Chapter 893: The Little Prince and the Rose

Cui Suling's cooking was excellent; with Xu Youyu's help, she prepared a lavish feast by five o'clock in the evening.

Several of the dishes were Li Luo's favorites.

Just from this, one could see how seriously Cui Suling took this meal.

She had not abandoned Li Luo entirely, despite his involvement with three women.

This made Li Luo recall events from his past life.

He vaguely remembered being brought home for dinner by Xu Youyu in his previous life; Xu Rongsheng had always been the same—calm, unperturbed, expressionless.

He treated everyone with the same objective, detached demeanor.

But Cui Suling always wore her emotions on her face: if she liked something, she liked it; if she didn't, she didn't.

Such people don't play games; they're easy to be friends with.

But if she were your mother-in-law, and she already disliked you, it would be unbearable.

In his past life, Li Luo achieved nothing and was grilled by Cui Suling at the dinner table.

She learned he owned one apartment, but he lived with his family, and they also ran a small shop—a breakfast stall owned by his parents.

Beyond that, the family had no other assets.

He wasn't even a college graduate—just a junior college diploma, with a chef's certification, and after graduation he turned to writing Online Novels.

His writing success was nowhere near Xu Youyu's.

Now he'd switched to Short Drama Lines, but had yet to see any real progress.

Xu Youyu, sitting beside him, tried to make up for it, saying Short Drama Lines had secured eight hundred thousand in investment.

This made Cui Suling nod reluctantly, but Li Luo felt even more humiliated.

Because he knew exactly where that eight hundred thousand had come from.

That dinner was somewhat similar to this one.

Now seated, Cui Suling smiled and invited everyone to take their places.

She was initially very warm.

But in his past life, the more Cui Suling learned about Li Luo, the colder her expression became.

Xu Rongsheng never spoke during meals—he sat quietly and steadily beside them, letting Cui Suling chatter away.

But the more Xu Rongsheng stayed silent, the heavier the pressure on Li Luo became.

But in this life—things were slightly different.

"Come, come, Li Luo, sit here." Cui Suling pulled out Li Luo's chair herself, and after he sat, handed him chopsticks and bowl, "If you want rice, just ask Youyu. Try these dishes—see if they suit your taste."

"Mm." Li Luo nodded, sat beside Xu Youyu, and when everyone was seated and Xu Rongsheng picked up his chopsticks to begin eating, Li Luo lifted his own and started eating.

He ate while praising Cui Suling's cooking, noting that all the dishes were his favorites.

Cui Suling's smile never faded; she chatted with Li Luo as if the events of the past two days had never happened.

Seeing she didn't bring it up, Li Luo ate slowly and casually exchanged idle talk.

Beneath the table, Xu Youyu's foot was nudging his calf, distracting him.

Li Luo picked up a piece of braised pork for Xu Youyu, signaling her to ease up.

Xu Youyu winked at him with a mischievous grin; Cui Suling, focused on Li Luo serving her daughter, didn't notice her daughter's expression, and her smile deepened further.

When the meal was nearly finished, Cui Suling, sensing the dinner was about to end, cleared her throat twice and finally turned to the real topic.

"Li Luo."

"Mm, Auntie Cui, go ahead."

"Look," Cui Suling's tone shifted, suddenly earnest, "you and Youyu have known each other for over three years, right?"

"Mm." Li Luo nodded. "Three and a half years."

"It was because your family bought the Bihai Lanting apartment that you two met."

"That's right." Li Luo smiled. "And we happened to start writing Online Novels at the same time—we didn't even know it then."

"Exactly, exactly." Cui Suling laughed. "Back then, this girl wanted to rent an apartment outside, and I originally refused."

"Now I'm glad I agreed—if I hadn't, I never would've met you."

"This proves you two are truly destined for each other, right?"

"Come on." Xu Youyu muttered from the side, "You never agreed—I only rented because Dad told me to."

"Shut up." Cui Suling shot her a glare. "What's with the sarcasm? Just tell me—did I eventually agree or not?"

