Watching her daughter head upstairs, Xu Wenfang smiled gently.

“Don’t worry. Nannan won’t mind.”

Su Fu nodded.

“I know.”

She started from the very first time she and Li Mingyu met, sharing all sorts of funny stories, embarrassing moments, and tales about working hard in the countryside.

Xu Wenfang’s eyes grew moist.

“Thank goodness she had you. Otherwise…”

She truly didn’t dare imagine what would have happened if her daughter had actually married and settled down in the countryside.

Su Fu spoke honestly.

“Auntie, Lili paid me.”

There was no point hiding it.

For a family like theirs, being interested in money was far preferable to being interested in something else.

Besides, she didn’t believe she could fool someone as experienced as Xu Wenfang by putting on an act.

Being straightforward would at least leave the impression that she was honest.

Xu Wenfang genuinely didn’t care that Su Fu had accepted money.

Money could always be earned again.

Safety, once lost, could never be bought back.

“Let’s not talk about money. That’s just normal interaction between friends.”

Su Fu blinked playfully.

“Auntie’s absolutely right.”

In the kitchen, Li Zhengshan quietly perked up his ears.

He wanted to hear about his daughter’s life in the countryside too.

Unfortunately, all he could make out was occasional laughter drifting over from the living room.

Which only made him itch with curiosity.

By the time Li Mingyu came downstairs after her shower, dinner was ready.

Li Zhengshan had even brewed a pot of chrysanthemum tea and poured everyone a cup.

“Welcome, our daughter’s friend…”

“Her name is Su Fu,” Li Mingyu interrupted. “Dad, you can call her Susu, or Furong if you like.”

Li Zhengshan was a somewhat particular man.

“Su Fu? As in ‘comfortable’?”

Su Fu laughed and explained.

“Su as in Su Shi. Fu as in the fu from the phrase ‘a lotus emerging from clear water.’”

Li Zhengshan nodded.

“Welcome, Xiao Su. It’s just a simple homemade meal today. I hope it’s to your taste.”

Su Fu glanced at the dining table.

Braised pork ribs.

Steamed egg custard.

And another dish that looked like bamboo shoots braised with pork.

Once again, tears of envy nearly escaped from the corners of her mouth.

The Li family didn’t follow any rule about keeping silent while eating.

Throughout the meal, Li Mingyu never stopped praising Su Fu.

“All the sacks in the courtyard are my things. Susu carried them back by herself.

Forget everything else—the walk from the train station to our house takes almost three hours. Isn’t she amazing?”

Li Zhengshan and Xu Wenfang were stunned.

“Really? We thought you came back by bus.”

Su Fu smiled and nodded.

“I’ve always been strong. Besides, I was paid for it.”

After saying that, she winked at Li Mingyu.

The two exchanged looks and burst out laughing.

Once the laughter died down, Li Mingyu continued.

“And Susu’s cooking is incredible too! One day I’ll have her cook for you.”

Normally, Xiao Zhang handled cooking for the Li family.

If Xiao Zhang wasn’t available, Li Zhengshan would cook instead.

Xu Wenfang could cook too, but rarely had the opportunity.

The laughter and conversation around the dinner table gradually faded as the dishes disappeared one by one.

Su Fu had planned to head upstairs afterward.

After all, she was still technically an outsider.

Just as she was about to excuse herself, Li Zhengshan emerged from the kitchen after washing the dishes and stopped her.

“Xiao Su, how about an arm-wrestling match?”

At a small table, both rolled up their sleeves and prepared themselves.

Su Fu asked,

“Uncle Li, are we doing this seriously or just for fun?”

“Of course we’re giving it our all.”

Li Mingyu laughed so hard she nearly fell over.

“Dad, you’re definitely going to lose.”

Li Zhengshan didn’t particularly care about winning or losing.

He’d met naturally strong people before, though it had become rare in recent years.

“Come on then, Xiao Su.”

Su Fu truly gave it her all.

In an instant, Li Zhengshan’s hand slammed onto the tabletop.

“Thank you for letting me win, Uncle Li.”

Li Zhengshan immediately gave her a thumbs-up.

“You’re capable.”

The girl had brains.

She had ability.

She was open and straightforward.

And she wasn’t someone who relied on flattery.

His daughter had gained something valuable during her time in the countryside after all.

A friend worth keeping.

Xu Wenfang declared that she wanted to try too.

Su Fu blinked playfully.

