Yuan Limei opened the door and, upon seeing the two visitors, beamed with joy. "Thank you for remembering me and coming to visit. Please, come in!"
"Hehe, it's been a while since we last saw you, but you look even more spirited lately," Jiang Mo said as she handed Yuan Limei a bouquet of flowers and effortlessly made herself at home.
The calico cat, Tiantian, who had been lounging on the cat tree in the corner, trotted over to sniff the newcomers. Jiang Mo scooped it up and cradled it in her arms. The little calico had been a stray on campus until Yuan Limei adopted it a year ago.
Yuan Limei accepted the flowers. "These are lovely. You really shouldn’t have gone to such expense."
Jiang Mo stroked the cat. "Flowers for a beautiful lady—it’s no expense at all."
"You’ve always had a sweet tongue," Yuan Limei chuckled. "Come, sit on the sofa. There’s fruit on the table—I picked it up from the market after class. Help yourselves."
Pei Ting set a cake on the dining table and finally found a moment to chime in. "Happy birthday, Professor."
"Happy indeed! Having you here makes me so happy," Yuan Limei said, eyeing the gifts with mock disapproval. "I told you not to bring anything, and yet you went and got a cake."
"Birthdays call for a little celebration. It’s just a small cake," Jiang Mo replied with a smile.
Touched by their thoughtfulness, Yuan Limei waved them off cheerfully. "Well, you two better eat most of it later. Rest for now—I’ll get dinner ready."
Knowing the students were coming, she had already prepped the ingredients earlier.
Jiang Mo put the cat down, washed her hands, and squeezed into the cramped kitchen. "Professor Yuan, do you need any help?"
Yuan Limei turned, startled. "Oh, you didn’t have to come in here! I’ve got it covered."
No sooner had she spoken than Pei Ting also wedged himself into the tiny kitchen of the old staff apartment, leaving barely any room to move.
"Professor, why don’t I take over cooking? You should relax," Pei Ting offered.
His deep voice drifted over Jiang Mo’s head, sending a faint shiver down her spine.
Huh, never noticed how magnetic Pei Ting’s voice is.
"Are you two doubting my culinary skills? Out, out! First, you disrupt my classes, and now my kitchen?" Yuan Limei playfully shooed them away, hands on her hips.
With no chance to assist, the two retreated to the living room.
Jiang Mo turned on the TV and speared a piece of mango. "Try this, Pei Ting. It’s really good."
"Sure, let me taste it," he said, obligingly taking a bite. "Not bad at all."
"See? I may not excel at much, but when it comes to food, I know my stuff," Jiang Mo boasted, cheeks puffed with mango.
Pei Ting watched her eat with relish, her sharp features softened by the warm light.
"In that case, you must know all the best eats in Jiangcheng. Care to show me around sometime?"
Jiang Mo nodded. "No problem. My treat."
Pei Ting grinned. "It’s a deal, then."
Yuan Limei bustled about the kitchen, stir-frying at a frantic pace. Jiang Mo sneaked in twice to offer help but found no opening.
"Just a few dishes—they’ll be done soon. You and Pei Ting relax," Yuan Limei assured her.
"Professor, we’re not starving. No need to rush," Jiang Mo teased, grabbing the utensils. "I’ll set the table."
Pei Ting helped clear the dining area in advance.
Soon, a spread of steaming dishes was served.
Yuan Limei, slightly flustered, let Jiang Mo take charge of the birthday rituals—lighting candles and cutting the cake. The two then presented their gifts.
"Dig in, kids!" Yuan Limei urged.
Jiang Mo didn’t hold back. After a few bites, she praised, "Professor, your cooking is amazing."
"Oh, it’s just simple home-style dishes. You’re too kind. Eat up if you like it," Yuan Limei said, glancing at Pei Ting. "How’s the food? Edible, I hope?"
Pei Ting ate with refined manners. "Delicious."
"Good to hear." Yuan Limei turned to his work between bites. "How’s your job? Busy? Stressful?"
Pei Ting finished chewing, took a sip of coconut water, and answered, "Plenty of cases, but manageable."
"Work is important, but don’t push yourself too hard. So many young people these days ruin their health by overworking."
"Pei Ting seems fit—I’ve seen his workout posts," Jiang Mo remarked, recalling his frequent gym updates.
Unlike her, a self-proclaimed couch potato who believed laziness was peak comfort.
Yuan Limei nodded. "Exercise is key for you youngsters."
"Professor, how’s teaching these days? Are the students manageable?" Jiang Mo asked curiously.
"Teaching’s fine," Yuan Limei sighed. "But the job market’s rough. Graduates are struggling to find work."
"This graduation season, I know many still without offers."
She’d often leveraged her connections to help students in the past, but lately, even that had grown difficult.
Pei Ting paused. "My company’s branches are still hiring. I’ll check with partners and compile openings for you. Your students can try applying."
"Ah, that’d be great."
Jiang Mo, mouth full, muttered under her breath, "Law’s employment rate is bottom-five. With so many grads yearly, landing a relevant job’s a pipe dream."
Yuan Limei: ...Kid, we know. No need to twist the knife.
Pei Ting looked at her. "Regretting law school?"
Jiang Mo shook her head. "Nope. Other majors aren’t any better."
Yuan Limei: Kids these days see right through it all. Brutally honest.
"The situation’s tough, but not that dire," Yuan Limei coughed, steering the conversation back.
She turned to Jiang Mo. "So you’ve really given up on law? Such a waste."
"Guess your internship left a bad taste."
At Youhe Law Firm, Jiang Mo had worked like a dog—underpaid and overstressed.
Slaving away only to end up with literal crap stuck to her.
One of the partners had sexually harassed her during work.
Jiang Mo’s temper flared. When his groping and lewd comments crossed the line, she fought back—literally.
Then sued the scumbag.
Wang Xia and Li Daming, upon hearing of it, stormed into Youhe, verbally eviscerating the creep and nearly throwing hands.
However, due to insufficient evidence, after some back-and-forth, the matter was eventually dropped.
In the end, Jiang Mo publicly called out the person on her social media and alumni group chats.
That scumbag had some influence, and since Jiang Mo hadn’t kept quiet about the incident while job hunting, it ended up causing her setbacks later on.
"It’s fine, Mom and Dad can support you," Jiang Mo said, and so she took some time off at home.
Pei Ting only learned about the incident later when Jiang Mo posted about it.
The whole thing had disgusted Jiang Mo, but she eventually moved past it.
Jiang Mo waved her hand dismissively. "Professor Yuan, don’t feel bad for me. Honestly, my current job is really good."
"As for whether I’ll return to law in the future, we’ll see. Maybe someday I’ll start my own company."
"Youhe isn’t doing well these days," Pei Ting remarked. "They’ve lost a lot of clients this year."
"Serves them right!" Jiang Mo clasped her hands in mock prayer. "Whoever did this—thank you, kind soul!"
Pei Ting glanced at her, the corners of his lips curling slightly.
Yuan Lihua didn’t push further. "Alright, just focus on your current job for now. If you ever want to return to your old profession, let me know. I still have some connections."
"And Pei Ting, do look after your junior here."
Jiang Mo quickly interjected, "Actually, Senior Pei has always offered to help. I was the one who turned him down."
Pei Ting replied calmly, "If my junior ever needs assistance, I’m always here."
