Lu Ping hadn’t expected that Shen Yuze would actually save the red sugar-filled Plum Blossom Cake for him to eat.
When he bit into the Plum Blossom Cake, the soft glutinous outer skin broke open, and the scalding hot sugar filling flowed out. The taste was exactly the same as when he was a child, but Lu Ping felt that this was the sweetest Plum Blossom Cake he had ever eaten.
As he ate the Plum Blossom Cake, he secretly glanced at Shen Yuze beside him. He didn’t know when it had happened, but Shen Yuze’s originally precarious male god aura had been replenished somewhat.
During family meals at the Lu Family, if there was any good dish made that day, everyone would always humbly defer to each other. Dad would let Mom eat it because she got up earliest every day and worked the hardest; Mom would let Lu Ping eat it because studying took a toll on his brain; Lu Ping would let his little sister eat it because she was still young; and his little sister would let Dad eat it because Dad’s health wasn’t good… This kind of deference happened because they were family, because they loved each other, and that’s why they saved the best food for one another.
But why had Shen Yuze done something like that?
Lu Ping couldn’t figure it out.
Shen Yuze keenly caught Lu Ping’s peeking gaze. This little mouse always thought he was hiding well: “Why do you keep looking at me?”
Lu Ping didn’t want to beat around the bush and threw a straight ball: “Shen Yuze, why are you so nice to me?”
“…I just gave you a red sugar sweet cake, and you think I’m being nice to you?” Shen Yuze found it somewhat amusing. “Your threshold is way too low.”
“Of course it’s not just this Plum Blossom Cake!” Lu Ping said. “There was also that time in the bookstore when you helped me beat up those guys… and it got you caught up in all that gossip.”
Shen Yuze felt a complicated mix of emotions. Back when he was in the Capital, he had plenty of “friends” around him, but most of them valued his family background. Even when he chartered a plane to take classmates out to play, they just thought the Shen Family was rich and that it was only natural.
And what had he done for Lu Ping? Nothing more than some casual favors, some small kindnesses.
But for Lu Ping, this was the first time he had felt respect and fondness from a peer—Shen Yuze showed him a bit of kindness, and he felt ten times flustered, wanting to repay it a hundredfold.
Shen Yuze replied, “The bookstore incident is in the past. You don’t need to keep it on your mind. Besides, you’ve been good to me too.”
“Ah? Have I, have I?”
“You have.” Shen Yuze raised an eyebrow. “Your Glutinous Cake gave me just the right chance to miss the monthly exam. I haven’t thanked you yet.”
“…Damn it!!” Lu Ping forgot to even eat the Plum Blossom Cake in his hand and huffed angrily, “I knew it! You’re totally fine, you just deliberately skipped the exam!!”
Shen Yuze burst out laughing.
Being with Lu Ping always put Shen Yuze in a great mood. Although they’d only known each other for half a month, he couldn’t even remember how many times Lu Ping had made him laugh.
If his old classmates from before saw him now, no one would believe that this radiant youth was the young master from the Shen Family who always had a cold face.
…
They strolled slowly through the Grand Market until nearly noon, when the crowds gradually dispersed and Lu Dad and Lu Mom needed to pack up their stall.
Lu Ping brought Shen Yuze back to his parents’ stall and helped the two elders pack things up.
Shen Yuze wanted to lend a hand too, but Lu Mom stopped him.
“Little Shen, these things are pretty oily. Don’t get your hands dirty.” Lu Mom turned to direct her son: “Pingping, don’t waste time here. Little Shen Classmate has a car, right? Take him back home to rest first. Your dad and I will take the tricycle back slowly. When you get home, steam the rice first, then chop the vegetables. By the time we get back, I can start stir-frying right away.”
Because Shen Yuze had arrived early, it had thrown off their original plans. It was really awkward—how could guests arrive home first while the hosts were still coming back to cook? But there was no way around it; the tricycle definitely couldn’t keep up with the car.
Before Lu Ping could speak, Shen Yuze spoke first: “Auntie, Uncle, how about this? My car has plenty of space. The four of us can all ride together. As for these two tricycles…”
He turned around, his gaze sweeping over the market crowd behind him, and made a somewhat odd hand gesture.
