Shen Yi was exasperated.

"Are you even my real mom?"

"Hey, it’s precisely because I’m your real mom that I’m telling you all this. Your mom, right here, had terrible taste when it came to picking a partner. In that respect, you’re much better than me. I think that girl, Xiao Jiao, is a real catch. She’s smart, pretty, and capable. She’ll be able to keep you in line in the future."

Du Liya chattered nonstop as her son helped her home. There were tears in the corners of her eyes, but her overall demeanor wasn’t one of complete dejection.

She was still heartbroken. After all, he was the man she had loved most in her life, and Du Liya had truly sacrificed far, far too much for him.

Shen Yi showed a rare degree of patience with his mother. "Mom, things between you and Shen Zhengfeng are over now. You’ll meet a better man in the future."

"What good men? I feel like there might not be any good men left in this world!"

Shen Yi was speechless.

Du Liya belatedly realized how absolute her statement sounded. She patted her son’s hand and said, "You don’t count. You’re still a boy. But if you really do get together with Xiao Jiao in the future, you have to treat her well. If you don’t, then you won’t be a good man either."

Comforting his drunk mother, Shen Yi’s tone was calm yet resolute. "Yes. I will definitely be good to her!"

After helping his mother get to sleep, Shen Yi poured a glass of warm water into a thermos and placed it on the nightstand before turning to leave the room.

His grandfather was still next door.

But he could tell that both his mother and his grandfather were very happy today.

In all of Shen Yi’s memories, he had never seen them this happy in over twenty years.

Just as he stepped out, he saw Qin Jiao emerging from the house next door. Qin Jiao knew Du Liya must have had too much to drink and would feel sick later, so she had specially steeped some goji berries and red dates in Spiritual Spring Water and put the mixture in a thermos.

She said, "Have Aunt Du drink some of this later. Otherwise, she’ll definitely feel awful when she wakes up tomorrow."

Shen Yi nodded, and as he reached out to take the thermos, his hand suddenly covered Qin Jiao’s.

Qin Jiao was so startled she almost let go. Fortunately, Shen Yi was quick to release her hand and take firm hold of the thermos. He said, "Your hands are freezing. Hurry back inside, it’s cold out here."

"Okay." Qin Jiao turned and went back home. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. ’But then again, Shen Yi probably didn’t touch my hand on purpose, right?’

After dinner, some of the group were about to start a card game. Qin Jiao had assumed Grandpa Du would be heading home to rest, but the old man was full of energy today. He pulled her over, insisting on playing a game of Go with her.

Qin Jiao was about to refuse, but seeing the old man’s eager expression, she swallowed the words before they could escape her lips.

She knew how to play Go; it was Mr. Du who had taught her in her past life. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

To the Qin Jiao of her previous life—with her parents absent, her paternal grandparents uncaring, and her maternal grandmother’s home far away—Mr. Du had been the only elder who was ever kind to her.

But the Qin Jiao of that past life hadn’t been able to keep him company for very long, mainly because the old man’s health had been so poor back then...

In the end, Qin Jiao said, "I’m not very good. You’ll have to go easy on me, Grandpa Du."

"Don’t worry, you can have Xiao Yi help you," Grandpa Du said with a wide grin, instructing his grandson to bring over the Go board.

Shen Yi brought the Go board over and sat down right next to Qin Jiao. He took off his jacket, revealing the sweater Su Yun had knitted for him.

They were sitting very close, which reminded Qin Jiao of their hands touching just moments before.

She subconsciously shifted a little to the side, forcing herself to focus on the Go board.

But after two games, Grandpa Du raised an eyebrow. "Well now, you were just being modest, young lady! You play quite well, don’t you?"