190: Chapter 185 A nephew is like a son

On the way back, Yu Heng took out his phone, flipped through his contacts, and dialed a number.

The phone rang a few times before it was picked up.

"Hello, Xiao Heng?" Liu Jianfen's voice came through, with a somewhat noisy background.

"Mom," Yu Heng said, "I'm on my way back to Ancheng. Where are you?"

"Ah?" Liu Jianfen was stunned for a moment. "Why didn't you say so in advance?"

"It was a last-minute decision," Yu Heng said. "You're not at home?"

"No, no," Liu Jianfen's voice got a bit louder. "Your Second Aunt and I are attending a wedding gift-giving. I won't be back tonight."

Yu Heng frowned slightly. "Who's getting married that you can't even come back at night?"

"It's your Third Aunt's Eldest Nephew, held in the Capital City," Liu Jianfen said. "They've already booked the hotel for us, and the banquet won't finish until tomorrow afternoon."

Yu Heng curled his lips. "Alright, I got it."

"I thought you were busy with your startup, so I didn't tell you," Liu Jianfen asked. "How about you come to the Capital City too?"

"I'm not going," Yu Heng interrupted her. "Don't worry about me."

"Then why don't you give your sister-in-law a call... She has this weekend off."

"Got it," Yu Heng said. "Hanging up now."

He hung up the phone, swiped his finger across the screen, found Zhou Wanyi's number, and dialed it.

Shen Yueling leaned against his shoulder, her eyelashes trembling slightly.

The call went through quickly.

"Hello, Xiao Heng?" Zhou Wanyi's voice was kept a bit low.

"Sister-in-law," Yu Heng said, "I'm on my way back to Ancheng. I just called Mom, and she said she's not home."

"Ah... You're back?" Zhou Wanyi paused. "Okay, then I'll cook once I've coaxed Xiao Hui to sleep."

"No need," Yu Heng said. "I've already eaten. I just wanted to let you know, so as not to..."

"Xiao Heng," Zhou Wanyi immediately interrupted him, her voice even lower, "Don't mention it."

Yu Heng smiled. "Alright, I'm hanging up then."

The call ended.

Yu Heng tucked his phone back into his pocket, his hand naturally resting on Shen Yueling's waist.

Shen Yueling didn't open her eyes, only asking softly, "Is only your sister-in-law at home tonight?"

"No," Yu Heng said. "Isn't Yu Hui there as well?"

"Nonsense," Shen Yueling rolled her eyes at him but didn't ask further. She leaned closer into his arms and closed her eyes.

Yu Heng looked at the receding scenery outside the window, running through his plans for the evening in his mind.

Regarding Zhou Wanyi, she had used the samples and given feedback, even though she had been dragging her feet on filling out that questionnaire.

But Yu Heng felt that things were changing. Training was a slow process, especially for someone with Zhou Wanyi's personality.

She was actually very traditional at heart, but she had some suppressed thoughts, so he had to pry her open bit by bit.

—

Bai Xinran put down her drawing tablet and checked her phone.

Two-thirty in the afternoon.

Yu Heng and Shen Yueling should have arrived in Ancheng by now?

She stood up and walked to the window.

The sky outside was a bit overcast, looking like it might rain.

She stared at the sky for a while until she saw her reflection in the glass and realized she wasn't wearing any clothes.

The glass was one-way. Yu Heng had said it added a bit of excitement.

She walked back to the living room and sat down on the sofa again.

The screen still displayed the product design diagrams.

She stared at it for a few seconds and then raised her hand to start making revisions.

Halfway through drawing, she stopped.

She shifted her legs slightly; this work was a bit taxing on a person.

—

Five o'clock in the afternoon.

Bai Xinran checked the time and saved the design diagram.

She stood up and walked into the kitchen.

The refrigerator had vegetables that Shen Yueling had bought yesterday.

She took out tomatoes and eggs, preparing to make dinner.

Cooking for one was simple and was finished quickly.

She carried the plate to the dining table and sat down. Halfway through eating, her phone rang.