“Auntie Xu, bring it on!”

Three seconds later, Xu Wenfang’s hand was pinned down as well.

Li Mingyu was thoroughly entertained.

Seeing that her parents still wanted to keep talking with Su Fu, she quickly dragged her upstairs.

Some things were best learned little by little.

If they found out everything about Susu at once, where was the fun in that?

Li Mingyu had her own plans.

She was absolutely determined to keep Su Fu in the city.

“Susu, let’s sleep together. I don’t snore.”

“I don’t mind.”

The mattress was soft.

The blankets smelled faintly of soap.

For Su Fu, it was yet another novel experience.

Listening to Li Mingyu’s steady breathing beside her, she gazed through the glass doors toward the rooftop garden outside.

If she relied solely on her own hard work, she probably could never live in a room like this in her entire lifetime.

So what exactly could she do to obtain this kind of life?

She thought about it for a long time.

Eventually, she simply propped her pillow a little higher and went to sleep.

The next morning, after breakfast and sorting through the luggage in the sacks, it was already noon.

Li Mingyu clapped her hands.

“Come on! We’ll eat at a restaurant, then watch a movie. In the evening I’ll take you boating on the lake…”

Su Fu was eager to see more of the city.

Opportunities like this didn’t come often.

“But when are we handling the important business?”

She hadn’t forgotten why she’d come.

Expanding her horizons couldn’t interfere with the real objective.

Li Mingyu thought for a moment.

“Tomorrow, maybe? Today I’ll find someone to help arrange a meeting with him. I don’t even know if he’s in Shanghai right now.”

Suddenly remembering something, she ran upstairs and returned with a dress and a pair of shoes.

“Susu, wear this! That way everyone will know we’re best friends the moment they see us together.”

It was a beautiful date-red dress.

White fabric at the collar had been folded into decorative flower-like ruffles.

The shoes were brown leather flats, accompanied by a brand-new pair of white socks.

Su Fu changed in the bathroom.

When she came back out, Li Mingyu stared.

“Susu, this color suits you perfectly! Let me do your hair too.”

She had rediscovered the joy of dressing up dolls.

Su Fu yawned.

“Do whatever you want.”

After a long while, Li Mingyu finally finished.

“I’ll go get a mirror!”

Su Fu stopped her and pulled a small mirror from her cloth bag.

Looking at her reflection, she hesitated.

“I look… kind of easy to bully.”

Li Mingyu immediately linked arms with her.

“You look amazing. Come on, let’s go eat!”

They went to the same state-owned restaurant as before.

The cuisine here was completely different from the food back home.

Li Mingyu ordered a serving of salted pork and bamboo shoot soup, along with sweet-and-sour shrimp balls.

Su Fu: …

At last, she understood why all the maids in shadow-puppet plays were so fiercely loyal to their masters.

After eating their fill, they took a bus to the movie theater.

Li Mingyu bought two tickets for a newly released film and two bottles of soda.

“My stomach hurts a little,” Su Fu said. “You go in first. I’ll use the restroom.”

“Okay.”

Li Mingyu entered the theater and took her seat.

Not long afterward, several young women walked in.

The moment she recognized them, her face darkened.

The newcomers looked equally surprised.

“Li Mingyu? You’re back in the city?”

Li Mingyu had no interest in talking to them.

“What’s it got to do with you? Ungrateful traitor.”

The atmosphere instantly grew tense.

When Su Fu returned from the restroom and entered the theater, she immediately saw several girls surrounding her precious “golden thigh.”

Li Mingyu was still arguing.

“I’m telling you, I have a really amazing friend. When she gets here—”

Before she could finish, Su Fu charged over.

In one smooth motion, she stepped onto a chair and grabbed a girl in each hand.

“Want to know what flying feels like?”

The two girls immediately shrieked in terror.

The commotion woke up a young man seated in the back row.

Chen Jingyuan lazily opened his eyes and glanced over.

“Heh. She’s pretty strong.”

From his angle, he could only see her back.

He took a sip of soda, intending to continue watching the show unfold.

Unfortunately, the drama ended almost immediately.

The girl hopped down from the chair and turned around.

Slanting sunlight streamed through the theater windows, illuminating a face that was both sweet and radiant.

The red dress made her seem even more vibrant and alive.

For a moment, Chen Jingyuan’s heartbeat quickened.

Only after finishing the rest of his soda did he finally manage to suppress the sudden stirring in his chest.