Two Months

That was why Wen Xu-Xu had been so focused when he studied, why he had passed the provincial examination at eighteen? Because from the very beginning, Wen Xu-Xu had felt he had used schemes, so... he kept trying to become the son his adoptive father wanted?

Wen Xu heard no movement for a long while. The moment he looked up, a figure crashed into him.

He disliked physical contact and was just about to push him away when Chunchou hugged him even tighter. "A-Xu, you're so brave!"

What? What had Chunchou imagined this time?

"But I have to criticize you." Chunchou released his friend, whose whole body had gone stiff. He barely managed to hold back the tears that had nearly spilled over. Wuwuwu, no wonder my friend is such a grind king. "Don't be too hard on yourself. None of this was your fault. Could there be another possibility—that you're so smart, your adoptive father wanted you from the very start?"

Chunchou felt he was not wearing rose-colored glasses at all. Wen Xu-Xu was simply a good kid who worked hard and strove to improve. Who wouldn't like a son like that? If he had a child someday who was even half as good as Wen Xu-Xu, he would wake up laughing in his dreams.

Wen Xu froze. He had never considered it that way.

Chunchou immediately threw an arm around his friend's shoulders. "You deserve it. This New Year, I'll make you a huge vat of jiao'er soup. I'll make it on the winter solstice, how about it?"

"...Did you use the wrong word?"

"No, I didn't. If you can't finish it, Chen Zui-Zui and I can help you share the burden." That guy Chen Zui-Zui had gone silent the moment he entered the secret realm. Who knew