He paused for a moment. "If you want to, we can accept it."
"..."
Fu Shize's thick-skinned attitude almost redefined Yun Li's understanding of him. She scooted away slightly. "I don't."
The mango mille-feuille wasn’t very big, and after finishing it, Yun Li began reconsidering the possibility.
"My dad and I might often have disagreements, so I’ve been seriously thinking about it. During those times, I’d probably want you by my side."
"Mm, I’ll be there."
His response was succinct as he played with her hair.
Yun Li curled her lips and stood up to survey the small room. "Then where do I sleep?"
Fu Shize answered directly, "You take the bed. I’ll sleep on the floor."
"With what?" Yun Li didn’t see any extra bedding in the room, and the limited space couldn’t accommodate another set.
"You can spare me a sheet," Fu Shize suggested.
Glancing at his frame, Yun Li immediately dismissed the idea. "Isn’t your health not great? I’m afraid you’ll catch a cold sleeping on the floor."
"..."
Noticing her gaze on his body, Fu Shize took a sip of water expressionlessly. After setting the cup down, he suddenly wrapped an arm around Yun Li’s waist.
Both had been sitting on the edge of the bed, and now Yun Li was pressed against his side. Unlike usual, he exerted a bit more force, his fingers digging slightly into her waist as he held her.
When she looked up, her forehead bumped against his chin, meeting his deep, dark eyes. Yun Li’s mind went blank.
The grip around her waist tightened.
Knowing where this was headed, she still stared at him unwaveringly, her slightly parted lips carrying a hint of temptation.
Fu Shize murmured softly, "Even if my health isn’t great, the bed is still yours."
Though his words were accommodating, his actions seemed to repeatedly prove to her—Don’t worry, I’m perfectly fine.
By nearly eleven, Fu Shize walked Yun Li back to her apartment complex. Near the gate, he pulled a small, folded paper rose from his pocket and placed it in his palm.
Yun Li blinked. "For me?"
His head was slightly bowed, a few soft strands of hair falling over his eyes. After a brief pause, he replied, "No. How’s the folding?"
Hearing his stubbornness, Yun Li retorted firmly, "Just average."
"Then I’ll put it back." As he moved to return the rose to his pocket, Yun Li quickly grabbed his hand. "Don’t crush it."
She ran her fingers over the smooth paper. "How did you have time to fold this at the office?"
"Couldn’t focus on work when I thought of you, so I folded this," he answered casually.
Tilting her head, Yun Li asked, "Did you only fold one?"
"..."
"One is enough." Without waiting for his reply, she smiled, cradling the paper rose against her chest as she walked backward toward the building. Their gazes remained locked until her eyes disappeared behind the closing door.
By the time Yun Li got home, it was almost midnight. She kicked off her shoes to find the living room lights still on. Yun Yongchang sat at the dining table, while Yang Fang had already gone to bed.
Two plates of congealed stir-fried noodles sat on the table, clearly left out for some time.
"Come eat something," Yun Yongchang said stiffly, standing to take the noodles to the kitchen.
The sound of the microwave followed. Though reluctant, Yun Li sensed a hint of concession in her father’s gesture of waiting up to share a late-night meal with her.After putting her belongings back in her room, she listlessly sat down at the dining table.
Yun Ye, hearing the noise, also came out of his room. Wearing only a tank top and shorts, he sat cross-legged on a stool, studying her expression.
Yun Ye: "Where did you go? You didn’t reply to my messages."
Yun Li shot him a glance: "What’s it to you?"
She had barely looked at her phone while with Fu Shize. Only now did she realize Yun Ye had sent her over a dozen messages.
She opened the chat interface but didn’t bother scrolling up before exiting.
Having worried about her all evening, Yun Ye was now a little annoyed: "You didn’t even read all my messages?"
"Not in the mood right now," Yun Li placed her phone face down on the table. "I’ll properly appreciate whatever you sent after I finish my late-night snack."
"..."
As soon as she spoke, Yun Yongchang came out with the reheated stir-fried noodles. Yun Li went to fetch bowls and chopsticks, and the atmosphere among the three turned silent.
Father and daughter ate the noodles expressionlessly, while Yun Ye seemed like an outsider.
Silence was never a good sign in the Yun household. After a few minutes, Yun Yongchang spoke with a hint of grievance, as if his actions were misunderstood: "I did all this for your own good."
Even Yun Ye hadn’t expected his father to spend the whole evening at the table only to blurt out such a provocative line.
The generational gap was too vast. Yun Ye’s hair stood on end, and he nudged Yun Li under the table, signaling her not to say anything impulsive in anger.
Yun Li glared at him irritably but managed to keep her tone calm: "I know."
"Then you should understand that everything I did was for your sake. With your temper and personality, if you get mistreated in someone else’s home, you’ll just stubbornly keep it to yourself..."
She had tried many times to convince Yun Yongchang that she was capable of protecting and taking care of herself.
Yun Li looked up but didn’t see the expected belittlement on Yun Yongchang’s dark, weathered face.
Instead, she saw his refusal to back down. Fu Shize had been right—Yun Yongchang had his narrow-mindedness, but his intentions were never malicious.
