It was Gu Yanchen.

"Brother!" Shen Nianxi spotted Shen Nian'an standing under the locust tree at a glance and waved excitedly.

Shen Nian'an saw them too and quickly went to greet them with her son in her arms. Little Nianzu seemed to recognize his aunt, waving his chubby little hands and babbling, which made Shen Nianxi's eyes crinkle with laughter.

"Brother, this is Gu Yanchen. Yanchen, this is my brother Shen Nian'an, and this is my nephew, Shen Nianzu." Shen Nianxi introduced them with a smile, holding Gu Yanchen's hand.

Gu Yanchen quickly stepped forward, bowed slightly, and said respectfully and gently, "Hello, elder brother, hello, nephew." As he spoke, he took out a small and exquisite wooden rabbit from his pocket and handed it to Xiao Nianzu, "I carved this myself and gave it to my nephew to play with."

The wooden rabbit carving was so lifelike; it was clear that a lot of effort had been put into it. Shen Nian'an took the carving and said with a smile, "You're too kind. Come home with me; your parents are waiting for you."

The group chatted and laughed as they walked towards the Shen family home. Along the way, Shen Nianxi chattered away to her brother, while Gu Yanchen walked quietly beside her, occasionally chiming in with a few words, but his gaze remained fixed on her, his tenderness almost dripping with affection.

As Gu Yanchen approached the entrance of the Shen family's courtyard, his steps slowed down.

He looked up and saw an elegant little building nestled among lush green trees and blooming flowers. Several gardenias grew by the courtyard gate, their rich fragrance filling the air. Red ribbons hung under the eaves, exuding a festive atmosphere. A woman dressed in a plain cloth dress stood at the gate, gazing in their direction, her eyes crinkling with a gentle smile.

Behind the woman stood a tall, upright man dressed in a gray Zhongshan suit, his gaze calm and gentle.

"Dad! Mom!" Shen Nianxi let go of Gu Yanchen's hand and, like a little bird returning to its nest, ran over and threw herself into Lin Wanqiu's arms.

"Oh, my dear daughter, you're finally back." Lin Wanqiu hugged her daughter tightly, her eyes instantly reddening. She looked Shen Nianxi up and down, noticing that she had lost weight, and said with heartache, "Did you not eat properly while you were away? Look at your little face, you've gotten so thin."

"Mom, I'm eating well." Shen Nianxi nuzzled her shoulder affectionately, then turned around, took Gu Yanchen's hand, and led him to Lin Wanqiu and Shen Tingzhou. "Dad, Mom, this is Gu Yanchen. Yanchen, these are my parents."

Gu Yanchen took a deep breath, suppressing his nervousness, and bowed respectfully to Lin Wanqiu and Shen Tingzhou. His voice was clear and sincere: "Uncle, Aunt. My name is Gu Yanchen, and I am Nianxi's boyfriend. This is my first time visiting your home, so I didn't prepare anything. This is a gift I brought for you both."

As he spoke, he took out two exquisite boxes from his suitcase. One box contained a set of fine writing implements, which he had specially asked someone to buy from Suzhou; the other box contained a jade pendant, with a warm and smooth texture and exquisite craftsmanship, which was a keepsake passed down to him by his grandmother.

"These writing implements are for my uncle; I heard he enjoys practicing calligraphy. This jade pendant is for my aunt; I hope she will like it."

Lin Wanqiu and Shen Tingzhou exchanged a glance, both seeing satisfaction in each other's eyes. Shen Tingzhou stepped forward, patted him on the shoulder, and said with a smile, "Good boy, come in and sit down. Why bring a gift? It's too formal."

Lin Wanqiu quickly accepted the gift, her eyes crinkling with a smile: "Yes, come inside quickly, it's very hot outside. I made your favorite osmanthus cake, and lots of other dishes, all of which you like."

A warm feeling instantly welled up in Gu Yanchen's heart. He could clearly feel the couple's enthusiasm and sincerity, without the slightest distance or formality, treating him like their own child, which instantly calmed his anxious heart.

As the group entered the house, Shen Nianxi, who had been waiting impatiently, skipped over and curiously looked at Gu Yanchen: "You're Brother Gu? My sister always mentions you in her letters, saying you dance really well!"

Looking at the lively and adorable little girl, Gu Yanchen couldn't help but smile: "You must be Xixi, right? Nianxi mentioned you to me before, saying you're a clever little devil."

Shen Nianxi blushed at his praise and quickly took his hand, leading him into the house: "Brother Gu, please sit down, let me pour you a glass of water!"

The atmosphere inside was warm and harmonious. Little Nianzu was attracted by the wooden rabbit in Gu Yanchen's hand, reaching out his chubby little hands and babbling as he tried to grab it. Seeing this, Gu Yanchen quickly handed the rabbit to him, and even gently pinched his little cheek, his actions incredibly gentle.

Seeing this, Lin Wanqiu's doubts vanished instantly. She secretly pulled Chen Nianxi aside, leaned close to her ear, and whispered, "This child seems quite mature. Is he good to you?"

Shen Nianxi blushed and nodded: "Mom, he's so good to me. When I was in Paris, I got injured while practicing dance, and he took care of me the whole time. He also went to many museums with me and told me a lot of stories about traditional Chinese culture."

Lin Wanqiu smiled with relief and patted her hand: "That's good, that's good."

The lunch table was laden with a dazzling array of dishes. There was fragrant old duck soup, tender and delicious shrimp and water chestnut stir-fry, soft and sweet osmanthus cake, and shepherd's purse spring rolls that Gu Yanchen had never tried before. Lin Wanqiu kept putting food on Gu Yanchen's plate, her eyes smiling, "Child, try some, this is made by your aunt, see if it suits your taste."

Gu Yanchen picked up a shepherd's purse spring roll, put it in his mouth, and the crispy outer skin and fresh filling melted on his tongue. It was so delicious that he couldn't help but squint his eyes. He nodded quickly: "Delicious, so delicious! It's better than anything I've ever eaten in Paris."

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