The landlord has multiple personalities and wants everyone to pay him.

The atmosphere was a little awkward at breakfast time.

Ye Shu held a large bowl in one hand, raised it to her face, and slurped down the rice porridge inside.

He wasn't hungry, but he couldn't sit still and wanted to use the bowl to cover his face... or more accurately, to cover the paper wick stuck in his right nostril.

The paper twist has a very strong presence, moving up and down with Ye Shu's breathing, swaying in the wind.

Ye Guoqiang held his bowl, picked up a piece of food, chewed it a few times, and finally couldn't help but ask:

What happened to your nose?

"Cough... um..."

As expected, he was discovered. Ye Shu swallowed the porridge in his mouth and coughed for a long time.

Meanwhile, the culprit beside them acted as if nothing had happened, quietly drinking his porridge. When Ye Guoqiang asked him a question, the corner of his mouth subtly curved into a smile.

"Um..."

Ye Shu's mind started racing, her eyes fixed on the food on the table as she said:

"Maybe... I've been eating too well these past few days during the Lunar New Year, and I'm getting a sore throat... Yeah, I'm getting a sore throat."

He thought the reasoning was good, so he started to elaborate on the phrase "getting a sore throat" (上火).

"In addition, our house gets too dry when the kang (heated brick bed) is heated. Seriously, I think we need to consider getting a humidifier. Look at me, after a nap, not only is my nose dry, but my throat is also parched. It's not healthy to be like this all the time."

The more he spoke, the more confident he became. His reasoning was so perfect and scientific that even he himself believed it.

The others looked at it and it seemed to be true.

Besides, it's just a nosebleed, nothing to make a fuss about, and it'll pass quickly.

Just as Ye Shu was inwardly marveling at his own intelligence, a hand reached out from the side and placed a peeled hard-boiled egg into his porridge bowl.

Ye Shu turned her head and saw Zhi Qiu smiling at her, a smile that clearly belonged to a criminal who had escaped justice.

"Little Shu, have an egg. I don't want this."

She was laughing at herself, she was mocking herself, she was...

Ye Shu secretly glared at her and sent a warning through his mind: "That's enough."

But Zhi Qiu found it amusing to watch the paper twist swaying up and down with his breathing. She also winked at Ye Shu and sent him a message via telepathy: "Your sister is concerned about you, why doesn't little Shu appreciate it?"

Ye Shu took a deep breath, telling himself to stay calm and composed. He suddenly remembered a line from The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber: "Let her be strong, the breeze still caresses the mountain."

Yes, I'm a cultured person, I won't stoop to her level, that's what they call a good man doesn't fight with a woman...

Ye Shu comforted herself with various reasons, and then ate the boiled egg filled with shame.

Shen Jingwan, who was standing nearby, had taken in all the flirtatious glances between Qingfeng and Shangang.

She looked at her daughter's obviously smug eyes and Ye Shu's humiliated expression, and smiled without saying a word.

After breakfast, while everyone else was busy, Shen Jingwan winked at Zhi Qiu, who was helping to wipe the table, and then turned and walked into the empty inner room.

Zhi Qiu understood, and after wiping the table, she followed him inside.

The inner room door was closed. Although the soundproofing wasn't great, it did help to some extent.

Shen Jingwan looked at her eldest daughter, whose face bore a mature smile that clearly didn't match her appearance, and sighed softly, her tone tinged with reproach:

"Did you do that to Xiao Shu's nose?"

Upon hearing this, Zhi Qiu's smile remained unchanged:

"Yeah, I wanted to tease him this morning, but it seems... I went a little too far."

She didn't hide anything at all and just admitted it so confidently.

Shen Jingwan looked at Zhi Qiu's "I'll do it again next time" smile and sighed again.

This child has been like this since childhood. He looks the most mature and gentle, but in reality, he is the most opinionated and knows best what he is doing.

"Xiao Qiu, you are the most sensible among you, Mom has always known that."

She paused, her gaze falling on Zhi Qiu's eyes, which were remarkably similar to her own, and earnestly reminded her:

"Mom believes you know your limits, but whether it's a little fun or a joke, Mom just wants to remind you that everything should be done in moderation, understand?"

She looked at Zhi Qiu, checking if she was listening to her:

"Xiao Shu is an honest and shy girl, so... don't bully her too much. More importantly, don't let any of your actions cause her to misunderstand you or leave her with the impression that you're frivolous, understand?"

She phrased it as tactfully as possible, but her meaning was very clear.

She worried that if her daughter got carried away with her playfulness, Ye Shu would look down on her.

After all, in traditional thinking, being too proactive and dangerous in flirting is not always a plus.

Zhi Qiu listened quietly, but the faint smile on her face remained, only becoming more serious after her mother finished speaking:

"Yes, I understand, Mom."

Shen Jingwan looked at the smile on her daughter's face, which seemed to indicate that she had everything under control, and felt a little complicated.

This daughter is too smart and too good at hiding her emotions. Sometimes even her mother can't see through all the thoughts behind her smile.

However, Xiao Qiu was the most mature among them, so Shen Jingwan felt more at ease. Therefore, she became more serious and talked about the important matter she wanted to discuss with Zhi Qiu.

"Xiaoqiu, there's something else I'd like to hear your thoughts on."

She pulled Zhi Qiu to sit on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), and reached out to hold her daughter's small hand:

"Your father, Xiaoshu's father, and I have discussed it and we think... if none of you have any objections, we'd like to see if you can get married to Xiaoshu this year."

"I know about this."

Zhi Qiu began to answer:

"My little brother Xiao Shu told me yesterday afternoon."

Indeed, when she woke up yesterday afternoon, Ye Shu told Zhi Qiu why Xiao Xue had fainted. However, Zhi Qiu didn't express any opinion at the time, and instead joked with Ye Shu about it.

Shen Jingwan nodded:

"Yes, Xiao Shu is a good boy. He said he wants to discuss it with you before making a decision. However, Mom still wants to ask you first."

She looked at her most mature and thoughtful daughter, hoping to get some insights from her.

"What are your thoughts on marriage?"