"Fine, fine." Xu Youyu dragged out her reply, then let them continue talking.

"Sometimes a small choice changes countless possibilities in life." Li Luo recalled his earlier conversation with Xu Rongsheng on the balcony, smiled inwardly, met Xu Rongsheng's gaze, then looked back at Cui Suling.

"Exactly, exactly." Cui Suling nodded vigorously, smiling. "You and our old Xu are so alike—he loves spouting these kinds of philosophies."

"I understand them too, but I rarely think hard—I usually rely on feelings."

"So, Li Luo, you've known Youyu so long, and you ended up together—why can't you two just live happily together?"

"Mom~" Xu Youyu groaned at this.

But before she could say anything, Cui Suling shot her another glare, silencing her.

Xu Youyu pouted and turned to look at Li Luo.

Seeing Li Luo silent, Cui Suling pressed on: "Auntie has one question for you—when you two first got together, was it your first time?"

The moment this blunt question came out, Li Luo remained calm, but Xu Youyu turned bright red, flustered, and immediately protested: "Mom, what are you saying?! How can you even ask that?!"

Cui Suling rolled her eyes—how could they have the nerve to do it, yet she, as a mother, couldn't ask?

Li Luo, however, was used to Cui Suling's blunt nature, and simply nodded: "Mm. Both Youyu and I were first-timers."

"There you go!" Cui Suling seized the opening. "You two are perfectly matched, both each other's first, both Online Novel writers—truly soulmates. Isn't this fate's perfect match?"

Had he not heard Cui Suling's other speech in his past life, Li Luo might have believed her this time.

After all, in his previous life, he'd heard that she'd also written online novels, and when his grades were worse than Xu Youyu's, Cui Suling had said that writing online novels was unstable and risky—fine for girls to dabble in, but not suitable for boys to pursue full-time.

Compared to Xu Rongsheng, Cui Suling was clearly far more pragmatic.

Once, Li Luo had wondered—if only his grades had been better back then, if only he could have stood on equal footing with Xu Youyu, or even surpassed him, would Cui Suling's attitude toward him have changed significantly?

His life path in that previous existence might have been entirely different.

He wouldn't have ended up with Cui Suling quietly finding a chance to speak with him alone before he left, asking him to stay away from her daughter.

Now, hearing Cui Suling's words again, Li Luo couldn't help but laugh, yet he couldn't hate her—only found it amusing.

Remembering what Xu Rongsheng had told him before dinner, Li Luo smiled and replied, "If in this life I hadn't met Chanxi and Zhusheng, and had only met Youyu, I would have chosen only her."

"But now it's different, Aunt Cui. Just like I said at the dinner table in the countryside a few days ago—I truly care for them both."

"So my choice and decision won't change. I believe in our mutual conviction. The final outcome depends only on whether you can accept our feelings."

"No—" Cui Suling grew angry upon hearing him say this to his face.

But faced with a boy like Li Luo, she simply couldn't voice those harsh words—she swallowed them back.

With no other option, she slapped Xu Rongsheng's arm and grumbled, "Don't just make me talk—you say something too."

"Alright, alright, we've eaten enough. You and Youyu clean up first." Xu Rongsheng stood up, looked at Li Luo, and said, "Come downstairs with me for a walk—help digest."

"Yes, Uncle Xu."

Li Luo rose, nodded to Cui Suling and Xu Youyu, then followed Xu Rongsheng to the door, put on his shoes, and went downstairs into the residential compound.

Walking beside Xu Rongsheng beneath the tree shade, Li Luo looked at his slightly weathered profile and couldn't help asking, "Uncle Xu, did you call me down to walk because you have more to say?"

"What I had to say, I mostly said before dinner," Xu Rongsheng chuckled. "The principles are often simple—most people just can't accept reality, so they keep repeating the choices they want, refusing to let go."

"But the consequence is often losing the watermelon and the winter melon too—ending up with nothing."

"A net loss."

"I called you down just to prevent you two from arguing—I don't want to hear the noise."

