Chapter 28 is all a misunderstanding.

"It really can."

She smiled down, but her gaze was somewhat distant.

A hot pot meal costs $100, which is equivalent to her weekly living expenses.

During those years, she supported herself entirely through part-time jobs and scholarships.

One hundred dollars is not a small amount for her.

It's the cost of a few meals, transportation, and textbooks.

She couldn't bear to spend money on a meal to "satisfy her cravings".

Sheng Tingzhou raised an eyebrow and paused with his chopsticks.

"Didn't the Zhou family give you living expenses?"

Song Zhiwei poked at the rice in her bowl with her chopsticks, her movements slow and her voice softer.

"I did give it to you. But I don't want to spend it."

It wasn't that she was being pretentious, nor that she was ungrateful.

Rather, she knew that behind that money lay a price she was unwilling to bear.

The Zhou family's assistance was never free.

Every favor they bestow will eventually be reclaimed in some way.

She didn't want to sacrifice her entire life for the warmth of a few meals.

Sheng Tingzhou stared at her for a few seconds, his gaze darkening.

He seemed to want to say something, his throat moved, but he ultimately didn't speak.

Just as I was about to speak, the doorbell rang suddenly.

Song Zhiwei put down her chopsticks, stood up, and walked towards the door.

As soon as the door opened, she stopped moving.

He stood there, stunned, his eyes filled with surprise and astonishment.

"Zhiwei?"

The woman standing outside the door also showed a look of surprise.

She clearly hadn't expected that this young girl would be the one to open the door.

"Madam Sheng, what... what are you doing here?"

Song Zhiwei's voice trembled slightly.

"I've come to find Tingzhou."

Madam Sheng smiled, her gaze passing over her and probing into the room.

Does he live here?

That glance landed on the figure beside the living room sofa.

Sheng Tingzhou was leaning there, his expression calm, as if he had expected this scene long ago.

Song Zhiwei immediately realized what was happening and hurriedly offered an explanation.

“That’s not it, Madam Sheng, you’ve misunderstood! He doesn’t live here at all; he just came to sit for a while. His real residence is…”

Before she could finish speaking, Madam Sheng interrupted her with a smile.

"Oh, I understand, I get it!"

Madam Sheng blinked, a meaningful smile playing on her lips.

"Don't be nervous. I'm very open-minded. I don't interfere in the affairs of young people."

Song Zhiwei was speechless for a moment.

He could only stare blankly at her, feeling both embarrassed and anxious.

A deep male voice suddenly came from behind.

"Mom, what brings you here?"

Madam Sheng turned around and saw her son slowly walking in from the entrance.

"How could I have known you were hiding such a big secret if I hadn't come?"

She glared at him, pretending to be angry.

His tone, however, was full of barely concealed amusement.

"You two really kept it a secret."

After saying that, she ignored the two of them and walked straight through them.

She walked briskly towards the living room.

As soon as she stepped into the living room, her eyes fell on the dining table.

The pot of red broth hot pot was still bubbling and emitting a rich aroma.

"Ouch!"

She exclaimed in surprise.

"Did I just happen to be here when you were having dinner? Does that mean I disturbed your time together?"

Sheng Tingzhou followed slowly and casually, speaking in a relaxed tone.

"Good to know. Then remember to compensate me for emotional distress and psychological trauma from having my appetite interrupted."

"Okay, okay, I'll compensate you! I'll compensate you in full!"

Madam Sheng waved her hand, her eyes smiling.

"I'd treat you to ten meals, let alone one."

After she finished speaking, her gaze fell on Song Zhiwei again.

The young girl has gentle features and a clean, elegant temperament.

Standing next to her son, the two, one quiet and the other composed, created an unexpectedly harmonious scene.

The more she looked at it, the more she liked it, and her satisfaction was almost overflowing.

"Such a big thing, and you didn't even tell me beforehand."

She sighed softly, her tone tinged with reproach.

"I was in such a rush today that I didn't even prepare a decent gift for our first meeting. I'm so sorry."

As she spoke, she walked up to Song Zhiwei and grabbed her hand.

The hand was warm and strong, catching Song Zhiwei off guard.

He wanted to pull his hand back but didn't dare to make any big movements.

Madam Sheng took a card out of her handbag and put it into her palm.

His tone was both kind and firm.

"Zhiwei, this is a small token of my appreciation for you. Please don't refuse, just take it."

Song Zhiwei looked down at the black card in her hand, her heart skipping a beat.

She knew all too well what this card meant.

Without thinking, she immediately raised her hand to return it.

"Madam Sheng, this is too precious, I cannot accept it..."

"Take it."

Madam Sheng interrupted her directly.

She pressed the card back into Song Zhiwei's palm.

"What elders give, juniors cannot refuse. This is both a rule and a token of goodwill."

Song Zhiwei's throat tightened, and she whispered.

"Madam Sheng, you may have... misunderstood."

"Just take it."

Sheng Tingzhou suddenly spoke.

Song Zhiwei froze, then looked up at him.

His lips curled slightly upward, but his eyes remained calm and unfathomable.

His expression was so complex that it was completely incomprehensible.

Her heart tightened.

Why doesn't he clarify this?

Isn't this just making things worse by trying to explain?

It was just an ordinary dinner invitation.

But Madam Sheng happened to be there and caught them red-handed.

If word gets out that she's living with President Sheng, how will she protect her reputation?

She could even picture the whispers and knowing smiles in the office tomorrow.

Madam Sheng was completely unaware that something was amiss.

After giving her the gift, she smiled and said...

"I just happened to be passing by and stopped by. I heard Tingzhou has lost weight recently, so I brought some things over. Since you've already met him and given me the gift, I won't keep you any longer. Please continue eating, don't be shy. Eat your food while it's hot, and remember to nurture your relationship as well."

After saying that, she waved her hand and walked briskly toward the door.

Sheng Tingzhou responded from behind.

"Okay, be careful on the road."

His tone was calm, revealing no emotion.

The room fell silent as soon as the door closed.

The air was filled with the aroma of food, but it couldn't suppress the momentary silence that followed.

Song Zhiwei finally couldn't help but ask, her voice tinged with nervousness.

"Why didn't you explain earlier? You could have clarified it in a single sentence, so why let the misunderstanding continue?"

Sheng Tingzhou, with one hand still in his pocket, leaned against the edge of the table, looking at her sideways.

He laughed nonchalantly.

"She sees things as they are, and the more you explain, the stranger it seems. My mother is the kind of person who, the more you explain, the more she feels you're trying to cover something up."

Song Zhiwei opened her mouth.

But he found himself unable to refute it for the time being.

"Mr. Sheng, Mrs. Sheng has clearly misunderstood our relationship. Her words just now clearly indicated that she considers us to be a couple, and has even started to imagine the future. I think we need to clarify this matter so that she doesn't leave with this misunderstanding. This not only concerns my reputation, but also your image."