We ordinary people also need to fall in love.

Soy sauce, soy sauce.

Li Mubai carried the already-cleaned grass carp and wandered back and forth between the supermarket shelves.

"Oh, Li Mubai, what a coincidence, you're also shopping at the supermarket?"

A familiar voice came from behind him. Li Mubai turned around and saw Lan Shiyu, wearing pajamas and slippers, slowly pushing a supermarket shopping cart toward him.

Her hair was casually draped behind her head, and she hadn't even applied sunscreen to her face, looking like she was just lounging around at home.

It was a coincidence within an inevitability. This was the only large supermarket in the area. Li Mubai had lost count of how many times he had run into Lan Shiyu while shopping. Her home wasn't far from here, only a seven or eight-minute walk away.

"What are you buying?" Li Mubai asked.

"Just here to buy soy sauce?" Lan Shiyu said with a grin.

Li Mubai glanced down at her shopping cart. On top of it was a bottle of Haitian soy sauce, and underneath it was stuffed full of various snacks: potato chips, shrimp crackers, chocolate, cookies, and several boxes of ice cream.

"Where's the soy sauce?"

"It's here." Lan Shiyu pointed to her pushcart.

"Where can I buy soy sauce?" Li Mubai asked in a different phrasing.

"Oh, you're here to buy soy sauce too, right? Haha, what a coincidence." Lan Shiyu gestured to the right front with her chin. "Look, it's right there."

Li Mubai nodded and walked in the direction she indicated, finding the same Haitian soy sauce on the second shelf.

The two of them arrived at the cashier and lined up one after the other.

Standing behind Lan Shiyu, Li Mubai looked at the pile of snacks in her shopping cart and couldn't help but ask, "Why didn't you go back to Lingnan for summer vacation?"

"It's too hot to go back to Lingnan now! It's much cooler in the Western Yue Province."

Li Mubai remained noncommittal; he had never been to Lingnan and didn't know the situation.

Speaking of which, the global poetry competition he's going to participate in, the Guangzhou Cup, is themed around the cultural landscape of the provincial capital of Lingnan. Maybe he could ask Lan Shiyu for more information?

"Lan Shiyu," he hesitated for a moment before speaking, "are there any places worth visiting in Guangzhou?"

"What? You want to go to Guangzhou for fun?"

"Let me look into it," Li Mubai said vaguely, without mentioning the poetry competition.

"Then you've come to the right person." Lan Shiyu cleared her throat and said seriously, "When you go to Guangzhou, you absolutely must see the Guangzhou Tower, especially at night. Can you guess why?"

"Is the night view nice?"

"No, that's not right." Lan Shiyu shook her head, lowering her voice mysteriously, "Because it will fire laser cannons and turn tourists into ashes."

...?

Forget it, he should just look up the information online himself.

"Hello, that's 1010.45 yuan in total. I'll scan your code."

She actually bought so many snacks! Girls only really show their strength when they're talking about their snacks.

beep!

Lan Shiyu put her phone away, picked up the large bag, and walked out of the supermarket.

"Hello, that's 58.50 in total. I'll scan your code." The cashier was like a tireless machine.

Li Mubai took out the cash given to him by his mother and handed it over. He only left with the bag after the cashier gave him the change.

At the supermarket entrance, Lan Shiyu was still standing there, having already opened a Chocliz cigarette at some point.

"Why aren't you leaving yet?" Li Mubai asked.

"I've been waiting for you." Lan Shiyu took out another Chocola from the bag and handed it over. "Here you go, your sister Lan is so generous."

"No need, I can't eat sweets," Li Mubai said casually, making it up.

"Why?" Lan Shiyu took a bite of her Chocola.

"No reason, I'm just not eating." Li Mubai glanced at her, then at the bright sun overhead. "I'm going home. Goodbye."

"Okay, goodbye—I'll come over to your place in a few days!" Lan Shiyu's voice faded into the distance behind him.

Lan Shiyu's voice faded into the distance, and Li Mubai took the last sentence as just a polite remark.

He looked up at the sky, the dazzling sun blinding him. People are always so complicated; on cloudy days, they hope for sunshine, and on hot days, they hope for a thick layer of clouds to drift by.

"Let me tell you, Li Muyong and Li Mubai were really naughty when they were little."

"Mom, here's the soy sauce and fish you ordered," Li Mubai interrupted his mother.