After hearing Xu Rongsheng's words, Li Luo still couldn't resist asking, "So, Uncle Xu, does that mean you agree?"

Xu Rongsheng glanced at him, said nothing more, and kept walking, strolling slowly into the Qianjiang University campus.

Li Luo wisely fell silent and stopped asking.

The two walked, paused, wandered for over an hour through the university campus, then returned to the residential compound.

"People aren't roses."

As they entered the stairwell, Xu Rongsheng suddenly said, "A rose may be watered only by the Little Prince."

"But a person doesn't belong exclusively to any one Little Prince."

"You've known Youyu for three years, but my wife and I have raised her for nearly twenty."

"You have three roses, but as parents, we have only this one."

"A thorny rose may rebel, but only with her parents can she find true warmth and protection."

"Li Luo, you're just another rose."

Saying this, Xu Rongsheng stepped into the elevator, watched Li Luo enter, then continued, "Or rather, each of us is both a Little Prince and a rose."

"We make choices—and are chosen by others."

"No one can foresee the future, nor see whether the outcome behind each choice is good or bad in its parallel timeline."

"Life always ends in regret—no one can avoid it."

As he spoke these words, the elevator doors opened.

Xu Rongsheng fell silent, walked straight to the front door, opened it, entered, and sat back down on the sofa.

At this point, Cui Suling and Xu Youyu had finished washing the dishes. Seeing Li Luo come in, Cui Suling invited him to sit and eat some fruit.

When it was nearly eight in the evening, Li Luo stood up to take his leave.

Xu Rongsheng glanced at him, then at his daughter's reluctant gaze, and said to Xu Youyu:

""

"Youyu, see Li Luo off."

"Oh—oh oh!" Xu Youyu snapped to attention, nodded vigorously, stifled a grin, rushed into her room, grabbed her down jacket, then pushed Li Luo's shoulder, urging him to hurry out.

Li Luo was half-laughing as he was pushed out the door, bid farewell once more to Xu Rongsheng and Cui Suling, then entered the elevator with Xu Youyu.

The moment the elevator doors closed, the girl beside him eagerly threw herself into his arms and hugged him tightly.

"Didn't you just hug me this morning? Why so excited now?" Li Luo wrapped his arms around her, smiling.

"We won't see each other for days again," Xu Youyu mumbled into his chest. "What? You don't miss me? Dog man!"

"Of course I miss you," Li Luo held her tightly. "But right now there's something more urgent—I just hope your parents will agree soon."

"So what exactly is my dad trying to say?" Xu Youyu asked, baffled. "What did you two talk about when you were alone?"

"I won't tell you."

"What?"

"It's a man's secret."

"I think you're asking for a beating."

They bantered back and forth all the way to Li Luo's parked car.

Li Luo opened the car door and sat inside, but Xu Youyu held the door shut.

She leaned in, crawled into the seat, climbed onto his lap, then slammed the door shut.

"Is this how you see someone off?" Li Luo, feeling the cramped space, adjusted his seat, slid back, and lowered the backrest until it was noticeably roomier.

"What's wrong?" Xu Youyu huffed. "I rarely invite anyone in—only you get this treatment. Don't act like you're being taken advantage of."

"Is that so?" Li Luo chuckled. "Then I'm about to head home—do you plan to escort me all the way to my front door?"

"Why not?" Xu Youyu grinned mischievously.

"Better not, or you'll come home too late and start another fight with your mom."

"My mom's just being stubborn—she doesn't want to let go of her golden son-in-law," Xu Youyu snorted. "She knows perfectly well that once this chance is gone, it won't come again. Finding a guy as outstanding as you? Even with a lantern, it'd be impossible."

"You understand your mom pretty well," Li Luo laughed.

"Of course I do," Xu Youyu sneered. "Just ignore her. In the end, she'll give in herself."

"Then I won't worry about it anymore." Li Luo straightened up, lifted Xu Youyu into his arms, and shifted backward in the seat. "Let's worry about something else."

"? What are you doing? We're still in my neighborhood—mm—"