The Villain in the Quick Travel is My Wife

Chapter 101

Chapter 101.4.14

Zhou Xiaobai glanced down at his empty hands and followed behind An Shuting, the familiar routine of walking to school now feeling quieter. An Shuting, usually talkative and encouraging in the mornings, was completely silent today. His focus was entirely on riding his bike, his posture stiff, his eyes set ahead with an intensity Zhou Xiaobai had never seen before.

Zhou Xiaobai frowned slightly, a twinge of worry stirring within him. Had he noticed something? he wondered, but An Shuting's silence gave no indication of what might be on his mind.

The ride to school passed without a single word exchanged between them. The usual back-and-forth, the teasing and gentle words, was absent today. Zhou Xiaobai, feeling the tension but unsure how to address it, quietly went about his usual tasks. He got hot water for An Shuting, placed the lunch box in his schoolbag, and arranged it neatly on his desk.

When An Shuting sat down and saw the lunch prepared for him-sugared red bean milk, fried eggs, and buns-he stared at it blankly, a slight frown tugging at the corners of his mouth. His appetite seemed to vanish at the sight, though Zhou Xiaobai could tell he was still forcing himself to eat.

Just then, Liu Ning entered the classroom late, rushing past the door to drop his schoolbag onto his desk with a thud. His eyes immediately darted toward the spread on An Shuting's desk, and his stomach growled audibly. Envy flashed in his eyes as he saw the hearty meal prepared with care.

"Why don't I have such a considerate brother?" Liu Ning complained with a playful pout. "My brother only fights with me for food and never makes me breakfast in the morning. And my mother? She doesn't cook breakfast either, at most she boils an egg because she thinks it's too much trouble."

An Shuting glanced at the spread in front of him-the soy milk with rice, peanuts, and red beans, the golden fried eggs, and the freshly sliced tomatoes. Despite the delicious-looking meal, his mind seemed elsewhere, distant.

Zhou Xiaobai, hearing Liu Ning's complaint, looked over at An Shuting. A small pang of guilt tugged at him. Every morning, he made sure An Shuting had fresh clothes, toothpaste squeezed onto the brush, and his breakfast meticulously prepared. It was something he had done out of habit, out of care-but today, he wasn't sure if it was appreciated.

He glanced at An Shuting again, wondering what had caused this sudden shift. Something was clearly bothering him, and Zhou Xiaobai didn't know how to break the silence.

As the day continued, An Shuting found himself lost in thought. He had never realized it before, but now, looking back, he couldn't help but feel that Zhou Xiaobai's patience toward him was surprisingly considerate. The small gestures, the care, the attention to detail-everything that Zhou Xiaobai did for him echoed the way Father An would care for Mother An. It was something he had never paid much attention to before, but now, in the quiet of his own thoughts, it was undeniable.

"Why aren't you eating? Are you feeling unwell today?" Zhou Xiaobai's concerned voice broke through his contemplation.

An Shuting smiled faintly, picking up the fried egg and taking a bite. Zhou Xiaobai always cooked them medium-rare, just the way he liked them. But today, despite the familiar taste, something was off.

"You're already under enough pressure with your studies, so don't go through the trouble of making these for me anymore," An Shuting said, his voice softer than usual. "It's a waste of time. It's just as easy to buy breakfast in the cafeteria."

Zhou Xiaobai remained quiet, his gaze fixed on the desk as he nodded without argument.

An Shuting felt a pang of guilt. He knew he was being ungrateful, but he couldn't help it. Some things, he realized, needed to stop before they blurred the lines too much.