"Don't be so polite with me. This is your home. Alright, watch TV, I'm going to cook."
Song Qian gave Zhao Tianhao a doting smile and went to the kitchen to cook, humming an unknown song as she went. It was clear that Song Qian was genuinely happy to see Zhao Tianhao.
Zhao Tianhao flipped through the TV channels but there wasn't anything interesting, so he lay down on the sofa and started playing on his phone. Just then, his phone received a WeChat message from Aunt Wang.
He opened it and saw it was a voice message.
"Xiao Hao, my colleague and I have told her about you. She's very impressed with you, saying you're handsome, a graduate of a prestigious university, and incredibly talented. She even feels her daughter isn't good enough for you, hehehe."
After laughing, the aunt continued, "I've seen her daughter. She's very pretty and a good person. Most importantly, she's never been in a relationship and is always busy with work. So, Xiao Hao, let's try meeting up first, give it a shot. If you agree, I'll give your phone number to my colleague; she's waiting for my message."
Zhao Tianhao was truly speechless. Aside from his fondness for women, he had practically no other flaws. He couldn't explain to his elders' keen interest in his private life.
"What can I say? Auntie, don't worry about me, I don't need women."
The aunt meant well.
So Zhao Tianhao agreed. Otherwise, he would have hypnotized her and sent her somewhere cool to stay.
However, Zhao Tianhao also knew he really should have a girlfriend. Otherwise, someone as talented and wealthy as him couldn't resist the enthusiastic matchmaker's earnest intentions.
"Okay, Auntie, give her my WeChat ID. I'll meet her. If it works out, I'll have to thank you properly." Zhao Tianhao's phone number was also his WeChat ID.
"Okay, okay." The auntie must have been waiting for Zhao Tianhao's message. He received a message from her as soon as he replied.
"Haohao, what's wrong?" Song Qian came out from the kitchen when she heard Zhao Tianhao's voice.
"Nothing, I just replied to a voice message," Zhao Tianhao explained. Seeing that Zhao Tianhao was really okay, Song Qian smiled at him and went back to the kitchen to continue her work.
While Zhao Tianhao was scrolling through his phone, he suddenly heard the sound of a key turning in the lock. He guessed it must be Qiao Yingzi returning.
Sure enough, Qiao Yingzi, dressed in her school uniform, came in after changing her shoes.
Qiao Yingzi wasn't the kind of girl who was immediately strikingly beautiful; she was the kind of girl whose beauty grew on you, and most importantly, her personality was exactly what Zhao Tianhao liked.
Who wouldn't want a girlfriend as lovely as Yingzi?
"Mom, we have guests," Qiao Yingzi said, seeing a handsome older brother on the sofa. Although he was quite handsome, she didn't recognize Zhao Tianhao.
After all, Zhao Tianhao had changed a lot. Of course, it was also because Qiao Yingzi was still young then and didn't remember his face very clearly.
"What guests? Look again. This is your brother Tianhao," Song Qian said, popping out of the kitchen again after seeing Qiao Yingzi return.
"Brother Tianhao? When...when...you're Brother Tianhao? You really are Brother Tianhao!" Qiao Yingzi matched the Zhao Tianhao in front of her with the Zhao Tianhao she remembered, and with Song Qian's confirmation, she was immediately certain.
She threw down her schoolbag and rushed towards Zhao Tianhao.
Zhao Tianhao, afraid she would fall, quickly caught her.
Qiao Yingzi hugged Zhao Tianhao tightly, her small breasts pressed against his body, and choked out, "I missed you, Brother Tianhao. Where did you go? You haven't come back. Do you know that after you left, when Mother scolded me, no one stood up for me?"
Qiao Yingzi cried while "accusing" her mother. Of course, it wasn't a real accusation, just a simple expression of her longing.
Back then, Song Qian was a teacher, strict with her students. Even stricter with her daughter.
In most families, one parent plays the "good cop" and the other the "bad cop." If the mother disciplines her child, the father will step in to mediate, urging the mother to say less and protecting the child.
