"Jiaojiao, you two are up. I’ll go get you some breakfast," Eldest Brother Sheng said, immediately walking over as he saw Gu Jiaojiao come downstairs.

Gu Jiaojiao said awkwardly, "Don’t trouble yourself, Eldest Brother. We can get it."

After she spoke, Gu Jiaojiao turned and shot Su Shuochi a glare, her eyes saying she was too embarrassed to face Eldest Brother Sheng.

So, Su Shuochi explained with a grin, "I was tired from traveling yesterday, so..."

"Brother Su, you took the train yesterday. Eldest Brother Sheng came by train too."

"..."

Su Shuochi stared at Gu Jiaojiao, speechless, his eyes asking, ’Is she doing this on purpose?’

Gu Jiaojiao made a face at him. ’He was the one in the wrong, yet he was still trying to make excuses.’

Seeing her act like that, a resigned Su Shuochi walked into the kitchen, skillfully brought out the breakfast, and came back to Gu Jiaojiao.

With a gentle expression, he said, "Honey, you must be hungry. Come and eat."

Gu Jiaojiao muttered a quiet "thanks," then sat down across from him, picked up her chopsticks, and began to eat.

Su Shuochi sat down and immediately ladled a bowl of preserved egg and lean pork congee for Gu Jiaojiao. He then used his chopsticks to place a fried egg in front of her.

He didn’t start eating right away, watching Gu Jiaojiao instead. When she finished her egg, he placed a steamed bun on her plate.

Gu Jiaojiao was usually a slow eater, but she must have been hungry today. She finished the bowl of congee in no time and then started on the steamed bun.

Seeing this, Su Shuochi smiled faintly. "Jiaojiao, slow down. You don’t want to choke."

Gu Jiaojiao looked up at Su Shuochi, confused. "Why aren’t you eating?"

"I eat faster. I’m starting now," Su Shuochi said as he finally picked up his bowl to eat his congee.

He pointed to the corner of her mouth. "Jiaojiao, you’ve got some broth on your lip. It’s bothering me."

Gu Jiaojiao rolled her eyes at Su Shuochi but slowed down anyway, which only made her choke.

She coughed twice, then complained, "This is all your fault! If you weren’t nagging me, I wouldn’t have choked!"

"Mm, you’re right. It’s all my fault," Su Shuochi said gently.

*Sheng Shijing: ...*

’His sister is still the same as when they were kids.’

*Fu Guoguo: ...*

’Brother Su is so gentle. Jiaojiao is so lucky.’

After breakfast, Su Shuochi cleared the dishes while Gu Jiaojiao, Eldest Brother Sheng, and Fu Guoguo sat on the sofa chatting.

"Guoguo, we’re going to my parents’ house later. Do you want to come along?" Gu Jiaojiao asked Fu Guoguo.

"Me too? I don’t know..." Fu Guoguo hesitated. "What would I do there?"

"Oh, come on, it’s not like you’ve never been before." Gu Jiaojiao could tell she just wanted to stay with Eldest Brother Sheng.

"Oh... all right, then," Fu Guoguo agreed with a look of resignation, though she was secretly ecstatic.

Sheng Shijing didn’t interrupt their conversation. If this had been yesterday, he would have definitely made a sarcastic comment toward Fu Guoguo.

But today, he also wanted to spend more time with Fu Guoguo. He wanted to get to know her and see if there was any possibility of marrying her.

As the three of them were chatting, the doorbell suddenly rang. Su Shuochi dried his hands and went to open it, revealing a man and a woman standing outside.

It was Geng Haoyi, and he had brought a young woman with him. She was tall and slender, wearing a stylish woolen coat.

Neither Gu Jiaojiao nor Fu Guoguo recognized the young woman, who was linking arms with Geng Haoyi.

"Su! When did you get back?" Geng Haoyi shouted in pleasant surprise, forcefully shaking off his cousin Geng Susu’s hand.

The force of it made Geng Susu stumble and nearly fall, but Su Shuochi and Sheng Shijing acted as if they hadn’t seen a thing.

