Volume One, Chapter 118: “But Xu Zhi, no one is truly happy being a backup.”

Yang Xue sent another message shortly after: "To be honest, Zhizi, I’m starting to find you a bit hard to read. During those few days you were with Young Master Liang, I thought you liked him quite a bit. But now, the way you’re acting makes me feel like you’re trying to keep your distance."

Xu Zhi paused for a moment before replying: "I’m really not. It’s just... my mom and I left home, and we’re living in his place now. I’ve already imposed on him so much. I feel like it would be incredibly thick-skinned of me to keep spending his money. I’m afraid he’ll find me troublesome."

Yang Xue: "That’s where you’re wrong. A man who doesn’t like you will certainly find you troublesome, but a man who truly cares for you wishes you would rely on him more. I’ve told you before, you need to break this people-pleasing habit. Stop worrying so much about whether others like you; it makes you act so cautious and timid in everything you do."

Xu Zhi thought to herself that she could afford not to care what others thought of her, but Liang Jinmo was not just "anyone."

Yang Xue: "Besides, men are more than happy to spend money on the women they like. You, on the other hand, counting every little penny—Young Master Liang must be feeling hurt."

Xu Zhi stared at that sentence several times, wanting to ask Yang Xue if she really thought Liang Jinmo still liked her. But she felt too embarrassed to ask. As she hesitated, Zhao Nianqiao called out to her, "Zhizi, why don't you make a dish too?"

She tucked her phone away and heard Zhao Nianqiao add, "To capture a man’s heart, you must first capture his stomach. Show him what you can do today."

Xu Zhi felt that this old saying bordered on gaslighting women, but today, she was willing to try. The problem was, she didn’t know how to cook at all. Back when her family was well-off, they had a nanny, and she never had to lift a finger. After moving into a dorm in college, cooking became even less of an option.

Zhao Nianqiao was quite skilled in the kitchen. Having had more free time over the years, she cooked occasionally at home. By now, she had already prepared a well-presented braised pork ribs and sweet-and-sour fish. She didn't have high expectations for Xu Zhi, saying, "Just stir-fry a vegetable, like shredded potatoes or baby bok choy. You can’t possibly mess that up, right?"

Xu Zhi set aside her chat with Yang Xue and used her phone to search for a recipe. Shredded potatoes seemed simple enough, so she decided to give it a try. To be safe, Zhao Nianqiao watched from the side, but the moment she looked down at her phone, the contents of the pan turned black.

"What did you put in there?" Zhao Nianqiao asked, bewildered.

"Soy sauce," Xu Zhi replied, equally confused. "I saw online that everyone uses soy sauce. Why did it turn so black just from a little bit?"

It looked nothing like the shredded potatoes she usually ate; the pan was filled with nothing but the dark color of soy sauce.

Zhao Nianqiao: "You used way too much."

When the potatoes were plated, they were a dark, mushy heap. Xu Zhi felt like a wilted vegetable. She took a bite—well, it tasted like a mouthful of pure soy sauce.

When the meal was served, the plate of potatoes stood out in its darkness. Seeing Liang Jinmo sit down across from her, Xu Zhi quietly moved the plate to her side. She would just eat it herself. With cooking skills like this, she wasn't capturing anyone's stomach—she was turning it.

Zhao Nianqiao sat down and, with a chuckle, exposed her to Liang Jinmo: "Zhizi wanted to cook for you, but she’s never done it before, and it turned out like this..."

"Mom!" Xu Zhi said, feeling a bit desperate to save face. "It’s my first time. I’ll definitely get better at it later. Besides, it’s not inedible. Can’t I just eat it myself?"

"That’s what I’m saying," Zhao Nianqiao said, pushing the ribs toward Liang Jinmo. "Don't touch that unappetizing thing. Jinmo, have some of this."

Xu Zhi felt annoyed and lowered her head, staying silent.

Liang Jinmo remained silent for a few seconds, then picked up his chopsticks. Finally, he reached out and took a piece of the shredded potato from Xu Zhi’s plate. He tasted it and said calmly, "It’s actually fine."

Xu Zhi looked up at him, and he caught her gaze. "It’s normal for your first time to not be perfect."

Xu Zhi bit her lip, her heart racing with a touch of emotion. Why was he so kind? Even though he was angry with her, from the day of the engagement until now, he had always given her plenty of face in front of others and never let her feel humiliated.

