Surprise and Family Feast

After Shu Yunyi left, Shen Yi wiped down the cleaned table.

Women are generally tidier than men, but there are exceptions—some are neat to the point of obsession, while others are as messy as a garbage dump.

Shen Yi fell somewhere in between. He cleaned up when things bothered him but didn’t obsess over perfection.

After mopping the entire apartment, he nodded in satisfaction.

Leaving the floor to air-dry, he closed the door behind him and headed out.

Once off campus, Shen Yi drove straight to the DMV. His temporary license plates had been in use for quite a few days, and now that he’d won the license plate lottery, it was time to get permanent ones.

After gathering all the necessary documents and working through the process, he finally finished everything by noon.

The plate number was nothing special—no rare or coveted sequences to speak of.

Shen Yi simply picked one that looked decent—357—and called it a day.

Driving back to his neighborhood, he grabbed a quick bite downstairs before returning home.

He still had work to do for the day. Yes, Shen Yi now treated the daily refreshes in the simulator as his mission.

The earnings came effortlessly, and he was quite satisfied with the arrangement.

Though taking over Jinheng from Fu Nanzhi could grant him financial freedom, it would take time, and more importantly, it was exhausting. Being a lawyer was all about networking, and the higher up the ladder you climbed, the more socializing it required—something Shen Yi had firsthand experience with.

Running an online account could also generate staggering profits, even enough to last a lifetime in just a few years. But turning a creative hobby into a job was far from enjoyable—constantly brainstorming ideas, ensuring the scenery was picturesque, the music fitting, the editing polished, and the content authentic. It was a surefire way to stress yourself bald.

Shen Yi spent two and a half hours completing his daily task, adding another hundred thousand or so to his account.

For several days in a row, he holed up in his rented apartment, barely stepping outside except for meals and his jogging routine. Every time the simulator refreshed, he immediately matched targets, aggressively stacking up earnings.

During this time, Shen Yi made a habit of glancing at the apartment across from his whenever he opened the door.

True to her word, Cheng Jun hadn’t been back—he never once saw that door open. It seemed she really hadn’t returned to stay here.

Fu Nanzhi had also been acting mysteriously lately. Aside from their usual daily messages, she no longer took the initiative to see him as often as before.

Whenever he asked, she’d dodge the question, mumbling something about a "surprise" and forbidding him from prying.

The only person he occasionally visited was Shu Yunyi, though she wasn’t thrilled about him dropping by too often, complaining that it disrupted her workout routine.

Ironically, Shen Yi—who had once been swamped and worried about spreading himself too thin—suddenly found himself with an unusual amount of free time.

But just as the saying goes, speak of the devil and he shall appear. That evening, right after finishing a simulation, Shen Yi received a message from Fu Nanzhi:

"Dress nicely and come pick me up at the company."

Setting his phone down, Shen Yi mused,

"Is this the so-called surprise?"

"Dress nicely" was a bit vague—he wasn’t particularly fashion-savvy.

Still, wearing something Fu Nanzhi had picked out for him couldn’t go wrong. He trusted her taste.

Checking the time—just past six—he still had a little while. After a quick shower and change of clothes, he drove to Tiancheng Corporation.

Pulling into the underground garage, he texted Fu Nanzhi to let her know he’d arrived.

Since he’d already resigned from Tiancheng, he no longer had an employee card to swipe in. Registering as a visitor would be too much hassle, so he decided to wait in the car.

Before long, the sharp click of heels echoed in the distance.

Shen Yi looked up to see Fu Nanzhi striding toward him, her bag slung over her shoulder and a bright smile on her face.

She slid into the passenger seat, fastening her seatbelt as she chirped,

"Hubby, let’s go—Songping Garden."

Shen Yi rested his hands on the steering wheel, puzzled.

"Pinghu? You’re going home?"

"Yep!"

Fu Nanzhi turned to him, beaming with pride.

"Report! After Comrade Nanzhi’s relentless efforts, the organization has decided to invite you over for dinner today!"

Shen Yi blinked, then immediately understood. Their "organization" could only refer to one person—Fu Nanzhi’s mother, Ji Shulan.

His expression shifted to surprise, and he grinned as he praised her,

"Seriously? You’re amazing! How did you get Mom to agree?"

Fu Nanzhi giggled, looking smug.

"I begged. After wearing her down with my persistence, she finally gave in."

"Mom doesn’t dislike you—she just thought everything happened too suddenly."

Then, with a sweet smile, she added playfully,

"Besides, hubby, you’re so incredible. I refuse to believe anyone could meet you and not adore you~"

Though Shen Yi had thick skin, even he felt a little embarrassed by the flattery. But love was blind, after all.

He waved it off.

"Alright, alright, stop—you’re gonna inflate my ego. I’m not that great."

"You are, you are!" Fu Nanzhi insisted, pouting.

As Shen Yi pulled out of the parking lot and headed toward Pinghu Residence, he remarked confidently,

"So this is the surprise you mentioned."

"Not bad, Comrade Nanzhi. Not only are you skilled at persuasion, but your secrecy game is on point too."

Fu Nanzhi, who had been fiddling with her phone, paused. It took her a moment to respond, hesitating slightly.

"Uh… yeah. That’s right."

"This is… the surprise."

Shen Yi, focused on the road, chuckled.

"I figured. You’ve always been the type to quietly pull off big moves."

Fu Nanzhi didn’t elaborate, simply laughing along.

……

Ji Shulan had gone grocery shopping right after lunch.

The night before, Fu Nanzhi had pestered her relentlessly, shaking her arm so much she thought it might fall off, until she finally agreed to let this Shen Yi come over for dinner.

No matter how casually she’d agreed, in reality, she took it seriously.

After all, family upbringing mattered. Looking down on others or acting snobbish would only embarrass her daughter.

The Fu family was well-off but lived modestly—no luxury cars, no speculative investments, no gambling, and no excessive real estate purchases. The only indulgence was Old Fu’s hobby of collecting various styles of clocks.

Ji Shulan ran a tight ship at home, employing only one part-time housekeeper for basic cleaning.

Most tasks, like cooking, she handled herself.

After returning with the groceries, she started prepping the ingredients early.

Once she confirmed Fu Nanzhi’s schedule via text, she began stir-frying the side dishes.

"Nanzhi’s almost 28 now. Putting the past aside, she’s finally come to her senses. Any later, and she’d be considered an old maid."

Ji Shulan stirred the wok with a clear mind, though she couldn’t help but disapprove of modern dating attitudes.

Deep down, she knew that if Nanzhi was truly happy, no amount of resistance would change her mind—Old Fu understood that better than she did.

But as a mother, she couldn’t help wanting to vet things for her daughter.

In what felt like no time, Ji Shulan had two dishes ready when the sound of the door opening reached her.

"Mom, we’re home~"

Ji Shulan calmly plated the food, even managing an amused thought:

"At least she remembered to say ‘we.’ So she really brought him."

"Mom!" Fu Nanzhi called again.

Ji Shulan finally replied, "I heard you! I’m in the kitchen—find yourselves a seat!"