Xiaoshuai Feng’s eyes lit up. He gave a thumbs up and sighed, "You've always been you. You haven't changed. Wei Zhou, to be honest, even if I were in your shoes at the time, I might not have been able to do what you did. So I've admired you since we were young, and that's the truth. If my past behavior has offended you, I apologize. I was just a little brat at the time, not mature at all."

　　"A little brat? Ha-ha, we're all the same. Why apologize? Well, I just bought some things and still have to go home to cook for my mom, so I should head back."

　　He nodded reluctantly, "Okay, we'll meet again if it's meant to be."

　　"Meet again if it's meant to be!"

　　He opened his mouth to say something, but ultimately didn't. He shook his head and turned to leave, his back seeming a bit lonely.

　　"Little handsome guy!" I called out softly.

　　He froze as if struck by lightning and slowly turned around, his eyes full of disbelief. "Wei Zhou, you...what did you just call me?"

　　I smiled sweetly, "I called you little handsome guy! Are you unhappy about it?"

　　His eyes turned red instantly. He nodded repeatedly, excited, "Happy, happy! This is the happiest thing that has happened to me this year. I will eat stuff and eat until my stomach explodes when I get home."

　　"Little handsome guy, may you be safe, joyful, healthy, and happy. Goodbye!" I waved goodbye to him with a smile and turned to leave with my things.

　　Life always gives us gifts when we least expect it. Even in the most chaotic situations, as long as our minds are clear enough, everything we see is a blessing. Some people help us, some hinder us, some praise us, some insult us, some teach us, and some criticize us. Whatever they do, they are just being themselves.

　　I don't need to guard against anyone, because there is no one or nothing that can truly hurt me. When I sincerely act as a student, I find that everyone becomes my teacher. They are so wise and generous, and all I can do is be grateful.

　　Back at home, I started to cook. Recently, my mother's appetite has been getting worse. She can only eat a few bites at each meal. I decided to make sweet and sour pork with pineapple, a dish that Xixi loves. Perhaps it will encourage my mother to eat a little more.

　　I boiled the pineapple with sugar into candied pineapple. I cut the pork into evenly-sized pieces with diagonal slits on each side and mixed flour and starch together. I also cut the bell peppers and onions into chunks. I added salt, pepper, ginger juice, and egg whites to the meat and marinated it for half an hour. The oil in the pan gradually heated up until it was about 80% hot.

　　I enjoy cooking; it's a wonderful experience. What will that hand, which is called "mine," do? I am filled with curiosity! It evenly coats the meat with a layer of flour and fries it until it turns slightly yellow. The spoon keeps turning; it is so wise. When the heat is just right, it takes the meat out of the pan.

　　I continue to wait and watch as she pours out the oil into the pan and puts in a one-third tablespoon of cooking oil. She evenly fries the bell peppers and onion slices. The bright color is truly pleasing to the eye. She smiles and adds a tablespoon of tomato sauce and a teaspoon of sugar, stirring it evenly.

　　The spatula flies and the range hood hums a pleasant tune. Everything is so beautiful. She pours half a bowl of boiled pineapple candied water and a teaspoon of salt into the pan, mixing it into a delicious sweet and sour sauce until the soup thickens. At the best time, she puts the meat into the pan and evenly coats it with the sauce.

　　It's incredible. The entire process has nothing to do with me. When the mind doesn't trust itself, magical things happen. Everything you do will be "effortless." You will clearly realize that the idea of "me doing something" is a huge joke!

　　I set the meal on the table. My mother's nose moved, her face showing a childlike, innocent smile. She ate heartily, finished a whole bowl of rice, and ate most of the pineapple pork. Of course, this appetite has its price: we must cancel our dinner. This is not bad at all. Both my mother and I are satisfied with this meal, and that is enough.

　　I cleaned up the table and took the utensils to the kitchen to wash. What did I just do? Did I just make pineapple pork and have dinner with my mother? Oh, maybe. Once it's done, it can be forgotten. Nothing is significant, and nothing needs to be remembered. I am very aware that they have all disappeared. There is no proof other than a thought in my mind. I cannot see something that doesn't exist; they never belong to me.

　　My mother and I sit on the couch again and watch TV. This time she found a new one. I became slightly interested because the movie stars Qian Mi. The story is based on a work I once gave her. I forgot which year it was. Sometimes when inspiration came, I gave her a few pages.

　　We watched several episodes in a row. As we watched, I couldn't help but laugh. Although the main threads of the story had not changed, it had become a completely different story. The female lead I wrote about dared to love and hate and was emotionally stable. But the female lead played by Qian Mi became a character in an urban drama. She relied on her family background to get what she wanted. Everyone liked her because she was beautiful. The male lead was devoted to her. Even her ex-boyfriend, who betrayed her, went crazy loving her.

　　In short, anyone who opposed her would die. She crushed everything in her path and was invincible. Those with no background, who relied solely on personal struggle, could only be portrayed as villains. They all ended up worse than others. Real love was not seen; only a narcissistic girl was dreaming naively.

　　My mother looked at me and said, "How is it? This TV series is good, right? I cried several times when I watched it back then. This is Misi's masterpiece. It was through this show that she became an A-list actress. After that, she did not perform well. Many viewers said that she had no acting skills."

　　I nodded, "It's great. Mom's taste has always been good. I think Qian Mi's acting skills are still good, but it's not easy to meet a role that suits you. It takes fate."

　　I used the remote to fast-forward to the end of the movie and looked at the screenwriter column. I said to myself, "If I ever meet this person, I will give him a big hug and say, 'You are a genius. This is how it should be written!'"

　　My mother waved her hand and said, "Misi is beautiful, but compared to my daughter, she is far behind. Does she have acting skills? I think it's just so-so. The reason I like this show is mainly that when I see the female lead, I can't help but think of you. She has your shadow."

　　"Hehe, thank you, Mom!"

　　I jokingly winked at my mother and hugged her arm affectionately. She smoothed my hair and smiled gently.