Li Zheng placed the items on the dining table and pulled out a chair to sit down. "Brother Ye, I got the coconut juice you asked for."
"Thanks," Gu Ye said, taking a bottle from the bag and handing it to Jiang Mo. "Isn't this your favorite?"
He then picked up his phone from the table and transferred some money to Li Zheng.
Li Zheng received the payment and felt it was a bit too much. "Brother Ye, did your fingers slip? You added a few extra zeros."
Gu Ye was in a good mood. "Consider the rest your delivery fee."
Jiang Mo leaned over, took her brother's phone, and glanced at the transfer. She frowned slightly. "Don’t do this again in the future."
"Alright, whatever you say," Gu Ye nodded obediently before asking about her new job.
"My boss is a strong career woman. The interview went well, and the company environment seems decent."
"When do you start?"
"The day after tomorrow," Jiang Mo replied. "I’ll take tomorrow off to rest."
Gu Ye tentatively asked, "Do you want to go out somewhere tomorrow?"
Jiang Mo thought for a moment, meeting his eager gaze, and didn’t refuse. "Sure, why not?"
Li Zheng chimed in, "Where are you guys going? I’ve got nothing to do—mind if I tag along?"
Gu Ye wasn’t keen on bringing him this time but didn’t want to outright say no.
He coughed twice. "Didn’t you say you had something to do?"
"I don’t have anything planned," Li Zheng replied bluntly.
Gu Ye forced a smile. "No, you do." Under the table, he nudged Li Zheng with his knee.
Catching the hint, though confused, Li Zheng stammered, "Oh, right! I just remembered—I do have something tomorrow. You two go ahead without me."
Jiang Mo gave him a sidelong glance. "What are you up to?"
No, it’s not me—it’s Gu Ye who’s up to something.
Wait, what just happened?
Are these two going out together?
Is it what I think it is…?
Should I ask Jiang Mo? Nah, better not—I might get hit. Maybe I’ll ask Brother Ye instead.
After finishing the barbecue and drinks, it was getting late.
Jiang Mo reminded him, "You should head back early and get some rest."
Gu Ye stood up. "Got it. I’ll pick you up tomorrow morning."
Li Zheng also rose. "Sis, I’ll walk Brother Ye out and toss the trash."
Each carrying a bag of garbage, they stepped outside, and Li Zheng immediately pounced on the opportunity. "Brother Ye, why were you kicking me under the table earlier?"
Gu Ye dropped the act.
"Little bro, hope I didn’t hurt you. It’s nothing serious—I just wanted to take your sister out alone. I’ll bring you along next time."
Li Zheng’s mind raced. He grabbed Gu Ye’s arm before he could enter the elevator. "Wait, what? You’re going on a date with my sister?"
"Did you confess to her? Did she say yes?"
Gu Ye pressed the elevator button, a smirk playing on his lips. "Yeah, I confessed. Right now, I’m in her probationary period."
Li Zheng stood silently in the corner of the elevator.
Once they reached the ground floor, he muttered, "Well, dating’s fine. It’s not like she’s losing out with you—it’s not like you’re getting married or anything."
Gu Ye: "…Could you at least root for me a little?"
In high spirits, Gu Ye whistled all the way home.
Back in his room, he blasted music and threw a one-man party.
Eager for his date with Jiang Mo, Gu Ye woke up early the next morning, already dressed neatly by breakfast time.
"Grandpa, Mom, Dad—morning," he called as he strolled downstairs.
"You’re up unusually early," Su Yunjin remarked, puzzled. "Where were you last night? When did you get back?"
Gu Ye replied, "Had some business to take care of."
Gu Baotian saw right through him. The kid was grinning like an idiot—clearly, his confession had gone well.
"I bet he was with a girl last night," he teased, half-joking, half-serious.
Su Yunjin cut straight to the point. "Did you go to a nightclub?"
"No, Mom, where’d you get that idea?" Gu Ye said. "I went to Jiang Xiaomo’s place."
"Oh, you visited Xiaomo?" Su Yunjin didn’t find it odd. "You do know she’s not working for us anymore, right?"
"I only found out yesterday."
"Honestly, I really liked that girl—smart, warm, great personality, and pretty too. I wish I had a daughter like her."
At least then her handbags, jewelry, and clothes would have someone to appreciate and inherit them.
Gu Baotian leaned back leisurely. "No daughter? No problem. Just get a daughter-in-law like her."
Gu Guofeng snorted. "Our two eldest are hopeless. Might as well try for another kid ourselves."
"Enough with the nonsense first thing in the morning," Su Yunjin scolded, shooting him a glare.
Gu Ye spoke up. "What Grandpa said isn’t impossible. I’ll do my best."
But Su Yunjin and her husband didn’t take his words seriously.
After breakfast, Gu Baotian chuckled and slapped his grandson on the back. "Spill the details, kid."
"Grandpa, your hands are like hammers," Gu Ye winced. "I’m still in Jiang Xiaomo’s trial period—keep this quiet, okay?"
