Chapter 3: Mom, I Think I Fell in Love at First Sight

After lying in bed all day, Shen Xiuyan got up and stepped out of the room at dinnertime.

Zhou Shi hurried over as soon as she saw him. “Why are you up? Go lie back down. When the food’s ready, I’ll have Yuanming bring it to you.”

Shen Xiuyan cleared his throat. “Mom, I’m feeling much better now. I don’t need to stay in bed all the time—I wanted to get up and move around a bit.”

Seeing that his complexion had indeed regained some color, Zhou Shi didn’t press him further.

She lifted a hand and said, “Just sit at the table after a short walk. Dinner’s almost ready.”

“Okay.”

At dinner, Shen Xiuyan looked at the large flatbread in his bowl, then at the wild vegetable porridge in his mother and brother’s bowls, and sighed.

Had the family really fallen into such hardship…

The only filling food was in front of someone like him who did nothing, while the two who worked themselves to the bone every day were left eating gruel and scraps.

Zhou Shi brought over the warmed-up chicken soup and called out, “Xiuyan, Yuanming, time to eat.”

She then used a bowl to separate out two chicken legs. “Xiuyan, eat this chicken leg to nourish yourself. The rest in the pot is for your breakfast tomorrow.”

Hearing these obviously biased words, Shen Xiuyan glanced at his silly little brother slurping down wild vegetable porridge.

Looking at how used to it he was, Shen Xiuyan sighed again.

It was all because of poverty…

He reached out with his chopsticks and distributed the two chicken legs.

And so, both Shen Yuanming and Zhou Shi now had a chicken leg in their bowls.

Shen Yuanming stared at the sudden appearance of the giant chicken leg and couldn’t help swallowing a mouthful of saliva. Then he looked up, stunned.

Seeing the confused looks on his mother’s and brother’s faces, Shen Xiuyan smiled and said, “I’m doing fine. I really don’t feel like eating meat—why don’t you two have the chicken legs.”

Hearing that, Shen Yuanming was reminded of the bowl of chicken soup he had in the afternoon, and his heart stirred a little.

But Zhou Shi immediately said, “No way. If you don’t want it today, save it for tomorrow. It’s not like it’ll go bad.”

She was about to use her chopsticks to take the chicken leg out of her bowl when Shen Yuanming lowered his eyes in disappointment.

Shen Xiuyan held down his mother’s hand, his tone unyielding. “I won’t want it tomorrow, or the day after that. Just eat it now, both of you.”

Zhou Shi stared blankly at this son who had clearly changed. How could she not understand what he meant? The child was caring for them.

This was the first time she’d felt such direct concern from Xiuyan, and it filled her with joy.

She then called out, “Yuanming, look how much your brother thinks of us. Just eat the chicken leg.”

Seeing them finally stop refusing, Shen Xiuyan breathed a sigh of relief and continued, “Mom, I’m going to the county bookstore tomorrow to see if I can find something to copy. I might be able to earn a bit of silver that way.”

Zhou Shi immediately objected, “What copying? Just focus on your studies. Don’t worry about money.”

Once Shen Xiuyan had made up his mind, no one could change it. “I’ve got nothing to do anyway. Copying books can help reinforce my knowledge too.”

Since it was still school break, Zhou Shi thought for a moment and, realizing it wouldn’t interfere with his studies, didn’t stop him further.

She then looked at Yuanming, who was about to stuff the chicken leg into his nose, and smiled.

How long had it been since Yuanming had eaten meat? Look how ravenous the poor child was.

She picked off a big piece of meat from her own chicken leg with her chopsticks. “Yuanming, slow down. I still have some here.”

Snapping out of it, Shen Yuanming quickly refused. “Mom, I don’t need it. You eat. You should nourish yourself too.”

“Haha, what’s an old woman like me got to nourish? This meat is too tough—it gets stuck in my teeth. What’s in my bowl is plenty. Be good and eat it up.”

“Thanks, Mom!” Shen Yuanming dug in again, happily.

Watching her two sensible and thoughtful sons, Zhou Shi felt even happier than if she’d eaten the meat herself.

Their family might be poor, but at least she had the good fortune of raising two fine boys.

Early the next morning, Shen Xiuyan swayed along to the county town on the village’s ox cart.

“Fresh sesame flatbread, one wen each!”

“Candied hawthorns! Get your candied hawthorns~!”

“Sir, come look at these fabrics! Just arrived Suzhou embroidery—miss it here, and you won’t find it elsewhere!”

Linzhu County was the largest in the area, bustling with people and full of life. The cries of street vendors filled the air, and everyone’s faces were lit with happy smiles, a testament to the town’s prosperity.

Shen Xiuyan wandered the main street, looking for a trustworthy bookstore.

Suddenly, a woman’s voice called out, “Shen Lang, I finally found you! Where have you been these past few days?”

At the sound, Shen Xiuyan looked up and instantly saw Su Mingyue’s radiant, flowerlike face. That must be the young lady of the Su family.

Without realizing it, he held his breath.

Mom, I might’ve just fallen in love at first sight!!!

Why? Why did it have to be like this?

This Su Mingyue was just so perfectly his type.

Wuwu~

She looked exactly like the dream girl he’d imagined!

A voice echoed in his mind:

You’re doomed. You’ve fallen in love!

He had previously been determined to avoid getting involved with Miss Su, but now, just like that, his heart was moved.

He was already a 25-year-old bachelor who had long accepted the truth of life: wise men don’t fall in love, lone kings pursue their PhDs in peace.

But that thought was instantly thrown out the window.

Of course, his face instantly burned red.

Luckily, his skin was thick enough to tough it out. A person really shouldn’t make sweeping declarations—sooner or later, they’d eat their words.

“You’re still ignoring me!”

Su Mingyue pouted unhappily, arms crossed over her chest, her little face scrunched into a frown.

Shen Xiuyan felt utterly doomed. Even in this attitude, he thought she was unbearably cute.

Under her gaze, Shen Xiuyan nervously scratched his head. “I took a fall a few days ago—I only just woke up yesterday.”

“What!” Su Mingyue exclaimed. “Then what are you doing out here? You should be at home resting!”

The shock made her forget what she’d initially wanted to ask.

Shen Xiuyan smiled lightly. “It’s fine. I’m already much better.”

“How can that be okay.” Su Mingyue still wasn’t reassured and turned to instruct, “Cui Cui, go fetch the physician to take a look at Shen Lang.”

“Yes, Miss,” the maid nodded. “The bookstore is nearby—take the young master there first, I’ll catch up soon.”

“Alright, but hurry.” Su Mingyue turned back and looked at Shen Xiuyan like he was something fragile. “Shen Lang, come with me.”

“Okay, okay.” Getting to spend more time with his crush—Shen Xiuyan was more than willing.

He followed along eagerly.

Before long, the two arrived at the Su family’s bookstore.

The shop assistant inside seemed to recognize him. As soon as they entered, he gave Shen Xiuyan a cryptic smile.

“Young Master Shen, what a surprise. It’s been a while.”

Shen Xiuyan: “……”

That overly familiar tone, that mysterious look—clearly, the two of them must’ve used to rendezvous here a lot…

Just the thought of his beloved having trysts with the original body’s scumbag self left him feeling sour.

But it didn’t matter—he was here now.

Shen Xiuyan straightened up again.