We ordinary people also need to fall in love.

Li Mubai and Xie Shu released their grip the moment the door opened. Fortunately, there was a two- or three-meter-long aisle between the door and the bed, giving them time to react.

Xie Shu turned his head away, his gaze falling on the window. Opposite him was a mountain, gray and gloomy in winter, with nothing much to see.

Li Mubai stood up, preparing to bow in greeting, when he heard Xie Zhiqiang's voice:

"Little Shu, come and eat."

"Dad, why didn't you knock before coming in?" Xie Shu turned around, his tone carrying a hint of complaint that was unusual for him.

"Uh," Xie Zhiqiang's kind face stiffened for a moment, then he smiled and said, "Yes, yes, Dad will remember to knock on the door next time."

The private ward was furnished with a small sofa and a coffee table. Xie Zhiqiang placed the insulated bag he was carrying on the coffee table and bent down to take something out.

"Hello, Uncle Xie," Li Mubai said during the break.

"Hmm." Xie Zhiqiang's tone was indifferent, and his hands continued moving.

Xie Shu lifted the blanket, wearing a loose hospital gown, and slowly got off the bed. Li Mubai quickly went around to help her.

She walked slowly, step by step, to the sofa. As soon as she sat down, Li Mubai immediately withdrew his hand.

"This is clear beef stew with yam and lily bulbs. Remember to drink some of the soup; it's good for pneumonia."

Xie Zhiqiang laid out the insulated food container and then brought out two bowls of porridge:

"There's also lotus seed porridge and stir-fried zucchini, all made according to your current condition."

"Mm." Xie Shu nodded.

Li Mubai glanced at the sumptuous dinner on the coffee table and unconsciously swallowed. He hadn't eaten yet after arriving here.

He glanced out the window; the winter days ended early, leaving only a dim light on the horizon.

Why don't we go back now? It's really awkward to stay here and watch Xie Shu and his daughter eat.

"Uh—Xie Shu, and Uncle Xie, I won't disturb your meal any longer. I'll head home now." He pointed towards the door.

Xie Zhiqiang didn't say anything, but took out two pairs of chopsticks and two spoons and placed them on the coffee table. Then he sat down on the other side of the single sofa.

"Have you not eaten yet?" Xie Shu brought over a bowl of porridge and placed it in front of him. "This bowl is for you."

For him? Li Mubai was stunned, not reacting for a moment.

"Eat quickly, it'll get cold soon," Xie Zhiqiang urged impatiently, clearly referring to Li Mubai.

Just as Li Mubai was about to raise his hand to decline, Xie Shu tugged his sleeve down. The force wasn't strong, but the meaning was clear, and he sat down accordingly.

"Eat up," Xie Shu said, placing the chopsticks and spoon beside the bowl. "I can't eat two bowls either. If you don't eat, it'll just have to be thrown away."

"..."

After a fierce internal struggle, under Xie Zhiqiang's gloomy gaze, he slowly raised his hand and picked up his chopsticks.

"Thank you, Uncle."

Xie Zhiqiang didn't reply. He placed his hands on the armrests of the sofa and stared at Li Mubai, making Li Mubai hesitant to make any big movements.

"Why aren't you thanking me?" Xie Shu suddenly tilted his head to look at him.

what?

"I asked my dad to bring you an extra one," she reminded him.

So that's how it is. Xie Zhiqiang knew he was coming from the very beginning. No wonder he always had that look on his face as if someone owed him money.

"Thank you..." Li Mubai paused for a moment, then quickly changed his form of address, "Thank you, class monitor."

Xie Shu's cheek twitched slightly, as if he wasn't quite satisfied with the answer, but after a few seconds he still said, "You're welcome."

Seeing her pick up her chopsticks, Li Mubai cautiously picked up his own porridge. He took a spoon and scooped it up spoonful by spoonful. The porridge was really delicious.

"Why are you only drinking porridge and not eating any vegetables? Try this beef."

Xie Shu picked up a piece of beef and put it in his bowl, which made his hand tremble slightly. He was really afraid that Xie Zhiqiang would suddenly attack and kill him on the spot.

He glanced furtively at the single sofa on the other side and noticed that Xie Zhiqiang's attention was entirely on his phone, which made him breathe a slight sigh of relief.

