Professor Liu suddenly felt better and focused on the presentation by Cen Huai’an.

As the semester was nearing a break, the project news finally arrived: Professor Liu’s application had been approved.

When he received the news, Professor Liu’s face lit up with joy, and he stood up in front of everyone in the lab, saying loudly, “Today, I’m treating you all to dinner!”

“Yay! Yay! Yay!”
“Long live the teacher!”
“You’re the best teacher in the world!”

Everyone in the lab cheered, excitedly discussing where to go for dinner.

Some suggested eating Peking duck, the most famous dish in the capital, while others felt tired of it and wanted to try a different renowned restaurant.

The atmosphere was lively, and everyone was eager to eat out.

However, when it was time for lunch, the professor took everyone to the cafeteria.

“You can order whatever you want; it’s on me!” he said.

“But, professor, what’s good in the cafeteria?”

“Yeah, we’re tired of it.”

“We want to eat out.”

Professor Liu replied sternly, “The leaders say that thrift is a traditional virtue. Our lab needs a lot of funding for future projects; please help me save money. Besides, the cafeteria’s food isn’t bad! The school has opened many good food stalls recently, and we can order those more expensive dishes we didn’t dare try before.”

In truth, everyone just wanted the atmosphere of eating out.

The cafeteria food was decent, as Professor Liu said, with many tasty options.

Cen Huai’an was the first to order, asking for sweet and sour pork.

Li Shi and Zhao Xuebing followed, and soon everyone was ordering quickly.

They enjoyed the meal together.

Now that the project was approved, they had to start working hard.

However, with the holiday approaching, the professor decided they should all take a break.

So everyone in the lab was allowed to go home for the New Year, and they would return to work after the holiday.

Cen Huai’an finally got to relax at home.

His friend, Chu Xia, asked him, “Will next semester be this busy too?”

He nodded, eating an apple. “The teacher is joining a new project, so I might be even busier.”

Chu Xia changed the TV channel and peeled a sugar orange. “I don’t even know who’s busier, you or your dad. I’m the only one at home who’s free. How’s Bangzi’s business?”

Cen Huai’an replied, “It’s as good as ever. He just opened another store.”

Even though Cen Huai’an was busy, he still found time to have lunch with Bangzi, and they would catch up on each other’s lives.

Bangzi’s business was thriving, especially popular with female students from nearby universities.

Whenever those girls went shopping, they would definitely stop by Bangzi’s store.

Bangzi sold a variety of accessories, skincare products, and thoughtful items for girls.

He also stocked popular tapes, CDs, posters, postcards, and magazines from Jiang Zhida.

Essentially, if girls liked it, Bangzi made sure to have it in his boutique.

During holidays like Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, and Christmas—celebrated by students—he would run special promotions and offer holiday-themed products.

Since the reform and opening up of the country, Western holidays had become popular among young people and students, who loved celebrating them.

Every holiday, Bangzi’s products would sell out at ten times the usual amount, and prices would rise, but people were happy to pay.

Bangzi also helped order and deliver cakes.

If someone had a birthday and couldn’t pick up their cake because of class, Bangzi would have cakes available a day in advance to help out.

This business model was popular with college students, and Bangzi was making a lot of money.

Because he and his friends had classes and couldn’t watch the store all the time, they hired two dedicated employees to manage it.

Cen Huai’an usually rushed home and didn’t have much time to talk to Chu Xia.

After mentioning Bangzi, Chu Xia showed interest in visiting the store.

Since Bangzi’s store was in the university town, whenever she visited, Cen Huai’an was too busy to take her there.

“The store isn’t open right now,” Cen Huai’an said, handing her a peeled orange.

“I’ll take you to see it when school starts.” Bangzi would definitely be open on the first day of classes.

“Okay!”

---

As the New Year approached, Chu Xia was also working.

She rearranged her shifts for New Year’s Eve and after the holiday, so she could rest during the festive season.

Some people liked to work during the holidays for double pay, while others didn’t.

They all happily swapped shifts among themselves.

If no one wanted to swap with Chu Xia, she would work alone, but her breaks wouldn’t be continuous.

One day, while sitting in her office, she called in the next patient.

When she looked up, she was surprised to see Jiang Zhida walk in with a girl she recognized—Tao Tao, the girl Jiang Zhida had previously brought to pretend to be his girlfriend.

Chu Xia raised her eyebrows in surprise but maintained her professional demeanor, asking, “Who’s here for a check-up?”

“My sister-in-law, could you check on Tao Tao? She’s been feeling unwell lately. She thinks she’s fine but doesn’t want to go to the hospital. I had to drag her here today.”

Tao Tao looked embarrassed and said, “Sister Chu Xia, I really don’t think I’m sick. I just haven’t had much appetite lately; maybe I ate something bad.”

Chuxia glanced at Jiang Zhida and then at Tao Tao, smiling gently as she said, “It’s fine; I’m just taking your pulse here. It’s not as complicated as a Western medical examination.”

Chuxia had Tao Tao stretch out her hand.

She carefully took her pulse but couldn’t help frowning at the result.

“Change hands.”

Jiang Zhida’s heart raced: “Cousin…”

“Don’t say anything.”

