"I want to sit next to Brother Shen!"
As soon as the food was ready, Xia Mengmeng eagerly pushed her little cartoon stool over and sat beside Shen Lang, waving her hands excitedly.
Her cute gesture made Xia Shuyi smile, "See, they say daughters are their mom's little sweethearts, but it hasn't been long and she's already siding with you."
Shen Lang liked the little girl as well. He picked up a piece of sweet and sour pork rib and placed it on her plate. The little girl ate happily, her big round eyes squinting with joy.
Watching their close interaction, Xia Shuyi felt a warm sense of satisfaction and a comforting feeling of a homey atmosphere.
For single mothers like Xia Shuyi in the affluent city of Jianghai, there were many who owned luxurious homes and expensive cars, with wealth that ordinary people could only dream of. But what they lacked was love and familial warmth.
Despite their opulent surroundings and spacious homes, they were plagued by an unshakeable sense of loneliness. They longed for the sense of belonging and reliance on a man that many ordinary women took for granted.
However, their substantial assets often attracted men with ulterior motives. In such an environment, they became numb, accustomed to facing the materialistic world alone. Yet, deep down, they still hoped for a man who could fill the void in their hearts.
For Xia Shuyi, the slightly shy but genuinely sincere young man before her seemed to be the one she favored.
**Ding! Xia Shuyi's favorability towards the host has increased by 10 points, currently 40 points. Keep up the good work!**
Shen Lang almost choked on his food. He hadn't done anything, so why had the landlady's favorability increased so much?
After the meal, Xia Shuyi started to clean up the table. Given her wealth, she could easily afford a nanny to take care of her and her daughter, but recent reports about nannies hadn't been good. Since her daughter was her top priority, she preferred to handle these daily chores herself.
"Sister Xia, let me help," Shen Lang said, rolling up his sleeves.
Xia Shuyi shook her head with a smile, giving him a playful look, "Shoo, shoo, shoo, since when do guests help clean up?"
"It's okay, I often do chores at home."
Shen Lang began organizing the dishes and headed towards the kitchen.
"Xiao Shen, you're too polite," Xia Shuyi said, following him with a smile. They stood side by side at the sink, washing dishes together.
Glancing at Shen Lang, who was seriously washing dishes, Xia Shuyi couldn't help but blush, imagining them as a married couple.
"Xiao Shen, I remember you said you graduated recently?" Xia Shuyi coughed lightly to start a conversation. "What do you do now?"
Shen Lang was comfortable with basic conversation. "Not to be laughed at, Sister Xia, but I'm a web novelist."
"A web novelist?"
"Yes, I write novels online."
"Wow, I didn't expect you to be a great writer!" Xia Shuyi exclaimed in surprise.
Shen Lang scratched his head shyly and self-deprecatingly said, "I'm not a great writer. I only earn five or six thousand a month, just enough for rice porridge."
"That's still very good," Xia Shuyi said in a comforting tone. "It's tough to make money in Jianghai City nowadays. Many college graduates earn only two or three thousand a month, so you're doing quite well."
This is why many men prefer mature women—they truly understand a man's struggles. Whether in career or life, they always know how to soothe a man's insecurities with simple words.
"Xiao Shen, don't you live with your girlfriend? What does she do?" Xia Shuyi asked casually, her eyes fixed on the dishes but scrubbing a bit harder.
**[1: I stay home all the time, so I don't have a chance to meet girls. I can't even talk to them when I see them on the street.]**
**[2: I just met a girl yesterday. She's very pretty and went to the same university as me. I'm planning to pursue her.**
**[3: What's so special about young girls? I like mature women, especially those with children. They're my favorite!**
Never talk about another woman in front of a woman. Even Shen Lang, despite his social anxiety, understood this.
"I stay home all the time, so I don't have a chance to meet girls," Shen Lang said self-deprecatingly. "I can't even talk to them when I see them on the street."
"Is that so..." Xia Shuyi smiled sweetly, her dishwashing becoming more gentle.
"Xiao Shen, do you think..."
"Bang! Bang! Bang!" Xia Shuyi was interrupted by the sound of firecrackers outside, making her jump.
Xia Mengmeng, covering her ears, ran in, tugging at Shen Lang's pants and pointing outside, "Brother Shen, they're setting off firecrackers outside! I can't see. Take me to watch!"
"Okay!"
Shen Lang wiped his hands, picked up the little girl, and placed her on his shoulders.
Mengmeng happily clung to his neck, her little legs swinging as she urged, "Hurry, Brother Shen, the firecrackers are almost over."
"Alright, alright!" Shen Lang laughed, nodding repeatedly. As he left the kitchen, he asked, "Sister Xia, what were you saying?"
"Nothing, nothing," Xia Shuyi replied with a guilty smile. "Go with Mengmeng to watch the firecrackers. It's probably a wedding couple across the street."
"Okay."
Shen Lang nodded, holding Mengmeng's little legs as he ran to the window, joyfully shouting, "Let's go see the firecrackers!"
Listening to Mengmeng's delighted laughter, Xia Shuyi couldn't help but mutter, "You little rascal, always ruining Mom's plans..."
After washing the dishes, Xia Shuyi tidied up and dried her hands before heading to the living room.
The scene by the window made this long-lonely single woman pause, a smile of gratitude spreading across her delicate face, showing slight traces of time.
Shen Lang was holding Xia Mengmeng on his shoulders, with the little girl happily pointing at the wedding cars outside, unable to contain her excitement.
When someone lit firecrackers, Mengmeng would cover Shen Lang's ears, both of them laughing joyfully.
The brilliant sunlight shining on them, creating a heartwarming scene of a father caring for his daughter, made Xia Shuyi smile dreamily and murmur to herself.
"If only it could always be like this..."