"Uncle Chen! I'm here!"

With great enthusiasm, Zhong Xingyue pulled Xu Fan into the shop and after they sat down at a table, she shouted toward the kitchen at the back!

"Xu Fan, don't judge by the plain decor here, but Uncle Chen's cooking skills are amazing!"

Zhong Xingyue sat across from Xu Fan, excitedly recommending the place to him.

Xu Fan had asked to be taken somewhere good to eat, and Zhong Xingyue's first thought was this old restaurant.

Since childhood, she had lived nearby with her mother. If life were a puzzle, this street would occupy at least half of it.

As for Uncle Chen's restaurant, in Zhong Xingyue's heart, it held an incredibly important place.

Coming from a single-parent family, and with a gambling-addicted father who harassed her occasionally, there weren't many who sincerely cared for her. This old man, who watched over the restaurant, was one of them.

Zhong Xingyue was pitching the restaurant's signature dishes to Xu Fan when an elderly man with a stooped back and salt-and-pepper hair walked out of the kitchen.

"So late already, it turns out it's you, girl," he said.

The old man came over to their table and joked with Zhong Xingyue for a bit before his gaze shifted to Xu Fan.

His eyes, though cloudy, carried a hint of surprise.

Over the years, he had watched Zhong Xingyue grow up. Not to mention anything else, her beauty alone was unmatched in this neighborhood. Yet, due to her unfortunate father, she had never dated.

Now that she had brought a boy with her, it was natural for him to take a second look.

"Uncle Chen, this is my friend, his name is Xu Fan."

Seeing Uncle Chen appraising Xu Fan, Zhong Xingyue blushed a bit and stuck out her tongue.

Worried that Uncle Chen might misunderstand, she quickly explained.

"Come on, Uncle Chen, go and make us something tasty, I'm starving!"

If she let Uncle Chen keep looking, he might start inquiring about Xu Fan's personal details, so Zhong Xingyue coaxed him playfully.

"Alright, alright. It's rare for you to bring a boy over. I'll cook you something delicious for free tonight!"

Seemingly satisfied, Uncle Chen chuckled and turned back into the kitchen.

"Xu Fan, I'm sorry," she said.

After watching Uncle Chen enter the kitchen, Zhong Xingyue stuck out her tongue at Xu Fan and started to apologize.

Uncle Chen's wife had died early, and he had no children of his own, so almost regarded her as a daughter.

Having brought a boy here, he couldn't help but speculate.

Zhong Xingyue was only worried that Xu Fan might feel uncomfortable.

"You took me out for some good food, what's there to be sorry about?"

Xu Fan smiled and didn't mind at all.

Zhong Xingyue chose not to take him to any lavish places but to this small restaurant filled with her childhood memories. Clearly, she saw him as a friend and wanted to share it with him.

Soon, as Zhong Xingyue chatted intermittently with Xu Fan, Uncle Chen came out of the kitchen with the prepared dishes.

"Alright you two, eat it while it's hot."

The dishes Uncle Chen brought out were quite ordinary.

Two bowls of fish ball noodles, along with a few dishes like char siu and other Cantonese meals.

After placing the plates on the table, Uncle Chen sat down next door.

"Heehee, Uncle Chen, I'm starting now!"

Having completely forgotten the memories of being bound to the Ye family tonight, Zhong Xingyue's face showed no signs of trouble; she picked up her chopsticks, rubbed her belly, and started eating.

Although the old restaurant was laden with Zhong Xingyue's sentimental value, the food was indeed very authentic.

As Zhong Xingyue and Xu Fan ate, the old man sitting beside them started chatting with them off and on.

Xu Fan felt no aversion to the old man and found their conversation quite comfortable.

As for the mixed questions about household registration that he asked, Xu Fan gave him half-truth answers.

It wasn't that he wanted to deceive this ordinary old man, but Xu Fan worried that knowing his true identity would be too much for the old man's heart.

"Xu Fan, what exactly is your relationship with this girl?"

As they chatted, the old man suddenly asked this very sensitive question.

With a clatter, the chopsticks Zhong Xingyue was holding fell straight to the ground!

"Uncle Chen, why would you..."

Pouting slightly, Zhong Xingyue's face instantly flushed red.

She seemed like a daughter playfully coaxing her father.

"You girl, I'm just curious..."

Despite Zhong Xingyue's complaints, the old man's eyes were still curiously fixed on Xu Fan.

This scene made Zhong Xingyue's heart start thumping rapidly.

Under their expectant gazes, Xu Fan put down his chopsticks.

He smiled and then said to the old man, "Uncle Chen, I won't hide it from you; I am actually Xingyue's boyfriend."

"Xingyue often mentions you, saying how good you are to her, just like a father, so this time I insisted on coming to see you with her."

"We came in a hurry and didn't bring anything, please don't mind."

Upon hearing these words from Xu Fan, the expectation on the old man's face immediately burst into joy—his eyes crinkled into lines.

"No need for gifts! I'm just a lonely old man; I don't need those things. As long as you really take good care of this girl, I'll be happy."

Seemingly because of Xu Fan's words, the old man became even more cheerful in the conversation.

Zhong Xingyue sat beside them, watching the man who was engrossed in conversation with the old man, her eyes unwittingly misting with tears.

In the past two years, Uncle Chen's health had been declining day by day.

The business in the shop had also decreased quite a bit.

The old man had lived his whole life without much family, only treating her like a daughter.

This time, to repay her father's gambling debt, the hundred thousand yuan she'd gathered was forcefully given to her by him.

Other than passing the shop onto someone, his only wish was to see her find the right partner.

But with her family background?

How could she fulfill his wish?

Due to her gambler father, not many men dared to approach her.

But at this moment, Xu Fan had fulfilled Uncle Chen's wish for her.

Perhaps his words were just lies, but Zhong Xingyue was still grateful to him.

Grateful for the kind lies he told for her.

Unknowingly, the dishes on the table had all been finished.

It was getting late, and Zhong Xingyue stood up and said, "Alright, Uncle Chen, it's getting late, we should head out now."

"You should close up soon and rest early."

"Alright, alright, I'll see you out."

As the old man stood up to see them off, Xu Fan quickly supported him.

He put his hand on the old man's wrist and frowned.

After a pause, he finally spoke, "Uncle Chen, please don't bother, we can leave by ourselves."

...

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