Lu Fei chuckled with genuine warmth, "It's not hard work at all. This is what we should do. There's a blanket with drinks and mineral water on it. If you're thirsty, just grab one and drink, don't be shy!"
Noticing the person sitting alone on the blanket, Qiangzi sensed something was off. "Kid, aren't you neglecting your girlfriend a bit? Why aren't you talking to her?"
"She's not my girlfriend. I brought her here hoping to set her up with Lu Fei. Don't you think they'd be a good match?" Liu Yifeng watched Lu Fei as he unscrewed a bottle of water for Chen Xinyue.
Qiangzi finally understood, "So, your quiet chat with Lu Fei earlier was about him pursuing Chen Xinyue, right?"
"Exactly. I think they're a great pair. Lu Fei is a good guy, loyal to his girlfriend, and very caring. Chen Xinyue seems like a girl with a great personality too. Neither of them is one to be petty. They should get along really well."
"Looking at them now, they do seem quite well-matched!" Qiangzi agreed, watching the two in the distance.
"That's why I can't show my hand in front of Chen Xinyue. Only if Lu Fei performs well will she think Lu Fei is better than me."
It was then that Qiangzi truly understood Liu Yifeng's thoughtful intentions. Soon, they placed the freshly grilled food onto disposable containers.
"Miss Chen, this is my first time barbecuing, so I'm not sure how it tastes. Please bear with it, and don't be too critical!"
"You can just call me Xinyue. 'Miss' sounds a bit awkward," Chen Xinyue said to Qiangzi, who had just spoken to her.
"Here, Xinyue, try this lamb skewer," Lu Fei said, holding one out to Chen Xinyue. Seeing a bit of grease on her lips, he thoughtfully handed her a tissue.
Meanwhile, Liu Yifeng merely chatted with everyone, offering no substantial care or attention to Chen Xinyue. Chen Xinyue wasn't foolish. Liu Yifeng ignored her, yet his friend was attentive. It was clear Lu Fei had feelings for her. Although Lu Fei appeared reliable, she had come today solely for Liu Yifeng. Therefore, no matter how considerate Lu Fei was, she wouldn't fall for him.
The barbecue meal was eaten with each person harboring their own thoughts. Lu Fei was unsure of Chen Xinyue's feelings. He responded politely when spoken to but never initiated conversation. Instead, he would occasionally chat with Liu Yifeng, making him feel like giving up. He had been a simp for Wu Qian for three years and didn't want to be one anymore. Suddenly, he had a realization. His enthusiasm for Chen Xinyue waned, and he conversed with her like a casual friend, simply eating and talking. This, surprisingly, made Chen Xinyue a bit uncomfortable, as she couldn't figure out what Lu Fei was up to. By the time the barbecue ended and darkness fell, Lu Fei had not once proactively offered her anything or started a conversation.
"It's getting late. I'll drive you back!" Liu Yifeng stood up.
As Chen Xinyue stood up, her leg had gone numb, and she lost her balance, about to fall. Lu Fei, who was closest to her, quickly grabbed her arm, preventing an embarrassing tumble.
"Are you alright?" Lu Fei asked with concern.
Chen Xinyue shook her head, "I'm fine. My leg just went numb for a bit. I'll be okay after I stand for a while." Lu Fei, fearing she might fall again if he let go, kept his arm around her, showing no impatience and no hint of taking advantage. When Chen Xinyue felt her leg could support her, she turned to Lu Fei and said, "Thank you, my leg is better now?"
Lu Fei immediately released her. "No need to thank me. Be careful!"
"I'll drive myself back. You don't need to escort me," Chen Xinyue said to Liu Yifeng, who had walked over and was standing by her car.
"You can manage alone? There are many mountains along these roads, and I'm worried you might get scared!"
"It's okay, I'm not that timid. Thank you for your hospitality today. I'll treat you all to a meal another time!" Chen Xinyue opened the car door and got in.
"Then drive carefully. Goodbye!" Liu Yifeng didn't insist. Lu Fei and Qiangzi also waved goodbye. Chen Xinyue started the car, rolled down the window, smiled at the three of them, and turned the car around to leave.
