Bai Xin's mother wrote, which was what Professor Yang said.
Bai Xin nodded, "Nothing's wrong, I'm just a bit sleepy."
She saw a bowl of clear soup noodles wrapped in cling film on the table.
The living room had also been tidied up and looked brand new; she thought it was her mother who had cleaned up for her.
Her stomach growled, she was already hungry.
She touched it and felt some warmth remaining, so she picked it up and heated it in the microwave.
Professor Yang, watching her daughter who had lived alone for many years, kept her eyes on her.
She felt something was off after she went into her room.
She knew how sloppy her daughter was; every time she visited, her daughter's room was a complete mess, but this time it was exceptionally clean and tidy.
Moreover, she had never cooked before, so the bowl of clear soup noodles on the table must have been prepared by someone else.
Yet, for so many years, her daughter had never been in contact with men, let alone brought one home.
The microwave finished heating.
Bai Xin brought the noodles back, took a bite with her chopsticks, and her eyes lit up.
The flavor was really good.
"Mom, your cooking has improved this time; finally, you didn't add sugar to it."
Professor Yang was an old-timer from Hu Hai, preferring a light taste in food and a bit on the sweeter side.
Sometimes, Bai Xin really couldn't stand it.
The old lady watched her daughter and after a moment said, "Xiao Xin, tell mom, do you have a boyfriend now?"
Bai Xin almost choked on her noodles, her face flushed: "Mom, what are you talking about?"
"If you didn't find a boyfriend, then who cleaned your room and who made this bowl of noodles?"
Bai Xin was stunned for a moment before she realized, her room wasn't cleaned by her mother?
Who else could it be?
No other men had been in her room, apart from her father...
Wait, this afternoon... Xu Musen?
It could only have been him who cleaned up.
She hadn't expected that a guy could clean up so well and even make this bowl of clear soup noodles.
Although it was simple, the taste was really well-crafted, something hard to master if one didn't cook often.
Professor Yang, looking at her daughter who was no longer young, sighed: "You've always been single, it's time to think about yourself. If you find a boyfriend, we certainly won't object, as long as he's a decent person."
"Mom, you really misunderstood, I really don't have a boyfriend."
Bai Xin felt more and more awkward as she listened.
"Then how do you explain all this?"
"I... actually, it was the child of a friend who brought me home today, he might have cleaned up a bit casually."
"Ru Shuang's family."
"Ru Shuang ah... look at her, although she's a few years older than you, her daughter is already in university, and look at you."
Professor Yang obviously knew Liu Rushuang as well; after all, she was her former student.
"Mom, I just think being alone is pretty good."
Bai Xin was used to her mother's nagging, but now she really wasn't interested in love at all.
"What's so good about it? When it was just you before, the house was as messy as a pigsty, when you were sick or felt uncomfortable from drinking, don't even think you'd have someone to make you a bowl of hot noodles..."
Professor Yang spoke earnestly.
Bai Xin didn't refute anything; her gaze wandered around the room, taking in everything arranged neatly—it suddenly felt like a clean and tidy home.
And this bowl of clear soup noodles, although simple, when you're hungry, having such a bowl really brought a strong sense of happiness.
In the evening, Professor Yang left after giving a few instructions.
Bai Xin leaned on the sofa alone, looking at the clean living room; for the first time, the room felt a bit empty.
She took out her phone, thought about it, and still called Xu Musen.
"Hello, Auntie Bai, you're awake?"
"Mhm, did you clean the room and make the noodles?"
"It was me; I saw it and cleaned up a bit. You didn't eat all day, so I made something with the ingredients from the fridge. How's my recipe? Not bad, right?"
Bai Xin said, but while looking at the bowl that had been emptied of a single drop of soup, she added softly, "But thanks for the trouble."
"It's nothing, Auntie Bai; you helped me with such a big favor, just a meal. If you don't mind, I'll make it for you whenever I have the time," Xu Musen said politely with a chuckle.
But Bai Xin suddenly said that.
Xu Musen paused, not quite knowing how to respond, you really don't stand on ceremony, do you?
Bai Xin laughed again: "You can just help me grind coffee every day."
"Absolutely no problem!"
Xu Musen responded with a smile.
Bai Xin wanted to say something, but from the other end of the phone, a soft and cute voice came through.
"Xu Musen, don't move around, it's all misaligned."
"Staying in one position is a bit tiring, you know."
"It's only been a few minutes."
"Alright, alright..."
Xu Musen said, then picked up the phone again.
"Aunt Bai, what were you saying?"
"It's nothing, you should also rest early tonight."
The phone call ended.
Bai Xin sat quietly on the sofa for a while.
What in the world was that noise from the other side?
Suddenly she remembered something and looked under the sofa.
Where had her socks, which she had taken off earlier, gone?
Meanwhile, at the milk tea shop.
An Nuannuan was holding a drawing board, using Xu Musen as a model to draw.
Xu Musen posed with a suave hair-flicking gesture.
His hand was going numb.
After a while, An Nuannuan finally nodded in satisfaction.
Xu Musen shook his arms, feeling relieved.
"Nuannuan, how come you suddenly decided to draw comics?"
An Nuannuan paused, lifting her drawing board to shield her small face: "I wanted to try a different drawing method, to find some inspiration."
"Is that so? What kind of comics are you drawing then?"
"I'm not telling you."
"Stingy, If you keep this up, I'm not going to be your free model anymore."
"What if I give you another pair, would that be okay?" An Nuannuan blinked her eyes.
"A pair of what...??"
Xu Musen looked at her. Do you think it's normal to pay people with socks?
"Xu Musen, can I draw one more pose, please?"
An Nuannuan looked at him full of expectation.
"What's in it for me?"
"Well, if I stand for a while, my feet might start to hurt, and I might need someone to help me massage them..."
An Nuannuan didn't finish speaking.
Xu Musen rolled up his sleeves: "Let's get started, not for anything else, just because I love art!"
An Nuannuan lifted her peach-blossom eyes to look at him, her pink lips curving into a cute arc.
And this pose was An Nuannuan slowly standing up against the wall, with Xu Musen supporting her with one hand and the other hand slamming against the wall.
The two were very, very close to each other.
Xu Musen couldn't help but ask, "Nuannuan, is this comic you're drawing really legit?"
An Nuannuan didn't answer; she held the sketchbook close to him as if she was feeling something. Finally, she lifted her head, and ripples appeared in her peachy eyes.
An Nuannuan pursed her lips, looking at Xu Musen in his suit, just like the overbearing CEOs in the comics she had been reading over the past few days.
And he even seemed a bit more handsome.
"Xu Musen, can you say that line, 'You have successfully gained my attention'?"
The next day was the last for submitting the tender and investment proposals.
Xu Musen was already holding the prepared documents, ready to get Bai Xin's signature.
At that moment, at the entrance of Hu Hai University.
A slender and tall figure appeared at the gate.
Zhu Yulan touched the bulging little bag at her waist and snorted.
"I refuse to believe that I can't bring you down..."