Chapter 74: A Battle of Acting Skills

After finishing the phone call with Tan Kaixuan, Zhao Fusheng left the dormitory and went to the cafeteria, where he ordered a bowl of rice and a serving of braised pork, eating with great relish. Around him were many fellow students, and it was clear that everyone had a special fondness for the cheap and affordable cafeteria.

And indeed it was true. Compared to meals outside that cost over ten yuan, a bowl of braised pork and a bowl of rice in the cafeteria totaled only five yuan, and during the summer break, rice was unlimited.

No wonder every college graduate remembers their meal card so vividly.

For cash-strapped students, the significance of the college cafeteria was truly extraordinary.

After eating, he returned to the dormitory and lay down to read. Soon his pager went off. He checked it and dialed home.

"Mom, something up?"

"Your Aunt Li is being discharged tomorrow morning. Come help move her things, got it?"

Zhao's mother gave him no room to refuse. After giving the instructions, she said flatly, "Eight in the morning, don't forget."

Then she hung up directly.

Holding the receiver with his mother's voice still in his ear, Zhao Fusheng suddenly felt like he might be an adopted child—why else wouldn't his mom care about how he was doing?

Little did he know, ever since he first said he'd tutor during the summer and then changed it to working as a network administrator, his mother had stopped bothering with him.

As his father put it, the boy was grown up and had his own ideas. Instead of tying him down, it was better to let him fend for himself. After all, he was old enough and wouldn't starve.

When he heard that, Zhao Fusheng once again wondered if he really was, as he'd heard as a child, a freebie thrown in with a phone bill, or found in a trash can.

Hmm, and one last possibility: actually dug out of a cesspit.

But regardless, early the next morning, Zhao Fusheng still made it to the hospital.

Li Yuan's recovery was going well. Perhaps because of her cheerful mood, even the doctors were amazed, praising her good fortune and estimating that she'd be fully recovered in less than twenty days.

Everyone was naturally delighted by this news, especially Fan Baobao, whose face bloomed like a flower. She didn't even give Zhao Fusheng her customary glare, which truly surprised him.

The Zhao father and son carried a large pile of things, Fan Baobao held her little sister and carried a bag, and Zhao's mother supported Li Yuan as the group left the hospital.

When the taxi stopped at their doorstep, the neighbors stared at Li Yuan getting out as if she were an alien. Everyone knew she had cancer, yet after a stay in the hospital, she was back. To these ordinary people, Li Yuan—without status, background, and so poor she'd sold her house—had managed to cheat death, all because she had a good daughter.

"Tsk, see that? The Zhao couple, so thoughtful," an old woman chewing sunflower seeds whispered to the person beside her.

"Isn't it so? See little Zhao? Carrying a big pile of stuff," another white-haired old woman said with a smile.

"Ah, Li Yuan is lucky. She gave birth to a stunning daughter. Even as kids, those two seemed like a perfect match."

"Don't even mention it. Look how impressive Baobao is now—her modeling ad is on CCTV."

In this world, most people are kind at heart. They might not be able to lend a hand when you're in trouble, but choosing not to kick you when you're down is already a form of kindness.

"And Fusheng is a good kid too. Who else would take on this kind of thing?"

"True. That boy has always been honest."

"Just wait. That girl Baobao isn't easy to handle. With a girl that pretty, can Fusheng keep her in line?"

Zhao Fusheng naturally didn't hear the gossip. By now, he and his father had carried all the stuff upstairs and were sitting on the sofa, catching their breath.

"Alright, you two rest. I'll go buy groceries, and tonight we'll have a nice meal together," Zhao's mother said cheerfully.

"Auntie, I'll go with you," Fan Baobao said, quickly standing up. She couldn't let Zhao's mother go alone.

Zhao Fusheng had been lounging on the sofa, not wanting to move, but when his mother shot him a sharp look, he immediately jumped up obsequiously: "Mom, I'll go too."

"Good, you both come," Zhao's mother agreed happily. She instructed Zhao's father to look after Fan Beibei and sent Li Yuan to the bedroom to rest, then picked up her grocery basket and headed downstairs.

Of course, Zhao Fusheng was on her left, and Fan Baobao on her right.

Like two guardian attendants, flanking her.

Zhao Fusheng could understand his mother's thinking. At her age, women compare husbands and sons. In their neighborhood, Zhao Fusheng was nothing special—average school, average grades, not particularly handsome. Before dark-skinned heartthrobs like Gu Tianle and Lau Ching-wan became famous, he was at best a decent-looking young man.

But Fan Baobao was different. Leaving aside her grades, just her face alone could make anyone with a critical eye sigh in admiration.

How many people in the neighborhood had their eyes on Old Fan's eldest daughter?

And yet, now she was the Zhao family's daughter-in-law?

Given Zhao's mother's personality, she simply had to show off.

So Zhao Fusheng obediently accompanied his mother to buy groceries. As the saying goes, "Xiang Zhuang's sword dance was aimed at the Duke of Pei"—the grocery shopping was a pretext; parading him and Fan Baobao through the neighborhood was the real goal.

At first, Fan Baobao didn't understand what Zhao's mother was up to. But as they walked through the neighborhood, every so often they'd run into an acquaintance, and Zhao's mother would stop to chat. Eventually, the other person would ask where she was going.

Then Zhao's mother would point at Zhao Fusheng and Fan Baobao, saying she was going grocery shopping, but the two kids insisted on coming along.

Next, the other person would compliment them enviously, saying things like "a perfect match," "they look so good together," "Baobao is already a big star," and "the Zhao parents are so fortunate."

After this happened a few times, even the slow-witted Fan Baobao caught on.

She helplessly shot Zhao Fusheng a look, signaling, "What's going on?"

"Showing off!"

He didn't dare speak, but mouthed the answer to Fan Baobao, then jerked his chin toward his mother, meaning, "If you have a problem, go tell her."

Fan Baobao's eyes widened, and she shook her head like a rattle-drum. She had no intention of being the bad guy.

She wasn't stupid. If she interrupted Zhao's mother now, she'd face an anger that could destroy everything.

Wasn't it just playing the obedient role? She was an expert at that.

She flashed a sweet smile at the old neighbor, making herself look even more harmless, and even affectionately took Zhao's mother's arm, playing the part of a loving mother and daughter, envied by all.

Zhao Fusheng watched, horrified, thinking to himself that women really were born actresses.

Then, obsequiously, he took his mother's grocery basket and stood beside Fan Baobao with a smile.

When it came to acting, who was afraid of whom?