Saturday morning, Shen Lang got up early.
While brushing his teeth and washing up, Shen Lang planned out his schedule for the day.
In the morning, he'd accompany Li Liusi to Concord Hospital to visit her grandmother. Then, he'd have lunch with her before driving to Zhuhai University to pick up Su Lexuan and take her to see her parents.
If things went well, he might even have dinner at Su Lexuan's place in the evening.
Just as Shen Lang finished washing up, there was a knock at the door.
Who else could it be but the naive girl from next door?
"Are you hungry? I bought steamed buns, soy milk, and tea eggs."
Li Liusi, holding a bag of hot steamed buns and soy milk, asked nervously but expectantly, "Want some?"
"Since you bought them, I might as well eat. Come on in."
Shen Lang smiled and took Li Liusi's hand, leading her inside.
Li Liusi neatly arranged the steamed buns, soy milk, and tea eggs on the table. "It's ready."
Shen Lang sat beside her, scrolling through TikTok on his phone while eating voraciously. "You already ate, right?"
"Yeah."
"Good."
Shen Lang didn't hold back, devouring his breakfast while glued to his phone.
"You're dressed nicely today."
Shen Lang noticed Li Liusi's different attire and genuinely complimented her.
She had specifically worn the light blue dress she bought a few days ago at the department store, paired with new, clean white shoes for the visit to her grandmother.
Blushing from Shen Lang's compliment, Li Liusi looked away, a shy smile spreading across her face.
Her bashful demeanor in the summer heat felt like a refreshing morning breeze to Shen Lang.
The only thing Shen Lang didn't like was her hairstyle. Her long, black hair would look beautiful flowing freely, but she had it tied up in a practical bun, giving her a country-girl vibe.
Knowing it was her habit, Shen Lang didn't say anything and continued eating.
Li Liusi quietly watched him. Whenever Shen Lang finished a food wrapper, she silently took it and placed it in a bag. She even picked up the tea egg shells from the floor, planning to dispose of them later.
These trivial acts made Li Liusi happy, her face always carrying a content smile.
"Hey, how about you don't be my girlfriend anymore?"
Shen Lang joked with a mouth full of bun, "You should be my mom instead. You take better care of me than my own mom."
Not knowing how to respond to such a crude, flirty joke, Li Liusi blushed and pushed the soy milk toward him. "Drink some soy milk, don't choke."
"Okay, mom."
Shen Lang grinned, showing his white teeth. "Thanks for the soy milk, mom."
Li Liusi's face turned even redder as she gave Shen Lang a playful glare, like a cute, scolding wife.
"After visiting grandma," Li Liusi nervously and bravely asked, "do you want to go to Yusha Bay this afternoon?"
"Hmm?"
"I heard yesterday that Yusha Bay is really beautiful. Do you want to go this afternoon? If you're busy, it's okay."
"I can't this afternoon or tomorrow. After visiting your grandma, I have to head out."
Shen Lang drank some soy milk and said, "How about next Sunday? If you're free, I'll spend the whole day with you. How's that?"
Shen Lang's offer, after initially disappointing her, made Li Liusi excited about spending a whole day with him next Sunday.
"Mm-hmm."
Li Liusi nodded enthusiastically, her excitement visible as her chest heaved under her dress, making Shen Lang bite his straw a little harder.
This girl never realized how attractive she really was.
...
After breakfast, Shen Lang drove Li Liusi to Concord Hospital, buying a lot of gifts on the way.
Once there, guided by Li Liusi, Shen Lang found her grandmother's room.
The elderly woman's stroke could range in severity depending on her overall health. Sadly, years of hard work had left her frail, lying exhausted on the bed.
Only when her granddaughter visited did the grandmother's face light up with a kind smile as she chatted in their local dialect.
Once they had caught up, the grandmother turned her curious gaze to Shen Lang, trying to guess his relationship with her granddaughter.
Blushing, Li Liusi glanced at Shen Lang and shyly nodded.
This was his cue. "Grandma, how's your recovery?"
"Getting better, getting better," the grandmother replied in broken Mandarin, then asked some common questions, including how they met.
Shen Lang answered smoothly, holding Li Liusi's hand by the bed, assuring the grandmother he would take good care of her.
After their chat, Li Liusi helped her grandmother with her physical therapy exercises. Despite her gradual improvement, half her body still felt numb.
This could be helped with therapy, but Li Liusi's school and part-time job left her no time except evenings.
Hiring a caregiver was another expense for the already struggling girl.
While Li Liusi was helping her grandmother, Shen Lang quietly left the room, found the attending doctor and nurse, and settled all of her hospital bills.
He even hired a professional caregiver for her grandmother's therapy and gave the nurse some money to provide daily nutritional supplements.
Money really did solve problems.
After arranging everything, Shen Lang returned to the room, said goodbye to the two, and drove to Zhuhai University.
About half an hour later, just as he arrived, Li Liusi sent a WeChat message with just five words.
Peace for the rest of my life: "Shen Lang, thank you."
Sleep till dawn: "I'm your boyfriend, say thanks again and I'll thump you!"