It was a WeChat message from Yu Heng: Have you eaten?

Bai Xinran put down her chopsticks and typed with both hands: I'm eating right now, stir-fried tomatoes and eggs. Since you're not home, I can add sugar, hehe.

Yu Heng: Pfft, I never stopped you from adding it before.

Bai Xinran: That won't do, I have to cook to your preferred taste.

Bai Xinran stared at the screen, waited for a while, but didn't receive any more messages.

She set her phone aside and continued eating.

After finishing her meal, she washed the dishes and dried her hands.

Then she walked into the bathroom.

As the hot water poured over her body, she closed her eyes.

Images from last night flashed through her mind.

Yu Heng's hands, Yu Heng's voice, Yu Heng... She opened her eyes and turned off the faucet.

After drying her body, she put it back on.

The moment the clasp fastened, she felt at ease.

—

The carpool driver dropped Shen Yueling off at the entrance of her residential complex, and Yu Heng helped her take her bag down.

"Should I pick you up tomorrow afternoon?" Yu Heng asked.

"Yeah, I'll call you." Shen Yueling took the bag and turned to enter the complex.

Yu Heng got back into the car, and ten minutes later, the car stopped in front of an old-style residential building.

Yu Heng paid the fare and carried his backpack upstairs.

The living room lights were on, and the TV was quietly playing a variety show.

Zhou Wanyi poked her head out from the kitchen, wearing an apron.

"You're back?" She spoke very softly. "Xiao Hui just fell asleep."

"Yeah." Yu Heng bent over to change his shoes. "I really have already eaten, why did you go to all this trouble?"

"I haven't eaten either," Zhou Wanyi turned back to the kitchen. "Wash your hands and let's eat a bit together."

Yu Heng placed his backpack on the entryway cabinet and walked into the bathroom.

When he came out after drying his hands, Zhou Wanyi had already placed two plates of food on the dining table.

"I just made something simple." Zhou Wanyi took off her apron, draped it over the back of a chair, and sat down across from Yu Heng.

"This is enough." Yu Heng picked up his chopsticks.

The two ate in silence. Zhou Wanyi ate very slowly, her chopsticks poking at the rice, and she only picked up food from the side closest to her.

Yu Heng glanced up at her, and Zhou Wanyi immediately lowered her head, taking a mouthful of rice.

"Haven't filled out the questionnaire yet?" Yu Heng suddenly asked.

Zhou Wanyi's chopsticks paused. She swallowed the food in her mouth, her voice a bit tight: "Not yet... I've been a bit busy these past two days."

"Busy with what?"

"Just... stuff around the house," Zhou Wanyi said vaguely. "Lately, things have been busy at Mom's factory too. Sometimes Xiao Hui is home all by himself during the day."

"That won't do," Yu Heng narrowed his eyes. "How old is the child?"

"It's only because he's small that it's okay. He can't get into much trouble in his playpen; at most, he'll just cry a bit," Zhou Wanyi sighed. "When he gets older, he really won't be able to be left alone."

Yu Heng pursed his lips, remembering that later on, Liu Jianfen had taken early retirement to look after Yu Heng.

He had originally intended to steer the atmosphere toward something more intimate, but it had drifted to such a heavy topic. Yu Heng frowned. "Sister-in-law, hire a nanny. It would make things much easier for you both."

"Hiring a nanny costs quite a bit," Zhou Wanyi said. "It would be better if I just resigned."

"I have money," Yu Heng said with a smile. "I'm making tens of thousands a month now, and it'll be even more in the future."

"Tens of thousands?" Zhou Wanyi looked up at him. "Is that thing really that profitable?"

"It's not that, it's from the live-streaming industry," Yu Heng laughed. "In any case, I can certainly afford to hire a nanny."

"That still won't do," Zhou Wanyi said seriously. "You're not married yet. You should save your money for your own marriage, buying a house, and so on. You'll have to raise children after you're married too, and raising children is very expensive nowadays."

"Sister-in-law," Yu Heng said earnestly, "my brother is gone. This nephew is just like a son; I'll be raising him just the same."