Zhao Nianqiao smiled. "Jinmo, don't spoil her too much..."

Xu Zhi kept her head down and ate silently, a flicker of joy in her heart. The blow she had received at the supermarket earlier was completely healed. Liang Jinmo had that kind of power—making her unable to give up on him even when she couldn't truly possess him.

After dinner, Xu Zhi volunteered to wash the dishes. Liang Jinmo and Zhao Nianqiao sat on the sofa in the living room. Liang Jinmo brought up the future, asking, "Auntie, do you and Zhizi have any plans for what comes next?"

Zhao Nianqiao had been wanting to talk about this as well. "We definitely can't go back home. You probably know a bit about Zhizi’s father; he was furious this time, and if we go back, we’ll just end up getting beaten again. I plan to find a job, and Zhizi is in her senior year, so she can start working too."

Liang Jinmo hesitated for a few seconds before asking, "Do you... intend to consider going back to live with your husband in the future?"

Zhao Nianqiao was stunned. Liang Jinmo was usually so reticent that his concern for her situation caught her off guard.

Liang Jinmo explained, "I’m not trying to give you advice, but I want you to know that if you truly wish to leave that house, I will support you with everything I have. Previously, Zhizi went back out of concern for you, and I absolutely cannot let that happen again." By the end, his tone had grown heavy.

Zhao Nianqiao understood immediately: he was clearly still deeply bothered by the fact that Xu Zhi had returned to get engaged to Liang Muzhi. She thought for a moment and asked, "Was Zhizi with you the whole time before she came home for the engagement?"

Liang Jinmo did not hide the truth and nodded.

Zhao Nianqiao hadn't known much about what happened between Liang Jinmo and Xu Zhi, but his confirmation cleared things up for her. She pieced the timeline together: Xu Zhi had fled her home to find Liang Jinmo, but later, for her mother's sake, she had abandoned him to return home and accept Xu Hepin’s arrangement to marry Liang Muzhi.

She fell silent, her emotions complex and heavy. She hadn't been a very good mother to Xu Zhi in the past, often indifferent. It was only over the last two years that she had begun to see things clearly and tried to learn how to be a proper mother, putting herself in Xu Zhi’s shoes.

Despite this, Xu Zhi had still been willing to sacrifice her own love for her mother’s sake and return to marry someone like Liang Muzhi, who didn't respect her. No wonder Xu Zhi had been so anxious these past few days. She had abandoned Liang Jinmo for her mother, and then dragged him into that ceremony at the last minute—she must have felt incredibly guilty toward him.

Zhao Nianqiao was lost in thought when Liang Jinmo spoke again. "Auntie, Zhizi cares about you deeply. I hope..." He paused. "That you can care for her just as much."

Zhao Nianqiao felt a sting in her nose; his words actually made her feel quite pained. He must understand Xu Zhi better than anyone. No one could go without wanting love and attention from their mother, yet Xu Zhi had been cautious and timid since childhood, never daring to ask for anything.

Now, he was expressing it for her, demanding it on her behalf—even though he himself had never received such attention from his own mother, and even though Xu Zhi had once left him behind because of hers.

Zhao Nianqiao nodded solemnly. "I will."

When Liang Jinmo was about to leave, Zhao Nianqiao took the initiative to call out to Xu Zhi. "Zhizi, go put on your coat and walk Jinmo downstairs."

Xu Zhi had already wanted to see him off, so she nodded obediently.

As they walked toward the parking lot, Xu Zhi calculated the distance and spoke up. "Earlier at the supermarket, the reason I said I wanted to pay you back..."

Liang Jinmo slowed his pace but didn't speak.

Under the winter streetlights, the light was dim and yellow. The residential complex was quiet. As they passed the greenery and neared the parking lot, Xu Zhi gathered her courage.

"I was mostly afraid that I’ve already caused you so much trouble, and if I keep spending your money, you’ll be unhappy and start to... hate me for it."

He came to a halt.

Xu Zhi stopped too, turning to look up at him, saying with sincerity and honesty, "You know I’ve been like this since I was a child, terrified of making others unhappy... I don't care if anyone else is happy or not anymore, but you're different."

Her eyes were bright. Liang Jinmo watched her quietly, his expression inscrutable. After a few seconds, he finally spoke.

"But Xu Zhi, no one is happy being a backup plan."