You're my wife, don't doubt it!

The following day at noon, the birthday banquet guest list, handwritten and compiled by my partner, was freshly completed, listed alphabetically by the first letter of their surname:

Chen Lu (female), Dai Yu, Hua Ang, Ouyang Qianqian (female), Shen Bin, Xiong Ji, Yu Bo, Zhang Jialong, a total of eight people.

Holding the A4 paper in his hand, Xiao Yao frowned as he sat on the sofa piled with clutter, inviting people one by one by using the landline.

Ultimately, Hua Ang said he was out of town and couldn't make it, while Yu Bo said, "I'll try my best," so that would make it seven people.

Seven people plus his family of three, that's ten people. To squeeze ten people into this small space of a dozen square meters... it's certainly a lively scene.

During previous Spring Festivals, his grandmother's house was also packed with relatives, so Xiao Yao knew... at least, there would definitely be enough room to sit.

Speaking of which, it feels like someone's missing. Who could it be?

Shen Jie took on the task of making the birthday cake herself.

The kitchen was, of course, in Shen Tianyun's room. She volunteered to help, bringing all the ingredients and oven from home into the room, and asked Shen Jie to teach her how to cook. She also said that she would show off her skills at her classmate's birthday party next time.

Xiao Yao's attempts to stop her failed, and he remembered Shen Tianyun's disastrous cooking, beginning to worry that her classmate's birthday party might turn into a massive food poisoning incident.

This is truly unsettling... Xiao Yao was filled with worry.

As for the meal that day... Xiao Yao suggested ordering takeout, but the Shen mother and daughter thought that would be worse than having hot pot.

Anyway, Shen Jie can't cook, and Shen Tianyun can't even imagine it. She can't possibly cook for herself on her birthday, can she?

However, there is one person I might be able to ask for help from.

Xiao Yao finally realized who was missing from the list.

That was the first guest he had personally invited.

Xiao Yao looked up at Shen Jie, who was carefully separating the egg yolk and egg white: "Wife, isn't one missing—"

"Doggy, let's not call Yu Luying this time, okay?" Shen Jie didn't look up, took out the prepared low-gluten flour and starch, and prepared to start mixing.

"?" Xiao Yao was stunned and remained silent for a long time.

Didn't you say that I get to decide my own birthday? What's with this sudden change of heart?

"Is it okay?" Shen Jie raised her eyelids and asked again in a consultative tone.

"Alright." Xiao Yao nodded, wondering why Shen Jie was only getting jealous now.

But how should I explain this to Yu Luying...?

Shen Jie laughed: "I was just kidding. I forgot to write it down. You should invite her."

Xiao Yao was a little stunned, not understanding what she was trying to do.

"Please ask her, I'm not kidding." Shen Jie said seriously, "Call her right away, okay?"

Xiao Yao hesitated, still not daring to proceed. Shen Jie wiped her hands, walked to the sofa, picked up the receiver, and placed it in Xiao Yao's hand.

There was a knock on the door of the photo room: "Xiao Shen, weren't you going grocery shopping with me?"

Since Shen Jie returned from the hospital and visited her uncle's house with gifts to express her gratitude, their relationship seems to have become... very familiar?

"Here I am, Uncle!" Shen Jie opened the bedroom door, picked up her basket, and ran out happily.

The rich young lady at the farmers' market—what a strange combination, Xiao Yao thought.

This uncle is something else. He was complaining about Shen Jie at the hospital before, but now he's acting all hypocritical.

After all... no one can resist the charm of a beautiful and youthful high school girl, Xiao Yao thought sarcastically.

Beep beep beep, beep beep beep, Xiao Yao dialed Yu Luying's eight-digit phone number.

Beep beep beep beep... It seems the receiver has been out of reach for too long and the timeout has expired.

Xiao Yao pressed the button on the telephone, preparing to release it and redial.

Before he could let go, the sharp telephone rang again.

Why are you so busy?

"Hello?" Xiao Yao said.

"Hello? Hello, Xiao Yao," a sweet, girlish voice came from the other end of the receiver: "This is Zhao Xiaomei."

Xiao Yao rolled his eyes subconsciously: "Hello Zhao Xiaomei, I'm Xiao Yao."

A clear, bell-like laugh came from the other end of the phone: "Xiao Yao is so funny."

"Uh...you flatter me." Xiao Yao shifted to a more comfortable sitting position. "What's up? Did you need something?"

"Xiao Yao," Zhao Xiaomei said in a serious tone, "Xiaomei would like to ask you, what's the secret to your excellent writing?"

"Huh?" Xiao Yao was taken aback: "The key to writing essays is to write more and read more."

“I have to write so much…it’s giving me a headache,” Zhao Xiaomei said.

"Didn't you claim to have been in the literary society before?" Xiao Yao thought sarcastically.

"If you want to read more, what should you read? Something like a selection of 800-word essays by middle school students?" Zhao Xiaomei continued, seemingly earnestly seeking advice.

“You can read anthologies of middle school students’ compositions, mainly to get a feel for the formulas,” Xiao Yao taught earnestly. “But you only need to read a few of those kinds of books. The main thing is to read some famous Chinese and foreign literary works.”

“Famous works of Chinese and foreign literature from around the world,” Zhao Xiaomei said.

"Yes, just look at that, the Ministry of Education... the Ministry of Education's recommended reading list for high school students, 100 literary classics and stuff, pick the ones you like to read..."

