“So, just how poor are his circumstances?”

The rich young lady falling for the poor boy – this was a plot screenwriters loved.

Different backgrounds meant different experiences, and these differences often attracted men and women like magnets.

From what he could see now, at least Zhou Yi was thoroughly attracted. After talking with her, Zhou Cheng revealed the man’s basic situation. Zhou Cheng seemed in no hurry to return to the academy – his leave time was unpredictable, which puzzled Xia Xiao Lan.

When Zhou Cheng came at noon, he brought two large dogs and news about Zhou Yi.

Although Xia Xiao Lan wasn’t involved, she was still curious about the matter.

In mid-September, watermelons were becoming scarce, but Turpan’s Hami melons were very sweet. Knowing Zhou Cheng liked sweet things, Xia Xiao Lan cut the Hami melon into small pieces and mixed it with red grapes, raisins, and walnuts to make a simple fruit salad.

After chilling it in the refrigerator for a while, she served it in a glass bowl, making quite an impressive presentation.

This didn’t require cooking skills – it was just about the fruit flavor, so Xia Xiao Lan couldn’t fail.

Having fruit cut into pieces wasn’t very manly for Zhou Cheng.

But when it was cut and prepared by his woman, didn’t that make it special?

Xia Xiao Lan gave him a fork, and Zhou Cheng first fed her a piece of melon:

“It’s nothing special. His family is from out of town, with a widowed mother and two older sisters. He works in the same system as Zhou Yi but in a different position. Zhou Yi’s position is comfortable and respectable, while he is more demanding… just less prestigious. I don’t think his circumstances are that poor.”

Zhou Cheng was a man, with typical 1980s male thinking.

These days, family background wasn’t everything – many working-class people married into high-ranking official families.

Zhou Cheng thought the same way – no job was beneath dignity, having a proper job meant the circumstances weren’t poor.

Truly poor circumstances would be an idle youth who didn’t work properly. Zhou Cheng had thought his cousin had fallen for some good-for-nothing.

Xia Xiao Lan ate the Hami melon and gave Zhou Cheng a look:

“You men see things differently. Zhou Yi likes her current boyfriend but can’t help comparing him to her friends’ partners. Look at Zhou Yi’s close friends – they’re all from compound families. Even when Tong Lili was forced into arranged dates, would they introduce someone from a poor family?”

A widowed mother plus two older sisters – Xia Xiao Lan, influenced by modern perspectives, thought these circumstances were like hell mode.

It wasn’t about family power – Zhou Yi would have to face three “mothers-in-law”… even thinking about it scared Xia Xiao Lan.

Zhou Cheng didn’t think the circumstances were poor because he believed men could succeed through their efforts.

But Zhou Yi didn’t dare bring him home, showing she clearly understood his family’s situation was poor, at least from her perspective.

“Are you planning to support Sister Zhou Yi?”

Xia Xiao Lan was fed another grape, its sweet juice bursting in her mouth. Modern fruit was safe to eat – pesticide residue couldn’t be excessive, after all, pesticides cost money, making excess impossible.

“Support what? I haven’t even met him. Zhou Yi said she wanted to bring him out for dinner. Want to come along?”

Zhou Cheng wasn’t trying to get Xia Xiao Lan into trouble – eating together meant he could spend more time with her.

Xia Xiao Lan sighed: “If you can’t find major faults after meeting him, you’ll have to help. When I visited Uncle and Aunt earlier, I ran into Aunt Zhou with Sister Zhou Yi. I saw Aunt Guan wasn’t very happy, and Aunt Zhou seemed to be asking her for something… If it’s about Zhou Yi’s arranged dates, your involvement will cause misunderstandings.”

“Xiao Lan, Zhou Yi is still my cousin-“

Xia Xiao Lan took charge and stuffed some Hami melon into Zhou Cheng’s mouth:

“I know, you can’t ignore her situation. That’s why I told you about this.”

That’s why when Zhou Yi tried to talk to her several times, Xia Xiao Lan didn’t hold onto past grievances and gave Zhou Yi a way out.

The family was family, and Zhou Yi was Zhou Cheng’s cousin after all!

Even though the Zhou grandparents disapproved of Zhou Yi’s lazy work attitude, they still cared about her.

“Let them misunderstand then. Where is Zhou Yi’s boyfriend treating her future brother-in-law to dinner?”

“Quanjude.”

Xia Xiao Lan nodded – for someone with poor family circumstances, treating them at Quanjude showed sincerity.

Four people couldn’t just eat one duck, and with a few other dishes, it would cost at least a quarter of a month’s salary. This was considering Zhou Yi’s unit had decent wages – if it were lower, a third of a monthly salary would be gone in one meal.

Even Beijing locals didn’t regularly eat at Quanjude.

Though the Zhou family elders were open-minded, the Zhou family was still considered “upper class.” The situation was absurd – Zhou Yi was the elder sister, Zhou Cheng the younger brother, yet Zhou Yi needed Zhou Cheng’s help with her relationship. Wasn’t that ridiculous?

Yet Zhou Yi preferred asking Zhou Cheng for help rather than considering Xia Xiao Lan’s earlier advice about “having your capabilities.” Xia Xiao Lan felt helpless about it.

Since it was the weekend and Xia Xiao Lan especially wanted to spend time with Zhou Cheng, plus someone was treating them to roast duck, she naturally wouldn’t refuse the dinner invitation.

In the afternoon, someone returned Xia Xiao Lan’s Chevrolet.

The driver spoke privately with Zhou Cheng, who seemed relieved:

“The car’s fine. We overthought it.”

Jiang Wu hadn’t become desperate enough to tamper with Xia Xiao Lan’s car.

As for how Jiang Wu knew they would go to the mountain villa for fish, Zhou Cheng had his suspicions. He wasn’t from Ji Bei Province – how would he know about the reservoir there or that the mountain villa’s fish was especially delicious?

He must have heard it from someone.

As for who said it… possibly a plant arranged by Jiang Wu. The Jiang family still had some connections at the academy, so perhaps that’s how Jiang Wu knew his movements.

Zhou Cheng didn’t share these suspicions with Xia Xiao Lan – it was better if Jiang Wu’s attention was focused on him.

In the evening, they went to Quanjude together. Xia Xiao Lan and Zhou Cheng deliberately parked far away so they could walk together slowly.

Upon seeing Zhou Yi’s boyfriend, Xia Xiao Lan suddenly understood – no wonder Zhou Yi would take on even hell mode. She must have been captivated by this man’s looks.

He was exceptionally handsome.

Unlike Zhou Cheng’s somewhat roguish good looks, Zhou Yi’s boyfriend had the face of a 1980s film lead.

A clear-cut square face with distinct features, thick eyebrows, large eyes, and tall stature – if he became an actor, he’d be cast as the lead. He had a very upright image!

He didn’t match Xia Xiao Lan’s aesthetic – she only liked Zhou Cheng’s type.

But he fits the 1985 mainstream aesthetic. Modern women didn’t like pretty boys – they preferred masculine, manly tough guys… Poor circumstances didn’t matter much. With looks like his, if he hadn’t gotten together with Young Lady Zhou Yi, sooner or later he would have caught the eye of some leader with daughters or nieces.

“Yuan Han, this is my brother Zhou Cheng and his girlfriend Xia Xiao Lan.”

Yuan Han wore a proper smile, and when he saw Xia Xiao Lan, there was undisguised amazement in his eyes.