in a hurry?”

Su Lingqing: “…”

Who was it that was always so busy at the office they didn’t even have time to eat? And now, suddenly, they’re not in a hurry?

Su Lingqing couldn’t hold back anymore. He dragged a chair over and sat next to Fu Yingcheng, as if determined to stare a hole right through him.

Fu Yingcheng, annoyed, asked, “What?”

“I support you in whatever you do, but as your brother, there are some things I have to say,” Su Lingqing said with a serious expression.

Fu Yingcheng, uninterested, replied, “If you don’t want to say it, then don’t.”

“No! I have to say it!”

Su Lingqing looked around cautiously, then leaned forward with a grave expression, speaking as if in deep anguish, “You have your freedom, but you can’t go after a minor!”

Fu Yingcheng: “…”

The man’s gaze was one of pure disbelief, as if he were staring at a complete lunatic.

Seeing that Fu Yingcheng didn’t respond, Su Lingqing became even more anxious. “Fine, I admit I’ve dated around, but I have principles too! Ling Meimei… wasn’t she born in 2006?! Can’t you wait two more years?”

He had personally handled Ji Fanling’s ID card, how could he not know her age?

Fu Yingcheng frowned slightly. “Can you stop calling her that and use her full name?”

Su Lingqing raised his voice by an octave. “Is that seriously the main point here?!”

Fu Yingcheng’s gaze was so murderous that it looked like he genuinely wanted to end him.

The air went still for a few seconds. Fu Yingcheng’s jaw tightened, and with a sharp look, he signaled for Su Lingqing to lean closer.

This was a matter of principle which was too important to ignore.

Fu Yingcheng, rarely deigning to explain himself, spoke up:

“When I met her, I was also a minor.”

Su Lingqing leaned back, staring at him.

His expression gradually shifted into one of utter shock.

Su Lingqing couldn’t hold back his volume. “You were a minor, and she was only eight years old!”

“…”

“—Fu Yingcheng!! You’re such a goddamn beast!!!”

*

After running around busily, Ji Fanling finally found a moment to slip away to the restroom. On the way, she stopped by her locker to stash her cigarettes.

Lately, she’d been having bouts of stomach pain every few days. When the pain became unbearable, she smoked, and it seemed to work for her, at least.

Just as she opened the locker door, her eyes caught sight of a red plastic bag inside.

Oh, she almost forgot that she still had a bag of pomegranates.

Fortunately, the weather was cold, and the pomegranates were still fresh after a few days.

Ji Fanling took them out, intending to offer them to Fu Yingcheng and the others as a post-meal fruit. But as she stepped out of the back room, she saw from a distance that Table 7 already had new guests.

They’d left so abruptly.

While carrying the pomegranates, Ji Fanling felt a twinge of disappointment in her heart.

…She didn’t know why, but subconsciously, she had assumed that Fu Yingcheng would at least say something before leaving, that he wouldn’t leave so quickly.

Now, there was no way to catch up.

It seemed she’d have to make a trip to find him after her shift.

Ji Fanling turned her head and asked the girl at the counter who was handling receipts, “Has Table 7 paid the bill?”

“Yes, they paid,” the girl said cheerfully.

“It’s been ages since I’ve seen someone that handsome. I was secretly watching him for a long time, and he even complimented me on my looks.”

Oh, so it was Su Lingqing who paid.

Maybe he felt bad about letting her treat them.

The girl, now in high spirits, leaned over the counter and whispered to Ji Fanling, “But I like the one who didn’t come to pay even more… Did you get a good look at him?”

Ji Fanling kept a blank expression. “…Why would I look at him?”

“He’s way more handsome! Didn’t you get closer and take a good look?”

The girl was exasperated, as if Ji Fanling had missed out on something life-changing. “Especially when he tilted his head back to drink water, his jawline is sharper than my entire life plan! And his Adam’s apple, right here!” She tilted her head back and poked at her own neck. “It was ridiculously sexy!”

Ji Fanling averted her gaze. “…He’s just okay, I guess.”

“And I heard,”

The girl leaned closer, beckoning with a mischievous grin, lowering her voice conspiratorially, “Men with prominent Adam’s apples tend to be—”

Ji Fanling’s hand shot out like lightning, clamping over her mouth.

The girl: “Mmm! Mmm!”

Ji Fanling frowned deeply. “Talking about people like that behind their backs… Just stop!”

Ji Fanling let go of her hand, clutching the plastic bag as she turned and walked away.

The girl propped her chin on her hand, smiling mischievously as she watched Ji Fanling’s retreating figure.

Tsk tsk tsk.

Someone’s ears were redder than the plastic bag.

*

Originally, Ji Fanling had planned to deliver the pomegranates to Fu Yingcheng right after her shift that day. However, she ended up working overtime until 11 p.m., so she had to postpone it to the following evening.

After work, Ji Fanling made her way to the bus stop with practiced ease, boarded Bus No. 3, and stared out the window in a daze as the vehicle rolled along.

The scenery outside, even down to the grass and trees, felt incredibly familiar. Perhaps it was because this route always took her home after work, but the view seemed especially pleasing and comforting to her mood.

The bus dropped her off right at the entrance to Fu Yingcheng’s residential complex.

As Ji Fanling stepped off the bus, she suddenly realized she hadn’t informed Fu Yingcheng that she was coming.

…Though she rarely visited other people’s homes, she was definitely not the type to show up unannounced.

But having lived at Fu Yingcheng’s house for so long, “going” to his place felt more like “returning” to it, and for a moment, she had completely forgotten to let him know.

At this point, sending a message saying, I’m downstairs at your building, felt less straightforward than just going up and knocking on the door.

Ji Fanling took the elevator upstairs and rang the doorbell. After waiting for a while with no response, she pressed it again.

Not home?

She glanced at the time on her phone. Back when she used to get off work at this hour, Fu Yingcheng was always home.

It seemed she was truly out of luck tonight.

Ji Fanling, holding the plastic bag, turned to leave when the elevator suddenly dinged open. A man carrying a cardboard box stepped out, pausing in surprise. “Miss Ji?”

Ji Fanling called out, “Driver Chen?”

Driver Chen balanced the box against his knee, panting heavily. “Perfect timing! Could you help me open the door? I’m here to deliver something to Mr. Fu.”

Seeing him struggling, Ji Fanling’s body reacted faster than her mind. She instinctively raised her hand and pressed it against the fingerprint lock behind her.

With a beep, the door unlocked and opened.

It was as if a spark ignited and spread through her mind.

Ji Fanling froze, staring in disbelief at the door lock.

She had already moved out, yet Fu Yingcheng still kept her fingerprint saved?

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Author’s Note:

A door that will always remain open for her.

Chichi’s Note:

Wuwuwu, seeing how much you all love extra updates, I just can’t stop myself from adding more! Tonight at midnight, I’ll bring an extra update along with some red envelopes (love you all)!

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