Soon, from a corner of the crowd, two unremarkable-looking middle-aged men suddenly emerged. The two men weren’t particularly tall, but they were sturdy. Even in ordinary T-shirts and casual pants, they couldn’t hide their bulging arm muscles. Each had a Bluetooth earpiece in one ear. They came before Shen Yuze and nodded respectfully.
Lu Mom asked in confusion, “Who are these two…?”
Shen Yuze smiled: “These are two distant relatives of mine. You can rest assured handing the tricycles over to them—they’ll ride them back home for you.”
Lu Ping: “…”
What distant relatives!!! These were clearly the bodyguards who had been standing outside Shen Yuze’s hospital room that day! He wasn’t fooled just because they’d changed clothes!!
That said, these two bodyguards had been following them through the market the whole time… and Lu Ping hadn’t noticed at all!
Lu Dad looked at the bodyguards’ thick calves and muttered something in the local dialect.
Shen Yuze asked curiously, “What did Uncle say?”
Lu Ping: “My dad said your two ‘distant relatives’ have such thick legs—they look perfect for pedaling tricycles.”
Shen Yuze: “…”
The two bodyguards: “…”
…
This was the first time in Lu Dad and Lu Mom’s lives that they rode in such a luxurious sedan, and the result was that both of them got carsick.
Apparently, many people were like this—they wouldn’t get motion sick in bumpy trucks or vans, but in a well-sealed, smoothly running sedan, they’d feel dizzy and nauseous.
When they got home, Lu Mom stumbled to the bathroom and threw up, nearly emptying her breakfast; after getting out of the car, Lu Dad squatted by the roadside and chain-smoked three cigarettes, littering butts everywhere, before finally muttering, “Next time, I’ll still take the tricycle back.”
Shen Yuze naturally didn’t understand and had Lu Ping translate again.
Lu Ping, of course, had to save face for him: “Uh, he said your car is really great.”
Lu Ping wasn’t afraid of Shen Yuze calling him out. Their local dialect was extremely hard to understand—like a foreign language to northerners.
But Shen Yuze wasn’t stupid. Seeing Lu Dad’s expression, it didn’t look like praise at all. He was full of suspicion: “Lu Ping, I feel like none of the things you translated for me today were true.”
Lu Ping blinked innocently: “How could that be?”
At least the part about the bodyguards being suited for tricycles was true!
Seeing Lu Ping’s sly look, Shen Yuze thought to himself that he definitely needed to find a chance to learn the Lu Family’s dialect.
As the two were chatting, a small figure bounced in through the door. The moment she entered the house, little An An threw open her arms and pounced into her brother’s embrace, calling out “Brother” over and over.
Shen Yuze had long heard that Lu Ping had a little sister named Lu An—their names together made “Lu An Ping,” which meant peace and safety.
Little An An had her hair in sheep-horn braids, adorned with sparkly princess hair accessories, and even her shoes were covered in sequins, full of princess vibes. She lifted her head from Lu Ping’s arms, her round little face paired with blinking big eyes—her cuteness was practically carved from the same mold as Lu Ping!
Every Saturday morning, An An went to her interest class. She’d heard yesterday that guests were coming today, so the moment class ended, she hurried home. She had a lively personality and was a little “social butterfly” at such a young age, never shy around strangers. But for some reason, the moment she saw Shen Yuze today, she shyly hid behind her brother.
She covered her face with both hands, fingers slightly parted, peeking out from Lu Ping’s arms at Shen Yuze before quickly ducking back.
Lu Ping: “?” What was up with his sister? She was usually so bold.
Lu Ping patiently coaxed her: “An An, this is Brother’s classmate, here to visit our home today. How should you address him?”
But no matter what Lu Ping said, An An refused to speak.
Shen Yuze, of course, wouldn’t hold it against a six- or seven-year-old kid. He said to Lu Ping, “It’s their first time meeting, after all. She might be shy.”
“No…” To everyone’s surprise, the little girl spoke up in a soft, delicate voice. “It’s not the first time.”
Lu Ping: “?”
An An finally wriggled out from her brother’s arms, clutching his sleeve with both hands, her little face red as she said, “I’ve seen you in Brother’s phone! Brother’s phone has lots of your photos!”
