Cen Zhengnian looked at her with a questioning expression.

Chu Xia spoke confidently, “We’re having shrimp today. You need to devein the shrimp.”

Cen Zhengnian finished the water in his glass, put the glass down, and stood up, saying, “Alright.”

He did not refuse or show any reluctance.

In fact, he had already stood up, walked to the corner, picked up the shrimp basket, and still wore a gentle smile on his face.

Cen Zhengnian remembered where the washing room was.

Chu Xia handed him a basin and a pair of scissors and told him to place the deveined shrimp in the basin.

“Alright.” As Chu Xia spoke, Cen Zhengnian listened attentively throughout, nodding and saying “Alright” without a hint of impatience.

The anger that had risen in Chu Xia’s heart slowly faded away.

Living with someone like Cen Zhengnian, it seemed that even arguing would be impossible.

He was too gentle, completely non-aggressive.

In fact, Chu Xia was wrong.

If she had ever seen him at work, she wouldn’t have said this.

At work, Cen Zhengnian was extremely demanding, not only strict with others but also with himself.

If the data was incorrect, he would calculate and experiment over and over again until it was right.

If a staff member made a mistake out of carelessness, he would severely criticize them, regardless of whether they were male or female, without the slightest mercy.

It was common for him to scold someone to tears.

When dealing with female colleagues who had a fondness for him, he would decisively distance himself once he noticed, leaving no room for hope.

People at the base were both respectful and fearful of Cen Zhengnian.

Outside of work, Cen Zhengnian was actually quite easygoing.

However, those who were afraid of him would avoid him altogether and dared not speak much with him.

In the washing room, Cen Zhengnian took the first shrimp out of the basket.

He followed Chu Xia’s instructions, cutting off the head with the scissors, and then carefully pulled out the black vein.

It was his first time doing something like this.

At first, he was very cautious, afraid of doing it wrong and ruining the shrimp.

But soon, his technique became more skilled, and he figured out how to remove the shrimp vein quickly without breaking it.

Today, the older ladies washing vegetables and clothes on the second floor stood at the doorway of the washing room.

When they saw Cen Zhengnian inside, with his outstanding appearance, they all froze for a moment.

“Who is that? He looks a bit familiar.”

“Such a handsome man… In my memory, only Chu Xia’s husband looks like this.”

“Yes, yes, I think it’s Chu Xia’s husband too. I thought I was mistaken.”

Although everyone said so, they still didn’t dare to be certain.

Even their voices had become quieter, and the usual jokes and chatter were gone.

While washing their things, they would glance at Cen Zhengnian from time to time.

Young girls and daughters-in-law were too shy to look directly at him, stealing only a couple of glances, while the older aunts and grandmothers weren’t bashful at all, openly admiring him.

Such a handsome man was rare to see in the residential compound.

“Xiao Cen?” It wasn’t until Sister Li came in and saw Cen Zhengnian that someone finally recognized him at a glance.

Sister Li used to help the original owner often.

When An’an was one year old and Cen Zhengnian returned home, the original owner wasn’t very good at taking care of the child, so Sister Li would come by every day to see if she could lend a hand.

She had a strong impression of Cen Zhengnian.

“Yes, it’s me, Sister Li.” Cen Zhengnian remembered her as well, just like his son Cen Huaian, who never forgot a face.

He was grateful to Sister Li. Cen Zhengnian still remembered how much she had helped their family, so his attitude towards her was warmer and more familiar than with others.

“Oh my, it really is Xiao Cen! Chu Xia has been waiting for you, hoping for your return! I was wondering why I heard magpies chirping today—your return is indeed a blessing!”

Sister Li’s words were genuinely heartfelt, not flattery; she was truly happy for Cen Zhengnian’s return and for Chu Xia’s joy.

Cen Zhengnian’s smile became even more sincere. “Thank you, Sister Li. Chu Xia told me that she and An’an have been relying on your care these past few years.”

Cen Zhengnian spoke slowly, with a tone of sincerity that made anyone feel at ease when listening to him, and Sister Li was no exception.

Her face blossomed into a sunflower-like smile, her eyes nearly disappearing from how wide she grinned. “We’re all neighbors; we help each other out. No need for thanks!”

“Alright.” Cen Zhengnian nodded.

Just then, the shrimp were ready, so he stepped aside and politely nodded to Sister Li, saying, “I’ll be home for the next few days, so feel free to call me if you need anything.”

“Okay, okay!” Sister Li responded cheerfully.

Watching Cen Zhengnian’s tall, elegant figure as he carried the shrimp basket and basin, she couldn’t help but sigh to those around her, “Chu Xia really married a good man!”

