The shop was quiet that morning. Steam rose in thin ribbons from the dumpling baskets, curling toward the wooden ceiling.
Yulan was placing dumplings onto a tray when Li Wei walked in, holding a small notebook — a rare personal habit of his, filled with scribbles and sketches no one else had seen.
"You're here early again," Yulan said, voice cautious.
Li Wei smiled faintly. "I wanted to see how your dumplings turned out today. I heard you added some extra spice?"
Yulan blinked. "I… I thought it was mild." His cheeks warmed. "Just a slight adjustment."
Li Wei leaned over, sniffing the steam. "It smells excellent. But…" He hesitated, then added softly, "…it smells… different."
Yulan's stomach fluttered. He wanted to respond, but words caught in his throat. Did Li Wei like it or think he ruined it?
Before he could answer, Chen Hao burst in through the door, clapping his hands. "Morning! Oh, wow, smells amazing in here today. Dumplings, huh? Should I be jealous?"
Li Wei rolled his eyes. "Hao, you're not supposed to eat before lunch."
Yulan chuckled softly. "He always complains about eating."
Chen Hao winked at Yulan. "And that's why I'm your friend too. Someone has to keep him in check."
The three of them shared a quiet laugh — ordinary, warm, unremarkable, yet Li Wei noticed how natural Yulan felt in that moment.
Later, Yulan overheard a customer whisper:
"I heard the second young master is often here… probably because of your son."
Yulan froze. Did they mean him? Did Li Wei really… like him? Or was it just gossip?
Li Wei noticed Yulan's sudden stillness. "What is it?"
"I… nothing," Yulan said quickly, looking away.
Li Wei sighed softly. "Yulan, sometimes you overthink things. Don't let rumors confuse you."
Yulan hesitated, then nodded slowly. "…Yes, you're right."
Even as the tension eased, his heart raced. He wanted to trust Li Wei, yet his mind kept spinning.