Returning home.

The renovation of the house was completely finished. In the past, they could only set up a makeshift stove in the yard to cook.

Now, that was no longer necessary. The kitchen was spacious, well-lit, and designed with excellent ventilation.

Though it was already dark outside, for someone who loved cooking, this was the perfect kitchen.

Lin Wanning had been observing Long Aotian’s emotional state closely, but in the end, she concluded there was no change.

From the moment they returned home, he acted no differently than usual.

He checked the stock market on his phone, poured himself tea, drank it, and even chatted with her—everything was so calm, as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened today.

Even Li Qingxue, who was usually the most lively, was unusually quiet today. She sat beside Long Aotian, quickly refilling his cup whenever he took a sip of water.

“You’re being so well-behaved today?” Long Aotian teased her.

Flustered by his remark, Li Qingxue glanced at him shyly before exchanging a look with Lin Wanning.

The two shared such a tacit understanding that even without words, they could understand each other’s unspoken emotions.

The kitchen door opened, and Hu Yuying walked into the living room carrying a bowl of noodles.

“Wow, that smells amazing.” Long Aotian smiled as the bowl was placed in front of him.

It was already late, and there weren’t many proper ingredients at home—just a simple bowl of tomato and egg noodles.

“Why are you all staring at me?” Long Aotian paused before taking his first bite, noticing the three pairs of eyes fixed on him. “Aren’t you going to eat?”

“Long Aotian, don’t hold it in. If you’re feeling upset, just tell us. We’ll be here for you, always,” Li Qingxue said softly.

“You’re overthinking it.” Long Aotian took a bite of the noodles and nodded approvingly. “She’s strong. If it were me, I probably wouldn’t have been able to handle it.”

“The hardships and sorrows of adulthood are often silent. Sometimes, the strain on the mind is far more exhausting and overwhelming than physical fatigue.”

“So, if any of you ever feel wronged, you must tell me. I’ll shield you in my own little way, giving you space to be vulnerable for a while. Promise me you’ll tell me, okay?”

The ones who had intended to comfort Long Aotian ended up being comforted by him instead.

“Yuying’s noodles are delicious. Are you two foodies really not going to have any?”

Long Aotian waved the bowl playfully in front of Lin Wanning and Li Qingxue.

Seeing him like this, the tension in their hearts eased slightly.

“Go get some for yourselves. Let’s eat together,” Hu Yuying suggested gently.

Lin Wanning and Li Qingxue nodded.

Soon, the four of them were seated around the dining table, sharing the meal.

The evening seemed no different from any other.

Just after returning to her room, $2i Qingxue walked out carrying her bedding.

With the renovations complete, she no longer needed to share a room with Lin Wanning.

But as she reached Lin Wanning’s door, before she could even knock, it opened from the inside.

Lin Wanning stood there, also holding her bedding.

The two locked eyes and couldn’t help but laugh. Stepping aside, Li Qingxue tossed her bedding onto the bed and flopped down.

“I don’t think Aotian is as affected as you thought,” Li Qingxue murmured.

“The officer told me to keep an eye on his emotional state,” Lin Wanning replied, lying beside her.

“But honestly, he seems completely normal today. His behavior was no different from usual…”

“Let me text Yuying and ask.” Li Qingxue pulled out her phone and glanced at Lin Wanning.

“Okay.” Lin Wanning was also concerned—it was better to check.

The message was sent quickly.

“Long Ge just fell asleep.”

Reading Hu Yuying’s reply, Li Qingxue and Lin Wanning asked a few more questions.

This time, there was no response for a long while.

The two exchanged puzzled looks.

Then, a knock sounded at the door.

Li Qingxue hurried over and opened it.

Hu Yuying stepped inside. “Long Ge is sound asleep.”

“Sis, do you think he’s really okay?”

Hu Yuying wasn’t sure how to answer. On the surface, Long Ge seemed unchanged.

But that very normalcy was what worried her.

“It’s hard to explain, but let’s keep a closer watch on him these next few days.”

At the very least, based on what she knew of him, this wasn’t how he should be.

“Tomorrow’s Friday, and none of us have major classes. Why don’t we go find him early and take him out somewhere?” Lin Wanning suggested. Her schedule was light, so she could head over first thing.

“Sounds good to me.” Li Qingxue agreed.

Both then turned to Hu Yuying.

“I’ll take the day off and stay home with him. I just… don’t feel at ease leaving him alone.” Hu Yuying hesitated before answering.

Her words weighed heavily on the other two.

“Let’s get some rest.” With that, Hu Yuying left.

This time, neither tried to stop her. As much as they enjoyed their late-night talks and playful banter, right now, Long Aotian needed someone by his side more.

The next morning.

Hu Yuying woke up early and turned off Long Ge’s alarm before it could ring.

She knelt by the bed, watching him sleep peacefully.

Gently, she held his ring finger and whispered, “Long Ge, I’ll always stay by your side.”

As if sensing her presence, Long Aotian’s eyes fluttered open slightly. He reached up and brushed his fingers against her cheek.

“Did I oversleep?”

“No, the timing’s just right.” Hu Yuying leaned into his touch, pressing his hand against her face affectionately. “What would Long Ge like for breakfast today? Your personal chef is on duty.”

“Then I’ll have to think carefully—it’s been so long since I’ve had Yuying’s cooking.”

During breakfast, $2ong Aotian’s phone rang.

After answering, he glanced at Hu Yuying and nodded before saying, “I’m at home now. Please bring them over.”

He hung up.

“What’s going on?” Hu Yuying asked.

“The fruit trees have arrived. I’ll start digging the holes soon so we can plant them.”

“They’re here already?” Though they had been in the capital for a while, most of their time was spent at school. Tracking down these two trees had taken considerable effort.

After the meal, Long Aotian grabbed a shovel and began digging at the pre-marked spots in the yard.

Hu Yuying busied herself with fetching water and preparing the soil.

Their movements were perfectly synchronized—neither got in the other’s way, yet everything was handled seamlessly.

“Long Ge, take a break.” Hu Yuying brought out the recliner from the room they had first lived in.

Since the sunroom was built, this old chair hadn’t been used much.

The weather today was lovely—sunny with a cool breeze, perfect for lounging outside.

"Here I am." Long Aotian reclined in the lounge chair while Hu Yuying sat on a small stool, pressing close against him. "It's been so long since we last went out together. Will you take me shopping today?"

"Sure. We’re out of groceries anyway—we’ll pick some up later."

At those words, Hu Yuying, who had been leaning against Long Aotian’s shoulder, stiffened slightly...