Wealthy Beauty in the 60s-Chapter 701 - 704: Friendship Peaks, Love Unfulfilled

"Brother Shitou, let me do the cooking," Xiao Shan Yue offered proactively.

"No need; just sit there," Shitou said.

Xiao Shan Yue smiled, "Brother Shitou hasn’t tasted my cooking yet. Let me give it a try; I guarantee I won’t disappoint you."

"Fine, go ahead," Shitou replied without asking when Xiao Shan Yue had learned to cook. He didn’t leave but instead helped Xiao Shan Yue with the prep work.

Xiao Shu was incredulous. His brother was being so unfair. Knowing his avoidance of girls like An Qian, yet still pushing him forward.

Xiao Shu quickly suggested, "I’ll go buy a couple of drinks."

Just as Xiao Shu was about to leave, An Qian immediately said, "Jiashu, I’ll come with you."

"No need; just stay seated," Xiao Shu hurriedly replied.

Before An Qian could react, Xiao Shu was already through the door with agile and decisive movements.

With the door open, An Qian couldn’t see Xiao Shu’s figure anymore and could only feel regret.

In the kitchen, Shitou watched Xiao Shan Yue move with fluidity and efficiency, clearly a sign of experience, not unfamiliarity, and he couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow, "When did you learn to cook?"

"It was during university. I got tired of the cafeteria’s food and started cooking myself," Xiao Shan Yue said with a slight smile. "Brother Shitou has always taken care of me, and I’ve always thought about letting Brother Shitou taste my cooking once I got good at it. Today, it seems I’ve gotten my wish."

Shitou nodded and then asked, "Is your coursework very difficult?"

"It’s alright. I’ve taken on two majors. It was challenging at first; I felt out of place and overwhelmed. But now, things have smoothed out, and I’m learning quite comfortably."

Once Xiao Shan Yue finished talking, Shitou said, "Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Take it one step at a time; there’s no need to rush."

Xiao Shan Yue nodded and then expressed her admiration, "Brother Shitou is the real genius here. I can’t even keep up with half of what you do."

There was a hint of regret in Xiao Shan Yue’s voice. Brother Shitou was moving too fast. She went from wanting to keep up with him, to not wanting to be left too far behind, to still trying hard to follow him.

"You don’t need to compare yourself with me. You’re already outstanding. Comparing yourself to me will only add to your pressure," Shitou said seriously as he looked at Xiao Shan Yue. "You’ve said it yourself; I’m a brainiac. Any subject I take on is no challenge for me, and I’ve earned a few doctorates already. Once this research project is over, I’ll get my last doctorate and then return to China."

Xiao Shan Yue looked at Shitou as he continued, "This is pointless. Just choose what you like and do what you want. Don’t push yourself because of me. I won’t be touched by your actions; in fact, I’d think it’s foolish. You are first and foremost yourself. Recognize who you are, look at yourself so you can play to your strengths and shine. I took care of you before because you’re Dr. Xi’s daughter, the research lab needed Dr. Xi, and seeing a young girl like you struggle, I naturally wanted to help you out more."

"I..." Xiao Shan Yue’s expression was on the verge of tears. She wanted to say she didn’t feel forced, she didn’t think what she was doing was wrong, and it was because of Shitou that she had a direction to strive towards. She just wanted to follow him.

From childhood, only Shitou had been kind to her, so she had always worked hard for Shitou. But now Shitou was telling her not to follow, and Xiao Shan Yue felt lost for a moment.

"Brother Shitou, how can I help you, become a support to you?" Xiao Shan Yue asked.

Shitou felt a headache coming on. How did he come across such a stubborn girl? He really hadn’t expected Xiao Shan Yue to repay him in any way. He had simply felt sorry for her and found her pleasing to the eye, so he had casually taken care of her without expecting her to cling to the notion.

Shitou didn’t know whether to see it as good or bad at the moment. Granted, Xiao Shan Yue was very hardworking, but with her efforts focused on him, Shitou felt she missed the point.

Because Shitou’s studies encompassed many fields, he had earned multiple doctorates out of sheer interest. If he wanted, he could master all the fields as he had a photographic memory and knew he was different; his brain seemed vast like the ocean, bottomless and never full.

Moreover, as much as he learned, Shitou didn’t feel it was a burden; he knew he was an anomaly. He couldn’t be categorized as a normal human being.

If Xiao Shan Yue modeled her studies after him, she’d only exhaust herself in the end. Shitou thought it was pointless and merely self-torment.

An Qian, who was listening to Shitou and Xiao Shan Yue’s conversation from outside, couldn’t help but rush in and say, "Why are you so dense? She likes you; can’t you see that? Look, your words are making her cry."

At that, the air instantly froze; the atmosphere between Shitou and Xiao Shan Yue became awkward.

Shitou was stunned. Like, he had never considered that before. Xiao Shan Yue liked him?

Shitou’s brow furrowed, showing an unusual amount of conflict on his face.

Xiao Shan Yue wanted to deny it, but she hesitated. Was her behavior just friendly, or was it truly affectionate? She felt her feelings for Brother Shitou were quite normal.

But both Xiao Shan Yue and Shitou understood, what An Qian referred to was not just plain affection; it suggested romantic interest, which made Xiao Shan Yue suddenly uncertain.

The moment stalled, and then Xiao Shan Yue suddenly exclaimed, "Ah, it’s going to burn!"

Immediately, the sounds of cooking resumed; Xiao Shan Yue fell silent, and so did Shitou. An Qian thought the two of them were incredibly dull. She liked things clear-cut, but Shitou and Xiao Shan Yue were obviously more than friends yet not quite lovers.

When Xiao Shu returned with a bottle of apple cider and a drink, he could sense something odd at home. Everyone’s expressions were unusual. What had happened?

Xiao Shu was tempted to ask An Qian, but catching her bright-eyed look, he kept his mouth shut.

During the meal, the atmosphere was awkward—only An Qian kept the conversation going, trying to brighten the mood. However, her direct manner made things uncomfortable.

Xiao Shan Yue couldn’t help but kick An Qian under the table, but she accidentally kicked Shitou’s foot instead. Seeing An Qian continuing to talk and Shitou giving her a look, Xiao Shan Yue realized her mistake and was embarrassed.

After hastily finishing the meal, Xiao Shan Yue thanked everyone and left, ignoring An Qian’s request to hang around, taking An Qian with her as she left.

"Hey, why the rush? I haven’t had the chance to chat with my idol or Jiashu properly. It’s a rare opportunity, such a shame," An Qian expressed with regret.

Xiao Shan Yue felt helpless; this girl just couldn’t read the room.