Nighttime Wine, Morning Porridge

"Son, are you still in touch with that little girl?"

Suddenly hearing Old Han mention her name, Hu Yuying, who had already been fidgeting nervously on the side, immediately tensed up, her eyes darting anxiously toward Long Aotian.

Long Aotian couldn’t help but smile at her nervousness. Gently tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear, he replied, "We are. We keep in touch often."

The tender touch of his hand eased some of the tension in Hu Yuying’s heart.

"That’s good. A young girl like her, all alone in a strange place—you should help her however you can. Don’t mess things up again."

Old Han had heard about Hu Yuying from Long Aotian before.

A girl like her really had it tough, and the fact that his son had managed to get into university was largely thanks to her.

"Here, take a look at who this is." Long Aotian quickly turned the video call toward Hu Yuying, genuinely afraid Old Han might say something earth-shattering.

"Uncle," Hu Yuying greeted timidly, her small hands clenched tightly as she stared at the screen.

Old Han’s expression was nothing short of exaggerated. At the sight of Hu Yuying, he froze for a moment.

Then, hearing her call him "Uncle," he broke into a wide grin, his teeth on full display.

"Little Teacher." The warmth in that title alone made it clear how genuinely happy he was.

His son’s transformation and the fact that he was now attending university—Old Han was truly grateful to the "Little Teacher" Long Aotian had spoken of.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have said what he just did.

Hearing Old Han call her "Little Teacher" with such delight, Hu Yuying blushed furiously, her cheeks blooming with a rosy hue—both radiant and shy.

He had called her that before, and though it had embarrassed her then too, it felt different now.

Stealing a glance at Long Aotian, whose eyes were filled with nothing but adoration as he looked at her, she quickly averted her gaze.

"You and Aotian should go out together during the break." The more Old Han looked at Hu Yuying, the more pleased he felt.

His son’s behavior during those days was still fresh in his memory.

The way he had been listless, as if his very spirit had been drained—all because of this girl. Though his son had tried to hide it, nothing escaped a father’s notice.

Hu Yuying nodded softly and let out a quiet "Mm."

She knew it might seem impolite, but right now, she couldn’t think of anything else to say.

"Good, good, very good..."

With every "good" Old Han uttered, the blush on Hu Yuying’s cheeks deepened.

Did this mean Uncle approved of her too?

The thought made her even more reluctant to lift her eyes to the screen.

Ahem. "Old Han, we’re still eating here," Long Aotian interjected, sensing Hu Yuying’s discomfort as he turned the phone back toward himself.

The moment the screen shifted away, Hu Yuying visibly relaxed—so much so that it was almost comical.

That small, flustered gesture of hers was impossible for Long Aotian to ignore.

Old Han rambled on for a bit longer, emphasizing how important it was to treat the "Little Teacher" well.

Long Aotian agreed to everything before finally ending the call.

"That’s just how Old Han is. He’s not the best with words, but his heart’s in the right place," Long Aotian explained.

"I know." Of course Hu Yuying understood. The fact that Uncle had asked about her and told Long Aotian to look out for her spoke volumes.

But after saying this, she realized Long Aotian had fallen silent.

When she cautiously looked up, she found his smiling eyes fixed intently on her.

Flustered, she turned away and whispered, "Long Aotian, why... why are you staring at me like that?"

"You’re beautiful when you blush." It was something he’d wanted to say for a while now—the way Hu Yuying’s cheeks flushed was just unbearably adorable.

Biting her lip lightly, she lowered her lashes. No one disliked being complimented, especially by someone they liked.

Hu Yuying was no exception. Gathering her courage, she lifted her gaze, letting him see her properly.

He stared at her so intently that, for a fleeting moment, she thought she saw something deeper in his eyes—desire.

It was gone as quickly as it appeared, but she was certain.

Desire was the beginning of attraction. Crude as the saying might be, it was an undeniable truth.

There were many kinds of affection—love for a toy, fondness for a delicate doll, a parent’s love for their child...

But when desire mixed into that affection, it was no longer just about happiness or care.

Everything changed.

"I really did stumble upon a treasure." Long Aotian reached for her hand.

His heart swelled with an indescribable feeling. She was so shy, yet she still mustered the courage to show him her best side.

How foolishly endearing...

——

"Let me tell you something—the liquor of the night ruins your stomach, but the porridge of the morning warms your heart all day." As he spoke, a confident smirk curled at the corner of his lips.

Sometimes, a single gesture or phrase could elevate one’s presence effortlessly.

This was something Ye Liangchen had learned over time.

Xue Shaohua flicked his hair, but his gaze suddenly froze mid-motion.

Ye Liangchen, who had been about to further embellish his wisdom, noticed Xue Shaohua wasn’t following.

He stopped and turned. "Xue Shaohua, are you even listening? These are my spontaneous reflections, the profound musings of my soul. If you could grasp even a fraction of it, just a fraction, it would be life-changing for you. Pay attention, will you?"

But Xue Shaohua remained petrified, staring blankly to the left.

Ye Liangchen frowned, annoyed. There was no fun in grandstanding—er, sharing his wisdom—without an audience.

Walking over, he followed Xue Shaohua’s line of sight—and his frown softened.

There she was, her face alight with a shy, blissful, yet bashful smile.

Ye Liangchen’s lips curled unconsciously, reminded of a dream from his past life—running freely beneath the setting sun.

That was the youth he had lost.

But in the next second, that idyllic scene shattered.

The smile on his face stiffened, then faded entirely.

In his vision, a hand reached out and pinched that girl’s cheek.

"Ugh—!" Ye Liangchen suddenly clutched his chest, staggering back as if struck. His face twisted into a pained grimace, as though wearing a mask of agony.

Slowly, he closed his eyes. A single tear of regret slid down his cheek.

"So this is the path you’ve chosen? Even if he pinches you, even if he scolds you, even if you know full well he’s up to no good..."

"Heh, heh..." Wiping the tears from her face, she walked toward that breakfast diner...