That evening, Luo Ye arrived at a room.
Fan Jian said, "This is my son's room. It was empty after he left for work. You can sleep here."
"Thank you, Uncle," Luo Ye said politely.
However, Fan Jian furrowed his brow.
Uncle? Who is he calling "Uncle?"
He looked over at the neighboring room, where Fan Xinya and Su Baizhou's room was. This yard had three rooms: one for him and his wife, one for his son, and one empty room. After bringing Fan Xinya back from Hangzhou, she had moved into the empty room. If Su Baizhou had returned, she would have stayed in Luo Ye's room, but since Luo Ye was here, Su Baizhou had to share a bed with her mother.
The toilet was outside, so one had to step out of the house to use it.
Luo Ye wasn't quite used to it, but it was a rural custom, so he accepted it.
Fan Jian didn't leave. Instead, he sat on the kang (a traditional heated platform) in Luo Ye's room and asked seriously, "Kid, what do you like about my daughter?"
Luo Ye immediately put on a serious expression. He couldn't hide anything from his "uncle." He knew that if he said he didn't like his cousin, the next second, he'd be kicked out.
He felt extremely nervous, so much so that he didn't pay attention to the formalities.
"I don't know!" Luo Ye responded forcefully. Then, seeing Fan Jian's angry expression, he shrank back and added, "I can't say it exactly, but my cousin is really amazing. Every time I think about her, I like everything about her."
Fan Jian nodded deeply, agreeing. Yes, his daughter was indeed very impressive.
But his sister's marriage hadn't been a happy one, so as her uncle, he had to be strict about her future relationships.
"Kid, what does your family do for work?"
"Huh? My aunt and uncle run a company, they make video games."
"Who asked about your aunt? I'm asking about your parents!"
Fan Jian glared at Luo Ye, his tone suddenly turning harsh.
Answering the question wrong and changing the subject was a big mistake.
"My parents? I don't have any," Luo Ye said flatly, clearly accustomed to life without them.
"What?" Fan Jian frowned, looking at him in disbelief.
"I don't have parents. They died when I was too young to remember."
Luo Ye's face was calm as he said this. He had lived without parents all his life, and he was used to it.
At this moment, Fan Jian was stunned.
Luo Ye had hit him where it hurt with just a few words.
Fan Jian felt a sharp pang in his chest, like a needle piercing his heart. He had his own children, and as a father, he could easily imagine what it must have been like for Luo Ye to grow up without parents.
But... no, he couldn't let his emotions take over.
He steeled himself. Fan Xinya's past experience was a warning. No matter how pitiful Luo Ye seemed, he was still an outsider. He had to think of Su Baizhou's future.
Fan Jian continued to put up a strict front. "You can't just use pity to win over the parents. And I'm not discriminating against kids without parents. Growing up in a broken family often means developing a unique personality. It's easy for them to clash with others."
However, his gaze softened again. Wasn't Luo Ye's situation a little different?
Before he could continue, Luo Ye spoke again. "They didn't leave me on purpose. My parents were the best people in the world. They sacrificed their lives while chasing down criminals."
At this, Fan Jian's heart broke. He clenched his fist in anger. "Those damn criminals!"
Fan Jian punched the kang and hugged Luo Ye tightly. "From now on, I'm your uncle. I'm your family."
Luo Ye: ...You're being way too emotional.
Despite being recognized by Fan Jian, it didn't really help Luo Ye's situation. Fan Jian had a low status in the family—just above his son, and certainly below Da Huang, the old yellow dog that had been guarding the yard for nearly ten years. Da Huang was more useful than Fan Jian by far.
After Fan Jian left, Luo Ye lay on the kang, staring at the rough ceiling.
Though it wasn't as bustling as the city, there was a warm, homely feel to the place.
Luo Ye began recalling his day. His mind kept returning to the moment on the bus when his "goddess" leaned her head on his shoulder.
Excited, he tossed and turned on the kang, unable to calm down. Fortunately, he had finished updating his novel in the morning, or else his readers would have been disappointed.
Late that night, Luo Ye woke up, feeling the pressure of a full bladder.
He groggily sat up, then paused, confused.
Where was the bathroom?
Luo Ye slipped on his slippers and opened his door, stepping into the yard.
The rural night was pitch dark, and without the moon, he could see absolutely nothing.
He wandered around the yard, searching for the toilet.
Soon, he found a small, dark room.
Unable to find a light, he turned on his phone's flashlight.
The room smelled strongly, and Luo Ye could tell this was the bathroom.
After finishing, Luo Ye turned off the flashlight and exited. Just as he stepped outside, someone walked in, and they collided.
Su Baizhou cried out in pain. Hearing her voice, Luo Ye immediately reacted, stepping forward to catch her. Just as he tried to act cool, his feet slipped, and he fell to the ground.
Before he hit the floor, however, he pulled Su Baizhou into his arms, making her the cushion for his fall.
"Are you alright, senior?" Luo Ye asked.
"I'm fine."
Su Baizhou looked at the young man pressed against her, her voice neutral, but in the darkness, Luo Ye couldn't see the blush on her face.
It was so dark that they couldn't see much, except for the faint light in their eyes.
They stared at each other for a moment, neither speaking.
Su Baizhou's body was soft, and it was only when they were this close that Luo Ye realized just how perfect her figure was.
He could feel two soft "bunnies" pressing against his chest, immobile.
Luo Ye, holding Su Baizhou, had only one thought in his mind: This is happiness...
"Have you had enough of hugging me?"
Su Baizhou didn't resist, but if he continued, she might faint from the heat. She didn't know why, but her face was burning, and her mind was getting foggy.