Reaching the Highlands

Leaving home and heading towards Jingyuan, Shen Yi finally managed to comfort Fu Nanzhi after some effort.

The road was relatively empty, so the drive was smooth, and they arrived quickly.

Ji Shulan had already called several times to check in, so the two didn’t linger outside for long.

After dropping Fu Nanzhi off at her place, Shen Yi reflected on their conversation during the drive.

Her ideas were incredibly bold—it seemed she hadn’t given up on the notions from their earlier simulations. Though Shen Yi still hadn’t agreed, there was no telling if this might become a breakthrough point later.

Pushing those thoughts aside, Shen Yi left Songping Garden and headed toward Jingyuan University.

This was another matter he couldn’t avoid. Last time, their schedules had coincidentally clashed, but now that he had time, he naturally had to see her.

As soon as he pulled up to the university gates, he stopped to call his mother and let her know he’d arrived safely.

But before he could even park, his phone rang.

Picking it up, he saw it was indeed his mother calling. He quickly parked and answered.

“Huh?”

Hanging up, the scolding from his mother still echoed in his ears.

In short, Shen Yi’s mood could be summed up in one word.

Staring at the gilded characters of "Jingyuan University," he couldn’t even muster a bitter laugh.

Reality was reality precisely because it didn’t bend to personal will.

Contrary to his expectations, Shu Yunyi hadn’t obediently waited for him at the apartment. Instead, she’d stealthily taken the initiative and gone straight for his "crystal"—his family home.

“Yun-jie, my dear teacher…”

“You’ve really given me a tough problem here…”

Sighing, Shen Yi put down his phone and rubbed his forehead.

There was no avoiding this. He had no choice but to start the car again and head back home.

Fortunately, the two hadn’t run into each other directly—otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

But would his mother’s reaction be any easier to handle?

From the tone of that phone call, Shen Yi could practically hear her gritting her teeth.

This trip home was bound to cost him a layer of skin.

…………

Liu Huijuan adjusted her expression and walked back inside.

As soon as she entered the courtyard, she smiled and announced:

“I told you all earlier that Xiao Yi wasn’t home—he went out to drop someone off.”

“I just called him, and he’s already on his way back.”

Hearing this, everyone waved it off understandingly.

“Ah, no worries.”

“How long has Xiao Yi been gone? Will he make it back for dinner?”

Liu Huijuan did a quick mental calculation. Realistically, he probably wouldn’t make it, but she kept her answer vague:

“Who can say for sure? It’s hard to predict.”

Even if he could make it, she wasn’t keen on him rushing back. If the two crossed paths at the dinner table and tensions flared, it’d be hard to smooth things over.

At this point, whether Shu Yunyi was a family embarrassment or not, she didn’t want to air dirty laundry in front of everyone.

“Then, Huijuan, why don’t you start preparing dinner? We can eat while we wait.”

“Tell Xiao Yi to drive safely—night roads can be dangerous.”

Grandmother spoke while shakily picking up her stool to stand.

“Let’s get started. I’ll help watch the stove.”

Elder Cousin Sister, seeing this, immediately stopped the old woman with a smile.

“Grandmother, just rest for a bit.”

“There’s no need for you to trouble yourself—I’ll help Auntie instead.”

With that, she handed the child in her arms to Younger Aunt by Marriage and stood up.

“Auntie, I’ll help you get things ready.”

Liu Huijuan smiled gratefully.

“Alright, my dear niece is so thoughtful.”

Luckily, Shen’s Father had brought home a big fish earlier in the day—otherwise, feeding this many people would’ve been a challenge.

Using the fish as the main dish, along with leftovers from the past couple of days, they could still put together a hearty dinner.

As the two got to work, the sun slowly dipped below the horizon.

Shen’s Father ushered everyone into the living room to chat while he brewed tea.

The men chatted idly, Grandmother watched TV, and the three women sat to the side, holding the children.

“Here, Xiao Shu, try some too.”

Shen’s Father handed a cup to Shu Yunyi, his demeanor so natural that no one would guess this was their first meeting.

“Thank you, Uncle.”

Shu Yunyi sat with her back straight, legs gracefully crossed to one side, a faint smile on her lips.

She accepted the tea with both hands, blew on it lightly, took a sip, and thanked him softly.

Liu Huimin, Shen Yi’s second aunt, was utterly envious of Shu Yunyi’s poise but found herself at a loss for words to praise her properly.

Younger Aunt by Marriage, barely in her thirties and only a few years older than Shu Yunyi, looked like she belonged to a different generation by comparison.

Now, she marveled at Shu Yunyi’s delicate fingers, convinced the younger woman was at least a decade her junior.

“Xiao Shu, since you work at the university… do you know any single girls there?”

“No pressure, but I’d love to introduce one to my son…”

Liu Huimin hesitated before finally broaching the subject.

Shu Yunyi pursed her lips. The question was a bit forward for a first meeting, but she knew this aunt’s personality—she’d had brief interactions with her in the past. There was no malice, just a mother’s concern for her son.

‘Shi Jing, for your teacher’s happiness, it’s time to step up.’

Not wanting to offend, she chose her words carefully.

“I do have a student around the right age who’s still single.”

“They can get to know each other, but whether it works out is up to them—please don’t blame me if it doesn’t.”

Shi Jing was a career-focused woman who’d once confided her struggles with dating. Shu Yunyi doubted it would go far—she wasn’t particularly confident in her looks and was too busy with her studies.

Liu Huimin was already overjoyed.

“Oh, these things depend on fate! No blame at all—thank you so much, Xiao Shu. I don’t even know how to express my gratitude.”

“Let me add your contact, and I’ll send you her details later. They can chat and see how it goes.”

“Yes, yes, of course!”

She eagerly pulled out her phone to scan Shu Yunyi’s QR code, beaming with delight.

Next, Shu Yunyi turned to Younger Aunt by Marriage and recommended a few skincare brands, generously sharing her beauty and maintenance tips. The younger woman was touched by her kindness.

With that, the atmosphere in the room grew even livelier, and the relatives regarded Shu Yunyi with newfound admiration.

Liu Huimin, in particular, sat beside her, showering her with praise—she couldn’t have been more satisfied.

Shu Yunyi remained composed at the center of it all, her serene smile unwavering.

“Dinner’s ready—Lao Shen, come help serve!”

Amid the chatter, the food was brought out one dish after another.

Shu Yunyi felt a bit out of place sitting idle but couldn’t find an opening to assist.

A large round table was set up in the living room, and the family of ten gathered around it.

The fish had been prepared three ways: fish head soup, poached fish fillets, and pan-fried fish tail, accompanied by two meat and two vegetable dishes—a feast by any measure.

“Should we wait for Xiao Yi?”

“No need. Let’s eat first—it’s not right to keep a table full of elders waiting.”

Shen’s Mother shook her head. If Shen Yi made it back in time, great; if not, so be it. She hadn’t rushed him.

With that, Shen’s Father gestured for everyone to dig in.

A meal without wine is incomplete. As the liquor was uncapped and poured around the table, Shen's Father didn’t want to leave out Shu Yunyi, fearing she might take it the wrong way. So he asked her,

"Xiao Shu, would you like a drink?"