As Ruan Yu was mentally simulating this bloody and violent scene in her head, Ruan Chengru's voice came from behind her: "Yuyu, come sit down quickly."
Xu Huaisong glanced behind her and said, "You go ahead first. I'll greet Teacher He."
Go ahead first? Meaning he would follow shortly and sit at the same table as her?
Hah, impressive. Going through all this trouble to orchestrate this encounter, just to rush over and meet the parents, huh?
Another "Yuyu" came from behind. Ruan Yu looked at Xu Huaisong and Zhou Jun, then said, "Then I'll go ahead first," before taking a seat next to Qu Lan on her left.
He Chong was seated with the relatives, while this table was mostly retired teachers from Su City No. 1 High School.
After sitting down, Ruan Yu greeted the familiar teachers one by one. Before long, she saw Xu Huaisong and Zhou Jun walking over shoulder to shoulder.
The seat to Ruan Chengru's right was still empty.
Ruan Yu glanced sideways and, sure enough, just as Zhou Jun was about to reach for that chair, Xu Huaisong executed a slick maneuver, effortlessly gliding over to sit beside her father.
Ruan Chengru naturally looked up.
Ruan Yu was ready to enjoy the show, curious about how Xu Huaisong would greet her father. But the next voice she heard wasn't his—it was her father's: "Huh? Is that... Huaisong?"
Ruan Yu: "..."
Dad, have some dignity! How could you be the first to greet him? And it's been eight years—why do you still remember this student?
Xu Huaisong slightly bent forward, lowering his head as he said, "Teacher Ruan?" His demeanor was the epitome of a respectful junior, with just the right touch of uncertainty.
"Come, come, sit down." Ruan Chengru smiled warmly. "Haven't seen you in so many years. I remember you went to the U.S. after graduation, right?"
At his words, the other retired teachers at the table also vaguely recalled him, chiming in with smiles:
"Huaisong? Ah, weren't you the one playing piano at the 40th-anniversary school celebration?"
"My, you've grown even more handsome!"
"Back then, your grades were unbeatable—even while preparing to study abroad, you still topped the liberal arts exams!"
Xu Huaisong's popularity was overwhelming; even Ruan Yu and Zhou Jun combined couldn't match him. The entire table's attention was fixed on him, chopsticks momentarily forgotten.
He politely nodded to each teacher, answering their questions one by one.
Finally, Qu Lan asked, "Huaisong, what field are you in now?"
He turned slightly toward her and replied, "I was a lawyer in the U.S. and just this year started considering returning to China to develop my career."
Ruan Chengru's eyes faintly brightened at the word "lawyer."
Ruan Yu recognized that familiar glint in her father's eyes and, sure enough, heard him follow up: "Xiao Xu, you're so accomplished at such a young age—are you married yet?"
While it was common for teachers to ask former students about their careers and family lives, Ruan Yu knew that "Xiao [Surname]" was the Ruan family's default term of endearment when her father was sizing up potential sons-in-law.
In less than a minute after sitting down, Xu Huaisong had been upgraded from "Huaisong" to "Xiao Xu."
She rubbed her forehead. Was her father even considering how "Xiao Liu" would feel about this?
Xu Huaisong noticed her gesture and, despite the obstacles between them, glanced her way before answering, "Not yet, Teacher."
Ruan Chengru nodded and chatted with him a bit more. When the topic circled back to careers, he turned to Ruan Yu and said, "Yuyu, look at Xiao Xu here—same year as you, and already doing so well!"Actually, this was just a polite compliment parents often give to "other people's children," something to be taken lightly. But before Ruan Yu could respond, Xu Huaisong humbly and earnestly replied, "No, she's doing better than I am."
Ruan Yu's gaze slowly shifted over, meeting Xu Huaisong's eyes for a brief moment.
Nearby, Zhou Jun also caught the strong whiff of gossip in the air and paused his small talk with the teacher beside him, pricking up his ears to listen.
Ruan Chengru naturally found it odd. "You know our Yu Yu?" he asked.
Since an elder was speaking, Ruan Yu couldn’t interrupt and had to let Xu Huaisong answer. He nodded and said, "Yes, though I didn’t know we were alumni before. Otherwise, I would have offered to bring you here today."
Ruan Chengru and Qu Lan exchanged a glance.
Ruan Yu suppressed her irritation and gulped down half a glass of orange juice in one go.
Acting, keep acting, go all out with the act.
Xu Huaisong then said to Ruan Chengru, "After this is over, I’ll accompany her to send you and Teacher Qu back."
In this situation, calling her "Ruan Yu" would sound too distant and fail to convey his intentions to the elders, while "Yu Yu" would be too intimate and might catch Ruan Yu off guard. The ambiguous "she" covered all bases perfectly.
