Fu Teng stood there for another brief moment after apologizing.

The tension in the kitchen still had not fully disappeared, and the silence pressing down on the room felt heavier than before.

His expression remained stiff.

Almost uncomfortable.

Then without saying another word, he turned abruptly and walked out of the kitchen.

No one stopped him.

The sound of his footsteps faded back into the courtyard until the room finally became quiet again.

For several moments, nobody spoke.

The steam continued rising slowly from the pots while the fire beneath the stove crackled softly, but the earlier peaceful atmosphere had already been broken completely.

Zhao Yin remained standing beside the stove with her head slightly lowered.

Zhao Yue looked worriedly toward her older sister but did not know what to say.

Master Fu let out a quiet breath before finally turning around.

"Continue preparing breakfast," he said calmly.

His voice had softened slightly now compared to earlier.

Then he walked back outside with Grandfather Fu and Grandmother Fu following behind him.

Fu Sheng glanced once toward Zhao Yin before looking at me briefly.

I already understood what that look meant.

He wanted to give them space.

Without another word, he turned and followed Master Fu outside as well.

Soon, only Madame Fu, Bai Ming, Zhao Yin, Zhao Yue, and I remained inside the kitchen.

The silence lingered for another moment before Madame Fu finally stepped forward.

Her expression was no longer cold now.

Instead, she looked tired.

She stopped in front of Zhao Yin and looked at her carefully.

"Lift your head," she said quietly.

Zhao Yin hesitated briefly before obeying slowly.

Madame Fu studied her expression for a moment.

The girl was clearly embarrassed.

Her eyes were slightly red, though she was trying hard not to show it.

Madame Fu sighed softly.

"Do not take his words too deeply into your heart," she said.

Zhao Yin immediately shook her head.

"I understand," she replied softly.

But the moment she said it, Madame Fu frowned slightly.

"You understand?" she repeated.

Her tone was calm.

"But that does not mean what he said was right."

Zhao Yin became quiet.

Madame Fu continued looking at her steadily.

"That boy has always had a terrible temper," she said. "Especially in the mornings."

From the side, Bai Ming quietly nodded in agreement while continuing to arrange the bowls near the counter.

"He speaks without thinking first," Madame Fu continued. "And once he becomes irritated, his mouth becomes sharper than necessary."

Zhao Yin lowered her gaze slightly.

"I really was only trying to help," she said softly.

Madame Fu’s expression softened faintly.

"I know."

Her answer came immediately.

"You woke up early to help me prepare breakfast," she said. "I saw it myself."

Then she added calmly,

"And the clothes... I also know you only folded them because they were thrown carelessly everywhere."

At that, even Zhao Yue looked surprised.

Madame Fu noticed their expressions and let out a quiet scoff.

"Do you think I do not know how my own son lives?" she asked dryly.

That almost made Bai Ming laugh.

Almost.

Zhao Yin looked slightly embarrassed now.

Madame Fu sighed again before gently fixing the edge of Zhao Yin’s sleeve.

"You do not need to force yourself so much this early," she said quietly. "No one here expects you to suddenly become the perfect daughter-in-law overnight."

Her voice remained calm and steady.

"But..."

Her gaze sharpened slightly.

"...that also does not mean you should allow people to speak to you carelessly."

Zhao Yin froze faintly.

Madame Fu looked directly at her.

"You are too soft," she said honestly.

Zhao Yin opened her mouth slightly before lowering her gaze again.

Madame Fu shook her head lightly.

"If you keep lowering your head every time Fu Teng speaks harshly, he will never learn where the limit is."

The kitchen became quiet again.

Even I had to admit—

She was right.

Madame Fu stepped back slightly before speaking again.

"You are his future wife," she said calmly. "Not someone he can scold whenever he is unhappy."

At those words, Zhao Yin’s fingers tightened faintly.

A faint redness slowly appeared on her face again, though this time it was not from humiliation.

Madame Fu noticed it immediately but pretended not to.

Instead, she turned back toward the stove.

"Enough," she said. "Breakfast still needs to be finished before the food gets cold."

The atmosphere finally eased slightly after that.

Bai Ming quietly handed Zhao Yin another bowl to prepare while Zhao Yue immediately moved closer beside her sister again.

I leaned lightly against the doorway while watching everything silently.

Then beside me—

A low voice suddenly spoke.

"You are thinking too much again."

I turned slightly.

Fu Sheng had returned without me noticing.

I raised a brow.

"And whose fault is that?"

A faint helplessness appeared briefly in his eyes.

Mine lingered on Zhao Yin for another moment before shifting toward the courtyard outside where Fu Teng had disappeared earlier.

Something about that man—

Was becoming more troublesome to understand.

The lanterns hanging around the courtyard had already been taken down for the evening preparations, and Han Fuji could once again be heard arguing loudly with Fu Tong about decorations as though nothing had happened earlier.

"You are hanging them crooked again," Han Fuji complained while pointing toward the entrance.

Fu Tong immediately looked offended.

"They are not crooked."

"They are leaning."

