Li Ruolan smiled and shook her head: "The things you like never get tiring, sometimes when you don't eat them, you even miss the taste."
"Alright, you'll have them every week from now on."
"You don't have to go so far out of your way, especially since it's already a long way back from the fire department, and then you also have to detour to Ji's Chestnut Shop. It's too much hard work." Li Ruolan felt a bit sorry for her son; he already had a tough job, often returning with injuries, and still he went out of his way to buy chestnuts for her.
It was just chestnuts, after all, she didn't absolutely have to have them.
Shen Liguang bowed his head, peeling off the chestnut shells and placing them in a plate beside him, his eyes lowered: "It's fine, it's not like I go every day."
"By the way, Li Guang, Aunt Wang next door said she wants to introduce you to a girlfriend. You're not getting any younger, at twenty-five, it's time to find a girlfriend," Li Ruolan ventured cautiously.
She had never seen her son with any girl, nor had she ever heard of him having a girlfriend; he seemed to have been single for so many years.
"No rush."
He might not be in a hurry, but Li Ruolan was growing anxious.
She wished Shen Liguang would settle down soon, have a child, while she was still capable of running around and could take care of a grandson.
But upon hearing her son's "No rush," Li Ruolan suddenly didn't know how to continue the conversation.
At twenty-five, he was not young anymore. Whenever she talked about him bringing a girlfriend home, he'd just brush her off with a "No rush."
Li Ruolan sighed: "Aunt Wang's son is about your age and already has children, a one-year-old. Seeing Aunt Wang bring her grandson to the shop to play makes me envious."
"… There will be time for that." Shen Liguang looked up, he knew Li Ruolan at her age would especially wish to have a grandchild around, but something like fate had to be left to chance.
"How long is 'after'?"
"It depends on fate."
"Leaving it to fate, always leaving it to fate; you're just putting me off," Li Ruolan grew a bit impatient. If she kept waiting for fate, her son would be thirty, "I've already told Aunt Wang, even if you don't want to find a girlfriend you should at least meet her, explain it to the girl. It's not nice to stand someone up."
"Yeah, I know," Shen Liguang nodded gently, his expression nonchalant.
Li Ruolan started to suspect if her son was simply not interested in girls.
...
The contents of this tiny mobile phone are so lifelike. After all, coming from the ancient era, even with Fu Ying's memories, she still found it all extremely novel.
It was her first time logging onto QQ.
Just as she logged in, QQ began to vibrate, and a lot of messages popped up.
Fu Yi: Where did you go?
Fu Yi: Say something, Dad is really worried, come back quickly.
Fu Yi: Don't be stubborn, reply to the message as soon as possible.
Fu Yan: Fu Ying, do you have a death wish? Do you see what you've done to Dad? [curse]
Fu Yan: Can't you be a bit more sensible? [curse]
Fu Yan: Damn it, come back home quickly, don't let me catch you [angry]
Fu Ying stared blankly at the messages from her elder and younger brothers, somewhat confused by the situation. She hadn't done anything wrong, had she?
Just as she was about to reply with a "?" she realized the messages were from three months ago.
Three months ago, she hadn't arrived here yet; it must've been the original Fu Ying who had caused some major trouble, prompting the messages from her elder and younger brothers.
But there was no reply.
Fu Ying scrolled down in QQ, a lot of people had sent her messages, or rather, messages for the original Fu Ying.
The previous occupant seemed to have a lot of friends, many seemingly from various societal circles.
Fu Ying even found some flirtatious messages.
The nickname read 'Dear'.
Dear...
The word 'online romance', modern and fashionable, slowly emerged in Fu Ying's mind.
So the original Fu Ying was in an online romance.
Does that mean, all of a sudden, she now has a virtual boyfriend?
Dear: Baby, why won't you talk to me?
Dear: Baby, I miss you so much, let's meet in real life.
Dear: Baby, why are you not speaking?
Dear: Baby, what happened to you?
Dear: Baby?
Dear: ...
Just now, Fu Ying received the latest text message from "Dear."
Dear: Baby, you finally came online. Where have you been this past month? I missed you so much.
Sending a message as soon as you come online, this must be true love.
Fu Ying felt troubled.
These days her mind was a mess, and she had forgotten the trouble "Dear" brought her.
Fu Ying clumsily typed on her phone's keyboard, replying: Umm, it's not her, your baby, she... she will never come online again, forget about her...
Immediately, Fu Ying felt a heavy sense of guilt.
This virtual boyfriend wasn't someone she was involved with...
This doesn't count as breaking up, right?
...
Dear: ????? Where is she? Did something happen to her? Why hasn't she contacted me for so long? Send me her location, I will go find her.
... Fu Ying: She, she got married, just give up.
Dear: Married? Impossible, she told me she was only eighteen years old, not even of legal age to get married.
Dear: You're lying to me! Oh, I get it now, baby, you must be teasing me. Ignoring me for so long, did something happen to you?
Eighteen years old... she's only sixteen, okay?
It seems Fu Ying hasn't been truthful a lot, but then again, the other party could be a man in his forties or fifties.
Fu Ying had no way of explaining to him where the Fu Ying he had an online romance with had gone and simply blocked him.
"Miss, dinner is ready."
"Oh, coming."
Nanny Wu's kindly voice sounded from outside, and Fu Ying responded, putting her phone down and heading downstairs.
When she got downstairs, she realized that her eldest brother had come back tonight...
Young master...
...is her brother, but Fu Ying always couldn't help referring to him as "young master."
She looked around but didn't see any sign of that brother.
"Big brother."
She approached the dining table and called Fu Yi politely.
Fu Yi looked up, somewhat surprised.
"Did you get into trouble?"
"Ah?" Fu Ying was momentarily confused by her brother's words and took a second to understand. Indeed, she had caused some trouble, "I, I have a small matter..."
"What is it?"
Fu Ying glanced upstairs; Fu Mingchuan was still not down from the study, she whispered, "Big brother, can you come to my school tomorrow?"
"Called to school again?"
Fu Ying lowered her head and nodded: "Yes."
She knew her brother didn't like her and didn't have much confidence that he would go to the school, and besides, he seemed quite busy and probably didn't have the time.
"What is it about this time?" Fu Yi's tone seemed pretty normal,
"It's just that another male student stepped on and broke my hairclip, so I pushed him a bit, and the homeroom teacher said I was fighting..."
"Dad, Fu Ying got into another fight at school!"
Before Fu Ying could finish, Fu Yan suddenly raised his voice and shouted towards the upstairs.
Fu Ying panicked and covered Fu Yan's mouth.
"Little brother..."
Fu Yan was taken aback; Fu Ying's "little brother" was soft and sweet.
But then he remembered her saying all sorts of nonsense the night before, spreading rumors about his homosexuality, and he was filled with anger.
Fu Yan roughly removed Fu Ying's hand and said with a scowl, "Only now you know to call me little brother, what nonsense were you spouting yesterday?"