Unable to get a word in, Ruan Yu drank the other half of her orange juice, grinding her teeth in frustration.
Qu Lan chuckled and said, "Oh, that’s too much trouble. If it’s on your way, just take Yu Yu home. Teacher Ruan and I live in the suburbs."
Xu Huaisong smiled. "It’s no trouble. The suburbs have fresh air—it’ll be a nice drive."
"But you’ll get back so late! Isn’t that unsafe?"
"Don’t worry, I’ll see her all the way to her doorstep."
This opportunistic flattery was really too much. Ruan Yu couldn’t hold back anymore and interjected, "How come you never offered to send me before?"
Xu Huaisong turned slightly toward her, as if seriously considering the question. "Hmm, the last few times, I only took you to the building entrance."
Qu Lan burst into laughter, pinching Ruan Yu’s sleeve and whispering, "He already took you to the building entrance, and you’re still not satisfied?"
Ruan Yu muttered under her breath, "The building entrance isn’t the doorstep. There could still be danger on the way up."
"You’re just being unreasonable now!"
"No, she’s right. I should have walked her upstairs. I’ll remember next time." Xu Huaisong gave her a teasing glance before Zhou Jun elbowed him lightly.
He turned to see Zhou Jun giving him a subtle thumbs-up and whispering, "Bro, smooth."
Xu Huaisong didn’t respond. When he looked up, he saw Ruan Yu whisper something into Qu Lan’s ear before abruptly standing up and leaving the table.
Watching her head in the direction of the restroom, he nodded at Zhou Jun to excuse himself and followed her.
Ruan Yu had gone to the restroom because she’d drunk too much orange juice—and also to cool off.
Once you start seeing someone through tinted glasses, you notice more and more how utterly inhuman they are. Right now, she couldn’t tell which parts of Xu Huaisong’s behavior were genuine and which were just an act.
Look at all that smooth talk. Who knows how many girls and their poor parents he’d sweet-talked like this?
She took several deep breaths in the stall. But when she stepped out, she found Xu Huaisong standing by the sinks like a criminal lying in wait.
"Hey, you—" She clutched her chest and looked up. "You scared me!"
Xu Huaisong seemed to smirk. "Were you hiding in there to curse me out?"
Ruan Yu rolled her eyes internally but shook her head naturally. "Why would I curse you out? Have you done something wrong?""No. Shall we go toast Teacher He together later?"
"Aren't you driving?"
"Tea instead of wine."
"Sure," she said with a smile. "There are only three juniors at our table—let’s call Zhou Jun along."
Xu Huaisong choked.
Ruan Yu blinked innocently. "What’s wrong?"
"Nothing."
Having scored a point, she felt a little better. As they walked back, she said, "Have you noticed how much my dad loves setting me up with people?"
Xu Huaisong nodded, then heard her add, "He was the one who introduced me to Lawyer Liu before."
"I know."
"Do you know what my dad liked about Lawyer Liu?"
Xu Huaisong thought for a moment. "Because he’s a lawyer?"
Ruan Yu shook her head meaningfully. "Because he’s honest, kind-hearted, straightforward, not flashy, doesn’t bully others, and actions speak louder than words."
"..."
Xu Huaisong coughed lightly and glanced down at her, as if searching for some hidden meaning in her expression.
But Ruan Yu seemed to be merely stating facts, with no ulterior motives.
Back at the banquet, Xu Huaisong abandoned his earlier assertive demeanor. Unless directly addressed, he rarely spoke up.
Ruan Yu, however, noticed that every time a dish caught her attention—if she glanced at it more than twice—it would repeatedly rotate to her side in the following moments.
Once, as a plate of Longjing shrimp was about to reach her, she peeked sideways and saw Xu Huaisong’s slender fingers just lifting from the lazy Susan.
Ruan’s Father and Mother exchanged a look between them.
—Looks like the kids had a little disagreement earlier?
—Seems so. Our YuYu doesn’t seem to have accepted Xiao Xu yet.
After the birthday banquet, Ruan Chengru and Qu Lan, who had traveled from afar, were invited by He Chong for afternoon tea.
Xu Huaisong planned to visit Tao Rong during this time and asked Ruan Yu if she wanted to come along.
Did he think rotating a few dishes her way would be enough to win her over? Not that easy. Ruan Yu shook her head and said, "Next time," accompanying her parents to tea instead. It wasn’t until 3:30 p.m. that she reunited with Xu Huaisong to return to Hangzhou together.
Ruan Chengru and Qu Lan were still lingering at the teahouse entrance, reluctant to part with He Chong. Ruan Yu stepped aside and beckoned Xu Huaisong to lower his head.
