It's called a restaurant, but it feels more like home.

The houses in the alley are all two-story wooden buildings, and they make a "creaking" sound when you step on them.

The tables and chairs used to entertain guests are also old, but because they have been well maintained by the owner, they do not look cheap.

"Xiao Zhun, it's been so long since I've seen you."

A slightly plump middle-aged woman wearing an apron walked from the direction of the kitchen. When she saw Gu Zhun, it was as if she had seen her son whom she had not seen for a long time.

"Huh? It's rare to see you bring someone along. Is this your girlfriend?"

If it were an outsider, the misunderstanding would be understandable, but Shen Beitang sensed that the people here were very honest and simple, and she didn't want to lie to them.

"Auntie, no..."

"Aunt Lin, this is my fiancée."

Gu Zhun pulled the stunned Shen Beitang into his arms and affectionately pinched her cheek.

"I brought it here for you to see today."

Shen Beitang secretly pinched Gu Zhun's waist and muttered to herself.

"Gu Zhun, do you have to be so dedicated? There aren't any reporters here."

"Oh, so you're Xiao Zhun's fiancée. Look at what I'm wearing today."

Aunt Lin's voice rose several octaves as she tried to pull Shen Beitang aside to talk, but then she glanced at her hands and wiped them on her apron in embarrassment.

Shen Beitang didn't care and stepped forward to take Aunt Lin's hand, "Aunt Lin, we don't care about these things."

"Hey, look at me, I've got sand in my eye."

Aunt Lin wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, carefully examined Shen Beitang, and nodded repeatedly in satisfaction.

"Okay, okay, okay, but..." Aunt Lin's voice choked up a little.

"If Lin Shuang could see this too, how wonderful that would be."

Aunt Lin realized her lapse in composure and hastily wiped her face with her sleeve.

"Look at me, I've made you all wait for nothing. Xiao Zhun, are you still the same as before?"

Gu Zhun shook his head and pointed to the menu, saying, "Aunt Lin, let's order this this time."

"Xiao Zhun, are you sure? You're not..."

Aunt Lin glanced at it; it was something no one had ever dared to order.

Gu Zhun pointed to Shen Beitang, who was practically drooling with hunger, and said indulgently, "She likes it."

...

Shen Beitang wondered how Gu Zhun had found such a small shop.

It is rumored that the Gu family has always had a very strict family style, and all their clothing, food, housing and transportation must be inspected by specialists, and the food they eat is especially mediocre.

Rumor has it that the Gu family has set up a food supply chain overseas, with daily ingredients being air-freighted from abroad.

How could the Gu family allow Gu Zhun to eat at such a small shop that doesn't even have a sign?

Shen Beitang asked, "Are you very familiar with this place?"

Gu Zhun was skillfully rinsing the bowls and chopsticks one by one with tea, and then neatly placing the rinsed bowls and chopsticks in front of Shen Beitang.

"I spent most of my childhood playing in Tongxiang."

Even through the glasses, one could still see a tenderness in Gu Zhun's eyes that had never been seen before.

“I know every alley here. No one can beat me at hide-and-seek here.”

It was just a game of hide-and-seek, but Gu Zhun felt a greater sense of accomplishment than if he had negotiated a multi-billion dollar project.

"Don't brag. I've never lost a game of hide-and-seek. People call me 'Human Golden Retriever.'"

Before Shen Beitang transmigrated here, she also lived in a hutong (alleyway), and her favorite game was hide-and-seek. No one in the entire hutong could beat her at it.

"Oh?" Gu Zhun raised an eyebrow, clearly disbelieving. "You trained to chase after Shan Chengming, didn't you?"

According to his understanding, Shen Beitang spent his childhood following Shan Chengming.

Mentioning Shan Chengming immediately dampened Shen Beitang's spirits. When would she ever be able to shake off this dark history?

Seeing this, Gu Zhun assumed that she still had feelings for Shan Chengming and was feeling sad and distressed, thinking of the past.

Shen Beitang remained silent, which Gu Zhun took as a tacit agreement.

For some reason, I also became unhappy.

"I hope that when you're with me in the future, you'll put away your fickle heart."

In Gu Zhun's mind, Shen Beitang was his; he had bought her at a high price, and he could have directly taken over all the business in the south.

In the end, however, the Shen family got involved and gave up most of their profits.

Since you've spent the money, you must be loyal to him. It's unforgivable to think about other men while you're with him.

Gu Zhun subconsciously leaned closer to Shen Beitang, wanting to hear what she was thinking, if she really dared to think about Shan Chengming.

He just...

Shen Beitang's expression was solemn, his hands crossed and his chin resting on his hand, as if he was thinking about something important.

Ugh, when will the food be served? I'm starving! I need to review my hot pot recipes one more time.

Tripe 15 seconds, duck intestines 15 seconds, beef balls 3 minutes...

"..."

Gu Zhun silently got up and walked towards the backyard.

"Where are you going?" Shen Beitang asked.

"Go help out in the kitchen, so someone doesn't starve."

Gu Zhun untied his sleeve with one hand, rolled it up to his elbow, and adopted a working posture.

"Hey, I'll go too."

Even Gu Zhun, this great Buddha, went to the kitchen, so Shen Beitang couldn't just sit there and followed him.

In the kitchen, Gu Zhun's fingers, which should have been pointing out the big picture in the company, were skillfully weaving among the cabbages.

"I didn't know you could do these things? You're quite skillful."

Shen Beitan followed Gu Zhun's example, squatting by the pool and washing the vegetable leaves that Gu Zhun had prepared.

"Hmph, if you want to try, my hands are even more skillful at times."

Shen Beitang's cheeks turned red from being choked by those words. How could this person say such explicit things without any expression?

Looking at her flushed face, Gu Zhun knew what she was thinking, so he deliberately placed his wet fingers in front of Shen Beitang.

Gu Zhun looked at her teasingly, "I was talking about a massage, why are you blushing? Are you hot?"

"It's nothing, I was just thinking about a massage."

Hearing Gu Zhun's teasing voice, Shen Beitang wished she could disappear into a crack in the ground.

Gu Zhun is like the moon; chatting with him is like walking through a crater.

"Xiao Zhun, I didn't make the coconut cake that Lin Shuang loves most yesterday."

Aunt Lin held a box of homemade pastries in her hand. "I'm taking these to her today. You guys eat first."

After saying that, he walked into a room opposite the kitchen, but there was no one inside. There were only some memorial tablets enshrined in the main hall.

Because of the distance, Shen Beitang could not see the words clearly.

Once the ingredients for the hot pot were almost ready, the two of them took them out.

Once the fire is lit, the aroma of the freshly stir-fried hot pot base is immediately released, and you can tell from the smell that it is made with the finest beef tallow and chili peppers.

Although Aunt Lin told them to eat first, Shen Beitang still politely did not touch his chopsticks.

Judging from Aunt Lin's tone, it seems that besides her, there is another woman named Lin Shuang living there. Of course, hot pot tastes better when everyone is together.

"Gu Zhun, who is Lin Shuang? Is she Aunt Lin's sister? Why haven't we seen her all this time?"

It was just a casual question, but Shen Beitang noticed that Gu Zhun's face visibly darkened.

"Lin Shuang is my mother."

Gu Zhun's eyes seemed to be suppressing something, filled with forbearance and a hint of barely perceptible pain.