Su Yunjin smiled faintly, pressing her lips together. "Your dad is praising you, saying you’ve matured a lot lately and learned to care for others."
"Heh, I didn’t praise him—that’s your mom talking," Gu Guofeng interjected, undermining the compliment. "Anyway, he only cares about you."
Su Yunjin lowered her voice, nudging Gu Ye with a reminder: "Next time you buy gifts, don’t forget your dad too."
"Dad, come on. You’re a grown man. It’s not like I’ve never given you gifts on your birthday," Gu Ye retorted with a smirk.
"Yeah, your dad here only gets gifts and greetings once a year on his birthday," Gu Guofeng lamented dramatically. "If it weren’t for my birthday, I wouldn’t even get a single present."
Gu Ye rubbed the back of his neck, realizing it was true. "Well, it’s not like you’re lacking anything the rest of the year."
"I don’t lack things, but I lack thoughtfulness. Don’t tell me you’re this clueless when courting girls," Gu Guofeng grumbled, suddenly wishing they’d had a daughter instead. "Yunjin, how did we end up with three sons and not a single girl?"
Su Yunjin shot him a look. "You’re asking me? The responsibility lies with you. You think I didn’t want a daughter?"
Watching them bicker, Gu Ye slipped away, long accustomed to his parents’ envy of having a daughter.
That afternoon, Gu Guofeng left for a business trip. After dropping him off at the airport, Li Daming returned home, looking forward to two days off.
He was secretly thrilled—finally, he could go fishing.
Wang Xia noticed Li Daming’s cheerful expression and light step, immediately guessing his plans. But since he was on vacation, she didn’t stop him.
As Li Daming gathered his fishing gear, Gu Ye seized the moment, popping up beside him. "Uncle Li, got time? Let’s go fishing together."
"You actually want to go fishing?" Li Daming had assumed Gu Ye was just joking before.
Gu Ye nodded. "Yeah, we can keep each other company."
Li Daming hesitated—Gu Ye was a novice, after all—but since his fishing gear had been a gift from the young man, he relented. "Fine, keep up with me. I’ll teach you a trick or two."
It was still early, and summer evenings lingered. The two set off without delay.
Gu Ye turned to Jiang Mo. "Want to join us?"
"No way," Jiang Mo replied, nibbling on an ice cream bar and eyeing him skeptically. "It’s scorching out. You’re really going fishing with my dad?"
Glancing at the clear blue sky, Gu Ye admitted the sun was brutal—but this was a rare chance to bond.
"I’m going. You should stay back, though. Don’t want you getting sunburned."
Jiang Mo shook her head, baffled by their obsession. "Fine, but wear sunscreen, a hat, and stay in the shade."
"Like we’d just stand under the sun like idiots," Li Daming scoffed, loading the car. "Come on, Second Young Master, hop in."
As the car drove off, Jiang Mo teased, "Bet they’ll come back empty-handed."
Wang Xia chuckled. "Wouldn’t be surprised."
Li Daming had bookmarked a few promising fishing spots online. Following the GPS, they arrived to find a handful of other anglers already there.
After unloading their gear and claiming a spot, Li Daming declared, "This place looks good. Let’s fish here."
Gu Ye had no objections. "Sure, you’re the expert, Uncle Li."
Meanwhile, Jiang Mo finished work. Her new car hadn’t arrived yet, so she rode her electric scooter home as usual.
With Li Zheng away on a trip with friends, the house was empty except for her.
Munching on skewers and sipping cola, she checked the time and texted Gu Ye: "How’s the fishing going with my dad?"
Gu Ye, busy swatting mosquitoes, peeked at Li Daming before replying, "Not great."
"Did you even catch anything? Or just feed the mosquitoes? If it’s hopeless, just come back early."
"We caught a few, but they were too small, so we threw them back," Gu Ye sighed. He was tempted to leave, but Li Daming seemed determined.
Jiang Mo rolled her eyes. "Told you not to go. Dad’s not even that good at fishing."
Gu Ye stretched and walked over to Li Daming. "Uncle Li, it’s getting dark. Should we head back for dinner and try another day?"
"Oh, you’re hungry? Alright, let’s pack up," Li Daming agreed. If he were alone, he’d have toughed it out longer.
Staring at their empty cooler, Li Daming awkwardly patted his thigh. "I think the problem’s the water here. It’s just not a good spot for fish."
"Yeah, the location’s not ideal," Gu Ye chimed in. "Fishing’s also about luck."
Just then, an elderly man nearby reeled in a massive catch.
The two exchanged glances, the air thick with awkwardness, then silently gathered their things.
Back in the car, Li Daming felt the need to salvage his pride. "Normally, my fishing skills are decent. Today was just… unusual."
"When I go alone, I usually land bigger fish."
Gu Ye grinned from the passenger seat. "Guess I messed up your mojo today."
"Nah, that’s not it," Li Daming backtracked. "We just had bad luck."
Conclusion? Definitely not a skill issue.
"Right. Next time, we might get lucky and haul them in one after another," Gu Ye said, eyeing the GPS. Seeing they were headed to the villa, he suggested, "Uncle Li, neither of us has eaten. There’s a place near your place—my treat. Let’s eat there."
"Sure, but I’ll pay. It’s just casual fare—hope you don’t mind." Then Li Daming paused. "Wait, when have you been to my place before?"
"Dropped Jiang Mo off a couple times," Gu Ye replied casually.
Since they were classmates, Li Daming didn’t dwell on it. He drove home, planning to return Gu Ye to the villa afterward—it wasn’t far.
Before they got out, Li Daming whispered, "If Jiang Mo asks about our haul… let’s not mention we got nothing."
Gu Ye winced—he’d already spilled the beans.
At home, Jiang Mo was watching TV when the door opened. Li Daming walked in carrying takeout, followed by Gu Ye.
"We grabbed some food on the way. Jiang Mo, want some?"
Gu Ye grinned sheepishly. "Uh, sorry for dropping by unannounced."
