"Next stop, next stop!" the bus announcement repeated twice, and the driver called out as well. Lo Ye looked at Su Bai Zhou, who had been resting her head on his shoulder for the past two and a half hours. At first, he wasn't sure if she was truly asleep, but now it was clear that she was, especially since there was a little drool on his shoulder.
Lo Ye gently nudged her. "Sis, wake up."
Su Bai Zhou's beautiful eyes fluttered open, still a little groggy. She looked up and saw Lo Ye's youthful face, and for a moment, she froze, staring at him in confusion. The aloof goddess from before was now just a cute, drowsy girl, and this unexpected expression made Lo Ye's heart skip a beat.
As they locked eyes, he quickly pulled out a tissue from his pocket and wiped the corner of her mouth.
Su Bai Zhou fully woke up, embarrassed that she had actually drooled while sleeping. Her face turned red as she grabbed the tissue from Lo Ye's hand and muttered, "Thank you..."
They stood up and left the bus. They were now in a small town, about 5-6 kilometers from her mother's home, and it was nearly 10 p.m. There were no buses or taxis available at this hour. Su Bai Zhou took out her phone to call her uncle, asking him to pick them up.
After the call ended, Lo Ye felt a surge of nervousness. "Her uncle?" And her mother too?
He had come to Hangzhou just to hang out, with the excuse that he was visiting her. Never did he imagine that he'd not only meet her but also meet her family. Things were moving too fast, and Lo Ye wasn't prepared for it.
Noticing his nervousness, Su Bai Zhou reassured him, "They're easy to get along with."
Lo Ye gave a nervous chuckle. "Sis, are you sure it's okay for me, a guy, to come home with you?"
"If I don't take you, where will you stay?" she asked, then frowned.
It crossed her mind that she could've sent him to a hotel, but it was too late now. The small town didn't have good accommodations, and she didn't think it would be appropriate for him to stay there.
Just then, a vehicle appeared by the roadside—a three-wheeled electric scooter. A handsome middle-aged man was waving at them.
"Let's go." Su Bai Zhou started walking, and Lo Ye followed, still feeling a little out of place.
The middle-aged man's face darkened when he saw a boy following his niece. It wasn't until they were on the scooter that he turned the throttle, speeding off into the night. They left the town and drove into a nearby village.
Su Bai Zhou's mother, Fan Xinya, greeted them happily when they arrived. "Has Fan Fan had dinner yet?"
"I had a little," Su Bai Zhou replied softly, then turned to Lo Ye and explained, "When I was born, my uncle named me Su Bai Fan, but my mom didn't like it. So, they ended up calling me Bai Zhou, and Fan Fan became my nickname."
Lo Ye smiled. "Bai Fan sounds nice too, but honestly, it doesn't matter what you're called, since you're so beautiful."
Fan Xinya heard this and smiled at Lo Ye. She hadn't heard anyone speak about her daughter this way before, and she could tell that he might be special.
"Come in, I've saved dinner for you," Fan Xinya invited.
Lo Ye was stunned as he entered and saw the delicious spread on the table. It looked amazing. He could tell that Su Bai Zhou's cooking skills came from her mother.
Meanwhile, Fan Xinya's husband, Fan Jian, kept his eyes on Lo Ye. He was curious about the boy who seemed to have captured his niece's attention.
After some time, Su Bai Zhou raised an eyebrow and said, "Stop staring and eat."
Fan Jian chuckled awkwardly. He was the least authoritative in the family, but seeing Lo Ye, he had an idea. Perhaps this young man might help him rise in the family hierarchy.
Lo Ye dug into the meal, thoroughly enjoying it, his face lighting up with excitement. The wild flavors of the mountain dishes were so different from what he was used to.
Fan Xinya smiled, watching him. She was happy that he appreciated her cooking. The boy seemed a bit simple and couldn't hide his emotions, showing genuine delight when something tasted good.
What amused her even more was that when the best dishes came out, Lo Ye purposely ate a little and left some for others, especially looking towards Su Bai Zhou.
Fan Xinya noticed and suddenly had a thought. She turned to Su Bai Zhou, and seeing the same expression on her face, she couldn't help but smile.
She had always thought that her daughter might never find someone, but now she saw a different possibility.