The others agreed, saying, “Yes, unlike my husband—he wouldn’t even pick up a fallen oil bottle, let alone help me wash vegetables and cook.”

“Exactly! If I say anything, he gets mad, claiming that cleaning and cooking aren’t a man’s job!”

“Xiao Cen is much more capable than them, and here he is, washing shrimp. Who says it’s not a man’s job?”

…

Cen Zhengnian returned with the shrimp, and by that time, Chu Xia had almost finished steaming the rice.

Meanwhile, Cen Huaian had come home from school.

So, as soon as Cen Zhengnian entered the house and was about to tell Chu Xia that he had cleaned the shrimp, he looked up and saw Cen Huaian sitting with his back to him.

Cen Huaian sat very upright, his back straight as he wrote something on paper with a pencil in hand.

To his left was a square wooden box about 30 centimeters long, filled with various colored coins.

For a moment, Cen Zhengnian stood frozen in the doorway, too anxious to move.

He had known from their phone calls that An’an was distant towards him.

He missed An’an dearly and wanted to go over and pat his head, ask him what he was writing, and if the coins in the box were what he had earned today.

But he didn’t dare.

He was afraid of seeing the resentment in Cen Huaian’s eyes.

Chu Xia, who was sitting facing the door, noticed Cen Zhengnian as soon as he came in, but she didn’t say anything, waiting for him to speak first.

After a long while, she saw him standing there, looking at An’an with a complex and conflicted expression, not saying a word.

He was like a door guardian, standing there silently.

She couldn’t take it anymore.

“An’an, your dad is back,” she finally said.

Cen Huai’an immediately turned his head and saw the tall man standing at the doorway, who looked just like his father in the photo!

His father was back.

Cen Huai’an felt a sense of unreality.

He looked up and met Cen Zhengnian’s gaze.

He couldn’t understand the emotion in his father’s eyes; he just felt that it made him uncomfortable.

This was really his father.

Realizing this, Cen Huai’an’s eyes turned red, and he glared at Cen Zhengnian, like a suddenly enraged little tiger.

His eyes were filled with resentment, anger, and endless grievances.

Cen Zhengnian felt as if his heart had been stung by a bee — it was both sour and painful, his eyes and nose filled with a bitter sensation.

His hand gripped the basket tightly, the veins on his hand bulging as he struggled to suppress his inner turmoil.

“An An,” he called out carefully, a gentle smile appearing on his face as he softly spoke Cen Huai’an’s name.

Cen Huai’an pressed his lips tightly together, his eyes reddening even more.

He quickly turned his head back and picked up his pen to continue calculating the money he earned today, acting as if he had no intention of acknowledging Cen Zhengnian at all.

Cen Zhengnian’s face showed a bitter smile, and his tall figure suddenly seemed deflated in that moment.

He didn’t see that Cen Huai’an hadn’t written a single number correctly; he was scribbling circles on the paper, harsh and fierce, venting his grievances and frustrations onto the paper.

Chu Xia noticed this and reached out to grab the notebook from his hand. “Stop scribbling; don’t waste paper.”

She stood up, took the basin and basket from Cen Zhengnian’s hands, and said to him, “I’ll cook dinner; you handle your son.”

She didn’t say how he should do it.

Cen Zhengnian had been gone for four years.

If he couldn’t even comfort his son now, then there was no point in his return.

Chu Xia left the room and no longer concerned herself with what was happening inside; the rest was up to the father and son.

She lifted the lid of the pot, and a cloud of steam rose, bringing with it the rich fragrance of rice.

Chu Xia quickly put the lid back on, set the pot down on the ground to let the rice steam a bit longer — it would taste even better that way.

She then started preparing the shrimp.

She kept the shrimp recipe simple, using a home-cooked method: first adding oil, frying the shrimp until both sides turned color, then adding chopped scallions, ginger, and garlic to stir-fry until fragrant.

Next, she added soy sauce, rice wine, vinegar, and sugar, followed by a bowl of water, and brought it to a boil on high heat to reduce the sauce.

Just as she reached the final step, Chu Xia heard a deeply repressed, aggrieved cry coming from the room.

The sound tugged at her heart, making her nose sting with sympathy.

She had no idea what Cen Zhengnian had done or said, but suddenly, Cen Huai’an’s crying grew louder, releasing all his pent-up grievances and resentment.

Once the meal was ready, Chu Xia didn’t go back into the room.

She stood with her back to the door, leaning on the railing in the hallway, listening intently to the sounds inside.

A neighbor passing by heard Cen Huai’an crying and curiously asked a few questions.

Chu Xia smiled and said, “Finally reunited with his dad…”