After she left, Lu Fei sighed, "It's probably no use between her and me. She clearly has feelings for you!"
"I actually think you two are a good match. If you interact more in the future, maybe something could really happen," Qiangzi offered a different perspective.
Lu Fei wasn't optimistic. "I'll just focus on my work honestly."
Liu Yifeng looked in the direction Chen Xinyue had left, uncertain of her thoughts. "If she contacts me again, I'll try to probe her feelings for you!"
"No, if she was interested in me, she definitely would have asked for my contact information before leaving. If she didn't ask, then she has no interest. If you ask, it'll make me seem too desperate," Lu Fei quickly stopped him. Liu Yifeng couldn't force Chen Xinyue, he had merely hoped to set them up, but fate had other plans.
With a sense of helplessness, he got on Qiangzi's motorcycle and headed home. Tongtong was engrossed in watching cartoons, completely ignoring Liu Yifeng's arrival, too absorbed in the show.
Liu Chun, seeing that Yifeng still didn't have a room, eagerly asked, "Your third aunt mentioned you went barbecuing with that young lady. How was it?"
"Dad, you might be disappointed, but there's no hope for me and her!" Liu Yifeng said truthfully. Liu Chun Sheng had been very happy when his third daughter-in-law told him, thinking his son was finally taking an interest. However, his hopes were dashed again, and his expression immediately fell. "I heard from your third aunt that the girl had a pretty good impression of you. Did you not like her?"
"That girl is indeed very good, but you can't force feelings, Dad. Please don't worry about my matters anymore. Fate might just arrive one day."
Seeing his son's nonchalant attitude, Liu Chun Sheng snorted, "Fine, I won't bother anymore. Whether you get married or not is your business." With that, he turned and went back to his room.
The next day, Liu Yifeng arrived at the kindergarten director's office. Zhao Qing was waiting for him there. "Mr. Liu, please have a seat!"
"Director Zhao, did you need to discuss something with me?" Liu Yifeng asked as he sat on the sofa. Zhao Qing poured Liu Yifeng a cup of tea and placed it on the coffee table in front of him. Then, sitting opposite him, she stated the purpose of her meeting.
"Mr. Liu, I've called you here today to discuss Tongtong's matters."
"Please speak directly, Director Zhao!"
"You know Tongtong isn't an ordinary child. Honestly, sometimes our teachers aren't as quick-witted as Tongtong. This child is simply not ordinary; he's a genius with an extremely high IQ. Having him attend kindergarten feels like a waste of his talent. With his abilities, he could directly start elementary school. There's no need to waste time in kindergarten. However, he's still young and not yet of legal school age. Therefore, I'd like him to skip two grades and start directly in the advanced class. What do you think?"
Liu Yifeng was momentarily taken aback by Director Zhao's words. Tongtong had been in kindergarten for less than a month, and they were proposing to have him jump to the advanced class. It was indeed unexpected. However, he was aware of his son's capabilities; he could skip not just kindergarten but even middle school. Still, he wanted Tongtong to have a complete childhood. While kindergarten involves learning, it primarily focuses on play and brain development and isn't overly strenuous. Once he entered elementary school, it meant entering a life of tedious study, with homework being the daily focus. Therefore, kindergarten was still necessary, but Director Zhao's proposal was quite good. Skipping to the advanced class was also a form of high recognition for Tongtong. Furthermore, the curriculum for younger children was very superficial, and Tongtong would surely find it boring. After a moment of thought, he immediately agreed, "Alright, I'll go with Director Zhao's suggestion. You can make the arrangements. I just don't know if Tongtong will be able to adapt."
"He will definitely adapt. This child's adaptability is very strong. I'll have him join the advanced class for lessons shortly!" After agreeing, Liu Yifeng left the kindergarten. However, to his surprise, on Tongtong's first day in the advanced class, he got into a fight with a classmate, even causing the other child to bleed from the nose. The classmate's parents, upon hearing about the incident, went to the kindergarten to make a scene, and Liu Yifeng was called in.