"A friend bought a new one but didn’t use it, so they gave it to me. I didn’t spend any money." Shao Chen wouldn’t take her money.
Zhang Shishi didn’t expect him to say that. Isn’t this guy just being sly? He deliberately added her contact information but refused to take her money.
"You should move out!" She spoke with a hint of frustration.
Shao Chen gazed at her: "Grandma lives here. There are many other expenses. Why make it hard on yourself over money?"
Zhang Shishi glared at him. He knew her weak point was Grandma, and he always found ways to make her yield.
Grandma had already served the food: "Shi Shi, come and eat."
Three dishes and a soup, all of Zhang Shishi’s favorites. She ignored Shao Chen and ate everything up, even praising Grandma’s cooking skills.
"These are the dishes Shao Chen cooked this evening," Grandma smiled.
Zhang Shishi: "..."
She knew this man well—not only was he good-looking, but he was also willing to cook delicious meals. She had been so happy when they dated; now she felt just as sad.
"I was taking a walk outside the yard tonight and ran into Shao Chen. I invited him in, and he unexpectedly brought a lot of stuff and personally cooked dinner for me," Grandma praised, "Shi Shi, Shao Chen is truly one in a million!"
She knew, of course, but they were not on the same level as each other!
"Look at these table corners. He even carefully wrapped them up, afraid I’d get hurt," Grandma pointed at the table, "When you have kids, these will come in handy."
"Grandma—" Zhang Shishi blushed, "what are you talking about?"
Shao Chen was listening intently, as if he really planned to marry her and have children.
"I’m going to take a shower. I have school tomorrow." Zhang Shishi urged Shao Chen to leave.
"I’m leaving." Shao Chen didn’t linger.
After he left, Grandma continued to praise him.
"Grandma, Shao Chen and I are just ordinary friends," Zhang Shishi hastily held her arm, "You mustn’t say things like that in front of others."
"Such a good boy, and you don’t like him?" Grandma was puzzled, "Is it because you entered the entertainment industry and there are too many boys, so you’re spoiled for choice? Let me tell you, boys in the entertainment industry can’t be relied on. I don’t like your CP or whatever you call it..."
"Grandma, I’m going to take a shower first. It’s too late. You should get to bed; elderly people shouldn’t stay up late." Zhang Shishi quickly escorted her back to the bedroom, tucked her in, and then went to the bathroom.
After showering, she came out and saw a message from Shao Chen on her phone.
[Shi Shi, are you asleep?]
She ignored him.
Lying in bed, she recalled his past kindness, those warm scenes of before felt as if they were right in front of her eyes.
Especially when he had rescued her from a fire and a mudslide, she had been deeply moved.
But the pain of breaking up was real too.
Shao Chen didn’t ask again. He only thought that if he had time, he would come more often to accompany Grandma and take her for health checkups.
He went and bought university math textbooks and materials and placed them on her bedroom desk.
[If there’s anything you don’t understand in the books, feel free to ask me.]
Zhang Shishi then noticed the books on her desk and got up, walked over, and touched the brand-new books, remembering when, before her college entrance exams, she had to balance working part-time with studying. Shao Chen had helped tutor her then too.
She didn’t belong to the type of girl with natural intelligence. Like most girls, she was afraid of math, but even if she chose humanities, math was unavoidable.