Someone like Lu Yicheng would naturally never argue with his son over something like this.

Although what he thought to himself was, “We’re different — that’s my wife,” he said nothing out loud. Since it wasn’t yet the day students returned to school, the officially married Lu Yicheng headed to the office bright and early that morning. Things had been somewhat relaxed lately; the company operated on flexible hours. When busy, people might still be working past midnight; when quiet, some colleagues wouldn’t come in at all. It was precisely because of this kind of arrangement that, to this day, his employees were still the original group from the start.

There were only Lu Yicheng and Brother Sun in the office.

Brother Sun was a senior colleague — his life was flourishing now, with a wife and a daughter, living each day with great contentment.

Having just finished the work on his hands, Lu Yicheng humbly sought Brother Sun’s advice: “Brother Sun, does Beibei sleep alone now?”

Brother Sun shot Lu Yicheng a surprised look. “What are you talking about? Beibei is only three years old this year — how could she sleep alone? She sleeps with us.” Then, noticing there was no one else around, he leaned in and asked cautiously, “Why are you asking that — don’t tell me you’re…”

Lu Yicheng hastily shook his head. “No, no, nothing like that!”

Perhaps that’s just how society is.

His and Jiang Ruoqiao’s early marriage was already quite unusual among their peers, and everyone would wonder: they’re so young, haven’t even graduated yet — how did they go ahead and get their marriage certificate? Surely she must be pregnant, right?

In response to this kind of speculation, Jiang Ruoqiao had been proving every single day through action that it wasn’t true.

She wore high heels every day. Just the day before yesterday, she had specifically gone to the mall to buy a pair of strappy stiletto sandals.

Very high heels.

On top of that, she also wore more form-fitting dresses.

In short, she was determined to use concrete action to dispel the pregnancy rumors.

Hearing this, Brother Sun let out a sigh of relief. “Good, good.”

Brother Sun, who was not personally involved, still looked visibly shaken. He then earnestly advised Lu Yicheng, “Whether to marry early or not is your own choice, but having children — you can’t just act on a moment’s impulse. You’re both still in school. Raising a child… I can’t say too much, say too much and it’s all tears. I’m afraid if I say more it’ll traumatize you away from ever wanting kids. Never mind that they’re little cash-shredding money pits — you two are both at the starting stage of your careers. It’s best to wait a few more years.”

Lu Yicheng and Jiang Ruoqiao had long since discussed this.

Getting married at twenty-three was fine.

Marriage just meant one My Child’s Father – Extra certificate — how they got along before was how they’d continue to get along. But having children… it wasn’t just Jiang Ruoqiao who was resistant; Lu Yicheng himself didn’t dare think about it. Though nobody outside knew it, there was already a seven-year-old child in their family…

Lu Yicheng suddenly realized he’d almost been steered off topic by Brother Sun and quickly returned to the matter at hand. “Brother Sun, if Beibei were seven years old, would she still sleep with you two?”

Brother Sun paused. “How would I know — that’s four years away. But she probably would sleep separately by then. Why, what are you asking this for?”

In many things, people naturally figure things out on their own — like right now, when Lu Yicheng, without so much as a twitch, said: “I have a friend…”

He gave a brief account of the situation.

Brother Sun played with his pen, looking thoughtful. “Jealous. The kid is jealous.”

Lu Yicheng: “?”

“The child might be worried that after his mom gets married, she won’t love only him the way she used to…”

Lu Yicheng said, “But the person marrying his mom is his own father.”

Brother Sun said, “Your friend’s situation is really complicated. At first I thought you were talking about yourself, and then a seven-year-old child pops up out of nowhere — that’s pretty dramatic.”

Lu Yicheng felt a pang of guilt. “…”

He had counted on the listener not connecting the story to him and Xiao Qiao — that’s why he’d gone to someone for advice.

Lu Siyan had indeed been acting a bit strange lately.

Clearly, Lu Siyan had previously been so eager for him and Xiao Qiao to be together, and had eagerly looked forward to their marriage — had even run his legs off helping with the proposal — yet now that he and Xiao Qiao had actually gotten married, Lu Siyan didn’t seem as happy. He’d been clinging to Xiao Qiao every day. Could he really be jealous?

“How could he be jealous?” Lu Yicheng still couldn’t understand. “That’s his mom. That’s his dad. How could there be jealousy?”