Gu Jiaojiao had no choice but to rush forward and steady her. "Geng Haoyi, why are you so rough! You nearly knocked her over."

"You’re right to scold me, Sister-in-law," Geng Haoyi said with a sheepish grin. "This is Susu, my cousin. Heh, she’s the one who insisted on dragging me here to see you."

"So you’re the sister-in-law my cousin’s always talking about! Wow, you’re gorgeous! Like, ten times prettier than the Seven Immortal Maidens on TV," Geng Susu said, instantly making herself at home.

*Gu Jiaojiao: ...*

"So, when did you get back, Su?" Geng Haoyi could only ask Su Shuochi again to break the awkward silence.

Seeing Geng Haoyi’s persistence, Su Shuochi had no choice but to answer, "Last night."

"Sister-in-law, where are you all headed?"

"We’re going to my parents’ for lunch. Would you two like to join?" Gu Jiaojiao asked out of courtesy.

"Sure! I don’t have anything going on for lunch," Geng Haoyi readily agreed. His mission for the day was to keep his cousin company, so he didn’t care where they went.

Gu Jiaojiao was surprised he’d agreed to her casual invitation, but then she remembered that Uncle Geng and her father were good friends.

So she gestured to Su Shuochi to introduce him to Geng Susu. "Susu, let me introduce you. This is Su Shuochi, my husband. And this is my eldest brother..."

"He’s your eldest brother?" Geng Susu interrupted in surprise, her voice rising.

"You know my eldest brother?" Gu Jiaojiao was sharp; she could tell just from Geng Susu’s expression.

"I don’t know him, but my cousin said that simpleton from yesterday was your eldest brother. I didn’t believe him. How could a guy who looked like such a wreck be your brother?

"This man actually looks like your brother! Look at him—he’s so handsome and has such a powerful aura..."

Geng Susu was too busy racking her brain for compliments for Eldest Brother Sheng to notice how close she was getting to him.

Fu Guoguo, standing to the side, was not pleased. She darted forward and planted herself in front of Eldest Brother Sheng.

"Hey, uh... your name’s Susu, right? I’m Guoguo." 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

Seeing a pretty girl blocking Eldest Brother Sheng, Geng Susu asked sheepishly, "Guoguo, is Jiaojiao’s brother... taken?"

Hearing this question, Fu Guoguo was stunned for a moment and didn’t know how to react.

After a long moment, she stammered, "N-no... He’s Jiaojiao’s eldest brother..."

Sheng Shijing, however, stepped in and explained with a smile, "She’s my sister’s neighbor. She comes over to play a lot."

"Oh, I see," Geng Susu nodded, only half-understanding. ’Why would a neighbor feel the need to block me?’

Fu Guoguo’s sudden move amused Gu Jiaojiao and Su Shuochi, who exchanged a smile.

The couple was in the middle of a sweet glance when the scene became so awkward it was cringe-worthy.

Gu Jiaojiao quickly grabbed Fu Guoguo’s hand and said, "Oh, so Susu can also see how much Guoguo and my eldest brother look like a couple?"

Geng Susu glanced at Gu Jiaojiao, instantly caught her drift, and played along in feigned surprise. "You mean they’re actually a couple?"

"Hehe, not yet. I’m trying to play matchmaker. Come on, let’s talk in the car, or my grandpa will be out waiting at the gate."

Geng Haoyi had driven. Seeing that his cousin probably didn’t want to ride with him, he pulled Sheng Shijing into his car instead.

When Fu Guoguo saw Eldest Brother Sheng get into Geng Haoyi’s car, she pulled Geng Susu into the back seat of the other car.

The two young women hit it off quickly, chattering nonstop the entire ride.

Su Shuochi locked their front door, opened the passenger-side door for his wife, and then got in himself.

Once the car started, Gu Jiaojiao turned to ask, "Su Shuochi, how do you think it’ll go when Eldest Brother Gu meets Eldest Brother Sheng?"

"Haven’t they met before?" Su Shuochi asked, puzzled.

"That was then, this is now. Eldest Brother Gu was sick back then, so he hadn’t really had a chance to appreciate certain things..." Gu Jiaojiao trailed off, speculating curiously.