Damn it, I'm surrounded by insane Alphas!

Fu Yanshen knew that some people would definitely not be able to get up the next day, so he made an appointment with his mother in the afternoon.

Shi Ran was still a little nervous on the way, after all, in the previous dungeons, whenever he got to the crucial part of meeting the parents, he was already planning how to run away.

The system's voice suddenly sounded in his mind: "You knew that too, huh?"

Shi Ran was startled: "[It's all because of your stupid rules, making me leave in a way that everyone hates...]"

He finished speaking angrily, then suddenly realized what he had said.

[Wait a minute... So actually, the He family deliberately set up these rules because they were worried about unexpected situations?]

The system was silent for two seconds, then a clear voice rang out: 【bingo.】

【Depend on!】

Shi Ran almost jumped up from the passenger seat. "Do you know what I've been through these past few months?! If I hadn't offended everyone back then, would I be in this mess now, being chased and harassed like this?!"

System: [I see you're enjoying a comfortable life, getting all the benefits.]

Shi Ran: [...]

Is it that he treats everyone equally? No, he treats all five of them equally, okay?

Just then, a warm, large hand covered the back of his hand and gently held it.

Seeing that he was about to fight with himself, Fu Yanshen couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong?"

Shi Ran immediately shook her head and asked him, "Are we almost there?"

Fu Yanshen looked out the window and nodded.

The car had already left the bustling city center, and a slightly salty and humid smell began to fill the air.

After driving for a while, a village suddenly appeared ahead, with occasional fishing nets drying in the sun and small boats moored on the shore.

Did Fu Yanshen actually hide his mother here?

This was completely different from what Shi Ran had imagined. There was no heavy security; it was just an ordinary coastal fishing village.

Shi Ran turned to look at Fu Yanshen with some surprise: "Has Mom been living here all this time? Is she safe?"

"Don't worry, this is my grandmother's home. She is well protected," Fu Yanshen explained calmly. "At first, we considered sending her to a nursing home abroad, but she didn't know anyone there and wouldn't be comfortable living there, so we sent her back here in the end."

Shi Ran listened quietly, and couldn't help but think that her mother's condition was improving now. She wished that she could also be protected so well and live a peaceful life.

Since they couldn't drive in, they had to park at the village entrance and walk in.

Several elderly women who were sunbathing as they passed by greeted Fu Yanshen with smiles in their local dialect.

Fu Yanshen also stopped and replied, but unfortunately it was in dialect, and Shi Ran couldn't understand a single word.

One of the elderly women saw Shi Ran following Fu Yanshen, her eyes lit up, and she smiled and said a few words.

After the old woman had walked away, Shi Ran couldn't help but tug at Fu Yanshen's sleeve: "What did the old woman say just now?"

Fu Yanshen had a slight smile on his lips, but he didn't answer.

Shi Ran persisted, relentlessly pressing him for an answer: "What did you say? Why are you being so mysterious?"

Fu Yanshen just smiled and let him shake his arm without saying a word.

Shi Ran angrily let go of his hand, turned her back, and said, "I'm not talking to you anymore if you keep this up."

Two seconds later, Fu Yanshen walked around to stand in front of him and said in a low voice, "Ignoring me again?"

At this point, the system, never one to shy away from a good show, chimed in: "Want me to tell you?"

Shi Ran: [You even understand dialects?]

System: [I'm an AI, you know, knowing a bit of dialect isn't easy...]

Shi Ran: [No, I want him to say it himself.]

System: 【…I hate humans.】

Shi Ran looked up at Fu Yanshen and said, "I won't leave unless you tell me."

Fu Yanshen then smiled helplessly, "Grandma said...where did such a beautiful child come from? I've never seen such a beautiful child on TV."

Shi Ran was stunned for two seconds, and then her face turned red instantly.

"Really? You didn't just make this up, did you?"

System: [No, I can testify.]

Shi Ran: [Who asked you to be a witness?]

system:【?】

Fu Yanshen's smile deepened as he walked over and took his hand again: "Grandma is telling the truth, and she said I'm very lucky."

System: [Hey, he added the second half of the sentence himself.]

Shi Ran: [What's wrong?]

System: [Destroy it! I agree to the Trisolarans taking over Earth.]

Shi Ran was pulled along by Fu Yanshen and obediently walked forward. After turning a small bend, a bungalow with a small courtyard came into view.

The courtyard gate was wide open, as if it had known all along that guests were coming.

A slender figure sat upright on a bamboo chair by the door.

Her hair was neatly combed and tied into a simple bun at the back of her head. When she saw them coming, she immediately stood up, holding onto the chair for support.

When I actually saw the person, I sometimes felt a little dazed.

She couldn't remember how Fu Yanshen introduced himself to her mother; she seemed to have entered the house in a daze.

By the time he realized what was happening, his mother was already sitting across from him with a smile.

The room was even simpler than Shi Ran had imagined. The furniture was old-fashioned, but it was spotless and the windows were bright and clean.

The most eye-catching feature is that one wall of the living room is covered with picture frames of all sizes.

"This is..." Shi Ran couldn't help but move closer.

The photo shows a dark-skinned man in a sailor suit standing on the deck, laughing smugly.

