“Yummy, it’s too delicious,” Wen Xia mumbled as she devoured the food. “Chenchen, maybe you should live at home. I’ll buy you a car so that you can drive back and forth between our house and your college.”

“You’re overthinking,” Su Chen rolled his eyes at her while slowly eating with a pair of chopsticks.

He had eaten with Lin Yumeng previously at the university, so he wasn’t really hungry.

“Chenchen, please, after eating the food you made, I can’t eat the food from the food delivery service anymore,” Wen Xia stared at Su Chen eagerly.

“Brother, don’t listen to her.” Su Mo looked up.

“Boohoo…Momo, you’re a bad girl. Now that you’ve grown up, you don’t care about me anymore,” Wen Xia wailed. She just pretended, though; not a single tear fell.

The brother and sister were already used to this scenario. Su Mo lowered her head and continued eating, whereas Su Chen held the chopsticks in one hand and his phone in the other, texting Lin Yumeng.

“Humph! Two heartless kids.” Wen Xia pouted in a fit of the sulks and ate quietly.

Su Chen took a photo of the dishes on the table and sent it to Lin Yumeng. He then proudly typed a message of three words: “I made them.”

Lin Yumeng first sent him a drooling emoji, and then she praised him generously: “Wow, they look delicious. Brother Chen, you’re so great—you even know how to cook.”

A pleasant smile decorated Su Chen’s lips.

Su Chen typed back: “I’ll make them for you when I am free. They’re much better than the food in the cafeteria, I assure you.”

Lin Yumeng typed: “Really? That’s so nice of you. XXXX!” [face-blowing-a-kiss emojis]

The smile on Su Chen’s face grew wider. He very much enjoyed spending time with Lin Yumeng. He was always happy when he was with her.

He once had been content to muddle along as a bystander while observing the restlessness in the youth whose emotions fluctuated with love. He thought that their way of life was exhausting and that their suffering was their own fault.

But now, he mused, falling in love was not a bad thing at all.

Wen Xia and Su Mo saw the expressions on Su Chen’s face. They exchanged a look and arrived at the same conclusion.

“Ahem…Chenchen, who are you texting?” Wen Xia cleared her throat and asked with a smile.

The smile on Su Chen’s face faltered, he locked his phone, and he said with a straight face, “Nobody. Just a classmate.”

“A girl?” Wen Xia’s beautiful eyes gleamed with excitement.

Su Mo, who sat on the other side, looked like she was ready for gossip.

Su Chen declined to comment.

He would not deny it, but neither would he tell them about it now.

If he let them know that he had started seeing someone, they would stir things up, especially his mother.

She might even go to his school someday to check her out.

That had happened before.

When he started high school, he was considered a school hunk because of his gorgeous appearance and dashing temperament. Many girls confessed to him that they had feelings for him and wrote him love letters.

He once forgot to get rid of one love letter and accidentally brought it home. His mother discovered it. She followed him to school the next day and made a scene.

“Chenchen, you are finally enlightened, knowing it’s time for some romance!” Gratified, Wen Xia smiled. She clenched her fist and said solemnly, “Son, keep it up. If you like someone, don’t be shy, trust yourself. Bring my daughter-in-law home ASAP. I can’t wait to have grandchildren!”

The corners of Su Chen’s eyes twitched fiercely. His mother’s wild imagination never failed to blow him away.

He was just starting a relationship, and she was already talking about grandchildren.

“Bro, if I have a sister-in-law already, do not hide it from me.” Su Mo blinked her big eyes.

“Fine, I won’t,” Su Chen faltered.

***

“Mom, can you do the dishes?” said Su Mo grumpily when she was cleaning up the dining table.

“Nope, I’m not gonna do that. That’s you kids’ job,” Wen Xia replied without even turning her head as she leaned back on the couch like a sack of potatoes, watching the television.

The brother and sister looked at each other, shaking their heads and smiling wryly.

What else could they say when they had a “supermom” like that?

After cleaning the table, Su Chen cut up some fruit, poured some yogurt on it, and brought it to the living room.

“It tastes so good!” Wen Xia happily ate a strawberry. She looked at Su Chen and again and said, “Chenchen, seriously, I think you should live at home. Let’s make a deal. I’ll buy you a car, whichever brand you like, if you live at home.”

Su Chen found the deal tempting, but he still shook his head and refused. He wouldn’t want to take care of his mom every day after school. That honorary task belonged to his dad.

“Boohoo…I am really sad now. I had actually bought you a gift, but I don’t wanna give it to you anymore.” Wen Xia put on a sad face.

“Gift? What gift?” Su Chen’s eyes twinkled.

“Mom, what about me? Do I get a gift?” Su Mo asked immediately.

“You are the most heartless one, and now you want gifts? You wish!” Wen Xia gave Su Mo the cold shoulder and waved her hands. She then stood up and went upstairs to her room.

She came down with a brand new oak guitar.

“Wow, so cool!” Excitement glimmered in Su Mo’s big eyes.

Su Chen was also overjoyed. He had planned to bring Su Mo’s guitar to the freshmen party. He didn’t expect that his mother would spring a surprise this big on him.

“I know you have started learning music, so I got you this guitar when I went shopping a few days ago. This is a Gibson Limited Edition guitar. It cost me tens of thousands. Gee, I wish I hadn’t done that!” Wen Xia pouted and mumbled as she reluctantly handed him the guitar.

Su Chen carefully took the guitar from her and put it on the couch. He then stepped forward to hug her and kiss the top of her head affectionately.

“Mother, you’re the best!”

A smile touched Wen Xia’s lips, but she quickly put on a straight face and said, “I told you—don’t call me mother. It makes me sound so old. Am I that old?”

“No way! I was wrong—you’re always eighteen, Mommy,” Su Chen said, laughing.

“Now you’re talking!” A smile spread across Wen Xia’s face.

“Twang, twang…” Su Mo took the guitar and started strumming. The crisp guitar notes echoed in the room. Envious, she said, “A Gibson Limited Edition guitar is indeed exceptional. The timbre is excellent.”

“Of course, I only give my son the best,” Wen Xia boasted.

“Mommy, you’re biased. You gave brother such a great guitar but didn’t give me anything,” Su Mo complained with a pouty face.

“Didn’t I buy you a present already on your birthday? Plus, you lied to me and didn’t let me go to the gathering with your friends,” Wen Xia whined querulously.

Su Mo rolled her eyes, speechless. Mom just loved to bear grudges.

“Momo, let me try playing the guitar.” Su Chen couldn’t wait to take the guitar. He sat on the couch and started to recollect a song. He pondered for a while and touched the strings of the guitar gently.

He began to play the melodious and agile prelude.

Wen Xia muted the television, then sat down, and listened quietly together with Su Mo.

When the prelude ended, Su Chen stared at his mother tenderly and started singing with his deep, raspy voice:

“When you are old

“And gray

“And full of sleep

“…”