Tao Tao looked at Jiang Zhida, her face showing some panic, afraid that she really had some illness.

Chuxia’s brows slowly relaxed as she looked up at Cen Huai’an, playfully smiling, “Zhida, I don’t know if this news is good or bad for you?”

Jiang Zhida swallowed hard: “Cousin, don’t keep me in suspense. Just say it directly.”

Chuxia remained silent, asking him, “First tell me, are you and Tao Tao really in a relationship now?”

“Really! More real than gold!” Jiang Zhida immediately said, wrapping his arm around Tao Tao’s shoulder, his face showing anxiety and concern. “Cousin, just tell me quickly.”

“Oh.” Chuxia lowered her head, writing on the medical record, “Then it’s no big deal. It’s not a serious illness; Tao Tao is just pregnant.”

Chuxia tossed this bombshell lightly, leaving Jiang Zhida and Tao Tao wide-eyed and frozen in place.

After a while, Jiang Zhida finally regained his voice and nervously licked his lips: “Cousin, can you say that again?”

Chuxia smiled at him, her teasing expression growing wider: “I said, Tao Tao is pregnant!”

Tao Tao finally understood but suddenly covered her face and began to cry.

Jiang Zhida was startled and quickly hugged her, asking, “What’s wrong? Why are you crying? It’s just a pregnancy! I’m not going to deny it!”

“It’s… not that,” Tao Tao choked out, “I… I’m happy. Also, my dream has finally come true. You… you don’t know; I’ve always seen you as my hero. In those years I liked you, I dreamed of marrying you and having a cute baby together.”

Chuxia watched the two of them, feeling a bit curious about their love story.

They had done such a great job at work that no one in their families knew they had truly started dating.

However, now they could no longer hide it from their families.

“Your mom can finally rest assured; she won’t have to worry about you not getting married anymore.”

Yang Mei had previously urged Jiang Zhida to get married, but he kept postponing it and even came to ask Chuxia and Cen Huai’an for help, wanting them to think of ways to deflect the topic of his fake relationship.

At that time, Chuxia and Cen Huai’an jokingly suggested he make the fake relationship a real one.

But neither of them took it seriously, believing Jiang Zhida wouldn’t go that far; they mainly urged him to find a genuine partner in the next two years.

Unexpectedly, the most improbable answer they initially considered had now become the best outcome.

Jiang Zhida hugged Tao Tao, smiling so wide he seemed to have lost all his swagger, looking like a foolish soon-to-be father.

“I’m going to take Tao Tao home to tell my parents right now. We’ll immediately start preparing for the wedding. I’m really something now; my mom can hold her grandchild soon. She’ll be overjoyed!”

Chuxia handed them the pregnancy precautions she had just written: “Okay, you guys go back and tell your uncle and aunt, and be careful.”

Jiang Zhida took Tao Tao home.

Yang Mei was discussing with Uncle Jiang how much New Year’s goods to buy this year and what to bring to Grandpa Jiang’s house for the New Year’s Eve dinner, as well as the lucky money to be given this year, all of which needed to be considered.

When they heard the door open, they looked up to see Jiang Zhida leading Tao Tao in, and both Yang Mei and Uncle Jiang froze for a moment.

However, they quickly reacted.

Tao Tao had been helping Jiang Zhida shield his family for years, but except for the time she had appeared before the Jiang family, Jiang Zhida hadn’t brought her home much since.

Unless Yang Mei pressured him hard, he wouldn’t take her back.

Thus, they were unsure when these two had really started dating; Jiang Zhida had done an excellent job keeping everyone in the dark.

Yang Mei hurriedly pulled Tao Tao to sit down: “Tao Tao’s here; come eat some fruit. It was just bought by Zhida’s dad. Do you want water or a drink?”

“Mom, she just needs plain water.”

“Smack!” Jiang Zhida’s hand was slapped, and Yang Mei glared at him: “I’m asking Tao Tao, not you.”

“Aunt, I’m fine with plain water,” Tao Tao said.

Yang Mei poured it for her, and Tao Tao stood up nervously: “Aunt, I can get it myself, really.”

“I’ll do it.” Jiang Zhida took the water kettle.

The reason Tao Tao rarely appeared before the Jiang family was that she felt they were too impressive and was overly respectful, somewhat fearful of interacting with them.

She worried about making a mistake and upsetting Jiang Zhida’s family.

Plus, Tao Tao felt guilty about their previous charade of being a couple.

She was afraid that if it was exposed, Jiang’s family would have a bad impression of her and not agree to her relationship with Jiang Zhida.

After Jiang Zhida and Tao Tao started their real relationship, he had mentioned bringing her home, but Tao Tao had been too scared to go.

Today, she had also brought many gifts in various bags.

If it hadn’t been for Jiang Zhida insisting she go to see Chuxia, she wouldn’t have had time to prepare and would have also brought gifts for Chuxia’s family.

Yang Mei looked at Jiang Zhida approvingly and told Tao Tao, “Yes, let Zhida do it.”

After Jiang Zhida poured plain water into the cups in front of Tao Tao and Yang Mei, he told Tao Tao, “It’s a bit hot; wait a moment to drink.”

Then he looked up at Yang Mei: “I brought Tao Tao here to tell you and Dad that we’re getting married!”