Brother Sun said, “You just don’t get it. People online have talked about this before — why do babies cry so much at night, keeping everyone from sleeping? It’s actually because they don’t want their parents to have the energy to produce other children, and want all the attention focused on them alone. Children may be small, but they’re people too. And people have their own thoughts and ideas.”

Lu Yicheng found this deeply convincing and felt genuinely enlightened.

So that afternoon, after work, when he got home, the first thing he did upon walking through the door was no longer kiss Jiang Ruoqiao — it was to kiss Lu Siyan.

Lu Siyan: “?”

Jiang Ruoqiao: “?”

However, Lu Siyan was not at all moved the way Lu Yicheng had imagined. Instead, it was Jiang Ruoqiao who cast Lu Yicheng a sideways glance, let out a light huff, walked into the study, and locked the door behind her. What was wrong with Lu Yicheng? Was he starting to act like everyone else and show his true colors after marriage? He wouldn’t dare!!

Lu Yicheng: “…………”

Lu Siyan quietly called his great-grandfather and told him what had happened: “Dad was so weird today!! He always used to be glued to Mom — he’d come home from work and go hug Mom. But today he hugged me and kissed me!”

Great-grandfather sniffed with disdain. “Young people these days — so sappy and clingy, not a shred of dignity.”

Lu Siyan: “Great-grandpa, what’s going on? What’s wrong with Dad?”

Great-grandfather: “Most likely took the wrong medicine. Keep close watch on him.”

Lu Siyan: “Yes, Sir!”

……

After Lu Siyan went to sleep, Jiang Ruoqiao was still in the study, busy with work.

Lu Yicheng came to atone for his sins, knocking on the door.

Jiang Ruoqiao didn’t respond.

Lu Yicheng sent a message: 【I’m sorry. Could you give me a chance to write a self-reflection letter?】

Jiang Ruoqiao saw the message and actually burst out laughing, propping her cheek on one hand as she scrolled through their old chat history. She wasn’t really angry — no one understood better than her just how good Lu Yicheng was to her. And how could she possibly be angry at him for being good to Siyan? She just wanted to tease him a little.

Jiang Ruoqiao deliberately typed in an arch, pointed tone: 【Not going to keep your precious son company?】

Lu Yicheng: 【I think I really am a rookie dad. I’ve read so many parenting tips, yet I forgot the most important one.】

Jiang Ruoqiao: 【Which is?】

Lu Yicheng: 【A father loving the mother is the best education a child can receive.】

Jiang Ruoqiao burst out laughing, eyes sparkling like they were full of stars: 【Men’s mouths — full of sweet lies.】

Though she said that, Jiang Ruoqiao still went and opened the door.

Taking advantage of their son being asleep, the newlyweds finally had a chance to enjoy some time just for the two of them. Their time together was simple — sometimes working alongside each other, sometimes studying together…

When Yun Jia and the others found out, they sent back a string of question marks: “Are you two actually from this planet?”

Jiang Ruoqiao: “Working and studying are the only two things I can tell you about.”

Did she not know what they were like?

Yun Jia rubbed her hands together. “You’re treating us like complete outsiders.”

But the things beyond work and studying weren’t shared with anyone else — because honestly, they were too silly and childish.

For example, today, while watching a movie, Jiang Ruoqiao suddenly had a thought: “Say, when I’m big and pregnant, will you still be able to carry me? I mean a proper bridal carry.”

Lu Yicheng was, without question, a top student.

Jiang Ruoqiao could also be counted among the high-achievers. On certain questions, the two of them got quite serious.

That night, they began testing it out.

Lu Yicheng could lift Jiang Ruoqiao with complete ease — he could even hold her and do squats without any strain.

Jiang Ruoqiao started by holding a backpack loaded with over ten pounds of books. Lu Yicheng still lifted her with ease.

Then she held something weighing around twenty pounds — he could still lift her.

In the end, Jiang Ruoqiao was holding a large watermelon, while Lu Yicheng held her as she held the watermelon…

Maybe being together is like this — no matter how silly a thing is, as long as you’re doing it with the right person, it’s utterly absorbing and endlessly delightful. Jiang Ruoqiao was laughing uncontrollably, and Lu Yicheng, seeing how exaggerated her laughter was, was afraid it would wake Lu Siyan and ruin their time together, so he quickly reached out and gently covered her mouth. Her mouth was covered, but her smile poured out through her eyes — she looked at him, focused and joyful.