"Then, as for modern and contemporary literature... Wang Xiaobo's 'Trilogy of the Times' and Han Han's books are all good to read... Oh right, you must read 'Fortress Besieged'."

“I’ve read Guo Bite’s ‘Happy River Flows Backwards’…” Zhao Xiaomei said.

"I don't like reading Guo Bite's books at all. They only have empty, flowery language and nothing else..."

"Don't bother reading online novels, the writing gets worse and worse the more you read them..."

Zhao Xiaomei listened very carefully, and even interrupted Xiao Yao in the middle to say that she was going to get a notebook to take notes.

Xiao Yao became more and more enthusiastic as he spoke, switching the receiver from his left ear to his right ear and then back to his left.

The problem with people is that they like to be teachers. That is to say, being a teacher is like cleaning ears; it is essentially a pleasurable thing.

Xiao Yao didn't know whether Zhao Xiaomei's admiration for him was genuine or an act, but he certainly enjoyed it.

Whether it was Shen Jie, Yu Luying, Ouyang Qianqian, or even Shen Tianyun, it seemed that no one had ever shown him such reverence.

Xiao Yao explained to her how to write the essay "We Are the Rising Sun," then talked about Hai Zi, Gu Cheng, and Misty Poetry, discussed "The Death of the Poet," and then talked about Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics, Chivalry, and the quantum uncertainty principle. He also talked about the gossip at St. Francis School and even recommended a copy of "Bloodline II" to her.

Zhao Xiaomei didn't have many opinions to offer; most of the time, she just listened to Xiao Yao's one-sided talk. She didn't know much, so she rarely came up with a "I know more than you" attitude, yet she was always very interested in every topic Xiao Yao discussed.

Finally, Zhao Xiaomei asked Xiao Yao to read her essay aloud.

"No, no, no," Xiao Yao declined, "That's too strange. If you want to see them, I'll give you a few to read next time."

"But Xiaomei wants to hear Xiaoyao read it to me." Zhao Xiaomei's tone had a hint of coquetry.

Xiao Yao frowned, hesitated for a moment, and then decided to politely decline the somewhat overly ambiguous and intimate request: "Next time, definitely next time."

A month or two ago, Xiao Yao might have granted her request, but now...

This might sound a bit crude: My daughter Shen Jie hasn't even heard me read her essays yet, so what right do you have to...?

Just as the saying goes, "Call the devil to the devil," Shen Jie burst into the bedroom, kicking open the door. In her left hand were two plastic vegetable containers, and in her right hand were three, all filled with meat and vegetables.

This reminded Xiao Yao of the day Shen Jie ran away from home, when she also barged in carrying a black plastic bag...

"What's wrong with you?" the girl exclaimed. "I asked you to come and get the groceries for me, but your cell phone is always out of service, and your home phone is always busy. Who have you been talking to? Yu Luying?"

"No, I didn't," Xiao Yao whispered into the receiver, "My family is back, I have to go now, bye." Then he hung up.

He put down the phone, stood up and went to greet her, taking the plastic bag from the girl's hand: "Why did you bring this to the photo room if you're not going to put it there?"

"Who exactly are you talking to on the phone?" Shen Jie's eyes widened. This time, she wasn't going to let Xiao Yao get away with it so easily.

"I think I left my phone in my daughter's room, that's why it's been out of service," Xiao Yao said, opening the refrigerator door and stuffing the groceries he was holding inside. "By the way, honey, shall I read you the essay I wrote?"

"I'm not listening, I'm not listening, I'm not listening," Shen Jie covered her ears with both hands: "You're really something. Even if I asked you to call Yu Luying to invite her to the birthday party, you two would talk on the phone for one or two hours. Don't you have any self-awareness?"

"It really isn't Yu Luying. If it were Yu Luying, I would be... I would be..." Xiao Yao said anxiously.

"Who is that?" Shen Jie persisted.

"Zhao Xiaomei," Xiao Yao confessed.

"Why is it Zhao Xiaomei again? What's going on between you two?" Shen Jie said, hands on her hips.

"Nothing much, she just called and insisted that I teach her how to write an essay..." Xiao Yao was both amused and exasperated.

"And then what? You're going to read your essay to her, right?" Shen Jie seemed genuinely angry this time.

"I do not have……"

"You're really something!" Shen Jie pointed at Xiao Yao. "Yu Luying is your old friend, and you've been through thick and thin together. I've been pretty forgiving, haven't I? And you give me another one? I know you're popular now, and girls are hitting on you and chasing after you. You're really something. Next time someone hits on me, I'll leave my home phone number too—"

"Stop it, there's no such thing as pursuing her. We're just ordinary classmates and friends. She sees that I'm good at Chinese and wants me to tutor her. Don't be angry..."

Shen Jie ignored his excuses, jumped over with her claws outstretched, and unleashed a flurry of punches and kicks. After finishing, she climbed onto Xiao Yao's bed and lay on her side facing the wall.

Xiao Yao walked over and gently shook the other person's arm, and as expected, he was hit on the arm again.

Somewhat helplessly, he went into Shen Tianyun's room, took out his phone, and prepared to send a message to Yu Luying to confirm the arrangements for her birthday.

"The phone is mine." Shen Jie suddenly sat up, glared at Xiao Yao, and stretched out her hand, her fair and delicate palm facing upwards.

“Okay.” Xiao Yao put down the text message he was editing, closed the Motorola in his hand, and placed it in Shen Jie’s palm.