"No, I ate with Mulberry. Yesterday was New Year's Eve, there has to be some kind of ritual, right?" Bu Ling didn't shy away from the topic at all.

The more you try to hide it, the more curious they become; the more open and honest you are, the less interesting they'll find it.

"You two...are you dating?" Wu Yuanyuan asked gossipy.

Buling, sleep-deprived, yawned and rested her forehead against Wu Yuanyuan's back. "No, we're just good friends!"

"Ling, do you think I'm stupid? That quack doctor of yours cooks for you every day?"

"Hehe! I'm still young~"

Bu Ling isn't stupid; how could she not sense what Sang Shen meant? Even if she'd never eaten pork, she'd watched plenty of idol dramas, and besides, Sang Shen hadn't hidden anything.

“That’s right, you’re only sixteen, no rush. We can take our time choosing. What if there’s someone better?” Wu Yuanyuan was very supportive of her sister.

Is it considered being a jerk when your own sister does this? Is it called taking responsibility for your marriage?

Buling nodded, suppressing a laugh: "Sister Yuanyuan is right!"

"That's right, I'm three years older than you, I'm much more experienced than you," Wu Yuanyuan said shamelessly.

"Sister Yuanyuan, you're so wise!"

"But, wise Sister Yuanyuan, how's your relationship with Brother Tie going lately? I haven't seen you two go on any dates or anything," Buling gossiped.

Speaking of this, Wu Yuanyuan sighed, looking somewhat worried.

"It's almost the end of the year, and the machine factory is rushing to meet deadlines. The workers are all working two shifts, including Tiehe. They're exhausted." Even her father, a cook, often works overtime, let alone the frontline workers.

"So you just silently feel sorry for him?"

"Otherwise what? I haven't run into Tiehe lately, so I can't feel sorry for him even if I want to!" Wu Yuanyuan said matter-of-factly.

Bling is truly impressed.

"At times like these, you should be even more concerned about his well-being. If you can't see him, just give the things to Aunt Zhao, and she can pass them on to Tiehe." This way, you can also improve your future mother-in-law's impression of you.

"You're right, then I'll take the meat sauce and sweater to Aunt Zhao tonight." She had actually prepared it a long time ago, but she hadn't been able to run into anyone and was too embarrassed to go to Aunt Zhao's house herself.

"You'll come with me," Wu Yuanyuan said again.

"Fine!" Damn it, if she marries someone else, she'll be bullied to death!

"My dear sister, I'll buy you a hair tie."

"How rare!" Bling snorted arrogantly.

The two stepped into the state-run restaurant, glanced at the people sitting at the table, and simultaneously paused, exchanged a look, then pretended not to see each other and continued walking towards the back courtyard.