"That is because the pole itself is bent."

"You are blaming the pole now?"

Watching the two of them bicker endlessly almost made me laugh again.

Almost.

I sat back down beside the courtyard table and reached for the papers we had left earlier, but before I could continue reading through them, I suddenly felt Fu Sheng’s hand close gently around mine beneath the table.

I paused slightly.

Then I turned to look at him.

Fu Sheng’s expression remained calm as usual, but there was something different in his eyes this time. The cold heaviness from last night had finally eased.

"What is it?" I asked quietly.

Instead of answering immediately, he slowly intertwined his fingers with mine beneath the table where the others could not easily notice.

Then finally, he spoke.

"Tonight," he said calmly, "after Bai Ming’s wedding celebration ends... come somewhere with me."

I raised a brow slightly.

"Somewhere?"

Fu Sheng nodded once.

"Yes."

His tone remained strangely calm, which immediately made me suspicious.

I studied him carefully for a moment before narrowing my eyes slightly.

"What are you planning?"

A faint smile finally appeared at the corner of his lips.

"It is not something bad."

"That does not answer my question."

Fu Sheng looked at me quietly for a second before giving the slightest shake of his head.

"It is a surprise."

I stared at him.

Then I almost laughed.

"Since when do you prepare surprises?"

His fingers tightened lightly around mine.

"Since recently."

That answer caught me off guard for a brief moment.

Fu Sheng rarely said things like that directly.

He usually kept most thoughts to himself unless necessary.

But lately—

He had been changing little by little.

And somehow, he did not seem to realize it himself.

I leaned back slightly against the chair while still looking at him suspiciously.

"What kind of surprise?"

"You will see tonight."

"You are being secretive again."

Fu Sheng’s lips twitched faintly.

"This time, it is for a good reason."

I looked at him for another moment before finally sighing softly.

"If this turns into trouble somehow, I will blame you entirely."

Fu Sheng gave a quiet nod without hesitation.

"That is fine."

His answer came so easily that it made me narrow my eyes again.

"You are unusually obedient today."

"That is because I am trying not to make you angry again."

The calm honesty in his voice nearly made me choke on my own breath.

I immediately looked away.

"...You talk too much lately."

Fu Sheng let out the faintest breath of amusement beside me.

And for the first time since yesterday—

The tension that had quietly lingered between us finally began to disappear completely.

Madame Fu’s voice suddenly came from inside the kitchen.

"Bai Ming," she called out, sounding unusually pleased. "Come out for a moment."

The conversation around the courtyard slowly paused.

Bai Ming, who had been helping arrange the breakfast trays together with Zhao Yin, lifted her head slightly in confusion before wiping her hands clean and stepping out of the kitchen.

"What is it, Aunt?" she asked calmly.

Madame Fu stepped forward carrying a neatly folded bundle wrapped carefully in red cloth. Even before opening it, the bright color alone was enough to draw everyone’s attention immediately.

Han Fuji, who had still been arguing with Fu Tong moments earlier, instantly stopped talking.

His eyes widened.

"Wait..." he said slowly. "Is that—"

Madame Fu gave him a look.

"Obviously."

Han Fuji immediately straightened.

"The wedding dress arrived?"

Madame Fu nodded once before turning back toward Bai Ming.

"It was delivered early this morning," she said. "The tailor finished the final adjustments during the night."

Bai Ming looked slightly startled.

"So quickly?"

"Your wedding is this evening," Madame Fu replied calmly. "Did you expect them to deliver it tomorrow?"

Fu Tong immediately laughed from the side.

Han Fuji ignored him completely and walked closer almost impatiently, staring directly at the folded red cloth in Madame Fu’s hands like a child being shown treasure.

"Open it," he said immediately.

Madame Fu frowned slightly.

"Why are you more excited than the bride herself?"

"Because I paid for it."

"That does not mean you can behave shamelessly."

Han Fuji looked completely unashamed.

"I only want to see it."

Fu Tong clicked his tongue from behind him.

"You have been smiling since morning like someone who lost his mind."

Han Fuji turned immediately.

"And you are only jealous because you are still unmarried."

Fu Tong almost choked.

Before he could argue back, Madame Fu finally unfolded the cloth carefully.

The moment the wedding dress appeared fully, the courtyard quieted slightly.

The dress was simple compared to noble family wedding robes, but it was still beautiful.

Deep red silk flowed softly beneath the morning light, with delicate gold stitching woven along the sleeves and hem. Small embroidered flowers spread across the fabric carefully, elegant without looking overly extravagant.

Even Bai Ming herself seemed slightly stunned for a moment.

Madame Fu looked satisfied at her reaction.

"Go try it on later," she said. "If anything feels uncomfortable, there is still enough time to adjust it before evening."

Han Fuji looked like he could barely contain himself.

"It looks good," he said immediately.

Then after staring a little longer, he corrected himself.

"No. It looks very good."

Fu Tong looked at him with disgust.

"You are smiling too hard."

Han Fuji ignored him again and continued staring proudly at the dress like he personally created it himself