Chapter 21: Shushu, I Love You

(Shi Zhiyu’s Confession)

Shi Zhiyu was so dumbfounded by her bizarre train of thought that he laughed.

The frustration that had been weighing on him for so long instantly disappeared.

So after all this…

The dignified Crown Prince of the Shi family—

in her eyes—

was merely a fresh and exciting secret lover?

As he replayed every word she had said, the anger in his heart gradually faded.

Instead, he began reflecting on himself.

She wasn’t wrong.

Girls in relationships were naturally more prone to insecurity.

And a long-distance relationship separated by oceans only made that worse.

Even though she had met his parents.

Even though she had been inside his room.

The two of them had never truly spent time together in person.

Perhaps he simply hadn’t been there enough.

Perhaps there had been too much longing from afar and too little actual companionship.

That was why she still couldn’t fully trust this relationship.

Why she lacked confidence in it.

It wasn’t because she didn’t care enough.

It was because he hadn’t done enough.

Because he had allowed her to feel uncertain.

Taking a deep breath, Shi Zhiyu successfully talked himself down.

Then, in a gentle voice, he said:

“Shushu.”

“I love you.”

The confession arrived without warning.

Direct.

Sincere.

Burning hot.

Tang Shu’s mind instantly went blank.

Her fingers went weak.

The phone slipped from her hand and crashed heavily onto the floor.

Bang!

The crisp sound echoed beside the quiet waiting area.

Nearby passengers immediately turned to look at her curiously.

Tang Shu’s face exploded red.

Flustered, she bent down and grabbed the phone.

Fortunately, it was a durable domestic-brand phone.

Not even a scratch.

At once, Shi Zhiyu’s tense and worried voice came through the speaker.

“Shushu?”

“What happened?”

“Are you okay?”

Tang Shu pressed the phone tightly against her ear, trying to suppress the frantic pounding of her heart.

A trace of panic slipped into her voice.

“I’m fine, I’m fine.”

“I accidentally dropped my phone.”

“I’m about to board the train soon, so let’s not talk for now.”

“If anything comes up, we can chat on WeChat.”

Before he could respond, she hurriedly hung up.

The moment the call ended, Tang Shu collapsed back into her seat.

Her fingertips felt hot.

Her heart was beating wildly against her ribs, so hard that even her ears seemed to tremble.

Before, he had only typed those words.

They were just text messages.

But hearing him say them aloud…

That felt completely different.

Tang Shu covered her face.

Repeating to herself over and over:

It’s fake.

Fake.

It’s all fake.

Yun City High-Speed Rail Station

Tang Shu and Tao Hongyi pulled their suitcases out of the station side by side.

The moment her gaze swept across the crowd, she immediately spotted a familiar figure.

Her father, Tang Songhai, stood near the exit wearing a simple casual shirt.

His eyes were fixed unwaveringly on the station entrance.

Clearly, he had been waiting for a long time.

A smile instantly bloomed in Tang Shu’s eyes.

Dragging her suitcase behind her, she ran over.

“Dad!”

“I told you there was no need to come pick me up.”

“Brother Hongyi and I could’ve just taken a taxi home.”

Tang Songhai steadily caught his daughter as she rushed over.

Warm affection filled his eyes as he rubbed her head.

“My daughter is coming home for the holidays.”

“How could I not come?”

“It’s been months since I saw you.”

“You’ve gotten thinner again.”

“You definitely aren’t eating properly at school.”

At that moment, Tao Hongyi walked over with the luggage.

Politely, he greeted him.

“Uncle, it’s been a long time.”

Tang Songhai turned around.

The moment he recognized him, his eyes lit up.

“Xiaoyi!”

“It’s really been so many years.”

“You were just a little kid back then.”

“Now look at you—so tall, so capable, such a fine young man.”

Tao Hongyi smiled modestly.

“Thanks to Auntie and Uncle’s blessings, everything has been going well.”

The three chatted happily outside the station before heading off together.

There was no luxurious private car waiting for them.

Tang Songhai had driven the small delivery truck the family used for business.

The vehicle was spotless.

Not a speck of dust could be seen.

It was obvious he had carefully washed it beforehand.

The truck was simple and ordinary.

Yet it carried a sense of warmth and reliability that no luxury car could match.

As they drove through the streets of Yun City, familiar scenery slowly passed by outside the windows.

Tang Shu felt completely at ease.

Before long, the truck stopped in front of a lively restaurant.

The elegant signboard displayed three characters:

Song Qing Shu (松清纾).

The name came from one character each from her parents’ names, plus one from her own.

A small symbol of the love shared by their family of three.

It was lunchtime.

The hotpot restaurant was packed.

Every seat was occupied.

The rich aroma of spicy broth filled the air.

Warm.

Lively.

Comforting.

“The business is incredible!”

Tao Hongyi looked around and sincerely praised them.

“Uncle, Auntie, this restaurant is thriving.”

“The reputation must be excellent.”

Tang Songhai waved modestly.

“It’s all thanks to the support of our neighbors.”

“As long as you make good food honestly, business will stay steady.”

At a glance, Tang Shu spotted her mother, Tao Qingrou, busy balancing accounts behind the counter.

She immediately let go of her luggage and ran over.

“Mom!”

“Your precious darling daughter is back!”

Hearing her voice, Tao Qingrou instantly put down her calculator and account book.

A warm smile spread across her face.

Walking over, she gently pinched Tang Shu’s cheek.

“So you still remember how to come home?”

“You’ve been having so much fun at school that you nearly forgot your mother.”

Tang Shu wrapped herself around her mother’s arm and swayed playfully.

“That’s not true!”

“I miss home every day.”

“I miss your cooking.”

“And I miss Dad’s hotpot broth even more.”

“I’ve been looking forward to this for ages.”

Tao Qingrou laughed.

“You always know exactly what to say.”

Then she noticed Tao Hongyi standing nearby.

Her smile widened.

“Xiaoyi, it’s been so long.”

“You’ve become even more handsome and reliable.”

“Auntie.”

Tao Hongyi greeted her politely.

“It’s been a long time.”

“You’re still as gentle and beautiful as ever.”

“This child really knows how to talk.”

Tao Qingrou laughed happily.

“Thank you for accompanying Shushu all the way home.”

“Come upstairs.”

“I reserved the best private room for you.”

“Eat as much as you want today.”

“You have to try your uncle’s signature hotpot base.”

The group went upstairs together and entered a clean, elegant private room.

Soon, a steaming pot of spicy red broth was brought to the table.

The soup bubbled vigorously.

Its rich aroma immediately filled the room.

Tang Shu’s eyes sparkled.

She eagerly picked up her chopsticks.

Finally!

She could eat her father’s handmade hotpot base again.

She had been craving it at school for ages.

No hotpot outside could compare to the taste of home.

“Brother Hongyi, hurry and try it!”

“My dad’s secret recipe is amazing.”

“You absolutely won’t regret it.”

Tao Hongyi laughed.

“Then I’m going to have a proper feast today.”

Tang Songhai and Tao Qingrou continuously added food to the two young people’s bowls while chatting with Tao Hongyi.

Meanwhile, Tang Shu focused entirely on eating.

She was having the time of her life.

Every bite was filled with the familiar taste of home.

Her happiness meter was completely maxed out.

Just as she stuffed a piece of tender spicy beef into her mouth—

her phone vibrated lightly beside her.

Still chewing, she picked it up with one hand.

The screen lit up.

At the very top of her contacts, “God of Wealth” had sent a message:

God of Wealth: “Have you arrived home safely?”

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