The reverse is also true.
Mixed-up tactics are rare.
It just means the child is too naughty and needs discipline.
How could Qiao Yingzi, from a single-parent family, possibly understand the happiness of being cared for and having someone stand up for her?
Although Qiao Yingzi knew her mother, Song Qian, meant well, that was only after she grew up.
What did she know as a child? So back then, Zhao Tianhao was always the one taking care of Qiao Yingzi at home, arguing with Song Qian, and standing up for the unruly Qiao Yingzi.
And Zhao Tianhao was a good student and an orphan. Seeing Zhao Tianhao experience being an older brother and feeling the warmth of family, Song Qian naturally wouldn't lecture him.
Therefore, she was often speechless at Zhao Tianhao's arguments and had no way to deal with him.
As a child, Qiao Yingzi didn't understand any of this; she only knew that Zhao Tianhao was genuinely good to her. So, she gradually became Zhao Tianhao's shadow.
Sometimes, when she couldn't see Zhao Tianhao, Qiao Yingzi would burst into tears.
As soon as she saw Zhao Tianhao, Qiao Yingzi would immediately stop crying—it was simply outrageous. This infuriated Song Qian, who exclaimed that she had wasted her life giving birth to her and told her to go with Zhao Tianhao.
Qiao Yingzi didn't seem to care, sticking her tongue out slightly at Song Qian, acting like an extremely unruly child.
Of course, this was all said in anger. In Song Qian's eyes, Zhao Tianhao was still a child; how could she actually do that?
She was just jealous. Her own daughter was so close to Zhao Tianhao; his words carried more weight than hers.
However, later, Song Qian realized the importance of having a man in the family. Although Zhao Tianhao was a big boy, his early maturity was both reassuring and heartbreaking.
This is why Song Qian dotes on Zhao Tianhao so much; she truly treats him as family. Whether she sees him as a son or a husband is another matter entirely.
Back then, Zhao Tianhao was solely focused on his studies and improving his situation. He hadn't considered these things.
Call Zhao Tianhao stubborn, call him overthinking because he was living under someone else's roof, but you can't say he was wrong. Because true empathy is impossible.
Even if Zhao Tianhao accepted this identity, he couldn't truly understand the feelings Song Qian had experienced in that environment. After all, as a fellow orphan, he was still very sensitive.
However, these thoughts were fleeting. Holding Qiao Yingzi, Zhao Tianhao comforted her, saying,
"It's all my fault. I won't leave anymore. I'll stay with you forever, okay?"
"Really?" Tears welled in Qiao Yingzi's eyes as she stared at Zhao Tianhao after they parted, afraid he was lying.
"Really?" Zhao Tianhao said earnestly, looking at Qiao Yingzi who was sobbing uncontrollably. He gently wiped away her tears with both hands.
Yingzi hugged Zhao Tianhao again, crying even harder.
However, Zhao Tianhao knew this wasn't Qiao Yingzi crying out of sadness, but rather tears of joy, a release of pent-up longing and grievances in front of her dearest person.
Song Qian, watching the two embracing, was also deeply moved, and tears of joy streamed down her face. Zhao Tianhao was back; it was wonderful.
Seeing Song Qian silently weeping at the kitchen doorway, Zhao Tianhao, holding Yingzi, happened to see her. He beckoned to Song Qian, gesturing for her to come over. After a moment's hesitation, Song Qian finally came.
She also felt a little reluctant to leave Zhao Tianhao's embrace. Thinking of the pleasant scent he had smelled when he held her that afternoon, Song Qian's face flushed slightly.
However, Song Qian approached with her head down, avoiding Zhao Tianhao's eyes. Therefore, Zhao Tianhao didn't see her flushed face.
But judging from her almost pausing every three seconds, it was easy to guess that Song Qian was shy.
Once Song Qian was beside him, Zhao Tianhao reached out with his left hand and pulled her into his arms. The three of them embraced.
After a while, Song Qian remembered the soup she was simmering and, making an excuse, quickly and shyly went to the kitchen to continue cooking.