"Really, you have no idea how awkward it was just now. Miss Sheng clearly didn’t feel like talking to me, but I had to chatter away like a talkative person."

"Why did Doctor Mu insist you chat with Miss Sheng?"

"Probably to prevent Miss Sheng from worrying and to divert her attention."

"Wow, really, he thought of that?"

"Really, when Doctor Mu looks at Miss Sheng, he’s not the same person we usually know."

Sheng Jiayu was listening at the door, and the thought she had at Ms. Wang’s bedside grew even stronger.

She pressed her lips together, walked into the nearby emergency exit, and called Xu Qingru: "Mom, I’m coming home for dinner tonight. There’s something I’d like to discuss with you."

Ms. Wang rested in the hospital for an afternoon but didn’t want to stay there any longer. Nobody could really go against her temperament, and Mu Ke, being a doctor, didn’t think it was a big deal. So, he took Ms. Wang back to his apartment.

Sheng Jiayu accompanied them back but didn’t stay long before driving back to the Xu Family’s Old Mansion.

"Why did you decide to come back today? Isn’t your mother-in-law still in B City?"

Sheng Jiayu held Xu Qingru’s hand and sat down: "Mom, there’s something I want to discuss with you."

Xu Qingru looked at Sheng Jiayu’s serious and earnest expression, knowing it must be something significant, and nodded: "Let’s go to the study."

Mother and daughter sat on the sofa in the study. Sheng Jiayu pressed her lips together and said directly: "Mom, what are your plans with Uncle Zhou for the future?"

"Hmm?"

Xu Qingru lightly furrowed her brows, seemingly puzzled as to why Sheng Jiayu suddenly brought this up.

"Uncle Zhou hasn’t reached retirement age yet, and last time I heard your conversation, S University seems to want to rehire him as a visiting professor after he retires. In that case, he should be staying in S City for a long time, right? And you? Are you planning to stay in B City?"

Xu Qingru didn’t expect Sheng Jiayu to bring this up and hesitated slightly: "Uncle Zhou and I have discussed this matter, and he said he’ll follow my lead."

Sheng Jiayu already had a general impression of Uncle Zhou. He genuinely treats Xu Qingru well—not exactly humorous, but very considerate.

"And you? What do you think?"

"I haven’t made up my mind yet. Why did you suddenly think of bringing this up?"

Sheng Jiayu recounted the incident of Ms. Wang fainting today, and Xu Qingru’s brows immediately furrowed: "How could you not mention such a big thing? I should have gone to visit."

"I was shocked at the time and forgot."

"And you, how are you doing now?"

"She’s fine now. Mu Ke has taken her back to the apartment. Mom, today at his mother’s bedside, a thought crossed my mind. If you were to marry Uncle Zhou, moving to S City would be more convenient, considering the Mu Family only has Mu Ke as the son. Mu Xin is now in college in another city, and his mother’s health isn’t great, so I was thinking, Mu Ke and I could move back to S City together."

Sheng Jiayu paused and then continued: "Mu Ke came to B City because of me, but I’m relatively free. I can entrust the bookstore here to Jenny, and I can open another one over there. However, I’m worried about you. But if you were to move, there wouldn’t be any problem."

Xu Qingru looked calmly at Sheng Jiayu, smiled slightly, and took Sheng Jiayu’s hand: "You’ve thought this through thoroughly, but Jiayu, I think you should discuss this with Little Mu first."

"So, you agree?"