There is also a photo of him with a little boy, who is being held high in the air, but has a serious expression.

"His dad."

The mother walked over and said in a natural tone, "That man is a sailor. When Ah Shen was little, he was never home."

She pointed to a picture next to her: "This one is Ah Shen."

Shi Ran leaned closer to take a look and couldn't help but laugh.

In one of the pictures, a little boy wearing open-crotch pants is sitting in a large wooden tub taking a bath, grinning with his toothless mouth and bright, dark eyes.

Shi Ran couldn't help but laugh out loud, as if comparing herself to Fu Yanshen.

It's not just the facial features that are enlarged proportionally, but also...

Shi Ran smiled teasingly, "This is...our CEO Fu?"

Fu Yanshen coughed lightly and reached out to collect the photos. "Why are these photos displayed here too?"

His mother slapped his hand away, saying, "From childhood to adulthood, this is the only photo of you smiling, and you won't even let me look at it a little longer."

Shi Ran feigned surprise, "You never smile in photos? I used to be a model at a photo studio when I was little!"

Shi Ran wasn't lying, but she didn't mention that he was pretty when he was a child, and that whenever a new dress came to the photo studio, they would ask him to take a set of sample photos.

"Yes," Mom laughed too, "He's never liked to smile since he was little, and he doesn't cooperate when taking pictures."

As if remembering something, she added with a hint of teasing, "Back then, his dad gave him a nickname, Stone."

Shi Ran turned his head: "Stone?"

"Yeah, quiet, reserved, and stubborn."

It seemed like Mom had prepared for all of this long ago, and she was overjoyed to finally have someone to share it with.

"He was only three years old at the time. He was watching his dad repair a boat at the dock and insisted on helping. He ended up clinging to a rock and wouldn't let go no matter how much we tried to persuade him. In the end, he even threw himself down and cried."

She cried without making a sound, just holding it in with red eyes.

"Later, everyone called him Stone."

Shi Ran almost subconsciously turned around to look at Fu Yanshen.

Teacher Shi was standing in front of the cabinet, pretending to be rummaging through something, but he didn't turn around.

"Mom," he whispered, "that's enough."

"What's wrong?" Mom said casually, winking at Shi Ran. "Now that someone's listening, it's a good opportunity to tell Ran Ran."

Shi Ran couldn't hide her smile any longer. She immediately leaned over and took her mother's arm affectionately, her voice soft and sweet, "That's right, I love hearing that. Let's talk to each other and ignore him."

Shi Ran listened with great interest, and even felt a strange and tender feeling welling up inside her.

Because when he met Fu Yanshen, Fu Yanshen was already a calm, composed, and unflappable CEO.

He is powerful, calm, and reliable, like a silent and majestic snow-capped mountain, covered in ice and snow all year round, distant and awe-inspiring.

But today, as if guided by a warm hand, he was finally able to brave the wind and snow and approach the mountain.

To his surprise, he discovered a small cave hidden deep in the mountains.

Inside, there was an orange glow, and in the halo lived a furry little monkey who would bathe itself in a wooden tub and cling to a pine cone.

Millions of people in the world can only see this majestic snow-capped mountain. Only when he gently beckons does the little monkey jump up and entangle his hand.

A soft spot melted into his heart.

Fu Yanshen said he was going to get some tea leaves and went into the inner room, leaving only Shi Ran and Fu's mother in the living room.

Shi Ran's gaze inadvertently fell on the innermost part of the photo wall.

There's a group photo there.

Fu Yanshen, wearing a middle school uniform, was already quite tall, while standing next to him was a girl who was half a head shorter than him and had her hair tied in a ponytail.

The two stood side by side, the girl affectionately holding his arm, their features remarkably similar.

"This is...my older sister?" Shi Ran asked softly.

The smile on Madam Fu's face faded slightly, and she nodded gently: "It's Ah Jin. She's three years older than Ah Shen, and she's always doted on this younger brother since he was little."

Shi Ran's heart sank. He had heard Fu Yanshen mention it briefly and knew that his sister's death had been a huge blow to him.

Mother Fu seemed lost in memories, and continued softly, "That year, when A-Jin had just started college, some thugs blocked her way and caused her trouble. She bit off one of the thugs' ears, and those people actually came to our house, insisting on throwing her into the sea. A-Shen jumped in for his sister, and A-Jin panicked and followed him in, but who would have thought that in the end only A-Shen came up."

Her voice choked up, "Ah Shen always felt that he was the one who ruined my sister."

"No." Shi Ran reached out her hand and looked at her mother earnestly. "If it were me, I would do the same, because important people deserve it."

"Auntie, my sister must love Ah Shen very much. She would be so happy if she knew he was doing well now."

Mom's eyes instantly welled up with tears. She smiled a little shyly and lowered her voice, "Actually... I really have to thank you, Ranran."

Shi Ran was taken aback.

"I never expected this." The mother looked towards the inner room, her gaze softening. "Who else in his life would he open his heart to?"

She paused, then added,

"Meeting you is his good fortune."

(Ah, I'm here! Today at work was incredibly busy. Hope you guys enjoy watching!)