"And this zucchini."

"Okay, thank you, I can do it myself." He quickly stopped him in a low voice.

"it is good."

Urged by Xie Shu, Li Mubai relaxed a little.

A few minutes later, seeing Xie Shu put down his bowl, he quickly picked up his bowl and finished the rest of the porridge. Then he stood up and put the bowl and chopsticks into the insulated bag.

The living room quieted down, but the atmosphere was still a bit stuffy.

He sat down, Xie Shu sat down, and Xie Zhiqiang sat on the other side, looking down at his phone, occasionally tapping the screen with his fingers.

Li Mubai secretly took out his phone and glanced at the time; it was almost seven o'clock.

"Thank you, I'll head back now."

Xie Shu hesitated for a moment, seemingly reluctant to let him go back so early, but finally nodded gently.

"Okay, be careful on the road."

"it is good."

With Xie Zhiqiang around, they became much more respectful in their speech.

He slowly stood up, and Xie Zhiqiang suddenly put down his phone.

"Let's go, I'll take you home," he said.

Li Mubai froze slightly, then quickly raised his hand to refuse: "No need to trouble you, Uncle. It's convenient for me to take the subway from here; I can just go straight back."

Xie Zhiqiang seemed to ignore him, walked straight to the door, and opened it.

"Walk."

This is as if sending him to the execution ground...

Li Mubai turned to look at Xie Shu.

"Remember to message me when you get home," she said.

It seemed that this farewell was unavoidable. He struggled to lift his leg and followed Xie Zhiqiang out of the ward.

It was the familiar Mercedes-Benz. Li Mubai chose to sit behind Xie Zhiqiang, rather than in the front passenger seat.

The car started and drove steadily on the highway.

The carriage felt somewhat oppressive, so Xie Zhiqiang neither turned on the air conditioning nor rolled down the windows.

The streetlights on both sides of the road shone obliquely through the glass, and Li Mubai hid in the shadows.

This was the first time he had been alone with Xie Zhiqiang since the last time in the office. Although Xie Shu had told him about Xie Zhiqiang's attitude towards him afterward, he still felt nervous being alone with him.

After the last office meeting, he tried searching for Xie Shu's parents' information online that very night, and to his surprise, he actually found it.

Xie Zhiqiang runs a digital new energy company, while Xie Shu's mother, Xu Ting, is the deputy general manager of a securities company.

It sounds impressive, but Li Mubai couldn't figure out exactly why it was so impressive.

"Xiao Shu told you, didn't she?" Xie Zhiqiang's voice suddenly rang out.

Huh? Li Mubai looked up in confusion, not understanding what Xie Zhiqiang meant.

"If you lay a hand on Xiaoshu before she grows up, you'd better think about the consequences." Xie Zhiqiang's tone carried a hint of threat.

Li Mubai then realized that these were the conditions Xie Zhiqiang had given Xie Shu, and now he was repeating them to him.

"Uncle, I understand, I won't do such a thing."

I don't know what Xie Zhiqiang's definition of "touching someone inappropriately" is, but let him make a statement first.

The carriage returned to its previous quiet. Li Mubai saw the familiar apartment building – Hualian Residential Area.

The car was parked at the gate; it was unusually quiet there, with almost no pedestrians on the road.

Just as Li Mubai placed his hand on the doorknob, he heard Xie Zhiqiang ask again, "Have you decided on your university major?"

Xie Zhiqiang's tone seemed to soften a bit.

"Hmm...not yet."

He had actually decided whether he was interested in Chinese language or history.

Xie Zhiqiang tapped his fingers twice on the steering wheel, as if hesitating about something, and only spoke after a few seconds:

"If you go to Peking University and choose Business Administration, and you're good at math, you can also study Economics."

Li Mubai frowned, trying to figure out the meaning behind Xie Zhiqiang's words.

Before he could figure it out, Xie Zhiqiang urged him to get out of the car:

"Think it over carefully, then get off the bus."

"Okay, thank you, Uncle. I will seriously consider your advice."

"Um."

Xie Zhiqiang gave a nonchalant reply. He watched Li Mubai's figure gradually disappear into the darkness, and after carefully examining the old neighborhood one last time, he released the handbrake and left.