Bending down in confusion, he felt her lean close to his ear and whisper, "Do you know why I follow traffic rules so strictly?"
"Why?"
"My dad taught me well."
And so, for the entire ride back, Xu Huaisong kept his eyes fixed on the road, driving with full concentration, not uttering a single distracting word.
Ruan’s Father and Mother exchanged another glance in the backseat.
—Seems like the disagreement isn’t resolved yet?
—Then maybe we shouldn’t invite Xiao Xu for dinner this time?
Unaware that Ruan Yu had just played him, Xu Huaisong—now deprived of a crucial dinner—dropped off the elderly couple, had a simple meal with her in the city, and then drove her back to her apartment.
By 7 p.m., Ruan Yu, exhausted from a day of running around in seven-centimeter stilettos, was too tired and drowsy to scheme further. Covering a yawn, she waved sleepily at him before pulling the car door open.Xu Huaisong glanced at her and was about to follow her out of the car when she raised her hand to stop him. "I was just joking at noon; you don’t need to walk me upstairs." With that, she closed the car door and turned toward the brightly lit apartment building.
Xu Huaisong paused for a moment but still got out of the car. As soon as he entered the lobby, he saw her standing dumbly in front of the elevator, tilting her head as if examining something.
He walked over and asked, "What’s wrong?"
Ruan Yu turned back and pointed at a notice posted on the wall. "Power outage. The elevator isn’t working."
Xu Huaisong glanced at the "Power Outage Notice" and then at the stairwell nearby. "Then let’s take the stairs."
"T-twelfth floor, you know."
"Can’t make it?"
Ruan Yu choked. "Oh, I can." She pouted and headed toward the stairwell door, but as she passed Xu Huaisong, she saw him crouch down.
She froze, hearing him say, "Get on. I’ll carry you." When she didn’t move, he added, "Hurry up. I still have a video conference to prepare for."
Even while offering to carry someone, he couldn’t drop his cold, domineering CEO act. Couldn’t he speak nicely?
Ruan Yu huffed and climbed onto his back, determined to exhaust him.
But the moment she was hoisted up, she regretted her decision.
Because the chest-to-back position felt way too intimate...
She leaned slightly backward. "Maybe I should just get down..."
"Stop squirming." Xu Huaisong shot her a glance over his shoulder. "You leaning back like this makes it harder for me."
His tone only strengthened her resolve to wear him out. When he turned away, she secretly stuck out her tongue at him.
Unexpectedly, Xu Huaisong turned back again with sharp awareness, startling her into blurting, "Why do you keep looking back? Watch where you’re going!"
Xu Huaisong chuckled softly and began climbing the stairs steadily, seeming entirely at ease.
Gradually overcoming her discomfort with the close contact, Ruan Yu lowered her head and whispered by his ear, "You’re so practiced at this. Must’ve carried a lot of girls, huh?"
Xu Huaisong glanced back at her. "Just my dad."
She had meant it as a joke, fishing for details about his romantic history, but his answer left her speechless. After a long silence, she asked, "How is your dad doing now?"
Xu Huaisong continued climbing step by step as he replied, "Same as before. He’s in the U.S., cared for by nurses. His cognitive function isn’t likely to recover, but as long as he doesn’t have another sudden stroke, he’ll be fine."
Ruan Yu frowned and voiced the question she’d long kept to herself. "Can I ask you something? You don’t have to answer if—"
"They divorced. My parents. Ten years ago." Before she could finish, Xu Huaisong had already answered in one breath.
Ruan Yu murmured a quiet "Mm," noticing how he began breathing heavily after saying that.
Tenth floor.
Very, very slowly, she lowered her body, tightening her arms around his neck in the tiniest, most subtle motion.
Like a gesture of comfort.
Xu Huaisong glanced down at her hands, the corners of his lips quirking up, but he said nothing.
Finally, the twelfth floor.
As they stepped out of the stairwell, the elevator doors slid open, revealing the landlord couple from the twelfth floor.
Ruan Yu blinked in surprise. "Huh? Wasn’t there a power outage?"
The landlady looked equally puzzled and explained, "The outage was from 6:30 to 7:30 this morning. They wouldn’t do maintenance during peak hours in the evening." She then smiled. "The lobby lights were on, weren’t they? So were the hallway lights.""......" Oh. Had she been so sleepy that she misread the time?
The landlord couple smiled as they entered their home.
Ruan Yu froze on Xu Huaisong's back without moving. "You...did you misread it too?"
Xu Huaisong turned his head and asked with a smile, "What do you think?"
Author's note: Tsk, insisting on carrying her up twelve floors when there wasn't even a blackout. This kind of sickeningly sweet romance is beyond us single dogs.
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