Lu Mingfei: Don't call me a loser, call me a hero.

Lu Mingfei's mind went blank; he had no idea who this aunt, who was even prettier than a celebrity, was.

She is a middle-aged beauty who still retains her charm. The word "retains her charm" might be a bit of an insult. To be precise, she is as charming and lovely as a young girl, yet she also exudes a graceful and refined air.

The game pops up a timely notification: [Interact with story character - Su Xiaoyan]

The dean of academic affairs followed him out and stood at the door, looking somewhat embarrassed, and said:

"Mrs. Su, Lu Mingfei did not send an invitation."

"Invitation? What invitation!" The beautiful woman didn't even turn her head, speaking in a carefree tone, with the same straightforwardness as Lu Mingfei's mother, completely unlike the reserved demeanor expected of a wealthy socialite.

What kind of invitation do I need when a classmate comes over for dinner?

These words, when they reached Lu Mingfei's ears, were like a sun falling into a lake of his heart, dispelling the chill that had spread throughout his body.

So this is my senior's mother. No wonder she's so beautiful and kind-hearted.

The beautiful woman looked at the boy in front of her, whose hair was stuck to his forehead, whose school uniform was soaked, and who was clutching a beige gift bag tightly in his hand, and said gently:

"Are you feeling hot? Come in and enjoy the air conditioning, and try some of Zihang's cooking."

His grilled chicken wings are delicious, I'm not kidding.

Lu Mingfei's feet involuntarily followed, pulled by that slightly cool hand, and he staggered across the threshold of the bronze door.

The world inside the door and the world outside the door were completely separated in that instant. The boundary between the heat wave and the cold air brushed past his back, like two seasons intersecting at that moment.

A cold wind blew down from the vents at the four corners of the yard, enveloping his sweaty body. The aroma of roasted meat in the air was ten times stronger than what he could smell from outside the wall.

The laughter and chatter in the courtyard stopped the moment he entered. The girls in pretty dresses all looked over, their expressions a mixture of curiosity, surprise, and confusion.

In the past, Lu Mingfei would have hidden away like an ostrich at this point to avoid being burned by so many stares.

But at this moment, all his attention was focused on the hand that was holding his wrist.

This feeling of being led by someone was completely foreign to Lu Mingfei.

His parents, who should have played the role of heroes in his childhood, were absent early on. After graduating from elementary school, no one ever held his hand like that again, and no one ever stood up for him or spoke up for him.

When his aunt scolded him, he stood still and took the scolding; when Lu Mingze complained, he smiled and admitted his mistake; when his uncle wanted to help him but didn't dare to, he took the initiative to change the subject.

He had long since learned how to bend over, how to yield, and how to shrink into the smallest ball in other people's worlds.

At this moment, this beautiful woman, whom he didn't even know, became a hero who appeared out of nowhere during the darkest moment of his life.

She didn't care what the dean of academic affairs thought, what the people around her thought, or whether there was an invitation or not.

She simply saw a child standing outside the door, sweating profusely and being baked by the sun, and then pushed the door open and pulled him inside.

[Status: Awakened 30%]

The villa's courtyard was filled with beautiful girls, all of whom were popular figures and the face of their respective clubs, the kind who would attract attention wherever they went on campus.

The few boys present were all tall and muscular, and were likely Chu Zihang's teammates on the school basketball team. They sat to the side, showing off their barbecue, and their eyes were filled with a wolfish, hungry gaze as they looked at the girls.

Meanwhile, Chu Zihang, the star of the party, was surrounded by girls dressed in flamboyant clothes, who clearly wanted to eat him more than the chicken wings he had grilled.

There were also several pretty aunties around him, who were probably his elders, taking pictures of him with their cameras, smiling from ear to ear.

Chu Zihang's eyes were empty.

Lu Mingfei was very familiar with that kind of emptiness; it was exactly the same as the look in his eyes when he was teaching math class. It was a state where the soul had briefly left the body, leaving only the physical body to hold on.

When Chu Zihang saw Lu Mingfei enter, a glimmer of light finally appeared in his empty eyes, and he nodded at him.

He nodded, indicating that he had come to keep the appointment.

Senior Sister Xia Mi did not participate in protecting the food. She sat under a tree by the lake, holding a bottle of papaya drink, quietly watching Chu Zihang who was surrounded.

Upon seeing Lu Mingfei finally arrive, he even raised his beverage bottle to show his welcome.

Before Lu Mingfei could respond, his gaze was drawn away by another figure.

Chen Wenwen.

Holding the newly published collection of essays, she looked at Lu Mingfei with utter surprise, wondering how he could have been personally invited in by Mother Chu.

After she finished speaking with the dean of academic affairs, she went to the side to change the prepared wrapping of the gift, completely unaware of the commotion at the door.

Lu Mingfei was quite well-known at school, and many people recognized him but didn't know why he was there.

