Valerie was puzzled, while Matthew's gaze held a hint of curiosity. He thought: "Not only is sheet music difficult to decipher, but you have to have specifically studied it to recognize it. Even if you can read sheet music, you also have to be able to play the instrument. Valerie has never played piano, so how could she play? Although what she played sounded difficult, she managed to play each note of 'Canon' intermittently."

Valerie propped up her chin and thought for a while. "I've forgotten," she said casually. "Maybe it was my college roommate who taught me. But it doesn't matter. My piano playing is terrible."

He gave an objective evaluation: "Yeah, it's somewhat terrible."

Valerie was instantly annoyed. She lightly pushed him. "Come on, Mr. Grant. Why are you so blunt?"

His uprightness and seriousness could be annoying sometimes.

But joking aside, Valerie wasn't actually mad. Just then, the kitchen dishwasher finished. Valerie admired its handiwork. "Gotta say, the dishes are sparkling clean, and the dishwasher even has UV light for disinfection and sterilization," she thought. She had always been frugal and felt the money was well spent.

With time passing, the piano matter was forgotten. After Valerie put the plates and cutlery in the sink, she said to Matthew, "My brother just texted that a friend sent him a box of zucchinis. They're very fresh and tender. He asked me to get some tomorrow. The temperature has been a little low these past two days. I happened to buy some salted pork and ham the other day. Mr. Grant, if you're up for it, why don't we stew them tomorrow night?"

Zucchini and salted pork are a perfect match, she thought. And I'll cook some seasonal fresh vegetables with cooling properties. It'll be perfect for stewing when it gets cooler. Just the thought of firing up the stove feels delightful.

Matthew had no objections. "I'll go with your plan," he said.

He thought: Just from hearing her talk, I can imagine the stew will be delicious. So far, aside from the latte, her recommendations haven't let me down. And I asked Charles the other day; he mentioned that in southern cities like Wrexton and Garor, people enjoy drinking latte. It's not that her taste is strange. But she's from the north, yet she has quite a few eating habits that are more typical of the south.

Valerie returned to her room to freshen up. Matthew spent a while reading in the living room. When he noticed it was almost 10:30, he returned to his room.

His life had always been disciplined. Although he enjoyed working, he wasn't the kind of person who boasted about his efforts or stayed up late. On the contrary, he maintained a consistent sleep schedule. He tried his best to finish his work during the day and slept peacefully at night. Few people could do this.

He thought: Marrying her has disrupted the rhythm of my life, but so far, it doesn't seem too bad. She's a sensible person. Even if something troubles me, she never takes it for granted; instead, she finds ways to compensate me.

Matthew was aware that he'd mentioned hoping she could cook. So, she'd been putting in extra effort to make delicious food in the last two days to thank him.

He thought: Even though she doesn't say it out loud, this woman has a sense of balance and clear boundaries. But I admire her independence. She's different from those delicate ladies I've known!

As he changed into his pajamas, just as he was about to go to bed, he suddenly thought of something and involuntarily walked toward the weight scale in the corner of the room.

At noon, his grandmother said he seemed to have gained weight, but he didn't believe it

He was stunned.

I have really gained weight, he thought.

Looking at the unprecedented number on the weight scale, Matthew's face darkened instantly.