Gu Ye was left utterly confused by the way Jiang Mo was looking at him. His room wasn’t messy, was it?
Sure, he’d set the air conditioning too low last night, making it chilly, and his nose had gotten stuffy—hence the pile of used tissues. But that was it.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, scratching the back of his head.
Jiang Mo pressed her lips together. Running into something this private was awkward, and the guy didn’t even have the decency to hide it.
Embarrassed, she averted her gaze and quickly opened the window. “I’ll head downstairs first. My mom can help clean your room later.”
What was that about? Gu Ye glanced around, baffled by her sudden behavior.
It wasn’t until he pulled out a tissue to blow his nose and spotted the pile on his nightstand that it hit him like lightning.
Did Jiang Mo think he’d been… relieving some pent-up energy last night?
Putting her reactions together, Gu Ye was sure he’d cracked the case.
Seriously? He hadn’t even confessed his feelings yet, and now his reputation was ruined.
He could explain!
Meanwhile, Jiang Mo had already fled downstairs, shaking off the mental images as she sidled up to Wang Xia. “Mom, could you clean Gu Ye’s room later? I’ll pass this time.”
“Huh? You always do it,” Wang Xia said, counting household supplies. “Did you two have a fight?”
“No, nothing like that. I’m just tired,” Jiang Mo lied, rubbing her arms and legs for effect.
Wang Xia gave her a skeptical glance. “What work have you even done to be tired? Fine, take over the inventory. I’ll go check on his room.”
Jiang Mo nodded and took the ledger.
Realizing Jiang Mo’s misunderstanding, Gu Ye rushed downstairs after changing and washing up.
Spotting her in the storeroom, he casually strolled over with a coffee in hand.
“Ugh, the AC last night gave me a cold. My nose is completely blocked—can you hear the congestion?” He took a sip.
Jiang Mo kept her eyes on the shelves as she counted. “Doesn’t sound congested to me.”
Gu Ye coughed exaggeratedly. Weirdly enough, his nose and throat did feel fine now.
“Look, I really didn’t do anything else. Don’t get the wrong idea.”
But as the saying goes, explaining is just masking, and masking means it’s true.
Jiang Mo nodded absently. “Young and full of energy—I get it, I get it.”
Her tone was light, but she still avoided looking at him. Even discussing this topic felt unnatural.
Gu Ye set his coffee down. If he’d actually done it, fine—but he hadn’t!
Jiang Mo cringed internally. Why was he still standing here? She’d already given him an out.
Forcing a smile, Gu Ye tried again. “Jiang Mo, I swear I didn’t… you know.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know,” she said, bobbing her head like a chick pecking at rice. “Can you move? I need to check the stuff in front of you.”
Once he left, Jiang Mo exhaled deeply.
Outside, Gu Ye sighed and ruffled the dog Fuguier’s head. “Do you think she believed me?”
Fuguier shook him off disdainfully and trotted toward Wang Xia, who was coming downstairs.
“Gu Ye, want me to make you something? Dumplings? A sandwich?” Wang Xia offered.
Gu Ye shook his head. “No need, Aunt Wang.”
Settling on the couch, he scrolled through social media and remembered Liu Jia’s words: Tan Yangming had won over his girlfriend’s entire family while dating.
Rubbing his chin, Gu Ye wondered—could he do the same?
Win over Jiang Mo and her family simultaneously.
Plus, he had plenty of opportunities. Securing her parents’ approval was crucial—what if Wang Xia and Uncle Li objected later?
With that thought, his gaze landed on Wang Xia, who was tidying the living room.
Wang Xia felt a prickling sensation on her back and turned to find Gu Ye staring intently.
“Uh… everything okay?” she asked hesitantly.
“Oh! Nothing,” Gu Ye stood abruptly. “You’re changing the flower water? Let me do it!”
Wang Xia blinked as he snatched the vase from her hands, then hurried after him.
Watching his rough handling, she intervened. “Let me. You’ll snap the stems like that.”
Gu Ye handed it back and observed as she carefully refreshed the water.
“Flowers need gentle care, not brute force,” Wang Xia chided, repositioning the vase before rubbing her lower back.
“Aunt Wang, is your back bothering you? Should you see a doctor?” Gu Ye asked, following her.
“Huh? I’m fine,” Wang Xia said, confused.
Gu Ye pressed on. “You were holding your waist. If it hurts, don’t ignore it.”
Wang Xia was touched by his concern, but something felt off.
Frowning, she asked, “Gu Ye, did you stay up too late last night?”
“Slept great,” he replied.
Wang Xia muttered under her breath. If he’d slept well, why was he acting so strange this morning?
Unfazed, Gu Ye pondered whether he should buy her some health supplements.
When Wang Xia mentioned grocery shopping, he volunteered, “Aunt Wang, I’m free. Want me to come along?”
Wang Xia declined. “No need. I’ll drive myself.”
Later, as she unloaded groceries from her car, Jiang Mo moved to help—only for Gu Ye to rush in. “Aunt Wang, Jiang Mo, relax! I’ll carry everything.”
“Oh, no need—” Wang Xia protested, but Gu Ye was already hauling bags inside.
Jiang Mo pitched in too, though she couldn’t figure out why Gu Ye had suddenly turned into such a diligent helper.
Su Yunjin watched her son’s antics and teased, “Since when are you so hardworking?”
“Mom, I’ve always been diligent,” Gu Ye said, flexing his bicep near Jiang Mo. “Wanna feel my muscles?”
Jiang Mo poked his arm. “Huh. Pretty firm.”
Gu Ye coughed. “My abs are even firmer.”
Jiang Mo: “…”
After unloading, Gu Ye washed up and approached Su Yunjin. “Mom, what supplements do you take for health?”
Su Yunjin, lounging in her massage chair, cracked an eye open. “Why?”
“Just thinking about your well-being,” Gu Ye said. “You’re not getting younger, so proper care is important.”
Su Yunjin smiled. “Finally showing some filial piety. My boy’s growing up.”
