Chapter 45 Lend a Hand

And on the other end of the phone was a voice she knew to the bone.

Thinking of this, she took a deep breath, suppressed her surging emotions, and tried her best to make her voice sound calm.

"I don't know, this has nothing to do with me."

Xie Lingling stared at her.

She didn't speak, she just watched quietly.

After looking at it for a long time, I still couldn't figure it out.

She stared down at her phone screen, her fingertips unconsciously scrolling through the photo album.

The people in those photos were unfamiliar and blurry, and I couldn't remember their names.

His brow furrowed slightly, and he felt a void in his heart.

Finally, she could only raise her head, force a smile, and say, "Your Uncle Zhou has introduced you to a few good young men, all of whom are capable and have good family backgrounds. When do you have time to meet them?"

She was genuinely anxious.

Seeing her daughter sitting on the sofa with her head down and not saying a word, she felt as if something was gripping her heart.

It's best to settle things as soon as possible while our daughter is still young.

After all, I'm getting older, and if I wait a few more years, there will only be fewer and fewer suitable partners.

Moreover, which of those well-off men would want to marry an older woman?

Of course, she had another concern...

That concern remained hidden in my heart; I dared not voice it.

What she feared was not that her daughter wouldn't be able to get married, but that she would still have feelings for that person.

The thought of this made Xie Lingling's heart tighten uncontrollably.

"Mom, I just graduated."

Song Zhiwei clenched her fists.

She raised her head and looked straight at her mother.

"Zhou Xiaolu and Zhou Yunsheng are both older than me. Why doesn't Uncle Zhou take care of them? Why is he so eager to arrange things for me first?"

"Zhiwei, how come you've become more and more immature after returning from five years of studying abroad?"

Xie Lingling looked at her daughter, her brows furrowing even deeper.

She remembered how well-behaved she was as a child, speaking softly and never talking back to her elders, even crying cautiously.

But what about now?

His eyes were stubborn, and his words were barbed; he seemed like a completely different person.

A wave of bitterness washed over her, almost overflowing.

Isn't everything she did for her own good?

For her future, for her reputation, and to prevent trouble from arising in this family.

Every step she took was carefully considered and deliberated over.

Song Zhiwei bit her lip, and tasted a hint of blood on her tongue.

She wasn't immature; she just saw through too many things.

How much scheming is hidden behind those so-called "for your own good" arrangements?

She had clearly tried her best to live an honest life and stay away from trouble.

But why do her family still see her as a potential threat who could make mistakes at any time?

"Are you afraid I still have feelings for my uncle?"

"I heard he broke up with Qiao Yiqing. Are you afraid I'll take advantage of this and embarrass you? So you're rushing to marry me off?"

Xie Lingling's face stiffened, and her lips moved slightly.

She chuckled awkwardly, unconsciously touching her forehead, and then embarrassedly avoided her daughter's gaze.

"You're overthinking it. Mom is just looking out for you. Marriage is a big deal. The sooner you settle down, the more at ease you'll feel, and your dad and I can rest easy."

Song Zhiwei gave a wry smile, a very faint curve appearing at the corners of her mouth.

But there was no warmth in that smile.

She suddenly felt quite tired.

It's not just physical exhaustion, but also mental weariness.

She had tried her best to avoid Zhou Zhiwei; in order to stay away from Zhou, she moved out of the Zhou family home and rarely went back.

During holidays, he would only cook a bowl of noodles in his own apartment.

She carefully drew a line, refusing to contact, inquire, or appear.

But her family still guarded against her.

"Okay, I'll go see him."

She finally spoke, her voice calm.

A hint of surprise flashed in Xie Lingling's eyes.

She nodded eagerly, "Really? You're willing to go see him? That's great! I knew you'd change your mind."

"Send me your address, you can go back now."

Song Zhiwei stood up, her tone leaving no room for argument.

She really didn't want to talk anymore. If she said another word, she was afraid she would lose control, cry, and say more hurtful things.

"Okay, okay, I'm off then. Remember to call Mom if anything happens."

Having achieved her goal, Xie Lingling was in a good mood, and a relaxed smile returned to her face.

She picked up her bag and walked briskly towards the door, turning back to give a final word of advice before leaving.

"Don't forget to check the information I sent you."

As soon as the door closed, the room fell silent.

The wind outside the window gently stirred the curtains.

A tear quietly slid down Song Zhiwei's cheek and landed warmly on her collarbone.

She stood still until the dampness gradually dried before gently wiping it away.

She turned and went into the kitchen.

Open the refrigerator, take out the ingredients, wash the vegetables, chop them, and turn on the stove—the actions are mechanical.

The oil in the pan started to smoke, but she seemed not to notice.

A dozen minutes later, there was a knock on the door.

She roughly knew who it was; her heart skipped a beat, and her fingers curled slightly.

She took a deep breath, put down the kitchen knife, wiped her hands, and walked step by step toward the door.

Sheng Tingzhou pushed open the door and entered, his footsteps light and slow.

The light from inside the room shone on his sharply defined profile.

He had just taken off his coat when his gaze inadvertently fell on Song Zhiwei's slightly red eyes.

His voice involuntarily lowered a few decibels.

"What's wrong? Did you have a fight with your mom?"

"fine."

Song Zhiwei shook her head gently, her fingertips unconsciously wiping the corner of her eye.

She didn't want to talk more and turned to walk quickly into the kitchen.

"Dinner tonight is just simple, some home-style dishes, please don't mind."

"I don't mind, I'll eat anything."

Sheng Tingzhou followed behind her.

He casually placed his briefcase on the low cabinet in the entryway, took off his leather shoes, and put on slippers.

Sheng Tingzhou, shuffling in his slippers, followed her into the kitchen at a leisurely pace.

He stood at the doorway, leaning on the doorframe with both hands, watching for a while as she bent over washing vegetables.

Suddenly, he rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, revealing his muscular forearms.

"Do you need any help? Is there anything else I can do?"

Song Zhiwei looked up and glanced at the clock on the wall.

The clock has already struck 7:30; it's getting late.

She originally intended to do it all by herself.

But the vegetables in the kitchen weren't finished being chopped yet, the range hood was humming loudly, and time was indeed tight.

She didn't refuse again, and casually pulled a kitchen knife from the knife rack next to the cutting board and handed it over.

"Then you can cut some potatoes, cut them into strips, not too thick and not too thin."

Twenty minutes later, the kitchen finally returned to calm.

The lid of the pot on the stove was lifted, releasing an enticing aroma.

A plate of bright red cola chicken wings.

The other plate of hot and sour shredded potatoes was golden and translucent.

The aroma of the dishes filled the air, whetting people's appetites.

The two sat facing each other, with the old chandelier overhead casting a warm yellow light.

The lights flickered, and their shadows swayed gently on the wall.

Song Zhiwei quietly looked up at Sheng Tingzhou across from her.

She only made eye contact for a second, and her heart skipped a beat for no reason.

She quickly lowered her head, her ears slightly warm, and whispered, "Eat, the food is getting cold."

Sheng Tingzhou picked up a chicken wing, put it in his mouth, and slowly chewed it a couple of times.

He nodded, his tone sincere: "It tastes great, the cooking time is just right, and the sauce is flavorful."

This was meant as a compliment, a very common expression of affirmation in everyday life.

But Song Zhiwei suddenly remembered the blind date Xie Lingling had mentioned during the day.

She could almost hear her friend's half-joking tone again.