Youman's Invitation

"It's fine, I've switched to off-campus living," Zhou Yi explained after taking a sip of water.

You Man looked slightly puzzled and asked, "But didn’t the teacher refuse when you tried before?"

"Man-jie, there’s actually something I need to confess to you."

The sudden shift in topic caught You Man off guard.

The word "confess" made her tense up involuntarily.

Just how serious was this matter to warrant such a heavy term?

"Go ahead," she said.

"Actually, I’ve found my parents, and I’ve inherited a substantial family fortune."

Surprise flickered in You Man’s beautiful eyes, quickly followed by concern. "Are you sure? You’re not being scammed, are you? These things need to be handled carefully."

Zhou Yi chuckled. "Don’t worry, Man-jie, it’s real. The reason I could switch to off-campus living is because my mom called the homeroom teacher."

You Man couldn’t help but feel overjoyed for him. Tears welled up as she hugged him tightly, patting his back with a choked-up voice.

"I’ve watched you struggle step by step to get to where you are today. You’ve endured so much hardship alone, and now, finally, your efforts have paid off."

"I’m truly happy for you, Xiao Yi. From now on, you won’t be alone anymore—you’ll have parents who love and care for you."

To You Man, the inheritance didn’t matter as much as the fact that Zhou Yi now had a family.

A child with parents would no longer be deprived of love. She hoped his parents could make up for all the affection he’d missed over the years.

Zhou Yi knew You Man’s happiness for him was genuine.

He wrapped his arms around her slender waist and rested his head against her chest, comforted by the faint fragrance of her scent.

"Man-jie, I know you’re sincerely happy for me, so you’re the only one I’ve told about this."

"Mmm, that’s for the best. A student suddenly coming into a lot of money can be dangerous—the fewer people who know, the better."

"Man-jie, how about I open a shop for you?"

"Huh? For me?"

Zhou Yi pulled You Man to sit down, looking at her with earnest eyes.

"I think you should move your shop to the city center. Staying here limits your customer flow, which is a shame."

"Xiao Yi, I know you want to do something nice for me, but I’m not cut out for that. I’m perfectly content with this little shop."

You Man didn’t want Zhou Yi spending so much money on her. The more he did, the more she felt indebted to him.

Zhou Yi gently held her hand, caressing it as if it were a treasure.

"Man-jie, don’t worry about the money. To me, it’s just a drop in the bucket."

"If you’re concerned about managing it, I’ll hire more staff. You’ll only need to check in occasionally."

"I don’t want to see you exhausted and bent over with fatigue every time I come back. It hurts me to see you like that."

Touched by Zhou Yi’s thoughtfulness, You Man’s eyes reddened.

She smiled, unsure how to express her gratitude to this young man.

[You Man’s Affection Points +2.]

"System, how much is Man-jie’s affection at now?"

"92. She might be the first to reach full points."

"It’s hard to imagine what 100% affection would look like."

"You Man’s gaze when she looks at you is exactly that."

Zhou Yi lifted his eyes to study her.

Even without makeup, she was breathtakingly beautiful.

Time had left no trace on her face—she still looked as youthful and radiant as a girl.

She tenderly stroked his hair, her eyes shimmering with endless tenderness, making her appear even more gentle and serene.

Perhaps a woman enveloped in love truly changes. Zhou Yi felt You Man had grown even more beautiful, her radiance dazzling under the light.

"Xiao Yi, you’ve made me understand something."

"What’s that?"

"‘A drop of kindness should be repaid with a flood.’ That’s the kind of person you are. Man-jie believes you’ll achieve great things in the future."

"No matter what I become, Man-jie will always be Man-jie, and I’ll always be me. Some things don’t change with time because they’re already etched deep in the heart."

Sometimes, fate works in the most inexplicable ways.

Xia Qiuzhi’s temper had pushed Zhou Yi further away, yet he had met You Man, who extended a helping hand when he needed it most.

Without her, he might not have even finished high school.

"A drop of kindness should be repaid with a flood"—this was a principle he intended to uphold.

Zhou Yi held You Man’s hand and said sheepishly, "Man-jie, I’m hungry. I haven’t eaten since school ended."

You Man quickly stood up. "I’ll make you a few dishes. Have some cold appetizers first to tide you over."

"No need for anything complicated. Just a bowl of noodles is fine. I love everything you make."

You Man tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, slightly embarrassed. "Xiao Yi, you’ve learned how to sweet-talk."

Zhou Yi tilted his head. "Not at all. I’m just telling the truth. Don’t accuse me wrongly, Man-jie."

She brought out some cold dishes from the kitchen and set them on the table. "Alright, eat up first. Don’t let yourself go hungry."

In the time that followed, You Man busied herself in the kitchen cooking noodles while Zhou Yi leaned against the doorway, watching her silhouette as he nibbled on the appetizers.

A beautiful person was a delight to watch, even when doing something as simple as cooking.

You Man’s figure was stunning—slender where it should be, curvaceous where it counted.

Her hips, hugged by her jeans, were perfectly rounded and perky, while her waist was so slender it seemed one could encircle it with a single hand.

Truly, she lived up to her name—a captivating beauty.

Aware of the young man’s gaze, You Man nearly knocked over a seasoning bottle in her fluster.

"Man-jie, don’t be nervous. I’m not grading your cooking," Zhou Yi teased playfully.

She turned to glare at him, but there was no real anger in her eyes—only a hint of bashful reproach.

After finishing the cold dishes, Zhou Yi washed the plates while You Man brought out a steaming bowl of noodles.

"Try this. It’s a famous dish from my hometown—Yangchun noodles."

She watched him expectantly.

It had been a while since she last made this, and she wasn’t sure if her skills had dulled.

Zhou Yi took a bite and immediately gave a thumbs-up. "Delicious! Man-jie, you’re amazing. You’re the top chef, no doubt."

She knew he was just trying to make her happy.

As they chatted over the meal, time slipped by unnoticed until it was already 10 p.m.

"It’s 10 already? Time flew by," You Man said regretfully.

"It feels like we’ve only just started talking."

"You have school tomorrow, so you should get some rest. Let’s call it a night here."

"Alright. Don’t forget to try out the phone. If you’re unsure about anything, just ask me."

"Mmm… Are you still going back there later?"

You Man lowered her eyes, her long lashes casting delicate shadows.

She fidgeted with the hem of her clothes, clearly nervous.

She knew she shouldn’t have asked, but she couldn’t help wanting to spend more time with him, to see him as much as possible.

Was she being too greedy?

Zhou Yi propped his chin on his hand and grinned. "Man-jie, I’ll go wherever you tell me to."