For the first half of winter break, Chen Yuan had been trying to find the answer to this question.

People always say the few years it takes to go from a boy to a young man are equivalent to ten years at any other stage of life. The first step on a boy’s journey from cluelessness to maturity is always a period of confusion.

And Chen Yuan was very confused. He didn’t know which direction to take.

To be precise, he’d lost his sense of purpose.

…

「Another day.」

Chen Yuan was outside with Mr. Chen, putting up Spring Festival couplets. He stood on a small stool while his father handed him pieces of clear tape.

When Chen Yuan was little, he was the one who handed over the tape. Now, as his father grew older and his son grew up—gradually becoming a head taller than him—they had swapped roles.

PFFFT—

Chen Yuan puckered his lips, blowing on the doorframe that he’d already wiped down with a towel. He held the ends of the couplet in place with his fingers.

“Is it straight?”

“A little to the left. It’s crooked.”

Chen Yuan listened and adjusted its position.

“How about now?”

“That’s about right. Tape it up.”

Chen Yuan stuck on the tape, then smoothed it over with his fingertips.

With the New Year still a few days away, the father and son were relatively relaxed. The busiest one was Mrs. Chen, who not only had to fry all sorts of New Year’s goods but also had to steam cakes with several other female teachers.

She was busy from dawn till dusk.

All the shops on the street were closed, and the normally bustling market was empty. Only a few scruffy stray dogs, unafraid of the cold wind, ran back and forth, their tails sweeping across the pavement.

“This year went by so fast. I barely felt it…” Mr. Chen adjusted his glasses and straightened his back, leaning on the mop with a wistful expression.

The living room had been cleaned until it was spotless.

Nearby, Chen Yuan was carefully wiping the television with a damp cloth. He replied nonchalantly, “Of course you didn’t feel it, Dad. You only teach a few classes a week.”

“You can’t say that. When you were little, I was very dedicated to my work. I volunteered to be a homeroom teacher every year… Now, I’m just a few years from retirement. Why work so hard?”

“That’s true.”

“Your mom and I are already in early retirement mode. You’re in college now, so all that’s left is to wait for you to get married and have kids.”

Mr. Chen’s face was full of gratification as he began to fantasize about the wonderful life he’d have after fully retiring.

After a moment, he suddenly said, “What do you think about me getting a motorcycle and going on a road trip after I retire?”

“I wouldn’t. For a two-wheeler, Mom would probably only let you buy a bicycle.”

“What are you talking about!? Just because she won’t let me buy it, I won’t buy it? Who’s the head of this house?”

“You’re the head of the house in name, of course. You’re just a figurehead.”

Chen Yuan chuckled, glanced at his dad, then looked away and picked up a decoration from the top of the TV to blow the dust off it.

“I’ve listened to her for all these years. After I retire, I’m going to defy her for once.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Son, it’s not like we don’t both know what’s what. For all these years, you and I have only been obedient on the surface. Your mom won’t let me keep a secret stash of money, but don’t I still have my little slush fund? She won’t let me go fishing, but don’t I still sneak off to the pond under the guise of practicing calligraphy? She won’t let you date, but you still—”

He stopped mid-sentence. Mr. Chen suddenly froze, like an android whose program had crashed.

A few seconds later, he silently resumed mopping the floor.

Chen Yuan’s head shot up.

“Dad, how do you know I’m dating someone???”

“Uh… I don’t know. Who said I knew?”

“You literally just said it yourself.”

“That was… a slip of the tongue.”

Chen Yuan was completely mortified. Watching his dad wave his hands dismissively, he was getting suspicious. ‘How does everyone know I’m dating someone? I’ve never said a thing! Is it that obvious?’

“Still trying to hide it?” Chen Yuan’s expression hardened as he eyed his father suspiciously.

“I didn’t mean to find out. Your phone was on the table the other day, and a message came in. I saw your lock screen wallpaper at a glance… The girl’s very pretty, though. Not bad, not bad.”

“…No wonder you were talking about waiting for me to get married and have kids earlier.”

“You’re a grown-up now. You’ll be twenty soon by traditional age. These things happen sooner or later.”

…

Chen Yuan suddenly felt a little strange. In the past, when female classmates gave him a Love Letter, he wouldn’t even dare bring it home for fear of being discovered. Now, his relationship was something they could discuss openly. To think, it had only been half a year since his third year of high school, when he was kept under such a strict watch.

“So, that young lady, where is she from?” Mr. Chen asked tentatively.

Chen Yuan knew he was talking about the photo of Jiangg Yao. He had changed his lock screen to it during his few days in Lanjing after their trip—a picture of the two of them at the beach, their cheeks pressed together.

“Mingzhu.”

“A girl from the big city, huh? Does she go to the same university as you?”

“More or less.” Chen Yuan didn’t know how to answer, so he kept it vague.

“Actually, even if you hadn’t said, I could tell. The girl has a lot of class. She doesn’t seem like a kid from a small town like ours.”

Behind his lenses, Mr. Chen’s eyes concealed an unreadable emotion.

He saw things clearly.

‘In truth, whether it was Jiangg Yao or Jiangg Ning, they were both almost unreasonably beautiful. Not only were they fair-skinned and gorgeous, but they were also clearly past the awkward phase of student life. If he hadn’t seen the photo of his son with her, he would have suspected it was just a wallpaper he’d found online.’

“Her… her family background is really good, and she’s a bit older than me.”

Chen Yuan hesitated before revealing some of the truth.

“Age isn’t the key thing. Yesterday, you asked me what it means for a man to be mature. Was that also because of her?”

“Yeah.”

“Son, the most important thing for a man is just to have ambition. Besides, you’re a great catch. You’re worthy of any girl. Don’t worry about it.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep