Shocking! The Broke Campus Heartthrob Is My Child’s Father - Chapter 22

Lu Yicheng’s culinary skills were quite impressive.

After an hour of busy preparation, three dishes and a soup were freshly cooked. There was Lu Siyan’s favorite sweet and sour pork ribs, steamed perch garnished with red and green peppers, sugar-glazed tomatoes that often appeared in summertime meals, and a bowl of seaweed egg drop soup.

The spread included both meat and vegetables, with colors that were pleasing to the eye.

Since returning to the capital, Jiang Ruoqiao had mostly relied on takeout. She rarely cooked herself, only occasionally making a simple salad when she was tired of takeout. The apps offered all kinds of cuisines, but after a couple days in a row, she began to crave something different. The home-cooked meal rekindled her appetite.

The three dishes and soup were a satisfying feast for the senses.

After a few bites, Jiang Ruoqiao lavished praise without restraint. “Lu Yicheng, I had no idea you were such a good cook.”

Lu Siyan was gnawing on ribs with his mouth full of oil, and had no time to chat at all.

Dad’s cooking was delicious, but he didn’t make sweet and sour ribs every day!

Around the small table, Lu Yicheng’s tall frame occupied most of the space. He ate in a refined manner, and when he heard this, he only said humbly, “It’s nothing special.”

“Nothing special?” Jiang Ruoqiao said. “I think it’s excellent. I certainly can’t cook like this.”

Lu Siyan raised his hand high. “I can testify to this, Mom’s cooking is very bad!”

At home, Mom seldom cooked. Usually Dad prepared the meals, and when he was busy, Mom would take Siyan out to eat.

On rare occasions when Mom was in the mood, she would cook.

Lu Siyan preferred not to recall those times.

But whenever Dad came home, he would finish every bite Mom made. Poor Dad—even if it didn’t taste good, he savored it like the most delicious food in the world.

Jiang Ruoqiao: “Hey!”

Didn’t she want to save face?

Lu Siyan quickly lowered his head to eat. “I’m just being honest.”

A faint smile crossed Lu Yicheng’s face. He couldn’t remember when he first started cooking. It must have been elementary school, when Grandma often worked late into the night to support him. He got used to making his own food. At first he was clueless, but over the years he figured it out. He was grateful for the skill, knowing he would never have to go hungry.

Jiang Ruoqiao said sincerely, “Siyan is much better off with you than he would be with me.”

Come to think of it, if Siyan were living with her, they would probably eat takeout daily, likely at irregular times to boot.

Siyan had just confirmed the “future” her never developed any culinary talent either…

In terms of taking care of children, Lu Yicheng far surpassed her.

Lu Yicheng met her gaze. Jiang Ruoqiao quickly added, “I’m not trying to shirk responsibility, just giving you a compliment. I’ll do what I can.”

These words didn’t carry much weight.

In retrospect, Lu Yicheng had always been the one caring for Lu Siyan. At most, she had supervised a few naps, never concerning herself with anything else. Lu Yicheng had handled the household registration, researched preschools…

Lu Yicheng glanced at Lu Siyan, still intent on gnawing ribs. “I know.”

He spoke to Jiang Ruoqiao, but his eyes were serene. “For kids though, a 70-point mom beats a 90-point dad. At least that’s how it is for Siyan. So don’t underestimate your importance.”

He meant it. Siyan clearly preferred his mother over his father. That was undeniable.

Jiang Ruoqiao looked at him, head tilted, a playful gleam in her eye. “Oh, so you rate yourself a 90 and me only a 70?”

She was utterly unpredictable.

Now it was Lu Yicheng’s turn to be at a loss for words.

He seldom showed that expression.

Apparently she had caught him off guard.

How should he respond? It was just an offhand comparison.

Seeing his face, Jiang Ruoqiao couldn’t help smiling. She picked up a chilled slice of tomato, its sweet and sour flavor so familiar.

Grandma used to make sugared tomatoes almost every day in the summer.

She would slice them, douse them in sugar, and chill them in the fridge. That sweet-tart taste spanned her childhood, adolescence and youth—it was the flavor of warmth in her memories.

Lu Yicheng gripped his chopsticks. “I’m sorry, that’s not what I meant,” he said quietly.

Did he truly believe, deep down, that she wasn’t as capable as him?

How could he think that way? Entertain such a notion?

She was already doing an excellent job. If anything, in terms of emotional fortitude, she might well surpass him.

He definitely owed her an apology.

Jiang Ruoqiao laughed inwardly. What a dunce. “Why do I get the feeling that’s exactly what you meant?”

Lu Yicheng was at a loss.

Shaking her head, Jiang Ruoqiao said in a teasing drawl, “Giving yourself a 90 seems rather immodest, no?”

Lu Yicheng: “…”

He fell silent, eyes fixed on the fish.

Lu Siyan, unaware of his parents’ exchange, glanced back and forth between them with round eyes. Seeing his mom wasn’t upset, her eyes still smiling, he relaxed. From a tender age, he understood one thing: Mom’s mood determined the household atmosphere.

After the meal, Lu Yicheng swiftly cleared the table. Jiang Ruoqiao made a token offer to help, but he whisked everything to the kitchen before she could act. The old house lacked a dishwasher, but Lu Yicheng washed and scrubbed with practiced efficiency. Watching him, Jiang Ruoqiao mused that he embodied the “house-husband” ideal.

Truthfully, if Lu Yicheng weren’t Siyan’s father, if Siyan himself weren’t a factor, she might have considered pursuing him, given how many attractive qualities he had. She had certainly never dated anyone like him before.

Alas, he was Lu Yicheng, Lu Siyan’s dad.

That demanded prudence. A relationship with him couldn’t be casually discarded.

Too many complications, and she hated to invite such trouble.

His chores complete, Lu Yicheng agreed to Lu Siyan’s insistence on walking Jiang Ruoqiao to the subway station. The boy was usually quite sensible, only very occasionally indulging in childish whims around his parents. It wasn’t an unreasonable request, so they consented. By 7:30 pm, the sun had set, leaving magnificent clouds illuminated by the last embers of day.

Along the way, Lu Yicheng hardly spoke.

It reminded Jiang Ruoqiao of the previous semester, the handful of times she had encountered him as Jiang Yan’s girlfriend – sharing tables in the cafeteria, attending dorm gatherings. As an outsider, she had keenly observed the dynamics among the male roommates. Lu Yicheng was the linchpin of their quartet, undoubtedly the one the others trusted most.

He thoroughly embodied his “herbivore male” nickname.

Not a single aggressive bone in his body, just affable warmth.

Seeing this side of him, Jiang Ruoqiao almost felt like a bully.

But in this situation, Lu Yicheng, ever the moral paragon, surely wrestled with far more internal turmoil than she did. She was untroubled – facing Jiang Yan, she felt no pangs of remorse or betrayal. Wasn’t this how dating was originally? You could fall in love today and break up tomorrow. No legal strings attached. Had they been married, she might have experienced a twinge of guilt.

As a mere boyfriend though, he didn’t merit such solicitude from her.

But what of Lu Yicheng’s perspective? Right now, she was dating his good friend.

As the saying went, one good turn deserves another. Lu Yicheng had been tremendously helpful during this period of time, especially in solving the issue of Lu Siyan’s household registration. He had fully demonstrated a man’s responsibility and dependability in all aspects.

Though accustomed to handling matters solo, only announcing decisions after the fact, Jiang Ruoqiao resolved to make an exception in this case.

After sorting out her thoughts, Jiao Qiao glanced at Lu Yicheng.

Did this count as her bullying an honest person?

“Lu Yicheng,” made up her mind and suddenly called out to him.

Lu Yicheng was still immersed in his own world.

Lately, stress had been mounting from all sides. On one hand, the time for uni to start was getting closer and closer. Though he had chosen to live off-campus, he and Jiang Yan were still classmates – daily encounters were unavoidable. He hadn’t a clue how to navigate that. Moreover, raising Siyan imposed immense financial strain. Despite his modest savings, without fresh income, a deficit loomed – expenses outpacing revenue. What was he to do?

Jolted from his ruminations by Jiang Ruoqiao’s voice, he stopped in his tracks.

Streetlamps cast mottled tree-shadows. In his loose white tee, Lu Yicheng radiated a summer crispness. Originally, his eyes were gentle, but at this moment, he might have been thinking about something, and his eyebrows were furrowed, looking very serious.

He towered over Jiang Ruoqiao, who scarcely reached his chin.

Up ahead, Lu Siyan pranced and hopped, gleefully playing with his shadow, oblivious to his trailing parents.

“What is it?” Lu Yicheng asked.

Jiang Ruoqiao idly kicked a pebble, her face conflicted. “After Jiang Yan returns… I’m going to break up with him.”

It was as if someone pressed the brake on Lu Yicheng’s body. He suddenly stopped and stared at her.