Nobody likes negativity. Even the closest family and friends find it hard to endure the influence of day-after-day negativity.

Negativity makes people keep you at arm’s length, or even publicly condemn you, because everyone just wants to see a beautiful world of blue skies, white clouds, birdsong, and fragrant flowers.

And your existence pollutes that picture.

Therefore, you are guilty.

So, from a very young age, Lu Yuwen understood that he had no right to cry, no right to complain, no right to lose his temper, no right to make mistakes.

He had to learn to suppress himself, and then accept the looks of relief and admiration from those around him.

Su Man held Lu Yuwen and said sincerely: “Loving someone means accepting all of them, doesn’t it? As long as that person is you, whether it’s your strengths or your weaknesses, I can accept all of it — just as you accept me.”

Lu Yuwen laughed softly, his lips pressing gently against her smooth forehead, and said quietly: “That’s not right. To me, Manman is perfect. You have no flaws.”

Su Man’s heart felt so sweet it was nearly bubbling over, and the look she gave Lu Yuwen became increasingly adoring.

How could there be such a wonderful person? He was coaxing her so much she could barely take it.

She turned over and pressed him down, intending to give him a good, thorough kiss.

……

The next day, Su Man woke up in bed.

She had once again occupied Lu Yuwen’s bed, while Lu Yuwen had slept on the living room sofa.

Actually, Lu Yuwen’s home was a three-bedroom apartment. It was just that the other two rooms — one had been set up as a study, and the other was filled with ingredient samples.

Su Man had seen people make specimens from dried leaves and flowers, some collected butterfly specimens, some liked to collect raw mineral stones, but this was the first time she’d ever seen food ingredient specimens.

For example: in a row of glass column bottles about the width of test tubes, arranged in order were soybeans, mung beans, red beans, black beans, broad beans, kidney beans, peas, chickpeas, and many other varieties of beans she couldn’t name.

The beans were just the basics. The most spectacular was a shelf on another wall filled with mushrooms. Preserved by some unknown technique, every single mushroom was perfectly intact, sealed inside a transparent cube, in various colors and shapes, with little labels bearing special Latin notation marking each mushroom’s variety — absolutely charming and beautiful.

Su Man loved that he had such little hobbies, because she felt her own life was quite dull and uninteresting. Catching criminals was great fun, only criminals couldn’t be encountered every single day.

Besides the beans and mushrooms, Su Man also very much loved the photographs Lu Yuwen had taken.

The living room had one dedicated wall covered completely in photographs, mostly still life photography — delicate tableware, warm candlelight, appetizing food… photographs of food were the most numerous, with plating and colors that were quite enticing.

While she stood admiring them, Lu Yuwen quietly came up behind her, wrapping both arms around her body.

Su Man leaned against him and asked: “Which dish is the most delicious?”

“The most delicious one isn’t up there yet.” Lu Yuwen smiled and said, “Wait a moment.”

He released her, took up a freshly printed photograph from a nearby cabinet, attached some tape, and stuck it right in the center of the entire wall.

Su Man wanted to laugh, yet also felt a bit embarrassed and annoyed, because it was a photograph he’d taken of her yesterday.

“What is this……” She turned back and glared at him reproachfully. “They’re not even the same type.”

He lowered his head and lightly nibbled her earlobe, “To me, they’re all equally delicious.”

Su Man: “……”

She couldn’t take it, she really couldn’t take it… she wanted to kiss him again.

But she couldn’t let herself do anything rash, because every time they kissed, it lasted at least an hour from the start. Lu Yuwen had to go out for a meeting soon and couldn’t afford the delay.

“When will you be back?” Su Man asked, reluctant to part.

“I’ll come back after finishing lunch with the investor.” Lu Yuwen hugged her. “Thank you for keeping an eye on the home, Manman.”

—