Rather than trusting her, he preferred to believe in his own ability to protect his daughter.
After a pause, Yun Li said, "I’m already in a relationship. Stop setting me up with other people—it’s not right."
Yun Ye’s eyes widened, and he kicked Yun Li under the table again. She retaliated without hesitation.
Yun Yongchang wasn’t surprised. His true nature surfaced as he began interrogating: "Who is he?"
Yun Li calmly took a bite of noodles: "Yun Ye’s teaching assistant. A Ph.D. student at West Science and Technology University, almost graduated."
Yun Yongchang turned to Yun Ye: "Is this true?"
"..."
Seemingly finding Yun Li’s words unreliable, Yun Yongchang directly asked Yun Ye, "You’ve interacted with him, right? What’s he like?"
"He’s good..." Yun Ye gave Yun Li a strange look.
"If you’d told me earlier, I wouldn’t have invited that Xiao Yin over or talked to him about you." Yun Yongchang felt his words today were off, but after struggling to articulate himself, he reverted to his usual domineering tone: "Bring him home so I can meet him."
Yun Li kicked Yun Ye under the table.
Yun Ye immediately looked up: "Dad, don’t meddle too much. What if you scare her boyfriend away?""Plus, our teaching assistant is really impressive. He graduated from West Science and Technology University for his bachelor's degree, wins national scholarships every year, often takes first place in competitions, and is very kind with a great temper." Yun Ye listed all the points Yun Yongchang would appreciate in one go.
Yun Yongchang's expression softened slightly, but he still found fault: "A boy this outstanding—has he never dated anyone before?"
Yun Ye froze for a second, glanced at Yun Li, and blurted out: "He's never been in a relationship with anyone else."
Yun Li shot him a look.
What a brilliant choice of words.
Never been with anyone else.
Because he'd only been with her.
Seeing Yun Li had no intention of speaking, Yun Yongchang didn’t press further. After supper, she returned to her room and lay on the bed, texting Fu Shize: [Are you there yet?]
A few seconds later, Fu Shize replied with a voice message—just a single "Mm."
His light voice didn’t cut off abruptly; the word trailed off slightly, as if he was exhausted but mustered the energy to respond.
Yun Li’s mood instantly brightened: [I don’t have much to do tomorrow.]
In truth, she had nothing planned for the entire weekend and could spend time with Fu Shize.
Fu Shize’s tone carried a hint of regret: "I have to work on my doctoral thesis tomorrow."
Yun Li’s hand paused: [Alright then.]
Her phone vibrated again. Just as she was feeling a little disappointed, she heard him say: "But there’s an empty seat next to me."
Her heart eased, and she grabbed her clothes to take a shower.
When she returned, she noticed Fu Shize had sent another message after the previous one: "Not coming?"
It seemed that because she hadn’t replied, he had extended the invitation again, less confidently this time.
Yun Li towel-dried her hair, twirling the paper rose under the lamplight, and replied: [Okay.]
Flipping onto the bed, she shielded her eyes from the light as drowsiness set in. Hazily, she recalled the cold expression Yun Yongchang had given Fu Shize last time and jolted awake in alarm.
Moving her hand away, she saw Yun Ye sneaking into her room.
"How come you didn’t tell me you were dating someone?" Yun Ye’s voice was sulky. "I even—"
"Even what?" Yun Li ignored his displeasure, grabbing his head and ruffling his hair.
"Nothing… Stop messing with my hair." He pushed her hand away irritably. Seeing she was being brushed off, Yun Li simply turned over to sleep.
Noting her relaxed brows and peaceful expression, it seemed this relationship was making her happy.
So whether he knew or not didn’t really matter.
Yun Ye sat at Yun Li’s desk for a while, then got up and paced around the room before browsing her bookshelf.
Yun Li, extremely tired, urged: "Spit it out if you have something to say."
"I want to take things further with Waiwai after the autumn semester exams." Yun Ye’s gaze wandered, fingers tapping lightly against his pant seams—clearly uncomfortable.
"Take things further"—such a reserved way of phrasing it could only come from Yun Ye.
Yun Li: "Oh."
Yun Ye: "Aren’t you going to say anything?"
Yun Li looked puzzled: "Weren’t you already dating under the guise of being classmates? Finally willing to take responsibility?"
Yun Ye: "..."
Having a favor to ask, Yun Ye swallowed his pride: "Can you ask your boyfriend to lend me his drone?"
"Don’t you have his WeChat?" Yun Li pulled the covers over herself, her tone unmistakably dismissive, though patient and gentle as she advised: "Yun Ye, you’re an adult now. Don’t make your sister handle everything for you."Yun Ye stammered, "Can you put in a good word for me? Ask him to lend me a cooler one."
Yun Li simply ignored him. Yun Ye stood by her side for a while before nudging her under the covers.
She was already asleep.
"..."
After a pause, Yun Ye turned off the light and went to get his phone. He roughly explained what he wanted to do to Fu Shize. Despite it being late at night, he felt no drowsiness—his mind was completely occupied with thoughts of confessing his feelings.
After fidgeting anxiously for half an hour, Fu Shize finally replied.
【I'll give you one.】
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