At the dinner table, Zero sat quietly beside Lu Mingfei, her back perfectly straight, as if attending a formal event. Aunt, holding a pair of specially prepared new chopsticks, continuously piled food into Zero's bowl, quickly forming a small mountain.
"Come, eat more, you're so thin, you need to put on some weight," Aunt said while adding more food. Her demeanor clearly showed she already considered Zero the future daughter-in-law of the Lao Lu family.
Zero looked at the increasing amount of food in her bowl. Although she didn't speak, Lu Mingfei could sense her difficulty. "That's enough, Aunt, you've given her plenty. If you add more, she won't be able to eat."
Zero quickly echoed, "Thank you, Aunt, that's enough."
"You talk too much! Oh, no need to thank me, don't be so polite. Just treat this as your own home," Aunt scolded Lu Mingfei, then turned to Zero with a smile. She did, however, put down the chopsticks she was using to serve Zero. Lu Mingfei felt helpless about this; whenever Zero came to their house for a meal, Aunt was always like this, and his status at home plummeted.
Seeing Aunt put down the chopsticks she was using to serve Zero, Uncle and Lu Mingze finally picked up their own chopsticks and started eating. Their family status was clear at a glance.
The family sat around the dining table, eating and chatting, discussing everyday matters. Zero occasionally spoke a few words. When they were almost finished eating, Lu Mingfei brought up his idea of him and Zero going to Beijing for a few days. Unexpectedly, Uncle and Aunt didn't object much; they only asked when they planned to go. Lu Mingfei asked, somewhat surprised, "You... you just agreed?"
He had a pile of prepared reasons in his mind that he hadn't even used yet. Why did they agree so readily?
"Mingfei, you've grown up. We've seen your changes over the past six months. We trust you to handle things. It's good to go out and relax for a couple of days," Uncle said, leaning back in his chair and smiling. "Take the young lady out and have a good time."
"Alright, we plan to leave in a couple of days and will be back after a few days of fun."
"Okay, be careful when you go out and take good care of Zero. If Zero comes back with even one hair missing, see how I'll deal with you," Aunt said while clearing the table.
"Alright, alright, I'll definitely take good care of Zero, Aunt, don't worry. I guarantee I'll bring her back completely intact. It's getting a bit late now, I'll walk Zero home."
Lu Mingfei couldn't stand Aunt's constant nagging, so he quickly found an excuse to pull Zero out. The night breeze brushed his face, and he suddenly realized he was holding Zero's hand—soft, slightly cool, like holding a piece of warm jade. After hastily letting go, he looked up at the sky: "Haha, that moon is truly moon-like."
When he said that, Lu Mingfei wanted to slap himself.
Zero looked up and calmly said, "There's no moon tonight."
Lu Mingfei was instantly flustered, his face turning red. If there was a crack in the ground at that moment, he would have surely crawled into it. He thought, 'Your Royal Highness, there's no need to be like this. Why are you still chasing after me to kill me?!'
However, he suddenly felt a warmth on the top of his head, followed by a cold scent, like honeysuckle or osmanthus. He saw Zero standing on tiptoes, one hand stroking the top of his head, then taking his hand. Her clear, cold voice came, "Let's go. Aren't you going to walk me home?"
The two walked together on the road, and Lu Mingfei felt that this road was unusually long. At this moment, his hand was still being held by Zero, and he felt a sense of not knowing whether to hold it or not. The warm and soft touch from her hand was still there, so he had to find topics to distract himself. "Are you full today? If not, we can go get some late-night snacks. My Aunt's cooking isn't bad, right?"
"No, I'm full," Zero shook her head. "However, your Aunt seems a bit too enthusiastic towards me."
"She probably thinks we're together and sees you as the future daughter-in-law of the Lao Lu family," Lu Mingfei also had a headache. He didn't mind these things, but it was ultimately not very good for Zero.
He secretly glanced at Zero and found her very calm. It seemed this didn't bother her.
"I see," Zero responded, and both fell silent for a moment.
Finally, they arrived, and Lu Mingfei also breathed a sigh of relief. The place that usually took only a moment to reach felt unusually long tonight. However, he noticed that Zero didn't let go of his hand; instead, she pulled him into the elevator. "Since you're already here, come up for a cup of tea."
"Okay," Lu Mingfei didn't refuse. Since she had already pulled him into the elevator, what else could he do but accept?
In the living room, Zero was busy nearby. Lu Mingfei lay on the sofa. He wasn't tired; it was just that the sofa was too soft and comfortable to lie on, making Lu Mingfei sigh again, 'It's really good to be rich.'
After a while, Zero brought over a cup of tea with a rich aroma and handed it to Lu Mingfei. Lu Mingfei took it. This was his first time drinking tea brewed by Zero herself. He took a small sip; it was slightly bitter upon entry, and the tea's fragrance spread through his mouth, leaving a lingering taste. Lu Mingfei didn't understand tea, but he could tell it was definitely excellent tea. After drinking it, he felt as if his entire being had become clear.
"That's really good! So Zero, you can make tea, and you're so good at it!" Lu Mingfei exclaimed. He only now realized that Zero could make tea, and she made it so well. Truly amazing!
"I haven't made tea in a long time, but the taste should be alright," Zero also held a cup of tea and slowly drank it. Lu Mingfei nodded in agreement. The taste was more than just 'alright'; that statement was too modest. However, Lu Mingfei believed the earlier remark about not having made tea in a long time. Given Zero's status, how could she possibly take the initiative to make tea for others? He had known Zero for so long in his previous life and didn't even know she could make tea, let alone anyone else.
After finishing the tea, Lu Mingfei put down the teacup, closed his eyes, and leaned back on the sofa, feeling utterly content.
"Do you want to stay here overnight?" Zero suddenly asked, looking at his comfortable posture.
What? Hearing this, Lu Mingfei's eyes snapped open, and he sat upright, looking somewhat bewildered. Lu Mingfei looked at Zero, momentarily speechless.
"It's very late now, and if you go back, you'll definitely disturb Uncle and Aunt's rest," Zero said expressionlessly, analyzing the situation for Lu Mingfei. "I have a guest room here. You can take a shower here and sleep in the guest room. It's fine to go back tomorrow."
Lu Mingfei thought it made sense, but then he felt like something wasn't quite right. Before he could figure it out, Zero urged him to take a shower. He walked familiar to a wardrobe, opened the cabinet door, and found it full of men's clothing. He took out a new set of pajamas from inside and headed to the bathroom.
When Lu Mingfei came out after his shower, he found Zero wasn't there, guessing she was probably still showering. He didn't pay it any mind, randomly found a guest room, went in, lay down on the soft bed, and fell into a deep sleep.