NOVPUB“Coming, coming!”
Liu Changqing called out as he left the bathroom, his hands still wet, having just finished using the toilet but not yet brushing his teeth or washing his face. Tugging up his pants, he walked toward the door and opened it.
Standing at the entrance was Zhou Shiyan.
His mind immediately filled with questions.
What’s this girl doing here?
“Here to study again?” he asked.
“No, my mom sent me to bring you breakfast,” Zhou Shiyan replied, shaking her head and lifting a large plastic bag she was holding.
Liu Changqing glanced at the bag and quickly scanned its contents: steamed buns, dumplings, fried dough sticks, sesame balls, soy milk, and eight-treasure porridge.
“For me?” he asked, astonished.
“Yes,” she confirmed, stepping inside as he moved aside to let her in. She switched into the same slippers she had worn the previous day.
“My mom wanted to thank you for saving me last time,” she added.
“Saving you?” Liu Changqing repeated reflexively, then remembered—the stalker with the iron rod.
His brows furrowed.
“You told her about that?”
“Mm. So she asked me to bring breakfast to show her gratitude.”
“It’s been over a week since that happened. There’s no need...”
“This is just a small gesture of appreciation,” Zhou Shiyan said, holding the bag out toward him, her gaze steady.
“...”
After a moment of thought, Liu Changqing chuckled.
“Alright, I won’t stand on ceremony.”
He took the bag from her hands, patting her head lightly with his free hand.
“You’re such a thoughtful kid!”
As soon as he did it, he realized it might not be appropriate.
She’s not my child—would she find this offensive?
Awkwardly, he withdrew his hand and laughed nervously.
“Sorry, force of habit...”
“It’s fine,” Zhou Shiyan said with a rare smile, surprising him.
There it is again!
The atmosphere grew slightly awkward. Liu Changqing felt uneasy under her gaze, his discomfort palpable.
Desperate for an excuse, he said, “Let me wake up Zhiyue.”
“Okay,” she replied.
Placing the breakfast bag on the coffee table, Liu Changqing headed to his son’s room.
Inside, Liu Zhiyue was still sound asleep.
Liu Changqing walked over and yanked the blanket off him.
“Get up. Your classmate is here to see you.”
“...”
Rubbing his eyes groggily, Liu Zhiyue mumbled, “Classmate? Who?”
“Zhou Shiyan.”
His son’s movements froze, and his eyes snapped open.
“She’s here again?”
“How would I know? Now get up, wash your face, and don’t keep her waiting.”
“Ugh...”
Before his son could respond, Liu Changqing had already left the room.
Returning to the living room, he said, “Have a seat on the sofa. He’ll be up soon.”
Then he added, “Have you eaten breakfast yet?”
“Yes,” she replied.
“That’s a lot of food... The three of us can’t finish all this.”
“It’s fine. If you don’t like it, I can ask my mom to send something else.”
“No need. Your family’s breakfast is the best around here!”
“Mm. That’s good to hear.”
With that, Zhou Shiyan fell silent.
Liu Changqing struggled to continue the conversation. Something about her presence didn’t feel right, though he couldn’t put his finger on what it was.
While she claimed to be here to deliver breakfast, she made no move to leave, sitting quietly on the sofa with her eyes fixed ahead.
Noticing her gaze, Liu Changqing looked at her and caught her turning to meet his eyes.
She smiled again.
“...”
“I’ll just wash up,” he said abruptly, retreating to the bathroom.
“Okay.”
Inside, he stood before the mirror, looking at his reflection as he rubbed his chin, feeling the stubble that had grown overnight.
Thick eyebrows, deep-set eyes, a straight nose—despite his overgrown hair, his features were still striking.
“Not bad,” he muttered, shamelessly complimenting himself.
The mirror often lies, making the reflection seem better than reality.
Thinking of the summer heat, Liu Changqing decided it was time to restart his father-son weight-loss plan. Morning runs were no longer enough—he’d add evening runs too.
For the sake of a standard physique!
Just then, Liu Zhiyue appeared at the bathroom door, leaning against the frame.
“Dad, are you going to wash your face or just stare at yourself?”
“I’m washing, don’t rush me!” Liu Changqing retorted.
An idea struck him, and he turned to pull his son into the bathroom, shutting the door behind them. Lowering his voice, he said, “Hey... does your classmate seem a bit off to you today?”
“What do you mean?”
“You didn’t, uh... get close to her during tutoring sessions, did you?”
“Dad! How could you accuse me of that?”
“Oh, come on. Every time I visit your school, I see girls chatting you up.”
“That’s just classmates talking! Don’t overthink it!”
“Keep your voice down!” Liu Changqing hissed, covering his son’s mouth.
“Yesterday, did she say anything weird after I went to my room?”
Reluctantly, Liu Zhiyue thought back.
“Well, now that you mention it... She did ask me a weird question.”
“What was it?”
“She asked if we’d ever thought about encouraging you to start a new family.”
“Start a new family?” Liu Changqing repeated, stunned. “What does she mean by that?”
“No idea. Maybe she was just making conversation. Anyway, if you’re not washing your face, can I go ahead?”
“Fine, go ahead.”
Liu Changqing stepped aside as his son turned on the faucet and splashed water on his face.
Standing nearby, Liu Changqing frowned in thought.
It was a question he hadn’t considered before.
After a long pause, he murmured under his breath, “Remarrying, huh...”