But Lu Mingfei didn't have time to respond to these people's gazes, because he was being pulled by Chu's mother through the yard and into the villa, where an even stronger chill hit him.

The villa's decor had exceeded Lu Mingfei's wildest imagination, but he didn't have the energy to pay attention to the high-end furniture and decorations. His senior brother's mother was already instructing the housekeeper.

"Aunt Tong, bring me a new towel, and find Zihang a new set of clothes."

"Thank you, Auntie, but you don't need to go to such lengths. I'll just let the fan air dry me for a bit."

Lu Mingfei stammered his thanks, unable to utter the slang he relied on for survival in front of his senior brother's mother.

"That won't do. What if you catch a cold from the cold?"

Su Xiaoyan looked at Lu Mingfei, who seemed a little flustered, and patted him on the shoulder with a smile:

"I am Zihang's mother. You can call me Aunt Su or Aunt Xiaoyan."

"You're here to have fun today, so don't be too reserved and relax."

She's such a carefree person; she didn't mind Lu Mingfei's sweaty hands just now, and she doesn't care about his soaked clothes now either.

"Hello, Aunt Xiaoyan, I'm Lu Mingfei." Looking at her friendly smile that made him feel completely at ease, Lu Mingfei's nervousness gradually subsided, and he subconsciously started spouting nonsense again:

"I was wondering before how my senior brother could be so perfect, with no flaws in any aspect. But after seeing you today, I'm not surprised anymore. My senior brother must have inherited your excellent genes, Auntie. He is a perfect combination of morality, intelligence, physical fitness, aesthetics, and labor skills. He is beautiful, kind-hearted, and loved by everyone."

To be honest, in Lu Mingfei's memory, the only person who could rival his senior's mother in beauty was probably his own mother, whom he hadn't seen for five years.

But his mother has a more heroic appearance and is decisive in everything she does.

"Haha, Mingfei, you have such a sweet tongue." Su Xiaoyan covered her mouth and laughed. "Are you this good at making your mother happy at home too?"

[Su Xiaoyan's favorability +30, current favorability 30 (Friendly)]

Lu Mingfei paused for a moment, wanting to say, "My mother has been away from home for a long time," but he swallowed the words back.

He just scratched his head and gave a somewhat embarrassed smile: "Pretty much, I often make her laugh in exasperation."

"Then your mother must be very happy, having such a joyful son." Su Xiaoyan's eyes curved into beautiful crescent moons, and she didn't know why she was so happy.

Lu Mingfei really didn't know how to answer this. He didn't know if his mother was happy or not, but he certainly wasn't happy.

After laughing, Su Xiaoyan said with a sigh, "If only our Zihang were as lively and cheerful as you, Mingfei. He always has a serious face like an adult, even though he only turned 18 today."

"The Analects says, 'A gentleman should be slow to speak but quick to act,' and Mr. Yang Jiang also said, 'A cultivated person can keep his emotions in check.' Senior brother, this is a manifestation of your cultivation, upbringing, and refinement."

At this moment, Lu Mingfei briefly demonstrated his quick wit as a director of the literary society.

Just kidding, if my senior brother became like him, his coolness would shatter into pieces, beyond repair.

Su Xiaoyan, on the other hand, couldn't stop smiling. She wanted to pat Lu Mingfei on the shoulder and say, "You're such a wonderful kid!"

[Su Xiaoyan's favorability +10, current favorability 40 (familiar)]

Just then, the housekeeper, Aunt Tong, brought over a towel and some clothes. Su Xiaoyan took the towel and handed it to Lu Mingfei.

"Wipe your sweat first, and change into some new clothes later. Don't worry, they're all clothes that Zihang hasn't worn before."

"Thank you, Aunt Xiaoyan." Lu Mingfei took the towel, pressed it to his face, and vigorously wiped away the sweat and the unidentifiable substance around his eyes.

"Of course I trust new clothes. But I wouldn't dare to wear clothes that my senior brother has worn before, in case I wear them and they make me look cheap."

Su Xiaoyan was taken aback when she heard this. She looked closely at the thin boy. His head was slightly lowered and his shoulders were unconsciously pulled in. His body language seemed to say, "I am not worthy."

This sight reminded her of Chu Zihang when he was a child. She patted his head and encouraged him:

"You need to be more confident. Guys look better when they're confident. Girls like guys who are poised and confident."

When she placed her palm on Lu Mingfei's head, Lu Mingfei froze for a moment.

He felt somewhat lost and helpless, his nose tingling with tears. Fortunately, he had a towel to hide his discomfort from others.

Lu Mingfei swore that this was the cutest middle-aged woman he had ever seen.

Her name is Su Xiaoyan, and she is Chu Zihang's mother.

As for why the qualifier "cutest" was added, it's because the best middle-aged woman in the world is his mother.

His mother has always been a strong woman, and she's not exactly cute.

[Status: Awakened 40%]