"Okay, Xiaobai, bring these dishes to the table and get the bowls and chopsticks. Dinner will be served soon," Li's mother instructed.

Li Mubai squeezed into the kitchen and transferred the stir-fried dishes to the dining table.

Clang.

He heard the clinking of bowls and chopsticks beside him. He glanced over and saw that Li Muyong had already prepared the bowls and chopsticks.

"The last dish, steamed grass carp, is ready! Everyone wash your hands and get ready to eat."

Li's mother came out of the kitchen carrying a large plate. On the plate lay the grass carp, topped with shredded ginger, scallions, and red peppers, and drizzled with hot oil, sizzling and emitting a fragrant aroma.

"Wow! Auntie, your cooking is amazing, almost as good as the chefs at those hotels." Yu Nan's emotional appeal was off the charts.

Li's mother smiled, the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes smoothing out: "Not at all, I just cook some simple home-style dishes."

Li Mubai glanced at it and thought it was indeed quite abundant, like celebrating the Chinese New Year.

"Xiao Nan, you should be able to drink red wine." Li's mother had already affectionately called her "Xiao Nan," her tone carrying a natural intimacy.

"I can drink a little." Yu Nan nodded with a smile.

"Xiaobai, go and get that bottle of wine."

"No need to trouble you, Auntie, I'll just have some juice." Yu Nan quickly waved her hand.

"How can that be? You've come all this way." Without waiting for a reply, Li's mother gave Li Mubai a wink.

Li Mubai hesitated for a moment, then decided to listen to his mother and brought a bottle of wine, while his father brought a bottle of baijiu.

"A warm welcome to Xiaonan to our home." Li's mother was the first to raise her wine glass, her face beaming with undisguised joy.

Li Mubai also picked up his wine glass. His mother hadn't allowed him to drink, but he was already eighteen and an adult, so a little wouldn't hurt.

"Xiao Nan, when did you and Xiao Yong meet and get together?" Li's mother asked casually, putting down her wine glass.

"It hasn't been long since Auntie met me. Li Muyong and I met in Jiangnan last year and got together after the Chinese New Year this year."

Li's father and Li Muyong were drinking baijiu (Chinese liquor), while Li Mubai silently ate his rice.

"Then you're from Jiangnan?" Li's mother asked again.

"No, my registered residence is also in Xiyue Province, I just work there." Yu Nan smiled.

Upon hearing this, Li's mother seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

"By the way, Auntie, is Li Mubai still in school?" Yu Nan turned her gaze to Li Mubai, who was quietly eating his rice in the corner.

When he mentioned himself, Li Mubai paused for a moment with his chopsticks.

"Yes, he's going into his senior year of high school soon and will take the college entrance exam next year."

"I think Li Mubai, Li Muyong, and Uncle all look quite alike, and they're all very handsome." Yu Nan glanced at Li Mubai with a smile and joked, "Li Mubai must have a lot of girls chasing after him at school."

"He's about to be a senior in high school, he can't afford to date." Li's mother glanced at Li Mubai, then smiled, "Besides, Xiaobai has high standards, he wants to date a rich and beautiful girl."

"That's definitely possible. Li Mubai must be doing very well in school. Maybe that rich and beautiful girl likes that type."

Li's mother smiled but didn't say anything.

What followed was mostly mundane family talk for Li Mubai, with his mother asking about Yu Nan's work, family, and marriage plans.

It's clear that Li's mother is quite satisfied with Yu Nan.

Li Mubai looked up at his father and Li Muyong at the table. They silently clinked their glasses without saying a word.

Overall, thanks to Yu Nan, the strained relationship within their family has eased somewhat.

Li Muyong and Yu Nan only stayed at home for one day before having to leave in a hurry the next day.

Before leaving, despite being pulled along by many hands, Yu Nan still gave Li Mubai a red envelope.

"Heping, what do you think of Xiaonan?" After closing the door, Li's mother plopped down on the sofa and asked Li's father with a smile.

"Whatever," Mr. Li said simply, without any objection, before picking up the remote and starting to flip through channels.

"We need to start saving up for Li Muyong's betrothal gifts in advance," said Li's mother, her gaze shifting to Li Mubai, who was looking through red envelopes.

"Xiaobai, focus on your studies first. Don't think too much about dating for now. Hang in there for another year, and you'll be free."

Li Mubai pulled the six red bills out of the red envelope and then slowly nodded.