Maybe it was because she liked him so very much.

Maybe it was because she was in such a wonderful mood.

She pressed a kiss to his palm, and it was like a current of electricity coursing through every part of Lu Yicheng’s body.

…………

The next day, Jiang Ruoqiao didn’t have work, but Lu Yicheng did. Seeing the mother and son both sleeping soundly in bed, he didn’t wake them, left breakfast warming in the pot, and headed off to work.

Usually, Jiang Ruoqiao would be awake by eight at the latest. But at half past eight today, she still hadn’t stirred.

Lu Siyan, however, woke up before her.

After waking, Lu Siyan stared at the ceiling for a long while, then turned to look at his soundly sleeping mother. He loved watching Mom so much — he nestled against her on the bed, reached out to touch her hair, and then noticed something very strange. What had happened to Mom’s neck? He leaned in for a closer look, then reached out a finger to rub at it.

All this poking around woke Jiang Ruoqiao up. She looked at her son through sleep-heavy eyes. “Siyan, good morning.”

Lu Siyan said gravely, “Mom, there’s a mosquito in the room.”

By now Jiang Ruoqiao was fully alert. “A mosquito? That can’t be right…”

The room had an electric mosquito repellent plug-in running, plus a mosquito-repelling device switched on.

She hadn’t felt a single mosquito in the days they’d been staying here.

“Did something bite you?” Jiang Ruoqiao sat up, pressing her temples. “I think your dad bought some repair balm last time — apparently it’s quite effective.”

Lu Siyan shook his head and very seriously pointed at Jiang Ruoqiao’s neck. “It didn’t bite me — it bit Mom. Mom has a bump on her neck!”

Jiang Ruoqiao: “………………”

In the end, Jiang Ruoqiao fled to the bathroom.

Standing in front of the vanity mirror, she stared expressionlessly at the red mark on her neck.

She had no idea how to explain to her son that this bump was not made by a mosquito.

Little Lu Siyan was at the age where he needed to get to the bottom of every unknown thing — if she said it wasn’t a mosquito bite, he would certainly fixate on it, turning it over and over in his mind: *What is that thing on my mom’s neck?*

Better to just leave it.

Jiang Ruoqiao silently went along with the story that the mark on her neck was a mosquito bite.

But who could have known that, just a few days later, during composition class, Lu Siyan would write an essay titled *My Mother* —

*My mother is very great.*

*When I woke up this morning, my mother had a bump on her neck. It was a mosquito bite.*

*I had no bumps on me.*

*It must be because Mom attracted the mosquito’s attention to keep it from biting me. My mother is the greatest mother in the world.*

*I love you, Mom!*

Lu Siyan was very pleased with this essay of his.

When Jiang Ruoqiao checked his homework and saw her son’s childlike handwriting and phrasing recording this event, her face turned completely red.

Just imagining that this essay would be read by the teacher — and knowing her son, he might even recite it aloud loudly to show it off — Jiang Ruoqiao wanted to pack her bags immediately and flee to outer space. This planet could no longer contain her.

She couldn’t tell her son: you can’t write this essay, write a different one.

So she passed this thorny problem to the one responsible for it all — Lu Yicheng.

Burning with embarrassment and indignation, she flung the composition book down in front of him. “Lu Yicheng, you’re going to deal with this. You’d better resolve it perfectly, and if there are any lingering consequences, I’m holding you accountable.”

There was nothing for it — Lu Yicheng had to go find Lu Siyan.

He hoped to persuade him to write a different essay.

Lu Siyan asked, “Why? Why though??”

Lu Yicheng, not even blinking, told a straight-faced lie: “Because I want you to write about me — your dad. Can you grant your dad this one wish?”

Lu Siyan looked at Lu Yicheng with a very strange expression, then finally let out a long sigh and said, “Dad, you are so childish.”

“?”

“You’re competing with Mom over this? Even getting jealous about an essay?”

Lu Yicheng held his patience in check: “…If you write your essay about Dad, Dad will buy you a brand-new Lego set. On top of that, a model airplane and two Kendeji meals.”

The pragmatic Lu Siyan immediately changed his tune: “Deal!!”

*My Father…* Fine! Let’s write about my father then!

—